Worthy of Love

Chapter IV

o0o0o

Kabeiro's lips were hot and hungry, and having never received such passion before – or passion at all – he stiffened in shock, too stunned to push the ocean goddess away. But as he quickly overcame his shock, he was already enjoying the kiss, her soft and full lips sending frissons of heat through his body. As if on their own accord, his hands traveled up to her sides, trailing a bit of soot on her light-hued chiton, but the mess went unnoticed.

He pressed his head forward a bit, his lips pressing against hers before he suddenly but gently pushed her away. He stared at her, taking deep breaths as they studied one another.

“Hephaestus...” Kabeiro murmured, staying where she was, a faint blush om her cheeks.

“Kabeiro.” His whisper was just as quiet, his voice a contented rumble. She pressed herself against him, pressing her lips to his own again. His hands slid to her back and then up to her shoulders before they slid under her arms and up the sides of her breast, to her face. He cupped it as he kissed her back, his lips tasting hungrily of hers. Her body was so warm, and the kiss was igniting a heat he never knew he had. It threatened to overwhelm him, consume him.

Again, he pushed her away.

“Kabeiro...” His hands trembled slightly against her cheeks. She smiled faintly, still blushing, as her hands found his and rested atop them. Her fingers caressed his as she gazed at him. They were nearly the same height, so their gazes were level as they regarded one another..

“I want you.” she finally said, her eyes shining with desire.

“I know. I want you too.” Hephaestus admitted. He felt her start to wiggle against him with the clear intent to arouse him, but he shook his head and pushed her back further, as she had him pinned against the wall. “But I'm... not ready. Not yet.”

“How unfair. Usually it's the maiden who wishes to wait. And after I've wanted you for so long!” Kabeiro pouted prettily. Hephaestus swallowed. He didn't want to admit to her that he was indeed a 'maiden' in a sense. Aphrodite hadn't wanted to share her bed with him. Rather than argue or demand his martial rights, he had acquiesced in an attempt to please her and hope that one day she would welcome him into her embrace. It hurt him to see her so open with others – especially Ares – but still he had hoped.

“You're rather... overwhelming.” he admitted. She grinned.

“Well, someone has to be. You're sweet, but too shy for your own good.”

“It's how I've always been. I was more comfortable in the forge than on Olympus, where the gods spoke of my ugliness.”

“Oh, Hephaestus! You're not ugly!” She nuzzled his hands. “You're not pretty, but you're... handsome in a rugged and hardworking way. You have a unique talent and a wonderful Gift. These Olympians are wrong to judge you so harshly. I'm glad you decided you were done with Olympus. It was about time you came back to where you belonged.”

“Where I belonged?”

“Yes! Here! The ocean adopted you. Here you've always been welcome.”

Hephaestus could not deny that. He nodded slowly and drew away from the wall, letting go of her. As he did, he sheepishly noticed that he had left faint smudge marks on her face and chiton. Her hands were also a bit smudged where she had touched him.

“I have towels and freshwater in the other room. I can heat up the water for you.” he offered, gesturing to the marks he had left on her. She glanced down with curiosity and laughed faintly when she saw the results of their snuggling. His apron had also dirtied her front.

“Don't worry about it. It'll come off in a swim.”

“But your clothing...”

“Relax, it's fine! But if you're so concerned about getting me clean, perhaps you could bathe me.” Kabeiro was met with a stare from the Fire God, to which she responded with a cheerful smile and batting her eyes.

“You're very determined, aren't you?”

“But of course.” She stood there, fluttering her eyelashes at him in a playfully obvious way of flirting.

“You like teasing me?”

“If I were teasing you, it would mean I was tempting you without any intention for... fulfillment. Rest assured, there's no teasing here, Hephaestus. All you have to do is ask, and it's all yours.”

He blushed and looked down, but did not turn away. She was offering herself to him, with no reservations. He had no doubt that if any of his brothers had been offered such a thing, they would take it immediately. Kabeiro studied his reaction, relieved that he didn't leave her in an embarrassed fluster, at least.

