Age of Adventure

Of all the three oldest Gods Zeus is most of the time impetuous but strong.

If not for Athena brilliance and her unwavering loyalty to Zeus, Poseidon would be the King of the Gods.

Poseidon on the other hand is ruled by his emotion.

Athena on the other hand care not about title and she is too honorable and loyal to Zeus even after all the treatment she endured.

As she waited the right moment the wedding finally ended.

And the feast begins. Music was played as the satyrs and nymphs intermingle and even some of the Gods begins talking to each other.

And Eris began to mingle a golden apple concealed in her hand. She talked to Hermes about some idle gossips of the Gods.

And then she went to Athena, and her smile is malevolent and malicious. But the moment she arrived in front of Athena, she wipes her smile looking as polite and courteous as possible.

"Athena, it has been a long time since we see each other’ Athena look at Eris and she nodded politely.

While they have not met in many years, Eris is present at all wars for she is discord and conflict is kind of her thing

"Eris, it has been a long time too’

"You looked beautiful even after all these years. It seems you even look even more beautiful than before. There is probably no Goddess that is as beautiful as you"

Athena blushed at the compliments

"No I’m not. My build is like a man" she said and Eris shakes her head disagreeing with her statement

"You surely jest Athena. You are the Virgin Maiden. If you are not beautiful why did men adore you and pray to you before they go to war?"

Athena shakes her head

"That is because they wanted victory" Eris smiles internally.

She knows that she has succeeded. Athena is smart and at the same time she is prideful and vain. If not how could she punished Arachne just because she is the better weaver?

"Yes, victory that you grant them. A beautiful goddess that they believed and erected countless of Temples for you. Why did Hephaestus try to woo you before if you’re not beautiful?"

Athena is slowly being convinced by Eris arguments.

Thinking about it again, she is not ugly.

She looks at her reflection on the nearby fountain and as she looks at her appearance she herself thought that she is beautiful, with charms of a brilliant mind and precise acumen.

"Maybe you’re right, Eris"

Eris laughed and hit her playfully and said

"Of course I’m right. Aphrodite is beautiful that is not something I would deny. But you? You are what strong men want. A beautiful woman and at the same time a strong woman that helps protects and brings victory. Who would not want a woman who brings them victory? I dare you to find one. And you are a virgin. Every man like virgins then a slut like Aphrodite don’t you think? Comparing you and Aphrodite how could it be the same? You are a woman with virtue while she has none. Men might like woman like Aphrodite but it is not the kind of woman they would spend their whole life with." she convinced Athena

Athena liked the praise and she never liked Aphrodite. She hated the fact that Aphrodite cheated on Hephaestus.

Eris knew that Athena is never praised about her beauty before.

She is fierce. She is brilliant. But beautiful?

Not many dare say it though truth be told, Athena is beautiful.

Because her calculating manner and her cold response turn many of the other Gods, rarely one would call her beautiful which is why the compliment is very pleasing to her ears

"Enjoy your drink Athena" Athena nodded and resumes her conversation with Thetis. Eris walk away but not before she got some information

Eris only heard one name from the conversation. Aero. She shakes her head and reminded herself that it is not her problem so she erases the conversation from her mind.

Then Eris mingles again. She looks around and then she found her next target. This time she approached Hera.

The Queen of Olympus herself.

"Your Majesty Hera, this is a joyous day" Eris greeted her with respect, and with a smile on her face.

Hera nodded, smiling. She is always happy at weddings. Then she remembers who Eris is and she slightly frown and then she said

"Yes, Eris it is. Don’t try to incite discord" she warned

"Why should I? This is a joyous occasion, Your Majesty"

Then Eris looked left and right and then she whispered to Hera.

"Who do you think is the most beautiful in this wedding?" she said as her eyes scanned the crowd.

It looks like she was gossiping with the Queen. The Queen look all around her and thought the bets answer would surely be the bride

"Of course it is Thetis. It is her wedding day" Hera said laughing joyously.

"Really?" she said showing a puzzled face to Hera

Hera realized that. She frowned and then ask

"Who do you think is the most beautiful then?"

"You of course, Your Majesty" Eris said her voice excited.

"Not Aphrodite?" Hera asked, slightly shocked with the answer

Eris shakes her head and then said

"Aphrodite is the Goddess of sexuality and not as objectively beautiful as you. She uses sex to get her way. You on the other hand a perfect embodiment of a wife everyone wants" Eris said began complimenting Hera

"How so?" she said, appearing like she doesn’t like the compliment but Eris knows emotions.

