Hera never got to see the birth of her siblings, for she was devoured by her own father; Cronos, just like her brothers and sisters. Except for Zeus.
When Cronos vomited, releasing her and her siblings Poseidon, Hades, Hestia and Demeter, they reunited with their brother Zeus who explained them to everything. The siblings felt anger and desired for revenge against their father and the rest of the Titans.
Since then, Hera fell in love with Zeus; her heroic and handsome brother and God who saved them from Cronos' stomach. She continued to be infatuated with him as he led them against Cronos and the Titan army led by his general, Atlas, and when Zeus delivered the final blow to their father, ending the tyranny of the mad Titan.
In between the battles, she wanted to come up to Zeus and confess her love for him, but she was too shy to do so. Instead, she would spend the nights lying naked and masturbate. Moaning out Zeus' name.
"Oh, Zeus. Oh, how I love you so much…"
When the war was over and the Titans were defeated, Hera finally found the courage to approach Zeus, but he already took Metis as his wife and queen of Olympus. For the first time, Hera was heartbroken. She felt so much pain and ran off into tears, not even attending her brother's wedding.
Only her mother Rhea came and tried to comfort her, while encouraging Hera to let Zeus go. Hera tried, but she would still give into temptation and pleasure herself, spying on Zeus' naked body from time to time.
The whole pantheon then learned that Metis died and Athena was born. Despite being jealous, Hera was devastated by her death and felt loss.
Some time later, Zeus approached her. She was sleeping in her bed when he came in, partly drunk. Seeing her, Zeus grabbed her, pressing her body hard against his bare chest.
"Hera…" he moaned into her ear.
"Zeus…" Hera stammered. "What are you doing? I…"
She was cut off when the Sky-Father pressed his lips against her. He then began assaulting her face and neck with kisses, she felt his rough beard against her soft skin. Hera immediately gave in and did not resist when Zeus began undoing her gown, revealing her naked body.
He pressed her against her bed before thrusting inside her hard. Hera felt pain, but she ignored it and felt pleasure and happiness. She finally gave herself to her beloved Zeus. That night, she enjoyed every second of it as Zeus seduced her.
By morning, he proposed to her. Hera felt that it was the beginning of her life in a paradise.
"Yes! Yes! I will marry you! I love you, Zeus!" she cried with joy.
They married and so she became queen and wife. Gaia brought them a tree that produced golden apples as a wedding gift. Their brothers Poseidon and Hades, and their sisters Hestia and Demeter, wished them a happy marriage and many children. However, this married life became a misery and it was all the fault of her husband.
Hera loved her husband and only him. But Zeus, on the other hand, loved not only his wife, but almost every female in this world. Soon, these mistresses got pregnant with his offspring.
There was Leto and her children; twins Apollo and Artemis. There was Semele and her son; Dionysus. Then Maia and her immature son Hermes. Next came Demeter and her daughter; Persephone.
Oh, how Hera raged and cried silently in her chambers when she learned this. Despite being queen, Hera was very close to her sisters Hestia and Demeter, and treated them equally. So, the affair of Zeus and Demeter hurt her. She felt betrayed by her sister.
Next came the half-Gods; one was Heracles. Of all of her husband's bastards, Hera hated him the most.
All of these whores bore children. Some of them bore sons, but what about her?
Hera always wanted children with Zeus and she did gave birth; to daughter Hebe, but she knew that wasn't good enough. She needed to give Zeus an heir, and with him favouring Athena, she had a desire to bear her husband a son.
Soon, she became pregnant with another child. Hera beamed with joy. It was around morning the heavily pregnant Hera went into labour. Thankfully, her maids were nearby and quickly took her to her chambers. Hera screamed in pain. This pregnancy was far more painful than her first one. She was assured that she was expecting a boy. Oh, Chaos! A boy! After what seemed to be like an eternity, Hera made one last cry while she felt her next child coming out of her womb.
"You have a son, my queen." The maids told her. Opening her eyes while panting, Hera took the child and saw him.
What she saw before her horrified her.
The baby was indeed a boy, but not what she imagined. His limbs were twisted. His hair was reddish like fire. He was a hairy baby with rugged features and soot covered dark skin. His face was red and twisted. Out of horror and disgust, she dropped him, only for the poor infant to wail even louder. The baby was ugly. She didn't want him. As if to make matters worse, Zeus came in.
When he took a look at his son, he raged.
"What kind of animal is this?!" he asked his wife. "He is no son of mine! Get rid of it, now!"
Hera was outraged that Zeus would dare to deny this baby she gave birth to be his son, while he constantly whored. However, she too was disgusted by their child. Without a word, she grabbed the baby and stormed out to the marble overhang of her palace. Only clouds were below them, serving as a border between Olympus and the mortal realm.
"You are no son of mine, begone!" Hera snarled before rising the wailing boy up and threw her down into the clouds.
