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Description
Cilla stared up at the elaborate temple in all its glory. She hadn't been here since the first time her father met with a groom candidate. She had sat at the steps of the temple for hours, praying that her future husband would be kind and loving. Now, though, she didn’t pray for anything. She allowed her mother to guide her to the priest and handed him the hamilton before bowing her head and stepping back. Her mother stayed to talk with the priest, but her and Aetes decided to wander the grounds. Her younger brother ran ahead, pulling her hand as he went.

“Sister, look at this!” The boy let go of her hand as he ran over to an old tree and plucked branches from it. His hands worked fast as he twisted the branches carefully, using the rope from his favored sling to tie them together.

“What are you making?” She leaned forward as she caught up to him, curious as to what he was thinking.

“A sword!” Aetes held the new weapon out. Instead of a single stick used by many boys her brother had made it thicker and more durable tying two together.

“Ah, smart boy. You must become a warrior when you grow up.” She patted his head just to have her hand swatted away. Aetes’s face twisted into a pout before changing again to determination as he thrust the sword forward.

“No I will be a blacksmith like uncle.” He ran ahead once more, rushing to show their mother.

Cilla stayed behind, smiling after him. Aetes was her favorite brother, though she wouldn't admit it. He was cute and shy to those outside of her and their mother and he was always surprising her. She didn’t have much faith in her own future, but his she knew would be bright. “I hope Lord Hephaestus watches over all your endeavours, my dearest Aetes.”

“Lord Hephaestus?” The voice came from behind her. Turning on her heels Cilla came face to face with a man slightly older than herself. His face was covered by a hood for the most part and what she could see of it seemed rough somehow. The two stood in shocked silence for a long drawn out moment. Neither of them looked away until Aetes called for Cilla’s attention.

“Cilla! Sister! Mother says we must go now.” The boy ran up to her, grabbing her hand and tugging slightly. He only took notice of the man for a moment before turning to his sister once more. “Hurry sister, mother is waiting.”

The two left with no words said to the man. He watched the family walk away still in shock. Did people call him such down here? Where there really mortals who asked for his blessings? It was a strange thought. Yet he could not tear his gaze from the woman who had addressed him as an equal to the other gods. When the family was finally out of sight he shook his head and walked to the temple.

His mother had been in an uproar that no one had claimed her treasures from any of her temples lately. Hermes, the usual messenger, was too busy with helping Thanatos lead the souls of the newest ar to Tartarus and no one else wished to be bullied into doing it for her. So for the first time since he claimed his right as a god he stepped off Olympus to the world below. In an attempt to have her leave him alone once more he would collect the things the mortals had brought to her.

The oracle of the temple had greeted him, somehow knowing exactly who he was. Unlike the woman from outside she treated him sorely and did all she could to look away from him. No one else paid him any mind as well. They all thought he was nothing more than a beggar. Only oracles knew who was mortal and god.

After traveling far, Hephaestus returned to his forge. He tried to focus on his work, placing rubies into the armlet his father ordered for his mother. He tried to only think of how the gems should set in the gold and bronze. But it didn’t work. His mind wandered to the woman may times over. Were there others who would want him to watch over their brothers? Others who would call him ‘lord’?

At Cilla’s home, the girl worked hard on cleaning. She didn’t have to try not to think about her trip to the temple for it was already far from her mind. All she thought about now was impressing the man her father had announced would be coming to dinner. Her mother was convinced that Hera had loved their gift and had blessed them with the news of a man willing to marry her. Now everything had to be perfect. Her mother had run to the market to make sure they had the freshest, most flavorful meal ready. Her brothers and father all went about their own work as well. All except Aetes who played in the room she was cleaning. He was using a knife now to whittle away at some wood he had picked up.

“Cilla?” His sweet voice tore her from her work. “If you get married will you leave?”

The girl bit her lip before putting down her wash rag and moving to sit beside him. “That is the job of women. We must marry and help raise a family for her family.”

“But he isn’t our family.” The boy stared at the wood in his hand, half carved. “What if I marry you. Then you can stay with us.: He looked up at her with big eyes, hopeful.

“That isn’t how it works.” She wrapped her arms around her youngest brother and pulled him close. “My dearest brother. No matter if I marry or not I will forever be your sister. We will forever be together.” She smiled down at Aetes and patted his head before looking at his project. “What are you making now?”

“A ring…” His voice trailed off. “I’ll make a better one when I’m older.”

“I’m sure you will. I’m sure the god of the forge will help you create the most beautiful things.”