“Aphrodite was very cruel, wasn't she?” Kabeiro murmured. He sighed and nodded. She approached Hephaestus and placed her hands on his shoulder.

“I saw her once. She was very beautiful, but I didn't sense any real... caring from her. Even her own mother said she didn't care for anyone else when she was little. If you let what she did to you affect you that deeply, then she's won. You have a right to feel angry and hurt, but don't be afraid of me because of what she did. I would never betray you.”

“Never. However our relationship develops, I will never be cruel to you or betray you. This I swear by the Styx.”

Hephaestus turned his gaze back to her, seeing a look of calm seriousness on her face, her blue eyes gazing at him steadily. Slowly, his hands moved up to her sides, pulling her into a gentle embrace. He felt Kabeiro relax into his arms.

She made no move to wiggle against him or otherwise titillate him. His hands moved to her back, wrapping her in a tighter embrace. Her arms wound loosely around his neck, and she let him hold her, smiling to herself as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

o0o0o

Harmonia and Eris sat on the soft grass in Hera's private garden under the watchful eye of their loving grandmother. In one corner of the garden one of her servants played a quiet, pleasant melody on her lyre, providing a soothing ambiance to this pleasant scene. Hera had brought in a Anthousai – a flower-nymph – to make little flowers blossom all along the grass, to give the twin infants a enjoyable diversion. They were old enough to crawl quickly and sit up on their own. They were able to toddle along on unsteady little feet for a few steps unassisted. Both girls were staring down at the flowers, reaching out to pluck one here and there, though Harmonia examined her flowers for longer than Eris.

Hera did not have many children, and out of the three she had, only one had children of his own, giving her very few granddchildren compared to her husband's enormous brood. Eros was a mischievous young god, but at least he didn't seem so much inclined to violence like his father, or idle and selfish pleasure like his mother. Still, he had fallen to the hubris of Olympus, and like many of the other gods, enjoyed having lovers and adventures.

Hera was determined to shape Ares' twin daughters into more. She had no lovers, her children were grown, and she needed focus in her life. Hephaestus was gone and she didn't know where he was, and she was determined to at least be more successful as a grandmother than a mother. Her firm and loving guidance had done nothing to curb Ares' violent impulses, but then, Zeus had the 'boys will be boys' kind of attitude, which had infuriated her to no end.

Harmonia crawled forward to Hera's chair, reaching out with plump little fingers to grasp the chair leg. With that grip, she pulled herself up to her feet and looked up at her grandmother with a sweet and charming smile, revealing two little pearly teeth, just grown in. Her soft golden hair ended in soft, wispy little curls, and he eyes were the color of a bright afternoon sky.

“Hello there, sweetheart.” Hera said with a soft smile. She plucked out a small bit of ambrosia and offered it to her granddaughter, holding the delectable morsel in front of Harmonia's lips. The baby girl eagerly accepted the treat, and Hera stroked her hair lovingly. When she had taken them from Aphrodite, they had been dressed in soft little pink tunics embroidered with doves in creamy white and little rose quartz beads.. Hera hated such fripperies, especially on babies, and as soon as the babies were taken to her palace, the first thing she had done was dress them in plain but comfortable tunics – Harmonia's of pale blue to match her eyes, and Eris in dark blue to go with her dark eyes and hair – embroidered with plain gold bands at the hem.

She knew that by taking the babies, she was doing Aphrodite a favor – without babies to take care of she would just go to one of her amusements – but Hera genuinely enjoyed having the twins for visits. Harmonia babbled in the way babies do, raising a little hand and smacking her lips.

