Fields of Elysium Chapter V
The uneasy, wrong feeling that followed that night was something Hera had never experienced before, and it bothered her. It wasn't a feeling she was keen on repeating.
Not that she had regrated it. Which put her in a dilemma that took more than a few days to grapple with. It probably would've taken her even longer, but Naruto was mortal. He deserved at least an explanation, and he didn't have all that long to wait for it. So she sought help, from the one place she knew she wouldn't be judged.
She went to see her mother.
Flashback
Rhea, Titan of Motherhood and mother of gods, sat on a chair in her apartment, drinking tea and listening to her youngest daughter's story.
"You seem to have had quite a challenging time." She commented simply when Hera stopped. "What were you planning to do now?"
"I… was hoping you would tell me that. What am I supposed to do?"
"Darling, I am your mother, and I will help you to the best of my ability with whatever you need, but I can't make those decisions for you. There comes a time in any mother's life when her children are finally ready to leave the nest. It's a bittersweet moment."
"We've all flown the nest a long time ago."
"Maybe." Rhea shrugged. "But tell me, this little mortal of yours, what are you going to do with him?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think he is worth risking everything for? Because that is what you are doing, dear, don't forget that. Or do you intend to use him to deal with your pent-up emotions and leave him?"
"You haven't asked me if I love him."
"Did you want me to?" Hera couldn't give an answer to that. "I can't tell you what to do, or how to feel. That would defeat the whole purpose of you growing up. I can only tell you that, whatever you decide to do, I will support you."
"You will? Even against Zeus?"
"I only want you to be happy." Rhea sipped her team calmly, carefully watching her daughter as she wrestled with her emotions. For all her centuries of marriage, she was always bad with them. "What's your mortal's name?" She tried to give Hera a break from heavy topics for at least a moment.
"His name is Naruto Uzumaki. He owns a small vineyard in upstate New York."
"Well, whatever you decide to do, you'd best hurry. You'll start showing in a few weeks." At her daughter's blank look, Rhea motioned to her midsection.
"What!"
Flashback end
With her mind made up, and now contending with an even shorter time limit, all that was left was to speak with Naruto. Whatever she decided, he deserved to know the truth.
Flashback
She'd messaged ahead, to let him know she was coming, that there were things they needed to talk about, but standing now in front of his door, for the first time in her very long existence she felt nervous. The night was already bound to be difficult, and could easily go horrendously wrong. Hera would never admit it, but her hand shook as she reached for the doorbell.
Naruto opened the door. He was dressed casually, and trying very hard to keep the apprehension off his face. "Iphigenia, come in, please."
"Good evening, Naruto." He led her to the living room again, where a bottle of wine and two glasses were waiting. "As my message said, there are things we must discuss, so it would be better to keep our wits about us."
"Don't worry, it's store-bought this time. I had a feeling we were going to need it. Or at least I will." He shrugged, sitting down in an armchair.
He'd left her the sofa, withdrawing into himself as he sat, clearly preparing for a painful discussion. "I see no need to beat around the bush, as it were, so I'll just cut straight to the point. That night should never have happened, and I don't regret a second of it." The glass he was lifting paused in mid-air as he stared at her, wide-eyed.
"You… don't?"
"I take my marriage vows very seriously, so I only regret that I broke them. But if we were to end up in a similar situation again, I don't think I would be strong enough to resist you."
"Oh." He said dumbly as his brain worked to catch up with her words. "But what about your husband?"
"I do not think I have loved my husband in a very long time. But before that, there is something else to discuss. Tell me, what do you know of Greek mythology?"
Flashback end
Never before had Hera been ashamed of how the stories portrayed her, but she'd steeled her resolve and told Naruto everything about her past.
Flashback
"Hera." Naruto repeated slowly as the goddess finished her story.
"I'm sure you appreciate the difficult position I find myself in." She nodded.
"Hera…"
"My domain is marriage, and for all my existence I never thought I'd be unfaithful to my husband, even with all his various infidelities. That is not to say I… Naruto?"
"… Hera…"
"Oh." The blond was looking off into the distance, unblinking. Hera sighed and sat in his lap, bringing him into a quick kiss. "Better?"
"… Hera…" He repeated, but a mischievous grin formed on his lips. She rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder.
"Oh, stop that." He let out a laugh, bringing out one from her as well.
"Sorry, sorry. It's just a bit overwhelming."
"Just a bit?" She raised her eyebrow. He shrugged.
