4 Chapter III

So there she laid on her bed, maids and midwives panicking. Hera couldn't fathom why, she was the goddess of childbirth. Giving birth is something she's done several times before.

But she was also the goddess of marriage so how much meaning did her titles really hold.

She screamed out in pain. Her contractions were now three minutes apart. She had to begin pushing but she couldn't. She didn't have the strength mentally or physically. She'd been so lifeless for the past nine months. Never leaving her bedroom chambers, she doubts anyone even knew she was with child. She rarely ate or even slept. She couldn't have cared less about the well being of her child. It's not like it would die it had become immortal the second it was created. Nothing could kill it now.

It would be an understatement to say she resented the thing. It would forever be her reminder of the worst night of her life. It would grow up and be exactly like the rest of the gods greedy and selfish, although it's not like she was the exception.

The insistent clattering and clatter around her ways being to prove too much for her.

"Get out." Hera says in a low voice. First words she's spoken in months.

Everyone scurrying around her room too busy to listen.

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Everyone immediately stops and turn their head at the sound of their queen's voice.

"B-b-but y-your majesty the b-babe is c-coming." The servant says blinking rapidly, head pointed towards the floor.

Hera reaches over and throws a vase at the servant cutting her head with the shards.

"I WILL NOT REPEAT MYSELF" Hera yells angrily.

Everyone drops what they're doing and immediately leaves the room afraid of Hera's wrath.

She looks around the room as she lay there all alone. As she does she wanders where Zeus is, probably with one of his whores not that she wanted him here.

Just then he barges into the room. "What do you think you're doing?!?"

Hera slowly turns her head to him. "Whatever do you mean, Husband" spitting the last word with a hint of venom.

"The servant said you kicked them out"

Hera raises an eyebrow "And?"

"And you need them to have the baby"

Hera lets out a weak laugh "No"

"What do you mean 'No' you have to have the baby"

"No, I don't. Leto did it so can I ."

Zeus pinches the bridge of his nose. "That was different and you know it. Also, we both know she never walked the same."

He kneels down to the floor next to the bed. He brushed a strand of her sweat-damp hair out of her face. "Why don't you want to deliver the babe."

Hera was disgusted by the action. How dare he touch her with those hands the same hands that killed the only person she ever cared for. But she let the hand lay in her head to weak to flinch away.

"Don't act like you care. Why would I want to bring another god into this world, just so it can taint it like everyone else"

Hera turned her head away and in a hushed voice said "Just so it can hate me too."

Zeus sighed "Well you never know this one could be different than all the other gods." He said in a suggestive tone.

Hera eyed him "Have you've paid a visit to The Fates?"

Zeus smirked and nodded.

"And?"

Zeus got up and took a step away "It seems you'll have to give birth and find out.

Hera rolled her eyes. Zeus was usually never so playful only with her was he like this. Today even more because he was in a good mood it must've been good news than.

"Tell me. Or I will not have thi- AHHHHHH" the contractions were becoming more and more unbearable.

Zeus smirked at Hera's pain "Seems as though you will have to one way or another." He stated cockily.

Hera glared at the man she hated most in this world with every bit of malice she could fathom.

Zeus sighed deciding this would be a quicker way to get what he wanted. "They said she would be the most powerful being on earth."

"And you're happy about this?"

"Of course why wouldn't I be?"

Hera rolled her eyes the only god he ever permitted to do so "I mean why would you if the babe is to be 'the most powerful being on earth' that means you won't be. And considering your reaction to what The Fates had said about Athena and the..." she trailed off making and eating motion with her hands.

"That was a slight overreaction and yes I was until they also said as long as I love her she will always stay at my side. Also you must think of there riddles they said 'on earth' not Olympus. They could mean anything, therefore the only way to know it for you to give birth."

Hera scoffed at the word Zeus could never love anything she knew this for a fact. The proof was right in front of her the way he jested and joked with her after killing her one true love and then raping her next to his fresh corpse. She had nothing to worry about if love was all it needed it would never get any in this world.

Another wave a pain even more intense ripples through Hera's body she couldn't help but think that it was angry at her.

"Fine, send in the midwife."

