Honestly speaking–and Ariadnê did have trouble speaking lies– Hestia would not have been the first on her list to tell the truth. She would have preferred going to Aphroditê or Amphitritê for the simple reason that she saw both of them as another better mother figure.
(She also needed to know what her chances of being back at Apollôn's side. If she had to go through another three and half years of hatred, confusion, and tension between the two of them, she was going to go mad and finally make due on her threats to kill a god.)
Yet as she stood before this younger version of her aunt at the height of her power, Ariadnê could no do nothing more than to fall to her knees and weep. She would usually not show such weakness but— the last she had seen of her aunt was when she confessed her feelings to Apollôn.
The god of light had her wrapped in his arms while they both bore smiles that could have lit up a thousand suns. Hestia had been the first to congratulate them before ominously telling Ariadnê that she would see her and the others soon enough.
(Did she know that this was going to happen? Why didn't she warn us? Why?)
Words seemingly failed them all as the other eleven knelt at Ariadnê's side.
"Rise, heroes," Hestia softly commanded. "I have been waiting for many moons and many suns for you."
What?
None of them forgot just whom they stood before. While Hestia may have been the most kindhearted goddess... she was still a goddess. One of the first. She was a warrior long before she was a child.
They rose on wary feet. This was the goddess of the hearth... the goddess of the sacrificial flame...
None of them were fireproof.
Hestia smiled knowingly at them as she sat upon a marble throne in the shape of a flame. The goddess waved for them to sit down in the other seats.
"Fear not, I have shielded us from peeking eyes. I know you may be confused," she stated. Her gaze was kind as she seemed to look each of them in the eye all at once. "I know you all may be scared and confused, but fear not, the Moirai have brought you all back for a reason." She looked to the sky, sighing almost sadly.
"There were dark times on the horizon for you." They all shifted uncomfortably, but she smiled encouragingly. "Well, I am not Apollôn, but I believe with you all here now, we can make for a better future, yes?"
They could only stare. Everything felt so surreal. Ariadnê looked at the others; feeling familiar bitterness and wrath swell within her as Chase drew attention to herself.
She felt vindication at the way that Hestia jerked away from her.
The blonde had always needed attention like a newborn babe whether it had been Luke or Kheirôn or Percy himself. It had to be on her, or something wasn't right. After all, she was Athênê's favored child, why wouldn't you pay attention to her?
Gods, Ariadnê never hated anyone more.
Wait.
It had taken a long while, but Ariadnê had eventually gotten used to the idea of her brother having female friends in his life. She had made peace with the fact that even if he tended to be slightly oblivious of his actions, it did not mean that he loved her any less. And yes, it did hurt when he put other people before her, but she had gotten used to the idea that Chase had rapidly moved up the list of the most important females in Percy's life and so long as she made her brother happy, Ariadnê wouldn't kill her. She was fine with it. She even did a formal acknowledgement of a truce between them.
