Hera: Chapter Three: Joyous News?

In a bust of brilliance, I decided that I would post the last of this story on Valentine's Day. What a wonderful idea, I thought, to post the last of my first really romantic (sort of) story. Alas, in true Ginny fashion, I was a little bit late doing it. It is still Valentine's Day but I doubt anyone will read it on Valentine's Day. Oh well. Well, without further ado, the end of Hera! Woot!

Chapter Three:
Joyous News?

Weeks passed by quickly now that Hera had found an ally in Echo. In the company of Echo and Chara, Hera was able to endure life in the near empty palace better than she thought possible. Zeus had been gone much more than was needful and Hera still couldn’t decide if that she was a blessing or a curse. He was her husband and she knew that when he wasn’t with her, he was with other women. If only there was something she could do about it! Of course, she had no love for Zeus and she felt more as ease without him but knowing that he was with flitting around infuriated her. If only she could get her hands on those sirens . . .

“What is that you’re working on?” Chara asked, looking curiously at the object in Hera’s lap.

Hera met Chara’s eyes, brushing all angry thoughts from her mind. “A sunset,” she lifted up the tapestry to show Chara the bright colors. “It has been a wile since we have had a purple sunset. I was getting tiered of the same old, drab pinks and oranges so I’ve made this new one.”

“The colors are so bright! And your stitches, so small and even; I must admit I’m envious of your skill,” Chara replied, a half smile on her lips.

“It’s only seemly that our queen would have such skills,” Echo laughed than showed the other two her own messy needlework. “I’m just too impatient for such tasks. It takes so long to do a simple flower for spring. I can’t even imagine sewing the colors for the sky.”

“There is such an accomplishment you hear the mortals praise your work,” whispered Hera, remembering the first sunset she had embroidered. “They find such joy in the colors and pleasure in the over all effect that I can’t help but try to please them.”

“You make it sound so poetic but I’m afraid it won’t be enough for me. The work just goes along so slowly. It’s as if it will never end, the constant up and down of the thread filled needle,” Echo impulsively stabbed her embroidery and stuck her tongue out at it.

“How are you feeling today, Hera?” Chara asked, intimating some secret knowledge. “Are you as sick as you were yesterday?”

Hera fairly glowed. “I’m much better than yesterday, although I imagine the nausea will return shortly. I suppose it will be worth it in the end, in fact, I’m sure of it.”

“What on Olympus are you talking about? Please tell me what you speak of!” Pleaded Echo, her brown eyes begging in such a way that no puppy could aspire to achieve.

Hera smiled shyly. “I recently discovered some joyful news. Only Chara knows besides myself.”

“What?” Echo was impatient now.

“I . . . I am with child,” Hera replied happily, bracing herself for the enthusiasm she knew Echo would exhibit.

Echo nearly burst, her happiness was so evident. “Congratulations! Does Zeus know? Is it a boy or a girl? When will it come?” The questions bubbled forth as a geyser from the earth.

“No, Zeus doesn’t know, at least he doesn’t know from me. It will be a boy and with any luck as strong as his father,” Hera tried to sound like se was enamored with her husband but she felt like her attempts came up short. She hoped that with any luck her son would be unlike Zeus in most aspects, such as fidelity.

“When are you going to tell him? It can’t be a secret forever,” Echo’s enthusiasm waned considerably.

Hera’s face flushed, embarrassed that a mere nymph was lecturing her in her wifely duties. The fact that Hera was supposed to be the goddess of wife and home just made it even more humiliating.

“Echo!” Chara flew to her cousin’s defense. “Zeus is a very busy God, he is, after all, God of the Earth and Heavens. Hera just doesn’t want to overwhelm him with such news.”

“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard,” Echo pushed Hera her cushioned chair and ushered her towards the door. “You are his wife and it’s his child. He deserves to know.”

Before Hera could get a word in edgewise, she was standing in the corridor outside Zeus’s room. Echo had disappeared instantly, part of her powers as a nymph.

Hera tentatively knocked, both dreading and anticipating the response. The door slowly opened and Hera held her breath.

“Yes?” Zeus leaned against the doorframe, his mused hair and half clothed body revealing that he had been asleep minutes before.

Flustered for waking him, Hera shuffled back and forth while fingering her blonde locks. “May I speak with you?”

“Of course,” Zeus’s face displayed his shock quite openly. The whole of Mount Olympus knew that Hera avoided her husband if she could help it. “Come in.”

Hera took a deep breath and stepped into the chamber. “Zeus, I-“

A knock was heard outside the room. “Father?” A woman’s voice rang out clearly.

It was as if Poseidon had made the very blood in Hera’s veins freeze. Zeus opened the door for a second time.

