Chapter 25:

Ares needed to get away before he had done something he would regret. He had a renewed spirit to protect those he loves, which extended towards his mother. He loved Hera deep down, but, like the others, he didn’t really know her, well at least not like he wanted, but that was going to change.

He had made it to Helia’s room and knocked, but when he didn’t get a reply, he became nervous, so he let himself in. “Helia? You in here?” He glanced over at the bed and saw her small body curled up and shaking from crying underneath the comforter.

He walked over, sat down beside her form, and pulled the covers down just enough to see her face.

“Hey, there, why are you crying?”

“Because I raised my voice at Athena when I shouldn’t have and ignored the help you all offered. I had no right.”

“It’s okay. You had a reason. I would be short with people too after the day that you’ve had.”

“Is Hera upset with me? You know, for what I did earlier?”

“What? No. Why would you think that?” When she didn’t answer, he had to put two and two together and realized why she would think that. “Oh, now I see. Do you think mom is upset because you lost your temper and defended her?”

Helia, still with her back towards the God of War, could only nod her head for fear of not trusting her own voice for the second time that day.

“Helia, mom loves you. I love you, okay? She would’ve given you a clear sign if she was upset about you defending her, but she didn’t. Though, I can’t say she would not be upset with you for using foul language,” Ares teased, trying to lighten the mood. He then let out a burst of full-on hearty laughter after he saw Helia’s eyes widen like one of Athena’s owls as realization dawned on her that she, in fact, did use foul language. Not wanting to scare her more, Ares calmed his laughter and gently nudged her before stating, “Hey, I am sure mom will let it slide, just this once. After all, it was in the heat of the moment, and you were defending her honor,” he finished with a smile.

Helia, who had noticeably calmed, gave Ares and small but genuine smile. She was glad he had come to cheer her up, and that made her think of what the Fates had told her. Turning so that she could sit up in bed, letting the comforter slide down her torso, settling over her stomach, she looked at Ares nervously before asking, “Ares, do you really love me? Like a sister?”

He was caught off guard by the question but answered with no hesitation, “Of course I do. You are a great sibling and my favorite but don’t tell anyone, or they would be jealous,” he joked, poking her stomach through the comforter and making her laugh.

“Do you like me as a brother?”

“Of course, I do. You’re really nice, and you help me out a lot, you even play with me when I’m bored, and you don’t judge me.”

“Helia, if I may ask, why is it hard for you to believe that people care for you?” Ares could not believe that this child with so much life could be reduced to a shy and timid being when faced with any type of affection.

Helia wasn’t sure she should answer, afraid that his views of her might change, but she remembered what the Moirai had told her and took a chance.

“It’s because I feel like I don’t deserve it. I have always felt that I was deformed somehow and that no one would care or love me because I feel like my parents didn’t. People can tell me and show me that they love me and care for me, but deep down, I always feel like it comes from a place of pity and that it isn’t real. I love my grandmother and aunt Tethys. They always told and showed me how much they love me, but there would be times when I wondered if they truly did or not. Am I crazy for thinking this way?” she whispered.

“No, not at all, and don’t you ever think that you are. Truthfully, I can understand how you feel. Though I have both my parents, I always felt alone and that they didn’t love me. Zeus and I never really got along, and I was fine with that. Then mother and I started bonding over her training me in the arena, but our bond kind of went away as the years went by. I thought it was because something was wrong with me, that maybe she no longer loved me, but I know it was because of me. After that day, you told me that she is proud of me, I realized that she still loves me, so I had to figure out why our bond fizzled. You have helped me realize that the bond I lost with my mother wasn’t her fault but mine. I stopped seeing her as my mother and started seeing her as the Queen that everyone described because I couldn’t see the real her, and so I distanced myself from her.”

“What made you view her as the person that everyone else saw?

“Maybe it was the things that she had done to other people, the people she killed because of my father, but today you made me understand her more than I ever could. Sure, people would think that me being the God of War, I would be elated that my mother loved killing as much as me, but I didn’t. I just thought that because she was the Queen, she should act accordingly and not behave in such a way, but now I understand that she was hurting, and instead of turning my back on her, I should’ve been there for her. I never thought about her feelings or what she may be going through. Now, because of you, I have vowed to be a better son and show her that I do love her and want the bond that we had back.”

Neither party was aware that Hera was outside the bedroom watching and listening to them through the crack from the door not being fully closed. She wasn’t sure when the waterworks had started, but they did, and they were in full force. She tried to stifle the sound by covering her mouth, not wanting to interrupt the moment her children were sharing. Hera never knew why Ares slowly pushed her away as he got older, but now she knew why and it hurt her to know that her actions had also caused a rift between her and her firstborn. Now that she knew the truth, she too made a vow to get that bond back and have it stronger than before, no matter how much work it would take.

