Hera's heart
Her palm was pressed onto the rocky surface, tracing the small rocks with a look of amazement plastered on her face. They were colored in different shades and they were naturally carved into abstract shapes.
She chuckled at the creatures below who all but waited for her to leap. The blue dress she was wearing hugged her curves from being soaked. Yes, she climbed up, curious about how it looked from above. The horizon showed different shades of orange and purple as she watched Helios' chariot departing, slowly replaced by Selene.
With her knees bent, she dove right into the waters and swam towards her foster parents' abode, who was impatiently waiting for her on the porch with a frown on their faces.
Sensing another divinity behind her, her figure turned and stood. The surge of power was familiar, and the energy emitted from the individual contained something that opposed hers entirely.
Half of her ginger red hair went to her face as she faced him. His black hair and obsidian orbs. Her hazel eyes locked with his own and she reminisced the times they shared when they were young. The monsters she fought to save him from the darkness of his immortal soul, especially when they were trapped inside their father's stomach. Neither of them will admit it to each other but it was clear.
Once upon a time, when Zeus wasn't even born yet, Hera learned to have feelings for someone.
It was more than familial or sibling love.
Hades was Hera's first love.
For a time, she was his.
"What are you doing here, Lord Hades?" She whispered softly but it was carried by the wind and he, nonetheless, heard her sweet voice.
"I had to make sure you weren't going to take a leap." He joked momentarily but stopped once she threw him a scowl. Fixing his hair upwards, he took a few steps towards her. "Poseidon spoke to me and it occurred to me that we need to reconcile, for the both of us."
An eyebrow was raised in question and her lips parted to reply but he interrupted her.
"I followed you here when you left the palace. I remembered the times when you would sneak out of Tethys' palace at night. You would ask me to accompany you." He sat down in front of her, folding his legs into an Indian sit. He gave the ground a soft pat for her to follow his actions. Hera obliged and studied him. "And you would let go of your thoughts freely, informing me of what was troubling you, especially when your day was unpleasant."
What he was saying was, no doubt, the truth. Those days would always ease away her troubling thoughts, even if they were drifting apart with their immortal duties. Zeus was already part of her life, which was why she needed Hades by her side even for a short while.
"Not anymore." She muttered softly but for a moment, she wasn't looking directly at him when she said this.
Hades sighed and gazed at her wonderful orbs, those orbs looked at him with so much love in the past. Now, they were looking at him with suspicion, waiting for him to reveal his actual motive of coming here. "Soon, we drifted apart. And I was to blame, Hera. The moment Zeus started courting you was when I left. I was still yearning for you but it was selfish of me to get in the way of my brother and king. You desired him with so much curiosity evident in your eyes. The perfect match, they all said." His tone was laced with bitterness.
The Queen's lips parted as she took in a deep breath. This was unknown to her and she wanted to move her hand over his.
He gave her a sad smile. "I had no right to want you for myself when I was afraid of voicing out my feelings for you. Soon after, I left you confused then it turned into anger for I avoided you like the plague. The tension between us cannot be denied but no one dared to ask because they were afraid of the Lord of the Underworld and the Queen of the Heavens' wrath. And everyone forgot when you turned bitter because of your husband."
The younger sibling looked away. "You weren't the only person who was afraid." It was merely a whisper. "For I was afraid of what the world would see me as and you would one day, eventually, see me otherwise."
He let out a deep breath. "I know. We all were. But I never hated you, sister. I just wished we were on good terms but time changed us."
Hera faced him and shook her head in agreement. "Time let you find your Queen, Persephone."
The corners of his lips curved upwards. With a loving look evident in his eyes, there was no doubt that he loved her truly. "Indeed, and you have our brother, our King."
She scowled at that. Her hands were on top of each other, unconsciously playing with her golden ring. "Yes, " She uttered with gritted teeth.
Zeus...
Loving him was similar to a starry night. It was endless. Whilst his love for me was temporary, a sun that would soon set into the horizon. She thought to herself.
Hades noticed the sudden change in her features as her mood instantly sagged. Everyone was aware of Zeus' ways and it angered the Lord of the Underworld when it greatly affected his youngest sister. He often wondered when the King would change and if he even was a tad bit concerned about his wife. After all, Zeus approached Hades first regarding his sister, noting their obvious closeness in the past, unaware of the feelings they both had for each other. "I apologize."
"That's a first, brother."
"I shouldn't have mentioned him."
"No, you shouldn't have."
She reassured him. "Do not worry about me."
After spending some time with her oldest brother, she returned to the palace with a peaceful mind.
She may have reconciled and made peace with him but when she entered her chambers with the presence of her husband, all the negative thoughts rushed into their respective places, taunting her every move. When will it end? She pondered her thoughts. Coming to terms that she wasn't going to rest for the night, she retired to her study and worked on her paperwork, hoping that it would, somehow, let her mental health energize.
***
When the door of her study creaked, alerting that someone was entering, the Queen never spared the intruder a glance before she spoke in a commanding voice, "I haven't summoned you. Feel free to let yourself rest for the time being."
A deep voice replied to her that sent shivers down her spine. "Is that how you should speak to your King?"
Hera would have slightly jumped at the sound of his voice when the moment her words left her mouth, she immediately sensed his presence. She glanced at him and saw the golden tray he was carrying in between his hands. "My King." She addressed him and raised her eyebrow in question.
He strode towards her table and set her tea down. "You keep on dismissing your handmaiden when Apollo's already taking over Artemis' place. I offered to bring your daily dose of tea." Truth to be told, Zeus offered to bring the tea in order to check on his wife. Apparently, he sensed that she wasn't occupying their bedroom the entire night. Even if Zeus was portrayed as a self-centered King who only cares about himself, there was a side of him that people would rarely see. A soft side of him worrying about his wife.
Though, he would never admit that in front of anybody.
Hera's appearance left him appalled. It was rare, witnessing the bold image of his Queen, especially when he would either sleep with numerous women or settle on the settee every night. Not given the chance to see Hera when she was retiring in their bedroom. He savored her appearance as he eyed her curves and dress contrasting with her ginger red hair.
"I did not notice the time." She muttered under her breath and watched as Zeus poured her a cup.
"If you don't mind..."
"Be my guest." Her tone was laced with sarcasm as he was already pouring the contents on her teacup. The King ignored her snarky tone and watched her drink her tea.
It bothered her, to say the least. When she placed the cup on the table, she turned to him with her eyebrows furrowed. "You're still here. Are you offering to bathe me as well?"
Despite it being rhetorical, there was an obvious glint in Zeus' eyes when those words left her mouth. Though she was irritated by him, he couldn't help but tease by using her words against her. "If that's what you wish, I'd be happy to oblige."
Her eyes widened and soon she was glaring daggers at the King. Rising from her chair, she departed from her study and went inside her chambers where she summoned Iris.
The look he gave disturbed her, especially when she was well aware of the attraction she still has for him. But, it has been centuries when they shared a bed. It has been centuries when he woke all the feelings she had and still has for him, nearly causing destruction. A combination of her love and hatred towards him. The emotions she flooded when their bodies combined and immortal souls locked into an embrace.
Remembering what she told Hades, she was afraid. Trusting in him would be allowing the King to shatter her into a million pieces. Allowing the last bit of her sanity in his grasp will ruin her completely. After all, if there were things that Zeus will forever own, it would be the remaining contents of her being.
And Hera's heart.
•••
To the person who actually reads my stories, thank you. You read it to support me. You also read it because you actually like it. You never fail to amaze me. My written works improve because of you. Thank you for truly loving my stories.You always believe in me, no matter what.
RJweirdness, love you 🖤
~AC