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"We are unfortunate however because we are immortals."
Iris carefully arranged the narratives submitted by the deities and placed the irregularities she had seen in a note for her mistress to judge later on. The sun was setting and it was time for Iris to wake up her mistress. Iris went out of Hera's study and flew towards the chambers of her mistress.
As she arrived in front of the room, Iris noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Iris raised her guard as she saw the person who entered through the narrow opening. She drew out a sigh of relief to find that it was only Hestia. Hestia sat on a chair besides the marriage bed of Hera. Her gaze was intent on Hera and it was a sweet sight to see.
If they were normal mortals, they would have depicted an older sister caring for her sick younger sister.
By call of courtesy, she knocked even though the door was slightly open. It was their tradition that if the door is open or ajar, it means that anything and anyone is welcome to enter. She could never barge in on Hera because when Hera had accepted her as her maid, her first firm rule was that to respect her privacy.
"Mistress, I have come as you ordered to wake you." Iris claimed and Hera opened her eyes and slowly rose from her bed. She was perplexed to see the room so dim when she had left all the curtains knotted. Judging from the titian glow of light from the gaps, the sun is beginning to set. It was the perfect time to wake up to prepare for the wedding later on at twilight.
"Thank you Iris, go and prepare my matrimonial vestments." Hera ordered while yawning softly. She felt the jolt of pain near her upper left rib as she tried to stretch out her arms. Athena has really surpassed her now. If she hadn't slightly averted her spear because Hera's sudden advance, it would have hit her heart directly.
"Yes, your highness." Iris answered and went on her way to carry out the task given to her.
"They grow up so fast. . . "Hera muttered into the nothingness.
"Yes they do but where do you think you are going, dear queen?" Hestia remarked on a spur of a moment that made Hera sprang to action and immediately pulled the golden dagger out of her pillow. Hera sighed in relief to find that it was only Hestia. She hadn't notice because her sister stood beside her bed's canopy. Hestia stepped back in surprise of Hera's agility.
"Goodness gracious! Is that how you greet your husband when he comes here?" Hestia exclaimed as Hera returns the dagger in its original place.
"If you only know why I hide daggers under my pillow, Hestia." Hera said in her mind. She had never divulged to anyone other than her foster parents what Zeus did to her hundreds of centuries ago. It had caused her a deep trauma that made her paranoid to assailants, most especially in their bedroom where she is most vulnerable.
It never healed completely.
"Why must you meddle with my affairs, Hestia?" Hera irritatingly replied as she stood up and faced Hestia with scorn etched on her face.
"I am your sister and isn't it natural for me to worry about my siblings?" Hestia jestingly retorted and Hera smiled because of her sister's witty answer. Hestia had always been wise in her replies and her depth might not be as deep as her own but it was certainly unique.
"Speaking of siblings, where is Zeus?" Hera averted the subject and Hestia's eyes darted in all directions as she looked for the right words to impart her message clearly. Hera saw the alarm in Hestia's face and she knew instantly that her good-for-nothing husband had gone fishing on two rivers again.
"He went to Earth." Hestia told the half-truth and Hera closed her eyes. Of course he would go to Earth and look for his doll-eyed mistress to amuse himself whilst she was injured. Hera felt disgusted by his insensitiveness to the core and she might just kill him in cold blood if he ever pops out of nowhere at this very moment.
"Sister, you may leave now. " Hera removed the bandaging around her bust and revealed her wound that had become a bruise in such a short time. Immortal deities have the ability to regenerate rapidly and it didn't surprise Hestia. The worst injury Hera could have now judging from the bruise was a shoulder strain.
There was nothing left much to worry about other than the tension between Hera and Zeus.
"Before I leave, I want to say that Zeus loves you very much. He loves you in ways that you cannot see as of now." Hestia said firmly to gain the attention Hera. Her statement made Hera laugh in vain.
"Did Zeus tell you to say that to me? Isn't it illogical to say he loves me while rummaging the Earth for mortal mistresses?" Hera sarcastically rebutted. She was never enough for him. After all this years, those expressions of love were meaningless. If Zeus really meant them, then he would have stayed faithful to her.
She would have been more than enough.
He doesn't love her as much she does.
Their marriage was razed to deepest pits of Hell from the start.
"I do not wish to debate with you sister. All I want is for you to be happy and fulfilled. We all know that you love Zeus with every ounce of your heart and it is why you remained faithful to him despite his atrocious acts. If you would just open your hearts to one another, you will see what I mean dear sister. Please give it a chance." Hestia softly spoke to touch Hera's heart but the only thing she saw in Hera's face was pure disdain.
