Page 29 of Hephaestus
“Commended you?” Hestio repeated back to me in disbelief.
“Yes, for having endured everything Hera had put me through my entire life. And for being so level-headed as to allowing her to be set free, despite going against the judgment of my strong will. He claimed that I have had far more obstacles to overcome than any of the Olympian Gods on their rise to power.”
“Well, that truly is remarkable! And here we both thought that Zeus would undeniably punish you in some shape or form.”
“But that’s not all,” I interceded.
“What else happened?”
“The King of the Gods bestowed upon me the honor of serving as an Olympian God. He finally recognized me and now, I can live on Mount Olympus with you,” I enthusiastically informed him. “A palace is currently being built for me to reside in, but I can also claim the volcano as my workshop.”
“This is splendid, Hephaestus!” Hestio exclaimed, as he stood up, pressing his hands together to praise me. “I can think of no other god more deserving than you to serve with us as an Olympian.”
I too then rose from my seated position, moving closer to Hestio. I placed my arms around his waist, pulling him into me. I craned my neck downward so that our foreheads were touching. “I appreciate that, Hestio. But the most exciting part about this is that I can live here on Mount Olympus with you. We can be together forever now.”
A smile graced Hestio’s lips as I stated this. “I would want nothing more than that.”
The passion between us heightened once more, and our lips connected. We kissed for several seconds before Hestio was the one to pull away, leaving his smooth, wet touch lingering on me.
“What do you want to do, Hephaestus?” he asked me.
“Do?” I inquired. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we have to do something to celebrate your new title,” he elaborated.
It was then that I expressed a sly grin. I wrapped my massive arms behind and under Hestio, effortlessly lifting him in the air. I began walking, with a slight stumble, out of the room, carrying Hestio in my arms, ready to take him to the closest private bedchamber. “For starters, let’s take this to the bed and celebrate that way.”
***
After what seemed like hours of passionate love-making, Hestio and I finally found the ability to pull away, barely having the will to keep our hands off of each other. As much as I wanted to remain buried underneath the sheets with Hestio, I knew it was in our best interest to get up.
It was he who proposed we travel somewhere in order to celebrate my Olympic ascension. After offering up many ideas of locations to travel to, we decided on Arcadia. And now, Hestio and I walked through this utopic wilderness together.
Arcadia was the home of Pan as well as many woodland and Earth nymphs. There were so many varieties of flora and fauna at every which turn. The place was truly magnificent. Every leaf on every tree represented a different verdant hue. Some were sage, while others were jade and emerald. It was as if the trees had sparkling green gems dangling from their branches.
My eyes could not keep their focus on one thing for too long, for there was so much to observe and take in. We moved about through the Arcadian forests, eventually arriving at an open field. It was here that Hestio wanted us to sit, unwind, and eat, enjoying the glorious natural scene that was before us.
Now that we had found our ideal spot to relax at, Hestio scanned around our proximity as if searching for something.
“What is it you are looking for?” I inquired.
“Just a tree that may have low-bearing fruit. I know we passed a few on our way here. I wanted to make sure no others were nearby before I ventured off to collect some of their plentiful berries and fruits for us.”
“Are you sure you’re willing to go and gather all that? Really, we can hold off on eating until…”
But Hestio instantly cut me off. “No. It’s really not as burdensome as you think. Just give me a few minutes and I should be back. I’ll be as quick as possible.”
“And you don’t need me to come with you?”
He shook his head. “I’m more than capable on my own. But thank you for offering. You just sit right here and enjoy the surrounding views. You have nothing to worry about.”
Hestio then leaned down to plant a kiss on my lips before he headed off in search of food for us.
I understood that he was being extremely kind and generous in wanting me to not have to lift a finger to do anything, because this monumental occasion was all for me. But still, I could not help but truly wonder if that was the primary reason why Hestio wanted to go off on his own to forage and gather.
Part of me was suspicious that he wanted to venture off on his own because I would only hold him back. I thought I had come to terms with my disability because of my deformed leg, but now that I was in love with someone, I felt even more ashamed of the deformity. For instance, on our journey here, I could sense that Hestio was slowing his pace as we ambled just so that I could keep up with him as I stumbled along the trail. And now, I had a hunch that Hestio requested for me to remain here, because I would only slow him down as he picked apples and other assorted luscious fruits and berries from the bountiful trees we passed by on the way here.
But I had to give Hestio more credit than that. Even if that was the honest reason as to why he wanted to go on his own, I could not fault him. The God of fire and the hearth did not have an insincere bone is his body. He valued the closeness of families, altruism, unselfishness, and all things good-natured. I doubted his intent to leave me behind was malicious. So, I would have to just shun those pestering thoughts and insecurities about my limp.
