Venus had been in her suite being pampered for the last four to five days, she had lost count and couldn't be for sure. Fighting with her husband had caused the goddess great distress and nothing would relax her more than a good soak in her bath. Which was ever filled by a spring of her own acidic essence. The servants dared not approach the oversized pool for it would melt their clothing and scar their skin, just breathing the mist could be fatal.

She enhauled the sweet scent of corroding marble and pungent citrus. She sighed, instantly relaxed.

Venus descended down the steps and as she moved her beautiful gown melted off her body, leaving her bare as she submersed into it's soothing warmth.

There was no other feeling that could compare to this. She relished in her moment. Arching her back she floated weightlessy, her hair floated behind her staying out of her face as she had commanded it to.

"My goddess, the council of twelve is on its way!" An anxious servant stumbled into her bathhouse.

Venus emerged from her bath, rage in her eyes. The servant cowarded but it was too late. In that instant she turned to an unsightly liquid on the floor, bright red with blood and sizzling organs. Venus continued up the steps and as she moved the blue liquid ran down her skin, forming a gown of the same color.

Moving past the servant on the floor she threw the doors open. She moved swiftly as she searched for Mars, finding him in the foyer. She stomped down the hall towards him. As she entered the room, he turned towards her revealing the infant in his arms.

Venus boiled with rage. "What in the name of our mother is this?!"

"Our mother is the one who gave her to me." Mars's voice boomed.

He handed the baby off to one of the servants and Venus watched her as she carried the child out of the room.

"Who's child is it?" She demanded.

"I have no idea. All I know about hrt is that she's an orphaned mortal."

"If she's no one then give her to me. I will drown the mortal in my pool and not even her shade will remain to tell on us."

Mars approached her, each step he took shook the palace like an earthquake. "Our mother charged me with raising that mortal. If you harm her you will answer to me. This will not be up for debate. We don't have time for your nonsense right now. The council of twelve is on its way and Mercury is always early."

"Prepare food and drink! Make the hall look presentable!" Mars shouted at servants who disappeared in a panic.

As expected Mercury swooped in through the courtyard. Ferious Venus, stormed out of the room.

'How dare he bring that mortal into my our home!'

She traveled up the grand golden staircase, after opening a few doors she found where the servants had put the disgusting creature.

Venus approached the crib, summoning her knife it gracefully landed in her palm. She clutched it tightly and piered over the edge. Her anger grew when she found the infant wrapped in a delicate pink blanket, fast asleep. Venus raised the knife over the infant, seething she breathe heavily.

She thrusted the blade towards the infant's throat. Just as it was about to pierce the child's skin the door opened behind her.

The blade vanished from her hand and moved out of the way of her squealing aunts.

"Give me! Give me! I want to hold the baby! Ceres picked up the baby with excitement.

"Oh, is she not a true beauty? Much like our Venus." Vesta inched in closer to the mortal.

Venus huffed. She'd never felt more insulted in her life. Venus marched down the grand stairs, making as much noise as possible as she entered the grand hall. She walked across the room to a table laid out with delicious foods and various drinks. She picked up a goblet full of deep purple wine and took a big gulp.

By now most of the twelve had arrived and were roaming throughout the hall.
She continued to sip her wine as she observed the other gods in the room. Her parents walked in, everyone was here apart from Mars. Just as she had that thought he walked into the room carrying the infant. She crushed the goblet in her hand, red wine and pieces of goblet fell the floor but caused no damage to the goddess's hand.

"You all know why you have been summoned. I expect you to bestow a divine gift on the god of war's new child." Her mother, the Queen goddess commanded.

Jupiter, her father came forward first, taking the baby from Mar's arms."I shall grant the child great strength."

He threw the infant to the ground, everyone in the room gasped but the floor cracked under the infant and the baby girl continued to sleep, seemingly unaffected.

Minerva, her sister and the goddess of wisdom reached down and picked up the sleeping infant. She cradled her against her breast with her right arm and held up her left palm. A golden compass appeared in her hand.

"I give her this golden compass. That will always point toward Olympus, so she will always find her way."

Minerva handed the child over to her husband Neptune before setting the compass down on an empty table.

