Percy Jackson: The Firstborn

Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Aphrodite

Olympus — Temple of Aphrodite

Not much time had passed since the meeting ended. Aphrodite had immediately teleported to her temple, and right now she was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling in silence.

She could not get the red-haired god out of her head.

And that was because, unlike many in Olympus, Aphrodite knew perfectly well who Damon was.

Many years had passed, too many even by the standards of a goddess, but she would never forget him. Not only because he was the first man she ever met, but because he was the only one who did not look at her like a prize to be conquered.

Aphrodite knew those looks better than anyone. Even when she had just been born, she already knew how to tell when someone saw her as a person and when someone saw her as a prize. Many gods, Titans, and spirits could fake respect, but their eyes, and especially their emotions, said otherwise, even if they tried to hide it. She was the goddess of love for a reason.

That was why she remembered perfectly how Damon had not looked at her that way. When he arrived on the island of Cyprus, he did not try anything strange or show any bad intentions. He simply told her that place was no longer safe and that he had to take her to Mount Othrys.

Nothing more... Of course, he told her she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and all that, but that was normal when you were a man.

She remembered looking at him with distrust at first. Although in those days, she was still naive. But Damon did not ask for anything in exchange for protecting her and taking her away from there. And the truth was, after all those years, she was certainly grateful for that.

She had not really had time to thank him back then. He had a way of speaking and moving that made it clear he had no patience for stupidity.

But above all, he had been a good person to her. And these days, Aphrodite rarely received something like that unless it had to do with her body. Everyone treated her like a whore.

She did not know as much about Damon as Hera, Hestia, or Demeter. After all, after leaving her with Rhea, she never saw him again. And history had continued its course.

But now she did not even know what to think. She did not even have the courage to look him in the face without feeling ashamed, and every time she remembered what he had said about her domain and how she did not represent it properly, that feeling of shame grew worse with every moment.

Aphrodite let out a sigh, covering her face with her hands.

”My lady, are you alright?” asked a voice Aphrodite instantly recognized as one of her maidens. Aphrodite removed one hand from her face and looked toward the entrance of the room. Clea and Melia were there, both with different expressions. Clea, as always, tried to look calm and respectful, while Melia had curiosity written all over her face.

”I’m fine,” Aphrodite answered after a few seconds, but Melia blinked, clearly unconvinced.

”With all due respect, my lady, you do not look fine.”

Clea gave her a small elbow to the side, but Aphrodite let out a small laugh, although there was not much joy in it.

”Don’t hit her. She’s right.”

The two maidens looked at each other, clearly surprised that Aphrodite had admitted it so easily. ”It’s because of the new king, isn’t it?” Melia asked, lowering her voice a little.

Aphrodite looked at her, and the maiden immediately went stiff. ”Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to speak out of turn.” Aphrodite turned her gaze back to the ceiling. ”No. It’s fine.”

Clea lowered her head carefully. ”If I may say something, my lady... I do not think he is bad.”

Aphrodite raised an eyebrow. ”Damon?”

Clea slowly nodded. ”He thanked us. And with all due respect, that is not something the gods do often.” Aphrodite remained silent, listening to her maiden’s words.

Melia quickly gained more confidence. ”Yes. And it was not like when Zeus took all the credit for something he did not even do, just to make himself look better..... Lord Damon seemed... I don’t know, like someone who would actually listen to our complaints and prayers.”

Clea looked at Melia for a second, but this time she did not interrupt her.

”He also spoke for the children of minor gods,” Melia added. ”My cousin serves at the camp sometimes. She says many demigods live as if they are leftovers because their parents are not important. If Lord Damon changes that...”

The maiden stopped, as if she did not want to sound too hopeful. Aphrodite observed her in silence. ”You like him,” the goddess said.

Melia immediately turned red. ”Not in that way!” Melia swallowed. ”Well... not only in that way.”

Aphrodite let out a low laugh.

Melia covered her face a little, embarrassed. ”It’s just... with all due respect, my lady, the new king is quite attractive, much better than all the male gods... most of them are just muscles without brains,” the maiden finished with newly found courage.

”Melia, be careful with what you say,” Clea warned seriously.

”What? I’m not lying. We all thought it. Even some nymphs almost fainted when they saw.”

Aphrodite could not help but smile a little. Melia was completely right: the male Olympian gods left much to be desired. As for Damon, he had always had that kind of presence. That confidence, power, and that way of looking at the world as if nothing had the right to move him without his permission. It was something someone with just a pretty face simply could not replicate.

Clea softly cleared her throat. ”What Melia means, my lady, is that many are nervous, but also relieved. Zeus could be... difficult.”

Aphrodite let out a humorless laugh. ”Difficult is a kind way to say it.”

”Lord Damon is frightening,” Clea admitted. ”But he does not seem cruel without reason.”

Melia nodded immediately. ”Exactly. He is frightening, but he also feels like someone who, if a god crosses the line, will put them in their place. That is what we need, at least us, since we are defenseless against the demands of any god.”

Aphrodite had to admit they had a point. She had already lost count of how many times a nymph, a maiden, or even a minor goddess had been violated by another god, minor or major, simply because they were weak. And Zeus never did anything to stop it for one very simple reason: he did the same thing.

