The Goddessy: Hestia's Revenge

Historical Preface

During the era of the ancient Greeks, there was a golden age of powerful gods and goddesses, twelve of them more known to the modern youth than others. They were known as Zeus (god of the heavens and the earth), Hera (goddess of marriage and childbirth), Athena (goddess of war and wisdom), Ares (god of war), Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty), Hephaestus (god of the blacksmith's fire), Dionysus (god of wine), Hermes (messenger god), Hades (god of the Underworld), Poseidon (god of the seas), Apollo (god of light, music, and healing), and Artemis (goddess of hunting and the moon). Ten of these twelve resided in the great mountain peak of Mount Olympus. Poseidon lived in the waters, and Hades was in the Underworld. But no matter where they were, the Greeks worshipped them as much as possible (along with the other gods not many people know about today). Twelve major gods were the perfect number.

Additional mythical beings also came into play: One of Hera's two sisters, Demeter (goddess of the crop), had a child named Persephone. She was taken by Hades into the Underworld, where she ate six pomegranate seeds. Demeter mourned while she was gone, and the earth dried up, and life died out. Zeus said because Persephone ate only six seeds of a pomegranate, for six months, she had to be with Hades. During that time, Demeter would mourn, and the earth would wither (fall and winter). But during spring and summer, she could be with her daughter again, and life sprang up. Zeus had a son, named Heracles, who had to complete twelve labors to become a true god. Poseidon himself had a son, who he regards as nothing like him, which causes some major "father-son" problems.

Aphrodite herself had a son named Eros, the god of love. He could shoot special arrows that made one person fall in love with another. Pandora, famous for opening the box of evils, was invited to come up to Mount Olympus and live there, after fixing her terrible deed. The Gorgons live near the Underworld, with Medusa (her head and body were reunited) leading the pack. Heracles, having completed his twelve labors, was living it up in Olympus, always finding time in the day to hang out with his dad. Prometheus sadly was forced to be chained to a high rock and have his liver eaten by an eagle every day (he was immortal, so it grew back every night). When Theseus died, he went down to the Underworld, and is now Hades's most trusted servant. Orpheus and Eurydice live happily in the Underworld as well. King Midas was banished to the seas, where Poseidon orders him to turn various things into gold, occasionally nicking his donkey ears. Uranus, god of the heavens, was finally given a proper funeral, where Cronus, god of time, was given a simple tomb. Hestia, Hera's sister, is still fuming that she wasn't as well known, and is plotting her revenge as of today. King Minos had discovered a potion to prolong life, so he drinks it every day. After pleading with Zeus, Daedalus and Icarus were allowed to live in Olympus, but in a remote location. Perseus and Andromeda live near the father and son, showing compassion because Andromeda's parents were sent down to the seas with Poseidon, to be eaten by a water snake that was supposed to be her fate. All of these mythical beings, gods, goddesses, and more were living in Mount Olympus, or wherever they were. But through it all, there were only twelve major gods and goddesses.

But one day, Hera came up to Zeus and announced she was with child (and she was glad it was Zeus's kid with herself). Both the gods knew what that meant... that the moment the child entered his/her immortal age, the Greeks would fall into a state of panic. Thirteen major gods were considered unlucky for them.

But Hera was determined to have the child, which was later announced as a girl. She was excited that for once she could be a mother to a child, with her husband. During the baby shower, though, she had to spill the news that she would upset the balance. Most of the gods were disappointed by this information, until Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, came up with a perfect solution: have the girl leave Mount Olympus years before she was considered a goddess. It was a bright idea, but Zeus came up with a compromise: she would have to pretend to be mortal on Earth, but she could come visit Olympus. They decided to let the girl be on the peak for six years, then had to leave, plenty of time before her seventeenth birthday (her immortal age). Although Zeus and Hera desperately wanted to keep the girl, they knew it was the only option. That's when they made the final choice that, if the Greeks ever disappeared, or people started to think the gods weren't real, she could come back and take her place among the gods as a goddess of her own. It was the perfect plan.

For the first six years of her growing age, the girl resided happily in Mount Olympus. She also used to watch Hera sadly count down the days until she had to leave (of course, the child didn't know yet). But when the day came, Zeus explained everything, and the girl understood, much to their relief. She left Mount Olympus, with only a promise to visit often and to hopefully come back forever. Once a month, for three days, she would come visit her family back on Mount Olympus. And while she was on Earth, she lived through the ages, watching as the Greeks rose and fell, then the Romans, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the age of Exploration, the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Georgians, and much more. The only unusual thing was that she stopped getting older at sixteen, which only Zeus knew why, but wouldn't tell anyone. But no matter what happened, all of them eagerly awaited the day she could become a true goddess (even though she was technically one).

Now, in the 21st century, she is finding it harder to be alone...

A/N: I know it seems a little boring, but I'm setting up the story and one of the conflicts that isn't really major in the series but it's a bit of one, I guess... it does set up for a big reveal. And remember, this is an EG fanfic, so feel free to guess who this daughter of Zeus and Hera is. And also, who feels like Hera deserved this?