Finality
Hera lay atop her bed while her heart felt, like it had been fed to Cerberus, stomped on, shattered and then put back in her chest. Never had Zeus' infidelities hurt to such a point, never had she felt this type of pain. Perhaps she was destined to feel the same pain that she inflicted upon Leto, when she was trying to give birth to her twins. One of who was now trying to save her life.
Perhaps this was her punishment; Chaos did have a way with punishments. Almost an art form for someone who they themselves had never met, but one who saw all, perhaps she'd always known. That one-day even those who fight their hardest, lose. And maybe she too, was fighting the fate that had been decided even before, she was able to fight.
Zeus was still looking at his wife in earnest, wishing that somehow he could change what happened, but he knew it was futile. After this child, she would not welcome him in her bed, for fear that this would happen again, he needed to speak to Apollo alone.
"Apollo if I can please have a moment, I need to speak to you in private."
Apollo looked at his father, and nodded, he looked back at Hera and patted her shoulder and saw her flinch, to which he just grimaced. He followed his father outside on the balcony he looked forlornly back towards Hera, he knew what his father was about to say, but he let him speak.
"Apollo, what is Hera's condition?"
"Father, she is weak. Her miscarriage has led to some complications, unpleasant ones. They can cause Hera more harm if they go unattended, but I must ask for her permission before I tend the damage done."
"What is the damage? Whatever it is, you heal her, is that understood? Regardless of what my wife says you are to heal her. Is that understood?"
"Fath- Zeus, this is not a decision for you to make, regardless if she is your wife, she has to decide for herself, no one can make this decision for her, only she can choose her fate."
"No, you will listen to your King and father and do as I command, I will not lose my wife, because of her stubbornness to disobey. And if you defy me, you too shall suffer."
"I am not scared of the consequences my actions might inflict, but this is her decision and I am going to listen solely to her, for even you cannot change my mind father. This is her decision to make, not mine and most definitely not yours."
Apollo walked back in to see Hera's body convulsing, he rushed over to her side, and grabbed her hand; he could see that she was fading faster than he had anticipated.
Zeus walked in and saw Hera convulsing, he rushed over to her side, just as Apollo stabilized her, he could not lose her, he would not let her leave him, even if he had to fight her and anyone who stood in his way.
Apollo had stabilized her, and was reaching to sweep the hair from her forehead, and she once again opened her eyes, and grasped his wrist in her hand, "Do not touch me."
"I am sorry, your majesty. Please forgive me."
"What are you doing in my bedchamber? If your father knew you were here, he would be beyond furious."
"Hera? Do you not remember what has happened?" Zeus asked, walking to the other side of the bed.
"What do you mean? Remember wha-" As everything fell back into place, she was not going to break down in front of Zeus, as calmly as she could she said, "Get out. I don't want to see you, now or ever. It is preferable if you pretend you know not of me, for if I see you in my presence again, I will not think twice to Tartarus."
"Hera, don't be unreasonable, you are my wife."
"I said get out! Get out! Get out! I never want to see you ever again!"
Zeus took a step back as if she had struck him, why would she say this? Why would she alienate him, had he known that she was pregnant, he never would have struck her.
"Hera, listen to me, be rational. Don't make a decision you'll regret later."
"Rational? You're telling ME to be rational? Who was the one whom struck a pregnant woman? It wasn't I who made an irrational decision was it? Now, get out! I never want to see you again, and I'm not being irrational, I'm serious. I will not think twice, Zeus. Do not make me swear on the River Styx, for I will and then I will be forced to comply with my actions. Get out!"
Zeus looked at her in shock, he knew that for Hera to make a threat that involved the Styx it was serious, but he could not leave her alone she was his wife, and he loved her. He would not stay away; he would give her space and time to cool down, before she made a rash decision. He stiffly walked out of his room, not knowing that that would be the last time he saw Hera, if only he knew. He would have told her, that he loved her, and that he was truly sorry for trapping her in this marriage.
Apollo looked at Zeus walk out, and sat back down, as tears streamed down Hera's face. "I'm truly am sorry about your loss, my Queen."
Hera had forgotten that Apollo was in the room so when he spoke, she looked at him, and for the first time noticed the fatigue and was that guilt on his face. Why would Apollo need to look guilty?
"Thank you, Apollo." She said, while wiping the tears from her face, she faced him and he reached out to grab her hand, and when he touched her she felt nothing. Not the usual burn or even the warmth of his hand. What was wrong, she knew this was not normal.
"Hera. I have some bad news, and it truly pains me to be the one to tell you this, but you can longer have children. You were hemorrhaging and I tried to save both of your lives but when you lost your child you also lost the ability have future children. But that is not all, you have lost too much blood, and for our kind a loss of this amount can be deadly. So you are alive by mere chance, but your body is fighting to stay alive, and it will slowly shut down on you, so it is your choice what you want to do. I can help you, but in order for me to do this, you will need to give up immortality, for if you survive you will not be immortal but mortal. And if you choose to not fight, I will make it as painless as possible for you. But I beg you to make a decision you can live with."
Hera looked at him, not only was she not able to conceive future children but if she chose to live it would be as an immortal. She had seen what the Gods and their decisions did to the mortal world, and she wanted no part of that, nor did she want to live the rest of her immortal days knowing that she couldn't have children. She had decided what she was to do even before he had finished speaking.
