A wife's love

The death of love

When Zeus got back to his and Hera's temple, he asked a servant were she was and after being told that she was in their room he wasted no time in heading there.

When he arrived in there rooms, Zeus found his beautiful queen laying on their bed with her back to him.

Zeus smiled and approached his queen, but when he touched her and turned her over, Zeus was horrified at what he saw.

Hera was pale and ice cold to the touch, and her breathing was shallow.

" Hera!"

Zeus called as he shook her, and was relieved when she let out a little groan
"Apollo!"

Zeus summoned and the said god appeared in the middle of their rooms.

" you called father"

Zeus looked at his son with relief in his eyes,

" its Hera, I don't know what's wrong with her. Please help her"

Apollo rushed to her side and checked her over, but the more Apollo looked for anything amiss with the goddess, the more confused he became.

This was due to the fact that Apollo could not find anything wrong with her, she was in fact in perfect health.

" well, what's wrong with her?" Zeus asked Apollo frantically

" nothing, there's nothing wrong with her", Apollo answered in a whispered and amazed voice.

" then how do explain her condition!!? " Zeus yelled and grabbed Apollo by his shirt slamming him against the wall.

The commotion coming from her parent's room had drawn Hebe there and when she looked inside she gasped in horror for there on her parent's bed lay her sweet mother as pale as one of her uncle Hades' ghosts.

"Mum" Hebe whispered as she approached the bed,
" dad what's wrong with mum?"

" Hebe my sweet.... " Zeus began but was interrupted by Hebe.

" am not a little girl dad, tell me what's wrong with my mother! "

Hebe did not wait for her father's answer as she turned to Apollo and looked at him pleadingly.

When Apollo saw the way Hebe was looking at him, he felt even more guilty for not knowing what was wrong with Hera,

" am sorry Hebe but, I couldn't find anything wrong with her "

At this point Hebe looked close to tears,

" but that doesn't make any sense" Hebe said, "if you haven't found anything wrong with her then why is she like that!"

Hebe shouted this out while pointing at her mother.

At the sound of her daughters distressed voice, Hera opened her eyes slowly, " Hebe?"

Hera said in a barely audible voice, if it weren't for Hebe's sharp hearing, she would not have heard her mother calling for her

Hebe turned at the sound of her mother's voice, " mum!"

Hebe rushed to Hera's bed side, " I was so worried mum. what happened, are you okay?"

Hebe rumbled on as she examined her mother, " Apollo said he couldn't find anything wrong with you, mum what's happening to you?"

By the time Hebe was done she was in tears clutching Hera's hand

" oh my darling nothing is wrong with me, my time has arrived "

" what do you mean mother, we're gods we cannot die"

" am not dying Hebe, I am simply fading "

Hebe looked at her mother confused, " what does that mean?"