Mount Of Olympus

"Where are you going?" Hera asked as she glared at her husband, Zeus. The Goddess clenched her chained fist when her Husband ignored her. "You were going to Cytherea... Are you going to leave me alone?!"

"Not this again, Hera, just how many times will you going to nag me like this--"

"Not again? NOT AGAIN?!" Hera shouted aggressively. Her Golden eyes glowed as she scowled at her husband. Resentment was written on her face. "You were going to meet the new Goddess, and you're telling me that I am NAGGING YOU?"

"Hera, I am not going to do something with her!"

"Who are you trying to fool?" Hera asked in contempt. "Helios knows how many women you have taken to your bed, what is the probability that you're not going to do the same thing with that Goddess?"

"You are acting hysterically again, I have an important reason to attend there," Zeus explained as he turned his back on his Queen. "I am not merely meeting the newly born Goddess. I will be going to protect the peace in Olympus."

Hera gritted her teeth as she watched her Husband's back.

"It doesn't change the fact that you are going to leave me," Hera mumbled in a low, cold voice. Her eyes fell to her lap refusing to watch her husband leave her. "Is that war more important than me?"

Zeus paused when he heard that from his wife.

"Of course, you are more importan---"

"Liar," Hera told him with emphasis. Hera raised her head as she stared at her husband's orbs. "How many times have you lied to me? I can't count it on my fingers anymore. If I am important to you then swear on the river of Styx that you will not cheat on me anymore!"

"HERA!" Zeus shouted. A thunder suddenly echoed to Olympus. "Watch your words. YOU ARE TALKING TO YOUR KING!"

"My king? Have you ever thought of me as your Queen? Have you ever thought of me as your wife if not a Queen?" Hera chuckled. The goddess shook her head with a smile on her face. "This is so tiring and I am tired of you. Maybe it's okay if I don't see your face once in a while."

"Hera, what's wrong with you? This is not you," Zeus told her as he took a step in Hera's direction. "I will go back before sunrise, can't you calm down? If you want an accompany I will call for the nymphs---"

"Get out," Hera told him. A golden aura suddenly surrounded the Queen, Zeus took a step backward as he watched Hera's rage. "Get out of here, Zeus. You wouldn't like it if I caused you another trouble," The queen warned him calmly, and Zeus could hear his wife's fury.

"Hera---"

"I don't need your nymphs if you cannot bring me back Asche or free me from this throne, GET OUT OF HERE!"

With his clenched fist, Zeus disappeared in an instant.

As he traveled the oceans and seas on his way to Cytheria, all he could remember was the face of his furious Queen.

He knew that something on her was about to snap.

•••••••••••

"H-Hera...?" Asche mumbled as she glanced at the sky. The nymph saw a Golden light spread across the sky, it was only for a moment, but Asche was sure that it came from the Queen of Olympus.

They were currently traveling to the ocean with Waily, the whale. They were just about to go home before the other Deities arrive on the Coast of Cythera. The birth of Aphrodite will surely cause big trouble.

They need to escape first.

Good thing that Hephaestus was ready. He brought an item that could hide their presence as they travel back to Lemnos, If the other deities notice them, going back to Hephaestus' home will be harder.

"Mother? Who is Hera?" Aphrodite suddenly asked.

Asche remained looking at the sky with a worried face. The Nymph bit her lips as her eyes fell to the ground. The energy that radiated from the sky was surely from the Queen, she would never mistake it.

"What happened to you? Why are you so furious?" Asche mumbled to herself. "Did something happen?"

"Mother...?"

Hephaestus who also felt the aura coming from his real mother became silent.

He stared at Asche as he watched the expressions on her face. A subtle frown appeared on his brows before he glanced at the young Aphrodite who looked confused.

The Blacksmith cleared his throat which caught the attention of the newly born Goddess. Aphrodite raised her brows at the so-called husband of her mother. Aphrodite crossed her arms with a sneer.

"Hera is Asche's friend who was staying at Olympus and the energy that you just felt a while ago was from her," Hephaestus told her. "If that satisfied your curiosity, then do not disturb the Nymph."

"Olympus? What is Olympus?" Aphrodite asked him.

"That place is where the Gods live, that is also the place where you're going to live," Hephaestus replied. "Lucky for you, it seems like you are going to be popular in that place. You'll gain your status and worshippers quickly."

"My mom also lives there?"

"No," Hephaestus mumbled. "The little Nymph... lives in a different place, but perhaps you could often visit her."

"You don't live with her?"

"Temporarily---"

"Hephaestus will also live in Olympus," Asche, who suddenly went back to reality, said with a smile on her face. The Nymph sat beside the Deity as she took a deep breath. "Well, I can visit Olympus if I was invited again."

"Then I'll invite Mother! Oh, how about I bring mother with me?" Aphrodite squealed in joy and excitedly. "We'll live together!"

"Sure sure, if that's what you want..." Asche said with a smile. "But first, let us rest. The ocean is making me dizzy, I wanted to sleep."

Aphrodite nodded her head.

"I'll sleep too," Aphrodite mumbled as she rested her head on Asche's lap. The Nymph smiled warmly as she caressed the young Goddess' hair. "Mother, can you sing me that song?" Aphrodite asked.

