The 13th Olympian

After the wedding planning chaos, Apollo and I decided to take a much-needed break. The idea of watching a Hera-Zeus argument sounded like exactly what I needed to unwind. And really, there was no better way to escape the wedding stress than to watch the former king and queen of gods have yet another blowout.

Apollo pulled up the latest episode of Olympian Drama on the magical screen in our living room. The show was a ridiculous combination of re-runs and real-time events, capturing all the best arguments between the gods—mainly Hera and Zeus, though other gods made appearances. The producers had an uncanny ability to catch every embarrassing, heated moment, and there was always something new to laugh at. I could already feel myself relaxing.

"So, what do you think this one's about?" Apollo asked, his voice casual but with that glint of curiosity I knew well. He loved watching these arguments, mostly because it was some of the only drama in the divine world that didn't involve him or me. And hey, if it was Zeus and Hera, it was always a good show.

I settled onto the couch next to him, kicking my feet up. "It's probably about something ridiculous," I said, rolling my eyes. "Last time, it was about a missing golden apple that Hera swore Zeus had taken... and then it turned out it was just a nymph playing a prank."

Apollo snorted. "Yeah, but they did make it into the most dramatic thing ever. A full-on royal showdown, accusations flying left and right, and then they both spent hours sulking like kids."

Just as we finished talking, the opening theme music of Olympian Drama blasted through the speakers, signaling the start of the next episode. The screen flashed with bright colors before cutting to the Olympian Throne Room—a massive chamber decorated with gold and marble columns, the perfect setting for a royal argument.

The camera panned across the gods and goddesses seated around the throne room, some trying to look disinterested, others watching the drama unfold with all-too-eager eyes.

"Today's episode," the announcer's voice said, "features an explosive argument between Zeus and Hera over an important decision regarding the annual harvest festival. Let's see how this one plays out."

I raised an eyebrow. "Harvest festival? What could they possibly be arguing about this time?"

Apollo leaned in, giving me a knowing smile. "Trust me, when it's them, anything can turn into a huge issue."

The scene shifted, and the camera zoomed in on Zeus, standing at the far end of the throne room, his arms crossed and an agitated expression on his face. Hera, sitting on her gilded throne, was already glaring at him with a look that could melt steel.

"I told you, Zeus, the festival cannot be just about the food and offerings to the gods! It needs to be about unity," Hera snapped, her voice cold but seething with frustration. "You know this!"

"Oh, I know," Zeus said, his voice booming in that way that made everything feel like a thunderstorm was coming. "I'm the king, Hera! And I think this year's festival should focus on gratitude. The mortals are the ones who make the offerings—they need to be shown our power."

"Oh, of course!" Hera responded, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let's remind the mortals again how much we control their lives! Excellent idea, Zeus. You've always had a real gift for making people love us, haven't you?"

Apollo and I exchanged a glance. This was shaping up to be one of their more typical arguments—both of them dug in, neither willing to give an inch.

"Why can't we have both?!" Zeus thundered, raising his hand in the air. A bolt of lightning shot out, crackling ominously above his head. "We can have unity and show off our power! The mortals need to understand who's in charge!"

Hera's eyes narrowed. "What about the gods, Zeus? You never consider us in your decisions, do you? It's always about what you want. Always about making us look like the greatest—"

"I'm trying to help them, Hera," Zeus shot back, his anger flaring. "The mortal realm needs to know we're still in charge, especially after—" He stopped short, realizing what he was about to say.

"After what?" Hera demanded, leaning forward, her eyes glittering with suspicion.

"Never mind," Zeus muttered, looking away, clearly regretting the slip.

Apollo chuckled softly. "Oh, this is a good one."

"What's he hiding this time?" I asked, sitting forward on the couch.

Hera wasn't going to let that go. She leaned toward him, her voice dangerously quiet now. "What aren't you telling me, Zeus?"

"I said forget it," Zeus snapped, his expression darkening. He lifted his hand as if to end the conversation, but Hera wasn't having it. She stood, her temper flaring to match his.

"No," she said firmly. "I will not forget it. What are you hiding?"

The camera cut away to the other gods watching in the background—Athena, looking absolutely mortified; Poseidon, tapping his trident nervously; and Aphrodite, looking entirely too entertained by the entire thing. Dionysus, as usual, seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, though he was sipping from a goblet that looked dangerously close to being too full.

"Zeus," Hera repeated, her voice taking on that chilling tone she used when she knew she had the upper hand, "you know I won't stop until I know the truth."

Zeus glared at her, clearly struggling to keep his temper under control. He opened his mouth to speak, but just as quickly closed it.

"That's what I thought," Hera said triumphantly. "You always keep things from me. Always." She turned and began to march out of the throne room, her steps echoing with finality. "We're done here."

The screen cut to black as the credits began to roll, leaving the audience in suspense.

"Well," Apollo said, wiping away a tear from his eye, "that was intense."

I was still trying to process what had just happened. "What... what was he hiding?" I wondered aloud. "What was Zeus keeping from her?"

Apollo shrugged, clearly not all that interested in the unresolved drama. "Who knows? But that's the beauty of it. You can never predict what's going to set them off."

"True," I said with a laugh, leaning back against the couch. "Honestly, I can't even imagine being in their shoes."

"Well, you don't have to," Apollo teased, ruffling my hair. "We've got our own wedding to figure out, remember?"

I groaned, sinking deeper into the cushions. "Please don't remind me."

"Hey, look on the bright side," Apollo said, grinning. "At least we're not arguing over how to celebrate. I'll just keep it simple: you, me, and a huge party with all the gods." He winked.

"Let's just get through the planning first," I muttered, my voice muffled by the couch. "Then maybe we'll get to the party."

Apollo laughed softly and squeezed my hand. "Deal."

And for that moment, with all the noise of the gods' drama still fresh in our minds, I allowed myself to relax and forget about the wedding for a while. Just a little bit of peace, in the middle of the chaos.