Tears of Gold ─── Hermes

v. vanilla pods

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 ─── vanilla pods

𝕿hough she did not who, or where they would come from...

For the first few days on the island, Leto followed Delia around as if she were a lost child. The pregnant woman was still unsure about how she was supposed to interact with others, the unspoken rules that the inhabitants followed . At first, Delia had been struggling with having another goddess with her on the island, but she had come to realise that she enjoyed the company.

"Catch." Leto caught the apple that Delia had dropped down from the tree branches, her red hair tugging out of it's plait as the pair laughed. "I think that should be enough. What say you?"

"Depends on what we're making." Leto called back, as Delia hopped down from the tree, grabbing her staff from the tree stump.

"Anything that I can with apples." That got the Titan to laugh, as Delia took the basket from her. "I'll take that."

"I can carry that," The auburn haired woman rolled her eyes, as they started the walk back to the house. "I am pregnant, not an invalid."

"Maybe so, but I want to." Leto huffed, watching as the small girl waved to the nymphs in the stream to the left of the groves. "There's something on your mind, is there not?"

"You are a goddess, aren't you?"

"Yes," Delia leant down so that some younger satyrs could place cherries and peaches into the basket. "What of it?"

"I just have not heard of you before, and it is bizarre." Leto shrugged her shoulders. "I know nearly every god and goddess out there, yet I had never heard of you, until Hermes took me to this island and introduced us. Yet, even he says that he did not know you, and that is rare. Why would that be?"

"Good question." Delia hummed. "It's a long story and a complicated one. Not one that I want you to get involved with."

"Does it have something to do with why you don't allow gods onto the island?" Delia paused, clutching her staff tighter so that Leto would not be able to see her hands trembling. Leto touched her shoulder, walking around so that she stood in front of the pale girl. "I see. I won't ask."

"Thank you." Delia nodded, as the doors to the kitchen opened and they began to put the fruit away. Plants snaked through the windows, bringing with it the scent of flowers and dew, calming the pair. Delia smoothed her clothes, eating a honey cake as the pair began to speak of more mundane things.

"My Lady." Turning her head, the goddess only sighed as a naiad came into view. "The god is here again."

"Of course, I shall be there momentarily," Delia turned back to Leto, rolling her eyes as Leto laughed.

"Have fun."

"I will not." Delia took off for the Northern peninsula once more, her staff in hand as she grew more angry with the god for turning back up. Sliding down the cliff side, she walked around the side of the beach. 

Hermes was kicking rocks, the wings on his sandals fluttering as he did.

"What are you doing here, Messenger Boy?" Hermes' head snapped up, a grin forming on his face as he bounded over like a large, overly excited pup.

"Zeus wanted to see how Leto was doing," He replied, bouncing around her as Delia raised an unamused eyebrow. "And I wished to see how the mysterious guardian of the isle was."

"This mysterious guardian is seconds away from smiting you if you do not step out of her personal space," Hermes paused, smiling sheepishly as he backed away from the smaller girl. "And you can tell Zeus that he can go and..."

"I can not tell him that!" Hermes refused to let her finish her sentence, shaking his head vehemently. "I would be punished."

Delia raised an eyebrow, as Hermes' jaw dropped.

"I'm hurt by your lack of concern for me, oh great Guardian of Delos,"

"Flattery will get you no where, Messenger Boy," He shrugged, as if to say that it was worth a try, before carrying on with what he was saying.

"Zeus also said that he wishes to visit..."

"No," Hermes nodded, ignoring the Greek curse words that were coming from her mouth, and allowing her to rant.

"I'll just tell him that you said no then."

"No, you can tell him all of the words in that sentence," Delia smiled, as Hermes paled and groaned. "That's your job, isn't it, Messenger Boy? To deliver messages?"

"Well, yes, in a sense."

"Then you can tell him that and repeat that if he dares step foot on my island, the consequences will be dire." The sky rumbled above her, but Delia refused to care any longer.

"All right," He forced a smile back onto his face, the wings on his sandals fluttering nervously as he prepared to run off.

"Leto is good," Hermes stopped, glancing back at her retreating form with wide eyes. "I think that she may be having twins."

"Really? That's amazing and it will be so much fun if they are twins," Hermes came to hover on the other side of her, his eyes wide with excitement as she kept walking. He fell silent for a moment, before touching down next to her and tilting his head. "You haven't answered my second question though. How are you?"

"Why do you care?" Delia stopped, spinning around as Hermes tried not to walk into her. "What motive do you have to ask that?"

"No motive," Hermes replied, his eyebrow's furrowing. "I am simply asking after your well being."

"I'm fine," She stalked back off, her glare deepening.

"All right. Is there anything that you would like from my travels?" Hermes called after her, his eyebrows raised in anticipation, before his entire form drooped at her lack of answer. "I can get you anything. Promise."

Delia made the mistake of glancing over her shoulder and looking at Hermes. It seemed that the god had managed to master the art of guilt tripping, as he stood there, his helmet in his hands as his wings drooped pathetically. A pout was on his face, and Delia was sure that if he looked up, his eyes would be almost puppy like. 

"Vanilla pods." 

"Huh?" Hermes glanced up, as Delia turned back towards him with a sigh, as she reluctantly began to speak.

"You could get me some vanilla pods and brown sugar and some of that cocoa from the landmass far to the west." Hermes lit up, a large grin forming on his face as he nodded, starting to bounce around in excitement.

"I will not disappoint."

"Do not forget to deliver the message, Messenger Boy,"

"I will not. See you soon," He zipped off before she could say anything else, becoming a distant dot on the horizon in seconds, as Delia disappeared back inside.

Hiya,

Hermes is an actual golden retriever in human form and Delia just hates men at this point, though she for sure has a soft spot for Hermes. Her cursing Zeus out brings me life, as does her and Leto's relationship, and Hermes' puppy eyes and their conversation. Just generally them. 

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx