Growing Up Godly: Hera, #1

By Darinne Paciotti

Growing up isn't easy, even if you're a god.

 

Hera loves adventure, so spending her early years limited to her island home by her abusive father is supremely sucky. After learning enough magic to create a portal, she and her five siblings find a new Mom. On a new planet. With new technology and a totally different culture. Upside, she now has friends. Downside, she now has kids teasing her. Turns out being immortal, clever and magically gifted doesn't make growing pains any less painful.

 

From discovering a new planet to post-pubescent singlehood, Hera relishes the adventure and overcomes the adversity. But when a visit from a cruel god brings death to their cozy planet, she must grow up fast mentally and magically. Raising her best friend's mother from the dead will take everything Hera has, and if she can achieve it, she'll truly fulfill her destiny as the leader of Catreos.

 

While reading Growing Up Godly you'll experience a delightful array of emotements (emotional moments) measured by the official Dare in Words kitty masterminds:

embarrassing laughs – medium level headbumps

readers' tears – medium level cuddles

sensuality – medium level purrs

cheering on fictional friends – high level licks

Read the sample now to get a feel for the feels, then keep reading by choosing to purchase. For added emotement value, save it on your favorite device to re-read when the next Catreosverse book comes out. This is the first book in the Hera series of interconnected fantasies, with book two, Relatives and Other Monsters, coming soon. All Hera books are inspired by, but not based on, Greek mythology.

 

(87,000ish words = 219 words per U.S. cent = around six hours to read)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dare in Words
• Release date: Jan 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9798201059118

Book preview

Growing Up Godly

By: Darinne Paciotti

Copyright 2018 by Dare in Words

Cover by Lilliana Heidemann

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Attempt at Adventure

Chapter 2: More Isolated Island

Chapter 3: Dynamic Beginnings

Chapter 4: With Friends Like These

Chapter 5: Discovery and Difficulties

Chapter 6: Finders Keepers

Chapter 7: Single in the Sea of Pairs

Chapter 8: Unwelcome Visitors

Chapter 9: Good Bye and Hello

Chapter 10: Love Or Masochism

Chapter 11: Breath of Life

Chapter 12: State of the Lands

Chapter 13: The Bride From Hell

Chapter 14: Curiouser and Curiouser

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Chapter 1: Attempt at Adventure

Boredom inevitably leads to shenanigans. My life is an excellent illustration of this rule. Take, for instance, the first day I escaped my house. It really was an escape due to the house arrest my father perpetrated on my brothers and sisters and I. While every other adult god in the city thought it was normal to have their children meet up for play dates and shared lessons, Cronus refused to let us mingle with other young gods. He claimed we were not ready to be seen and heard by other adults whose opinions mattered. The way we behaved would be an embarrassment to him. The truth of it, I think, was that he could only trust us around other people if he could control our behavior. I wish someone had informed him that children were not easily controlled. Especially before he had six of us.

Father claimed his expectations were not unreasonable, but trying to please him was an education in futility. Whatever emotions we showed, they were wrong. Whatever actions we took, undesirable. Whatever talents, worthless. We each had our main fault. Hestia was too helpful to the servants, Poseidon was too jokey, I was too headstrong, Hades was too sensitive, and Epimetheus was... well, he was too young to find out exactly how he would be a disappointment. Only Demeter passed to some degree, but Father still didn’t think she behaved well enough to leave the house.

So we kids made our own fun within the boundaries placed on us. We lived on a small island which I had thoroughly explored by age fours. The plant and animal life was limited, and it was too far to swim to other islands. The house had lots of rooms for the adults, but we had a fairly limited area. Our bedrooms, our tutoring rooms, our playroom, and the dining room were the extent of our domain. The servant areas were locked away after a few youthful hijinks in the kitchen, and the living room was for my parents only. The room beyond the living room – the parlor for guests – was absolutely off limits to us. One had to pass the black expanse of the permanent portal to get into it. The room was actually situated in the city of Hemeran, the gathering place of the gods. Beyond that parlor was the mythical front door.

The other rooms in the house we weren’t allowed into supported artistic pursuits – music rooms, art room, dance room. My parents were not particularly talented or driven, but they followed the norms of Hemeranian society. Like all good adults, they left every morning for two hours of visitations until lunchtime. Lunch was with our family, and it was thoroughly uncomfortable. After lunch came reading or writing hour. Following that was the hour for creating visual art. Next the music hour commenced. The end of that hour brought on time for dancing indoors or walking outdoors.

