She looked over her shoulder, scanning the airport for any familar face but came up with none. Disappointment weighed heavy in her heart as she realised, yet again, how little she meant to everyone. Blinking back the tears she turned around, only to collide with someone's chest.

"You okay there?", resonated the voice of the person she had walked into. Articulating an apology in her mind she looked up and almost stumbled as her eyes met the most beautiful face she'd ever seen on anyone.

It took her a moment to recollect her flustered self, curtsey to the chiseled features of the boy who seemed a few years older than her. Little did she know that she wasn't the only one awestruck, and the boy was staring at her with a somewhat similar intensity, if not more.

"Yeah, I guess I am, and oh! I'm sorry for running into you like this.", she sluttered frantically, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The boy gave her a wide grin and shook his head a little too emphatically. He then looked towards his mother and said exitedly,

"Momma, she's Hera, isn't she? With those looks, she has to be."

Flabbergasted at such an accurate guess of her name, she tried to shrink away from these strangers, but the boy's gaze held her captive. It was as if he knew how horrified she was, and wanted to do anything to relieve her from her state of unease. Hera straightened unconsciously, uncomfortable with his penetrating gaze, and decided not to show her vulnerability.

"I am no Hera.", she all but growled.

A small smile etched his lips, and he countered.

"Oh, but you are. You are so beautiful. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen. You have to be a goddess."

Ignoring the tingling sensation at the unexpected compliment and comparision to a greek goddess, Hera mused,

"Shouldn't you call me Aphrodite then?" With what little she had learnt about greek mythology from her mother, she knew that the pretty one was called Aphrodite.

"Why would I? When Hera is the queen, and I want to make you mine. You'll marry me right? Mother, I want to marry her.", he clung to his mother's legs, while the woman looked at him with an amused expression.

"I always knew you would get yourself a princess one day, but so soon, eh?", she patted her son's head affectionately and looked at the girl who had caught her son's attention.

"Where are your parents sweetie? What are you doing alone at an airport?"

Hera looked around for her aunt who was supposed to drop her at her new school in New York, but couldn't spot her anywhere. Panicked, she sluttered,

"She w..was th..there, somewhere.."

The women gave her a worried once over and took her into her arms.

"What was your name again Sweetheart, and how old are you?", on seeing the girl's hesitation, she added, "Aunty wants to help you baby, and she wouldn't be able to do so until you cooperate." The child nodded slightly.

"My mother told me n..not to tell anyone, any..thing about myself, b..but you seem like a nice l..lady... so...my name is in fact what your son guessed, and I am six."

The boy's mother looked at her in awe and was about to take her to the authorities when, a hand clasped around Hera's wrist and tugged harshly. A middle aged, fiery looking women, held her possessively and said,

"She's with me. Thank you for looking after her. We must get going now."

She took the luggage in one hand and began to pull Hera with the other when the boy all but shouted,

"Wait! Who do you think you are to force her like that? She'll go with me, and we'll get married?" Shocked by her son's anticts, the mother tried to sush him,

"Child, of course you'll get married to her, but you aren't old enough yet, right baby? Let her go now and she'll meet you again when the time comes."

Hera marvelled at the boy's tenacity, and realized suddenly, that he had, in the span of a few minutes, shown her more love, than her entire family had, in all these years. For the first time ever, she did not feel like a waste of space, but cherished and wanted. She did not want to leave. She wanted to snuggle closer to this boy, and cling to him, but yet another tug to the hand told her, how hopeless her aspirations were. He looked so disappointed that Hera couldn't help but free her hand and run towards him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she regarded the boy who's name she still didn't know,

"Hey, cheer up Zeus. I'll be back before you know, and then we can get married. Right?" A grin slowly made its way on his face and he nodded enthusiastically. Returning the gesture with a smile of her own, Hera turned and went back to her frustrated aunt, who led her towards their flight. The girl, however, couldn't stop turning over her shoulder and waving at the boy, until he was out of her sight.

She couldn't help but feel, that if she ever returned, it would be for this boy.

Right now though, she had a nightmare to run from.

And hide from.

Until,

She was strong enough to retaliate.