บท 20: The first step.
Hermes walked smoothly through the huge building, deftly guiding Hela and Ina.
It was only Hermes' second time in that building, but it wasn't difficult for him to serve as a guide.
After all, that was his job most of the time.
The building was silent and empty, it wasn't hard to suspect that they were in the middle of class time.
With hands clasped, Hela and Ina always walked together, with firm steps following Hermes wherever he went.
Hela took advantage of the first visit, after all she would be there every day for the next few days... who knows for years.
They walked towards a woman who was focused on piles and piles of papers, but when she saw Hermes' presence, she smiled broadly.
Hermes promptly responded.
The woman was one of the humans who saw herself completely captivated by the charms of the Greek god, she smiled disconcerted and even a little awkward. "Good afternoon Mr. Hermes."
Hermes felt funny.
It was always fun to see humans that way, he never got tired of it.
"Good afternoon Jude, how are you?"
Hermes had been to that university only once, but creating the illusion of familiarity wasn't difficult for him.
It wasn't a big deal to get rid of the previous teacher and get Hela the job.
Besides, in a simple snap of his fingers Hermes could create a dense history for himself and anyone else.
For example, Hela was born in Norway on January 21, 1991. An exemplary student who entered and left university with merit, dedicating her life and all her efforts to learning the history of Norse mythology.
Or maybe Ina who was born in 1995 in some city in Slovenia.
When she was only 10 years old, she was adopted by an Italian family of intellectuals and moved to Foggia, an Italian province in the Puglia region.
Ina and Hela met at one of the thousands of academic events Ina's parents took her to.
Yes, for Hela it was love at first sight and she stayed in Italy for two months just to try to win Ina's heart.
Beautiful, right?!
Hermes was a great storyteller, creating was also something easy for him.
It was really magical what some simple papers could do and Hermes in less than five seconds managed to bring out someone's entire history completely from scratch.
The woman was talking animatedly with Hermes to the point where it took her a while to realize that he wasn't alone.
"I'm fine, do you need anything?"
She glanced briefly at the other two women next to Hermes.
One was beautiful… graceful and with eyes so pale they were gray.
But the other, despite being breathtakingly beautiful, was pale and lifeless.
Hermes pointed at Hela and smiled gently. "This is the new teacher I mentioned would be teaching Norse Mythology."
Jude forced a smile, feeling uneasy, but despite that, she couldn't show her complicated feelings.
It wasn't any surprise to Hela to see that kind of reaction.
Hela's nature towards humans was one of respect and awe.
Unlike Odin or Freya, she was seen as a threat.
Standing before her would mean having failed in her mission of honor and victory.
Hela didn't care, for her death was a great certainty of the unknown and she would take good care of everyone who came to her kingdom.
But living humans really wouldn't want to be in the same environment as Hela, they felt threatened and full of complicated feelings.
It was an irrational sense of self-defence, there was no reason to blame them.
The woman smiled a little awkwardly and extended her hand for a brief greeting.
Hela watched the movement and sighed in her heart, she didn't like contact with strangers, but she clung to the thought that it would arouse less suspicion if she accepted it willingly.
"Oh! Welcome..."
The contact was quick and it wasn't enough for Jude to realize that underneath the gloves Hela wore were just bones.
Hela smiled warmly, disguising her discomfort.
"It's a pleasure, I'm Hela... This is my wife Ina."
Ina smiled when she was introduced that, unlike her wife, she had no fear of humans.
After all, she used to be one.
But she as a goddess did not have strong involvement with humans and although some coveted immortality they had never reached heaven to get it.
Ina was like a celestial being that few understood or knew about her.
They only knew that as a child she had been discovered eating peaches in the middle of paradise.
Compassionate Ejons adopted her and allowed her to grow up happy and healthy.
When she finally seemed worthy he asked her to take care of one of the keys that would unlock the gates of paradise.
Ina accepted out of gratitude and pledged to loyally follow her destiny.
Such obedience was reciprocated with the third eye, which would allow Ina to know the world, but mainly people.
