AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You're being so brave," I tell her. Memories of when I labored for my girls rush over me. I was so happy, so elated to be giving birth to my daughters.
I want this moment to be a positive and happy one for her too. I pray that her partners get here in time.
"I'm so scared," she says. "I need my guys with me. To be here, holding my hand." But then her soft voice is quickly replaced with a loud cry as her contraction hits and echoes through the room.
When it passes, she speaks again, "The doctor said I was going to have four babies. Just like you did, Mother."
My heart aches at the word. Mother. My little girl is becoming a mother herself. We lost so many years, but now we will get a chance to make up for lost time.
"You're so beautiful; so strong," Poseidon says to her. "Please, daughter, forgive me for what I did to you. Forgive me for the harm I caused."
Tears are in Poseidon's eyes as he looks down at his daughter, whose eyes are also filled with tears.
"I forgive you, how could I not? You knew not what you did."
And that is the truth of it for so many of us in this room. We knew not what we did.
The Fates deceived us.
But in the end, love will conquer all.
"You're gonna be okay, sweetheart," I say soothingly. "Your boys will be here any moment."
I press my hands on her belly and relief washes over her face. "Don't let go," she says. "Your touch is so soothing."
My face lightens, I've never been able to use my gifts as a goddess. As the Goddess of Fertility.
Just then, her four sailors rush into the house, and Harlow's face brightens.
"You made it," she says. "I was so scared you'd miss it."
Crew quickly comes over and drops to his lover's side. "Your fathers showed up and were trying to kill us this time."
Beside me, I feel Poseidon tense, and a hush falls over the room.
"It isn't what you think," Harlow tells him. "We've made amends."
"With those killers?" Eric asks.
"It's not like that," she says, and she begins to explain what happened since we were apart.
The anger seems to fall from the men’s faces, but I still sense a lack of trust between the mortals and the gods. But I understand that -- the gods have spent months trying to capture and kill the women they claim to love. It would be insane to think they would automatically trust them after everything they have been through.
As another contraction rages through Harlow, I step away, giving the lovers space. I press my knuckles to my lips, watching as the men cover her with kisses and encourage her. Tell her how well she's doing.
My core tightens as the memories of my lovers treating me the same way envelop me. Tears flood my eyes once more.
Poseidon's fingertips brush against my own, and he clasps my hands to his. "I'm so sorry, Sephy."
His voice is gruff like he is upset, but when I look into his eyes, I see it's because his emotions have overtaken him. The same way they have overtaken mine. We step away from the crowd and he looks down at me.
"I forgive you," I tell him.
He shakes his head as if doubting my words. "You've always been too good for me. My emotions are like the waves," he says. "Always crashing in too hard and too fast and then pulling back before anyone is ready."
"No, Poseidon," I say, my hands resting on his taut chest. "Your emotions are nothing to apologize for. Being like the sea is a good thing. The ocean has depths, just like you. I wouldn't want you any other way."
He pulls my mouth to his and I sink into his kiss. My shoulders shake as my mouth opens, taking what I have been missing for so, so long. The kiss is timeless, and the sounds around me disappear. This moment is ours, and we both know it.
Just then, the door swings back open and Remedy's mates run in, shifting as they enter the house. Then Tennyson's immortals arrive, and then Lark's hawks fly into the room. The blurry of activity startles us, and yet Harlow continues to labor through it all. The idea of moving her somewhere else now seems impossible. This is where she is giving birth.
Gaia still lies motionless on the floor, and the hawks circle her, resting on the floor, dropping a crown of flowers in her hair, and silently admiring her.
"They love her," Zeus says, taking my hand in his. I leave Poseidon, knowing we will have a lifetime together. "Don't they?"
We watch the hawks adorning Mother Earth and my heart rejoices. She may not have a family, in flesh and blood, but she has so many creatures, great and small who love her.
