Disbelief colored Hermes’ voice as he repeated his refusal, micro-expressions of anger and shock fitting across his face. As a young adult, no one had taken interest in his marital status, deeming him too irresponsible or lowly for it to be worth the effort, and his own mother had never cared for monogamy or anything the like. He’d been left blissfully alone to meander the world, exploring his desires and taking lovers whenever he pleased. It had been Hermes’ decision to get married, influenced and swayed by only his then husband, and the young god refused to have it any other way. “You are reducing my self-improvement to nothing but a consequence of married life, and I won’t stand for it. My marriage might’ve taught me to be a better man, but I won’t slip back into old habits simply because I’m single once more.” Well, not all of them.
Moving away from the altar, Hermes crossed his arms and dug his fingers into his skin. He wore a toga, for once, and had allowed Hebe to dress him up with all the usual Olympian accessories. Golden arm rings, new leather strings on his sandals, hair pulled back with a gleaming laurel. For a moment he was eerily like his haughty older brother, as he glared at Hera from a few feet away. “They cannot be that important if you find time to focus on me,” he bit out, his anger making him bold.
“That’s beside the point. I’m not cattle you can trade for favors, and any suitor you send my way will be turned away. I don’t want to be married off to anyone, especially not someone outside our pantheon!” Was that it? An underlying motive he hadn’t caught until now. Hermes stared at Hera with renewed horror. Was this just an elaborate ruse to remove him from their pantheon and pass him off to another?
Realistically, that would be a politically irresponsible move, and Hera was far too skilled to sacrifice Hermes’ diplomatic talents on the altar of foreign relations, but– his old insecurities were hard to silence. “If this is about alliances, tell me who you want and I’ll find another way to bring them into the fold.”
Hermes thought no one had paid attention to his marital status when he was younger but that only showcased his youth. Hera had been more than aware of Hermes’ future potential, and she’d waited for the moment he grew out of his bad habits. Maia might not want monogamy for herself, but the oldest of the Pleiades wasn’t as vapid as she looked. Behind her blond hair and blue eyes, she possessed the same vicious and manipulative nature as all nymphs. Which made her easily swayed. Luckily for Hermes, no one had thought to ask for Maia’s assistance in the past, the woman easily forgotten in the shadow of her past lover. And that was yet another reason Hermes had been left alone. Zeus didn’t have the mind for arranging marriages and forging bonds through matrimony, and never once had it crossed his mind to use Hermes as a pawn. Not for that purpose, at least.
“Hermes, dear,” Hera sighed, “I’m not reducing your actions, not by any means. You’ve improved greatly and we’re all so proud of you, but what good is your improvement if you do not use it to benefit your family? That selfish streak of yours is the only thing stopping you from embracing us and being embraced in turn.” Oh, Hera was well aware of Hermes’ insecurities. Most children of Olympus grew up thirsting for their parents approval and attention. Hermes more than most. He’d grown out of the more extreme attention-seeking flaws, but the need to be seen still existed.
“Nothing is more important to me than my children’s health and happiness, but I want you to do well, too. Is that so hard to believe?” They’d grown closer these past years, ever since Hermes first got married and Hera was forced to view him as something other than her husband’s bastard. Now, she was reaping the reward in form of ethos and pathos. Hermes couldn’t deny Hera had shown him kindness; there was a reason he spent more time with her than any of the older gods on Olympus.
“And I am not treating you like cattle. I’m treating you like a confidant, someone I trust to be level-headed when it comes to matters of the state. You are clever and if you put aside your feelings, you’d see I’m right. A union between you and someone from another pantheon would strengthen not only your position but our entire family’s. Do you think anyone here would dare to disrespect you if you had a powerful, foreign spouse backing you up? Someone without familial ties.”
She swept over to a seating area and sunk down on one of the chaise lounges. “Hermes,” she sighed once more, “you and I both know an alliance built on coercion, blackmail, or manipulation won’t last nearly as long as one founded on love.” She held up a hand to stop him before he could even begin to protest. “I’m not implying you need to love your spouse, but you are more than capable of making someone fall in love with you.”
