New God of the forge.

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The room was eerily silent with a rather thick atmosphere, Zeus’s intense glare at Hephaestus was returned with an equally intense glare back at him. Two of the enforcers stood right below Zeus’s elevated station  each standing in a way that they believed was appropriate, the Other two enforcers are in a wild moose chase looking for Apollo in the wrong places. Aphrodite who stood beside Hephaestus feigned a confidence but was inwardly nervous as she felt a sense of insignificance and lack of confidence, being the only woman in the room gave her a sense of unease.

“So, you killed Ares?”

Zeus asked casually with his gaze moving from Hephaestus to Aphrodite and noting her clothing, she hadn’t had a chance to change and was wearing the same sports bra and tights she had been wearing earlier and Zeus found the outfit to be quite a good fit on her, he scratched his beard while his gaze Lingered longer on her.

“Yes that I did”

Hephaestus grasped her hand pulling her closer to his side, he was supposed to stand at the centre of the room alone but Aphrodite followed him and it didn’t seem like anyone was objecting or its possible that both of them are considered accomplices to the murder of Ares regardless Hephaestus wasn’t liking how the God king seemed to stare at his wife.

“and the reason?”

Hephaestus couldn’t help but note the complete lack of concern in Zeus’s voice, there was nothing that suggested that Zeus was angry or distraught  about Ares’ death. Hephaestus had thought that Ares was a favoured son at least more favoured than he was.

“Because he tried to rape Aphrodite and tried to kill me, was I suppose to let him do  those things”

Incidentally no evidence was ever collected for trials, it was your word against the word of the opposition and maybe a friend or two that is connected to the situation and the God king chooses which side of the story is believable to him. Usually Themis is present to act as advocate for both sides  advising the king  and  to keep him from making a verdict based on his mood(usually fails to do so). Hephaestus’s trial was more like an interrogation rather than a trial as there was no doubt about the fact he killed Ares, if his  reasons are sufficient he can be let go or be punished leniently.

“I Suppose not, but Ares is a member of Olympus  you cannot simply kill him because the mood strikes you”

“The fu– he was trying to kill me, he attacked me out of nowhere and said he was going to eliminate me, was I just let him go after he made his intentions clear”

Hephaestus defended himself, how was he supposed to let someone who wanted to kill him go that’s almost asking to get killed, maybe He could have talked it out with Ares and they could have come to an understanding but then Ares should have also come to talk and resolve his issues with Hephaestus.

“Well due to you killing him you both committed a crime and created a problem for me so you need to be punished”

At this moment in time unbeknownst to Hephaestus or anyone in the room Zeus was currently focusing his attention and senses at Athena’s location, she may have said she Surrenders but Zeus wasn’t going to just believe that so he made it a point to follow her Presence, right now If Hephaestus were to suddenly attack Zeus it would take a few seconds of delay before he could respond.

“so because I inconvenienced you, I need to be punished? I thought this was supposed to be a fair trial.”

“It is a fair trial and since you conspired with a traitor I will have you banished from Olympus until a proper punishment can be issue for killing Ares”

Zeus spoke, it would have been better to kill him that way Aphrodite would fall right into his lap but that would distract him from Athena, she’s the priority right now and he needs to keep his senses sharp in case she tries something. Since Hephaestus killed Ares he’ll need a level of attention plus Zeus isn’t the type to finish his fights too early so for now he just needs to separate Aphrodite from Hephaestus.