"And you kissed me just now."
"I did."
"Sober and unprompted."
"Yes. I told you I didn't regret it."
"And I bet you want to do it again." She rolled her eyes again, but gave him another peck. "I'm in love with you, you know?"
"I know. That makes everything much easier. I never believed in love at first sight."
"I do."
"I noticed." She said dryly, earning another chuckle. "Nevertheless, I am still the Goddess of Marriage, and I am still married, so we must put any physical relationship on halt."
"Shame." He grinned suggestively at her. She hummed in agreement and brought him in for another kiss.
"The kisses, too, will have to stop."
"You're the one that's been kissing me."
"So I am. Last one, then, before I lose myself." She kissed him one more time before standing up and moving back to the couch. After a moment's thought she grasped his hands and brought him along with her. "It is very important for you to know that I love you." She smiled at him, a small but genuine smile that made her eyes sparkle. "And that we could be together for a long time, if only you wait for me."
"For that smile, I'll wait forever if I have to."
"I'll hardly make you wait that long." Hera took his hand and put it on her stomach. "You'll have your hands full soon."
"Already?" His eyes widened. "After one night?"
"I'm sure our daughter will keep you busy as I turn my attention to Zeus. Our little Helen."
"Helen." He repeated awed. "When will she…?"
"I could bring her out right now, but I want to do it the way mortals do. So nine months."
"But that's so little time. I have to buy her things, and get her room ready, and… I have to call my mom!" He paused with a grimace. "She's gonna kill me!"
"I'm sure it will be fine."
"You don't know my mother." Naruto deadpanned. "Will you stay here?" He asked after a few moments of silence, trying not to sound too hopeful.
"I would love to, but I think it would be too dangerous for the both of us, and not only because some of my kin could learn about you before the time is right." He chuckled. "No, I will stay with my mother and my eldest sister. I've already spoken with mother, and Hestia can easily be convinced. I trust them to keep me safe."
"Maybe next time, then." He gave her a sad smile.
"Maybe next time." She agreed. "Please remember that I love you. I will see you again in nine months." She stood up, leaving her glass untouched on the table. She took a step towards the door, paused, and turned back, bringing Naruto into one final kiss. As he closed his eyes, caught up in the moment, there was a flash of light, and Hera was gone before he could open them.
Flashback end
As she had thought, her sister was easy enough to convince, especially since Hera already had their mother on her side.
Staying with them for the nine months of her pregnancy had been nice. They did a fantastic job putting up with her mood swings and strange cravings, but the pining was the worst of it, and she was sure she'd gotten on both of their nerves constantly. But she'd never missed anyone as much as she missed Naruto during that time.
Her sister was bemused during most days. Hera was sure Hestia never expected anything even remotely like her current situation to happen. She'd taken the impending change in their family a lot better than Hera would've predicted.
Her mother, on the other hand, was ecstatic, and Hera could not understand why. It was almost like Rhea was happy about her plans, which was honestly ludicrous. Zeus was still her son, and her favorite, as she and the rest of her sibling knew well.
At the same time, the nine months passed both quicker than she's thought, and slower than she'd feared, until it was finally time to bring her daughter into the world. With her mother and sister acting as midwives, it wasn't too long until Hera held the child in her hands. Maye something was wrong with her, she was sure some already thought so, but even after all her other children, she'd realized only then why Leto went through the pain she did, the pain Hera put her through, to give birth to her twins.
Her family left the two of them alone for a moment, and, for the first time in millennia, Hera cried, holding her daughter tightly.
Flashback
As the ninth moth came, Naruto would spend each evening sitting on his armchair, which he turned to look towards the door, and waiting, sometimes with a mythology book and sometimes with a glass of wine, but always with one eye on the door at all times.
So, when a bright spark appeared in front of him, he knew enough to close his eyes before Hera's entrance burned them out.
"That wasn't necessary, I can leave your eyes be if I wish." Her voice was lighter than last time, and the smile he saw when he opened his eyes a little bigger. "And I happen to like your eyes." She held a small bundle of light yellow cloth in her hands. The book Naruto was reading dropped to the floor as he shot up and moved to her swiftly.
"Is that her?" Hera smiled at him and put the bundle in his hands, adjusting his hold slightly. Stormy blue eyes opened up, staring at him in curiosity.
"Helen, meet your father."
If Naruto cried as he held his daughter, well, Hera certainly couldn't blame him.
