Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Capital of Thiliria Kingdom

When it comes to Hera, the Goddess of Childbirth. She's a defensive loyal or faithful wife, but unlike her legend says. She maybe one of the powerful Goddesses of Armenia, but Hera is a worse mother. She threw Cares away when he was young, she told him that she didn't need a son, she hated him for no reason.

Hera declared that herself, but she stood up to the odds of unfortunate events and turned her tide of reputation into a damned manipulation. She tried to ease Ares' hate on her, but Ares—her young son, instead of hating his mother for what she did—he pulled his sword and rebelled against his father instead of his mother.

Hera didn't know at that time. Ares was completely loyal to her, and he would even blood his own hand for the sake of keeping Hera a clean goddess. That's when she uses him in battles, taking Gods to other Gods.

And was only stopped by the overwhelming concern that Athena gave. Hera controlled Ares back then, she used him as a shield—her own son, to protect her own. Perhaps that's why Ares had envied Hebe when she was alive.

Unlike Ares, Hephaestus, and Eileithyia. Hebe was the Goddess of Youth who was loved by both Zeus and Hera. She had all the affection she needed, she was a young beautiful goddess but her limits decayed.

Hera protected her, and loved her. She didn't even bathe an eye to her other childrens. It made Ares and the others feel the needs of chasing their mother's love.

He beckoned her, because she decided the worth of her children and forgot the rest. She's not a good mother, nor someone they needed to understand, she's a Goddess who values her favoritism more than anything combined.

Ares was freed from chasing after his mother, he swore to her that it would be his last, so when Hebe died, this took a long fall for Hera, she realized too late that she's not a mother, but a cruel detained Goddess.

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Mortal had crowded the streets of Thiliria, it was the busiest street amongst other parts of the kingdom. It did have a lot to offer, some even have the things you want and can get, offered by merchants and traders. Finding items here like the back of your hand is easy, they even sell things not profitable to the entire continent.

Amidst that, alive and bustling streets, Ares and Valerie were walking on its center, unaware of being undetected. Pacing through this busy market, covered in almost thick robes. Her eyes shone a piece, but not enough to be seen. He was under his robe, pushing his lip.

Ares was used with this kind of situation, wherein a buzzing streets could be annoying. He was once a mortal as well, he went from markets to places in order to fill his jar of interest. Yet, even if he's used to it, the crowd is not something he'll easily become familiar with.

He looks at mortals, busy securing customers from left to right. None notice them from that situation, he is sure that everyone's busted with what they are doing. One of the closest parts—passing an alleyway, has a small roof, a shelter from those who needed it.

It's even hotter here than in the S'mira Desert. The heat is not Apollo's fault, it's perhaps nature itself. Apollo and Artemis have no power to influence the sun or the moon, they are related, there Aria is like that, but unlike Ares, and Athena, the God of War and the Goddess of Wisdom. The moon stands for the coldness of her prowess, while the sun reflects on heat.

It doesn't contain anything to bypass the system of the unknown. Should anything happen—is a problem of nature, caused by Mortal rhyme.

Ares pulled Valerie to the nearest shelter, away from the glimmers of the sun and the packs of annoying crowds overtaking the entire street of the marketplace. "I have never known, I could be weak with this, the heat on the battlefield is different in the marketplace, it does somehow affect even my way of thinking. Does the nature thinks to small of us?"

Valerie gives a long stare before sneering. "The Human Realm is hotter than this," she mumbled, shifting her gaze over her left to right. "Thought, why is this place crowded? I know because it's a marketplace, but isn't this a bit too much?"

He looked at her. "That is because the whole world knows about them," he said but was less understandable. Valerie couldn't even comprehend what he said, though it's an obvious explanation, it was still hard for her to understand.

"I reckon, you are talking about visitors who came across lands?" She asked, wondering if what she understood was right.

Ares shifted and nodded. "This place is crawling with visitors everyday. Sometimes it's empty, other times it's filled. Thiliria is famous for its beautiful place, and products that can't be sold in other parts of Armenia, it said that those products are either from black market, fresh products, or illegal stuff."

He then paid no heed to the person who just went by. "It also offers high quality gemstones produced by the Shuri Clan," then he paused. "During the Cold War, Shuri Clan was one of the strongest mountain people who brought various victories in the name of Athena. They held her name up, defending her falling of grace, worshiped her amidst the dark, calling out her name—only to be disappointed. The Shuri Clan was disbanded for a long time. Now, they are gemstones makers, making stones to grieve their loss."

After being disappointed by Athena, the Shuri Clan went part ways, others became lords, the others became commoners, some were taken under Ares' wing, and few became gemstones makers. They are well-known gemstones makers, they produce high qualities that are woven in crystal firm strings.

After parting ways, the others who chose to become a gemstones maker continued to profit from their works. They stopped worshiping the Gods, and continued with their own lives. Others remain loyal to the Shuri Clan, and use gems to portray their love for the said clan.

The Thiliria Kingdom was able to have a contract with them, asking them to make gemstones for the said kingdom. Ares took part in the negotiation so the talk went smoothly, they said that Ares told the Shuri's what had truly happened to Athena. They didn't even know the rumors about Ares, so it was better to explain to them what happened than knowing the false accusations done against him.

They didn't just offer gemstones, the accommodation is well served in this country, which makes visitors—travelers want to go back.

"Yes, I can see that," said Valerie and pulled her hands from the pocket of her robe. "I was wondering, why are they smiling while handing their stuff away?" she asked and pointed out the merchants selling their things.

There are a few times when Valerie had thought about it, but never understood, some even if she wanted to understand, she can't find someone to ask that. Neither the Valkyrie knows it, or rather she couldn't ask them and decided to hide her confusion rather than openly telling them.

Such defensiveness is—so what drove her today to tell what she truly wanted to say? It's fortunately because his kindness had caused her to recover,blessed by her father's warm understanding of her situation. No one really understands her, she's a young girl who spent her life in a laboratory, surrounded by adults, manipulating her mind and thoughts, numbing her pain and carefully hiding her emotions.

Who could understand a person like that? I guess, no one but someone who truly cares. That is the reason, she can openly ask Ares, as she wants to learn, know about stuff, explore more about stuff like a child asking her daddy for a candy.

Ares understood that or what she wanted. "Some people are happy with small or big things. Like others of some sorts, handing—no, selling stuff is a good point of choice, they are happy because of emotions and they are happy by choice. However, there is happiness which is filled, woven, or made from our desired ego's, which is why there is good happiness and bad happiness."

He then looked at one of the merchants who wasn't selling much. "Look," he pushed her shoulder and pointed at that merchant. "Why is he sad?" he asked.

She was uncertain why Ares asked that but soon she realized why. The merchant was sad, it's probably an obvious answer than anything else, but was not the answer. The merchant sells stuff no different from the others, has books, dress, wands, weapons, gems and more.

Yet, he has no customers. In fact, he has goods that are more unique than most of the merchants. If he's sad because he had no customers, then he could just sell his stuff to the other merchant who sells well.

Valerie had thought maybe because of his pride, and didn't want to do so? Or even the fact that his side of the stroll is within the farthest place? Neither so, she doesn't know the answer.

"I think, you over think well," he exclaimed yet soon chuckled. He knew how hard it was to reasonably find an answer for such a tricky question, but he realized how hard for her to understand emotions even if it's well—or perhaps she's trying to exclude what is obvious for an answer to find more, which doesn't exist.