It all started in a club in Brazil. That's where I lived at that time. My sister Ana and I were in a club due to celebrating our eighteenth birthday with the rich and beautiful. For half a million dollars for charity, the gods and rich people were celebrating exclusive parties. Ana and I were one of those rich ones.
We're currently on the highest floor of the club, sobering up, as Ana smirks and points down to a young woman, probably around her twenties, that weirdly looked familiar. "Seems like she's interested in you." I just roll my eyes, but can't help but agree with my sister. It really seemed like it. I notice her gaze and smirk. "Ana, my dearest sister..." Ana quickly shuts me up and gets up from the bed we're laying on. "Don't worry, I'm already gone. Just tell me how it was."
Shortly after Ana had left, the woman enters the room, her voice soft and melodic. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything." I smile and make space on the bed. "No worries. Just got a little exhausted from all that partying. My name's Serenia... And you are?" The woman seems to hesitate, clearly thinking of a fake name, her gaze falling onto a few drawings I made of an anime called When Marnie Was There. "Marnie." I smile. "Nice to meet you, Marnie. Don't worry. I don't mind people having fake names." She smirks and pours herself some champagne. "Oh really? Why would you say so?" I chuckle and take a sip myself. "It gives us a possibility to escape reality. Or to avoid creepy men at a club." Marnie smirks and goes over to the balcony. "You seem to speak like you've already experienced it. How old are you again? Eighteen?" I smile. "Since today... how do you know?" She gives me a slight side eye and holds up the birthday card. She looks around my room and takes in all my decorations. "You have a beautiful home. Although it's kinda big to live alone." I smile and go onto the balcony. "Well... I'm still looking for the right person to live with me. Ana is wonderful, but I kinda miss love." Marnie smiles, her greyish blondbrown hair swaying in the wind as she looks out to the see, leaning against the balcony. "Maybe the right person..." She hesitates. "Nevermind. Should we go bathing? The night seems perfect for it." Her voice almost sounds like Lara Wurmer, the German voice actress of Marnie. Even her eyes have this magical blueish color. "You're so beautiful, Marnie." She chuckles and giggles, before stepping into the hot water fully clothed. "And? Am I looking like you imagined I'd look like?" I smile and join her in the water. "What do you mean?" She smiles. "Oh... Nothing... I just noticed you staring at me." I smile and relax in the water, feeling comfortable around her. "I've never seen you around here before. Who are you?" She chuckles, her face illuminated by the moon. "Hera... But right now I'm Marnie. But please... Don't ever tell anyone that. I don't want to get caught." I smile and take her hand in mine. "Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me. I promise."
A few months later:
I wake up in the middle of the night, having another nightmare, as I see Marnie laying beside me. Even in her sleep she was able to shape shift. And even in her sleep she looked like the cutest thing in the world. Our relationship had strengthened over the summer and we became nearly inseparable. She, Ana, Alecto, Tisiphone, Megaera, Euryale, Stheno, Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, a few nymphs, my children and I now lived together and raised them. Marnie still would go back to Greece and not call me for months, but I didn't question it. One day I suddenly got a letter from her.
Alecto eyes me curiously. "Is everything alright? What's in that letter?" I shrug and open it, reading the text. "My dearest Serenia... I'm sorry I had to go, but my husband was questioning it. I wish you could be here. Soon it's my birthday and the start of a new year. Yours truly, Marnie." Without a word I fold the letter up again and pack my things, turning to Alecto. "We're moving to Greece. No discussion." Alecto just smirks and follows my command, telling everyone to stow their stuff and get to the airport.
Arriving in Crete, we get picked up by a bunch of military cars, probably the ones of Marnie's family, and driven to a palace that I actually can't quite locate. It was a little windy but also extremely beautiful. Almost like a myth.
As I enter the palace I feel at the wrong place and at home at the same time. I look around, taking in the expensive decorations and fiddling with my shirt. "May I take your jacket, Miss?" The voice takes me by surprise, as I turn around to see a handsome, young man with blond, long hair. He wears a greyish suit with golden accents in marble style. I smile. "Thank you, I appreciate it." He smiles and takes my things. "Let me show you the room you'll be staying at. The lady is already excited to meet you." I smile and follow him, listening to the history about the palace. The man smiles at me. "Everyone is already excited to meet you. Marnie told us a lot about you." My eyes widen a little. "You know her?" He smirks. "Yeah... She's my step and half-sister. She's mostly by herself and only shows when it's necessary." My eyebrows furrow. That definitely wasn't the Marnie I knew. The man stops in front of a heavy door that have golden peacock feathers and roses on it. Above it there's a laurel wreath. "This is the room you'll be staying in. Feel free to make yourself home."
As I enter my new room, the first thing I see is Marnie on the king-sized bed that has more silk and gold than I had ever seen. She chuckles and smiles at me. "Do you like it?" The crystal lamps, the golden glittery atmosphere... Everything was like my room at home. Even the colors matched. Marnie smiles and pats next to her. "I asked the nymphs to make it like this." I look a little disturbed and sit next to Marnie. "It looks like the room I was in during my childhood..." Suddenly Marnie turns older, the doors locking, as Hera shifts back to her older form. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd feel more like home." I smirk and kiss her. "You're a devil." Hera chuckles and lets her fingers trace over my thighs, before kissing me passionately.
Shortly after I'm laying in her arms, smoking with her. "What are we doing here? You see nothing more than an affair in me." Hera smiles and caresses my hair. "Oh please, you're much more than that. You're one of my favorite mortals. And the second he is gone, I'll marry you and make you immortal." I sigh and sit up. "I don't care about immortality... I just... This is exciting but also wrong." Hera gets up, her expression bitter. "How is this wrong?! I love you. You're not just an affair to me, you're..." She doesn't end the sentence, but I feel like she's leaving out something important. Something that is messing with her morality. She sighs and looks softly at me, smiling. "Let's just forget that, love. Let's just enjoy us being together." I smile and lean into her touch, kissing her softly and brushing my fingers through her hair. "You're right... Although it's your birthday so you shouldn't let your guests wait." Hera smirks and suddenly turns into Marnie, as the door opens and another woman peaks her head inside. She blushes extremely. "I apologize for the intrusion. I didn't know you were busy." Still there is a smirk lingering in her expression, that almost says: "Don't worry, I won't tell him a word." Marnie smiles appreciatively and drinks something. "Can I help you, Auntie Hestia?" The woman, Hestia (goddess of hearth and home), smiles and looks at me. "Yeah, I'm looking for your mother. Hera tends to isolate herself. Especially at birthdays." Marnie shrugs. "Maybe she's on earth in her temple or in the gardens." Hestia smiles. "Thanks, Marnie." She looks at me. "Welcome back home, little one."