Percy Jackson: The Firstborn

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Reconciliation of Love and Marriage

Olympus

In one of the quietest areas of Olympus, far from the curious gazes of gods and nymphs, Hera, Hestia, Aphrodite, and Rhea were sitting around a small campfire made by Hestia. It was nothing crazy, just a warm, calm flame that kept the air pleasant while the goddesses shared chocolate chip cookies and cups of hot chocolate, prepared by the goddess of the hearth.

It had not been long since Damon had gone to Camp Half-Blood after learning about the capture-the-flag game. He had left Rhea with Hestia, deciding to handle it himself, not wanting to involve his mother right after bringing her back to Olympus.

”Hmmm, I have to say it, Hestia. Your cooking is still the best of all,” Aphrodite said, clearly delighted as she held a cookie between her fingers. The goddess of love had an expression far too happy for someone who was only eating chocolate cookies, although perhaps it was not that surprising. Valentine’s Day could almost be considered the day of chocolate as well, so it was normal for Aphrodite to enjoy something so sweet with such ease.

Hestia let out a small laugh, a slight blush on her cheeks from the compliments. She didn’t receive many compliments at all; her days before Damon’s arrival had been lonelier than many imagined. Of course, scenes like this happened from time to time, but sooner or later, some drama or argument would always end up ruining moments like this.

”Don’t say that, Aphrodite,” Hestia said, a little embarrassed as she looked at her cup. ”Hera and Mother also know how to cook very well. They just rarely do it.”

”My cooking has always had a different touch from yours, sister,” Hera added with a voice full of warmth, though she still kept that seriousness typical of someone as proud as her. The queen took another cookie before drinking a little of her hot chocolate. ”I can cook well, yes, but I cannot simply replicate what you do. Yours always has something more.”

Rhea let out a small laugh, choosing not to say anything for now and simply enjoy the moment. It was nothing extraordinary, but it was a simple scene the four women had not had in several years.

Hestia took a sip from her cup, trying to hide her embarrassment, but when she lowered the chocolate drink, the other three women stared at her with clear amusement in their eyes. Aphrodite was the first to let out a soft laugh. ”Hestia...”

”Huh? What is it?” Hestia asked, confused.

Hera placed her cup on the small table beside her with the natural elegance of a queen. ”You look like a little girl stealing chocolate from the kitchen,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand while letting out a small laugh.

Hestia blinked, then quickly wiped her lip with her fingers. When she saw the chocolate stain, her face turned even redder.

”Ahhh, my daughter, you have always been so adorable,” Rhea said, not trying to hide her amusement as she approached the goddess and took her cheeks between her hands, squeezing them affectionately.

”Ehhh, Mother, wait,” Hestia tried to reply with small tears of embarrassment in her eyes, wishing the earth would swallow her at that very moment.

The laughter did not take long to come, echoing throughout the area. Hestia looked at all of them with resignation before taking a napkin and cleaning herself better.

”All of you are terrible.”

”Don’t take it the wrong way, sister. We are just happy to see you being yourself,” Hera replied, still smiling. ”As someone who always tries to look presentable, I understand you better than anyone. But you do not have to try. It comes naturally to you. That is what makes you special, in my opinion.”

Hestia stared at Hera for a second before beaming warmly. The two goddesses had always gotten along well, to the point of knowing secrets about each other that neither would probably admit in front of the rest of Olympus. Hera could seem cold to many, but Hestia knew better than anyone that beneath all that queenly posture, there was still a sister who cared more than she said out loud.

Aphrodite watched the small scene before placing her cup on the table and looking at Rhea with curiosity. ”And you, Sister Rhea, how have you been?” the goddess of love asked, making the other goddesses flutter for a moment.

Sometimes it was easy to forget that, in fact, Rhea and Aphrodite could call each other sisters. After all, they came from the same father.

”I know everyone has been busy talking about Damon and everything that has happened, but I don’t think anyone has actually stopped to ask about you,” Aphrodite continued. ”After all, we haven’t seen each other in an eternity, I would say.”

