Lift Off Into My Heart

"My precious Theia, relax. Everything will go according to plan."

For some reason I couldn't register what my mother was saying………..what's that saying that those mortals say? Oh yes those, those butterflies in my stomach. I actually think that saying is quite ridiculous. You can not possibly have butterflies in your stomach unless you’re an amphibious creature that consumes insects such as butterflies.

"Theia. Please answer me." I shake my head and look toward her.

"Mother, this simply isn't what I am here for. Why must I be the one to go and do this quest when there are perfectly beautiful goddesses that would be better than I. Like you for instance. You’re Aphrodite, the goddess of Love. You’re exquisitely beautiful and extremely intelligent........when you want to be."

She looks at me. "What was that?"

"Nothing mother. I just don't think I'm the one for the job. Especially doing something that is out of my comfort zone."

My mother sighs and places her hands on my shoulders. "Theia, you will do fine. You will do better than any other goddess out there. Only because you are mine. It might even help if you ask Athena for her blessing to give you guidance and council out in war. She is the goddess of war and battle strategy after all."

I smile. "Yes Mother. As you wish. Remember I am only going through with this because you expect so much and think so highly of me. If it were anyone else I would have refused."

She forces a smile. "Yes I know Antheia. You better get going. You need to be enrolled before the 8th of August. You don't want to be late. Goddesses are never late. Not even fashionably."

I smile. My Mother had a sense of humor..........somewhat. But she always knew how to make me smile. "Yes Mother. I will report with news ever so often through an Iris message or through Hermes himself. Please give Hephaestus my best regards. After all, he is your husband and my 'father'."

My mother laughs a slight laugh. "Yes Antheia. I will do as you wish." She looks at me. Not as a person giving me orders, but as a Mother that really cared about my well being.

"Mother, I will be fine. You are always with me. You live within me." I step forward and gave her a hug. I didn't want to let her go. To be honest, I was quite afraid of failing my Mother, Zeus and the Council, and most importantly myself.

"I best be on my way." I say quickly wiping a tear away from my eyes before she noticed.

"Yes you shall. Goodbye Antheia."

I walk over to DayDreamer. "Are you ready my beautiful Pegasus?" She neighs quietly. I smile. I gently get on her back. I look back at my mother and wave. I see the worry in her eyes and try to ignore it. "Alright DayDreamer. Let us go to California."

DayDreamer starts off into a slight trot then soon we are in the air. I hadn't felt the wind gently blow through my hair in such a long time. It was a feeling that I didn't realize I had missed until I was back on my Pegasus. Pegasus' travel at such an intense speed that the distance is shorter than taking a mortal air plane to get to my destinations. But I realized that as soon as I landed in California, I was going to have to take mortal transportation. That idea I wasn't that comfortable with. I arrive in California in an empty beach near the base of where I was supposed to be going. I step off of DayDreamer. "Alright DayDreamer, I will no longer need your services. I will miss you dearly. I love you." DayDreamer nuzzles my cheek saying the same thing. I watch DayDreamer leap into the air and head back to our home.

I quickly change my appearance to green and brown camouflage and carry at least two large duffle bags. I casually walk over to the base like every other mortal in the Air Force. I accidentally bump into this gentleman. "Oh excuse me miss. My apologies. I didn't see you. Are you joining the Air Force as well?"

I look at him in a perplexed way. "I-I why yes I am. Am I going the right way?" He laughs.

"Yeah, you’re going the right way. Oh, where are my manners, I am Themis."

Themis was the god of justice and order. But this man was no god. He was a regular mortal with a god name. That interested me. "Hello. My name is Antheia but some people including my mother calls me Theia. But you may only call me that if I become close with you."

Themis shrugs as if it was no big deal. "Hi Antheia. Nice to meet you. We better not be late. That would get us on their bad side."

Themis didn't fawn over me like all the other mortal men would have. That one trait made me really look at him. His strong jaw structure, his dark brown hair with piercing winter green eyes and his muscular physique. He interested me. I hadn't a clue whether that would be a good or bad thing.