Chapter 14: Apple of Discord

"No, it has to be mine!" A woman's voice shouted, getting a light chuckle from Ares. 'So it's time.' He thought, his heart beating faster, and his trademark smile adorning his face.

Rounding the corner leading to his mothers temple, Ares heard another woman's voice he wasn't familiar with, "Now now Athena. By all means you ARE beautiful, but only to a select few." The woman finished, a seductive laugh leaving her lips.

"A select few?! The former voice retorted, now identified as Athena. "Yes, the brutes and barbarians." The woman replied curtly.

"Aphrodite, that's was uncalled for. Plus it's obvious it is I who deserves such a title. Look at the children I've created! Beautiful in every aspect!" Hera proudly proclaimed. To her there was no one on Olympus more beautiful than her children, not even her.

"Speaking of children Hera, when will I be able to see this Ares I hear so much about?" The now named Aphrodite asked, her eyes glowing pink briefly before returning to their normal ocean blue.

When Ares' named was mentioned Hera's aura completely changed. What once was warm and pleasant was now cold and full of hostility. "Aphrodite.." Hera's voice was menacing. She didn't have to finish for Aphrodite to understand and promptly interject.

"No need for hostility Hera, I just want to know what type of man he is to even have Lady Nyx by his side." Aphrodite purred. On surface that's what she might be saying, but deep inside she's singing a whole different tune, 'Who is he? Not even father could get Lady Nyx to help him, even on the minutest of things. What does she see in this Ares?' So many questions were running through Aphrodite's mind, some lustful, some out of sheer curiosity, but no matter what, they all were centered around one person, Ares.

Hearing this Hera narrowed her eyes, "I'll tell you this once Aphrodite; stay away from my son." It was not Hera, that Goddess of women, marriage, and family talking; but Hera, the Queen of Gods, giving an order. "Stay away from my son or else." Was the unspoken, underlying message.

The atmosphere was tense, both women staring at each other, their eyes speaking one thousand words a minute. Even Athena was silent, but for different reasons.

'Ares is a God of war just like me, only we're the complete opposites. He is the aspect of violence in war while I am the strategy and tactical warfare. I've heard of his time spent with Thanatos and his confrontation with the giant brothers. To be honest I'm slightly impressed. He's strong. And like Aphrodite said, it's not everyday the Primordial Goddess Nyx takes interest in someone.' Athena thought, not paying attention to the growing tension between the other two Goddesses.

"Should we go in?" Ares asked Hephaestus. The two we're still on the back of Primo, behind a wall next to the entrance of Hera's temple. "Are you going to be ok?" Hephaestus asked.

She heard the conversation that happened between their mother and Aphrodite in its entirety. She was worried for her brother. She knows who Aphrodite is. Every time she graces Olympus with her presence, Gods, nymphs, and even some animals flock toward her, pining for her attention.

To have Aphrodite hold interest in you is asking for trouble. Hephaestus doesn't want that for her brother. 'No way!'

'I need to hurry and complete my training with Brontes, only then I can protect my brother.' Hephaestus thought.

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine." Ares replied, sounding rather confident to Hephaestus. Appearing from behind the wall Ares strode into his mothers temple riding on the back of Primo, with Hephaestus on the front.

As Ares rode in he noticed the interior of his mothers temple but also the three beautiful women seated at a table in the middle of it.

The interior was designed with pillars and statues thorough out. At the center of the temple where the table is located, a small field of grass could be seen, it's color golden instead of its natural green.

Seated at a ten foot wooden table, the edges gold, Ares could see his mother at he head of the table and two other women on either side of her, who he now knows to be Athena and Aphrodite.

"My, my. And who are you handsome young man?" It was Aphrodite who spoke, her voice purring seductively, her eyes a vibrant pink color.

Her hair was a honey blonde, and her skin was tanned white. Ares could only see from the waist up but what he could see he was impressed.

Wearing a red peplos with one strap, she had double g breast, accentuating her slim waist leading to wide hips.

Hypnotized by her beauty and caught unexpectedly by her divinity, Ares began to speak, "I'm Ar-"

"Aphrodite!" Hera shouted at Aphrodite.

"What? All I asked was who he was." Aphrodite cooed, her eyes never taken off of Ares but now their normal color.

"It's fine." Ares said, shaking off his earlier involuntary action. 'Is there a way to combat that?' He thought. "My name is Ares, God of War, son of Hera." He spoke once again, filing his earlier thought away for another day.

Aphrodite and Athena widened their eyes. ''This is her son?!'' They both thought, but for different reasons.