Aphrodite closed her eyes, remembering different occasions. Some of those victims had been maidens belonging to her own temple.

”You are both very right.”

Melia smiled. ”Then you trust him?”

Aphrodite slowly opened her eyes. ”Yes, I do,” the goddess said, a small smile blooming on her face. ”Maybe more than anyone.”

The two maidens smiled back, delighted by their goddess’s support, but the small moment did not last long. The door to the room opened carefully, and another maiden entered almost quickly. It was Eudora, a nymph with light brown hair who was normally calm, but now her face was pale and her hands nervously gripped the fabric of her dress.

”My lady...” Eudora said in a low voice.

Aphrodite raised her gaze. ”What is it?”

Eudora swallowed before answering. ”Lord Ares is in the temple. He is asking for you.” The room fell silent.

Aphrodite let out a slow sigh and sat up better on the bed. ”Is he causing problems?” Eudora hesitated. ”Not yet, my lady, but...” Before she could finish, a loud voice thundered from the hallway.

”You! Come here.”

Eudora went rigid, and Ares’s voice was heard again, more annoyed than before.

”Are you deaf? I said come here.”

Clea and Melia frowned, annoyance clear on their faces. Aphrodite also frowned as she listened to Ares’s voice rise with anger.

”Stop wasting my time. If I call you, you come immediately,” the god shouted.

Eudora lowered her head, trembling with fear. Aphrodite felt something unpleasant tighten in her chest. That way of shrinking before a hand was even raised... it was exactly what they had been talking about. It was the kind of rotten power many gods had used for centuries because they knew no one was going to stop them.

Aphrodite lowered her feet from the bed and stood, walking toward the entrance of the room, followed by Clea, Melia, and Eudora.

The moment they stepped out, Ares shouted again from the hallway.

”Aphrodite! Why the hell don’t your servants follow orders?”

Ares was in the middle of the hallway, frowning with his arms crossed, wearing that same old arrogance. In front of him stood another maiden, much younger, with her eyes lowered and her shoulders tense.

Ares pointed at her without taking his eyes off Aphrodite.

”Tell your servant to stop acting like she doesn’t hear when a god speaks to her.”

Aphrodite looked at the maiden for a second before turning her gaze back to Ares. ”And why were you calling her?”

Ares let out a dry laugh. ”Since when do I need to explain to you what I do with a servant?”

Aphrodite smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. ”Since I told you my servants are not your toys.”

Ares narrowed his eyes. ”Be careful how you speak to me, whore.” Ares took a step toward her, reaching out to grab her arm.

Grave mistake.

Before his fingers could touch her, Aphrodite’s divine power exploded like a golden wave directly toward the god of war. Ares’s body was sent flying backward and fell against the marble floor with a dry thud.

The maidens went completely still.

Aphrodite walked toward him without hurry, the sound of her heels echoing through the hallway. Ares tried to get up, but before he could do so, the goddess placed her golden heel over his neck and pressed down enough to keep him on the floor.

Aphrodite looked down at him, her golden heel still pressing against his neck.

”We are done, Ares. I do not want to see you in my temple again.”

Ares clenched his teeth, trying to lift his head a little, but the pressure of the heel kept him on the floor.

”What the hell, woman...?” he barely managed to say.

Aphrodite tilted her head, looking at him as if she had just heard something very disappointing.

”Do not mistake my domain for weakness. Do not forget, I am the daughter of Uranus, a primordial, born from a power much older than your wounded pride and your pathetic father, Zeus. Just because I do not show it every moment does not mean I cannot break your face or the face of any other god or goddess.”

Ares opened his eyes and tried to push her foot away, but a new wave of divine power fell over him, crushing him against the floor.

Aphrodite pressed a little harder with her heel, forcing him to stay still.

”And call me that again,” the goddess continued, her voice soft but cold, ”and I will show you that Lord Damon is not the only one capable of putting your pathetic ass in its place.”

The maidens around her looked at their goddess in surprise. Aphrodite rarely resorted to violence, and that had led many to see her as someone weak, forgetting that she was one of the Olympians with the greatest divine power.

Aphrodite lowered her gaze toward Ares, her golden heel still pressing against his neck.

”The maidens of my temple are not here to calm your wounded pride or your little dick,” the goddess said with a cold smile. ”So do me the favor of leaving my temple.”

Ares clenched his teeth, his face full of rage and humiliation.

”This is not over, Aphrodite.”

Aphrodite let out a small laugh, clearly mocking the god’s pride, before slowly moving her heel from his neck. The god of war rose with difficulty, glaring at her with hatred, but he did not dare say anything else. Without another word, he left the temple of the goddess of love.

Aphrodite watched him leave and let out a huff.

”Ughhh... now I need a bath after all that.” The maidens quickly nodded, mentally thanking their goddess for getting that brute out of there.

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ok heres the thing with aphrodite shes controversial. I feel like everyone hates her, but listen, one thing comes to my mind right now, and that’s Heras bath of virginity to at least fix that up. I am not sure, but I gotta do something. Any suggestions? I still haven’t done much with her, even on Patreon....

Anyway, drop some stones, boys and gals, if any ))))))💕

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P@treon: Brotato up to Chapter 110