Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Olympian Council (842 BC)

Chapter 73: The Olympian Council (842 BC)

842 BC, Korinthos

(Hestia POV)

It’s been twenty years since the eruption of Mount Etna and the death of Typhon the father of monsters. They had returned shortly after with an entire tribe of half horse and half goat people that Medusa named centaurs and satyrs respectively. Both races had moved to the dense forest surrounding their home and ventured very rarely outside. Funnily enough, each race had their own quirks, with the centaurs being able to divine the future using the placements of the stars, not that they were willing to share anything, choosing to not alter the tapestry of fate, or whatever they called it. Hestia didn’t understand what they were on about, but Medusa seemed to approve, which was a good sign.

The satyrs on the other hand, developed some sort of instinctive nature magic, giving them a limited control over the earth and trees but also some sort of empathy allowing them to communicate with any animal or creature. Medusa spent a good number of years trying to replicate the magic; however, she was unsuccessful because the satyrs felt skittish about her analyzing their magic. It was probably an instinctive fear due to Typhon’s experiments.

Personally, Hestia’s relationship with Medusa was better than ever. They mainly stayed alone in their home after both sisters got married around fourteen years ago. It took some convincing and a lot of gentle coercing from Hestia’s part, but Medusa didn’t just march to their suitors and kill them in their sleep. She was inconsolable when they left their home, but such is the life of an immortal. Getting attached is a recipe for heartbreak and disaster. Both girls, that Hestia considers surrogate daughters of hers, did visit once every month or so, making sure that their mothers were alright. But as time went on, the visits kept getting far apart, and when they had children, they barely saw each other anymore. This broke Medusa’s heart, but Hestia knew that she made her peace about it; the girls had grown up and it was time to live their own lives.

With the centaurs and Satyrs protecting the city from attackers, Medusa was barely called on to defend her city. Tales of her turned into legends but whenever someone commits a crime, they were found days later turned into stone and so these instances were somewhat rare. With so little to do, Hestia and Medusa spent their days relaxing in their home, right on the beach.

It took some time, but Hestia was able to gain Medusa’s trust and the green eyed witch revealed her real name to her and her position in Atlantis as the king’s adopted daughter. She described the events of Atlantis’ fall and her role assuring that someone would survive. It made her appreciate Medusa even more. Every member of her family was alive because she chose to fight something that should not be fought. She was Death’s chosen champion, but she didn’t choose to gain power and conquer the world. She didn’t want to rule over others, even if Hestia knew that her reign would be far better that Zeus’.

Medusa, or should she call her Morrigan, was a kind woman. She would remain Medusa to her, the wonderful woman she met, the Morrigan was the terrifying Master of Death that Hestia saw fighting Typhon. For some reason, she liked to consider them different people. Medusa the kind and caring mother and lover. Morrigan, the powerful warrior and Death’s champion.

For the last twenty years, Hestia saw no trace of the Morrigan in her lover, but she knew that it was there, just hiding inside of her, and she accepted it. Her beloved was a woman of many layers, and this just happened to be one of them, it was just a layer that she didn’t wish to see. For when the Morrigan awakes, death soon follows.

But now, it was time. Her assignment was over, and Zeus called her back. Hestia was anxious that this short peace was coming to an end. Her musing was interrupted by her beloved, “You’re scared.”

Hestia sighed, there was few things she could hide from her beloved, “I am. This could go wrong very quickly, Medusa.”

“I know. But it’s the only way. If I don’t show Korinthos as a city able to protect itself, then your brother will just try to take over like he did with the others.”

“But this could end up with a fight between you and my family. I don’t know if I can take a side…”

Medusa smiled sadly at her, “I know. Don’t worry, I won’t make you choose. Even if he wishes to fight, we have a plan to avoid any direct conflict.”

“I just worry, sometimes. I’m not really comfortable in conflicts.”

Medusa just nods and kisses her. After a breath taking make out session, her beloved proposed, “You’re going to be late. You’re procrastinating.”

Hestia huffed, “It’s so annoying how well you know me…”

She smirked at her, “You know you love it.”

With another huff, Hestia teleported to Mount Olympus and the usual view of what she once considered home awaited her.

From the top of the clouds rose the decapitated peak of a mountain, its summit covered with snow. Clinging to the mountainside were dozens of multileveled palaces, a city of mansions, all with white columned porticos, gilded terraces, and bronze braziers glowing with a thousand fires. Roads wound crazily up to the peak, where the largest palace gleamed against the snow. Precariously perched gardens bloomed with olive trees and rosebushes. There was an open-air market filled with colorful tents, a stone amphitheater built on one side of the mountain, a hippodrome, and a coliseum on the other.

