Prologue

Light & Darkness

“For you are the future, born of both light and darkness, to bring an end to the reign of the tyrant King. For you are the reason that Heaven and Hell will coexist eternally.... for you are both Light & Darkness.” - The Moirai

Prologue

“Come on, Hera, you can do it. Just one more push and she will be here.”

“Do not tell me to push...”

“But sweetheart...”

“But sweetheart, my ass, do not tell me what to do, for you are the reason I am in this situation!!!” Hera screeched as a contraction passed through her again.

“Hera, honey, I need you to focus. I need for you to push once more so that we may meet your beautiful baby girl,” said Rhea.

“Fine, fine. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!” Hera screamed as she pushed for the last time to bring into the world her child, their child. Exhausted from the throes of childbirth, Hera, laid back against the cool tiles of the bath tub letting them cool her heated and sweaty body.

“You did great my love.” Hera could only hum her reply letting him know that she heard him as she was too tired to do anything else. However, expecting the usual cry of a baby being brought into the world, she was concerned when she heard none. ‘Something is wrong,’ Hera thought when she saw the baby’s father rush to her mother’s side. When she still did not hear the familiar cry from her baby, her worry grew.

“What’s wrong? What’s happening? Someone, tell me something!” Hera yelled, as she used the surge of energy that came over her to sit upright, worried about the condition of her daughter.

“It’s alright, sweetheart, nothing is wrong, she’s fine, see for yourself,” he told Hera as he leaned forward over the bathtub so that she could see their child. She gasped, for she was in awe at the sight of her curious baby girl, who looked around at her surroundings. Her daughter took everything in that she could with fresh eyes, not yet tainted with the view of the world and its inhabitants. She was indeed beautiful and a carbon copy of Hera herself, save for the features that she took from her father. She had Hera’s tan smooth skin with freckles lightly gracing her nose and cheeks, hazel green eyes that already demanded attention and respect. Though Hera had already detected that her daughter inherited her unruly curly hair texture, she had acquired the jet black color from that of her father.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she? She looks exactly like you.”

With tears in her eyes, Hera replied, “Yes, she is, though she has your hair color and dimples,” with a slight smirk gracing her lips.

“She has the best features of you both. She is the perfect replica of you two,” said Rhea from where she stood watching the scene laid before her, of her children and their daughter, her precious granddaughter.

After Hera had fed their daughter and saw that she fell asleep, the father took her to the room where they would be resting while Hera cleaned up.

Finishing with getting Hera cleaned up from giving birth, Rhea led her to the room where father and child could be seen lying down on the spacious bed, both fast asleep.

Hera watched from the room’s doorway, not yet entering to take in the scene before her. She couldn’t hide the teary smile that once again graced her lovely face yet again that day. She watched the rise and fall of the chest of two of the most important people in her life. Hera hadn’t even realized that she absentmindedly walked to the bed where her little family was. She found herself reaching out to touch her daughter’s soft hand and was joyed to see the small smile the child had on her face as she slept. Hera laid down for the much-needed rest that her body demanded. However, she gently and lovingly laid a kiss on both their foreheads before snuggling closer to Hades and resting her head on his strong, broad shoulders. Even in his sleep, he reached for her, wanting her closer to him so that he could feel her, smell her scent. He wrapped his arm around her waist as he held her closer to him, feeling her relax and let out a sigh of content. Hera couldn’t help feeling complete, happy, and nervous about the future that lies ahead of them.

‘Oh Hades, what have we gotten ourselves into,’ was the last thought that came to Hera’s mind before Morpheus took her to the land of sleep.