Chapter eleven
Ana.
When I walked into the front room with Hephaestus and Pythia everyone looked up smiling when they noticed Hephaestus behind me. I was just about to introduce him when Hebe stood and walked over to Pythia and grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug "I am so sorry. I truly didn't mean to upset you."
"No, Hebe. It's not anything you did and it's all sorted now, I promise. Please don't worry. I'm fine." Just as Pythia and Hebe pulled out of their hug Christian appeared looking around the room until his eyes landed on Hephaestus before he noticed me standing next to him.
I couldn't help but smile when I saw him frown and walk over to me pulling me to him. Ever the jealous man I thought with a small laugh making Christian look down at me smiling himself.
"Christian, I would like you to meet Hephaestus." Christian reached over never moving his arm from around my waist. "Nice to meet you, Hephaestus. I'm Ana's husband Christian although you may know me more as Lucifer. I rolled my eyes at how territorial he sounded then elbowed him trying to get him to quit being an asshole when Artemis came into the room and saw Hephaestus.
"Hephaestus. Oh, it's so good to see you again." Artemis ran over to him and hugged him tightly around his waist. "It's been so long. How are you, old friend?"
"Artemis, I didn't know you would be here. It's so good to see you, too. Where is your brother?"
"He's at the hospital, guarding Eileithyia. Did Zeus tell you what happened?" Hephaestus pulled Pythia over to the sofa to sit with her placing the large bag at his feet.
"He told me briefly. I see Ares hasn't changed much over the years. Still as brutal and cruel as ever. I'm so looking forward to seeing him again. The last time I saw him he ran from me like a frightened little boy, but I assure you this time he won't escape me." I couldn't wait to hear more about this man and his history with everyone his bloodlust seemed to add to my excitement that he was fighting alongside us.
"Hephaestus, how do you know everyone? I'm very curious." He turned to me still holding Artemis's small hands in his much larger ones as though he had forgotten that anyone else was in the room.
"I have known Artemis and Apollo for too many lifetimes to count. I was the one who made their weapons. In fact, I make all the weapons for the Gods, including Zeus's lightning bolt spear, which I know you will have seen." He gave me a warm smile before continuing and I couldn't help being impressed. I had seen all of those weapons in the bag and the lightening bolt and they were incredible.
"Zeus and Hera are my parents, which would make those that you are going up against my siblings. Although, there is no love lost when it comes to them. Other than my father, of course. He and I have always been incredibly close. Hera, though well she is another story. After I was born it became obvious that I had a few things that were considered deformities to the Gods." I was looking at him and I couldn't see a single deformity. I was frowning when he looked up at me smiling before carrying on.
"Hera decided to throw me off Mount Olympus. She abandoned me as a newborn, and then when I was grown and started making weapons and jewels for the Gods, she wanted me back. Naturally, I declined, knowing that all she wanted was for me to make things for her. Being abandoned by your mother because you are not attractive enough, or you have a broken foot, is a hard thing to get over. On top of that, I have heard the stories of what she has done to my other siblings, who were not born of hers, and my father's unions. No matter who their mother is there is never a reason to go after innocent's. Hera has always been cruel and vindictive and it would seem she has not changed."
"No, she seems to have only gotten worse. Especially, since she lost her powers." I shrugged my shoulders as I spoke, giving him a small smile.
"Well then, it's time she is stopped permanently. I understand you let her go once and while had I been in your shoes, I wouldn't have done the same, I understand why you did. You have a beautiful heart but you have to know that this time she needs to be ended."
"Oh, she won't be walking away from the fight this time I can promise you that. I gave her mercy before, this time for her there will be none."
"What about my siblings? What will be done to them?"
"I don't know if it will be my place to make that choice. They are after all Zeus's children and they are defending their mother, but I did make it clear those who helped Hera would face the same fate as she did when her powers were stripped. I feel that would be the best thing to do because I don't like the thought of ending their lives. They have listened to the lies that Hera has told them and they believe her, so they are angry because they think their mother has been wronged. I am hoping not all of your siblings are as twisted as Ares so that my hand isn't forced. I am more than happy for his life to be ended."
"Ares is mine! Catching your brother with your wife is not something you forget or forgive. Then to have him come for me and steal from me." Hephaestus shook his head and I could see the anger in his eyes. "With the greatest of respect my Queen, I am not asking for permission on this one. Ares is mine! I will be the one to end him and I will use his stolen weapon to do so."
I couldn't argue with him because I didn't blame him for wanting revenge, "You will have no arguments from me. He is all yours."
"Thank you, my Queen." Hephaestus gave me a nod of respect then turned to Hebe smiling softly "Hi, sister. It's so good to see you again and away from our mother. I'm sorry for what happened to Eileithyia, she is strong, so I know she will pull through." Hebe smiled at him nodding her head but said nothing and I could see she was holding back unshed tears at the mention of her sister.
"Okay, we need to know who will be joining this fight on our side. Can we make a list?" Christian's voice cut through the silence.
