Chapter 24:

At the dinner table, Helia was quiet, which concerned everyone. She was still going over what the Fates had told her, especially the part about how she and only one other person had truly loved Hera. She wanted to know who this other person was and wondered if they were still a part of Hera’s life.

“Helia, are you okay? You have hardly touched your meal,” queried Artemis. She had recently gotten to know the godling when she thought about helping her with archery. She even wanted her to go on hunts with her and her hunters when she was older. Artemis grew to care for the little being after spending time with her during their sessions, which was odd, especially for her. At first, she was only doing it to see if the child had any ill will towards the Olympians and was there to help plot a downfall; after some time, she realized that the child was innocent and pure, though she did detect that she did not like her father. Hell, if she was honest, she didn’t care for her father all that much either. Artemis had never grown to like someone as fast as she had Helia, not even her brother Apollo. That was simply because he was annoying, still is, but she loved him dearly and would not trade him. So, Artemis did what Ares and Athena had already done, taking the child under her wing as though she was another sibling.

“I’m fine. I’m just not hungry.”

“Are you feeling sick?” Athena questioned. “Maybe you should have Apollo take a look.”

“No!” She shouted, shocking everyone, “I mean, I’m fine. I’m just going to excuse myself and go to bed early.”

“Would you like me to join you?” Hera was concerned about her daughter. She missed the uplifting spirit she would exude, and it bothered her that she wasn’t the same little girl as before. Her motherly instincts were in overdrive, and she wanted to fix whatever it was that was so clearly bothering her daughter.

“Not now. I just want to be alone for the time being.”

“Okay, sweetheart, I will be in later.”

Helia nodded and wished everyone a goodnight before she walked out of the dining room towards her room.

“That was weird. Did something happen?” Artemis wanted to know what had to change the little girl’s spirits.

“Hera, did you say anything or do anything to her?”

“Just what are you assuming, Dionysus? That I am the cause for her sudden behavior change?” Hera became highly irritated with the accusations that Dionysus was throwing her way. She tried her best to keep her emotions and powers under control; she did not want to cause any unnecessary havoc in the realms.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that you have done something like that,” Dionysus drunkenly countered. Hera had wanted to so badly tell him off, but she did not get the chance, for her son came to her defense.

“Fuck you, Dionysus, and you watch how you talk to my mother!”

“Oh, look, Ares, the sudden mama’s boy, defending her,” Dionysus mocked.

“Don’t get pissy with me because I still have a mother, and you don’t you drunk!” Dionysus was ready to kill Ares for that comment. After all, his mother was the reason he no longer had one.

“Ares!” Hera chastised.

“I’m sorry, mother, but it’s true.”

“Ares, please, just calm down,” Hera pleaded.

“I’m sorry, mother, but I can no longer sit back and listen to people down you and make you look like a bad guy. Helia was right about what she said earlier.”

“Wait, what did Helia say? What happened when you three went for ice cream?” Athena wanted to know what was going on with the child that she had grown to care for in such a short time frame.

“Here,” Ares reached into his toga and handed over his phone for them to see the video, “this should answer all your questions and even shed some light.” With that, Ares left to check on his little sister to make sure she was really okay.

Back around the dinner table, everyone except Dionysus, who had left, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, and even Hephaestus crowded around Athena to watch the video. What they saw astounded them. There they saw this little goddess defend their mother and step-mother, respectively, with so much passion. They saw how the atmosphere reacted to her emotions and knew that she was powerful, even if she didn’t see it since she was determined to say what was on her mind at the time.

They listened to everything the child said and had all agreed, separately in thought, that she was right. She would never know it, but she has just put them all in their place as well, for they judged Hera by her actions and not who she really was. After the video ended, they went back to their original seats and sat quietly, studying Hera.

Athena was the first to speak, much to everyone’s gratification. “Hera, I cannot speak for everyone, but if they do feel the same as I do, then I know they would apologize. We have lived with you for many years, and we do not know you. Being the Goddess of Wisdom, I am ashamed. I never once used said wisdom to see there’s something more to you than what meets the eye. I am sorry.”

“There is no reason or need to apologize, Athena,” Hera was becoming uncomfortable with this conversation. She honestly just wanted to leave and go check on her daughter and son.

“But we are,” Apollo spoke up next, “we never thought to ask why you did the things you have done.”

“I agree, and I would like to know your story now,” Artemis added.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. You all have already formed your thoughts of me, and like I said in the video, that is okay. You don’t have to try because you feel guilty. Let’s just move on and forget any of this happened.” Hera motioned to move from her seat so she could leave but was stopped by another voice.

Hermes was next to speak. He wanted to know more about Hera ever since he ran in on Zeus, violating her. He wanted to know who she was before Zeus ruined her, and if finding out why she had despised Zeus’ outside children, including him, then that would be a start. “Please, Hera, just let us try to understand you better and make our own views of you from there, the way we should have in the past.”

Hera wasn’t sure if she should go through with it, but then again, she thought, could it be so bad if she could be honest with them and let them know the truth of how she felt about them? Well, she was about to find out.

She first took in a deep breath and exhaled before she started. “Firstly, I want to start off by saying that I do not hate you, even though that may be hard to believe, but I don’t. I do, however, hate what you represent, and that is your father’s infidelities. You must understand that I never wanted to marry your father, but I had no choice. I didn’t love him and had only started to tolerate him many years later, and then he started cheating, and it didn’t stop at just cheating. He had children with these women. He even made some of you into gods, Olympians even, and I had to sit by and watch you, the constant reminder of his infidelity, every day. Though I did not love him, it still hurt me. I am the Goddess of Marriage, and I have the worst marriage of all, and I couldn’t, can’t, do anything about it. That is why I did what I did since I couldn’t harm Zeus himself. I went after what I could, his children and conquests, for majority willingly laid with him. I will apologize to you, though, because I should have treated you better, for you had no part in being born; you were innocent. I should have given you a chance and lived up to my domains of motherhood and family instead of punishing you for your parent’s sins.”

Hera wiped at the tears that had fallen and stood up to leave, “I hope you all have a better understanding of me now and that I have answered your questions.” She walked away, leaving the table and feeling a little lighter, having gotten that off her chest. She never thought she would get the opportunity to do so, and she was glad that it finally happened. Though she knew there was still a possibility that her step-children hated her, she would be okay with that. She had done what she needed, and that was, to tell the truth, her truth.