Rhea blinked, a little surprised by the question, especially coming from someone like Aphrodite. Perhaps she would have expected it from Hera or Hestia, but certainly not from the goddess of love.

”Well, what can I say?” Rhea began, holding her cup with both hands. ”I have been well. Happy that Damon is back, and also happy to be here with all of you.” A slight smile appeared on her face as she looked at Aphrodite with joy.

”Although I still remember the first time we were together, when Damon brought you to the mountain. I will never forget your damsel screams.” The teasing tone of the Titaness could clearly be heard.

Aphrodite almost choked when she heard what Rhea said.

Demeter looked between the two of them with curiosity, listening to the conversation with amusement.

For her part, Aphrodite wiped her lips with a napkin before looking at Rhea with narrowed eyes. ”Wow. I didn’t know you still had that in you,” the goddess of love said. ”I suppose time hasn’t changed you that much.” Then she looked to the side with a small pout. ”Although I don’t remember screaming that much.”

”If you say so, dear sister,” Rhea replied, covering her smile with her cup. ”After all, I wasn’t the one hiding my face in Damon’s neck with all the fear in the world.”

Aphrodite narrowed her eyes. ”Fine, fine. I suppose I let out a few screams,” the goddess huffed. ”I was young,” she added quickly, raising a finger with fake dignity. ”Besides, I didn’t know much about the world yet. I think I had the right to be a little upset.”

”Of course, a little,” Hera replied, with that refined mockery only she could use without losing elegance. ”If I didn’t know better, I would say you almost bit Damon out of fear.”

Aphrodite looked at Hera with exaggerated offense. ”Now I really think Hestia is right. You are all horrible.” The fake irritation in her voice only made the other three goddesses enjoy themselves more.

Rhea grinned with nostalgia. ”Yes, you have a point, Aphrodite. You were certainly more innocent in those days,” the Titaness said, looking at her with tenderness. ”You were easily frightened and never left my side from the moment Damon left you with me.”

The amused smirk of the goddess of love slipped a little. For an instant, Aphrodite remembered that time. Before the temples, the gazes of desire, the desperate prayers, and the games of power. Before she learned to smile as if nothing could touch her. She had been more insecure then, more innocent too.

”I suppose I was different back then,” the goddess said quietly, looking at her chocolate.

Rhea watched her with sadness, perfectly understanding what was behind those words. ”We all were,” the Titaness said, and for a few seconds silence fell over the clearing. None of the goddesses seemed to know what to say.

Rhea opened her mouth again, looking at Aphrodite and then at her daughters. ”But that does not mean you cannot improve,” she said calmly. ”I know each of you has had your problems. We all have. But never forget that, even so, there can always be a solution. No matter how late it seems.”

Aphrodite let out a small dry laugh. The goddess of love lowered her gaze toward her cup, stirring the chocolate with a small spoon for no reason at all. ”You make it sound as if it were truly possible,” she finally said. ”But in the end, I am the one who has mortals praying to me for secret lovers, for desires they really should not have.”

”Well,” Demeter said, crossing one leg over the other while taking a cookie from the table. ”We also cannot cover the sun with one finger. Your situation is bad, but you are just as guilty. You got yourself into it.”

”Demeter,” Hera and Rhea called almost at the same time, both with a clear warning in their voices. ”You don’t have to—” Hestia tried to say, but Aphrodite raised a hand before she could continue. Her expression showed no anger at all.

”No, it’s fine,” the goddess of love said, looking down at her feet. ”Demeter is right.”

Hera said nothing about the matter, though she had a lot to say. After all, Aphrodite’s domain was closely related to hers, but honestly, she preferred to let the goddess of love express herself. She felt she did not have to respond hatefully to everything she disliked, or at least that was what Damon had advised her.

”You are very right, Demeter,” the goddess of love said, lowering her gaze to her cup. ”I cannot pretend I am an innocent victim of my own domain. Yes, the gods have reduced me many times to beauty, desire, and pleasure, but it is not completely their fault. The truth is that I also used that when it suited me.”