"I would like to see my children, ask them to come and see me. And Apollo?" She said as he stood up and walked towards the door.
He stopped and looked at her, "Yes?"
"Thank you, for all you have done. I know, this is hard for you because of what you feel towards me, but it can never work out between us. I truly am sorry you had to suffer for the decisions of others, and I am sorry for the pain I put your mother through, I had no right, but my vindictiveness knew no bounds and I took my anger out on the wrong person. I hope one day, you and Artemis will be able to forgive me. Also can you send in Hades before you send in my children?"
"Of course, my Queen." Apollo walked away confused, she had known and never said anything? Why would she keep that a secret to herself? Why not tell, his father? Zeus could've punished him for even entertaining the notion, but maybe she was flattered that someone else could love her. As he walked out, he ran right into the man whom Hera had asked for, Hades.
Hades looked at Apollo's face and knew that something terrible was happening, never had he seen such a forlorn look on Apollo's face, it couldn't have just been the fact that he had to deliver the news of Hera's miscarriage to his sister, but it was something else, but before he had a chance to ask, the young god spoke, "Hades, Hera has asked for you. I am off, to fetch her children, it's only right that they spend time with their mother before…"
"Before what?" Hades asked looking at the dismal look in Apollo's eyes. If only he didn't have this foreboding feeling. But he walked into Hera's room.
She seemed small in that huge bed of hers, and why did it seem as if she were losing her color, her hair, which was once a luminescent auburn now seemed to be a murky almost brown color. Even her eyes seemed dull, those that once shown like the gem they so resembled, he could notice the difference in his sister even before she spoke.
"Hades, you came. If you could help me sit up, so that we may speak," she said with a thin smile.
Hades helped her sit up, and couldn't really look at her in the eyes, knowing what he had done; he was never going to be able to forgive himself. She reached for his hand, and he could feel her waning strength in the way she squeezed his hand.
"Brother, do not trouble yourself with what happened, you did not know. But that does not mean that I forgive you, I do not. Ultimately it was you, who killed my future child, but I do not hold you at fault, I hold your wife at fault, her and your anger. For I know that you were not thinking straight, but you must know that I did not attack Persephone as she has claimed, in that you must believe me brother. I would never harm your wife, without cause, and we have been enjoying peace. But what I called you in here demands my immediate attention I am dying. Yes, Hades. I am dying and no there is no other way out of it, I am sorry to tell you such bad news, but you have to promise me something, which is why I wanted to see you."
"What is it?"
"You must promise me, that whatever happens you will take care of my children. Protect them from themselves if you have to. For I know they will not take this well. As for Zeus, what he does or how he takes this is none of my concern. Apollo must not be blamed, for this is my decision. I do not wish to live any longer in a world that can be this cruel and a world that is governed by the whims of gods. So you must promise that you will not let Apollo blame himself, for my decision or let my children blame him. This is my decision, I know the consequences and I accept them."
Hades had not expected that, he always thought his sister was a fighter, but knew that because she had lost her child, she had lost any fight and hope she had in her, so he would do as she asked, and care for her children, as if they were his own. He would make sure that they did not suffer, and that they of what a great woman Hera was. "I promise, sister. I truly am sorry, please forgive me, if I could take it back I would. Believe me, when I say, had I known I never would've struck you, but I know now, that it is too late, but I will take care of your children, I will guide them and let them remember only the good times. This I promise you sister."
"I know, thank you, Hades. Maybe in another lifetime we will meet again, and we can start fresh. Now please send in my children, I wish to spend the time I have left with them, let no one know of what is wrong, especially Zeus. Make sure he doesn't enter this bedchamber, as long as I'm still alive. And Hades?"
He looked at her, "Yes, Hera?"
"I love you, αδελφός.*"
"And I you, λουλούδι.**"
Hades walked out to see Apollo walking over with Hebe, Ares and Hephaestus in tow towards their mothers room, and knew that this was going to be harder than expected, her children would not accept her decision as gracefully as she had, Ares would blame him and Zeus, for it was ultimately their fault that this was happening, but he would deal with that when it was time, for now he would go and speak to his wife about why she had lied to him.
Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus walked into their mother's room and noticed how small she looked, they stood by the foot of her bed, until she patted the bed, and they all crawled up to lay with her. Ares' head lay on her lap, while Hephaestus and Hebe each claimed a shoulder, they were transformed to children and they couldn't help but wonder why their mother was acting so strange. They were content to lay there with her, for as long as she'd like.
Ares felt his mom run her hand through his hair, in the soothing manner that only she could execute, and he relaxed, while she kissed the top of both, Hebe's and Hephaestus' head, she hugged her children closer to her, and remained that way, until she felt the life being drawn out of her, she wouldn't leave her children just yet, not without telling them one last time, what they meant to her.
"Ares, Hephaestus, Hebe. Look at me darlings; I want you to know something. No matter happens, I want you to know, that I love each and every one of you. When you came into my life it was one of the happiest days of my life, and never forget that. Never forget that I love you, and that I always will, do I make myself clear?"
She hugged them, and then kissed them one more time, as she leaned back against the pillows she smiled knowing that she had spent her last moments with her children, and that she loved them more than anything in this world and that would never change. As she closed her eyes, she smiled knowing that they would be taken care of, now she could finally rest.
*Brother
**Flower