"Don't you dare counsel me on what I should do to fix our marriage. Know your place, Hestia. You know nothing of our marriage." Hera said in a stern cold voice and Hestia flinched. Hera had dramatically changed and it saddened her to witness how the affectionate and cheerful Hera had grown stone cold.
Hera on the other hand, regretted how she imparted her point to her dearest sister. Hestia had always been so kind and understanding to her. She was the only one among her sibling who stood by her despite of what she had become and now she was pushing her away. Fear gripped her heart as Hestia might also leave her; then again she was not to blame.
"It is humorous how Zeus almost said the same thing. Worry not, I will go. I love you sister, take care of yourself." Hestia replied with a smile and she left in peace. Hera wanted to chase after her and apologized but she wasn't able to. It would mean that she didn't mean her previous words enough to take them back immediately. Hera calmed herself by reminding that she could just do her a favour for her when she asks for anything.
Iris arrived with Hera's vestments of flowing loose long-sleeved ivory chiton gown that reached slightly beyond her feet and it was embroidered with glittering diamond sequences. Iris attached the golden arm bracelets of Hera where the queen's regalia were embedded. Iris tucked in the loose sleeves inside the arm bracelet and assisted her mistress in wearing the emerald stone necklace that Zeus had given her on the day of their marriage. Hera only wears the fine jewel every time she attends a wedding. Hera finished her preparation by wearing her diadem that symbolizes of her affinity with matrimony.
"You look magnificent, my lady." Iris commented and Hera smiled at her. They descended to Earth to Argos where Pygmalion and Galatea will wed. They had chosen the best reception for the marriage because it will be held in the pantheon of Hera, the goddess of marriage.
Hera had hidden themselves from mortal eyes and watched as the wedding unfolded from the giant golden statue of her that was carved by the humans. Hera sat on the statue's left shoulder and Iris sat on the opposite shoulder. It was romantic to witness weddings as sweet as this. After all, Galatea was once an inanimate object and it was because of Pygmalion's unrequited love that moved Aphrodite to give life to Galatea.
Hera's magic lingered all over the place and the room to the eyes of the goddesses glowed as bright as the morning dawn. It was such a shame that the mortals were oblivious to it. Hera's light serves two purposes; one is to repel any evil that wishes to threaten the marriage and the other was to bless the marriage with prosperity and abounding love and affection. The light particles floats like snow in the winter and different shapes of light continuously moves and spread their particles. They looked like angels and they were all absorbed by the couple's wedding rings. The metaphor they say is true; the magic stays within the ring. In this way, they would always have Hera's blessing as long as they wear the ring.
"May they remain faithful and loving to each other." Iris said as she looked at Hera who bore a sad smile on her face. She must be thinking of her own marriage. Sympathy surged through Iris as she remembered how chaotic her mistress' marriage is. Deep down, Iris knows that Hera wanted to fix their marriage but she was too damaged to fix anything else.
All she could do is to prevent the same thing to happen as much as possible by blessing marriages with her powers. Yes it is true that she has the power to curse marriages but she would do so if the marriage was adulterous.
"Humans are more faithful to their wives or husbands than we." Hera stated and Iris jumped by the sudden comment of her mistress. Iris strongly objected to that with all her heart. Hera herself was the very proof that deities are more faithful to their vows than any other creatures. How could her mistress say such a thing?
"I beg to differ my lady but you are the most faithful wife I have ever encountered. I have always looked up to you as a role model for married women." Iris imparted with so much feelings that she almost slipped on her seat.
"It is not that, child. It is because humans do not live forever. They meet their demise sooner or later. Death is somehow convenient because of the separation it brings. "The melancholy in Hera's voice had reached Iris and it mixed with the bafflement in her mind. Her mistress profoundness is unmatched but death was a rare topic. Why was her mistress glad in the thought of separation? Shouldn't she fear it?
"Your majesty, your mind is unfathomable like the ocean, would you enlighten my shallowness?" Iris humbly replied and Hera looked at her in the eyes. There was no glimmer in them and they looked so hollow. Their iciness sent shivers to her body.
"The thought of separation is important to any relationship." Hera said directly. She averted her gaze back to the newly wedded couple. She propped herself comfortably and took a deep breath before she spoke.
"After all, one will realize the value of a person when that person is no longer there. That same fear, my dearest Iris, is what binds marriages together. They fear the inevitable loss of their spouse. We are unfortunate however because we are immortals. There was nothing to fear."