Your Loyalty to Me

The Freaking Paradise Called Olympus

Aria's POV

Everyone here seems nice.
The goddess who welcomed me into her arms during the council, I learned her name was Artemis. She seems like someone I'd be best friends with.

Her twin brother was the one whom I was curious about. She told me his name was Apollo and he was really annoying and only cares about himself.
All I could think of was that he has a nice smile.

I met all the rest of the gods as well.

Hermes told me we'd play jokes on every god on Olympus.
Aphrodite told me she's going to teach me EVERYTHING about beauty.
Athena told me she'd let me take any of her books from her library.

Ares was going to help my sword fighting get better. I already knew how to fight, I've been doing it since I was five. But it would be exciting to be trained by the god of war himself.

Hephaestus said I looked like I was a born creator of glass and he would teach me every technique there ever was.
Artemis said I was welcome to come fight with her Hunters and learn a bit of archery.
Apollo said he'd teach me music, but the lute doesn't look very enticing. I just gave him a weak smile and said it would be interesting.
Poseidon said I was welcome to his underwater palace anytime soon.
Hades said the same to me about the Underworld... But it sounds scary.

Zeus said he's going to get me to meet Hecate, the goddess of magic. That was the most exciting offer I'd gotten. Learn magic from the goddess of magic? Wow!

The only god who didn't seem happy about me was Hera who scowled as soon as I went to meet her. She pointed her finger at me and told me not to turn into another Hercules.
I didn't know who he was so I just nodded.
Thankfully Hermes steered me away from her.

------------------ 5 Years later -------------------

"Aria!" Hermes called me as he ran over to my side. I was walking in the flower garden Persephone showed me. There were flowers of every colour and type - knowing the fact that she is the goddess of flowers.

"Yeah, what?"

"Zeus called you to his palace. He said it was an important matter and you have to get there straight away. Do you want me to take you there?"

"Nah, I only just mastered disapperating and I wanna try it as much as I possibly can," I answered and conjured my wand.
With a flick of my wrist, I vanished into thin air and appeared right in front of Zeus.

Like, literally right in front of Zeus.

"Woah! Back off a bit Aria!"
"Sorry," I said, smiling sheepishly.

Zeus cleared his throat. "I assume Hermes had told you why I have called you here?"

"Not exactly. What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath before continuing.
"Many of the gods still displease the fact that we are housing a mortal child in Olympus. I am wary of a revolt and in order to prevent a mutiny, they have agreed to my suggestion of you working as a servant to me."

I stood still for a few minutes recovering from the initial shock.
Work as a servant? To these arrogant immortals? What was he thinking?

"Why?" I demanded.

"As I said, there are gods that do not agree with you staying here. They want some benefit to come from your stay with us."

I sighed resignedly. "Fine."

-------------------

Third POV

"What Hermes? Don't you see I'm busy making up a new song? Here listen to the lyrics:
Apollo is amazing,
The sunniest of the gods,
He - "

"Yes, disaster lyrics Apollo," Hermes interrupted before his conceited best friend could continue.
"Zeus wants Aria to work as a servant to him."

Apollo merely shrugged. "So? What do you want me to do about that?"

"SO, you have to stop him!"

"And why, dear Hermes, would I do that?"

"Because Hera is going to make Aria's life a LIVING HELL!" Hermes nearly shouted.

That shut the sun god up. He was right. Hera hated Aria so much, it was scary. He wanted to just shrug his shoulders and pretend like that didn't concern him but... He had gotten quite fond of the girl. She would make a wonderful musician and though he would not admit to ANYONE, she actually kept his arrogance inside the limit.

Apollo sighed resignedly. "Fine."

------------------------
Alia's POV

"Dad wait!" Said a voice from behind us. We both turned to find the sun god standing in the doorway making another 'magnificent" entry. I rolled my eyes.

"What Apollo?" Zeus asked nonchalantly.

"I don't think Aria should be your servant."
I cocked my head to the side in curiosity.

"And why not?" Zeus continued.

"Because we all know how much Hera hates Aria, no offence to either of you, and there's a really big chance that Hera would not treat her well if she serves her," Apollo explained.

I bit my lip, he had a fair point. Hera hates me more than any other mortal alive. And I guess she wouldn't be the nicest of masters.
Even Zeus seemed to understand.

"Ah, I see. Then who's servant should she be?"

The three of us thought for a while.
Hephaestus was the first god who came to my mind. He made cool stuff and he's nice. Maybe he'd let me make stuff with him.
But then, being his servant meant cleaning all the machinery he has till they're spotless. Also, the amount of oil he spills is flabbergasting.

Ares? Pfft. Next.

Aphrodite? Oh gods, no. She'd use me as a make-up mannequin.

Athena? She's gonna be so boring if I had to serve her. The only reason I SURVIVE the time I spend with her is because I completely ignore her and just read.

Being a servant of Artemis sounded cool, but for some reason... Not appealing.

I really badly wanted to be a servant of Hecate. That would mean a LOT of magic, and I would love that. But I assume the stupid-gods-who-disapprove-of-my-existence would prefer if I was a servant of one of the Twelve Olympians.

Servants of Poseidon and Hades? No thank you.

"She could be my servant," Apollo offered and my eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"That sounds like a good idea," Zeus agreed, looking a little lost in another world somewhere. Don't ask me where because Olympus is paradise. Where else would he want to be?

"Wait... So... You want me, to clean up after sunny boy here?" I spluttered.

Apollo looked offended but nodded.
I huffed. "Fine. But only because serving everyone else would be a pain."

"So... I'm not a pain?"

"No, you're a mistake. In mine and your mother's lives."

"Shut up Aria. And that is my first order."

"Your messed up wish, is my unfortunate command, sire," I mocked with a small courtesy.

I wouldn't admit it, but serving Apollo sounded fun. Especially if I could insult him like this.