chapter 26

"Athena?"

"Hephaestus, so you were here."

She said before bending a bit and placing her  hands on  her knees to support herself, she used too much energy. The effects of the river should wear off tomorrow but being weakened to such a degree was already getting her annoyed, she can't even walk without getting tired.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting"

Hephaestus got up from his seat, separating from Aphrodite and went to assist Athena stand upright. The sudden loss of His warmth caused Aphrodite to frown a bit but didn't dwell on it, she recognized that Athena needed assistance. However that frown returned as she saw the gentleness with which Hephaestus held Athena, of course she didn't frown because of that but instead she was reminded that Athena and Hephaestus have a friendly relationship and Athena would be better than her because unlike her Athena was a virgin.

Hephaestus oblivious to Aphrodite's frown gently helped Athena to a chair before repeating his question again but got a delayed response after a few deep breaths from Athena.

"we need your help"

She said and pointed towards the door, turning his head He saw Hera, Ares and Themis were standing, Ares was seemingly distracted  as his attention was more focused on his hands while Hera stared at Hephaestus from beyond the doors, there were no emotions that could be read from her face, she was very stoic.

"help you with what?"

A frown had now appeared on his face, he wasn't in the mood to speak with his mother and he was definitely not going to accept Ares in, this isn't his house but he's sure that Aphrodite would not be comfortable with him present. Killing Ares definitely was out of the question so the only thing he could do was just accept his existence.

"can we come in?"

"you two can come in, don't know about him"

He turned to look at Aphrodite and she  frowned giving him the idea that she didn't want Ares to enter.

"Looks like a no"

Ares seemed to not care and instead turned back as Hera and Themis entered. He wasn't really needed here and there were things that he wanted to check out, Judging by the sudden rush of power he felt he concluded that his plan was going smoothly a such he turned and  went to check on her again.

With Ares gone, Hera and Themis entered Aphrodite's palace and took their  seats and Aphrodite had her nymphs move the mirrors out of the way in order to allow for an easy conversation with no obstructions or distractions.

"so what exactly can we help you with?"

He asked as he sat back down beside Aphrodite and his arm wrapped against her waist again but this time it was a way for him to feel more emotionally secure or rather to keep his calm considering that his mother was present and he didn't like that.  Athena took note of this and squinted Her eyes a bit, almost as if she suspects something, when they found that Hephaestus wasn't at his house Ares had mentioned something about how he was now Aphrodite's new toy.

"before that, what do you think about Olympus as a whole? And what about Zeus, what's your opinion on him?"

Hera asked, as far as she is aware and from what she's seen, Hephaestus shouldn't care all that much for Olympus, yes he helped during the gigantomachy but that didn't mean he held any love for Olympus,  she  also  wanted to measure how likely he is to  join their side.

"Why are you asking that?"

He squinted his eyes in  a bit of suspicion, was she asking that just to check if he was in cahoots with Apollo? If  that was the case he should clear his name by saying something that wouldn't be suspicious.

"Just Humor me"

"well honestly, nothing, Zeus is a lousy king but that's about it, I have no thought on Olympus itself because I don't care"

"Who  do you think would make a better king than Zeus"

"depends on what you think a king should be but Hades would make a decent king"

This  was a rather suspicious line of  questions and  Athena hasn't spoken a word, he had thought that considering his strained relationship with Hera, Athena would carry the conversation but she seemed to be more focused on hearing his answers rather than offering her opinion on the matter. Incidentally he didn't want to play among us but ended up playing  it anyway.

"You  know mother, it would have been  great if you just got  to  the point of  this  and  not  waste our time"

"Alright then, how do you feel about relieving Zeus of his throne."

"I thought you benefited from him being king, you are his wife after all"

Hephaestus responded with a bit of confusion, she is the god queen specifically because she's married to Zeus as such there is absolutely no gain for her in Zeus losing his throne.

"The demerits of being his wife out way the merits, I refuse to be disrespected any longer than I already have, I can't stomach his existence  any longer "

She did not finished her words and she left various ways in  which one could understand what she means, Hephaestus was a bit shocked. He knew Hera didn't like that Zeus was serial cheater but he never guessed she would hate him enough to wish death upon him, the words she spoke were filled with a bit of anger, almost as if she was recalling all the times Zeus has cheated on her.

"What happened? I thought you would kill for him?"

Aphrodite was the one who asked, Hera was considered crazy because she wanted Zeus all to herself and did not tolerate any who would try and be a home wrecker hence why she was determined to kill Leto when it was found out she was pregnant with Zeus's children, it was also because she loved Zeus that she didn't kill Leto when he asked her not to, so why the sudden change?

"Nothing really happened, I just got tired of him plus he doesn't respect me, he continues to disrespect me every day, I will not suffer humiliation anymore."

The anger in her voice became more pronounced as she spoke and  it made it clear that she held a bit of animosity for Zeus, which prompted  Aphrodite's next question.

