Morgana - A Tale of Beauty And The Beast

Chapter Nine

Chapter 09

THE celebration of their union was vast and even Hera and Zeus showed up. Plus, The Fates. They watched her, her only. She knew she must speak to them the first chance she got, but first she felt she must talk to Hera. Zeus remained aloof, as if not wanting to involve himself with the party at all. Morgana was confused about many things. After all, if her mate was in fact Hera's son, that meant he was Zeus' son as well, but – legend only spoke of a few sons. The crippled one that she flung down in to the depths of the earth and Ares.

When she found time away from her celebration goers, Morgana found Hera alone in the corner of the manor looking out in to the woods. Her golden hair was tied up so beautifully and shone so beautifully in the night she couldn't help standing for a moment and looking upon it. Hera noticed her before Morgana was taken out of her daze. She was standing in front of her before she could even think to move forward.

"I am sure you will make my son happy Morgana. Everyone has high hopes for you both,"

She bowed her head and thought of the best way to word her questions to the temperamental Fae. Hera was eying her curiously before she opened her mouth. "Child, in my long years on this earth your ways are best. You think before you act and speak. I have watched you a long time. Though you did not know it."

Morgana was taken by surprise at this, "I'm... I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't really understand."

"The mirror. Roses are the symbol of my son my dear, but," she snapped her fingers and the mirror appeared in her hand, "if you look on the back of it," she turned it over and upon it was an engraved peacock feather, "you will see my symbol as well."

She began to walk forward and grabbed the girl's hand, "I am sure you have questions for me. Please feel free to speak them. I promise not to get angry – and if I do, that I will not seek revenge. You will find that many of the tales you have heard about me are very farfetched and that Athena has a habit of making me take the blame for her antics."

"I don't understand, how can she make you take the blame for it? And why would she even want to torture her father's lovers so? You at least have a reason, she on the other hand..."

"Has a father complex. She is the only daughter he had with that... Titan woman. However, she thinks she should have her father all to herself. She thinks her father should be her lover."

Morgana stopped in her tracks, her mouth open and look clearly disgusted, "Her lover? Between siblings it is understandable but..."

"I know Morgana. I know." Hera stopped three steps ahead of her and turned. Her face was lovely, like a starry sky illuminated upon her very face with her aura. "Her father is partially to blame for it as well. He makes me take the fall for her out of his love for her mother. You see, her mother was his first and true love. No one else compares to her, but none the less... he had to protect himself."

Morgana stepped forward, "Is it true that he... swallowed her?"

Hera let out a laugh of such merriment that you'd think it was the biggest joke she ever heard, "Swallowed her? Oh heavens no! But she is banished – much like your dear mother, my dear one. She for good reasons. Your mother... well, it was complicated. Much like that scandal with Medusa. I refused to take the blame for that insanity. I drew the line."

"You know of my mother?" Morgana rushed forward closing any distance between them. "Please tell me the truth... Please."

Hera looked down, up at the moon, and then back at her companion. Tears were threatening to reveal themselves upon the rims of her golden eyes. "Yes. Your mother was raped a mortal. No one knows how he managed to get through The Veil. But he did, and she was quite beautiful. More beautiful than Aphrodite herself. She was nearly driven mad. The shame, the fear.... the heartache, for she was a Fae of fidelity." Hera closed her eyes and the tears slipped down her cheeks, "You must understand, she and I share the same memory – only I was a virgin and taken by the one who would become my husband. Zeus was also struck with an arrow by Eros when it happened... so, I guess he could not be totally put to blame."