"Some of my children will be there. As will my wife. She is currently looking for help for Eileithyia." I was so shocked when he said this because I had never expected his wife to be joining in on the fight.
"Aphrodite will be with us?" I wasn't sure how to feel about that considering she had, had a relationship with Ares. I didn't want even the slightest possibility of anyone switching sides.
"No, my Queen. I am no longer with Aphrodite. My wife now is Aglaea. When our father asked us for help, she was only too happy to fight alongside him. She and my father have a close bond."
"What do you mean our father?" I was confused by what Hephaestus had just said. Surely, he meant his father.
"Zeus is not just my father, my Queen, but before I explain, you have to understand that we are not the same as humans. It is very common among the Gods and Goddesses to marry their siblings. The Titans also did the same. My father's parents are brother and sister. As are Zeus and Hera. Aphrodite and Aglaea are my half-sisters. I know to humans this is unthinkable and something they find to be disgusting and abhorrent but to us it is normal."
He said it so matter of fact but I couldn't hide the shock and disgust on my face. How could anyone sleep with their brother or sister? It was too horrific to think about.
I tried to hide how I was feeling but knew that I was failing miserably
"I'm sorry. I'm trying to understand, and it's certainly not for me to judge. I'm just really shocked. It's so forbidden among humans, and like you said abhorrent, and with good reason. I never expected you to say that you had been married and are still married to your siblings. It's just a shock. I'm sorry." I was rambling but I needed to do something because I didn't want to offend him or shame him.
"It's okay. I know you are not judging me and I know that this is something that must horrify you given that humans shouldn't and generally don't have sexual relations with family members. So, please don't think I'm offended I assure you I'm not."
"Thank you" The relief his words gave me was instant and I decided to change the subject to prevent anything being said that would end up offending him. "Okay, so we need the names of those who will be helping Hera and those who will be helping us other than those we already know of."
"Well, you have me obviously, and my wife Aglaea, along with my children. Thalia will fight as will her twins they are known only as Palici. They were never given separate names which I am sure will be confusing for you but again it is just some of our ancient ways, I'm afraid. My daughters, Eupheme, Euthenia, and Philophrosyne. My triplet sons, again known simply as Cabeiri will also be there. They will all arrive on the day we decide to go to battle. Do not be offended if they do not talk or stick around after. They like to keep to themselves much like myself and my wife. However, I think my daughter Thalia and her sons may stay as she holds a personal grudge when it comes to Hera. She had to spend a long time hiding herself and her children from her."
"Why?" The more I heard about Hera the more I was seeing how much this bitch has terrorized so many people and it was making me wish I had ended her at the warehouse.
"Zeus is the father to her twin sons. That's why."
"Okay. Do we have any other help?" I was looking around the room waiting for anyone's reply when I heard Zeus in my head.
"Go to Mount Olympus and inform my sister, Hestia, that she is needed on earth. You, myself, and your husband are going on a trip to Tartarus to retrieve my brother, Hades. He will want to personally bring Hera's soul to Tartarus once you have killed her."
I felt the color drain from my face when I heard this. Which others around the room seemed to notice. "Ana, what's wrong, honey?" I looked up at my Mom as Christian's grip on my hand tightened and he looked how I felt which told me he had heard what Zeus had said.
"Zeus has just informed me that I need to go and bring Hestia here."
"Okay. Why do you look so scared? From what I know of her, she is said to be a peaceful, beautiful, loving Goddess. You will be fine sweetheart."
"I haven't finished. When we bring her back here, Christian, Zeus, and I will be leaving to go to Tartarus." I never got to finish when I heard Hephaestus hiss.
"Fuck! He's bringing Hades here, isn't he?" I was shocked to see that he was laughing as he spoke, which eased my panic a little.
"Why is he in Tartarus? What did he do?" I was looking around the room when Christian spoke with a growl.
"He hasn't done anything, Ana. He is the King of Tartarus." I gasped in shock and wracked my brain to see if during everything that had happened since I had met Christian had anyone mentioned this to me but I was coming up empty. Too much had happened and I couldn't think about all the information I had learned.
"My father is a genius and Hera will wish she had never started this fight when she sees him." Hephaestus was openly laughing now which added to my confusion.
"Why?"
"Well, apart from the fact that he is King of a place that is a prison to the Titans, he also commands the Harpies, who if needs be could make an appearance. He is a twisted mother fucker who loves death and pain. If he was going to be in this fight helping the other side, I am sorry to say I wouldn't be helping you. Not even with the weapons I have brought with me, but as it is my father asking him, I am now more excited. You see, my father freed all of his siblings after their father Cronus tried to end them. I won't tell you how as it's not something you would like to have in your head, but now his siblings other than Hera, of course, hold a lot of respect for him. They may not always like him but in this instance, for what he did for them they would help."
I felt a little sick at the thought of what we had to do despite the fact that having Hades on our side would clearly be a massive game-changer. Just seeing that place from the portal terrified me but to go into it was fucking horrifying. "Okay, I'm going to get this over and done with." I was shaking with nerves but I was trying my best to trust that what Zeus had planned would be the right thing for us all.