The hour after that my parents had a break, but they were too busy getting ready for dinner to pay us any mind. Dinners for the adults and youths in their sixteens and older were held at the palace in Hemeran. We children could only dream about how fancy dinner must be. Mother and Father would spend the rest of the evening in Hemeran’s ballroom. We were in bed and asleep by the time they came home.

We only saw my parents during breakfast and lunch. My parents being who they were, that was more than enough. My father could manage to fit an entire day’s worth of criticism in less than ninety minutes, and my mother sat there looking awkward while refusing to defend us. Mother’s attention was all for Demeter, her pretty little living doll. If Rhea deigned to notice the rest of us it was for empty smiles and a pat on the head after the nannies and tutors informed her of our accomplishments.

These mortal servants were the adults in our life. Since they were nice and paid attention to us we rarely tried to rebel against them. However, as support beings, they had a more limited range of emotion than humans and other mortals. Support beings were created to be content at all times. I found them bland and hard to talk to. They were in no way a substitute for parents; they were simply more people we barely knew but had to listen to.

Without adult company, the majority of my time was spent with siblings. Hestia was a full six ages ahead of me – sixty years she had been around when I hadn’t! – and she was more of a wise big sister than a playmate. Poseidon, four ages older, was also too old to play with me, but our personalities were similar enough that we got along well anyway. Demeter at two ages older was close enough to me in age we should have been playmates, but she had very little time for me. I was a naughty, bold little girl who hated playing with baby dolls or having imaginary ballroom sessions. Hades was two ages behind me, but he was obsessed with our youngest brother, Epimetheus, and they spent all their time together. At four ages below me, Epimetheus was too young for me to do much of anything with.

So I played by myself for the most part. I had a good variety of toys: fashion dolls, ponies, kitties, building blocks. I later found out we were missing something that could have made childhood significantly more fun: technology. We had no television or video games, no computers. Our planet was meant to be creating our own artistic and technological history, but thus far no one on Chaea was interested in making tech.

We had books at least, and I was at the age where the books had pictures. The books were how I learned all about animals. We weren’t allowed pets, and the island only had birds and water creatures. I wanted a cat more than anything in the world. In fact, if I hadn’t been quite so in love with cats, my entire life might have unfolded differently.

As fate would have it, the day I escaped my house and met my first cat was a special one. The Festival of Light took place in Hemeran once a year, and all twelve age old and older gods were expected to attend. They would watch musical performances, sporting competitions, and plays. Visual art was displayed in booths for gods to look at and trade for. Hestia had recently entered her twelves and was desperately hoping Father wouldn’t find an excuse to keep her from the festival. It was a norm of the gods, after all. While my father may have been a bit strange keeping us away from the others, he had not been flouting the expectations of society.

Until that day in Leo, anyway. He hemmed and hawed about letting Hestia go until the night before, interviewing her several times to see if she would pass muster. Finally he decided it wasn’t enough. She seemed compliant enough, he told my mother, but there was a hint of defiance in her eyes. And he was absolutely right. Hestia is one of the kindest, most easy going people I have ever met, but she is not a doormat.

So the day dawned bright and clear. We all had a dispirited breakfast where Father was his usual critical self, and then he and Mother went off through the special portal to enjoy themselves. Our servant nannies herded us into the playroom and busied themselves looking after Hades and Epimetheus while the rest of us played. I immediately went over to Hestia and Poseidon.

I think we should go, I said.

Go where? asked Hestia.

To the festival! I said.

We’re not allowed, kiddo, Poseidon said.

But if no one sees us we can’t be not allowed, I said reasonably. Hestia and Poseidon seemed unable to grasp that logic. Little matter, though, because Demeter sidled over.

You’re too young to go anywhere, she said.

Yes, but Hestia can. And Poseidon can. And they can look after me.

But we couldn’t do anything, Poseidon said. What do you want to do, just hide behind buildings and stare at everyone else having fun?

Yes! I grinned.

He thought about it. It would be more fun than sitting here all morning. I nodded hyperactively.

No. I’ll tell the nannies if you go, said Demeter.

