Page 5 of Hermes
“Oh my son, very well. You need all the power you can get. Here…” Hera lowered her tunic so that her breasts were revealed to me. I quickly grabbed hold of the nearest one and placed my mouth on it, nibbling.
Technically, I was still barely a year old, although in the timeline of a god, that still made me look like a young mortal adult. But once I felt the warm milky liquid emerge from Hera and into my mouth, I knew all was said and done. My goal had been accomplished, and thus I stepped away from her, pulling off my disguise to show her who I really was.
The instant she became aware of who I was, she clung to her tunic, quickly pulling it back up to cover her bosom. “How dare you!?” she screeched. “I’ll have you…”
But I held my hand up, shaking it. “You’ll have me what?” I interrupted her with. “Hurt? Punished? Banished so that I am never seen or heard from again? You’ll have to think twice on that one… mother!”
Hera held her hand over her chest in disbelief. Even she was incapable of avoiding this new fate that was before her. A rule by the gods that could not be overturned. If a young god or mortal were to suck on the bosom of an elder goddess, that young god was bound to her as her foster son.
Therefore, I was now considered a son to Hera. And being her son, she was forced to treat me as such. There could never be a strife or quarrel between us. Forever, we would be bonded in this way and there would be no holding of malice or hostility held over each other’s heads.
“I cannot believe you resorted to this… this…” Hera tried to find the right words, but there were none she could muster up in this moment.
“This deceit?” I finished for her.
“Yes! And now you leave me no choice but to treat you as my son…” she admitted.
“Precisely. So let us now move forward in a graceful manner with one another,” I suggested.
She gritted her teeth. “We don’t really have a choice in the matter, do we?”
I shook my head. “No. We really don’t.”
Hera had lost. No longer could she despise me. She would be forced to be kind and treat me as one of her own sons.
It was then that I had officially won the hearts of every god and goddess on Mount Olympus. Yes, it took a few tricks up my sleeve to make it happen, but nevertheless, it happened.
Chapter 3
Herakeptourencountera secret. A secret to everyone except for her husband, that is. Of course, she was beyond embarrassed about the entire situation and would never dare to recite it to anyone. What would they think of her? It would be a major strike to her ego if others knew that she was the victim of such trickery. That she was foolish enough to not see through my disguise and believed that I was, in fact, her son, Ares. Hera could never admit that I had bested her. She was incapable of such a thing. And so, it would stay between us, and Zeus, who she divulged everything to. Everything except her own side love affairs, of course.
But once Zeus learned of what I had done to his wife, he instantly summoned me to his throne room, again. A yawn escaped me as I grew tired of what seemed like a developing routine between us. I became immediately irritated by the whole thing. Would I have to manipulate my father and talk my way out of this conflict too, just as I did with discussing my part in causing harm to Apollo and his cattle? If this was the case, I would be readily prepared to do so. If I could argue my way out of it the first time, I could easily do it again. My confidence was unwavering.
As I strolled down the long corridor of the chamber, the wings on my golden sandals flapped with every step I took. My father held a stern expression on his face as he sat on his throne. His face left little open to interpretation. Was he beyond furious, or did he still find me delightful? I wasn’t able to read him well enough to know, but I would soon find out.
“Welcome back, my son,” Zeus roared, although his loud voice was permanent no matter what he said at any point in time. I was still getting used to it.
“Thank you, father,” I greeted him with, before deciding to just cut right to the chase. “So, you’ve called me to this room once before, and here I am again. The last time, it was for an unfortunate circumstance. Is calling this impromptu meeting for a similar reason?”
I arched my brow at the King of the Gods. He rested his elbow on the arm on his throne, his clenched fist propped his head up and he rested his chin on it. “My wife informed me of the most recent visit you paid her,” he coolly informed me.
Of course, she did!
If Hera was unable to punish and harm me, then she would use her own cunning skills to try and get her husband to do her dirty work. Clever woman. I should have known better.
“Oh? She did?” I pretended to sound surprised by what he just told me. “And what do you make of it?”
”I find it all rather amusing,” he revealed, before chuckling out loud. “I cannot believe you actually tricked my wife into thinking you were her own son! And then to do what you did…” Zeus was in disbelief, but he didn’t bother to repeat my exact actions out loud. I’m sure part of him found what I did to his wife to be repulsive, which it was. Even I was still grossed out by what I had done to Hera. But in the end, it was worth it. I would be willing to make some sacrifices for the greater gain. That was just who I was.
“Yes. I’m surprised I was able to go through with it,” I boldly replied. “But it was the one means of getting Hera and I to remain amicable,” I added with the perfect touch of fabrication.
His laughing ceased, and he now had a bewildered look on his face. “You mean to tell me you did this just to reduce the lingering tension between the two of you?”
I nodded. “Precisely. I feel like it’s my due diligence to keep the peace among those in your family. Not only in your family, but of all of those on Mount Olympus, for that matter.”
“I see…” Zeus was deep in thought once more. It led me to believe that my lie was working, and I was continuing to win my father over.
Maybe this time he would give me an even greater gift for my actions. Who knew? I never anticipated that this was the direction the conversation would go in, but I continued to surprise myself. So, perhaps there was another award for me waiting at the end of this.