A beautiful couple stood outside the doorway. “Father!” The young woman, whose brow shown like the moon, flung her arms around Zeus’s neck.

Stepping forward, the glorious young man grasped Zeus’s shoulder while the God of the Heavens returned the gesture.

Zeus turned to his wife, an arm around each of the apparent young god and goddess. “These two are my children, Apollo and Artemis.”

Overcome, Hera fled.

“Hera, wait!” Zeus yelled after her retreating figure but it was too late; she was gone.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Hera had made it to the room she had previously been in. The silent sobs racked her body as she felt her world collapse even further.

She knew that Zeus had affairs with other women but she had never met any of his children that were products of such unions, knowingly at least. Many a strange woman had she banished because she had found them in bed with Zeus but hadn’t she made sure that none of their children had been born? Curses weren’t her forte, though lately she had been using them increasingly more often. In this way these two twin gods were a shock to her, especially since it appeared that they were going to stay.

“Good work, Echo,” she heard another nymph named Axenia say, her voice laced with venom. “Beloved Hera will never know that Leto is the mother of our beautiful new god and goddess. You have kept Hera distracted the past months and for that we are all grateful.”

A chorus of voices tittered their thanks.

Hera was shocked once again. That wench Leto was the last woman Hera has cursed; Leto was promised she wouldn’t be able to give birth on mainland or island. How could such an order go wrong?

“You have surely saved Leto’s life. Because of your service we were able to sneak Leto on and off the mountain and help her find Delos,” another conspirator, a lesser goddess, added.

“Hera? Why are you out here? Aren’t you going to speak with Zeus?” Chara had appeared from behind Hera. “What is wrong?” She noticed Hera’s tear-stained face.

“Thank Gaia you aren’t among them,” whispered Hera, her voice taught with sorrow and anger. “Stay out here, I will be but a minute with the traitors.”

“Hera!” Chara grasped for Hera’s cloak, trying to hold her back but the filmy cloth slipped through her fingers. “Think what might happen!”

It was too late; Hera had entered the room, her wrath hotter than fire. “Echo!”

The nymph looked up, fear in her wide green eyes. “Hera, please forgive me! I never meant to hurt you!”

Hera’s laugh matched her cold eyes and ironic smile. “I thought that you actually meant all of your cheerful flattery. How refreshing to know that your chatter was a ruse. Of course, I must reward you for your hard work.”

“No, Queen Hera. Please no!”

“Echo, nymph of the woodland stream I banish your voice because of it’s monstrosities against me. You shall only repeat what others say from this day forward.”

“From this day forward,” Echo involuntarily said, tears springing from her eyes as she realized what was happening.

“Now leave, all of you!” One by one the nymphs and goddesses left the room, horror struck at the scene they had just witnessed.

Hera sunk to her feet, sobbing as quietly as she could.

“Hera?” Chara rushed to her cousin’s side.

“You are the only person I can trust in this entire court. Thank you for your loyalty,” her face was solemn.

“Before you say anymore I must tell you something,” Chara’s voice shook. “For so long I have heard you speak of Takis. Not too long ago, I began to watch him. My intentions were pure; I only wished to know of whom you spoke. But-” she stopped, her voice cracking, “it wasn’t long before I understood the feelings you had for him. Hera, I will not blame you if you punish me as you did Echo. Please know that I didn’t mean to betray you.” Chara looked down, as if awaiting some horrible punishment.

Hera’s heart broke. What unlucky star had she been born over to merit such a day? If she had any tears left, she would have shed them. “I wish you happiness.”

“What?” Chara was taken aback.

“I can never have him or true happiness, so why shouldn’t my most loyal friend have both?” Smiling, Hera’s eyes shone. “I know that it might not amount to much, but I bless you as well as a can. I suppose that I should be able to assure your happiness together since I am the goddess of marriage but I find joy something sadly lacking in my own. I know that you are good as is he; I know you will complete one another.”

Gently embracing her cousin, Chara radiated her gratefulness. “I was so worried that you would be angry. How could I have forgotten your giving spirit? Thank you, Hera.”

“Go to him,” urged Hera. Her cousin beamed at her and nearly flew out of the room.

Left to herself, Hera couldn’t help but feel despair. What was left for her?

She felt a small kick inside her womb. “Ares, your name shall be Ares,” she spoke aloud to her unborn baby. “You shall be my life now. I hope that you will be strong and valiant and accepted by this court, unlike I.”

The baby kicked her harder now and she grimaced as she looked out at Gaia below. If only she were like the mortals below. Soon they would die and go to a place of never-ending happiness. For the rest of eternity she would be bound to Zeus but, she reminded herself, there still was hope. She caressed her soon to be swollen stomach. There still was hope.