“Want more? All right then.” Hera said cheerfully, giving her several more pieces of ambrosia. As she glanced forward, she noticed that Eris was nowhere to be seen. Aphrodite had complained that Eris liked to crawl off and hide or explore. Perhaps Eris just wanted to escape her mother's cloying sweetness. The dark-haired baby was already displaying a independent streak, and hated to be put in a cradle. But the one thing that Aphrodite complained about most was that Eris liked being naughty. There was the fact that Eris liked to chew, bash, or otherwise mistreat the pretty stuffed dove she had – she and Harmonia each had their own, or any of her other toys – or crawl into her mother's garden and rip up the prettiest flowers if she managed to get away from her mother or nursemaids.

Scooping Harmonia up against her left side, Hera strode through the garden, looking for Eris. She couldn't have gotten far, could she?

When she found Eris, the dark-haired infant was staring up at the young nymph playing the lyre, staring up at her with rapt curiosity and fascination. Hera smiled at this. Eris had a curious and inquisitive mind, and the older Goddess was determined to nurture it.

“Get down and let her see the instrument while you play it.” Hera instructed. The plain-faced nymph nodded and sat down in the grass, her dancing fingers clear to Eris. If anything, the baby seemed more interested in the way the instrument was played, rather than the melody that came from it.

Another servant darted into the garden and approached Hera before bowing.

“My lady, Zeus wishes for your company. He invites you to lunch.” Sryope said as she glanced up at the Goddess. She had been a faithful servant for several decades, looking as youthful as ever due to the fact that she was an Aurai. Her mother was an Aurai herself, and her father had been one of the Winds. Sryope was used to her mistress' moods and needs, and enjoyed being the trusted aide to the Queen of the Gods. Like Hera, she had no desire to waste her time with lovers or affairs.

“I am already otherwise occupied.” Hera replied. Sryope showed no surprise. After several decades of working for Hera, she was well aware of the conflict between husband and wife and the fact that Hera had no more interest in Zeus. She had been betrayed too many times, and Sryope certainly did not blame her. She only came to Hera with Zeus' invitations because it was the proper thing to do.

“As you wish, my lady. Should I also instruct Hella to bring you some lunch?” she asked. Hera nodded, ambrosia wasn't enough for a meal, and she couldn't fill herself up on such an overly sweet substance. Ambrosia was more enjoyable in small amounts, though it could be diluted with honey and mixed in with regular food to thin out the sweetness.

“Yes, thank you. Just something usual.” Hera instructed. 'Usual' meant no ambrosia cooked into the food, which was how Hera preferred her meals.

“As you wish, my lady.” Sryope bowed and breezed out of the room, her long, pale hair and chiton trailing before her. Hera nodded approvingly. Sryope was a efficient aide, and she also kept Hera's few other servants organized and coordinated. Each girl was here on her merit, based on her talent and personality. Hella was a Oread with a talent for cooking. Her knowledge of plants and various herbs made her meals savory and interesting. Nerissa had a true talent for music, but she concentrated on more substantial melodies, not the pretty and tinkly ones that Apollo and Aphrodite generally preferred. She was also an excellent orator and was good at reciting ballads and stories, or creating her own. Galaxaura was an Aurai, like Sryope. She was a efficient maid, breezing through Hera's apartments and straightening and cleaning things with seemingly little effort, and was also good at doing errands – Aurai nymphs were the best at carrying messages or taking things somewhere. But she also had an talent for comedy, and could make Hera or the other nymphs laugh with a silly face or story.

These nymphs had either tired of men or simply weren't interested and like her, led a chaste lifestyle. Nerissa had more time to develop her talent and create new songs or stories. Hella could explore the forests or experiment with various plants and herbs. Galaxaura breezed around looking for funny things to tell about. Hera was a role model for women who sought productive lives away from men, and could be said to be the patron of chaste women as well as wives.

