My body felt heavy. Consciousness slowly came to me. I listened to soft breaths beside me and felt something cool on my head. My eyes opened to a nymph in a simple white tunic preparing some sort of concoction.

"Aph?!" I recognized the voice at once and turned to Artemis.

"Arty! How are you?" I smiled at her. I didnt feel sickly or weak. In fact I felt quite radiant.

"Never been better! It's a boy, Aph. I'm so happy!" She hugged me.

"What boy?" I said after I hugged her back.

"Your boy!" Artemis sat beside me looking at me seriously. I must have looked very confused because next line was a whisper, "You dont know?" That's when it striked me. I was with a child. My heart fluttered at the realization.

I took a deep breath looking Artemis with hopeful eyes, "I-i'm.." I couldn't speak further but she understood. Artemis bit down her smile and a wave another realization hit me. I never had sex with Hephaestus. I had never had sex until last night. Ares. I was carrying Ares's child. My smile vanished, "Artemis, this baby .."

She cut me off with a squeal, "Is going to be so cute!" She finished and hugged me, beside my ear she whispered, "I know. Dont say it right now."

She got up and walked to the nymph and took the concoction in a small cup and said to her, "Go out and tell everyone Aphrodite is fine. They can meet her in 10 minutes after she has taken the potions."

Artemis came to me and handed me the cup, "The child is Ares's." She said with a sigh.

"but how do you know?" I asked taking the sip of the liquid. It was brown and had a sickly sweet taste with a hint of sour.

"Goddess of childbirth. I know." She tilted her head to the side. "I thought you knew about it too, so I was happy."

I dont know why but my voice slowed to a faint whisper, "they know?"

"No! Not even Ares! They dont even know you're carrying a child. They thought you faintest due to weakness. That was last night, so I didnt bother telling them until you would wake up." She looked up at me. "You would keep this child, right?"

"Of course! He's mine no matter who the father is." I took my hand to my belly. I could feel the slightest swelling. "I'll have to tell them, right?"

She nods. "At least Ares, he deserves to know."

"I would wait until he's out." If Ares knew now, I dont know how he'll react. He might become too obvious, I cant tell Olympus. Not so soon at least.

We were both sitting in silence, when the door knocked and Hephaestus came in with Hera."Aphrodite! You had me so worried I couldn't sleep last night." He hugged me.

Hera smiled and patted my head."You should eat well Aphrodite. Goddesses cant afford to go off like that, can we?"

I smiled back at her when Artemis said, "Your highness, it is more than weakness." Hera and Heph turned to her."Aphrodite is pregnant."

The initial reaction was silence, then Heph turned to me and held my hands. He looked at my face with the biggest smile, "You are with a child?" I faked a smile,"Yes, I am!" He kissed my hand and then Hera gently hugged me,"that's such a wonderful news. It's been sometime since Olympus heard giggles of a child. Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Boy" I smiled.

"Should have been a girl. She would have been a beauty like you." Hephaestus chuckled.

Hera patted my head. "This needs a celebration. Aphrodite's child would start a new generation of gods.I will go and make an announcement." She turned to Artemis, "is she well enough to attend a feast tonight?"

"Good as ever, Queen. The baby is expected 10th day from now." Artemis looks at me. "Just dont skip the medicines okay?"

I nod and look up at Hephaestus, the way he held my hand. I felt a pang of sadness in my heart but still I couldn't stop wishing for Ares.