"My pleasure." He said as he did a mock bow and left the room.

Zeus was back before long with servants and a midwife.

"HURRY UP I WANT THIS THING OUT OF ME"

The midwife was quick ordering the servant to gather water and towels. She got onto the bed positions herself at the bottom of Hera's opened legs.

"Okay, your majesty I need you to begin to push as hard as you can and do not forget to breathe."

"YOU INCOMPETENT WHORE YOU THINK I DONT KNOW HOW TO GIVE BIRTH. SHUT YOU MOUTH AN READY YOURSELF TO TEND TO THE BABE!"

"Y-yes my queen."

She began to push screaming through the pain. Again and again until she heard the crying of a newborn.

Hera sighed in relief from having it finally be over.

The midwife was quick to wrap the baby up and take it to a small pin of water for it to be cleaned.

Zeus stood to the side of the bed watching the scene.

"Y-y-your majesty."

Hera and Zeus both answer annoyed "What?!"

"I-It's the babe. By the gods I've never seen anything like it."

Zeus runs over to the midwife. Hera focuses her eyes on Zeus' face. He looked first with concern, then hurt, then utter rage.

He faced toward Hera and in a lightning flash he was on top of her squeezing her throat.

She grips and clawed at his hands frantically using the last bit of her energy.

"Wha-what is it."

"YOU LIED!" He spat "You said you had never shared a bed with him."

Hera gasps her words desperate but her eyes angry. "I-I didn't"

Zeus leaped off the bed and walked fast towards the midwife.

"Then explain this." Zeus turned around holding the baby by its hair.

Hera examined the baby and was at a loss for words. The baby has long red hair she'd be lying if she said she'd never seen anything like it because she had it was red like her precious Aiden's. But not the same, no Aiden hair was like burning flames. This hair was the dark red color of blood.

"I-"

"Silence."

Zeus' eyes became dark not their usual white when he was angry. Hera has never seen Zeus like this she didn't know how to react. She couldn't read the emotion in his eyes.

Zeus still carrying the baby by its hair began to walk swiftly out of the room.

"No, NO where are you going with her!"

Zeus did not stop.

Hera began to make effort to go after him but the second her legs hit the floor she crumbled too weak and sore from just giving birth.

She looked at the servants heated "HELP ME NOW"

The servants were white with fear at the sight of their king. They ran over holding Hera up by her arms a servant in each side of her.

"GO"

They barely kept up with Zeus as he rounded ever corner out of the castle. Only following the loud cries of the baby. Once out of the castle Hera began to realize where he was going for she recognized the paths she took on a night almost identical to this one.

"FASTER, FASTER NOW" she thought only of that blood-red hair that was so similar to her lovers. She could not lose him, not again.

As they neared the edge, the edge of Olympus Zeus thought to himself ignoring the baby and it's sobbing cry's. Is this how Hera felt? When he had first found out about the red-headed boy and Hera it was only jealousy. He was jealous of the fact that some mere mortal could do the one thing he couldn't. Win Hera's heart. He felt as though he had lost a battle. He knew Hera would never bed another man she had too much pride in herself, or so he thought. Now it was no longer the jealousy of a husband or the anger of a sore loser, no this was betrayal. After Zeus had failed in winning her heart he began to search for others just to prove himself. He knew Hera was never jealous of his affairs. Her only goal was revenge, if she couldn't be happy neither could he. So he played the game never really thinking about how it made her feel.

It was all just a game.

Then why did this hurt so bad. How could Hera cope so well with this when he felt like his chest was on fire.

Oh yes, that's it, because he loves her. Yet she never loved him.

He would forgive Hera for her adultery. But this baby he could now understand Hera's hate towards all his bastard children. It was a mocking reminder of this deep ugly feeling he had in his chest. He looked back at Hera as he'd been blocking out her begs and cries. She was on her knees, face wet with tears, gown bloodied from birth.

He looked down at the baby not able to see past the dark red hair he swung his arm and threw her off Mt. Olympus.

No one would ever speak of this. That half-breed would die from the fall. Dead as it should've never been born.

Zeus turned and strolled away from the cliff past Hera's limp form. This will never be spoken of again.