Princess of Pompei

Prologue

Ancient Pompeii

 "Ma'am! Push!" The nurse yelled.

A groan came from the woman in labor lying on the bed. She was Lady Marcellus, the wife of Claudius Marcellus, mayor of Pompeii.

"Push some more!" The nurse yelled again.

The woman groaned some more. "Oh Juno! Goddess of marriage and family! Please help me!"

Little did she know, Juno herself was watching. She ticked her tongue. "Poor woman." In fact, Juno had been watching the whole time. The goddess was VERY interested in being involved with the life of the little girl soon to be born. Maybe it wasn't a bad way to start with her birth.

"Let me help you dear" she whispered into the ears of the woman in pain.

She seemed a little surprised to hear her. "Ju...Juno!"

Juno gave a little smirk. "After all, you did call for me. Here, you will no longer be in pain."

"Th... thank... you." The woman huffed. 

Juno flicked her hand and placed it on the woman's womb. With one last scream, she had her baby born.

"A girl!" The nurse cried.

As soon as the words left the nurse's mouth,  Claudius Marcellus marched into the labor room. "What?" He yelled.

The nurse started to fret. "M...my lord..."

"Let me see her." Claudius yelled as he snatched the baby from the nurse's arms. "Huh. Not that pretty either, is she?"

"My dear..." Lady Marcellus started when Juno quietly coughed.

All attention turned to her, including Claudius's. As surprised as he was to see the goddess, he couldn't stop hiding his disappointment of getting a girl instead of a boy.

Worse, he didn't try to hide it. Juno sighed to herself at how ignorant and blind this man was. The world needed less men like him, who thought women were useless compared to men. People like them often assumed they were superior over goddesses, which angered Juno a lot. How dare he not accept the gift she offered to their family?

"I helped with the labor. Your wife and daughter might not have survived if it wasn't for me." Juno said in her regal voice.

"I..." Claudius started.

But Juno stopped him. "However, it seems that you are not very grateful for my help. Therefore, I curse great devastation to the city on the girl's wedding day. Nobody in the city will survive."

Everybody gasped. "My lady! Please have mercy!" 

Juno shook her head. She was famous for  being merciless. Why try to change that reputation now?

But... the girl was supposed to leave a mark in history, wasn't she?

"Alright. I will take care of the girl myself. When devastation strikes, she will be under my protection. However, the rest will be under your responsibility."

The lord seemed stunned at the sudden curse that came to his city. Was he just supposed to let his daughter rot until she was old as a hag?

"Oh and one last thing before I leave: I name the girl Diona Hebe, after me and my own daughter, Juventas. The girl will sleep for 2000 years, forever young, as the new lady and queen of Pompeii. Now take good care of her, or else."

With that, Juno left. Nobody in the room moved. The prophecy that will bring doom to their dear city was just made. There was only 20 years at the most until the girl grew up to be an eligible wife. What were they going to do?