Gifted

8: Home

I practically flew from the carriage to the front door, knocking and waiting. Slowly the door opened. Percy.

"Hera?" He sounded shocked. I threw my arms around him, laughing for joy. He squeezed me tightly. "Did you run away?"

"No, Charles said I could come home, and he snuck me away so his father wouldn't know until I was already gone," I explained. I heard footsteps suddenly, and Athena and Artemis appeared, stumbling over each other through the door with wide eyes, followed by Persephone. Artie choked on a sob as she pulled me into her arms.

"Oh, you're home!" she whispered. Athena folded herself around us both, and I laughed softly as I hugged them. Finally I turned to my younger sister and hugged her.

"Where's Mother?" I asked.

"Confined to bed since you were taken away," Percy said. I frowned.

"Father?"

"On a trip to the capital to try to convince them there to change the law about musicians," he replied.

"You'll never be taken back to those terrible men ever again," Artemis said firmly.

"Only one of them is terrible," I said. "And I never see him."

"Which one is that?"

"The earl."

"What about the young one? That count? Does he just ignore you while the other abuses you?" Athena said bitterly.

"No," I said. "Charles is kind and wonderful, and he loves me. And I love him," I added quietly.

"He's playing with you, Hera," Percy snapped. "Don't fall for his nasty tricks. Why would he love you if he just brought you to play for him?"

"Maybe because he really does!" I snapped. "Don't you dare think badly about him! He's already got enough to worry about, with his father and trying not to be murdered, without your judgements! He's wonderful and sweet and funny and handsome and everything I thought he was when I first met him! All right?" They were silent. "He treats me perfectly." I stepped toward the door. "I'm going to go see Mother."

That evening, I sat on my familiar bed, unpacking. As I lifted out one of my dresses, I found a note on the bottom of my bag:

Dear Hera,

I know I made you promise to be careful, but I just wanted to remind you to. I would truly die if anything happened to you. I couldn't lose two loves in the same lifetime.

I wrote this so that you would have a bit of me while you're far away, and so you'll remember that I'm here missing and loving you. Don't do anything you wouldn't do if I was there. That's all.

I love you so much. I'll wait for you until you come back and I can hold you again. Maybe when you get back you can teach me to play.

All the love, Charlie

I smiled. Charlie? I was going to have to call him that from now on.

I tucked the note into my skirt, then danced downstairs, where my family was all sitting around the fire like they always had. I suddenly noticed something and sat next to Artie, touching her stomach. She smiled.

"I was going to surprise everyone," she whispered. "Lucas... passed right before I was going to tell him." I beamed.

"That's wonderful!" I said. "I'm so happy for you!" She smiled down at the bump.

Suddenly Percy ran in.

"Father's home!" he cried. "Hera, let's surprise him!" I quickly ducked under the stairs as the door opened.