Helia didn’t know that Ares had felt the same things she did and imagined that it was worse for him than her because both his parents are in his life. She stepped out of her shell and took the advice of the Fates and let her guard down. She came from underneath the covers and hugged Ares hoping that she could help him feel better like he had done for her. Helia had felt a slight shock like she had with Melinoe and worried if she had done something wrong, but she knew she had done the right thing when Ares returned the hug and sighed a sigh of content.

She pulled away to get a better look at him and asked, “Ares, would you like to be my big brother?”

“I kind of already thought I was,” he laughed.

“You were, but not officially. You acted as my brother, but I was still scared that a part of you wouldn’t want to be, but now I want to ask you so that I will have no more doubts. So, what do you say, want to officially be my big brother?” She grinned wider than he ever had seen, and he knew his answer right away.

“Yes, I would love to be your big brother, only if you officially agree to be my favorite little sister.”

“I, Helia, am the official favorite little sister of Ares!”

“Great, but we have to really make it official.”

“How do we do that?” Helia was confused about how more official it could get than acknowledging it.

“Well, I have to tickle you silly,” and before Helia could run away, Ares had caught her and tickled her sides, making her laugh loudly. He enjoyed tickling her and making her happy, and he smiled at knowing that he could make her feel better.

Hera laughed at her children and decided it was time she entered after making sure her face was cleared of any evidence of her crying session just moments before.

“What’s with all the noise happening in here?”

“Hera!” Helia yelled breathlessly, “help me! Ares, stop it, you’re going to tickle me to death,” she continued through laughter.

“Alright, Ares, that’s enough. We wouldn’t want you to tickle her death now, would we?” Hera teased.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop for now.”

Helia rushed to Hera’s side and hugged her. “Thank you, Hera!”

“You’re welcome, little one. Are you feeling better?”

“Mm-hmm, Ares made me feel a lot better.”

“Well, I’m glad; however, it is getting late, and you have a big day tomorrow, and we wouldn’t want you tired, so tell Ares good night.”

“Okay,” Helia ran to get back onto the bed so she could hug Ares.

“Good night, little sister.”

“Good night, big brother.” Helia fully pulled away from him so she could give him a peck on the cheek, which he happily accepted. He got up and began ruffling her hair, to which she protested, “Ares, you’re messing up my hair!” Before she could get revenge, he ran to the door with another good night thrown over his shoulder and left, closing the door behind him.

“Okay, time to get you tucked in.”

“Are you going to stay with me tonight?” Helia asked Hera nervously.

“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

“Yes, please.”

“Okay, then,” Hera said, and in a fraction of a second, she was in her sleepwear alongside her daughter, making her way into the bed beside Helia, where they instantly fell into their position of Helia tucked into her side.

“Hera, I just wanted to apologize for my behavior at dinner.”

“Do you want to talk about what that little outburst was about?”

Helia nodded her head before she spoke. “I thought that you were upset with me because of how I acted at the ice cream shop earlier.”

Hera looked into her eyes and knew there was more. “Is that all?”

“No,” Helia shyly replied, “I had a dream, I guess it was a dream, but the Moirai visited me.”

“What did they say?” Helia unknowingly had Hera’s heart rate racing. ‘What could they possibly want with her? Had they told her who she was?’ Hera thought as her mind rapidly raced with every negative possibility of the interaction shared between her daughter and the Fates.

“They told me that you and Ares really loved me and that I should let my guard down a little more and to enjoy myself and make happy memories.” She didn’t want to mention that she was informed about a mysterious person who truly loves Hera as well.

Hearing what her daughter told her, Hera calmed down immensely before stating, “Helia, I really do love you as my own, and I know it may be hard to see right now, but I hope that one day you will see it and know it to be true.”

“I know you love me Hera, I no longer doubt it.”

“You don’t?”

“Nuh-uh, if you didn’t love me, then you wouldn’t do the things that you are doing for and with me, and I want you to know that I love you too.” Helia hugged Hera closer to her, and they stayed that way, letting every word and emotion sink in. A tiny yawn from Helia broke the silence, and Hera knew they both needed to rest, so she turned out the light and cuddled Helia closer to her.

After a few moments had passed, and Hera was sure Helia was already fast asleep, she whispered into her hair, “Good night, my darling daughter.”

“Good night, mama.” Hera, for a moment, just knew that she had imagined what she heard, but by the way she felt Helia snuggle even closer to her than she thought possible and give her side a squeeze of confirmation, she knew it was real. She let a tear of happiness and love slide down her face before she joined her daughter in the realm of sleep.