No Regrets

Chapter 16

     Father gave me a three-headed dog charm ten years ago, and until just recently, I had realized it was Cerberus. His pet dog and a dog I had never met. The charm, I had set it up in my small shelf with my books and every time I finished reading a book and went to pick a new one, he would stare at me. The little metal dog with his metal beady eyes would look at me and watch what I had been doing. I would notice it and pet its head and get reminded of father.

      It helped me see that my father wasn't a horrible God and father. He was a God who made mistakes in his past and wants his burdens to be washed away. He was just a God wanting to be a better father even with all the shit he's been through and the horrific things he had done. 

       I went to visit him the evening after I had forgiven him for Kaija and him, something he had no idea of. I walked into the castle and called for him. He walked over to me through the middle door just behind the throne and was surprised to see me. "It's been what... a month? Why did it take you so long to come back for a visit?"

     "I-" I didn't know what to say, I didn't want to say something that would cause him to shut me out. He's been doing it his whole life up until recently, it would unsurprising if he shut me out again. "The museum had so much history of your life and ours. I thought it was cool to see it all and learn so much in such little time." He walked over to me and gave a slight smile before dropping it and going back to being serious. "You really stood up for the humans?"

       He looked to the floor and at his feet before raising his head to the ceiling, "Uh... yeah. I didn't like how Zeus and the others had made them so vile and evil. We started this universe to see what would happen. Give them everything they would ever need and more, they just had to learn from the world and apply it to advance. It was really endearing to watch the animals and humans as they evolved and lived life comfortably. But when the Gods decided to go against it, I went against them and left. I created these demons to help me protect the good from evil."

     I couldn't help but smile warmly at how much he cared. My whole childhood up until I was thirteen, he was so caring and warm. I thought that the day he went cold, was the real him who he hid convincingly for so many years. But his true self was always a seeker of justice and love. "You care so much about everyone... why do you hide it?"

      "It makes it possible to not get attached. To let go as easy as it was to feel pity towards them."

       That wasn't the answer I had expected. I thought I had him all read out, but he went on to surprise me again. I still didn't know my father. "I didn't think you felt that way. Is that how you feel about me?"

       "What?" He asked, appalled by the ridicolous statement. "Of course I don't feel pity for you. You're my child and I love you so much. You don't compare yourself to humans when you aren't one. You are Hera, my child of blood, and for that, I only feel love."

       I smiled, all giddy and excited that he told me he loved me. The way I loved when he assured me that he loved me, even when parents are supposed to love their children. It was what I wanted, I wanted him to show me that no matter how much I grew and changed and no matter how close we were or weren't he still loved me so much. "I love you too, father. I will always love you," I went to give him a long embrace and squeezed myself deep into his suit. He, like always, didn't hug me and just patted me on the back. I decided that was enough for the conversation, deciding to drop the whole Kaija thing. I was indifferent towards the event now, just like my sisters pretended to be. I was pretending to be indifferent and not care, but a little part, a little part in all three of us, still cared and were wounded by the fact. 

September 2017.

     September was a very important month for us demons as I came to know thanks to Gaia. At the end of the month on September 27, the Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες, also known as the Olympics, would be held.