Chapter 31:
It had been two weeks since Helia had told Melinoe and Triton about the visit from the Fates. She still hadn’t told Hera for fear of starting a war. She knew her mother would fight for her. She wasn’t even sure if she should still be calling her mother; everything was confusing. She loved Hera as a mother, and a part of her wanted to just forget about what the Fates told her; but on the other hand, she still wanted to meet her birth parents and have all her questions answered. She was torn between what she should do.
She was sure her mother, Hera, she meant, knew something was up. She had been distancing herself from Hera, trying to make it easier for everyone involved if her parents wanted her. She felt terrible, though, because Hera had worked so hard to make her comfortable and feel like a part of the family, and she didn’t want it to seem like it was all for not.
“Hey, little cub.”
She turned to see Ares standing in her doorway with a look of worry etched on his face.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“I should be asking you that question. What’s been going on with you? You’ve been distant the past couple of weeks.”
“It’s nothing, honestly. I’ve just been keeping to myself.”
“I know you’re lying, just like when mom knows you’re lying when you give her the same story. Now, I will ask again, what is going on?”
Helia wanted to scream at him to just drop it, but she knew that he was only asking because he cared for her.
“I got a visit from the Fates a couple weeks ago, and they relayed some information to me that has been on my mind.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really; talking about it won’t do any good.”
“You never know. Just try it.”
“Fine, but you have to promise on the Styx not to tell Hera.”
Hera? He hadn’t heard her call their mother that in what seemed like forever. This must be really serious if she has gone back to calling her that.
“Okay, I promise on the River Styx to not tell mom.”
“Alright…” she began, telling him what happened.
Ares wasn’t sure what to make of the information she gave him. A part of him was happy that she would finally get to meet her parents, but another part was pissed that there was a possibility that his sister would be taken away from him. He loved her too much to see her leave and knew his mother would feel ten times worse if she were to know.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I want to meet my parents, but I also do not want to leave you guys; you’re my family. I just don’t want to start a war between mom and my parents.”
He caught that she still considered Hera as her mother and felt relieved at that. ‘Maybe there’s a chance that she won’t leave after all,’ Ares thought to himself.
“Look, all I can say is you have to do what is right for you. No one can make that decision except you. What I will say is that I will miss you a lot, and so will our siblings, your friends, and especially mom; however, if you think you should be with your parents, then do it, don’t let us get in the way of your happy ending.”
“I am sure that I would still be able to visit, but I get that it won’t be the same since I wouldn’t be living here. Thank you, brother. I appreciate the advice and will take heed to it.”
“No problem.” He got up, ruffling her hair as he always did before he left her to be alone once more. He went to the battlefield arena to think and because it held some of the best memories, he had of his little sister. He thought about their sparring sessions, their laughter, and even fights when she thought he was wrong about something, but most of all, the love they had for each other. He began tearing up when he thought about not doing those things with her if she chose to leave.
He thought about fighting for her or even getting rid of her parents, but he knew that he couldn’t; shouldn’t. He would have to be there for her while he still could and not make things awkward for her. He wouldn’t want her to stay out of guilt.