Hestia hated it. It was so pretentious, a statement of luxury that no mortal would even see. It was just a way to make themselves superior to the rest of the world and it made her sick. This place didn’t have a single trace of a home. It didn’t offer any comfort; it didn’t make anyone relaxed and warm. It was just a statement of luxury, that every member of her family tried to one up each other.

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Hestia walked up the main road and finally arrived at the big palace at the peak towards the largest palace in Olympus, a monstrosity in white and silver. She went through the courtyard and entered the throne room. So far in her journey, she wasn’t stopped a single time; she was either considered a very minor member of the clan from her modest dress, or they recognized her and didn’t want to disturb a member of the Olympian council. Zeus had a fearsome reputation after all.

Twelve thrones, each one more ostentatious as the other, were arranged in an inverted U. In the middle was a large throne, made entirely of platinum, it belonged to her king and brother Zeus. He was wearing a white toga with golden thread. He had a well trimmed black beard, similar to his hair. His blue eyes glowed like a miniature thunder, something he liked to use to subtly intimidate his subject.

For the first time in a long time, all the members of the council were present in the meeting. She nodded her head to the king first, then to her other brother and sisters until finally greeting the rest of the council which was pretty much a bunch of Zeus’ children. It really was getting ridiculous.

After the customary greetings, she walked up to her throne and sat down. Her throne was made of wood, it was elegant in its simplicity; there was no gold, no silver, no platinum, no pearls, or diamonds. It was just a chair in the end. But Hestia knew for a fact that neither of the other thrones were half as comfortable as hers.

Zeus started the meeting, “This is the summer solstice annual meeting, and we before we start, I want to welcome back Hestia after a mission I sent her to for a couple of decades now.”

All she received was a few grumbling words of welcome, most of them probably never noticed that she was gone. After that, it was a standard meeting with everyone pretty much reporting what they have been doing ever since the last meeting. Ares talked about his Spartans, Artemis did reports on her hunters, a group of women that she adopts and hunt prey, be it monsters or normal animals, and even the occasional man. Poseidon presence was pretty much a formality, he had little sway here and he knew it, so he kept his reports brief, probably omitting pretty much everything he’s been up to.

When it was her turn, she started, “As Zeus told you, I was sent to investigate a city called Korinthos that was gaining a lot of influence lately. I was able to slowly integrate myself into the ruling body easily enough and gained a lot of information about the city from it. The city itself is ruled by a council, that’s elected from the noble families every decade or so. Of course, the families can become Noble, or have it stripped every five years by a council of the head of all noble families, when certain criteria are met or not. Noble families have to be wealthy enough to apply for nobility and they have to have no crimes to their name. In the end, they swear an unbreakable vow to prioritize the well-being of the city and its occupants during every council meeting.”

Apollo interrupted her, “Yeah, yeah, it’s a paradise. Still a new city should not grow this quickly with no intervention.”

Hestia glared at him, “I was just going to it. Anyway, the life of every inhabitant is very comfortable, and the number of crimes is very low. What’s attractive about Korinthos is the safety. The city’s crops are abundant so they’re very cheap, drinking water is abundant, but what’s important that nothing ever succeeded attacking the city. There hasn’t been a single fatality so far. There is a large forest around the city and it’s the home to a race of human horse hybrids called centaurs and human goat hybrids called satyrs. They protect the city from any attack.”

Athena was the one to ask a question this time, “Surely a city this prosperous should have paid tribute to any of us. Do they have temples of anyone?”

Hestia grimaced and answered, “The city is isolated. While tales of us exist, they do not worship us. Instead, most of the citizens worship someone else.”

Most of the hall gasped in horror at the blasphemy of not being worshiped as deities. This was getting on her nerve.

Zeus’ voice thundered, “Who?”

Hestia responded, “They worship a woman they named Medusa. They call her the protector of the city, a woman so fearsome that she could turn a man to stone with just a look. It’s said that she was the one that started the village and saved the first citizens of Korinthos from a pack of Nemean Lions. They still pray for her protection to this day.”

Athena sighed in relief, “So it’s just a tale then, one of us showing up there would be enough to turn their beliefs.”

“That is not something I recommend, niece,” Hestia spoke, “Because the city’s protector is real.”

“What?” Most of the council exclaimed.

Hestia continued, “I wanted to investigate who this mysterious Medusa was, I thought it might be some minor god trying to gain influence somehow. I was wrong. I found her, spoke to her. Medusa is real, and she’s very powerful and while she does not care for our affairs, she said that the dealings of Korinthos are off limit to any Olympian.”

With these last words, Hestia could feel Zeus’ aura palpating and pulsing, showing his anger, “Who does she think she is?”

Before he could do anything rash, Hestia answered, “She is the daughter of the last king of Atlantis, brother.”

Silence met her answer, until moments later, pandemonium followed.

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