Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot

Title: Sincerely Untrue


Famous couples.

Through time, history has given us many of them. Each with a different story, each with a different ending. Some of them are real, some may be real and some are only fictions, but just as beautiful.

For example, even though fictional, we have of course Romeo and Juliet, two young teenagers, star-crossed lovers, as they are described, who fell in love with each other, despite the fact that they are both coming from feuding houses. The tragic story ended in mutual death, the only place where they were capable of being together and the only thing, ending the long rivalry between their families.

Or the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, a love which went past the borders of mortality and out of reach of death's hand.

However, there are also couples, whose love and history was so touching and outrageously unbelievable that they went down into history.

Such as the probably most infamous couple in the English History of the man, the King, who had torn his kingdom apart just for the union with the one woman he claimed to love, to be legally accepted. It was a shame that the long desired marriage ended in bloodshed.

Those are only a small facet of what couples history has presented us. But, if we were to talk about couples, there is one that must not be forgotten to be mentioned. After all, they were one of the first ones in history to show that it does not always end in a happy ending, and that marriage is not the end of the journey, but rather the beginning. Their journey was one filled with heartbreak, bitterness and a fine line between hating and loving. And frankly, Zeus and Hera are with no doubt also one of the most twisted couples. It was not the fact that he cheated on her again and again, with a continuity that seemed to be endless; this was only a fact that made him appear less sympathetic. No, it was rather the fact that his wife, the Queen Goddess Hera, could not find it to leave the straying husband of hers, but instead even staying faithful to him.

But every story has yet to reach its peak, just as every woman has her limit. In this case, both are tied together.

It was only a matter of time when Hera would finally snap, finally becoming the true her again and turning her back to the pathetic existence she calls her self. With every argument and every betrayal, they were getting more and more near to the end of what could have been once the great love story, instead of the tragedy as we know it today.

And today was not an exception. The whole Olympus was shaking from the force and the power the two monarchs were unleashing in their rage. Words, so ugly that they shall never be thrown at anyone, let alone a married couple, were said and insults were made with no care of the consequences. In other words, it was just another usual day in Olympus, another normal argument between the mighty couple, or at least it seemed at first glance...

"You will cease your actions, right away. You have no right in meddling in my affairs." Zeus shouted.

"I am your wife!" Hera screamed back.

"And still, this does not mean everything. I am still your husband, your sovereign. I am superior to you and you will listen to what I say. And I say that you leave her alone."

"She is nothing, she is cheap, a cheap nothing. I cannot understand what you are seeing in her. She only lusts for the power you falsely promised her and the sweet nothings that you whispered into her ear in the heat of passion, of which you probably cannot even remember. Why can you not see reason? She is no good!"

Zeus growled at her for daring to insult his sweetheart in such a way. She had no right to do this; she did not know her like he did. She was sweet, gentle-mannered and beautiful and out of all, she was not a jealous and vindictive bitch like the woman in front of him, the one that was seen as his wife. Like lately, he began to wonder why he had married her, when she caused nothing but trouble, not only for him but for his children. If he had not married her, then he would surely not be as stressed as he was now. He would have no obligation to her, meaning that she would not act like the jealous wife and he would have one big worry less.

"I was a fool when I married you." he muttered, but not low enough to escape her ears.

"Yes dear, but then I was in love and did not care." Hera countered back.

But her words did not remain without causing any reactions.

The deities, more or less, felt shocked. Something like this has never occurred before. Yes, there had been many arguments and many of those consisted of hateful and terrible words, that were better remained forgotten, but up until now, Hera had never decided to go against her husband during an argument of theirs, at least not in a personal way, but the way he was acting. Maybe she decided to let her anger out on his mistresses behind his back and she may leave a few complaints about him here and there, but never before had she ever went against him so obviously. And none would have ever believed that she would even dare to insult him in such an open manner or even her marriage.

She was the goddess of marriage, after all. Marriage was supposed to be sacred of her and never had she ever voiced out any regrets concerning their marriage. She had displayed her displeasure in his mistresses.

For, despite what the myths may claim, Hera was quite an obedient wife when it came to behaving in front of her husband. Sure, she took some liberties here and there, but all in one, she remained faithful to him and showed him the respect he 'deserved'.

"Hera-"

Zeus eyes narrowed dangerously. The atmosphere around them grew even tenser and by this, they did not only mean it in a metaphoric way.

"What?" she asked, uncaring to the warning tone his voice was using. "Are you threatening me? Please, go on. I would like to hear what you are going to say? Hurt me? Torture me? Make my life a living Tartarus? Well, I must sadly inform you that you already did!"

"Hera, shut up!"

