How Long Did The Siege Of Troy Last Historically?

Hypatos My life has always belonged to House Ares. Every battle, every scar, even the arm I lost, was given in its name. Loyalty forged me into a weapon, and I never questioned it… until I loved the one woman I could never claim. Losing her left me hollow, a man shaped by duty and nothing more. Then Saea steps into my world, sharp-tongued and fearless, seeing through every wall I’ve built. She doesn’t belong in my world, and I shouldn’t want her. But for the first time, I do. Even if choosing her means betraying everything I’ve ever sworn to protect. Saea I’ve always known my place, pouring drinks in an Olympian tavern where warriors and gods look right through me. Men like Hypatos don’t see women like me, even when I’ve been quietly watching, quietly caring, learning the weight of his grief from a distance. Wanting him is reckless. Believing he could ever want me back is worse. But when fate pulls us into the same fight, something changes. For the first time, I’m not invisible to him. For the first time, I dare to want more. A future where we stand as equals… if Olympus doesn’t destroy us first.

My wife, Cassia, was a wood nymph. A cursed one. Forbidden to love mortals. But she fell for me anyway. Every time her heart fluttered for me, the gods struck her down with agony. She willingly endured that torture ninety-nine times just for a chance to be with me. Then, demons dragged me to Tartarus. Hellfire and whips became my sun and moon. Right as I was about to break, I remembered a prayer Cassia taught me—a desperate whisper to the gods. It finally worked. But instead of help, I heard Cassia talking to her patron goddess, Hecate. "Cassia, how could you bargain with the Furies? You let them drag Aiden to Tartarus!" Cassia's voice choked with desperate tears. "Adonis was supposed to suffer this fate. But he's a fragile mortal. This would destroy his soul! I had no choice if I wanted to save him." "Aiden is a child of prophecy. His soul is strong. The Fates watch over him. He'll survive." "Once I save Adonis, I can stay in the mortal realm forever. Then, I'll use my eternal life and all my love to repay the hell he's enduring for me." My heart shattered. As the monsters closed in on me, I stopped fighting. I gave up.

I was Apollo’s most devoted follower, the lover he handpicked from a sea of worshippers. With me, he’d always shed his divine arrogance. He was so tender, so attentive. I actually thought he loved me to the bone. Until seven days before our Consort Ceremony, when I used my gift of prophecy to peek into our future together. I expected to see a lifetime of blinding love. Instead, I saw him violently tangled in the sheets with my adopted sister, Cassandra. Wrapped around him, Cassandra giggled. "You're so good to me, my Lord. Thanks to you, I'll finally get my sister's Sight and take her place as High Priestess." And Apollo—my god, my lover—smiled down at her with pure adoration. "Whatever makes you happy, little bird. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have played pretend for this long, let alone allow her to become a god's consort." In that split second, my heart turned to ash. My faith shattered into a million pieces. With seven days left until the ceremony, I didn't confront them. Instead, I fell to my knees before the altar of Hades, Lord of the Underworld. "I offer you my gift of prophecy. I will be your most loyal follower in exchange for your sanctuary." "Please. Take me away from here. Take me somewhere Apollo can never find me."

Hades was well-cast to rule over the land of the dead. But what if Hades, the fearsome monarch of the Underworld was, in fact, a goddess? Everyone called her, 'Lord of the Dead' out of mockery since she prefers the company of women. She was considered an isolated and violent immortal, who loathed change and was easily given to a slow black rage like no others. But then everything changed when the dark goddess met the daughter of Demeter, Persephone. Now the tale of Hades and Persephone will be retold with a sprinkle of twists and turns.

My husband Hades gave another woman my birthday celebration. Then he gave her my mother’s brooch. Then he let our son call her home. Nympha was the flower spirit who had grown up beside him. The healers said a curse was killing her, and she had only six months left before she disappeared forever. Hades said he only wanted her final days to be free of regret. So I was expected to be generous. Even when our five-year-old son, Eren, curled up beside her at the hearth and whispered that she felt more like home than I did, I still told myself he was only a child. Then one night, I heard him say to Hades, “Nympha is so gentle. So beautiful. I wish Mother could be more like her.” Hades only smiled. “Your mother is strict because she wants what is best for you,” he said. “But if you like Nympha so much, I can let her stand beside you at the family altar. She can bless you like a second mother.” That was when I finally understood. My husband had already given her my place. And my son had accepted her there. So the next morning, I placed a marriage dissolution agreement before Hades. He signed it without reading, because Nympha had collapsed again and he was desperate to reach her.By the time he realized what he had signed, I was already gone. If they wanted Nympha to be the lady of the Underworld, I would grant them their wish. But why, after I left, did Hades tear the Underworld apart looking for me? Why did my son cry himself sick, begging for the mother he once pushed away? And why did the dying woman they protected so carefully suddenly stop looking so fragile?

Seven years after my cursed exile, Ethan—the man who swore an oath to me on the River Styx—returned to his estate at the foot of Mount Olympus. And he brought his new girl. The Fates had finally given their verdict: the "Wither" curse on me was incurable. I had no choice but to return to the mortal realm and wait for my soul to fade. I only had three days left to live. When he saw me leaning weakly against the porch pillar, supported by my mother, his lips curled into a cold, ruthless smirk—a smirk that truly belonged to the Lord of the Underworld. "Well, Elara," his voice was low. "It seems living in the sunlight hasn't exactly made you glow." I calmly pulled my cashmere shawl tighter. I needed to hide the black, branch-like veins spreading across my arms from the curse. "It's nothing. Just caught a chill. My body isn't really listening to me." He let out a scornful scoff and wrapped his arm around his companion's waist. "In that case, why don't you be the witness for my mating ceremony with Sierra? Come and see what a real divine couple looks like." I kept my smile and shook my head. "No, thanks. I'm going somewhere far away soon. For an eternal date." With that, I gently patted my mother's arm, signaling her to help me leave.