Chapter 84: Chapter 84
Adonis left the room feeling more confused than he’d ever been. Niko had somehow been able to sink his claws into the poor girl and now...
His steps were heavy as he walked, his eyes moved unfocused from face to face as he walked down the stairs towards the exit. Then he sighed heavily when he’d reached his horse.
He rode back to the palace slowly, deep in thought. He wondered how well Hera took the news of her pregnancy. Unfortunately for her, judging by the look of things, the situation was worse than she had anticipated because, as it seemed, Niko did not take the reveal in stride.
He dismounted the horse as he got to the palace and decided to take a walk around the grounds. He wrestled with the idea of telling Astrid. It would destroy her; he could picture her face fall and her shoulder slump. She was that way while they were away in battle, sulking and brooding, when something unexpected happened. No, he thought, he couldn’t be the source of her unhappiness.
As he walked further across the palace grounds, his frustration grew. He came across the garden he’d previously played in as a child. It was located far away from the main house, so they hardly came here. However, when they did, he and his sisters would have the time of their lives.
He walked through the garden, saw the tree he had climbed as a child, and smiled. He had just climbed the tree when he began to hear voices. It grew louder as they walked towards the garden.
He looked down at them, and his blood boiled.
"Are you sure no one will see us here?" Astrid asked in a low tone.
"Yes," Augustus whispered.
He led her deeper and deeper into the garden until they finally stopped and lay on the flower bed to the left.
While they laughed and talked, Adonis fumed, and his body grew restless. He clenched his jaw hard and held a branch so tightly it almost broke.
He quietly got down from the tree, walked back into the palace, and then headed straight to his room. However, he felt a deep sense of calm when he was finally all alone. He leaned back against the door, and a flurry of thoughts ran through his mind.
.
A smile crept onto his face, and he chuckled. He felt certain now of what he would do. He exhaled, pulled open his door, and went in search of Hera.
He’d checked her room first, and there was no one there. Then he checked Iris’s room. He continued to search until he finally found her in the library.
"My lady, " he said in a hushed tone and smiled. Hera flinched from his sudden appearance. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
Hera’s eyes shot up to stare at him. Her heart began to thump loudly in her chest; she’d thought he would hear it.
"Sure, your majesty," she stuttered.
He took her hand in his arm and led her down the stairs, then outside the building. "How have you been?" He asked calmly.
"I... Well... The absence of my sister... I mean, a little lonely." Hera mentally slapped her forehead. She was fully aware of the man beside her, and this made her anxious.
"I can understand." Adonis frowned. "All those months travelling, away from the kingdom, it felt almost painful, but coming back here, seeing all the familiar faces again, it makes me glad."
Hera gave him a tight smile.
"What have you thought of our kingdom so far, my lady?"
"I think it’s a wonderful place," Hera replied. He’d led them towards the banquet hall, and they sauntered down the stairs. "But I also miss my home," she added and snuck a glance at him.
"I understand perfectly, Princess Hera, but one day, you’ll leave your family and make your own."
They walked past the hall and stood near the cliff, watching as the water moved.
"Hopefully, your majesty, one day." Hera smiled sadly. Her heart was filled with memories of Niko. His smile, his eyes, the way he called her name. And even though he’d made a fool of her and the baby she carried, she couldn’t help thinking about him.
"What do you think about making Erindros your new home?" Adonis turned abruptly to look at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. " While I was away, I thought of you a lot. I know I didn’t treat you well enough when you first arrived, but I plan to make it up to you."
Hera stood completely still, her arms fell limply at her side. In that moment, her head was empty of all thoughts, and she stared at him in a daze.
"Are you alright, princess Hera?"
She was silent.
Adonis shook her lightly, "Is everything alright?"
"Yes... Yes, your majesty, I’m sorry," Hera shook herself mentally.
Adonis chuckled awkwardly. "Good." He said and paused. "I take it that you’re a little shocked. I’ll give you a while to think about it," he paused, "rather, to get used to the idea. I will inform my father of my decision about this," he pointed at the space between them, "but I’m ecstatic about our future."
Hera was speechless. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and she breathed laboured breaths. How would she explain to him that she was pregnant? What would be her fate if the empire found out that she had given herself to another man while the prince had fought valiantly in battle?
"Thank you, your majesty. It’s truly an honour."
Adonis smiled at her and pecked her on both cheeks, then took her hand in his and led her back into the palace.
He walked her to her room, nodded, and smiled at her before he left.
Hera entered her room, and her breath caught. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t breathe.
She collapsed to the floor and clutched her chest tightly; the events of the past swam in her mind. Tears rolled down her face, and as she continued to breathe in ragged breaths.
"Hera, do you know where..." Selene walked into her room casually and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened when she saw Hera shaking on the floor. "Hera," her voice shook as she called out to her. When she realized that Hera was in danger, she rushed forward and began to scream.
"HERA!!! HELP!! HELP," Selene screamed frantically. The tears formed in her eyes quickly and fell in sheets.
Iris rushed into the room and gasped. "What happened?" She asked, breathless.
"I have no idea. I came in and saw her this way. We need to get her to a physician, right now!"
Iris grew eerily still. "We can’t," she replied quietly.
"What do you mean we can’t?" Selene cried, "She’s dying."
"She’s pregnant," Iris revealed.
"What?!"
"What?!" Astrid looked between the girls. She’d heard loud, frantic voices coming from Hera’s room, and she rushed in to find out what was happening.
Selene and Iris turned their heads sharply towards Astrid. Iris’s head fell while Selene gave a weak stare.
"What do you mean, ’pregnant’? Who’s pregnant?"
"Hera," Iris said.
"Don’t make that kind of joke," Astrid’s face turned serious. "That’s not a kind of joke you make, Iris."
"I’m not," she said quietly and turned her head back to Hera. "But at this moment, that isn’t the point. The point is that we have to help her. Right now."
Astrid shook her head and stared at Iris in disbelief. It wasn’t possible. Not Hera, not her sister.
"Astrid!" Selene chided loudly. "Step out of that head of yours and help your sister. Whatever it is, we will deal with it later."
Astrid breathed in deeply and rushed to their side. She scanned Hera’s face and then the rest of her body. "She’s having a panic attack, I think."
"You think?" Selene retorted.
"Just get me a bucket of cold water and a rag," she instructed Selene, then turned towards Iris, "help me get her up. Iris..." she called. "I want you to listen to the sound of my voice, do you hear me?" She began to pat her back in a slow, monotonous rhythm.
"Great, you’re doing so well." She looked at the bucket of water Selene placed beside her, motioned for Iris to hold Hera, then drenched the rag in the water and squeezed. Then she dabbed Hera’s forehead, neck, and arms.
Hera finally calmed down after they’d done everything repeatedly, and all three girls heaved a deep sigh of relief.
"You scared us," Selene’s voice trembled. "Don’t you ever do that again.
Astrid took a deep breath, cupped Hera’s face, and peered deeply into her eyes. "Are you pregnant, Hera?"
She burst into tears, "I’m sorry, I didn’t know, I had no idea."
Astrid shut her eyes and stifled a sob. Why would this happen? They were finally going to be happy.
"What happened to you, Hera? Why were you on the floor, having a panic attack?" Iris asked impatiently.
Hera’s head fell forward, and she grew silent.
"What happened?" Astrid asked, her voice loud and angry.
Hera turned abruptly towards her and pressed her lips together. The tears poured down even more. "The prince has asked that I marry him."
