The Heart of the Hearth

Zeus had said nothing to me after I had returned home yesterday. Olympus was unusually quiet. I thought nothing of it as I headed toward Athens to do my rounds with Aster. A smile crossing my face.

I transported myself to the same field that Aster and I met at every day. I looked around to see that he was not there yet. So I decided that I would wait for him to show. I sat down in the grass and flowers. Feeling them cushion my seat and tickle my hands. This made me smile.

The field was beautiful. It seemed like any other day. But Aster did not show. I waited in the field for what seemed like an eternity. I finally decided that I needed to start my rounds.

‘I should find Aster in the city.’ I thought as I started into the bustling streets.

I walked down the street, people greeting me as I passed them. I greeted them back politely. As I got farther into the city, I noticed that the people seemed to carry a feeling of sadness with them. I tried to figure out what could be wrong, but got nowhere. So I walked over to a lady standing behind a cart of wildflowers. I looked at the flowers; they looked like they had come from the field. I smiled as I smelled them, thinking of the flower that Aster had put in my hair just the day before.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

I looked at the lady behind the cart, realizing that she was only a girl of about the same age as Aster.

“Yes, they are.” I replied.

I waited a moment before asking what was on my mind.

“Has something happened?” I asked, “Everyone seems a little upset today.”

“A boy was found dead out in the East field this morning.” She told me, sadly.” I was hoping to take some flowers to his grave later this evening.”

“Oh…” I spoke softly. “I’m sorry for the loss.”

“Yes. It was a tragedy.” She rearranged her flowers as she spoke. “The poor boy was struck by lightning during the storm we had last night.”

I froze. The boy had been struck by lightning?

‘No.’ I thought, ‘It can’t be.’

I stared at the flowers, tears trying to form in my eyes. I didn’t what to ask, but I had to.

“Do you know who the poor young man was?” I swallowed my sadness as I spoke.

“His name was Aster. He…”

The rest of her words faded away. I felt as if I had been the one that had been hit by the bolt of lightning.

“Thank you…” I muttered as I turned away. I forced myself not to break down in the middle of the street. I looked ahead to see the library of Alexandria towering in front of me.

‘Why?’ I cried in my head. Tears quickly fell from my eyes. I looked at the tall building, only thinking of how much it meant to Aster and me. It had been our favorite place within the city of Athens. It was our place.

As I looked at the library, I could see the sky. Vast, blue, and the source of the lightning that had killed my beloved Aster. Suddenly, I was filled with an uncontrollable anger.

‘Zeus.’ I growled in my mind. I wanted to scream. My rage built as I turned and stormed out of the city, hearths flaring as I passed them. I could hear the screams of the panicked people in the streets as flames leaped out of the public hearths and attached to the surrounding buildings. Fire slowly began to spread across the houses.

At the edge of the city, I snapped my eyes shut. Within moments, I had my eyes wide open as I stormed toward Olympus.