Description
Cilla stared up at the elaborate temple in all its glory. She hadn't been here since the first time her father met with a groom candidate. She had sat at the steps of the temple for hours, praying that her future husband would be kind and loving. Now, though, she didn’t pray for anything. She allowed her mother to guide her to the priest and handed him the hamilton before bowing her head and stepping back. Her mother stayed to talk with the priest, but her and Aetes decided to wander the grounds. Her younger brother ran ahead, pulling her hand as he went.

“Sister, look at this!” The boy let go of her hand as he ran over to an old tree and plucked branches from it. His hands worked fast as he twisted the branches carefully, using the rope from his favored sling to tie them together.

“What are you making?” She leaned forward as she caught up to him, curious as to what he was thinking.

“A sword!” Aetes held the new weapon out. Instead of a single stick used by many boys her brother had made it thicker and more durable tying two together.

“Ah, smart boy. You must become a warrior when you grow up.” She patted his head just to have her hand swatted away. Aetes’s face twisted into a pout before changing again to determination as he thrust the sword forward.

“No I will be a blacksmith like uncle.” He ran ahead once more, rushing to show their mother.

Cilla stayed behind, smiling after him. Aetes was her favorite brother, though she wouldn't admit it. He was cute and shy to those outside of her and their mother and he was always surprising her. She didn’t have much faith in her own future, but his she knew would be bright. “I hope Lord Hephaestus watches over all your endeavours, my dearest Aetes.”

“Lord Hephaestus?” The voice came from behind her. Turning on her heels Cilla came face to face with a man slightly older than herself. His face was covered by a hood for the most part and what she could see of it seemed rough somehow. The two stood in shocked silence for a long drawn out moment. Neither of them looked away until Aetes called for Cilla’s attention.

“Cilla! Sister! Mother says we must go now.” The boy ran up to her, grabbing her hand and tugging slightly. He only took notice of the man for a moment before turning to his sister once more. “Hurry sister, mother is waiting.”

The two left with no words said to the man. He watched the family walk away still in shock. Did people call him such down here? Where there really mortals who asked for his blessings? It was a strange thought. Yet he could not tear his gaze from the woman who had addressed him as an equal to the other gods. When the family was finally out of sight he shook his head and walked to the temple.

His mother had been in an uproar that no one had claimed her treasures from any of her temples lately. Hermes, the usual messenger, was too busy with helping Thanatos lead the souls of the newest ar to Tartarus and no one else wished to be bullied into doing it for her. So for the first time since he claimed his right as a god he stepped off Olympus to the world below. In an attempt to have her leave him alone once more he would collect the things the mortals had brought to her.

The oracle of the temple had greeted him, somehow knowing exactly who he was. Unlike the woman from outside she treated him sorely and did all she could to look away from him. No one else paid him any mind as well. They all thought he was nothing more than a beggar. Only oracles knew who was mortal and god.

After traveling far, Hephaestus returned to his forge. He tried to focus on his work, placing rubies into the armlet his father ordered for his mother. He tried to only think of how the gems should set in the gold and bronze. But it didn’t work. His mind wandered to the woman may times over. Were there others who would want him to watch over their brothers? Others who would call him ‘lord’?

At Cilla’s home, the girl worked hard on cleaning. She didn’t have to try not to think about her trip to the temple for it was already far from her mind. All she thought about now was impressing the man her father had announced would be coming to dinner. Her mother was convinced that Hera had loved their gift and had blessed them with the news of a man willing to marry her. Now everything had to be perfect. Her mother had run to the market to make sure they had the freshest, most flavorful meal ready. Her brothers and father all went about their own work as well. All except Aetes who played in the room she was cleaning. He was using a knife now to whittle away at some wood he had picked up.

“Cilla?” His sweet voice tore her from her work. “If you get married will you leave?”

The girl bit her lip before putting down her wash rag and moving to sit beside him. “That is the job of women. We must marry and help raise a family for her family.”

“But he isn’t our family.” The boy stared at the wood in his hand, half carved. “What if I marry you. Then you can stay with us.: He looked up at her with big eyes, hopeful.

“That isn’t how it works.” She wrapped her arms around her youngest brother and pulled him close. “My dearest brother. No matter if I marry or not I will forever be your sister. We will forever be together.” She smiled down at Aetes and patted his head before looking at his project. “What are you making now?”

“A ring…” His voice trailed off. “I’ll make a better one when I’m older.”

“I’m sure you will. I’m sure the god of the forge will help you create the most beautiful things.”