Here, in her own Palace, she was happier. When she had lived with Zeus, she had to sleep in his empty bed at night, knowing he was off somewhere else, seducing some pretty nymph or mortal while she remained loyal to him. After a while, she moved to her own room in the palace. This was slightly easier, having a bed of her own. Zeus would sometimes visit her, just as passionate as he had been on their first night together, and she would fall for him again. He would then come to her bed for more nights, or coax her over to his and plead with her to stay there, for his bed was lonely without her. But inevitably, his eyes wandered. She smelled another woman's perfume in Zeus' bed, or found a long strand of hair not her own on the pillows. The anger and resentment would follow. She would be angry with Zeus, and angry for herself, letting him seduce her when she knew he was going to betray her again!

So she asked the Cyclopes to build her her own Palace. It was smaller, but size wasn't her concern. She had it designed to her own tastes, choosing the exact marble and mosaic to use here and there. It was just the right size for her and several servants. The garden was modest and elegant, with her favorite plants and a fountain along with a couple of ponds, all carefully arranged so. Her servants were handpicked, so she didn't have to deal with pretty and vapid servants that Zeus had chosen for their appearance. And once she had a place of her own, life became simpler. She had her own home, just the way she wanted it. It was a regal and soothing atmosphere, each room furnished just so, with a different purpose in mind. Each piece of furniture was considered with care, as well as all the decorations. Guests were duly impressed by the parlor they sat in, the garden they saw, the dishes they were served, and most of all, their dignified hostess.

Hera smiled as Nerissa continued playing for Eris until the melody wound down gracefully. Hella came out and set the small table before bowing and retreating.

“Nerissa, come here near the table. Play some music for the babies while I eat.”

“Yes, my lady.” Nerissa sat amidst the pretty little flowers, Harmonia and Eris sitting in front of her. She propped her lyre in her lap and started plucking out a sweet but enjoyable melody, its tune light and merry.

As Hera was about to reach for a tasty morsel, Sryope returned to the garden, bowing.

“My lady, I told Zeus that you were already busy, but he still wants to see you. He wants you over at his Palace as soon as you can. I merely told him that all I could do was relay the message.”

“Relay nothing back.” Hera replied. Zeus might be King of the Gods, but she would not come at his beck and call, like a dog. She was enjoying herself too much, and didn't want to leave the sight of Nerissa playing with the twins.

“As you wish, my lady.” Sryope offered a small but mischievous and knowing smile. Hera merely shrugged as she smiled back.

o0o0o

The sun was starting to set as Zeus made his way to Hera's abode, strolling on the white marble road that winded its way through Olympus. After being denied twice, he wanted to see her even more, and was determined to speak with her. He had just learned of Hephaestus' disappearance, and wondered if his wife might know anything of it. After all, it was a rather legitimate reason to visit his wife. Hera had said she would never welcome him into her embrace, but it wasn't the first time she had said that, though this was the longest stretch of time that they had been apart. He had tried to get her to stay in his Palace, but she refused. And she actually seemed happier by herself when he saw her at banquets or council meetings. This made him rather jealous.

Hera's home was surrounded by a low white wall, high enough to mark its boundaries easily and prevent anyone from just traipsing into her gardens, and low enough for a fully-grown God or Goddess to look over, so that Hera still had pleasant views of Olympus from her house. The gate had two marble peacocks at either side, their tail part of the wall to make a splendid sculpture of two peacocks staring at one another. Guests were admitted between those two majestic birds, and when Hera wished for no visitors at all, the wings would spread forward, effectively closing the portal.

He was glad to see that it was open. But then Aphrodite stalked out, looking angry, her daughters in her arms. Hera was at her heels.

“Do not be angry with me simply because I removed your daughters of all their fripperies.” the older Goddess stated. Zeus then noticed that Harmonia and Eris were clad in plain blue tunics, articles of clothing that Aphrodite would have never chosen for her girls. Every time he saw them, Aphrodite always had them in pretty, cute little tunics, with ribbons in their hair and little necklaces or bracelets. The babies always had to be prettied up and accessorized. Some found it amusing that Aphrodite was so wain about her babies, who probably couldn't care less about what their mother dressed them in.

