If Hera had gained anything since the Pantheon's decline, it was a sense of peace, a sort of tranquility that came with the arrival of stability long absent. No more nights lying awake knowing her husband was finding his pleasures in another woman's bed. No more steadily building fury at the indignity of it all. No more humiliation on behalf of her children for their philandering father who favored his bastards over the offspring of his own wife. And, since she had established and built up<i>Teléia, </i>no more loneliness when her sons and daughters were not around or unable to visit. It was somewhat ironic when she thought about it, that she was the first to leave and arguably, one of the least faded since her departure. Perhaps it was because she had never wasted energy attempting to cling to the past, exerting power long gone. Instead she had focused her power on building a new life, a somewhat more than mortal life. Perhaps making the attendants she had gathered throughout the years immortal had been a bit much, but she had yet to receive any complaints from them, and she had never been good at letting things go. Not without a fight at least.<br/><br/>At the moment, Hera was in the back of the shop adjusting her makeup after lunch. It was prom season and this morning had been quite busy not just with women looking to be June brides but also high school girls looking for something a little more elegant. She herself had even assisted a handful of customers and as a result had had to postpone her lunch break until a little later in the day. As one of her people dozed off in the plush upholstered chair across from her, she reapplied her soft rose-colored lipstick and touched up the eyeliner around her big brown eyes in the reflection of her compact. She took a brief moment to examine her high cheekbones and deemed the blush upon her porcelain complexion acceptable, then finally showed a brief smile of approval before closing the compact and placing it back in her purse. To mortal eyes, the enigmatic owner of<i>Teléia </i>was nothing short of elegance and class personified, never with a single soft rich brown curl out of place and always ageless. Every now and then a customer tried to guess her age, the assumptions usually around the early to mid thirty range, but of course they would always be wrong. Most people wouldn't exactly consider the notion they could be speaking to an ancient goddess.<br/><br/>The faint chiming of the door reminded her that it was high time she got back to work. Rising from her seat, Hera went about straightening out her black sheath dress and adjusting her gold jewelry before making her way out onto the floor. She had to admit that she did appreciate the invention of heels, or at least the clicking sound they made as she walked down the halls bedecked with peacock-themed wallpaper. Just before setting foot outside to the common area, however, she caught one of the younger and more recently brought in attendants Kailey with a scowl on her lips.<br/><br/>"Difficult customer?" Hera attempted to guess with a quirk of her brow. "Don't tell me you didn't tell them off. You're quite good at that."<br/><br/>Admittedly, it was why the girl had caught the goddess's attention in the first place. She liked outspoken people, especially when they were women.<br/><br/>"Yeah, nah, all the high school girls have been fine dandy," the short-haired woman answered with a wry grin. "Just some rich-looking asshole walked in with a pimp cane and is just standing there like he owns the place."<br/><br/>For a moment, Hera could not contain her laughter and let a chuckle escape from her lips.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry-a what?"<br/><br/>"Look, you take a look and say it's anything but."<br/><br/>"Fine, I'm sure we can handle him," the queen of the gods shrugged. "I'm no Aphrodite, but I can be quite charming when need be."<br/><br/>"Or at least pissed as hell," Kailey couldn't help but remark as she went to take her break.<br/><br/>Hera rolled her eyes and walked out onto the floor. Almost instantly, she regretted everything. Rage reflexively began to bubble up inside her.<br/><br/>He was here.<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="1302" data-username="@Theo" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/1302/">@Theo</a>