Title: Hera's Plan
Disclaimer: I do not own Greek mythology. Not making any money off this, it's purely for fun.
A/N: I've always wanted to write something for Greek mythology, and I just got into the whole Zeus/Hera thing. This fic, however, turned out to have a little Hades/Hera thing going on, so I suppose it's a blend of Hera/Zeus and Hera/Hades. Anyways, please read and tell me what you think.
Chapter One: Ambitions
Hera, Queen of all the Olympians, goddess of marriage and childbirth, could be downright temperamental when she wanted to be. She was feisty, jealous, and armed with a dangerously sharp tongue, yet she could not keep Zeus in line.
When she had discovered his latest affair with a mortal princess down in Greece, she had flown into a fit of rage but instead of attacking her husband, she locked herself in her bedchamber and had not emerged for weeks. The lock on the massive door was created by Hephaestus, therefore it was impossible for even Zeus to break through.
She sulked all day and night, until she came to a realization one afternoon. Her handmaidens were combing through her long, vibrantly red locks as she lounged on her plush cushions, her lithe, slender body sprawled comfortably.
What do I need to do to make my husband stay faithful to me? She thought frustratedly. She stared at her surroundings, the radiant marble walls and floors, the lavish decorations and statues, the bountiful fruits laid out for her to eat...
If I were to fall terribly ill, I could claim it was because of his philandering ways. I would tell him that he caused me so much distress, even a goddess could not bear it. He'd never touch another woman again, if it meant my death.
Hera was triumphant with joy. She sprang up, much to the surprise of her maids, who had gotten used to their mistress's idleness. They whispered amongst themselves, their fair faces expressing concern for their Queen. Even though she was quite high-strung, her maids truly cared for Hera, as daughters cared for their mothers, however irritating they could be.
Surely Hades must have something for my purpose. Hera contemplated as she descended from merry Mount Olympus. She covered herself in a long cloak, so as not to cause any supicion among the other deities. She did not have to worry about her husband seeing her, for she knew that he was cavorting about with the woodland nymphs on rocky Greece.
So Hera's mind was made up, she was confident in her plan to win her husband's heart back. After Helios raced across the sky on his gleaming chariot and the sun set, she marched down to the Underworld to enlist the assistance of Zeus' older brother and King of the Dead, Hades.
She was rather disgusted at having to cross the River Styx, as if she were just another dead soul hoping to gain entrance to the Underworld. She stood, pride and a hint of arrogance in her stance, and watched the old ferryman Charon as he heaved his oar through the mucky water.
Finally, the barge reached Cerebrus, the snarling three-headed beast that guarded the gates of Hades' palace. Hera stepped off the barge, ignoring Charon and his greedy protests of payment and approached the dog with flippancy.
She reached up to stroke one of its snouts, but all of the heads snapped at her thin hand, and this angered her very much. With the volume of a hundred voices, Hera cried, "Vile, loathsome creature, move aside for the Queen of Olympus!"
Like a pup put in its place, Cerebrus whined and backed down, its spiked tail hanging between its hind legs.
Satisfied, the regal goddess continued unimpeded into the palace. She was led to the throne room where she found Hades, looking morose and depressed as ever, sitting on his high throne of black marble. Since she was brightly dressed, Hades' eyes were immediately drawn to her.
"Hail Hades, King of the Underworld, the Rich one who keeps all souls," Hera sank into a curtsey, clutching her numerous skirts of her voluminous gown. Hades seemed quite surprised at her demeanor as he returned her salute.
"Hail Hera, beautiful Queen," He knew how she loved flattery, "What brings you to my lair?"
Hera, who thought she knew exactly how to take advantage of Hades, played him as an expert musician might play a lute. On Greece, it was the season of Spring, thus accounting for Persephone's absence. She knew how miserable Hades was when he was alone.
"My home was stifling to me, I found myself in need of a change of atmosphere and scenery. As I was leaving, I thought, 'Why, I shall visit Hades, I have not seen him for a very long time.' I hoped you would enjoy my company, but if you would prefer I leave, I will not further intrude upon your privacy." She paused and then deliberately looked as if she were about to turn around and depart.
With a look of mastered flirtatiousness, Hera peered up at the solemn god through her long lashes.
"Of course you are welcome here, dear Hera. I am afraid that there is not much for festivities, you know I do not entertain often." His sardonic tone elicited a rippling fit of laughter from her. He admired the color in her pretty face, how her large amber-flecked eyes fixed themselves on him...So reminiscent of his wife, only his wife detested being with him.
Hera's mirth was so contagious that it even caused him to smile, his face not used to the unfamiliar gesture.
"You are very charming when you are happy, my dear, very lovely indeed. It is an enormous mystery to me why my brother cannot be appeased when he is in possesion of such an engaging goddess."
By the end of his speech, Hades had stood and glided toward her. He was a bit close for her liking, she stared up into his eyes and noticed the blue flecks in his otherwise black eyes. She blushed at his earnest flattery.