The goddess passed a finger along the rim of the cup without raising her gaze. ”After all, I have played with the desires of many people. I have enjoyed being desired because being desired was power. I thought I could use that as a weapon, but in the end, all I did was hurt myself.” The goddess’s tears fell down her face, landing in her lap.

A sepulchral silence fell over the clearing. No one expected Aphrodite to accept reality so quickly, without denying anything. It was obvious that the goddess had been tormenting herself with those thoughts in silence for days.... possibly longer.

”Hey, hey, calm down,” Hestia said softly, sitting beside her to hug her from one side while passing a hand over her back. ”That does not mean you cannot improve.”

Aphrodite shook her head as more tears began to fall down her face. ”I-I can’t,” she sobbed, gripping the cup in her hands. ”None of that will erase what I already did. How am I supposed to look my daughters in the eyes when all many of them know is how to put on makeup, smile prettily, and try to look perfect so someone will look at them?”

Her voice broke between tears. ”They don’t know how to defend themselves. They don’t know when someone desires them but does not respect them. They don’t know when a smile becomes a chain. And I...” Aphrodite brought a hand to her chest, feeling how her throat tightened while tears blurred her vision.

”I am the one to blame for that. Because that was what I taught them, wasn’t it? That if someone looked at you with hunger, then at least it meant you were worth something.” The goddess let out a broken laugh through tears, full of shame.

The other three goddesses lowered their gazes. Seeing Aphrodite like that, someone who could normally dismiss any insult with a smile, made it clear how hurt the goddess felt.

Aphrodite wiped her face clumsily, ruining her makeup a little. ”Beauty, desire, and being a divine whore with pretty temples. That is what many see when they think of me,” was the last thing the goddess said while her sobs echoed throughout the clearing. Hestia hugged her tighter, not finding any words to try to comfort her.

Hera let out a low sigh. Of all those present, perhaps she had the most reasons to judge Aphrodite. Her domain, her pride, and her marriage had been hurt many times by the actions of the goddess of love.

”Yes, that is what many see,” Hera said with a firm voice. ”But that does not mean it is the only thing you are. You are still the owner of yourself, Aphrodite. No one has control over your soul or your spirit. That makes you unpredictable. And although it is hard for me to admit it, you are strong.”

Aphrodite raised her gaze with eyes full of tears, not knowing what to say.

Hera took a deep breath before continuing. ”That is why, if you truly want to change, I have no problem helping you. I can start with my annual bath of renewal. I know it will not erase what you did, but it can make your body belong only to you again.”

Aphrodite went completely still. ”Hera...” she murmured, wiping her tears clumsily. ”What are you saying? After everything I have done to you, I should be the one asking you for forgiveness. You don’t have to—”

”No,” Hera interrupted her, holding her gaze. ”I am also the one who should apologize.”

The clearing fell silent while Hera lowered her gaze. ”Besides, if you and Hephaestus agree, I can free you from your marriage,” the goddess said, shame in her voice, clearly regretting having forced that marriage between Hephaestus and Aphrodite.

Aphrodite opened her eyes, surprised by the words.

”This is the least I can offer you as an apology,” Hera continued, with a small but sincere smile. ”And if you truly want to change, then as the goddess of marriage, I should start by fixing my own problems with you.”

Aphrodite’s shoulders trembled before she stood up and ran toward Hera, hugging her tightly. ”Thank you,” the strawberry-blonde goddess sobbed, burying her face in her shoulder. ”Thank you... thank you...”

Hera became stiff, clearly not knowing what to do with so much sudden physical contact. But after a moment, she lifted a hand and gave her gentle pats on the back.

”You do not have to thank me, Aphrodite,” she replied in a low voice. ”After all, our domains should have always worked together. Love and marriage should not be enemies.” Hera looked to the side, somewhat uncomfortable, before adding, ”So... I suppose one could say we are friends.”

Hestia covered her mouth with one hand, clearly emotional. Demeter also seemed moved. Rhea, for her part, looked at Hera with pride.

Aphrodite let out a small laugh through her tears, not separating from Hera. ”Friends forever,” the goddess of love replied.

And so, the conflicts between love and marriage finally began to come to an end, finally taking a step in the same direction toward a better future.

The end

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