HERA OLYMPUS II
The day we received the news that my father and Arthur were fighting, I was panicking, I wanted to do something. I wanted to help Arthur, I yearned to do something, anything, to protect him, but I couldn't. I felt useless. I remember asking myself "Is this the life I'll have? A mere housewife?" The bitter question echoed in the hollow chambers of my heart.
... My father was very strong... No wonder he was seen as a god, but I could help. The thought of Arthur facing him alone...
I lay on Arthur's bed in the Chamberlain mansion with a brown tunic and a brown linen overcoat. The scent of him clinging to the massive, conforting space.
The rich, earthy aroma of his cologne, a blend of sandalwood and something wilder, filled my senses. My fingers traced gentle patterns in Allana's soft, brown hair. Her small body trembled against mine. Her head was on my chest, she was shaking with fear, we learned that Queen Andromeda was badly injured.
It was the master bedroom of the mansion, the room was huge, the Chamberlain family decided to offer the mansion to Arthur since he had no palace.
— It's going to be okay, Allana, — I whispered, my voice a shaky reassurance even to my ears. I brushed a stray curl from her forehead. — They're strong. Both of them...
I felt the frantic hammering of her heart against my ribs, the shallow, ragged breaths she drew. Her big eyes, wide and brimming with tears, sought mine. — I-I... I... I-I'm afraid, sister. What if they die...?
My own throat tightened. Andromeda was a mother to me in every way that mattered... and Arthur... Arthur. I swallowed hard, forcing down the panic that threatened to engulf me. — Your mother is strong and young. She'll recover. And your brother, do you want me to say it? — I let the unspoken words hang in the air.
She buried her face in my tunic, her small frame wracked with sobs. — N-No...
Poor child. Suffered a lot with Arthur's absence, she never had a male figure. She was always surrounded by us, women. Arthur... Why couldn't he see how much she needed him? It would be great if he noticed...
I pushed back the rising tide of my own emotions. Tears stung my eyes. Andromeda... Arthur...
The questions clawed at me, relentless and sharp. I could only think about him. "Does he need help? Is he hurt? How is he? Was he even alive? And the queen?" These questions consumed me. My heart tightened with so much anxiety and fear, the physical weight, crushing me, stealing my breath. I couldn't meditate, eat, couldn't even bear to move.
The tension permeated the entire city. Selena was apprehensive, mad and busy than ever. Merlin, very quiet and sensitive, her soul clearly suffering. Thalia moved like a ghost; her usual radiance dimmed. The elders were silent, their usual meetings abandoned. A thick, suffocating blanket of dread had settled over Camelot.
…
I needed air. I needed to escape the stifling atmosphere of the mansion. I decided to take Allana for a walk.
Ten amazons, clad in gleaming armor, escorted our royal carriage, a magnificent vehicle of gold and white. I know it was an exaggeration, a royal carriage with a full escort just within the city walls, but Queen Andromeda's orders were absolute. She feared for my safety, terrified of some desperate brave ones attempting to... "abduct" me. The thought was both horrifying and unsettling. We headed for the crystal-clear waters of Camelot's beach.
As the carriage rolled to a stop, whispers rippled through the small crowd gathered nearby. — Who are they carrying? It must be one of the princesses...
I stepped out, taking Allana's hand. The sun beat down, a fiery presence in the sky. I adjusted my hair, and then a scream pierced the air, obtaining my attention.
— KYAAAAAHHH!! — A girl in a brown robe and shockingly pink hair jumped up and down, her eyes wide.
The Amazons moved swiftly, forming a protective barrier around us. I winced. I hated causing a scene, hated disrupting the lives of ordinary people. With a nervous smile, I offered a tentative wave. — Hello... How are you?
— KYAAH! It's the king's girlfriend... — another girl shrieked; her voice filled with excitement.
Another, elbowing her way through the crowd, raised a hand. — Goddess, please, a question! Why haven't you married the king yet? Or are you... having an affair... with the king...? Know... HEY! — She yelled at those trying to push past her. — DOES THE KING HAVE PLANS TO HAVE ANOTHER QUEEN?!
My cheeks burned. Shame washed over me. I wanted to disappear. — Allana, — I managed, my voice a strained whisper. — Greet them...
How do they know about me and Arthur? Why those questions? The questions swirled in my mind, adding to the growing unease. These Britons are weird indeed... What is that....
…
Minutes later, the beach was deserted. The amazons, efficient and implacable as always, had cleared the area. Allana and I splashed in the shallows, the sun a blazing inferno overhead. "Arthur's doing," they said. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
His other self... bringing the sun closer... I missed him, ached for him, and the fear was a constant, gnawing presence.
— Come here! — I called, chasing Allana, a straw hat perched precariously on my head.
— You can't catch me! — she shrieked, her laughter echoing across the empty beach. — Senior sister is too slow!
"I wish I could be like her," I thought, watching her carefree joy. So simple. So untroubled.
— I'm the fastest! — Allana yelled, and a playful glint entered my eyes.
— Really...? — I asked, and with a swift flick of my foot, I sent her tumbling face-first into the shallow water. — Still the fastest? — I asked, a hint of sarcasm in my voice, but a smile playing on my lips.
She sputtered, then shrieked, — That's not fair! Sister tripped me!
— Hahahaha!! — I laughed, bending over, hands on my knees. — Come, let's go, — I said, taking her hand. — Otherwise, you'll catch a cold...
…
Later, as I sat behind her on a blanket, drying her hair with a soft towel, I noticed her gaze fixed on the endless expanse of the sea. — What's wrong? — I murmured.
She turned, her eyes clear and innocent. — Have you ever thought about having children?
My cheeks flamed. — WHAT?!
She repeated the question, her gaze unwavering. — Have you ever thought about having children?
— Well... I... Yes... — I stammered, looking away. — Why...?
— With my big brother?
— ALLANA!! — I exclaimed, my face burning. — What kind of question is that?! — I Whispered, my eyes down.
She giggled, then her expression turned serious. — ... I always wanted my big brother to be with me, — she whispered, her voice choked with tears. — But he doesn't like me... — Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
— Allana... — I pulled her onto my lap, hugging her close.
— Sniff... I know he doesn't like me... — she sobbed. — I want you to give me little brothers and sisters so they can play with me...
— ... — I was speechless. A wave of tenderness washed over me. I looked at her, she was so adorable, so vulnerable. If only she wasn't such a little sly and cocky fox sometimes. She gave me an immense desire to have children. Arthur's children... A family...
— Please... — she begged, her eyes pleading.
My lips trembled. I wanted to say yes with all my heart, but the image of Arthur's face, cold and distant, stopped me. — You know it's not that simple, Allana. Arthur and I need to be married first. And as for your brother... you'll have to be patient, — I said, forcing a smile. I gently touched her little nose.
She wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder. — Will you promise to play with me until you have children? — She whispered, her voice muffled.
My God, Allana... This child was determined to make my life difficult. The thought brought a smile to my lips. I was melting. Married... Children... The ideas, once so distant, now seemed tantalizingly close. — I promise, — I said, tickling her sides. — You little schemer.
— SISTER! — She shrieked, laughing. — Stop...
— Enough talk about children, okay? — I said, looking at her with a pout on my cheek.
— Uh-huh... — she replied, saluting playfully. — Yes, ma'am!
This girl... she knew exactly how to get what she wanted. Smart, just like her brother. Thank goodness she wasn't cold like him, or Andromeda and I would have our hands full. But the idea of children... it wasn't so bad after all. The thought lingered in my mind, a warm ember glowing in the midst of the fear and uncertainty,