Chapter 4: Before They Depart

“Once upon a time

A girl with moonlight in her eyes

Put her hand in mine,

And said she loved me so...

But that was once upon a time...

So very long ago...”

— “Once Upon a Time”, performed by Scott Bakula (as Jack Ross) in Boston Legal, Season 4, Episode 13: “Glow in the Dark.” Episode written by David E. Kelley and Lawrence Broch, directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall, and originally aired on February 12, 2008. Series created by David E. Kelley. © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Television and David E. Kelley Productions. All rights reserved. “Once Upon a Time” was originally written by Charles Strouse (music) and Lee Adams (lyrics) for the 1962 Broadway musical All American. © 1962 Strada Music / Lee Adams Music.

During the celebration of Zeus’ coronation as the King of Olympus, the splendidly grandiose cosmopolis of the gods and titans was alive with laughter, music, and revelry. While celebrating Zeus’ happy day, there was just as much revelry about the peace that was overtaking the lands of Greece.

New beginnings permeated the air itself as the mighty assembly of deities were exchanging news and promises of seeing one another. After all, war had divided them as a community, so peace could very well unite them as a society.

In the throngs of people, Gaia and Rhea were whispering to one another about what to do in their immediate future. Prometheus was with Poseidon while Mnemosyne and Themis were together.

Demeter and Hestia were standing around the container of the Flame of Olympus. Both were fighting goddesses who were glad the Great War was over. Demeter was transitioning from a maiden of muscle and sinew to a more plump and peaceful individual. Hestia was thin, mousy, and an energetic one when she had always been a more of stay-to-myself sort of goddess.

Hestia was motioning and saying the fire needed a new container of some sort to replace any stench of Titan magic. It had been Hyperion who had made the Flame (with the help of Chaos) as well as the structure that held that all-consuming inferno. Demeter was doing all she could to prevent herself from becoming so apathetic that she yawned or too annoyed that she would roll her eyes. The pendulum swing of emotions with these sisters was the only way they could function at times.

Metis was talking to the loyal siblings of Cratus, Bia, Zelus, and Nike. The children of Pallus had shown their loyalty to Zeus before the final battle of the Great War was over. As such, they deserved some recognition from the Counselor beau of the King of Olympus.

Nyx had collected her sons (Hypnos, and Thanatos) while motioning to Hades. As the new King of the Underworld, he would have to depart with those Chthonic gods before too long.

As the night unfolded and more gods and titans (who had not taken part in the Titan War for various reasons such as Otus, Leto, Helios and Selene) made appearances. While they were not worthy of notoriety, their parents had fought for Cronos and their neutrality might have made the difference for Zeus and his brothers by depriving Cronos of allies.

The masses laughed and talked in happiness and celebration. Both of those positive qualities intermingled and swelled together to be punctuated by the sound of celestial music. Who played these tunes, no one knew. Some might have said that Chaos allowed the universe itself to sing for these divine beings to add to their celebration.

Hades and Hera found a moment to steal away from the throng of others. In their privacy, there were a few torches, which amplified their intimacy. Hidden from the sight of the others, they stayed close.

The reality of their futures were coming to pass right before their eyes, and these two young divinities were intelligent enough to know that certain outcomes were inevitable.

For Hera’s part, she realized her mother’s plan for her was going to come to pass even if she did not want it to be so. For Hades, he understood that loneliness might truly be his doomed destiny.

Those were only facts and suppositions of life. The problem that faced them both was far more dangerous; this was a matter of the heart for the both of them, so while they were close, they could stave off the pesky difficulties of truth.

Hades gazed upon Hera with deep affection. All of his being had known for the first half of his life was suffering. Even when he had obtained company in his prison through that of his brother, Hades had not been understood, so the camaraderie was not nearly as effective as it might have been.

Hera was a different individual altogether. Perhaps she did not understand Hades intuitively. That did not matter because she made every effort to understand and empathize with him. It was Hera who had helped heal his wounds so that he might be more useful on the battlefield. She had never shamed him for his differences from the others, and further still, not once had she been cruel to him when his emotions were distinctively incompatible from her. Hera would take the time to understand him, and through the metric of effort alone, she was the most amazing specimen of her sex that might have ever walked the lands of creation.

His new post as King of the Underworld meant nothing before the devoted attachment that he held for this Olympian Princess. Concern for the future was unimportant despite such a thought being counter-intuitive to his upbringing. He was aware that her destiny was on Olympus, not within the realm of the dead, but so long as he held her, his long-lasting affection could win the day against the impossible.

Hera returned his gaze, but she did not disguise her sorrow for the outcome of the straws and what that would inexorably mean for the future. She knew, regardless of her feelings, that this relationship would end poorly. Her mother would have her way; maybe Rhea did not install Zeus as King of Olympus, but her will had been done. Hera could recognize her mother’s hands in the meddling of the Realm.

That Zeus had all but banished Rhea and Gaia gave Hera hope that she would not need to marry the ruler of the gods. After all, if Rhea had lost influence over those on the mountain, how could she enforce her will upon Hera?

Logical sense such as this was her only safeguard against the other reasonings that told her to run for the hills.

While her pragmatic mind worked out ways to sneak out of her word to her mother, Hera suspected that someway, somehow, this would all backfire until Hera was punished. Knowing how her mother operated, there was a nagging fear that pulled at Hera’s uncertainty. Rhea would return to Olympus, and she would come to enforce her will on Zeus and Hera.

But then what of Hera and Hades? Did Rhea understand what her plans would do to those she manipulated? No. Only her command over others mattered. Hera could see that much of her Titan Queen of a mother’s plan.

And so, in the end, all Hera could do was look into her lover’s eyes. All the whispered words in the world would hold no weight to Rhea’s plans, for those very tactics created uncertainty for the future, but to Hera, all of the logic and pragmatism was meaningless.

What mattered (then and there) was the being whom Hera had in her grasp. Through his eyes, his love, his affection, his ardor, and his very being, she found the resolution to hold on just another day longer.

“Hades, I know that we both know that you shall reign in Nyx’s Realm,” she began, her voice soft.

She faltered. Though she tried to be the princess she was, the words were not easy. Thankfully, Hades was the sort of male that was patient, so he would wait for her to speak.

“We both also know that I will not defile my oath to Rhea...”

Hades did his best not to recoil from her. He was used to pain. He knew when a blow was coming, and this was entirely in line with what he knew about the possibility of being struck. Though, this attack would destroy his unprotected heart.

Hera could feel his uncertainty and grabbed his hands into hers. He would know that she loved him. She looked into his eyes and almost lost herself in his pupils.

“You know how much any vow I give means to me. And I vow that I do love you, Hades,” she said, desperation in her voice. “Love is not some quality that complies with a crown.”

She cupped his cheek, so he could see the depth of sincerity in her words.

“My previous vow is not the end of my choice ... It is not what I would have chosen,” she stammered.

All too slowly did she realize that she had not prepared her words, and she should have. While emotions were true, Hades was a being of truth and reason. While the two were not the same, they went hand in hand to the eldest son of Cronos.