Hera on the other hand was mildly surprised. She didn't show her thoughts externally, but internally, she was on cloud nine. 'Look at my boy!' She thought, 'He's handsome! His aura too! I'm glad he went with Lady Nyx. With the way Zeus fauns over Athena, teaching her when he has time, I'm sure he wouldn't like Ares. I'm also sure his potential would scare Zeus. As paranoid as he is, he would think Ares was gaining strength to usurp the throne of Olympus, and you see what he did to Metis. My boy has really bloomed.' She thought, a small smile on her face as she looked at Ares.

"Your Lady Hera's son?" It was Athena who spoke next, her voice full of confusion, eyes full or scrutiny. Like Aphrodite, Athena too was beautiful. Her hair was a shoulder length dark auburn with her skin an olive complexion. She wore a golden breast plate with a sculpted six pack and her golden full face helmet by her side with her spear on the other just an arms length away.

"I am." Ares said, turning his attention from the two women and looking at his mother. "It's been some time." Ares said, his voice soft.

Dismounting Primo and helping Hephaestus down, the occupants of Hera's temple were finally able to get a good look at the man they now know as Ares, son of Hera. 'He's huge!' Aphrodite and Athena thought.

If one could see under the table they would see Aphrodite's legs rub together sensually, her eyes boring holes into Ares. 'I wonder what else- No! Bad Aphrodite! This is your first meeting. Save those thoughts for later!' Aphrodite thought, a smile on her face and seductive glint in her eyes, that once again, glowed pink briefly.

Getting up from her seat at the head of the table, Hera moved swiftly yet gracefully toward Ares stopping in front of him. "One hundred years son." Hera said, her voice mirroring Ares'. Stepping closer she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. "Welcome home." She said, her voice just above a whisper.

"Yeah." Ares said, reciprocating the hug. "Hey mom" Ares continued after a brief silence. "Hmm." Hera replied, her eyes closed and face full of bliss.

"I was about to come in with my newly found sister and companions when I overheard you and your guests bickering. Whats this about?" Ares asked, amusement and a small hint of excitement in his voice, already knowing what had occurred.

"Ah" Hera said now on his side. "While Athena, Aphrodite, and I were having small get together, Eris, another Goddess arrived. Though she was uninvited, her presence however was still welcomed, but upon seeing Aphrodite who just came back from washing up, Eris's mood drastically changed. Perhaps something happened between the two but after Aphrodite arrived, Eris quickly left only to later return presenting myself, Aphrodite, and Athena with this golden apple." Hera finished gesturing to said apple which was on a small pedestal situated in the middle of the table.

Walking over to the apple Ares picked it up, noticing an inscription on one of its sides, "To the most beautiful" he read aloud.

"This is what you were arguing about?" Ares asked, looking at the three Goddesses before him with disbelieving eyes.

'Even though I knew this would happen I still can't believe it. A war was started over an apple. An ancient war spoken about in modern times, one that produced mythical heroes, was started over a petty Goddess's jealousy and others vanity. It's an Apple! Who cares!' Ares thought, shaking his head internally.

'But who am I to question it? After all this goes toward my benefit; I am the God of War.' Ares continued his inner thoughts.

"Perfect, you, yes, you decide to whom this apple should be gifted." Aphrodite said, somehow appearing on the side of Ares, and hooked his arm with her own, all unbeknownst to him and Hera.

"Me? Ares questioned unaffected by her sudden appearance.

"Yes, you Ares. You seem to be impartial to this and I can tell you will be a fair judge. Each of us would of course think ourselves more beautiful than the next. So as a neutral party, you decide." Aphrodite suggested, her finger running down Ares' chest over his eight pack abs.

Shivering slightly before stepping back escaping Aphrodite's and his mother's grasp, Ares collected himself and spoke. "I have another suggestion, how about a mortal decide."

'A mortal?' The Goddesses present thought. First to voice their opinion was Athena, "No mortal has the right to decide the worth of a God. It would be an insult. It was an insult to even suggest such a thing." Athena scoffed.

"So you think. But what would a I get from making such a decision? With what can you provide me? Wealth, women, immortality, godhood? I have all of that. I say use a mortal because you can offer up such rewards. And for such rewards, the mortal who decides will be as just as Alethia, Titaness and Goddess of truth and sincerity." Replied Ares, giving Athena and the other Goddesses food for thought.

"Ares is right. It's of no benefit for him to choose a recipient, like he said, he already has what we could offer." Hera voiced her agreement with her son.

"I agree as well." Aphrodite spoke next, agreeing with Ares suggestion. "Where is this mortal you speak of?" She questioned Ares.

"I don't know." Ares replied matter factly, causing the Goddess to stumble forward a bit before catching themselves. "But I do have an idea." Ares continued, his voice charged with excitement.