The poor child fell down towards the sea. On the way, he got himself unlucky of colliding with a few jagged rocks before being swallowed by the sea waves. He would have remained on the seabed if not for a kind Oceanid named Thetis.
The kind and caring Nymph felt great pity and took care of the child. She brought him to the island of Lemnos. Thetis began to raise the baby boy as her own, naming him Hephaestus. She taught him how to swim. However, what interested him most was fire, and he spent his days at the volcanos of Lemnos. He enjoyed the intense heat and energy, the flames. As time went on, Hephaestus was ugly, but he grew to be strong. Soon, he discovered his talent in art and blacksmithing. Thetis, the compassionate Oceanid, encouraged him to use his talent.
Using the heat of volcanoes, he created the most powerful weapons and beautiful jewellery. Despite his lame and damaged body, he had a brilliant mind. And so when Thetis encouraged him to make way back to Olympus, he came up with a cunning plan to punish his mother.
Before leaving for Olympus, Hephaestus spent a long time creating a beautifully-decorated throne. It had carved drawings of Hera's birds; peacocks. With his weak leg, he barely, but nonetheless, reached the mountain of the Gods.
All of the Olympian Gods and Nymphs gathered at the gates of Olympus. Hera immediately recognized her son, chills running down her spine. Instead of welcoming him, Hera and others mocked him for his look. Hephaestus, however, was prepared for this, and presented the throne to his mother as a gift.
The Queen of Gods was immediately infatuated with his craft and eagerly sat on it. Upon doing so, Hera was even more impressed. Not only was it beautiful, but it was also completely fitting for Zeus' wife.
"Along with this throne, dear mother, I can craft many gifts for you." Hephaestus told her. "If you accept me into Olympus."
Hera, however, only laughed at his face.
"Ha! As if that would ever happen, cripple."
She was about to get up, only to found out that she could not. She tried, and tried, and tried, but to no success. It was as if she was attached to the throne.
"Someone! Anyone! Get me out!" Hera hysterically screamed when she suddenly heard Hephaestus laughing. "What are you laughing at, your hideous creature?"
"It was I who created this throne, mother." The young blacksmith told her. "And only I can release you from its bounds!"
"Do it! Release me!" she demanded. Hephaestus laughed, shaking his head.
"I will release you, only if you will comply to my two requests."
Hera scowled. Of course, her ugly son would make demands. But she had no other choice.
"What do you want?"
"First," Hephaestus told her. "I want to be accepted into the court of Olympus, and have you and the Sky Father acknowledgement me as your son."
Hera scowled even more. She should have expected this; Hephaestus wanted his parents to publicly acknowledge him and give him a honoured position among the Olympic pantheon.
"So be it." Hera hissed, reluctantly accepting his terms.
"Very good."
"And the other request?" Hera then asked. She has already humiliated herself by apologising to Hephaestus. However, what her crippled son said, shocked not only her, but the whole court of Olympus.
"I want Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, to be my wife."
Everyone was shocked, especially Aphrodite. The lame and crippled God of Fire did not make a good couple with the beautiful and naked Goddess of Love. Zeus, however, agreed.
"As you wish, my son."
Of all Gods and Goddesses, the naked Aphrodite was most surprised and shocked.
"Father, please." She immediately began begging. "Do not give me away to this ugly brute!"
"It is best for you, my daughter." Zeus firmly told her.
"But I don't want him!" Aphrodite yelled, pointing at Hephaestus. "I want Ares!"
She stomped the marble floor with her bare foot.
"You will marry Hephaestus and that is that!" Zeus told her.
For the next few hours, the naked Goddess threw a huge tantrum. She sobbed and cried. She threw curses at Zeus, who managed to ignore her, then cursed Hephaestus. But Zeus remained firm with his decision. Although Hephaestus was not good looking, he knew that his lame son was the ideal candidate for being Aphrodite's husband. From the look on the throne that held Hera, it was clear that Hephaestus was hard-working and crafty.
He would be a good blacksmith on Olympus.
The other Gods were shocked by these news, but had mixed views. Hera was burning with rage. She, the Queen of the Gods, was fooled and humiliated right in front of everyone. Since it happened during day, and Helios being a gossiper, word would spread quickly. At least one of her husband's bastards got what she deserved.
Athena was positive. She understood why Zeus chose Hephaestus and agreed with his decision. Not to mention that she already liked her new sibling. Hephaestus seemed to be a nice boy. Unlike the arrogant and violent Ares.
Some Gods such as Hermes, were now jealous of Hephaestus. But of all Gods, the one who was most jealous and outraged was Ares. He felt cheated. Since Aphrodite came into Olympus stark naked, he fell in love with her and her naked body. He wanted her. He lusted her. And whenever he wanted something, he would get it. He would fight for it and get the spoils of war.
For he was the God of War.