She was unwilling, and did not dare, to think further, yet for that very reason she felt an unprecedented, deep sense of crisis.
If one has never possessed, then losing is no matter.
But once one has gained all one has dreamed of, then one can no longer accept losing it.
Even one as powerful as the Night Goddess was no exception.
Already drowned in the river of love, she could not imagine how dreadful, how unbearable, the days would be if Zeus were no longer at her side.
Greedy Night even wanted to have more, and more, and the most of the God-King's love.
Besides, since Mnemosyne and Themis have both married Zeus, what is this little matter of mine?
After thinking far too much, the Night Goddess's face shifted through many shades, and she finally decided—to throw caution to the wind!
Her most beloved God-King—His love was what mattered most! Above all else!
If the little minxes of Olympus could vie for the God-King's love, then the goddesses of the Night lineage could do so as well!
Thus the Night Goddess kept consoling herself, so that she could accept what she originally could not accept at all.
She let out a long breath and at last slowly said to the daughter before her, "Hemera, my treasure."
"In those days, that accursed Uranus tore you from my side by force without a shred of mercy, making me suffer the pain of riven divinity, and even forcibly altered the root of your essence."
"But now it seems this may not be a bad thing."
"Mm—" The Lady of Night worked to gather her words, then went on slowly: "Your source, after all, is that of the child of Hyperion and Theia. If—if—you have fallen in love with Zeus, that is no great matter."
"After all, you are no longer truly my daughter, are you?"
Hearing these words—which were plainly the Night Goddess giving her a gracious step and a reason—Hemera understood at once.
Her heart flooded with a great joy, so much so that she forgot how to speak.
The Lady of Night continued: "And in Olympus you can be closer to Zeus. That too is a good thing."
"There are far too many little—little goddesses on Olympus. I, after all, reside in the Underworld. Zeus—He spends most of His time on Olympus in the end."
"With you keeping an eye on Him and on Olympus, letting Zeus know at every moment that the goddess of Night is always waiting for Him, always at His side—that is a good thing for us— for us."
At these words, Hemera could no longer restrain her feelings. She flung herself into the Night Goddess's arms and hugged her former Mother tightly.
Joyful tears slid down her cheeks, and she said in breathless excitement, "My dear Mother, thank you for your forbearance, thank you for your grace… I'm sorry… truly, I'm sorry…"
The Night Goddess sighed softly in her heart, and, stroking Hemera's softly glowing, pure-white bright hair, smiled a little. "Silly child, what thanking, and what sorry?"
"Of course your Mother wishes to give you all that is best in this world. Even if it is—love—to share it with you, your Mother does so willingly."
"After all—" The Night Goddess knit her fine brows a little, then gave a light, dismissive hum. "There are altogether too many goddesses sharing that greedy God-King!"
"It is better we seize this love for ourselves than hand it over to those other little—little goddesses."
Pressed close in the Night Goddess's arms, Hemera's heart was full of filial devotion and attachment.
In a tone of earnest admonition, the Night Goddess instructed her beloved child: "Hemera, my treasure, you must know there are far too many goddesses watching Zeus."
As she spoke, the Night Goddess slowly lifted her fair head and looked toward Olympus.
The brilliant, dazzling light of the moon now shrouded all Mount Olympus.
The moon's radiance nearly outshone the sun!
For this time, whether day or night, the whole world was bright and illumined.
Her expression went solemn, and she said, "So, Hemera, you must act quickly as well."
Hemera's cheeks went slightly pink—beneath a trace of shyness there was still a deep-seated timidity.
She lowered her lids and did not dare meet her Mother's eyes. In a near-whisper she said timidly, "Mother… I, I don't dare."
"My dealings with His Majesty the God-King in daily life are far too few." At this she could not help a deep loneliness from rising in her bright eyes.
At this the Lady of Night cast her a glare of hating-iron-for-not-becoming-steel.
But in her heart she only ached more, and felt more guilt.
