Chapter Text
November 6, 2009
Tossing the cloak tied to her long white dress, she hurried along the long corridor. Her heart was beating with excitement, certain she would run like a little girl if she stopped reminding herself she was a queen. She slowed her pace as she reached the familiar corridor. She was surrounded by servants, she had to act like a noble in front of them. She straightened her posture and strode forward, her eyes darting around her. Most maids nodded quickly, but those unlucky enough to catch her eye had already been noted in the back of her mind. She put on her expressionless mask when she reached her target door. She knew very well why she was summoned here, but she should not reveal it to anyone, she should play the innocent until the last moment. She knocked softly on the door and when she heard the angry shout, she quickly entered.
It was the largest room in the palace, in the back corner of the room was a large, ostentatious throne made of pure gold. Her beloved husband would welcome every visiter by sitting on this throne, the moments when he was in this room and not sitting on his throne would not exceed the finger of one hand, and whenever this happened, the war would definitely follow. She nearly grinned at that thought, but she stopped herself and simply laughed inside. The throne was empty at this time. The king was circling the room, taking his steps furiously. In fact, his anger was so great that even if he couldn't control the lightning, lightning sounds were echoing all over the world. Even the nastiest storm Poseidon had thrown was like tropical weather next to it. She slowly made her way to the middle of the room and got to the point in her usual naive voice.
"Did you call me, husband?"
Zeus turned towards her and mumbled something, then continued his walk.
"Is there any problem?"
"I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened."
When she didn't get an answer, she had to add it. Zeus finally stopped his march.
"Oceanus, that's the problem! I should have not listened to you all in the first place and put an end to it, but here we are!"
"What could Oceanus have done? It must have been something big to be so angry."
"He attacked Atlantis!"
Hera couldn't hold her expression for just a moment, and she was in real shock. This was not in their plans. His duty was simply to kill her. What was he thinking about attacking the palace!
"He attacked with an army, including his former servants, veterans, and many little gods who were supposedly our allies. Poseidon was caught off-guard. The Cyclopes tried to destroy them as best they could, but they lost too much. Even Ursula's spells didn't work! How could that be? Isn't this woman the so-called 'most feared witch' or what? She can't even do the simplest protection spell, then she cames and tells stuff like 'Hecate should serve to me, oh I want a temple too.'"
Hera knew why her spell didn't work and would never work again, but she chose to keep it to herself.
"Because of her incompetence, Poseidon was injured!"
Hera looked for a place to put her hand for support, but she was right in the middle of the room.
If you go and give the man an army, of course, he will go and attack his worst enemy.
"Half of Atlantis is destroyed, the royal palace is destroyed, Triton is badly wounded. Only a few of the sea-people made it to land, and they died as soon as they landed, why? Because Ursula failed to cast a stupid spell! Half of the remaining people are already dead, and the living ones, they've gone so deep that Poseidon can't reach any of them. He can't even if he wanted to. Oceanus has blocked everything! As if that's not enough, the last Kraken left in the world destroyed."
These did not concern her. Of course, the things she will do the Oceanos for disobeying her orders and attempting to attack her brother and even try to kill her nephew are really bad. But as for now, this isn't her problem. His punishment could wait until her plan is successful. The main task assigned to him was to eliminate her niece. The only snag in her plan should have cleared immediately. Zeus stopped talking again and started walking. Hera was dying to ask, but she waited with growing anger as there was no logical explanation for her asking that question. She had just decided to make a move when Zeus turned to her this time with a strange look in his eyes. Hera would have said he was 'sad' if she didn't know that her husband wouldn't care about anyone but himself and sometimes his siblings and children.
"Oceanus has taken Amari."
She cried out in such great joy inside, that for a moment she thought she was making a loud noise.
"She was in the North Atlantic, I don't know why. When she saw the escaped sea people and the Kraken, she tried to help. That stupid girl should have known that she couldn't. She should have stayed under the protection of her incompetent mother and definitely shouldn't have interfered, but she did! Huh, she is her father's daughter in the end. She fell in the water while she was trying to help. Oceanus felt that and decided to kill her for vengeance. Poseidon reached her right before it was too late. She is now in the Coral Palace. Her condition is serious, it is not clear what will happen. Poseidon ignores my orders and continues to keep his daughter there, aware that it is forbidden!"
