Page 24 of Hephaestus
Now my curiosity was beyond piqued. Before I could even rationalize my inner thoughts, I was already turning around to see what in the Underworld Hestio could be snickering at, at a time like this.
“What are you laughing at?”
As I watched his dimples form from squeezing his cheeks to laugh, a wave of admiration crashed into me. That fiery auburn hair of his was just as immaculate as I had remembered it to be. Those scorching eyes of his sent a burning furor through me.
“Hephaestus… are you drunk?” Hestio poignantly asked.
Evidently, even he could see past my lame leg and tell that my added floundering was likely the result of something else.
“I would not go so far as to say that I am drunk, but yes, I did imbibe on much of Dionysus’s wine for quite a while,” I told him, which was more than I had cared to admit.
“But you can’t just roam around Mount Olympus like this,” he stated. “Where were you planning on going?”
What was with every god now caring about my whereabouts all of a sudden? No one had cared about where I was throughout my childhood and up this very moment. Why the change of heart now of all times? None of it made any logical sense.
“That is none of your concern,” I briskly said.
“But you are in no condition to be…”
Before he could even finish his statement, I was already cutting him off. “Again, whatever condition I am in is still none of your concern, Hestio. Now, if you will please excuse me, I will be on my way.”
“I’m sorry, Hephaestus. Clearly, you are not in the right frame of mind to make adequate judgments right now. Forgive me for what I am about to do…”
All I could remember was Hestio stepping forward, cupping both of my cheeks in his soft, delicate hands.
That touch of his… Gods how I missed it.
He blew a pleasant, warm breath in my direction. My nostrils flared at whatever the invigorating aroma was he sent my way. But before I could even process the scent, my vision began to cloud. And soon, all I could see was pure blackness.
Chapter 12
WhenIhadheardthrough the fast-spreading rumors on Mount Olympus that one of Hera’s sons had returned to seek revenge upon her, I grew increasingly worried that news would travel swiftly to Zeus. I had to find Hephaestus as soon as possible, for if the King of the Gods returned to find his wife bound to a throne, he would surely punish Hephaestus. I could not allow this to happen. The guilt that would eat away at me for being separated from him for an eternity would be unbearable. Hephaestus needed to put an end to this matter before Zeus could get involved. It was the only way to make amends for what others viewed as a crime he committed.
Luckily, I had heard that it was believed that the prime suspect in Hera’s capturing was dining with Dionysus, of all the gods. This left me quite surprised and wondering what Dionysus had up his sleeve. Surely, he did not invite Hephaestus over to his palace just for the fun of it. No, there was likely a hidden motive there. With the God of wine having the ability to manipulate the minds of many with his potent libations, I was certain he would exploit Hephaestus’s vulnerability for his own gain.
I made haste in arriving at Dionysus’s palace. To my astonishment, I had managed to come up behind Hephaestus just as he was departing Dionysus’s abode. It had seemed he was heading off to an aimless location, while stumbling far more than he traditionally did.
There was something about his walk this time that was beyond different than usual. It was the movement I was used to seeing at the tail end of a major godly feast or celebration by those who had consumed far too much wine than they ought to have. Hephaestus now possessed the same limberness I have witnessed these gods and goddesses having.
As I approached and called out his name, it took a moment for him to eventually turn around to face me. Although the expression he held was one of bewilderment, I could also sense the pain and agony he concealed behind it.
“Where were you planning on going?” I soon asked him.
“That is none of your concern,” he sharply replied to me with a bitter tone.
We exchanged a few more words, which was enough for me to surmise that Hephaestus was indeed intoxicated, and not thinking wisely right now.
He was in a precarious predicament, one that I needed to intervene on behalf of him. Being inebriated and wandering about Mount Olympus was not the smartest of decisions for him to be making at this time. Therefore, I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands. Using my powers, I quickly put him into a deep sleep in the blink of an eye.
It was no small feat to have to lean his heavy, muscular body against me and drag him to my palace, inconspicuously as possible. Luckily, there were no eyewitnesses of the account, as far as I was aware of.
As I practically stormed into my own palace, my servants were shocked at my appearance, carrying the unconscious Hephaestus beside me.
“Take him to the bedroom he previously stayed in,” I instructed them. Quickly, two of my male servants and a female one lifted him from my grasp and carried him off.
Once I caught my breath and regained my composure, I quickly followed behind, catching up to them.
They softly put Hephaestus in bed, wrapping the red satin sheets over his body to comfort him. All I could do was sit on the bed beside him, just watching the deep rise and fall of his massive chest as he slept. Soon, my fatigue began to take a mind of its own, causing me to flop down on the bed, falling into a slumber, right beside Hephaestus.
