Through the Grapevine
A blanket of thick black clouds covered the vast city of Thebes. The goddess's dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she watched the mortals rushing to get indoors, a faint smile gracing her usual solemn and often angry face, her features softening, making her look more youthful and gentler than she had looked in many centuries as her eye caught sight of a young couple, hand in hand running through the winding streets to get home, laughing as they did so, the freezing downpour not once dampening their gay spirits. Hera knew them to be lovers and if her instinct and keen observation was correct, as it usually was, these two should soon be married and from their ease and openness with each other, would go on to have very happy lives together.
"And yet, I cannot always be the best judge of who will have a happy marriage and who will not" Hera said to herself, her heart thumping at the rush of thoughts passing through her mind, all the times she had got it wrong, despite her attempts of make things work for those who deserved happy marriages. For all her fearsome and grim reputation for being a jealous, vindictive Goddess, Hera still found joy in many things and was not always so prone to anger, nor hate. She had in her heart forgiven many of Zeus's past affairs and misdeeds, yet she could not look upon his bastard offspring without the remembrance of what her husband had done.
Feeling the need for calm, now more than ever, she transported herself to her sacred garden. The golden -Hesperides, daughters of Nyx greeted her warmly as they tended to and guarded her garden and its plants.
"Sister?"
Hera turned upon hearing the voice of Hestia, her beloved older sister, with whom she shared so many of her looks. Hestia was a tall goddess, plump in figure and features, with an overall cheery disposition. Hera in contrast was rather small, willowy in figure and grace, yet as stubborn and unmoving as the mighty oak. They shared the same kind, dark eyes and curled auburn hair, but in nature they were very different. While the sisters shared a protective and proud nature of their work, and shared a certain kinship when it came to family duty and the home, Hestia was ever kind, forgiving, nurturing and calm. Oh, she could have a wild temper on her whenever something or someone threatened her family or the mortal families and homes she diligently watched over, but for the most part her personality was soft, warm and welcoming. Hera in contrast was sharp, unapproachable and sour for the most part. She was quick to anger and had a volatile nature about her since her youth. She guarded her realm and secrets jealously, was intensely loyal to her family and so many conflicting aspects of her personality, shifting from kind, generous and loving in one moment, to gloomy, bitter and silent in another, made even those closest to her wary of being in her company for too long, for fear of upsetting or offending the Queen and thus incurring her famous wrath. Well, all except Hestia that is.
"I was not expecting to find you here" she said, "How is Demeter?" Hera asked after embracing her sister tightly.
"Doing better now, I think" the elder replied as they sat down on one of the many fine white marble and gold benches in Hera's special garden. The sweet scent of roses, wild orchids and other beautiful blooms wafted through the air, giving off a relaxed, calming effect that Hestia knew her sister desperately needed. Her keen eye caught something glittering gold in the light of the setting sun.
"How are your apples growing now?"
Hera smiled, turning her gaze to the magnificent tree that took centre stage in her garden, a wedding gift from her grandmother, Gaia, the Earth itself. "They are thriving" she told Hestia happily, "I was worried they wouldn't take to the garden at all, but in the past few centuries the tree has planted its roots firmly and my apples grow ever healthier and strong each year"
Hestia's smile turned playful and she chuckled, "You remember all that Demeter told you about proper care for the tree and fruit don't you?"
Hera laughed and nodded, "Of course I do, she hardly let me forget it at the wedding feast and for weeks after. I am sure that I went to sleep that night with proper planting and apple tree care instructions still in my mind"
Hestia shrugged, "Well, if it has helped to to keep your tree as lovely and healthy as this, then I think Demeter will be very proud when next she visits the garden. Tell me, how long has it been?"
"About two-hundred years" Hera confirmed after barely a moment's hesitation, "She is very busy with her own duties and rarely has time to visit my garden anymore"
Hestia shook her head solemnly, "That is a shame, for I know that she would be thrilled with how well you've tended to the area"
Hera waved off her concern with a laugh, "Oh, I am not worried. I see her enough at gatherings and besides, you are here now to admire and appreciate my efforts, which is all I care for in this moment"
"Is Zeus permitted into this space?" Hestia dared to ask.
Hera's cheerful look faded slightly and Hestia was beginning to regret brining him up.
"My husband is not denied entry to this space" Hera said quietly, a sad kind of smile on her lips, "He has not chosen to share my garden. I am grateful for it in a way, though I would like to show him one day"
"You have planted several of his favourite plants I perceive" Hestia observed.
