There was blood everywhere and the screams settled over the home. The blood of the mother who carried the youngest child smeared everywhere leading out of the home. Hera from her throne above could see the stepson named Hercules quickly in pursuit. She watched as the mother’s fear heightened though she could also tell that the baby was no more. The children all went into the afterlife and were accepted by Persephone and Hades. She could hear it now from Hades, “Have you not done enough? Has blood not been spilt enough all for your jealousy.” She knew in the back of her mind that her brother Hades always spoke the truth and yet her pride would not allow her to fully accept his words anytime when it came to something like this.

She had watched Hercules take the lives of his other wives and children before. She watched as his mind and the Erinyes (the furies) messed with him. Just what are the Erinyes (the furies), they are three goddess that torture sinners. Which is why this bloodshed affected Hera so much. She knew that spilling of one’s on family would bring forth the Erinyes (the furies), thus her curse was double upon the demi-god. This bloodshed was vastly different then the rest. This one hit her to the core, and she knew she went to far. There was nothing more she could do than to lift the cure she had placed upon him and quickly. Before he could reach his wife and take her life too, but would she be too late?

Slipping ever so gently off her throne, Hera went down from Mount Olympus, the realm of the gods into the realm of mortals. Demi-Gods and some of the other deities lived within the realm of mortals. Some by choice and the demi-gods had to prove their worth to the gods above. It was just the way it has always been for centuries. Flying down between the clouds, Hera sped as fast as she could to a mount top where she could see that Hercules would take the life from his beloved. With all the sadness in her heart, Hera knew that there was a chance she would not get there in enough time. She was not the slowest out of the gods but was not the fastest like Hermes.

Slice, smash, blood curdling screams filled Hera’s ears. She could hear the screams of all who lost their loved ones and the women pushing forth life from their wombs. But there was also a scream filling her ears that caused her heart to pound even more. It was only when she finally made it to the location that she saw Hercules standing over his wife’s nearly lifeless body that still held within her arms the body of the youngest child. A gasp escaped from Hera’s lips as she saw the life drain from the young woman’s eyes. This was all her fault and just as she put one foot upon the ground a shift in Hercules’ eyes began to appear. Tears poured from his eyes and a scream escaped his lungs as the relation came to him.

She could hear the Erinyes (the furies) coming in quickly, so she put one hand up to stop them looking at them just as the demi-god fell to his knees. They watched as he scooped up the woman and the child into his arm. Cradling them as if they were small porcelain dolls in his large muscular arms. “What are you going to do Goddess?” the Erinyes (furies) said in one voice. Hera rolled her eyes as she kept one of her hands extended towards them so they would not devour what was left of the demi-god’s mind. “Yes, Mother Goddess. What ever will you do?” they asked once more as if they were going to try to toy with her. That would be a foolish thing to do, and they all knew it. “I’ll release him from his curse.” she said in a soft tone walking towards him.

“Goddess Hera, don’t look at me. I am a pitiful man. Look at what I have done.” He said looking down at his wife and child their blood dripping from their now lifeless bodies. Hera sighed and placed her hand upon his head while keeping her other extended out. “This is my fault. What curse has been placed upon you is no more. You were not the one at fault. Your mind will become clear and yours to control and the Erinyes (furies) will chase you no more.” She said in her calm motherly tone of voice. Hera forced him to look at her for a moment. “I am sorry I took out what should have been taken out upon your father. I allowed it to get to far.” She said still in the tone of voice she used before. “Go and bury your dead with honor and mourn. You shall no longer have to fear falling in love.” She said with tears forming in her eyes as she heard the souls of the dead being taken away into the underworld.

“Those who have parted from you shall see you in the afterlife and taken care of within the underworld.” she said hoping it would give him some comfort. “What is done is done.” She said before leaning down to kiss his forehead allowing the curse to be lifted from his mind just as quickly as she placed upon him. He had lived with her curse ever since he was born, and the curse grew as he got older. “You have proven yourself and what has been done shall be taken upon me for I was the one who placed the curse upon you. It is now gone, and you shall live a fulfilled life.” she said fading away slowly. The Erinyes (furies) saw the curse lift and bowed their heads fleeing from the location never to bother him again.

“Does this mean that you shall act as my stepmother?” he asked with a slight wicked and almost playful tone in his voice though tears still poured from his eyes. “Not so much but what has been done for years shall end and glory to you shall be.” she said with another kiss upon his forehead as she faded back to Mount Olympus. Pity still filled her heart for all the suffering he had to endure for most would have given up long before this. “A curse lifted far too long has it needed to be” she said sitting back down upon her throne watching in with a mournful look upon her face as she watched Hercules gather the bodies of his wife and children. The preparations for burial shall come next and Hera will watch with sorrow filling her heart.