"I am not what you say. But you are quite handsome yourself, Hades, in a brooding, sensitive way." She admitted, gazing curiously at his shaggy black hair, masculine face and strong build.
At her compliment, Hades scoffed, "If I were handsome, perhaps Persephone would be able to stand my presence." He was extremely self deprecating, in an endearing sort of manner.
"She can be foolish. She is but a child among us, who have been living for thousands of years. She does not appreciate you enough." Hera said as she gently caressed his cheek, delighted when he leaned into her touch.
He was so starved of physical contact that he involuntarily closed his eyes, identifying with her like a kindred spirit. She did care for Hades, if she were not so strongly in love with Zeus, she might have chosen his older brother instead. As a side thought, she supposed bitterly that a man like Hades would not wander to other women for enjoyment.
"If I had never laid eyes on Persephone, I would have gladly made you mine." Hades with unexpected tenderness.
They stayed like that, entwined in each other's arms for another long moment. Hades was the one who broke the silence.
"Now, please tell me what you really came down here for." He said with a sly smile.
Hera gasped in feigned surprise, her full lips parting into a tiny 'o.' Hades glanced at her lips, contemplating covering them with his own cold, thin ones. After an internal debate, he decided against it.
"Come now, you did not expect me to believe that you would travel so far from your heavenly throne just to converse with me, of all people, did you? You must want something, something only I can provide." Hades guessed, fondness for the cunning woman seeping into his tone.
With a sigh, Hera acquiesced. "Yes, Hades, I did have something in mind, actually. You know me far too well." She chuckled lightly, "I am in need of something, a poison, if you will."
Hades frowned in confusion, thinking Hera's jealousy was getting the better of her again. "Zeus will not take kindly to having any of his other wives poisoned."
She smirked irritably and ran a hand through a strand of her red hair.
"They are not his wives, they are his whores. I am his true wife. And I do not intend to poison them, I intend to poison myself."
"What?" Hades couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was unthinkable for any divinity to cause harm to themself, especially a Queen of the Heavens.
"If my husband feels anything more than apathy toward me, I am prepared to go through extreme motions to prove it. I need to know if he loves me, if he ever loved me, and I am afraid this is the only way to find out." Hera said determinedly.
After much consideration, Hades conjured a phial of a murky, stagnant liquid. He handed it to her and began an explanation of the properties of the liquid.
"This is an extremely potent poison, you would not care to know the ingredients that it consists of. Just know that it is so strong and fast acting that no mortal can survive after a second of ingesting it, it could even affect a god's immortality. This phial is not strong enough to kill you Hera, but it will hurt you, it will give you more pain than you've ever experienced in your life." Hades warned her.
She shrugged and eloquently replied, "Nothing can hurt more than being neglected."
He was in no position to stop her. He was one of the few deities who sympathized with Hera, he knew how much Zeus' infidelities scarred her heart.
She looked him in the eye once more before sipping the liquid. She dropped the phial, it dropped and shattered on the marble floor as she staggered, coughing harshly. Hades watched as the dewy glow of her skin that indicated her immortality began to fade.
Hades bent to support her, wrapping an arm around her waist as if she were a drunkard who had more than he could handle.
"You're-you were right...It is potent." Hera remarked wryly between coughs. In spite of himself, he kissed the top of her head and helped her across the throne room and outside of his palace.
"I shall help you to Olympus, by then, the poison will have taken full effect on you. I...I hope it gives you what you want."
Hera surprised him once more by hugging him tightly.
"You are my dearest friend, Hades, thank you for allowing me to do this." Her sincerity made him blush. It was an almost comical sight to see the dark god of the Underworld blushing like a young boy.
Indeed, the poison was fast acting, and before long, Hades was forced to carry Hera. He called for Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, because they could not make it the long way to Mount Olympus. Iris was alarmed to see the Queen so ill, and she hurried them up into the glistening palace.
Hades encountered half the royal court at the palace gates, all of them frightened by Hera's sickly appearance. In the short time it took for the poison to work, the glow that permeated her skin had diminished to a faint pallor and her eyes were clouded with pain. She was whimpering, a pitiful sound that no one would have ever expected out of such a merciless goddess.
Zeus was nowhere to be found. Hades figured his foolish brother would not care enough to wonder where his wife had gone. He clutched Hera even more protectively as he entered the palace.
Hermes greeted him at the front doors, he too, shocked at Hera's condition.
"What has happened to Her Majesty?" He questioned, gazing at her as she shivered incoherently.
"I found her in my realm, unconcious. I carried her here from my palace, even I cannot pinpoint the cause of her condition," Hades said, with the appropriate amount of concern. He was a smooth liar, and Hermes believed every word of it. He nodded, "This is horrible. No god has ever fallen ill before. His Majesty, Zeus, should be informed immediately."
"Do you know where he is?" Hades asked. Hermes replied affirmatively.
"He is in Crete." He did not care to go any further, as he knew how sensitive Hades was when it came to Zeus's mistreatment of Hera.
