Korè is 12 years old.

"Mother! Mother look!" the little girl screams with glee as she lifts a small guppie from the waters. Her wild mane dripped wet from the cool forest spring.

"Come Korè, we must begin harvesting" my mother called as I waded deeper into the stream. I pout as I see her with her usual basket of seeds and dates.

"Not again mother. I have seen you harvest many times before. I want to swim" I groan as I sink deeper into the spring.

"Kore!" My mother's tone sent chills up my spine and I obediently step out the waters.

"As goddesses, we must fulfill our roles. I the harvest the earth and you pl—-"

"Plant the seeds to produce life, I knowwwww, I knowwwww" I sigh, interrupting her lecture; it was one I had heard many times before.

"Kore, you should be proud. Not every girl can be a goddess. Many curse fate to be bestowed the title."

I roll my eyes as she continued on. "What is so great about being a goddess? I live on earth while every other deity lives in luxury at Olympus"

"I do not live on Olympus"she smiles.

"Only because you are my mother and cannot leave me to raise myself" I retort, crossing my hands over my chest.

My mother chuckled softly as she realized my truth. Although 12, I had the wisdom of many older than I.

"Now come dry off and let me see you plow the earth" she demands.

Begrudgingly, I drag my feet across the wet soil and step to meet her. My fingers meet with the blades of dewy grass and I wave them through the air to produce a spidery red fruit.

"Eww what is this?" I wrinkle my nose with disgust.

"Rambutan! You conjured up a rarity"

"It is hideous mother!"

"Nothing is hideous my innocent Kore....just...unfortunate looking" she frowns as she examines it's spidery skin. Of course this was her reply. She would always try to see the good in everything; every creature, ant, and plant.

A soft grin forms upon my lips as I observe my beautiful mother. She had a kind of understated beauty, perhaps it was because she was so disarmingly unaware of her prettiness. Her soft brown eyes were hypnotic; she possessed a beauty that was subtle but still captivated all.

We continue through the forest of our town harvesting and producing fruits until we reach the sands of a calm beach.

We rest upon some rocks near the coast and snack on small nuts and berries. My heart saddens as I see a family of four in the distance. The two children splashed each other in the water as their parents lifted them in their; they each had a mother and father to complete their unit.

I always wondered about the  identity of my father; who the man was that gave me my distinct features. Every time I asked for a clue, my mother would sing a song or change the topic.

The people of the town would always rave about my unmistakable beauty. Even they seemed to know more than I.

"Ahhh! she is the daughter of the one so mighty!"

"She shares his eyes and his mighty smile."

——

"...Mother?"

"Yes my daughter"

"Who is my father"

"Korè, I told you many times..."

"But you haven't mother! I see all these families each with two parents yet I only have one."

"It is complicated Kore... when you are older I will tell you." she snaps, dismissing my curiosity. Although she was the perfect image of peace and prosperity, I could see the darkness that resided in her heart. It didn't come all the time, only when I brought up the subject of my father.

I pout and stare out to the ocean as we sit in silence.

"There are many things I choose to shield you from my child." she breaks the silence, "I want to protect you from many things but the day will come that even I won't be here to shield you from danger"

My eyes traveled to her face as she stared into the distnace, a single tear caressed her soft skin.

Suddenly, a violent wind blew my curly hair to the side. I shield my eyes from the dusty sand and run to take cover.

"Ughh!" I groan and stand to shield my face from the ocean mist. My mother only chuckled and dusted herself off as she rose from the beach.

I watch the ocean as a majestic man emerged with a golden trident in his hand. I shield behind her as he approaches the shoreline. "Who is that mother?" I ask, cowering behind her.

"Some call him ruler of the land and waters. Every sea creature bows under his mighty power" she boasts.

"Is he a god?" I whisper in awe; I had never seen or met another besides my mother.

"Yes he is" she waves to him as he steps onto the sandy beach.

"But you dear Kore,

you may call him uncle."

——-

A/N:
Sorry if it's slow now, but I promise it picks up (y'all know me 😘)