Here's the moment I've been waiting for, she thought. Now I can happily begin my plan. With minor changes of course.
"How exactly did the attack happen? How did they know she'd be there?"
Zeus frowned slightly.
"I didn't say this attack was planned for her? Where did you get it? It's pure coincidence."
"I don't know, it seemed suspicious to me. Why would he attack a whole city out of the blue? If he wanted the throne, he would only attack the palace. It looks like they pulled her into this on purpose."
"It's impossible, you know. There's no way she can be contacted. There's no way they're going to report the attack to her."
Hera looked hesitant for her next sentence, but when Zeus shook her head, she continued.
"The girl is also forbidden to be underwater. But she's there now. And our dear brother is not following your orders."
"You think he reported the attack?"
"I wouldn't want to accuse anyone of such a thing, but this wouldn't be the first time Poseidon didn't follow his orders, would it?"
Noticing Zeus' distant gaze, she realized she said too much. It shouldn't have to be this quick, she can go slow, she got rid of the manipulative tone she used and reached a more lively voice.
"Of course, the girl's mother may have done it, too. Realizing that her spells weren't working, she might have doubted her daughter's protection and summoned her."
"She literally begged me to make a protection spell for her. Do you think she would really abuse this favour?"
"Maybe her brother sent word involuntarily, or the girl has a friend? We don't know, the possibilities are endless. Maybe it's not someone under the water who called her. Maybe it's someone from the other side?"
Hera changed her mind. She had decided not to mess with Oceanus herself. She thought it would be effective at first, but since he was acting on his own at the first opportunity given to him, his absence would benefit her more. If she could convince both parties that the whole plan was to kill the girl, both would blame the other. If she was lucky, she could also get the third party involved. But she had to work hard for it It was easy to convince Zeus. He didn't care about her, but if he believed for a second that Hades had anything to do with it, then it would be over. She had to convince Poseidon that Zeus is involved in this, which would be pretty easy. By a great coincidence, the lightning bolts that he had struck with anger had landed in the girl's position. The wind and snow Gods also had a lot of work in this. The only problem was how to turn Hades against Poseidon. He didn't care about his daughter or his siblings. And definitely not his niece. But her final plan was clear. She didn't need to start the war, she could turn the war in his favor.
"Do you really think she was summoned on purpose?"
"I am the Goddess of marriage. It is my duty to notice and follow the signs."
"Hera, stop talking like a riddle!"
"I'm just thinking. If someone underwater summoned it—which isn't impossible—they don't have much reason to do it, but they might have done it anyway. There's also the other possibility that this was the original plan. Maybe the girl was purposely pulled in there with the aim of killing her."
"Why would anyone do such a thing?"
The next move will be very difficult. This will be my hardest move. If I can't do that, I'll make a new enemy for myself.
"Maybe someone who's been hiding in the shadows for a long time and decides it's time."
Zeus understood before the sentence was finished.
"Hades? Why would he do that?"
"Well, isn't it clear why he did it? After all, because of her, his daughter slept for a century, couldn't wake up. She almost died. He obviously wants revenge. Besides, he and Poseidon had a conflict for centuries."
For a moment she thought he had really persuaded so easily, she was wrong. For Zeus and Poseidon, Hades wasn't their favorite brother, which was well known, but there was one small detail that no one knew. They both trusted him more than each other brothers, even more than any Olympian. Even when his lightning bolts were stolen, Poseidon was the first person Zeus suspected. Zeus would never have believed without proof that Hades would try to kill the girl. Even if they found evidence, there would always be doubt. At this point, it was the more logical scenario for him that Poseidon wanted to destroy his own daughter.
"Hera, you know very well that Hades wouldn't do that. He wouldn't do it with such trickery and scrap. Even if he wanted to kill the girl, he wouldn't attack Poseidon."
Hera swallowed the persuasive sentences on the tip of her tongue. She shouldn't have pushed any further. She said her last word before she gracefully lowered her head and left the room.
"I'm sure there's something else in this, though. Let's get the nymphs checked."
*
release date ; February 5, 2022