I narrowed my eyes. Fine. When she scooted off to cradle a baby doll in her arms I turned back to Hestia and Poseidon and winked.

A few minutes later I said I had to go to the bathroom. I waited inside my bedroom until Hestia and Poseidon showed up a minute later after having made whatever excuses they needed.

Do we really want to do this? Hestia asked. I’m sure Demeter will tell Mother and Father when they get home, and we’ll be in a lot of trouble.

I’m always in trouble, I said. It doesn’t matter.

Poseidon and Hestia snickered.

I say we go for it, Poseidon said.

So we did. He led us through the hallway and into the living room. We had to hide behind a sofa for a minute as a servant walked through bearing a tray. Then we tiptoed over to the forbidden doorway and walked through the blackness of the portal.

On the other side was the mysterious parlor. Everything looked lush and fancy. We gaped a bit, and I think Hestia would have liked to look around, but Poseidon grabbed her arm and hustled us along to the double doors on the other side of the room. Beyond those was a waiting area, a bell pull, a table for mail, and a large, ornate door that must lead to the place we wanted to go. Outside. Hemeran. A real city with other people and exciting adventures.

I yanked the door open and then peeked out. Poseidon and Hestia peered out the door above me. We could see several other bits of houses along the street. No one actually built their entire house in Hemeran. They preferred their private spaces to be in private areas. Hemeran was simply for public parlors to look huge and intimidating.

It appeared that everyone had already gone to the festival, and we could see no servants on the street. The three of us sallied forth into the unknown. Hemeran seemed warmer than our island. It was less windy and you couldn’t taste saltwater on the air. This area felt more stable somehow. As if I had never understood what solid ground really felt like before. We grinned at each other.

Well, we’ve done it, Poseidon said cheerfully.

We should get away from the house because Demeter will tell the servants as soon as she figures out we’ve gone, Hestia said. She nodded her head to where we heard sounds of laughter and talking. We hurried along, even though we were passing gorgeous landscaping that I would have loved to stare at. And the houses! Such architectural wonders. But we were on a mission, and gawping was not it.

We finally got to the end of the street and found ourselves behind a large building. We walked perpendicularly for a few feet and then were able to go along the side of the building. When we got closer to the end, we hugged the wall and looked out.

There was a huge square where five people were gathered talking. Except that one of them wasn’t a person. She had the body of an enormous lion and a gigantic humanoid head. My jaw dropped open.

Poseidon and Hestia were equally fascinated.

She must be one of the Monsters, Poseidon said. They really are different, aren’t they?

Hestia frowned. I’m sure they’re all lovely people and not freaks like Father says. Just because they look different is no reason to think they are different in terms of personality. Hestia did not believe in prejudice of any kind.

I know, Poseidon said hurriedly. I was just surprised. What do you think Hera? It’s a real live cat.

But he was already talking to thin air, because I had started striding toward the giant cat with an idea that had just taken shape.

Hera, no! Hestia hissed. I could hear Poseidon also trying to dissuade me. No matter. I was not going to be dissuaded.

The lion lady saw me coming and stopped in her conversation and laughed. It was a beautiful, musical laugh, the laugh of someone who truly enjoyed life. Not a forced or condescending laugh like my parents had. I smiled and hurried toward her.

Hello! I said.

Well, hello, she said. And who are you?

I’m Hera. Who are you? The other adults had noticed me and were gently laughing.

I’m Sphinx. Are you all alone here? she asked.

No, I’m with my brother and sister. I pointed to them and they came skulking out. We snuck out to come see the festival because Father wouldn’t let Hestia come.

Sphinx looked interested by that and nodded at Hestia and Poseidon. "Well you should be here, Hestia. It’s nice to meet you. And you, Poseidon. And of course it’s my greatest delight today to meet you, Hera. You’re already very sure of yourself, aren’t you?"

I know when I’m right. I shrugged and she laughed again.

Maybe I should rethink not having children. If I had a little girl like you I would never be bored, she said. Her companions agreed.

We’re sorry to interrupt you, Hestia said. We should go back now.

Peering around corners? a man in the circle said. Nonsense. Stay and join us, we could use someone new to talk to. We’re all being naughty as well. We’re meant to be listening to the music now.

Hestia and Poseidon started talking to him, but I only had eyes for Sphinx.

Can I ride you? I asked boldly.