"No, you shut up, Zeus!" she shouted back. "Because I have done this enough. It is your turn now. I won't be quiet anymore, I cannot. You, who has no idea how hard it is, to have to stay quiet in the corner, while your spouse is somewhere screwing around with who knows who. Your insolent behavior and your ignorant, almost blasphemous ways towards your vows show how much of the insufferable man, I have ever come across at, you are. I have no idea why I have ever put up with you, when you are clearly worth nothing." Hera seethed.

"How dare you to talk to me in such a manner?" Zeus raged. Louds clashes were heard and along with a brief glimmer in the background, it was clear that it was the mighty God's doing. "Who gave you the permission to talk to me in such a manner? I am your husband-"

"Yeah, quite right, Zeus. You are my husband, but only in name that is and I am quite sure there are others, who will share this opinion with me." Hera said, cutting him off. "Like I said, Zeus, I have enough of you. I will not put up with your shit anymore, and I do not have the energy to do so. I am so damn tired, I cannot pretend to be some submissive obedient wife of yours anymore and I do not see any reason as to why I should continue this charade anymore? For, face it or not, we are a husband and wife in nothing, but name. No one can argue with me at this point. Combined together, you share the bed of other women more often than you do mine and combined, you have more children with them than we have. What shall a woman think about this? This is ridiculous, laughable... and so damn humiliating." Tears of frustration and over the years collected anger were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Why can you see how much of a fool you are making of yourself, not only of you, but of me, our children and our marriage? Or whatever you call it, since it is only a sham of what was supposed to be a marriage. This is your entire fault! You-"

A loud SLAP was heard though the hall, echoing into every room. A dump thud followed soon after, signalizing that something fell onto the ground, along with the gasps of mostly higher feminine voices.

Hera slowly raised her hand to her cheek. Her cool fingertips met her burning cheek, which were reddened by the recent impact of Zeus' hand. Carefully, she touched upon her skin, so slowly and so lightly, motions which underlined the fragility of the situation, as though she herself was still in a daze, still unable to believe what had transpired just right now.

Seconds flew away, as silence rested heavily upon the divine entities. They were without doubt the longest and slowest seconds they have experienced in their immortal life, a life in which time has usually no meaning. Everything seemed to pass by slowly, maybe because it was too crazy for them to believe it to be true. It seemed too unreal.

Hera was aware that every eye was resting on her, as she stood up. She hated letting anyone see her weakness, maybe because of her long years in the position as Queen, meaning that there was no place for vulnerability. She did not know, nor did she care at the moment. With the small dignity she has left, she raised her head towards him.

"Zeus," she said. Her voice, or rather her laughter, had once broken ices, but now, they were cold enough to put the frozen water to shame. "I may be a fool for having married you in the beginning, but you know," her red lips curved up in a bitter way,

"...I was an even bigger one, when I stayed married to you. So here I am, rectifying my mistake." she declared.

She could hear the murmur from everywhere. Everybody was discussing and guessing over her words. She smiled bitterly. Her words, in her opinion, were clear and obvious. There was nothing to discuss about.

"What is it that you want to say?" he asked, his voice void of any emotion. It served its purpose, as it fooled everyone in the room, who was witnessing their exchange of words. None of them would have believed of the panic which was spreading throughout his body nor the dread of what might transpire.

"I want a divorce."

And with those words, all the doubt about her words washed away and took any sounds with them, leaving Olympus again at the hands of silence.

It was as though Hera has again casted her spell upon the fellow deities, the very same one which had taken the nymph Echoes voice.

"So, this is it is, huh." Zeus finally said. Every head turned to the King of Gods, and for more than half of those present a father, everyone was hung on his lips. They waited for the words he was about to speak. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, preventing everyone from knowing what he was feeling and only leaving them to guess. Would he be angry at her, for even daring to say such words or would be he happy to consent, since it would mean that he was getting rid of the female he was tied to by marital law and vows?

"How do you think I will answer to your request?" he asked her. Almost like children, who were in awe of something they are seeing for the first time, the eyes moved from Zeus to Hera and back and forth, depending on who was going to speak.

"You never loved me."

"Then I guess, it is settled."

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Words were exchanged through their looks, leaving them with nothing else to say.

Hera was the first one to move. She took a few steps back, never leaving her eyes from his person and then, she finally turned around and disappeared. There was no trace of her left, which would indicate that she had ever been there.

She was gone.

Soon after Zeus followed the example of his ex-wife to-be but on the contrary to the quiet and humble departure of her, he decided for a loud and dramatic walk, meaning with the thunder and storm sounding in the background.

There were no traces left of the divine royal couple, which indicated that they had ever been there, expect for the only ones who were left in the grand hall were the awe-struck gods, who had the privilege to witness the beginning of the probably greatest change that was ever to take in their immortal life.