“Babies are meant to be cute! That's why I dress them the way I do! It's only fitting that the Goddess of Love and Beauty have the most beautiful babies on Olympus.”

It was just like Aphrodite to say something like that. She already had had two sons, so finally having a daughter – or two – was a delight to her. She saw them as extensions of herself and would raise them as such. The daughters of the most beautiful Goddess on Olympus would be surrounded by beauty and be beautiful themselves.

“You dress them up in silly little trinkets and meaningless decorations because you think it makes them pretty. It's a shame that their mother cannot see their natural beauty.” Hera responded gravely.

Well played, wife. Zeus was in complete agreement with her. Harmonia and Eris looked just as cute in the clothing Hera had put them in. And over the centuries, he had grown jaded towards his daughter's behavior and was somewhat less tolerant of her antics than he had once been. Besides, he took a guilty pleasure at the times that Hera put Aphrodite in her place with well-deserved comments.

“Funny that you mention mothers and natural beauty when you could not appreciate the... natural beauty of your son Hephaestus.”

Zeus was well aware of his own part in Hephaestus' fate. He had been unfaithful to her around the time she was pregnant and had stayed away after she had given birth, knowing her anger. He had provoked her with that stupid comment that he had intended as a joke. If he hadn't been so insensitive, then Hephaestus wouldn't have been hurled off Olympus. Aphrodite's cruel comment went well over the line, and Zeus frowned.

“Aphrodite!” he roared. She jumped and gazed at Zeus, her eyes wide in shock. Hera merely glanced at him coolly. Zeus refused to falter. “You will never speak that way to my wife again? Is that understood?” He glared down at his daughter, tall and broad-shouldered, his sheer size overwhelming her delicate but well-proportioned form.

“Yes, Daddy.” Aphrodite replied, fluttering her eyelashes a bit. This would have worked when she had first come to Olympus, but now Zeus knew better.

“Go. And mind Hera's advice.”

“Yes, Father.” The young Goddess bowed her head meekly and retreated with her children. He quickly turned towards his wife.

“Hera, I came here to talk with you.” Zeus said, approaching her before she could retreat.

“I do not wish for your company.”

“I know, but I need to speak of another matter.” he replied, letting her rejection slide off him.

“What is it?”

“Hephaestus is gone. He's been gone for a couple of months.”

“And?”

“You do not care?” he asked incredulously. Was Hera so detached from her son?

“I do care. I already know he is gone. He did not tell me, or anybody else, apparently. You wasted your time in coming here to tell me that.” Hera replied, though she was secretly pleased about his defense of her.

“Well... I was hoping we could talk about that. As parents.”

Hera stared at him for a moment before nodding and beckoning. In the courtyard was a fountain with a statue of herself in the center, water bubbling from beneath her feet. The low wall that held in the fountain water was wide enough for people to sit on comfortably, and Hera didn't want to admit Zeus into the privacy of her home. She motioned to the gold-veined white marble and Zeus sat down, looking regal in a ankle-length chiton that was a stern slate-blue, his well-muscled arms bare and adorned with thick plain gold bands. In his pale hair sat a gold band that matched the simple design of his wristbands. Noble but in a more modest way, making Zeus seem just a bit less overwhelming than he usually was.

“You have something to say about Hephaestus. I'm listening.” Hera said, remaining on her feet as she looked down at her husband.

“Hephaestus has never been truly happy here. I... feel bad for it. I was not there when you needed me. I am sorry for that.”

Hera remained silent. Zeus had apologized for his infidelity before, so it was nothing new. Speaking of Hephaestus was new, though. So she nodded for him to continue talking.

“It was wrong of me to mock your... loyalty to me. I hurt a innocent baby because of what I said.”

Hera accepted the blame for what she had done. She had reached for the baby and thrown him, instead of throwing a vase or anything else. Nothing would change that. But she was also glad for Zeus to accept some of the blame. It did make her feel a bit better.