Another laugh. You may! She laid down so I could climb on top of her. I felt another adult lift me onto place and thanked them. Just because I was excited didn’t mean I had lost my manners. Sphinx stood up and I felt like I was a mile above the ground. It would probably hurt to fall, but I didn’t care. It was so much fun.

If you hang onto my hair I’ll walk around a bit, she said. I gently held a clump. No, you need to hold on a little tighter. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt me. I have a very rugged scalp.

When I was gripping her to her satisfaction, she walked around the square.

These buildings are pretty, I said.

They are. You’ve only ever seen your own house, haven’t you?

Yes. I sighed. And I love exploring. It’s my favorite. But our island isn’t very big.

You know, I recall that island. It isn’t very large. And nothing but grass. No caves or forests.

None! How have you seen our island? I asked.

I helped your parents find it. I help everyone find the spots to build their houses since I know this world better than anyone else. I like to explore, too.

Will you be my friend?

She laughed even more. I think I already am. So how old are you, Hera?

Sixes. I’m too young to do anything fun. That’s why I wanted to come out. So I would have something good to remember when I’m in my room, grounded.

You’re very wise for your age, she said.

At that point three of our servants came down the alleyway and gasped. Hestia and Poseidon turned to them, and the nannies all looked fearful.

Mistress Hestia, Master Poseidon, your father mustn’t find you out here. We must get back at once. And *what* is Hera doing? Your father would be horrified. She’s much to young to be out, said nanny.

Oh, do you have to take them away? asked Sphinx. They’re so much fun.

Mistress, our Master is very clear about the children. He would never let them be out like this. Nanny looked apologetic, but still determined.

I sighed. We better go back. We don’t want to get our nannies into trouble.

Sphinx crouched down again. That’s very conscientious of you, Hera. I think you’re perfectly well behaved, and I’ll be sure to tell your parents that.

They won’t listen, I said glumly as I slid off her back and walked over to nanny. Hestia and Poseidon were saying goodbye to their new friends. Thank you for letting me ride you, Sphinx. I’ll miss you.

I’ll miss you, too, Hera. I hope you don’t get into too terribly much trouble. She winked and smiled. I smiled back and then turned around and trotted beside my nannies and siblings as we walked back to the house.

The nannies scolded us the entire way back, but I didn’t really listen. I was too busy running everything back through my mind. I wanted to remember it forever. Little did I know, I would. And not because it was the best day of my life. Because it was shortly about to be the worst.

At home I was sent to my room with a nanny guarding the door to ensure I didn’t get into any trouble. We didn’t expect my parents back until late, and I figured I would be asleep.

Unfortunately, they heard about our exploits by lunchtime. We children were seated around the table, eating a quiet meal, when Father burst in, scowling.

So. You thought it would be clever to defy my rules and humiliate me in front of the other gods, did you? Thought it would be funny if I was the laughing stock of the entire godhood? Which one of you three brats came up with the idea? he asked.

Poseidon, Hestia and I all said me simultaneously.

A smirk replaced the scowl. He looked at Hestia and Poseidon. Noble, aren’t we? Demeter, which one of your siblings caused this to happen?

Demeter looked at me vindictively. Even if I hadn’t come up with the idea, I’m pretty sure her answer would have been the same.

Hera did. And Hestia and Poseidon went with her. But I stayed home because it was bad.

Yes, you did. I thank the gods for that at least. So. Hera. Why am I not surprised? Father’s rage seemed to make him expand in size. We all sat there for a minute, watching him contemplate his response, and then he yanked me out of my seat by my arm. I expected a spanking since we were no stranger to that form of discipline.

Instead, he swung his arm right into my head, knocking me into the ground. Hestia and Poseidon were both shocked by this escalation of violence and jumped out of their seats to try to protect me. Father didn’t have time for that, though. He made a few gestures for a magical spell, and both Hestia and Poseidon were walled off by semi-visible bubbles.

You’ll get yours, don’t worry, Father told them.

I had never seen anything like those bubbles, and the time I spent gaping at them left me unprepared for the next wave of punishment. Father reached down again and pulled me up by my left hand, but I hadn’t fully gotten my weight onto my feet. I was so unbalanced that his next yank caused my arm bone to snap. I remember screaming in agony. Ordinarily I tried not to make a sound when he spanked me because I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But a broken arm was too much pain. Even when he slapped me across the face to shut me up I was still making noise.

