Emily was physically shaking when she awoke in her office with her Divine Mother, her Matron Goddess, the Goddess that led her through her life and influenced, no doubt, every choice she ever made, sitting across from her. This aspect of Hecate was the Crone, the Old Hag, the version related to death and darkness. Sleeping at Her side was a huge black three-headed dog, the hellhound of legend and lore. In Emily’s half-sleeping state, she felt as if keeping that dog asleep was a matter of life and death. Hecate also had with Her two eternally burning torches and they were the only light in the room. The entire moment seemed unreal but Emily could not deny the solid wood of her desk or the physical comfort of her old chair. Since the Gods started coming to her with their problems, she wondered when Hecate would show and now that She had, there was a part of Emily that was terrified of Her. Hecate laughed a beautiful laugh, a sound like water bubbling in a clear brook. “Imagine that! Afraid of your own Mother? What for? I love you! I have loved you through many lifetimes, even when you couldn’t feel me near! Is it the form of the Crone that frightens you so? I came in this form only because it is Dark Goddess matters I came to discuss. But if it bothers you…” And before Emily’s eyes, she watched Hecate transform Herself into a beautiful young Mother with black hair and stormy eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light of Her torches. She wore a long black dress with a long black hooded cape over it. And She was stunning. But Emily still felt a tickle of fear in the pit of her stomach.
Emily was surprised to find her mug of hot coffee at her side and she took a drink, only to find that it was the most perfect cup of black coffee she ever consumed. Hecate waited patiently as she took another drink before clearing her throat to say, “It isn’t the Crone aspect that made me afraid. It is Your power. It is the fact that I believe You have loved me through lifetimes where I couldn’t hear Your voice or do Your work. I am in awe that You are here. It is that and no more.”
Hecate’s smile was radiant. “I wanted to thank you for your work with Hera. Working out the life she has had with that bastard nephew of mine seems to be doing wonderful things for her. She seems to be letting go of that bitterness that she has held on to for so long. She is using her own mind, challenging Zeus’s word in meetings for the first time, refusing to back down to his abusive remarks. She is becoming sure of herself the way she would’ve long ago had he not raped her and manipulated her into marriage. It has taken her an eternity but she is truly coming into her own at last and that is partially thanks to you. I must also say that I am finding great amusement in your...tryst if you could call it such...with my beloved young nephew Hermes. He seems rather smitten with you and that blush on your face as soon as I said his name tells me you are interested in him as well. But I would caution only this: Love affairs with mortals and their Gods has never ended in a happy way. That does not mean it can’t...only that you deserve a good warning. Watch yourself. Never forget, even when he is in your bed and in more than that that he IS a God. You will never marry. It is not advisable to have his children. He is never changing. As you grow old, he will remain as he is now. And any planning for the future is foolish. As long as you can accept that, the two of you should have a nice time while it lasts.”
Emily didn’t know what to say. Of course, Hecate was right. Emily knew that. She knew that as soon as he touched her that first time and she felt that thrill go through her. She had two good dates with Hermes and it was easy when she was with him to forget what he was. But she had yet to sleep with him and if she stopped to think about the myths she read since childhood, there was a chance she never would. Hecate only added to the doubt. “I don’t think you came here to warn me about Hermes, though, or even to talk about Hera. I know you enough to know if you are here, you have something powerful to say.”
Hecate smiled again in a way that seemed to light up that dim room. “Ah, you are very perceptive, Dear Child. It seems as if I come with the same intent as my old friend Sekhmet. If we should survive this upcoming war, if you should survive, it will be up to you to spread our old truths, to keep them in your heart and to tell others about them. Tonight I bring you mine. I am Hecate, the daughter of Asteria and Perses. I can easily go into any world, any realm, and for too long I allowed my nephew to rule our Heaven while I looked after Earth. I have a special place in my heart for humans but I am also incredibly disappointed in many of them. Once, during the years of persecution and burning for any woman or child who carried the Old Secrets forward, I truly thought of destroying the entire human race and trying again. This was after watching a patriarchal society, something that has never made sense to me as it is women who create and raise the next generation, spread through all of Europe beginning in my very own Greece. How one Roman vampire managed to destroy what we believed to be the natural order of life, I will never understand. But I do know that my nephew’s lies and the lies of other Gods who decided to grab for power did much to push this foolishness forward. And I hate him for that. I truly do. There is no love left in me for Zeus and if we survive this, I intend to tear him apart limb by limb. What’s more, I predict that Hera will be at my side when I do it.”
