The Child of Hera

Chapter 19-Birdie

Birdie looked at her mother.  As Queen Cow Face held her arms outstretched, she had a flashback.

She was nine, and had just left her first gang.  Most of the members had been killed by demigod raiders, so the group dispersed.  She was sitting in an ally, wondering if she could find a place to stay, when a flash of light appeared out of nowhere.  When the light dimmed, there stood a beautiful woman, with Birdie's same eye and hair color.  Birdie's hair was tangled, and not as luscious as Hera's.  For that was who she was. 

Hera had told her that she was her daughter.  She had fallen in love with her father and left before he proposed.  She told the young girl, that she was to be her pride.  She would do many great things.  She would be a hero among heroes, as long as she did what Hera told her to do.  Birdie had powers.  For every person she found favor with, she would gain a gift and a curse.  She could also read minds of anyone other than the gods.

But then Hera left, leaving a confused, nine year old in a cold, dank, smelly ally without so much as an I love you.  Birdie broke down at this point.  She had cried for hours, upon finding that this woman had hurt her Daddy.

Now Birdie felt similar, but with a new feeling piled on top of the others.  Anger.  She hated this woman for abandoning her.  For hurting the people she cared about most.  For throwing away her vows.  For messing with demigods' lives.  For everything.

But Birdie knew better.  She had read all of Luke's regrets.  Knowing what had happened to him, she couldn't betray her mother.  So she could hate, she just couldn't act on her hatred.

"My Pride," Hera repeated, "come to you're mother."

Birdie looked down, not moving.  She could feel the tension in the air.  It hung there, waiting to be turned into an argument.  She ruffled her new wings.  They were really quite bulky.

"Come here," the goddess said with more force.

"I would really rather not," Birdie said looking up coolly.  

"Heracacedralthalite.  Come.  Here."

"No, thank you, mother," she said through her teeth.  She wished the almighty queen of the gods, in all her glory, would just leave, taking her almightiness and glory with her.

"I was going to give you something, but you clearly don't want it."

"Thanks for finally getting the memo."  Birdie spit the words as if they were acid.

Hera tossed her daughter a zip-up sweatshirt.  "If you put that on, you're wings will shrink into it.  You wont have to worry about them hitting anything."  The cow goddess seemed reluctant to give the girl anything other than a flock of angry peacocks.

"No, thanks," she said, dropping the jacket, "I don't want  cow manure all over me."

If looks could kill.

Birdie left the big house.  After a heated argument, she had won.  Hera had left with a few final disturbing words.  This victory of yours was a blessing, therefore it will someday be countered with the worst curse imaginable.  Creepy.

She was wearing the peacock blue (of course) sweatshirt, as she walked out.  She had to admit it was useful.  She felt like the wings weren't there, except for the excruciating pain left over from growing them.  She looked over the camp, scanning for someone to talk to.  Almost everyone would tell her to lie down or something.  She had just been through a terrible ordeal.  Let's see, who wouldn't tell her to get some rest?  Luke.  Duh.

Birdie ran down the hill, to the arena.  He wasn't there.  Odd.  She searched all over camp, until she got to the beach.  There he was sitting, watching the waves.  She tried to sneak up on him and scare him, but just before she got there, he shot around and pulled her into a fierce hug.

"I'm so glad you're awake," he whispered into her shoulder.  

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked jokingly, but his seriousness made her weary.

"Five days," he said, his words muffled into her sleeve.

Birdie was surprised.  She had been unconscious before, but not for that long.  Then she had a random thought that mad her snort.

"What?" Luke asked, pulling away.  She was disappointed.

"Nothing, I haven't celebrated in so long."

"What?"

"Oh, my birthday is in two days."

"That's cool," he said.  

"Yeah, the last time I got a present was when I was eight.  Most of the time I forget it myself."  The thought of her birthday truly amused her.

"Well, let's celebrate it," Luke replied, smiling.

Birdie's eyes widened.  Celebrating was foreign.  Something that was only done when a battle was won.  Birthday?  Forget it.

"That's really ok."

"Too bad.  You're getting a party."

Joy.

I know I said not to ship it.  I hadn't originally intended to put them together.  But now I don't care.  I ship it! I ship it!  I SHIP IT!  Happy reading!