The week dragged on for Cilla and her family. The dinner had gone smoothly, according to her father. Biton seemed pleased with the idea of her as a young bride, yet he had also mentioned another young lady he was eyeing as well. The thought tasted bitter to her. The thought that someone could easily "shop" for someone to raise their family for them, but she said nothing of it. Instead she kept herself busy helping her mother with the household duties. This did not help the prolonged feeling of every hour of the days however. It wasn't until she was sent with Aetes and their other brother, Iasos, to the market. The three took their time going from shop to shop, carefully picking each item as to not make a mistake. They had also decided to stop by their uncle's smithery.

"Uncle!" Aetes happily jogged into the shop, excited to see the many tools and products of the trade. Iasos and Cilla, who were only a year apart, walked in more calmly and greeted their uncle sweetly. Cilla had a small note for her uncle that her mother had asked her to deliver if they did get the chance to stop by so she retrieved it from the folds of her peplos and handed it to him.

"Ah, thank you dear one." The older man smiled at her before looking over the folded paper and placing it on his workbench and turning back to them. "You have blossomed the lot of you. How have you all been."

"Fine. Uncle, guess what!" Aetos didn't allow anyone to answer before continuing, excited about his news. "I'm going to become a smith just like you. Father already said I could!"

"Is that so? Well then you will need to start up as an apprentice soon. What have you now, nine? Ten?"

The boy laughed before answering. "Just eight, uncle." The man smiled brightly before ruffling his hair.

"Eight. Then you may start with me next turn of the seasons. We will get you in peak performance before your eleventh year…" The man trailed off as he turned and grabbed an old beat up throng of leather. "But until then have this. Let's see what you can create from this."

Not long after that the three siblings departed from the smithery and started back down the road towards their home. Aetos excitedly looked over the leather in his hands, rambling about all he could make from it. Iasos rolled his eyes and mocked the younger boy for his large dreams, but Cilla couldn't help but smile at her brother and his amazing imagination. The three were lost in their own little world until Aetos looked to the side and smiled widely before stopping and waving theatrically. "Mister! Hey Mister! Why'd you leave last time?" Before Cilla or Iasos could react their brother had dashed off to come to a dead stop in front of a hooded man.

Cilla's breath caught for a moment before her eyes recognized the tattered fabric. She quickly came up beside her brother who was already attacking the man with questions, taking his hand and leaning down to be at level with him. She gently tried explaining that this wasn't acceptable behavior and even looked to Iasos for help in explaining, but the boy was stuck in confusion over what was happening.

"But, sister, you said he had to leave because of work… I thought he was a beggar." The youth's words were ruthless. "Mister do you want to meet our father now? I'm sure he'll hire you."

"Aetes… I'm sorry but-" Her words were interrupted with gentle tones.

"Thank you, but I have a job already."

"You do?" The boy perked and beamed at the man as his questions flowed from his lips. "What do you do? How do you have so much time to spend away from work? Does your work let you travel?" Cilla tried to calm his questions, but was taken aback by how kindly and patiently the man answered.

"No it doesn't allow me to travel… I just find myself restless at the forge these days."

"Forge? Are you a smith? Our uncle is a smith. He gave me this so I can make something with it! Next spring I'll become his apprentice. He said so just a little while ago!"

""Hey! Don't go telling some stranger everything about you." Iasos finally spoke up coming out of his shock. "You have no idea who this man is. For all you know he's not a blacksmith at all, but sells unwitting boys to slavery." His words were harsh, but true. Cilla tried to reprimand him with her eyes, but couldn't when his words were true.

Aetes's eyes widened then narrowed as sorrow and anger clouded his eyes. "Not true. He is nice! He didn't hurt me last time." With those words Iasos's eyes widened and Cilla hurried to shush her brother. She had told only their mother of that night and was quickly told to keep it from their other brothers and father. Iasos glanced at his sister before looking between the man and their brother. After searching for words to save the situation Cilla finally perked up and clapped her hands together.

"Oh yes! We meet him at Hera's temple the other day. He was hired to make something for the temple if I remember correctly." She looked to the man with pleading eyes, begging him silently to agree with her story.

The man did little more than nod before bowing. "I go by Heron." When he straightened his body he was meet with analyzing eyes. After a moment Iasos dropped his gaze and huffed, satisfied with the story.

"Well we must be going. It was lovely to see you once more, Heron. May the gods smile upon you and your family." Cilla smiled brightly at him before steering Aetes and Iasos back towards their home, the to boys varying in cooperation.

Hephaestus watched the three leave. Why did he once more neglect his work to come and spy upon the woman that had so easily said his name? Why did his mind keep wandering to the young boy who happily spoke to him and his sister who had looked upon his flaws and did little more than pause in her speech? Now he stood there once more dumbfounded by the two. Once more they saw his flaws and said nothing. Once more they spoke easily to him. Even their brother barely treated him as an outsider, only questioning who he was. Something pulled him towards this strange family. Towards this woman who had asked his mother for her blessings.

He took a step back before turning and disappearing into the crowd of mortals. If his mother found out he had stepped into the world below once more just to glance at this family she would surely strike out against them.

Luckily he has returned to his forge long before anyone had come looking for him. His brother, Ares burst through the doors now, bloodied and boasting about the newest war he was leading in the far east. The arrogant god clapped his brother's back much harder than needed before grabbing the helm he had demanded to be fixed. "Looks like once more your only good for holding onto my things for me." The man laughed before swinging the helm over his shoulder and winking at the deflated smith before leaving as quickly as he had come.

This was how he was truly viewed. He chided himself for forgetting even for a moment. He must always remember that even if he was considered a god it was only by name at this point. It was foolish to let two fleeting mortals blind him to this truth.