Chapter 20:

Hera was waiting for this meeting to end so that she could spend some time with Helia. She promised her that they could go get ice cream since she was doing so well in her studies and because she was nervous about meeting Melinoe and Triton tomorrow for their playdate.

She couldn’t blame her, though. She knew that her daughter had a hard time because she felt that something was wrong with her and that no one would want to be her friend. Guilt ate away at Hera every time she was reminded that she was part of the cause of her daughter’s low self-esteem. When Helia thought Hera would not accept her, or when she believed Aphrodite’s request was a joke, it tore at her, but what hurt the most was that she did not believe she was worthy enough to be called her daughter.

Hera hated the turmoil her child has within her. She only wished she could tell Helia the truth; that she was born into a world where her mother and father had to hide their identities from her because she was created from their forbidden love.

The meeting finally ended a couple of hours later, to Hera’s relief, and she couldn’t wait to get away from her husband and the stares that he kept directing her way. Hera was heading out to the library to retrieve Helia when she heard a panicked Persephone.

“Where could she have gone, Hades?”

“I’m not sure Persephone, I took her to one of the rooms close to the throne room so that she could be to herself and draw. I am not sure where she could have wandered off to.”

“Is everything alright?” Hera questioned, not one to overlook the panic cries of a mother for her child.

“Oh, Hera, Hades, and I went to get Melinoe so that we could leave, but when we went to get her, she wasn’t where she was supposed to be.”

“It will be okay, Persephone, we will find her, and I will help.”

“Thank you, Hera,” said Hades.

“Think nothing of it, shall we begin?”

“Yes,” answered Hades and Persephone.

They had been looking for what seemed like hours, even though it hadn’t. They had checked the kitchen to see if Melinoe went for a snack and Helia’s room just in case they might have run into each other. They also searched the many gardens on Olympus to see if she went to practice learning the different plants and flowers and what they can be used for.

“You don’t think someone kidnapped her do you?” Persephone worriedly asked.

“Of course not, and if someone was that idiotic to do such a thing to our daughter, they should feel my full wrath,” Hades said, trying to comfort his wife.

They started walking again towards the library, beginning to think that they would have to add to their search party.

“It’ll be okay, Persephone, we will….”

“Shush,” Hera cut him off.

“Did you just shush me when I am trying to…”

“Hades, just shut up and listen, please!” yelled Hera. He didn’t like being told what to do unless it involved adult activities, which Hera knew, but he did what he was told just this once. When everything became silent, save for their breathing, they heard it; giggles and laughter coming from the library. The adults ran to the sound and burst through the door, startling the little girls who were on the floor laughing at something.

“Melinoe, we were so worried about you. Why did you leave the room like that?” Persephone asked as she burst through the doors running to her daughter.

“I’m sorry, mama, I should’ve told you I left. I was bored of drawing, and I just grabbed my stuff and went to the gardens. I saw a plant in one of the gardens that we had talked about, but I forgot what it could be used for, so I decided to visit the library. When I came here, I met Helia, and we started talking and playing. I didn’t mean to scare you, mama and daddy.”

“Everything is fine now munchkin, we just would hate it if something were to happen to you,” Hades reassured her.

“I know, but I’m fine. Helia is really nice, and we decided to be friends since we are the same age and have stuff in common.”

“Is that true, Helia? Have you made a friend?” Hera asked, delighted at the prospect.

“Uh-huh, she even shared her drawings with me, which are really good, and said that she could teach me if I teach her Ancient Greek.”

“Well, I am glad that you made a new friend. Does this mean that you are no longer nervous about the playdate tomorrow?”

“I’m still nervous because I haven’t met Triton, but I will be okay now that I have a friend in Melly.”

“Melly?” Hades questioned.

“Yup, we gave each other nicknames. She calls me Melly, and I call her Hilly,” the two girls laughed at their nicknames.

The adults laughed at the children and their nicknames that they had given each other, and deep down, they were glad that the two had seemed to already have formed a bond and became fast friends, even if they were pleased about it for their own different reasons.

“Well, I am glad that you have made a friend, sweetheart, but I think it is time for us to head back home,” Persephone stated.

“Okay, mama.” However, before she left with her parents, Melinoe ran over to her newfound friend and gave her a big hug, where they both finished by promises of seeing each other again tomorrow.

“I am proud of you, Helia,” Hera stated with a broad smile after their guests left.

“Why?”

“Because even though I know you were apprehensive about how Melinoe would think of you, you still managed to become fast friends with her, and I know that took a lot of courage.”

“Yea, I was afraid at first, especially when she asked where I was from. I was afraid that if I told her that I didn’t know where I came from or who my parents are, that she would make fun of me and think something was wrong with me; instead, she apologized because she thought she hurt my feelings and asked another question instead of leaving.”

“I’m glad she accepted you and that you both could find comfort in each other, and to show you how proud I am of you, I’m taking you out for that ice cream now.”

“Yay, ice cream!!!”

“Did someone say ice cream?”