My mother had apparently come over by this point and kneeled beside me.

I think her arm is broken, she said in a frightened voice. We need to heal it.

My father’s nose wrinkled. If you want to heal her, Rhea, that’s your business. I think she deserves whatever pain her clumsiness caused. He then turned to Hestia, backhanded her with a slap to the cheek, and then shoved Poseidon so hard he hit the wall behind him.

I could see my mother gasp, but couldn’t hear her because I was still wailing. Either my crying or Father’s actions had frightened Hades and Epimetheus, so they were both crying loudly as well.

Take them into their rooms. I don’t want to see them and I certainly don’t want to hear them, said Father. He left the dining room in a hurry.

Mother reached down and pulled me to my feet. Let’s go. I need to heal you.

What about Hestia and Poseidon? I asked.

She glanced at them. They’ll be okay for now. Come.

I followed her down the hallway and into my room. She closed the door and made a few gestures.

What’s that spell? I asked.

She looked at me strangely. I’ve soundproofed your room so no one outside can hear anything. Now I’m going to do something for the pain. The next gestures she made were uncertain, as if she had never had to do the spell before. Perhaps she hadn’t. I felt the relief immediately.

Thank you, Mother. I tried to slow my breathing but was still hitching from the crying fit.

Mother rewarded me with another unreadable look. Let me try the spells to mend your bone. I’ve never done them before, so it may take some time. Please don’t speak so that I can concentrate on this.

I nodded. She led me to my bed and had me lie down. Then she sat in the seat usually reserved for the nannies reading and began to gesture non-stop. I couldn’t see her as easily from this position, but I didn’t want to interrupt her just to ask if I could watch.

I found magic fascinating, and I wanted to see it as much as possible. It’s like I was soaking it in. I couldn’t wait to reach thirteens so that I would be able to start getting magical lessons from my parents. Since the mortals were not magical, they couldn’t give lessons. That was the one subject that gods had to teach their children themselves.

Mother sat and gestured for what seemed like forever. I tried to stay awake and alert, but eventually the emotional exhaustion took over. I slipped into slumber but had no dreams.

A while later I woke and found that Mother was still there working. She stopped when she noticed I was awake.

What time is it? I asked.

She glanced at the clock. Late afternoon. She had been by my side for over three hours. I didn’t think we had ever spent that much time together.

Thank you for healing me, I said. I knew how much she loved festivals and she was giving up her entire day.

That look again. I’m your mother.

I just nodded.

I can’t tell how much I’ve been able to heal it. I thought there would be some kind of sign by now. She sighed.

I rubbed my right hand over my left forearm. It feels straight again.

She also felt the arm. It does. But that doesn’t mean anything. I would like to ask my mother, but then I would have to explain how your arm was broken. It was an accident, but still. She sounded slightly hesitant and slightly guilty. I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t an accident – I knew that much – but I was far too young to offer any wisdom on the issue to my mother.

Let’s get back to healing, she said and started up the spells again.

I sat and watched. It seemed like she was doing three different spells and repeating them over and over again. It must have been rather boring to do. After watching a while I started getting a weird realization. The first spell was setting and mending the actual bone. The second healed the skin and blood vessels around the bone. The third healed muscle. After I figured that out it almost seemed I could feel the various areas while they were healing. It was extremely odd and hard to describe.

I glanced at the clock. It would be time for dinner soon. While my parents ate with the other gods, our meal was an hour earlier. I was starting to get hungry. And the muscle and flesh were already healed.

What? How did I know that? That wasn’t even possible, was it?

You don’t have to do the muscle and flesh spells. They’re all better, I said.

Mother’s shock was even greater than mine. Her face went white. How could you know that?

I shrugged. It’s my body?

Yes, but you’re six ages old. You don’t know any magic. There’s no way you could know what those spells were for, let alone when they were finished.

I don’t know why I know, but I do. I shrugged again.

Stop shrugging, I don’t want your arm moved, she said gently. I don’t understand how you would know, though.

Maybe the spell doesn’t tell the person who’s doing it because it tells the person being healed.

She mulled that over. "Now that could be possible. And it has been quite a while so it makes sense those have worked. I’ll just do the bone spell, then, and I’ll look at your arm tomorrow to make sure it’s alright