“About time you owed up to that.” she replied, refusing to offer even one bit more politeness than absolutely necessary. Zeus bowed his head, offering no argument. This took a bit of wind out of her sails.

“I thought that giving Aphrodite to him would make him feel better. I knew already that his brothers were making fun of him, so when I was thinking of a husband for Aphrodite, why not Hephaestus? He didn't submit his name so I knew he wasn't arrogant. He's quiet and hard-working. And it was my fault that he was lame. I thought that my decision would be a way to... compensate for the hard time he had. I know you warned me, that you said it wouldn't end well, but she was such a prize and I had no idea that she would...”

Hera sighed softly. She could see that Zeus had truly been well-intentioned.

“I know. And I too hoped that it might work out, but no...”

“Who can deny your wisdom?” Zeus asked. Hera fought back a smile at that compliment.

“You, apparently.” She didn't refer to just the matter of Hephaestus, but the other errors he had made, and his constant unfaithfulness.

“I understand that you're angry. But my apology is sincere.”

“I know.” Hera murmured. Yet he continued to be unfaithful to her. And the cycle went on.

“I was wondering what we could do about Hephaestus. I wonder if he wants to be alone, we should leave him alone. Or try to find him and ask him what he needs, what he wants. Perhaps we could grant it to him.”

“That's not a bad idea.” Hera offered agreeably. “I too have wondered the same thing. Perhaps right now we should just concentrate on finding out where he is before we decide what to do next.”

“Sounds like a wonderful idea. It's a bit late, why don't we discuss this some more tomorrow? Perhaps Hermes could help us, he's good at finding people.” Zeus replied, happy to agree with his wife.

“I'm glad we talked about this. Good night.”

“Wait.... good night? That's it?”

“I'll see you tomorrow.” Hera started walking past Zeus.

“I thought we could take a walk... talk... reminisce, have a good time.”

Hera slowly looked over her shoulder at him.

“Don't you have some pretty young nymph or mortal princess to keep you company?”

“They are mere diversions. No matter how many women I bed, my heart belongs to you.”

“You say your heart belongs to me but you always stray!”

“It's nothing personal, truly. I chose you to be my wife, and nobody else. Don't I always return to you? I always desire your passion.”

Hera rolled her eyes. Sure, Zeus always came back to her when he bored of his conquests, and he was a good lover – but he should not be leaving her in the first place! Excuses, excuses.

“My passion requires loyalty.”

“You are my honored wife.”

“Not honored enough.”

“Hera...”

“I told you a long time ago, I will not put up with another infidelity. If you want me to commit to you again, then you must commit to me.”

“I already am. And if you wanted other lovers...”

“Oh? Are you truly willing to let me enjoy the attentions of another male? Remember what you did to Ixion, and I hadn't even let him seduce me? I should have...” she commented, knowing this would irritate Zeus. How come it was okay for him to go to others and have sex with them but she couldn't enjoy the simple flirtations of a man?

“My passion requires absolute loyalty, which you clearly see as a double standard. I will not even begin to consider reconciliation until you are truly ready to treat me as an equal.” She said this so coldly and regally with an undeniable tone of finality that he was unable to think of a suitable response. It frustrated him, but he knew that the consequences would be dire if he tried to get into her bed. He could always take a disguise, but he dared not risk it. Hera was a powerful Goddess in her own right.

“I suggest that you concern yourself with Hephaestus' welfare. There is nothing more you could do for me.” Hera said before the door slammed shut.

o0o0o

Hephaestus grinned as he polished one of Kabeiro's armbands, the last piece of jewelry to be attended to. Each and every piece was just as craftily made as any of the other baubles in the set. After he set it down, he examined everything before him, just to make sure it was all perfect. The silvery-gold metal gleamed under the sunlight that filtered in through the window, and the meticulously-cut stones sparkled like little stars. He had kept the project well-hidden away, and it had taken him only a few more more days to complete it. Within these days, his relationship with the ocean-goddess had grown. She continued to titillate him but he held steadfast, limiting his affections to kisses and hugs, even though Kabeiro ventured to do a bit more than that.