The God of the Sea, brother of Jupiter and Venus's uncle moved to the center of the room. Her created water from his right hand and it wrapped around the baby's neck. When the water disappeared a gold necklace strung with a single pear lay around her neck.

"I give the infant this necklace. It will allow her to visit my domain, without drowning," He handed the child back to Mars.

Diana, the Goddess of the Hunt stood from her seat and approached her twin brother, Mars. When she was only a few steps away she held up her palms and a gorgeous ivory bow and white leather quiver appeared in her hands.

"I give this child a bow and quiver. That comes with my promise that this quiver will always have arrows."

She set them on the table with the compass, smiled at her brother and went back to her seat.

Vulcan the Fire God limped forward and held up his hand. There appeared a spear, it was searing red hot, freshly made in his forge.

"I give this child the spear of the gods." He announced with pride.

Venus watched he lowered the spear to the floor and by the time he set it down it had cooled. He carried the spear over to the table, and set it down by the bow and quiver. The next to bestow a gift on the child was Vesta the Goddess of Hearth and Home. She was another of Jupiter's three sisters and Venus's aunt.

"I give this child the potion of return home. She can only use it once, so I suggest she be consoled, wisely." She heeded her warning.

A vile with a purple liquid in it appeared in her hand. "I also give the child this shield of protection, it cannot be broken."

The next to come forward was Ceres the Goddess of Harvest. She was also one of Jupiter sister's and Venus's other aunt. She held her hands high above her head and an egg of white and gold.

"I give the child a loyal companion, who will aid and protect her in all that she does." She announced her gift but then she turned to Mars. "If she wants it to be loyal to her, then she must be the one to open it."

She walked to the table and set the egg down beside the other gifts. Venus watched as Apollo came forward next. He was the god of many things because he had many interests. If he loved anything most it was Music. You never knew what sort of gift you would get from Apollo. He pulled a crimson red velvet bag from his pocket. The velvet bag adorned his golden symbol of Apollo on the one side.

"I call it the purse by Apollo. She can keep all of her things in it."

The Goddess of Love watched in amazement as Apollo succeeded in putting the full length of the spear into the small bag and then proceeded to fit the shield's large girth through the small opening. When he had finished the bag hung in is hand as if it were empty.

Mercury, The Messager God came up the Mars next. As he passed he lowered his head to his queen and stepmother. He lightly patted Mars on the shoulder. The two had been close since they were young. The other Gods and Goddesses thought of him as a nuisance and mostly ignored him but Mars just seemed to get this strange God.

"I give this child these winged sandals, so that she may be quick on her feet in battle."

Mercury turned to look at Mars and he gave him a smile of approval. Mercury walled the length of the room and set the sandals on the table.

Venus's mother turned and looked at Mars, expectantly. He sighed before turning the child in his arms. He stared at her for a moment and Venus became envious of the little mortal.

"My gift to my new daughter shall be the name Persopina, which means to destroy. I shall train her to be a great warrior."

Venus became furious, immediately understanding what her husband's announcement meant. He had chosen a mortal over her sons. Her skin became hot as a red tint set in.

'How dare he embarrass me so greatly.'

He sent her sons to Diana for training, claiming that the great war god would not train children but now he was going to train this mortal infant. Before she could voice her complaint her mother gave Mars a pointed look.

The goddess of love then and there decided to get even with her husband. She knew exactly how to get under his skin. "It looks like I am the last."

She approached the child. A pink glow fell over the room as the goddess worked her magic.

"My gift shall be the gift of true love." Her voice was filled with lust.

The Goddess of Love's eyes met her husbands and she smirked.

"She will find true love young and it will be filled with passion. It will be an everlasting love," her smile then vanished, revealing her true intentions. "And may that love be a torment to the one she calls father." She laughed deviously.

Mar's expression was murderous and she felt the room begin to shake."How dare you bring a curse to this christening. When you were commanded by our queen and your mother to bestow a blessing."

Mars condemned the defiance in the name of his mother but really she knew he felt defensive of the child.

"Leave now you are banished. Take your twin bitch sons, your servants and all the filth from your room and leave" Mars pointed towards the door.

She screeched out in rage, the sound ending abruptly as she disapparated. The goddess's belongings and her sons all gone in an instant, leaving no trace that the goddess of love had ever been there.