Hera nodded, her more cheerful smile returning. "Yes, they aren't just his favourites though. I have come to regard them as some of my own as well"
The two fell into a comfortable silence until Hera broke it by speaking in as casual a tone as possible, "There is a violent storm over the city of Thebes"
Hestia's clear brow furrowed and she nodded with a hum. "Has Zeus any reason to be angry with the city? As far as I am aware he could not accuse the citizens of neglect. He received many handsome sacrifices during the festival I remember"
Hera nodded, starting to regret bringing the conversation up, the tight, awful feeling of dread and unease blooming in her chest as she remembered what had occurred at the festival. The Olympians had all been there in disguise, awaiting their sacrifices and offerings. Zeus and Hera, as King and Queen of the Olympians got the best sacrifices, but Hera's mind had wondered from the celebrations upon sending her husband a fleeting glance. He was staring at a fine young woman, dark skinned with shinning hair the shade of ebony. Hera could have mistaken the look as any God appreciating the fine work of a priestess, and a princess of Thebes no less. But upon close inspection of the two of them, her unease grew as she noticed the girl also sending her husband the same looks, each growing more long, heated and dark as the long hours passed. But Hera had little to worry about during the festival, for Zeus's attention, while definitely fixed on the princess, also returned most frequently to Hera, choosing ultimately to devote his time, love and thoughts on his beloved wife instead of a new conquest.
"Yes, I believe he was very pleased with the festival" she murmured with a smile, standing to bid her sister farewell and promising to visit her as soon as the next opportunity allowed her to do so.
As soon as Hestia was gone from the garden, Hera went instantly back to the spot overlooking the city of Thebes.
Her far seeing eyes peered through the thick cloudbank, clearly a desperate ploy by her Husband to keep divine eyes from prying. For she knew it was Zeus. It had to be her husband, all the signs pointed to him committing one of his usual misdeeds again.
After scanning the entire city without luck, the goddess now turned her focus onto the palace itself, dreading with each moment what her eyes would witness.
They were locked in a passionate embrace, the firelight making their slicked bodies shine as they touched and kissed and whispered sweet nothings into each other's ears. And when her husband lowered Semele down onto the luxurious silken sheets with a tenderness that made Hera surprised she could no longer bare to watch the act as he began to kiss and bite a trail down her hot, beautiful form.
In her own dark and lonely room, Hera sat down on her own bed, wringing her hands and dress, pulling her hair from its thick braid and decided that she would think of how best to deal with the situation in the morning after she had time to process the fact that Zeus had taken yet another lover.
Would she ever know peace from all this?
*************************************
It was several long hours before Zeus decided to show his face. He entered their shared chamber looking undeniably, unashamedly satisfied with himself.
"Good evening," Hera said curly, pouring them both some of the sweet honeyed nectar that they all enjoyed so much on Olympus. Hera did most definitely love the drink, especially as it and the Ambrosia they ate was in fact a wedding gift from Zeus himself, won in worthy competition and crafted by a nymph, one of Zeus's own nursemaids from his infancy. Originally it had just been regular honey, yet when Zeus had decreed that the thick golden liquid was now sacred to the gods, it was from then on transformed into Ambrosia and nectar, the food and drink of the gods. However, she did at times wish that they had other things to drink besides Nectar. "You have been a while" Hera commented lightly as she watched Zeus drain his goblet.
He regarded her with his piercing grey eyes, ever changing shade with his mood, sometimes being silvery blue, others as black as the darkest storm cloud. And yet those eyes always held a certain magnetic power, making a person unable to resist, yet wary of the undeniable power radiating from their owner.
Zeus shrugged, loosening his green and gold chiton and sitting on the bed with a contented sigh, moving his head from side to side to release the tension held there, his whitish blond curls falling over his broad shoulders, a sharp contrast with the deep olive hue.
Putting down her own drink, Hera moved behind and began to rub his neck and shoulders slowly and methodically, helping him to relax.
"How was Thebes?" she ventured to ask after a while of listening to the sounds of the cracking fire and Zeus's sighs and hums as her soft hands worked to relieve him. She could feel him tense under her touch and now worked harder to relax him, moving one hand to caress his face and hair, trailing fondly over his magnificent beard and shining locks, "I merely ask," said she, moving lower to trail lightly over his neck where she knew he liked and down his chest, "because I noticed the terrible storm over the city earlier" Zeus relaxed and moved closer to her touch, smiling adoringly at her and beginning his own sweet caresses along her pale arms and thigh.
"Yes," he assured her smoothly with a shrug, "One of the priestesses was negligent yesterday about my sacrifice. She will not be so again, I assure you"
"I am certain of it" Hera smiled, "Tell me, husband, how did you punish the girl? Not too severely I hope. She may still be young and inexperienced with the sacrificial rites"
Zeus shook his head with a laugh, squeezing her thigh just a bit too tightly for Hera's liking and she responded by digging her nails into his shoulder blade, hoping to make him wince, yet having the opposite effect, for Zeus let out a satisfied groan, leaning into her touch again. Hera sighed silently, knowing that Zeus was not going to reveal anything to her. He was a wily spirit, constantly one step ahead of her. She would need to be craftier than this if she was going to discover more about this affair.
But for now, she turned her undivided attention to pleasing her husband, taking him into her arms with heated kisses and caresses, determined to make him fall in love with her all over again as he once had, and even more so, to make him forget that beautiful Theban princess.