So fate followed for years.
Myths are told by men, the gods do not create them and in reality they are randomly selected for this.
A line of destiny that is drawn suddenly.
"Is a pleasure..."
Ina nodded her head gently which immediately lightened the atmosphere, her smile was gentle and filled with kindness.
Ina and Hela being seen together was like beholding the sun and moon, complete opposites.
Jude glared at Ina and just as she was about to move her hand in greeting Hermes grabbed her hand and happily led her in another direction.
Jude would later thank her, she hadn't realized that Ina was blind and the movement wasn't adequate, so Hermes to avoid wasting time and embarrassment had acted first.
"Is the room ready?"
A little surprised and scared, the woman did nothing but agree and turn all her attention back to Hermes. "Yes, the room is ready, let's go there..."
Jude and Hermes, amidst laughter and conversation, walked a few steps ahead, while Ina and Hela followed.
Hela laced her fingers with Ina's and gently caressed them.
"You were supposed to come to my first class..."
Hela spoke a little shyly, she didn't exactly know if this was something Ina would like to do, but it was a unique moment... It should be shared.
Ina heard that and felt happy, of course she would watch. "You don't mind your students seeing your wife?"
Hela watched Hermes walk a little farther with Jude and took the opportunity to slow her steps.
Ina was stopped from walking when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.
She smiled at her wife's attitude.
Hela brought her lips close to Ina's ear and whispered. "I want them to see that I'm yours… But I also want to show them that you're mine."
Ina heard the whispered voice and could feel her body shudder.
Yes, she was hers.
"I think it's a good idea..."
Embarrassed, Ina broke free from her wife's arms and pulled her forward, encouraging them to return to their normal rhythm and continue on their way.
Hela smiled when she saw Ina's face completely red.
So beautiful.
She still kept in her mind the moment of Ina being jealous over the possibility of female students trying to flirt with her.
Hela didn't see herself as the object of lust, but that didn't matter. After all, if Ina wanted her for herself, that was enough.
And it really felt good to keep everyone in the loop that not only was she married, but she had a really wonderful wife.
She sighed contentedly, she wanted to have Ina with her for a long time to share moments like this.
The two accelerated their steps amid smiles and caresses, until they noticed Hermes and Jude talking to a man standing in the middle of the corridor that led to the rooms.
Hermes looked smiling at Hela and she just felt that something was about to happen.
"Come here Hela... This is Department Director Anthony Ralph..."
Hela nodded and already expecting some sort of greeting she held out her hand for a handshake which was immediately returned along with a grin from the man.
"Miss Hela it really is a great coincidence to see you here today..."
Hela felt curious and couldn't help but glance briefly at Hermes.
Hermes just had fun with the situation and kept himself happy and smiling.
Of course something was about to happen.
Hela felt helpless and all she could do was nod and hope for the best. "Why would that be a great coincidence?"
Anthony sighed a little annoyed. "One of our professors was absent and the schedule is vacant… An emergency came up and I have to be away, could you take over the class?"
Hela felt her mind go blank, she wasn't prepared for a lesson.
If she still had a beating heart, it most certainly would have stopped right then and there.
Ina could feel her wife's tension and gently hugged Hela's waist comforting and reassuring.
Hela looked at Ina and the beautiful smile was all she needed to accept the challenge. "All right..."
Ina was her stronghold.
Hela, Ina, Hermes entered the room.
Anthony and Jude left in a hurry to deal with such an emergency leaving them completely alone.
The room was so large and packed with crowded places, Hela could feel her head spinning.
She filled her lungs with air and used it as a boost to gather some courage.
Hermes, upon entering the room, soon saw some empty seats, touched Ina's hand and whispered about them going to sit down, which was immediately accepted by her.
Ina, who still had one of her hands clasped in her wife's, quickly touched Hela's face and kissed him gently on the cheek.
Before Hela saw her wife walk away, she heard Ina's whisper. "Just tell your story, it won't be hard… You can do it."
It was really impossible not to feel confident and excited by her wife's affection.
She smiled contentedly.
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