Twin mother - Leto's tale

For all fans of "Hide and Seek" - and everybody else of course - I'm back with another take on these amazing people who populated the Greek Myths. This is the story of Leto - mother to Apollo and Artemis. Hope you'll like it.

The letter

Dear Zeus!
While writing this I am watching the twins. They are playing by the pond, and their laughter is the most wonderful sound I have ever heard.
I have named them Apollo and Artemis. These are names I love and which seemed to fit them the first second I laid my eyes upon them. Apollo - the boy - he looks every bit like you, but people say he has my dimples. Artemis - the girl - is dark like me, but her big blue eyes are yours.
I guess you're wondering where we are right now. I assure you that we are safe and well all three of us. A friend has provided me and my children with a place to stay and something useful for me to do.
I think it's best this way. You are after all getting married and my presence would only seem awkward.
Perhaps in the future I will come visit you. I and the twins. Till then, take care, and be assured I will always remember those magic nights, even if I have stopped doing these "what ifs" now. I have also met a new man. He is nothing like you, but he is kind and noble and don't seem to mind being stepfather. Yet it is still very new so I am not sure yet what will become of it.
Take good care of yourself and all good wishes for the future!
Leto.

The beautiful, dark-haired goddess laid down her ink-pen beside the ark of papyrus and looked out into the lush garden where flowers of all different kinds were blooming in the balmy sunshine, and where her two children were playing around, their happy laughter the only thing disturbing the tranquillity.

It was a wonderful spring day, perfect in every sense, with a blue sky with little fluffy clouds and a sun that was nor too hot or bright neither too pale. The private garden behind the white-painted stone walls was a miracle of growth, not unexpected since the goddess who owned it was one of the most skilled deities in the area of gardening. Probably only Demeter herself was more clever.

Still Leto could not bring a smile to her lips. The line about stopping the "what ifs" in the letter was not entirely true. She was still wondering what could have happened if she had not been so hesitant back then, if Hera had not been around.

What if she hadn't told him she was "not ready for a relation"? What if she had told him earlier that she was pregnant? What if...

Would everything have been different then? Would Zeus have considered marrying her instead of Hera...?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Artemis came running up to her, little tanned feet patting over the white marble, blue silk chiton ruffled and dirty after wild games.
" Mommi! Mommi!" The girl smiled. "Look what I caught! Mommi look! A butterfly!"

Artemis opened up her cupped hands and the most beautiful insect was revealed; folded up its shiny blue and yellow wings, fluttered around a bit, surprised over its regained freedom before taking off, no doubt with another nectar-filled flower in mind.
" What! It flew!" Tears formed in those big aquamarine eyes and Artemis' little mouth started to tremble. Leto took the girl in her arms.
" It's okay, honey! No one likes to be caged, not even a butterfly. It wants its freedom just like you and I do. It wants to fly from flower to flower, that's what butterflies do. I saw its beauty, that was what you really wanted to show me, right?"

" Yeah, right", Artemis said, and her eyes dried up. Then she let go of her mother and ran down in the garden again, calling for her brother who looked up and answered something in their own private baby language.

"Yes", Leto whispered to herself. "We all want our freedom. But sometimes it costs too much. Sometimes it costs us love."