It was dawn the next day when Hera awoke, sore, yet not entirely satisfied with the evening before. Zeus had certainly enjoyed himself and was even now still snoring away, held deeply in the invisible embrace of Hypnos.
Hera lay there for several minutes longer, having little will to get out of bed, yet knowing that she had a task to perform sat up with a soft groan, combing fingers through her messy hair and attempting to remove some of the knots. She felt so tired, despite having more than enough rest. Did gods even really need to rest? Thinking about it for a moment, Hera decided that it didn't really matter as she still felt exhausted. She had felt exhausted for as long as she could remember.
Perhaps I should take a break from my duties she thought, pulling on the same dress from the day before without really caring that she hadn't bathed. I'll do it later she told herself, I won't be seeing many people today anyway.
An idea occurred to her and she smiled. I'll gather my sisters and we can visit mother. We haven't seen her together in such a long while.
Feeling much brighter at the idea, she hurried for Demeter's gardens, even more vast and splendid than her own, yet far more wild looking compared to the neat and orderly sanctuary of Hera's. Demeter vastly preferred to let things grow as free as possible and to only care and maintain the garden so as to let it be as healthy and natural looking as possible while still keeping up its maintenance.
"Good morning!" Hera greeted her sister, ignoring all of the dirt on Demeter's clothes and hands to draw the surprised goddess into an enthusiastic embrace, "Your garden looks lovely this morning, Demeter"
Still shocked at Hera's sudden appearance, Demeter thanked her and then proceeded to ask why she was there.
Hera explained her desire for all three sisters to visit their mother Rhea.
Demeter shook her head, "I cannot leave my gardens this morning, and I have a full day of helping the mortals with their upcoming harvest. It's such a busy time for me that I hardly ever get a free moment these days" Then watching her younger sister's face fall slightly she hastily added "But I'm sure that we may go and see her another day together. And to make up for it we can perhaps make it a longer visit than usual"
Hera's smile returned, though more subdued than before and for an instant Demeter perceived that her eyes seemed glassy, but Hera had turned away and bidding her sister a warm farewell and promise to visit again soon, along with a pointed invitation to her own magnificent garden, she was gone, leaving a rather confused and slightly guilty goddess standing in the garden alone once more. However, Demeter's guilt did not last long, nor did her thoughts wander any more to her sister or her planned visit, upon spying a large clump of weeds right by her rose bushes.
Hera now stood outside Hestia's home, now doubting somewhat if her plan to ask her elder sister to see Rhea was a good one. Shaking her head at her own foolishness she opened the door, for it was always unlocked and Hestia made a point of making no one feel the need to knock.
Hestia's hall was finely lit and had a very warm, homely feel to it, much like its owner. There was always the scents of baked bread wafting through the air, though Hera couldn't quite be sure if this was her own imagination as she could never seem to ever see an actual oven in the house. She supposed that as Hestia was the goddess of not just the Hearth but also the home as well, that her house would always smell like the comforts of a home, such as freshly baked bread which Hera had always been partial to the smell of.
At the very center of the home was a large, magnificent heath blazing warmly. Around it were chairs, benches, plush cushions and rugs, a place for people to gather and make merry in the goddesses home when it suited them, or to be welcomed or comforted whenever they should need it. Hestia's domain was always a prime spot for those who just needed a moment to slow down and relax. Hera herself had spent many a pleasant afternoon or evening in her sister's home, all the stress, anger and grief of her life falling away from her in that precious time spent in Hestia's loving company. In fact Hera recalled with fondness how Hestia had comforted her much in the weeks leading up to her wedding, remembering with displeasure the exact circumstances that had led up to her marrying Zeus and how Hestia had been there for her through it all and all this time beyond that.
I really should make sure to do something to show that I am grateful Hera thought as she caught sight of Hestia tending to her Hearth as was her usual custom in the home.
"Sister," she cried in delighted surprise, wrapping her warmly in an embrace, "I did not expect to see you again so soon, tell me what can I do for you today?"
Hera started and wondered briefly if she should tell Hestia about Zeus and the Theban princess. But then she decided against it, reasoning that she had already burdened Hestia enough over the years with her rages and agony over Zeus's affairs. Hestia must be sick of hearing about them constantly she told herself sadly.
Shaking her head she smiled widely and said "How would you like to visit mother with me today?"
Hestia looked pleased but puzzled. This sudden desire of Hera's was not really uncommon, but Hestia felt uneasy at the timing, her mind rushing back to the storm over Thebes Hera had mentioned the day previously and wondered if this wish to see their mother was linked to that event.
"I have a few things to finish here this morning, but I shall be glad to accompany you as soon as my tasks are complete. Please make yourself at home while I tend to my duties"
Hera smiled with pleasure, her beautiful eyes shining and she leaned back into one of the soft cushions, watching Hestia lazily as the elder went about with her chores.
In the back of her mind however, an idea was beginning to form about how to deal with her Husband and his now lover.
But for the while, she was content to focus on her family, for family had always been the most important thing to Hera.