And she is confident that Hera is just trying to hide her emotions of happiness. Eris then listed the good things about Hera

"You are pure, you value fidelity and chastity and modest. How many men wish their wife will be faithful, how many pray to you so that the hearts of their wife or husband stay true. You are the perfect embodiment of beauty of the heart, Your Majesty. And for that I say you are the most beautiful of all the Gods."

Hera is smiling proudly. She must be thinking how true it is? Eris laughed internally at these Goddesses.

How easy it is to manipulate their emotions she thought to herself

She then added, the icing on the cake

"After all Your Majesty, you are the wife of the King of the Gods while Aphrodite has no husband and flitted round having affairs with all the Gods. Tell me which man would like a woman that spread their legs open to every man that come begging"

"Nobody" Hera replied, nodding as she agreed with Eris argument. She herself did not like adulterer and homewreckers.

"True" Eris said.

She talks a bit more, extolling her virtue and butter her with praises that Hera is probably in Elysium right now with all the praises heaped on her.

Then after leaving Hera with her compliment she sits back down at her seat beside the throne skull of Hades.

Then finally the feast is ending, the music stopped and the Gods sober themselves and the satyrs stopped their orgy behind some secluded bushes as they come out with blushing faces.

Everyone wanted to return to their domain when suddenly Eris rise up from her seat and said loudly so that all the guest heard.

"I have come here without bringing a gift to the other major Gods. I have given my blessing to Thetis but what about the major gods? For this I’m terribly feel regretful. It is a wedding and I should not have forgotten to brought a gift"

"It is fine, Eris" Zeus said. But Eris shakes her head regretfully.

"No it is not. Hmm...how could I...Ah" She exclaimed like something crossed her mind at that moment.

’I do have one thing to offer though. I hope one of you can take it" she then brought something out from her sleeve and gave the Golden Apple to Hades.

"I am too ashamed to look at the face of the Major Gods for my gift is insufficient for the Gods. I will return back to my Palace and reflect on myself. Thank you for bearing my presence here. Please look at my gift and think fondly of my gift" she said and then she flew from the island disappearing in an instant

Hades took the Golden Appel and he smirks. Poseidon approached him and ask

"What is the gift, Hades?" Poseidon ask. Hades then snorted and he throws the Golden Apple to the ground.

On the Golden Apple was carved an inscription embossed in divine gold.

Kaliistei (For the fairest one)

Aphrodite upon seeing the inscription struts to take the apple believing that she is the one who Eris intends the gift for.

Aphrodite is after all the Goddess of Beauty and Love; and she thought of course the fairest refer to her and the gift was without a doubt intended to be given to her.

But as she walks to take the apple, Athena who remembers her conversation with Eris thundered as she said

"It’s for me!" Athena said like her declaration is without any room of debate.

And she too went in front.

Hera seeing this also went into the front, looking at Aphrodite like she is looking at a rival and said. "No, clearly this is for me" remembering her conversation with Eris believing that Eris meant the apple to be hers as a symbol of appreciation.

Hades look amused since the first time he is in the wedding.

If not for the fact he finds it inappropriate right now, he would laugh with roaring laughter. The other minor Gods began feeling the intense energy that swirling around the island because of the intense emotions of the three Goddess.

The three Goddesses won’t back down, each one believing that the apple belong to them.

They began bickering.

Each one presenting to the other why they are the fairest. Athena tell of the men that pray to her, while Hera told them of the man wishing for fidelity and faithfulness while Aphrodite tell them of the teen boys and teen girls that pray to her for love.

But none of them would back down. Because this is no longer just the matter of a gift. It is a matter of pride and reputation.

"This will not end" Hades said began feeling tired of the Goddesses bickering. His puppy is growling in hunger.

He needs to go back to the Underworld and feed his puppy and then administer the dead again.

"Enough!" Hades said and his voice thunder through the island, piercing through the swirling fog of the three Goddess, breaking it almost in an instant.

And the Goddesses quieted. The other gods that was about to leave halted their footsteps.

"Let Zeus, the King of the Gods decide" Hades declared. And the Goddesses turn their face to Zeus while Zeus looked shocked.

Hades smirk while he is laughing internally

’Let see how you handle this’ he though to himself as he patted Cerberus and close his eyes back.

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