Page 41 of Hephaestus
I gave him a curious expression, wondering if we were about to do what I suspected was his intention. All it took was for Hestio to step back from me and raise his arms. His hands pressed against my thick chest, pushing me into the hot, liquid magma. As I descended into the blistering lava, I could feel his chest press into me, with his lips meeting mine.
We would remain here, flowing throughout this volcano, making love for days. After all, we were now in our primal elements, our passion now never ceasing, forever being the Gods of fire.
Chapter 21
Ittookmanyyearsfor Zeus to uncover just who was the one responsible for providing humans with the gift of fire. He was relentless in his pursuit. After all, he viewed this action as the sign of a usurper. He presumed someone, like a thief in the night, had navigated to Mount Olympus, stole one of our eternal flames and delivered it to the mortals. With humans now being able to prosper with the power of fire, they would advance their civilization at a much faster rate than they would have without the gift of being able to use flames.
I was quite astonished at how quickly they harnessed the fire. Without any guidance or direction, they were able to spread it across the world. Every village and colony were able to now use it in their homes, taverns, and blacksmith shops. But with the added power of fire, humans also proved to be careless and reckless with it. Some warriors burned down the cities of others and killed off their enemies, burning them at the stake. It was a byproduct of the thirst for power, which we gods knew all too well of.
Eventually, all trails and crumbs that Zeus had discovered led him directly to Prometheus. At first, Prometheus denied his involvement with this treason, but then after being tortured, he finally gave in and admitted his wrongdoings to the King of the Gods. Luckily, he kept his promise and left Hephaestus and me out of his confession, much to our relief. As a punishment, Zeus ordered Prometheus to be chained to the side of the tallest summit of Mount Caucasus for an eternity.
But if that was not bad enough, Zeus wanted to inflict further harm and consequence to Prometheus. While the fallen titan God of fire would remain bound to the cliffside of the mountain, an eagle would visit him once a day. The bird of prey would harvest his liver and when Prometheus would grow a new one, the eagle would retrieve that one the very next day. It was a gruesome fate, but one that Hephaestus and I had no control of. Despite how much we wanted to rescue Prometheus, we were hopeless in being able to do so.
However, his sacrifice would not be in vain. Hephaestus and I would be eternally grateful to him. If it was not for Prometheus, we would not be able to spend so much time being together and loving one another like we were able to do now.
Hephaestus and I laid in bed, in his palace, wrapped up in amber-colored sheets, with the fireplace brightly lit in the bedchamber. I had my head resting on Hephaestus’s chest, just gazing into the fire. Occasionally, I would turn and watch him. This time, as I did so, I noticed he had a quizzical expression on his face, as if he were lost deep in thought.
“Tell me, what’s on your mind?” I softly whispered.
He shook his head, as if he were coming to, back to reality, before glancing down at me. “It’s nothing, really. I was just thinking about the past.”
“What about it?” I asked.
“Just everything. You know how my childhood and early existence were. The way I was treated by Hera and raised on the surface. Then, instead of being welcomed back to my home with open arms, I was thrown from its cliff, back down to the world of the mortals. And it was then that you rescued me. Had it not been for you, I’m not sure I would even be here today. Not only that, but lying in bed here with you now, Hestio, makes me feel so grateful. You have brought so much joy into my life. You have no idea. I sometimes question if I truly deserve all that I have now acquired.”
Hearing Hephaestus speak so humbly was refreshing, especially when he was a powerful god. It was rare to see any god, whether an Olympian or a minor one, express such humility. It was one of the main reasons I fell in love with Hephaestus from the very beginning. I admired his modesty more than I realized.
“You deserve it more than anyone else I know,” I responded, hoping he would heed my words. “And I can say the same. You have turned me into such a better god. Before you came along, I was dull, isolating myself in my palace from others. I preferred solitude, avoiding the drama and histrionics of the other gods. But since you came into my existence, I feel as if I have a new purpose. The flame within me grows brighter and brighter with each passing day that I spend with you.”
Hephaestus then revealed that warm, beautiful smile of his. “And my inner fire feels just as brilliant from being with you.”
Our caring sentiments made me sit up in the bed and lean in to kiss him, with so much passion, a passion that would never subside.
With every touch I felt from Hephaestus, it was as if I grew more power and rejuvenation. The power of fire ran through the two of us, each of our flames wanting to be directly connected to the other. And our flames would continue to grow and expand, because they would be in contact with one another every day for the rest of eternity.
Chapter 22
Finally,thingsbecamequietin my life, which was all I ever wanted. Hera never threatened to harm me ever again, and I continued to maintain my seat on the throne of the Olympian Gods. I never had to live in fear of someone holding resentment against me, nor did I have to worry about the possibility of another god or goddess try to seek revenge on me. For the most part, I played by their games, made their weapons and armor, and kept my opinions on controversial matters to myself, not wanting to end up on the wrong side of one of their fatal arguments.
When attending major events and feasts, I remained reticent when in the company of others. Of course, my demeanor completely changed when I was in the presence of Hestio. When I was with him, I felt as though I could be my authentic self. The two of us would laugh together, smile together, and be in a permanent state of bliss. I truly waited years and years, wondering when this happiness would be swept out from under me. But it never did. And as more time passed, that distressing thought drifted off with it.
Today, Hestio and I visited the Afqa Mountains, one of the most tranquil spots on the surface. Gorgeous waterfalls and cerulean rivers flowed through the region. The two of us sat on a grassy terrain right beside the edge of a river bend, overlooking the scenic mountains behind us. We dipped our feet in the water, just staring off, mesmerized by all that was before us.
“It truly does not get any better than this, does it?” Hestio asked, tilting his head to watch me, likely curious about my reaction to his posed question.
“No. It really doesn’t,” I replied, before sighing, to inhale the fresh, invigorating air. “I cannot think of anything more rewarding than spending time with you, admiring the marvelous wonders of the world. To me, there is nothing more exciting than this,” I further added.
Hestio beamed with delight at my response. “I could not agree with you more. Although, I must say, I highly doubt any of the other gods or goddesses would take as much pleasure in these excursions of ours as we do. I have a feeling most of them would likely be bored in participating in such activities as this.”
I nodded. “Yes, which actually serves us well. It means that we likely will not witness them in any of our travels and forced to endure them interrupting this true felicity.”
“But I do wonder…” Hestio then changed the subject with, keeping his eyes focused ahead, as if deeply pondering something.
“Wonder what?” I interceded.
“For all of our existence, we have heard countless stories of former gods and titans that have held power,” he began to explain. “These stories range from being lessons on their triumphs as well as their demises. Not to mention, there are so many tales of their strife and drama they have experienced while they ruled.”
“And…” I simply said, trailing off, unsure of where he was going with his logic.
