The Blacksmith God - Part 1
Meanwhile, on the island of Sicily where Heracles lived, every day unfolded like a dream in unbroken peace. His wives—Gaia, Adamantia, and Echidna—all respected their husband without fail, and Heracles respected and loved his wives in return. None of the three treated Heracles carelessly, nor did he take any of them for granted. He proved with his actions that his words were no empty promises. The newly formed family was happy.
"This is weird!"
"...What now?"
"Here she goes again."
"Can we get on with it already?"
For some reason, the Heracles family seemed destined to deal with unwelcome guests. Not long after Hephaestus had ruined the wedding, another uninvited pair showed up. They were the two sea Protogenoi who had slithered around like gossips, spreading rumors that Adamantia was ugly. Thalassa and Tyrrhenus.
The two gods couldn't believe the sight before their eyes.
"What kind of husband is that nice to his wives? This is totally suspicious."
"Right? I always thought Tyrrhenus was the kindest husband ever, and now I feel so cheated!"
"You've got plenty to be cheated about—you two have been together for over six thousand years."
『That's true, but!』
"..."
Gaia was starting to feel utterly exhausted. This couple had come rushing over one day, demanding to know what was going on, and now they were trailing Heracles around like ducklings, endlessly repeating how strange it all was. Bragging about her beloved husband's unique ways of showing love was fine for a day or two, but their nonstop chirping like hungry fledglings was too much even for a mother to bear. Only the ever-cheerful Echidna had patiently put up with her dim-witted older siblings and their broken record.
"Right? Our Heracles is a bit special, isn't he?"
"Special? This is way beyond special. Who holes up in the forge for days just to make gifts for his wives? And a ring, of all things?"
"More than that—sis gave up her spot at the head of the forge."
"She says this forge, Mount Etna, everything now belongs to Heracles. It's not her tool anymore."
"...No way!"
Only Adamantia herself truly understood that she wasn't the goddess of blacksmithing, but the goddess of the forge. So they were stunned that she'd so readily yielded the forge's prime seat to Heracles. They could have just seen it as a wife yielding to her husband, but to them, it was apparently that astonishing—they gawked with eyes wide like startled rabbits.
Gaia's gaze upon the pair wasn't kindly. It irked her to see them treating her eldest daughter like a sideshow.
"Adamantia isn't a spectacle, dears. Stop following her around so closely."
"How can we not? It's been six thousand years since we last saw her face!"
"Yeah, Mom, I didn't even know what sis looked like! What's going on? You weren't lying after all."
"What did I tell you? Adamantia's prettier than you, and Mother never speaks falsehoods."
"That's why we're staring, Mom. Who'd believe your daughter— who's been hiding her face since way before I even married— is prettier than my wife?"
"...Tyrrhenus!"
Gaia's roar crashed down on Tyrrhenus for treating his own sister like a curiosity. But the stubborn son, bloated with age, didn't flinch at his mother's fury. He just chuckled and teased her back.
"So, how's it been for you, Mom? Does Heracles really treat you well?"
"Of course he does. Can't you tell from how he treats Adamantia?"
"No, no, not that—how's he in bed?"
"Yeah, a marriage is all about that stuff. Heracles was famous for it even as a mortal. Spill it—we're dying to know."
"Ugh, you shameless wretches!"
Gaia's sharp curse exploded at the two scoundrels for so casually dragging their mother into vulgar talk. No matter that they were ancient brats who'd seen it all—no way she'd let that slide. She tried to shoo away her infuriating offspring, but Thalassa whined back with shameless impudence.
"Hey, we're not kids anymore. We just wanna know the scoop on our new stepdad—why curse us?"
"Yeah, he's six thousand years younger than us. Gotta have something to trust about big bro. Heh heh."
"You lunatics— is that any way to talk to your mother?!"
"That's why we're asking—'cause we're family. Think about it from our side: we're the ones with a baby sibling six thousand and some-odd years younger. Gotta sort that out, right?"
Gaia was dumbfounded by Tyrrhenus's brazen attitude, as if they'd ever cared about age gaps before.
"Why don't you name the kid yourself, then?"
"Ooh, not bad. I'm great at names. Did the same with Thalassion—saw his divinity and named him on the spot."
Thalassion was Tyrrhenus and Thalassa's second son, Nereus's younger brother, god of waves and surges. A fierce old sea dog who ruled savage waves, he doted on his niece Amphitrite and despised Poseidon for it, forever tormenting his parents. Ancient as Nereus's brother and still unmarried, but as Thalassa's son, Thalassion was a fitting name indeed. Tyrrhenus clearly had a knack for it.
Gaia's momentum faltered.
"Fine, name my daughter if I have one."
"You want a girl, Mom? No boys?"
"Why not? I'd love a few. But my first feels like it'll be a girl."
"Oh my."
As the wise Mother Earth, Gaia's premonitions rarely missed. Her firstborn would surely be a daughter. The child of Achaea's finest hunk, Heracles, and Gaia herself—beauty beyond words, a god rivaling the Protogenoi in power.
But Thalassa's interests lay elsewhere.
"Any hunches on sis or Echidna? Spill, Mom."
"Yeah, tell us. I'll prep some names."
"These kids, I swear."
"Hey, I said I'd name 'em. No one tops Tyrrhenus at this."
"...Hmm."
Gods named their children based on the divinity that naturally emanated at birth. The name revealed the god's essence, making it precious. With Tyrrhenus's sharp eyes as a mighty Protogenoi ruling a sea domain, spotting a newborn's nature would be as easy as reading palms.
Gaia had quietly worried her much-older children might scorn the new babies due to the age gap. Their friendliness eased her heart; even as she cursed, her tone softened, a hint of laughter creeping in.
"Adamantia's first is a girl."
"Oho."
"Echidna's first is a boy. That's the feeling now."
"Not pregnant yet?"
"No signs yet."
"You?"
"Not yet either. ...Thalassa!"
"Busted."
Gaia, reciting her joyful premonitions, realized it was her wicked daughter's trap and narrowed her eyes. But Thalassa just cackled delightedly.
"Aw, you look so radiant now, Mom. Ever since the Cyclopes and kids went to Tartarus, you've been a zombie."
"...Isn't that what honeymoons are for? Every day feels like a dream."
"Speaking of, Mom."
"What, Tyrrhenus?"
"What's Heracles making as a gift? He's been shut in the forge for days."
"Wedding rings, as proof of our marriages. Adamantia's helping out too, apparently."
"Huh."
Tyrrhenus couldn't wrap his head around it. Why craft rings for fish already hooked? He tsked at the world's oddest man. But Thalassa, for once, defended her mother, calling Heracles sharp as a tack.
With Thalassa unusually on her side, Gaia's anger melted; she warmed to her daughter. The same actions, wildly different reactions—but unavoidable.
After all.
"Just give gifts whenever. What's with wedding rings?"
"Sounds nice, though, dear. Let's ask him to make us some."
"...If you want one that bad, float the idea to Heracles yourself."
Tyrrhenus grumbled but pushed his wife to try.
Heracles had barricaded himself in the forge to craft the world's first wedding rings—his debut masterpiece as the god of blacksmithing.