"did you not love him? "

Aphrodite never got to hear Persephone's definition of what love is and she thought asking Hera might give her an answer that is similar or at least close to how  Persephone might have defined love. It  was clear to her now that she'd doesn't like the idea of simply throwing Hephaestus away after having sex, she likes his presence and company.

"I suppose I did but not anymore, anyway Hephaestus what do you think of our proposal."

Aphrodite noted  Hera's answer and came to the conclusion that love is something that does pass however taking a glance at Hephaestus, she  felt like she  needed Hera to  elaborate further on her answer but Hephaestus spoke first.

"are you of  the  same opinion as her, Athena? Are you really willing to betray Zeus?"

Athena gave him a nod, there was determination in her eyes and her resolve was firm and completely unshakable.

"what's in it for me? What exactly do I gain from all of this?"

He  wasn't exactly keen on this, he  may not  really hold Olympus close to his heart but that doesn't mean he  hates it either so  there was no reason for him to suddenly help Hera or anything infact he could just go to Zeus right now and  tell him their plan.

"doesn't matter what you gain, what matters is  what Ares gains once Zeus is  defeated"

Hera leaned back on her chair as she spoke, She  was certainly sure that Hephaestus wouldn't like Ares to take the throne of  Olympus, with Apollo currently no where to be seen,  Athena has no problem with  Ares taking the throne as  long as she gets what she wants, Artemis probably doesn't care, leaving Hephaestus to  be  the one most likely to  stand  in Ares's way  and Ares doesn't like Hephaestus all that much. Hera didn't even  consider  Hermes  on the list of people who could rule Olympus.

"hmm"

Hephaestus pondered her words,  he  and  Ares  are not in the best of  terms and if  Ares becomes king  he  probably won't leave  Hephaestus in peace,  Ares is  definitely not  the type of guy that let's go of grudge. Hades would make a better king but he doubts he'd want to rule Olympus, Poseidon might but he  wouldn't be any different from Zeus.

'maybe Hades would want to rule Olympus, I won't know unless I asks him'

It  was here  that he realized that there were far more options for candidacy of  becoming king or queen of Olympus.

"what about you, Demeter and  Hestia? Do  you not want to be rulers? after all  it doesn't have to be a king that rules, a queen is perfectly fine."

Hermes was also a good candidate to be king of  Olympus so it wasn't just limited to Hephaestus and Ares, not to mention Apollo is not dead as far as everyone knows so Hephaestus doesn't really need to be  the one  Stand in Ares's way, he has plenty of siblings and  Aunts to do  that in his stead.

"Alright, let me rephrase, are you Alright with the possibility of Ares becoming the rule of Olympus?"

"I take that you're okay with it Athena? I mean as the first born the throne should be yours in the case Zeus is overthrown."

"Yes"

Athena curtly answered, however her attention was slightly focused elsewhere, she wasn't sure but it felt as is the effects of the river weren't affecting her as much and her mind felt strangely refreshed and flexible, like she was ready for battle, while her body felt weak her mind was at its peak condition, taking a glance at Themis she could easily point out a variety of her weaknesses and strengths she could note her emotional state which was concern. She then took glance at everyone in the room and she could pin point everything about them, how long it would take for them to respond if she were to attack them, how they're currently feeling  and more. Her mind usually gains such clarity during battle or when…

"let me think about it"

Athena focused back on the conversation once she heard Hephaestus's response to the earlier  question posed by Hera.

"So you'll help us?"

"I said I'll think about it"

Hephaestus thought that  it wasn't matter of whether or not he is okay with Ares being the king of Olympus but instead it was whether or not everyone else was okay with Ares being king of Olympus  and he was certainly sure that it wasn't just him who didn't like Ares. Although the real question that Hephaestus was faced with was  does he want to be a king?

'What exactly is a king?'

He asked himself internally, he already had a few answers  but he didn't find them suitable, Iskandar had a good definition but his definition was contradictory and one cannot embody the extremes  of both good and evil.

"that's good enough, Athena needs to rest and we'll be back tomorrow"

With those words said, Themis briskly stood up and went to help Athena stand and along with Hera the three exited the palace, leaving Hephaestus and Aphrodite to ponder more about what they spoke of.

..

High in the air above Aphrodite's home a person, a man with a winged Helmet stood afloat with  a look of great surprise on his face, he had hoped what he heard when he decided to follow Hera and  the other two toward the house at the back of the royal palace was false but it seems he didn't hear wrong. He  was outside the house at the time and he had to quickly make his escape because Themis sensed his presence so to confirm the truthfulness of the whole ordeal he followed them and now he has confirm that six Olympians are traitors and one of them is the queen

......

A/N: hope you like the Chapter, please offer you thoughts and suggestions that you might have.

second semester begins for me so slower updates, forgive me for that.

also Toji smoking that Gojo pack, though he had to sneak my boy to it

a win is a win or is he a fraud for that?