They played in the ocean when he did not feel like working – he actually welcomed the distraction of her presence and she knew it – and let her admire his form though he still wouldn't let her touch certain areas, and wouldn't let himself touch these same kinds of parts on her body. He had to admit, he enjoyed this courtship. It would be all too easy to surrender to his desires, but he wanted to be certain that the relationship was based on more than just mutual desire. They talked. He showed her other projects in his forge, and how he did or made certain things. He went diving with her, and let her take him exploring along the hidden coral reefs.

For the first time in his life, he had a woman who truly desired his company, who wanted him physically as well as emotionally. She listened to him and never showed any boredom in his forge. Not did she complain of the soot and mess.

He smiled and sat back, stroking his newly-trimmed beard.

Yesterday, while Hephaestus had been doing a demonstration for her on some wire-work, his beard had been bothering him. He had been leaning over and working with pliers and multiple bits of wire, and a few of them would catch in his beard, distracting him from his work. So Kabeiro had gotten the idea to cut his hair right there. He had started to protest, but her no-nonsense attitude and concern about distractions in his work had sealed his fate. He gave her a small pair of shears and sat back. She had trimmed several inches, but he still had a full and handsome beard. She had also trimmed his hair and combed it out. It was a simple trim, but there were no more split ends, and when he gazed at himself in his small mirror, the effect was pleasing.

He arranged the jewelry on the table before taking off his apron, washing his face and hands, and donning a clean tunic. He went to sit outside, waiting for her. It was mid-morning, and she should be here any minute now. He was excited to show her what he had made for her. It truly was one of his best projects. It had been so long since he had felt so enthusiastic about anything. He stretched out his legs, leaning back against a rock and basking in the sun, staring out at the ocean. It was quiet and peaceful here. His only steady visitor was Kabeiro, and he wouldn't trade her company for anything in the world. He wasn't pestered by the other gods. He wondered if anybody on Olympus missed him. The Cyclopes, probably. But not anybody else. He had never had a close relationship with his birth parents.

He took a swig of the wine he had brought outside with him, letting it soothe his dry throat. He had been so lost in finishing up the project that he had foregone food and drink. He got like that sometimes, and with a faint smile, remembered the Cyclopes expressing their concern for him, insisting that he eat and drink something whenever he spent a long time in the forge without resting. In the comparatively short time that he had known Kabeiro, she showed the same concern, insisting that he eat what she brought him after she saw the sparseness of his larder.

“Seeing a man waiting for her does make a girl feel good!” He heard Kabeiro's lovely laugh and lifted his head, seeing her climb up the slope to where he was sitting.

“Why says I was waiting for you?” Hephaestus shot back playfully, his lips forming a happy smile as she approached him. She giggled softly and set down her basket – a basket that had been enchanted to keep its contents dry when she was swimming through the ocean – and sat next to him.

“You made a joke.” Kabeiro commented in feigned surprise. “I'm proud of you.” She smiled at him, pleased with the progress he had made. She noticed how relaxed he appeared, and the fact that his eyes weren't averted to the ground as they had often been before. She teased him a bit here and there, making a naughty comment or letting him see her flesh, and even if Hephaestus still blushed – something she found adorable – he was no longer so reserved in his appreciation of her presence.

“Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream.” Hephaestus admitted. She shook her head and let her hand slide up his muscled arm.

“This doesn't feel like a dream, does it?”

“No.” he smiled faintly, placing his hand atop hers. Kabeiro loved the warmth of his body, and couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to share a bed with him. Having the God of Fire warm you up on the brisk, cool nights was a treat that she hoped she could enjoy soon enough. It was hard to not simply pounce on him and ravage him, and every time she touched him or even looked at him, she had to fight that ache.

