The Heart of the Hearth

I felt my feet touch the ground. I opened my eyes to see the marble of Mount Olympus. I wore a huge smile across my face. Getting away from these stuffy immortals was just the thing I needed. I looked forward to my break that would come every day.

I walked into the large building that I called home. I turn for the stairs, beginning up them to my room. As I turned to go to the third floor, I heard someone call me.

“Hestia! Wait a minute!”

I turned to see my sister Hera heading toward me. I waited until she was close before speaking.

“What is it, Hera?”

“You need to go apologize to Zeus.”

I stared at her. “What?”

“What you said this morning really angered him-”

“Good.” I cut her off. “He deserved it.”

“It also upset him.” Hera spoke. “Whether or not he deserved it is not important. You upset your younger brother; it is your sisterly duty to apologize to him.”

“What about his brotherly duties?!” I raised my voice a little. “Kicking Hades out is entirely brotherly!”

This was really aggravating me. How could Hera act as if the whole thing wasn’t that big of a deal? Zeus kicked his own brother out after shooting him with lightning!

“Hestia.”

Oh, no. It was her voice. You know the one where they sound like ‘I’m right and stop trying to dodge it.’ I hated it when she did it. I mean I hate it when Poseidon or Demeter did it, but it was worse when Hera did it. Why? Because she always wins.

“What?” I replied.

“You need to go apologize to him.”

“The only thing I have to tend to are the flames in the hearth.” I turned and stormed up the stairs.

“You aren’t just goddess of the hearth. You are also the goddess of the home as well.”

I tried to ignore her words as I turned to my room. I closed my doors, leaning back on them as I stopped. I sighed. I knew that Hera had been right. This problem between Zeus and I fell into the home category. As goddess of the home, it was my duty to resolve the difference between my younger brother and myself.

“Why me?” I wondered out loud as I rested a hand on my forehead.

I trudge over to plop on my bed. I looked up at the canopy of my bed. The crimson of the fabric looked so warm. I let my mind wonder as I gazed at the warmth that loomed overhead.

‘She’s right.’ I thought as I sighed.

I forced myself to sit up on my bed. I had to go apologize to Zeus. I really didn’t want to apologize to him, but I just have to.

I sighed, slightly in aggravation as I walked to my door. Closing my bedroom doors behind me, I headed toward the meeting room. Zeus was either there or in his room on the top floor. I was hoping he was still downstairs. If I had to walk up all those stairs, I might not have a nice attitude when I got up there.

I walked through the corridor where Poseidon and I had met this morning. I looked up at the tall ceiling. It towered at least forty feet above me.

The double doors to the meeting room came into view. I walked over, easing the door open. Inside, I could see servants bustling around, cleaning from the earlier fight. The chairs and table were gone. They had been replaced by an oval-shaped table and new, comfy-looking chairs. Zeus stood at a wall of windows that looked out over Athens.

“Zeus.” I spoke as I walked into the room. He answered me as I closed the doors behind me.

“Yes, Hestia?” He turned from the windows to look at me. He was still clad in his orange robe and stood with his hands behind his back.

“I came to apologize for my rudeness toward you this morning.” I bowed my head a little as I spoke.

Zeus tilted his head forward a little as he replied, “Thank you, Hestia. Your apology is much appreciated.” Zeus turned to walk to the chair at the head of the table.

“I am glad. But I wish to explain my apology.”

My words stopped his movement. He looked over at me.

“Please.” He spoke as if he were talking through his teeth. “Do explain.”

“I am apologizing for my rudeness, but not for the words that I said this morning. The words that I spoke were true.”

Zeus places a hand on the back of his chair. He didn’t look at me. He looked over more to the floor.

“Is that so?” I could hear the anger dripping from his voice.

“Yes. You must be a brother before you can be a king.” I knew this was not a good idea, but I spoke anyway.

“I see.” I watched his hand tremble as he gripped the chair tightly.

“Leave.” His voice was low and stern. “Leave my presence now.”

I could tell that he was trying not to snap. I bowed, before turning and leaving the meeting room.