Asche stared at the Goddess.

Aphrodite was talking about the lullaby that Asche sang last night.

"Of course," Asche mumbled as she started humming.

When Aphrodite fell asleep, the Nymph stopped singing as she glanced at the beautiful sunset.

Perhaps a lot of things had happened today, and she didn't even realize that the sun was about to be replaced by the night. Just like yesterday, Helios did a good job of showing her a beautiful sunset with Hephaestus.

However, today was also the day that Asche realized something.

She had to go back.

She wanted to stay with Hephaestus for more many days, but if things continued to be like this, or if Hera remained stuck in that Golden Chair, something bad might happen.

Besides, something bizarre happened which is very different from the Greek Mythology that she knew. It's not like she is desperate to make things stay as they are, but Aphrodite's circumstance is a little bit different.

They have to clear things with Zeus and Olympus before things go awry. They have to bring Aphrodite to Olympus.

Hephaestus's eyes went wide when the Nymph suddenly rested her head on his shoulders.

When he glanced at her, all he could see was a slight grin on her face. His cheeks became pink as he averted her teasing eyes.

"What are you doing...?" Hephaestus mumbled.

"What's wrong? I'm not acting like a pervert," Asche whispered to him. "Can't I rest my head on your shoulder?"

Hephaestus took a deep breath and didn't say anything. Asche giggled when she saw the shy reaction on the deity's face. If they are in her previous life, Hephaestus will be labeled as a tsundere.

Regardless of what, Asche knows that Hephaestus is just a shy man, and she wants to know him more.

However, she's not sure if she'll be able to do that...

"When will you take me home?" Asche suddenly asked him. "I think it's about time to free Hera from that throne, aren't you tired of those deities who were disturbing you for that reason?" Asche asked him.

Hephaestus flinched when he heard those questions.

"Can we stop talking about those things?" Hephaestus replied with a serious tone. "I'm not in my mood."

"You know what you needed to do," Asche mumbled before glancing at Aphrodite who was sleeping peacefully. "I know that you did that to Hera for revenge, but... you have another reason for doing those things, don't you?"

"What do you know...?" Hephaestus mumbled with a frown on his face. "I just want to see her in misery, nothing else."

"Gaining status in Olympus, and gaining their respect," With those words, Hephaestus glanced at Asche who had a slight smile on her face. "I'm a fool if I can't connect the pieces, Isn't that the reason why you wanted to marry the Goddess of Beauty?"

Asche bit her lips when Hephaestus clenched his fist. She knows that it wasn't because of anger, and even if it is, she wouldn't be scared to keep talking.

"Too bad, my plan got destroyed," Hephaestus mumbled as he unclenched his fist. "Perhaps I won't gain that respect."

"I respect you," Asche mumbled. "And other Deities would also respect you in the future, you just have to wait for it, tho..."

Hephaestus was speechless.

"Do you want to go home that badly?"

"Not really, I want to snuggle you first before I do."

Hephaestus let out a sigh before shaking his head, however, a small smile could be seen on his lips. "Just where did Hera pick you up?" He mumbled which made Asche laugh. "What a bizarre Nymph."

"Sure... I am..." Asche whispered.

Hephaestus averted his gaze as he glanced at the night sky.

The small smile on his lips quickly disappeared when he heard the Nymph snoring on his shoulder, she fell asleep. His hand supported her head gently when she almost went out of balance.

Hephaestus stared at her silly face.

"Well, don't worry," Hephaestus mumbled with a downcast smile. "I'll return you home safely, little Nymph."

He had a gloomy face when he said that.

Perhaps what he said is different from what he actually feels.

•••••••••••••

Mount Of Olympus

"What happened? I felt your power from the Mortal Realm," Artemis, the Goddess of Hunt, asked Hera as soon as she entered the palace. The Goddess of the Hunt glanced at the Gloomy Queen. "The Nymphs were scared when they felt it."

Hera raised her eyes as she watched her guest walk in her direction. The Queen tried to move her arms but the chains quickly restricted her.

"Do you think that Nymph was scared too?" Hera asked.

Artemis paused when Hera started to talk about Asche, the Nymph who was taken by Hephaestus, Hera's son. It's been a week since that Nymph went missing, and they've been trying to console Hephaestus to return her.

Artemis averted her eyes.

"Rather than scared, she must be worried," Artemis mumbled as she sat on a settee. "You don't have to worry. I am sure that Asche is alright, I will do anything to get her back from Hephaestus."

"What if that bastard did something to her?" Hera gritted her teeth.

Artemis became silent.

Her eyes glowed blue after hearing those words from the Queen.

"I will kill your son," She mumbled. Her eyes went back to Normal as she shook her head. "But I don't think that Hephaestus was that kind of person. Unlike his father, I don't hear a lot of rumors about him."

Hera frowned.

"He has Zeus' blood---"

"And yours too," Artemis cut her off. "And rather than being wary of him, I'm more worried about that mischievous Nymph."

"What do you mean?" Hera asked with confusion.

"Asche is a Bizarre Nymph, she sees and does everything unusual," Artemis shook her head before taking a deep sigh. "Think of this, what might be the probability that she will fall in love with your son?"

Hera was speechless after hearing those words.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"