Was this how a man felt when he desired a woman? Was this why men sometimes liked to carry off their maidens? The story of Hades and Persephone was now known all across Hellas, autumn and winter blamed on Hades' passion for the Goddess of Spring.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling his warm flesh against her cheek. When she felt his head lean against her own, she had to fight back a grin. Perhaps there was something to be said about patience...

“I have something for you.” Hephaestus murmured after they had been sitting there for a while.

“Let me guess, it's the jewelry?” she asked, lifting her head off his shoulder. He nodded as he glanced down at her before rising to his feet. She took the proffered hand and let him help her up, enjoying his chivalry. So many men – gods and mortals alike – didn't care to honor a women with these small respects. The more time she spent with him, the more she loved him. She had never felt such a way about anyone before, not even an inkling.

“But you need to close your eyes first.” the lame God said gently before he would allow her to climb up the steps to his house.

“I suppose.” Kabeiro replied with a small pout, but obligingly covered her eyes with her hands, all too happy to let him guide her, stepping carefully as she felt his hands at her sides, leading her in while he followed. Her feet moved across the cobbled stone floor – something she had never seen before she met Hephaestus – until his hands squeezed her sides, preventing her from going forward.

“Open your eyes.” he whispered gently. Her hands dropped from her face, and a soft gasp of surprise escaped her lips as her eyes fell upon the glittering jewelry that was arranged neatly on the table, set in front of the window so the sun could shine on them. The polished metal gleamed, and the stones sparkled with a radiance she had never seen before. Slowly, her hands reached out, touching an armband, admiring the curvy design of the bracelet.

Hephaestus stood by silently as she touched each of the pieces, tracing her fingers along the fruit of his efforts.

“I knew that your work would be magnificent, but this is beyond description.” she murmured before she looked over her shoulder at him.

“I had fun making it, and it is one of the best projects I ever did.” Hephaestus replied. His warm tone told her that she was the reason he had worked so hard on this. Had she truly inspired him to a new level in his craft?

“Of course, if you wish to commission something else from me, I'd be happy to. It'd been so long since...” He grinned almost shyly, revealing clean teeth that were almost completely even, “I had such fun with any project.”

“Oh! I'm glad you had so much fun!” She grinned back, her eyes glittering. “It's okay if I try this on now?”

“Of course. I have a mirror for you too.” It wasn't something she had asked for, but he decided to add it to the set as a surprise. It was as long as his hand, and nearly as wide, made of perfectly polished white gold, framed in the same silver-gold curved design as her jewelry. He pulled it from the cloth he had it hidden under, and she squealed with delight, throwing her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Hephaestus! You're the best!”

He responded with a tight hug as she wiggled against him.

“Go on, I'd like to see how you look. Everything should fit.” the Fire God replied, having used pieces of yarn to measure her body and use them as guidelines for the jewelry dimensions.

Kabeiro slipped on the armbands, which fit comfortably several inches below her underarms, and added the bracelets, turning her slim wrists and admiring their sparkle under the sunlight. She removed the small hoops in her ears and hung the earrings he had made, the deep aquamarine matching the bright hue of her eyes. Next came the necklace, which draped against her cleavage, the gems and metalwork dipping into her cleavage tastefully while obscuring the top of her breasts, making for a dazzling and tempting sight. The anklets were another good fit, and she wiggled one foot, seeing the stones flashing prettily.

“Will you put the girdle on me?” the azure-eyed Goddess asked, holding up the dainty-looking but sturdy belt.

“You need my help?” he asked with bemusement.

“Oh, I don't need help. But it'll be more fun if you put it on me.”

“Mmm, there's that.” He smiled and took the girdle, slowly lowering himself to his knees – no easy feat due to his lameness – and wrapped the belt around her hips, fastening it as she watched. After he was done, he didn't rise immediately. His hands slid to her hips, squeezing them gently as he looked up at her.

“Thank you.” she murmured, placing her hand on top of his head, rumpling his hair a bit. He slowly rose to his feet, gazing at her as she smiled back at him.