Hell Is An Empty Heart (Book One of The Triple Moon's Chronicles)

22 | Demeter's Reasons VII - Slap In The Face ***

Warning for a degrading sex scene, but what else are we to expect from Zeus?

Days had gone by within the quietness of Demeter's new accommodation, and she glowed even more into the rosy complexion of her sacred state. She was now only one day away from the full term of her pregnancy.

Endless walks in the garden were her new routine, with days all spent in the company of either Hestia or Zeus. The latter swore her temple was almost back to its original magnificence, but she never saw it behind his walls—the ramparts of his palace that shielded her from the echoing accusations. She was confined, blind, and deaf to those who condemned her to being more than a special guest to him.

They said she was now known as the new mistress of his house, or even worse, his newest lover, adding her name to his long list of concubines. Yet Demeter was the most at peace in her ignorant world; she didn't care for anyone else but her own child.

The daughter, who was always by her side,
The babe who heard every one of her secrets
While everybody else thought she was just alone.

All they could see of Demeter was her perching on the window seat's edge between her chamber's two columns. They just knew that she was there, brushing her thick, shiny, fire-coloured hair many times a day, but they were clueless to why she was in that room, facing the most beautiful view of a garden. The one she had created for the Cloud-Gatherer.

On that day, Zeus came to her unexpectedly and caught her up in his arms from behind. He blew kisses into her hair like he whispered into her ear, "I told you, this garden was for a child to run in." Frozen in his grasp, she could only purse her lips as he now stroked over her rounded tummy without even asking her permission. "I hope this is what you are saying to her."

"Maybe."

He asked, "Would you ever cease keeping me in wait, Demeter?" with a frown on his face. She pulled away from him, and his brittle voice suddenly bore the markings of his irritation. "What are you actually saying to her?" He yanked her back tightly, but all she could manage was a forced smile. Sensing her discomfort, he let her go with a laugh. "All right, why don't you tell her that this is now her home, too?"

With an incredulous stare, Demeter pointed to the emptiness. "Look!" Zeus squinted his eyes toward her finger, but it was just a temporary diversion to a couple of doves that had landed in his garden. Demeter ran outdoors to catch them, but as she came close, the bird—sacred to Aphrodite and a sign of love—took off soaring.

Zeus approached her with a sullen look and a low growl in his throat, saying, "Poseidon didn't answer back, did he?"

Like the birds flying away, the many letters she sent to Poseidon to inform him of her pregnancy went unanswered. Zeus' reminder made Demeter sniff bitterly, but her new self still longed to hear from Poseidon.

"Please answer me, Demeter. You and your child will never have to worry about anything here."

She snapped off a handful of grass while pressing her lips together. "I know." And with that, she twisted her smile to mask her annoyance.

Zeus let out a loud breath that had grown heavier and louder in his chest. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Demeter could not grant him his wish. She had made an earlier commitment to Poseidon, which was now cemented with the conception of a child. As she remained seated on the grass, Zeus clenched his jaw and kneeled down to lock his arms around her again. He persisted further, kissing all over her neck to her face, then closer and closer to her mouth. Leaning away with her eyes, refusing to look at him, Demeter simulated a sickness to free herself from his unwanted advances.