Not On Her Ring Finger...

Good old Aphrodite, can't help but ruin things for poor Hephaestus even when she's not there.

It should be obvious by now who that ring had originally been intended for, Pink Heart-Shaped Diamond and all? Yes, this was the same ring he had tried to proposed to Aphrodite with, a little more than five years ago, and she had shot him down.

Like a dope he forgave her, and like a dope he thought she would change her mind, but it had been there when he needed it, and Lady Xian had said yes! However, the Greek goddess of love had ridiculously tiny hands, and the ring would not fit on any other woman.

Lady Xian was very forgiving though. "Let me guess, this was once meant for your former wife Aphrodite?" She asked, moving the ring to her pinkie finger.

"Yes," Hephaestus admitted bitterly, "she flatly refused to try it on when I proposed five years ago, and I should have known we were over THEN."

"Do not worry, you are resourceful, and I do not mind having a ring that was first meant for another. She was foolish and passed up a great treasure where I showed wisdom in accepting it. Let her be jealous that what should have been 'Her Ring' now belongs to another, I will lose no sleep over having a ring she discarded." Lady Xian pronounced with confidence, bringing a smile to Hephaestus face.

"You are a better woman than she is 'Wǒ de tiān a', and you are right, she did discard a treasure that night, and it was not the ring," he said nuzzling Lady Xian's neck.