Aether and Hemera, this poor brother and sister—since the age of Uranus they had been at the mercy of others, drifting with the current like rootless duckweed.
It was these long, helpless ages that formed their present characters—overcautious, shrinking back at the least thing.
This, too, could not be blamed on them.
Nyx composed herself, then gently embraced her pitied treasure and spoke in a voice of utmost warmth to comfort her: "Silly child, remember that you are one of the universe's fundamental source-laws; you are the eternal incarnation of 'Day.'"
"Your station, viewed across the whole universe, is unquestionably great. Even compared with me, though your power is not yet equal to mine, your rank is in no way inferior."
"You are Day, and Zeus is the Sky. You two are a natural pair!"
"And look at yourself, my brightest treasure—how radiant you are, how resplendent!"
"What god would not love you? Especially—especially that greedy God-King we know well."
"Silly child, you do not know Zeus; but your Mother does. A goddess as bright and resplendent—and gentle and lovely—as you, is precisely what He loves best."
The Night Goddess spared no effort to encourage her timid child. Holding Hemera lightly, she said softly, "Your Mother and He have also discussed you siblings in private. Zeus has always had a liking for you. Whenever He speaks of you, He praises you unstintingly."
At this Hemera brightened at once.
She snapped up her head and gazed at her Mother, her beautiful eyes flashing with light.
Seeing this, the Night Goddess went on with a smile: "Silly child, though Zeus is sometimes too stern and domineering, He is also a gentle and passionate great God-King. Of this there is no doubt."
"So long as you are willing, He will surely be deeply drawn to you, and surely fall deeply in love with you."
"My beloved treasure, do not be afraid. When it is time to strike, strike with courage. You know our God-King is not some reserved god, nor one averse to beauty."
Here the Lady of Night's dark-red lips curved in a scornful smile.
She stretched out a slender jade finger and pointed lightly toward the sky, speaking with extreme disdain: "Look—is that not the most typical example?"
"All gods say that Selene is so aloof and proud, indifferent and distant—that even before her own kin she never shows the least warmth. Have you ever heard of her being close to anyone?"
"And when have you ever seen her close to Zeus? But now, look again."
"Hmph! Zeus had barely left me when she pounced at once! And Zeus…"
"Zeus! He! Ah! That god has never been able to keep himself in hand!"
"Since Selene now also counts as your sister, what are you afraid of? Since she dared to act thus—and succeeded outright—if you too take the initiative, how could you fail?"
"You must know—you are the eternal Day, far greater than that pure radiance of hers!"
The Night Goddess had persuaded her at great length, but this last mention of Selene snuffed out the little confidence Hemera had just managed to raise.
Though Selene had always been aloof in temperament, she was without doubt Hyperion and Theia's most most most pampered child.
Even in the age of Kronos, when the three siblings of Selene were granted no honors by Kronos, Selene still did as she pleased; even Kronos let it pass with one eye open and one eye closed.
This was something Hemera—who had become Hyperion and Theia's child in name—had seen most clearly.
Selene's solitary pride and unworldly purity; that way of never showing warmth to anyone, of acting as she pleased—these were things Hemera had always envied deeply.
For she had never possessed such a carefree manner.
She had never had that confidence.
Once again Hemera bowed her head deeply and said in a very timid voice, "Mother, I… I still don't dare."
After so much talk, to end with the same words left the Lady of Night feeling faint.
Think of herself—suppressed by the Ouranian gods for so long.
One could even say that whatever pressure the Ouranian gods brought, whether she could bear it or not, she had to brace herself and bear it.
However she was bullied, she was indomitable—failed and rose, failed and fought—never truly yielding (yielding to Zeus doesn't count)!
Once she knew Zeus was the one, she launched the fiercest offensive without hesitation—and won the most glorious success!
How is it that, when it comes to her own child, she lacks even this much courage?
If she did not have her Mother at her back, even if she did become Zeus's goddess, she would probably be bullied to death by those little minxes of the Ouranian gods!
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