The tale of Hera Vol. 1.1 Chapter 2.2 - Wedding Gift for Thetis

Sometimes I think like this: perhaps even Heracles’s tragic ending, consumed by madness in his final days―though I can’t claim to be entirely blameless in that regard, I don’t feel a pang of conscience for it―and Apollo, son of Leto, unable to be fully engrossed in his own affairs and always entangled in the problems of his mother and sister, only exacerbating the issues; both Ares and Hephaestus, my two sons with Zeus, having fatal flaws that prevent them from being considered gods surpassing Zeus, and even the fact that among all the children born of Zeus’ infidelity, not a single one stands out as noteworthy. Maybe it’s all a result of Zeus subtly striving to ensure that his autocracy would never truly come to an end.

However, tragedy is a recurring pattern across eras.

Furthermore, tragedy is carried forth through blood.

A predetermined fate is something not even the gods can escape. Throughout my life, it seems that once a prophecy is cast, it relentlessly pursues its subject until it manifests in reality.

Zeus, according to the prophecy, must be overthrown by his own offspring to free himself from that looming pressure. Until then, he will be constantly haunted by fear, cautious of his every move.

Therefore, even though Zeus was greatly enamored with Thetis, he displayed a superhuman patience by not even disturbing a single strand of her hair or a breath of her being. (This is indeed worthy of praise.)

Not stopping there, and perhaps to prevent any seeds of catastrophe near Olympus, Zeus resolved to marry Thetis off to Peleus, a human king ruling over the distant Greek village of Phthia, and promptly set his plan in motion.

As a result, all the gods of Olympus have gathered here on the summit of Mount Pelion today to celebrate the marriage between a goddess and a mere human king, and to bear witness to their eternal vow.

At this point, I was caught up in one question.

Who could have omitted the goddess of discord, Eris, from the list of wedding attendees? Looking over there, when Aphrodite moved to the right to sit closer, intending to give the bride a wedding gift, and saw Thetis instantly frowning, she didn’t seem daring enough to play such a mischievous prank on her own wedding day. So, could it have been King Peleus?

“Mother, the groom just happens to be over there.”

Amidst my preoccupation with scanning the surroundings, leaving the bride behind, Hebe once again gestured towards an important figure in the distance. It wasn’t until I looked in that direction that I realized how Hebe managed to spot King Peleus so easily amidst the bustling crowd on the field. There he stood beside the groom, dressed in a modest white chiton, a contrast to the brute strength of a hero capable of tearing apart a monster’s head with one hand. His untrimmed, fiery blonde hair resembled the unruly mane of a predator or flames blazing from dry branches struck by lightning.

“Ohohoho, dressing like that certainly gives you a different vibe, doesn’t it? I pleaded with him not to wear lion’s skin just for today, and my tears did the talking.”

Hebe looked proudly at her husband Heracles. Lately, she has been doing her best to show me the true side of Heracles.

My precious daughter, she probably has her eyes blinded.

“Not everything that glitters is gold.”

I said without much enthusiasm. Then, with an almost overwhelming coldness, I averted my gaze from Heracles. Hebe let out a deep sigh, disappointed.

I continued.

“Let’s go to the bride. It’s been a while since we came out of Olympus, and I delayed too much time looking around the surroundings.”

“Yes.”

Hebe replied. In her hands, gifts from the chariot she had brought were now elegantly arranged.

As I drew nearer to the grove where the goddesses had assembled, the attire worn by Thetis came into my view. The bridal gown she had donned was crafted from a fabric woven by Tethys, the goddess of the sea whose name resembled hers. From the shoulders to the chest, it was as ethereal as water droplets colliding with rocks, shimmering like the waves shattered by sunlight below. Lastly, as it cascaded towards the hem of the skirt, it was imbued with a deep shade of blue.

Aphrodite seemed to have gifted the bride a golden diadem. Thetis, as a gesture toward the goddess of beauty, immediately donned the gift. The golden and blue colors complemented each other, creating a harmonious combination.

Aphrodite, who enjoyed beholding beauty, seemed to be in a rather joyful mood as she admired Thetis’s appearance. She lifted her chin, wearing an enraptured expression.

“Thetis.”

Approaching her, I called out the name of the woman loved by Zeus. The goddesses who had seen my approach had already risen from their seats, making way for me to reach the bride.

“Lady Hera, you have arrived.”

Thetis greeted me with a twinkle in her beautiful eyes. Her voice was like silver beads rolling on a platter. I don’t want to disdain the efforts of the goddess who’s trying to look beautiful for me in some way. She’s smiling at me now, but she must be deeply afraid of what mischief I might cause at the wedding. I could reassure her that there’s no need to be so fearful, but I won’t.

I gestured towards Hebe. Holding the gift with both hands, Hebe approached Thetis and slightly bent her knees, ensuring that the seated bride could receive the gift.

“The first gift I present to you is a bouquet. It was plucked from the Myrtle tree in my sacred grove. As you know, it symbolizes eternal love.”

“Thank you, Lady Hera.”

Thetis, her face filled with emotion, accepted the bouquet from Hebe. As she did, her sisters, the nymphs of the sea, began the task of combining the bouquet I had given with those presented by other goddesses. Whether I was the last guest or not, her bouquet had already grown so lush that there was hardly any room left for more.

“The second gift is for you to open and discover for yourself.”

I said.

The goddesses seated beneath the trees turned their focus to the gift that Thetis was holding. With hands trembling, Thetis began to unwrap the packaging. Before long, as the gift was revealed, everyone was filled with astonishment and collectively exhaled.

With a mixture of surprise and apprehension, Thetis spoke.

“Lady Hera, this is… a sword, isn’t it?”

 

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