Freedom | Avengers Story

Part 1

"Zeus!" She cries, tripping on her dress as she runs up the stairs.

-"Zeus, please!"

Zeus looks over his shoulder and watches my mother struggle. He rushes over to help her out, holding her by the arms as she falls on the stairs, too weak to stand up.

"Eleutheria..." He whispers, pity drawing over him. That's my mother's name; Eleutheria. She's the Goddess of Liberty.

Mother was out of breath, her brown hair falling out of place. Zeus unveils her face, and notices tears streaming down her face. An endless flow of tears. She cries and sobs, unable to get words out. Eventually, she manages.

"Please, Zeus. I'm begging you. Please bare me a child!" She pleas, Zeus' expression obvious in shock. His wife, Hera, overhears. She flies in as a dark-night, black crow and shifts into humanoid form, her dress flowing in the wind.

"Eleutheria!" She yells, strutting over to her. Zeus holds a hand up, stopping her in her tracks. He places his hands back on Mother's arms, his eyes staring into hers.

"Dear, I know how desperate you are, and it's a burden having to see you like this. But you know I cannot do that. I'll be betraying what I have promised Hera." He explains, only earning more sorrowful sobs out of Mother. She looks up at him again, tears brimming her eyes.

-"Please! I'm begging you! Zeus, you have to help me!"

"And why should he? Don't you know he's already occupied?" Hera booms, her voice echoing around the temple ground. Their children, Apollo, Ares, Hermes, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hebe and Ersa gather behind them, watching with heavy hearts. At least, some of them. Ares, Aphrodite, Dionysus and Hebe watch with resentment as the scene plays before them.

"Hera, enough." Zeus commands, keeping Hera quiet.

"Eleutheria, I'm sorry." He apologises, his eyes obvious with guilt.

"Zeus, no! Please! I need a child! I can't live if I don't have one!" Mother persists, chasing after Zeus who walks up the stairs.

"Hermes, take her." He orders his son. Hermes nods, his eyes, woeful. He pulls his helmet down and carries Mother, bridle style, and zooms off, taking her back home.

She lives in a small part of Olympus, shared by other Gods.

He places her in her bed, her crying never ending. He removes his helmet, watching her with pity.

"I'm sorry, Eleutheria." He repeats his father's words. She ignores him, curling up in a ball of depression. He was about to leave, but he resists, unable to leave her pained.

"If it's any help, my sister, Eileithyia, the Goddess of Childbirth. I'll...get her to bless you with a child, if I can." He offers, a pang of generosity filling him. Mother takes his hand and peers up at him.

"Please..." she whispers. Eileithyia is her only hope. If this doesn't work out, she's be induced with endless suffering.

"I can't promise anything. But I'll do what I can."
Hermes squeezes her hand tightly, pulls his helmet down and leaves, on his way to convince his sister.

__

Mother sleeps peacefully, the warm wind of the night blowing in through her window.

Suddenly, a flash of light bursts in through her door, twinkling around her room. Mother peels her eyes open slowly, the light too blinding. Once it was dimmed down to see, she looks up, and sees Eileithyia, a beautiful, long-brown-haired Goddess wearing an flowy, Orange dress that accentuates her milky skin.

"Eil...Eileithyia?" Mother questions. Eileithyia hushes her, keeping her presence discreet.

"If Mother or Father knows I'm here, I'll be as good as dead." She says, kneeling down in front of Mother. Her eyes gleam with compassion, and Mother is taken by surprise.

"I pity you, Eleutheria. As the Goddess of Childbirth, I know how hard it is to bear a phantom child. Allow me." She explains as she takes her hand and holds it, placing her soft, cherry lips on the back of Mother's hand.

All of a sudden, a yellow light beams where she kisses, tails of orange and gold swaying around them. Stars of different shapes and sizes twinkle and dance around the room. The light starts from the back of the hand and draws a line up Mother's arm, twists around her shoulder, running down the side of her torso and finishes at her stomach. It creates the image of a womb, a child's womb. The golden line flashes it's radiant light, and soon, sun-kissed yellow flower petals burst out from Mother's stomach, and the light show ends.

Eileithyia releases her lips from Mother's hand and stares at her in the darkness, a warm smile and kind eyes on her face.

"I ask for something in return for this favour you plead for." She starts.

"What is it?" Mother asks. Eileithyia releases her hand and stands up, her dress flowing in the wind.

"Take care of them. Show them all your love, compassion and loyalty a mother can give a child. When the time comes, I'll be here to deliver your baby." She commands. Then, her face shifts from happiness to solemnity.

"And please. Do not breathe a word of this to any of the other Gods who are for Zeus. You can only tell those closest to you. If the Gods of Zeus were to find out, they'd kill you and your child. Their temple has no place for mercy, as such. The only Gods to know are me, Hermes, Apollo and Ersa. Just like you, a word shall not be said." She warns, dropping Mother's glass heart. It'll be hard to keep something like a child so secret. If it cries, it'll be heard.

-"Take caution. By the Gods, we will do our best to protect you."

With that, Eileithyia leaves in a burst of orange, yellow and golden petals, leaving a mess on Mother's floor.

She's in panic. Distress. How will she keep her child a secret?

Well, she has succeeded many moons...until one normal day.