This idea shocked Emily to her core. She did not know that this was possible, that the Queen of All could literally murder the King of Olympus. But Emily did know that if anyone could destroy Zeus, it would be Hecate. “Yes, I am the most powerful Goddess left alive and active from the Greeks. However, while humans credit me with much of my attributes, including being the Goddess of women and children, Witchcraft and Magick, and even death, they fail to see something important in that. If I am the Goddess of giving life and taking it, what else might I oversee?”
It took Emily only a moment to think of this answer. “Abortions.”
“Absolutely! It was I who showed the first women what herbs to take to get rid of a fetus they did not want. Although the stories say I had no children, they do not accurately say why. I was pregnant three times but three times I did not yet want children. So I aborted them. And then I took their souls back as the Goddess of Life, Death, and Rebirth, and I directed them toward women who wanted children, where they were loved and wanted. That is the way of things. Should we live through this, I vow to strike down any who dares to fight about that. There is nothing to fight about. Humans have become so stupid. They are against abortion...until they need one. I have no patience left for it. You’ll see. Members of government, judges, and people on the street alike will feel my wrath. Abortion will be legal because it is the natural law and, damn it, men need to learn you cannot override natural law. All who try after this war will be destroyed by my own hand. Heart attacks, cancer, perhaps even botched abortions...they will fall. Because I am Goddess of Life and Death and, like the women of this Earth, I hold both in my hand and in my womb. Women are worth more than fetuses that can live only in their bellies. Anyone who does not see that must die. So shall it be!”
Suddenly there was a lightning strike and the sound of thunder which made Emily jump in her chair. Again Hecate laughed. Emily didn’t know what to say. Part of her was horrified at hearing her Matron speak in such a way but part of her was proud to be a Daughter of Hecate more in that moment than ever before. Getting up, Hecate kissed Emily on the forehead before heading toward the door. The hellhound at Her side woke up but she paid Emily no mind as she followed sluggishly at Hecate’s side. Pausing briefly, Hecate assured her with a grin, “Worry not about getting home. Hermes is here to escort you.” As if on cue, he walked in looking amazing as always and Hecate laughed outright. “Remember all that I’ve said here this night. And fear not. The natural order will be restored so long as humans make it through the war. Women everywhere will reclaim their power. Of that I assure you. Have a peaceful night.”
Emily was shaken by the visit even as Hermes took her home. Hermes was only meant to stay with her until she calmed down but the fear from Hecate’s visit combined with that electricity between herself and the God she was playing with until she couldn’t resist kissing him. And then she couldn’t resist getting on his lap. Before she knew it, she was screwing this man, this God, this incredible beauty with his amazingly upbeat sense of humor and all warnings, all thoughts of life and death, were thrown out the window. There was only the rhythm of their bodies moving together to produce the best sex of her entire life. Only after she was laying in his arms trying to explain the purpose of “reality tv” to him did she stop for a moment to consider if she could be content with just this and no more. And what would she do if she found herself pregnant? Could she have another abortion or would she think back to that sixteen year old girl she once was laying on a cold table alone and terrified? Was Hecate with her on that terrible day? Now she believed She was. Would she be with her again if the child were Hecate’s own relative? Emily shook from the chill that went up her spine and Hermes instantly covered her with a blanket believing she was cold. He was so kind. He had such a gentle soul. He was nothing like Zeus. So what did he want from her? As she went back to sleep she could’ve sworn she heard him whisper that he wanted her forever. But that was not an option. And she knew when she woke up she would be alone with only a sweet goodbye on a post-it note reminding her of their time together…
Moral of the Story?: If Mother ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
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