"Ah. Perhaps you would go down there and fetch him right now? He ought to know that his wife is suffering from a life-threatening ailment." Hades suggested coldly.
Hermes nodded and called for Hera's handmaidens. Four of them came out to the hall, their eyes widened in disbelief as they relieved Hades of their mistress and carried her themselves to her bed chamber. They did not notice Hades's reluctance in releasing her.
Hera began to convulse, rather violently, and she thrashed about the silk sheets in agony. She felt as though every fiber of her being was on fire, needles of pain stabbing the pores of her skin unrelentlessly. Tears formed in her eyes, something she had not done since she was a newborn goddess ages ago. This was the first time the Queen had cried genuine tears for a very long time.
Back in the hall, Hermes listened as Hera's cries grew louder. He looked back at Hades.
"Did you cast this spell on her?" He asked suspiciously.
"I did not. I found her in the Underworld, and at first she appeared just fine."
"Hmph. I will at once fetch Zeus. I would ask you to remain here, so that you might explain first hand to His Majesty how his wife came to be like this." Hades glanced into the bedchamber as the maids drew all the curtains shut.
"Of course. I will wait until you return."
Hermes sped off, kicking the heels of his winged shoes until he was running so fast that even Hades could only make out a blur in the distance. He peered down at the Earth and pondered all the different ways this situation could turn out.
Oh Hera, what have you gotten us into? He thought with a touch of despair.
On Earth, Zeus was playing with a princess named Eos, a demure beauty he had been trying to coax into marrying him. He was charming and larger than life, he had been in the middle of telling a story when his son Hermes interrupted.
"Your Majesty, I beseech you to return at once to Olympus. I bear ill news," Hermes announced, slightly annoyed that Eos had not stopped her incessant giggling until the end of his speech.
Zeus turned to him with steely eyes, clearly displeased at being disturbed.
"Surely it can wait? What is so pressing that it needs my immediate attention?" He drawled as he gazed at Eos appreciatively. She flicked her eyes at him in an inadvertently coquettish manner.
Hermes, who grew increasingly impatient as he thought of Hera back on Olympus, he unceremoniously revealed,"Queen Hera is deathly ill, and Hades is afraid she might be dying."
This caused the King of the gods to freeze. He turned once again to look at Hermes and stood silently. Eos looked chastised, but she dared not beg Zeus to stay.
"That woman. She appalls me with her lies and fallacies. I shall return, but to punish her for her spiteful deeds, for it is well-known that a goddess cannot fall ill." Zeus growled as he followed Hermes up the heavenly path.
It was early morning when Zeus arrived. He stormed into the palace, the crowd of deities parting through the middle to make room for the seething king. He made his way quickly to his wife's bedchamber that she had separated from his own, and threw the doors open with all his might.
To his surprise, the room was completely dark save for a few candles, and he found Hades sat at his wife's bedside, clutching and caressing her hand as if he were her husband himself.
"Hades, what is the meaning of this?" Zeus boomed. The sound caused Hades to look up at his brother, and he barely managed to conceal a look of utter disdain.
"I am sure Her Majesty would appreciate it if you lowered your voice. She is suffering from what appears to be a rather severe headache, your obnoxious shouting will only cause her more discomfort." Hades snapped, narrowing his eyes as Zeus approached him, skepticism clear in his body language.
"Oh really, now. You expect me to believe that my wife is in danger of passing on? She is centuries old. We all are. No god has ever perished as a mortal might."
Hades growled, a guttural sound low in his throat as he stood to his full, imposing height.
"You bloody fool! Can you not see her? Can you not hear how she struggles to breathe? She cannot eat, she has vomited all the nectar and ambrosia we have tried to feed her. How far do you believe she would go in order to make you see that you have wronged her, brother?"
Indignance flashed in Zeus's eyes, at the moment, they had never appeared more opposite, Hades and his eternally dark features and attire against Zeus, who shined brighter than the sun. Hera's handmaidens cowered in fear, they did not want to remain in the vicinity if a full blown fight were to break out between these mighty gods.
"I can see she is putting on a spectacular performance. No doubt, you are her accomplice." Zeus's face morphed into a menacing expression, his normally handsome features contorted with anger and disbelief, "How long has this been happening, my dear brother?"
At Hades' enraged silence, Zeus pressed on.
"How long have you been bedding my wife?" The king of the gods spat furiously, his cheeks blotchy with rage. Hades opened his mouth to retaliate, but both of them were distracted by Hera's moans. They could not make out what she was muttering until she grew slightly louder in volume.
"Where...where is Zeus? Where is he? I...I need..."
Both brothers listened intently as she broke off, coughing desperately. Hades tightened his grip of her delicate hand which caused Zeus to stiffen.
"I wish he loved me...Oh heavens how I wish he did..."
If blood ran in the veins of gods, the blood of Zeus and Hades would have stopped cold at the sight of Hera as she trailed off and slipped away lifelessly, falling back gently on the plush cushions.
TBC...
A/N: What do you think?? Please read and review!