Chapter Text
Heket wanted children. As a God, she was immune to the wear of time, and so her end – were it to ever come to pass – would be at the hands of another. She had no need to continue her bloodline, and had neither the instinct nor the urge, but she had been a mortal once, and had not had the opportunity to become a mother before taking up her crown and striking her first bargain. Perhaps it was a desire that lingered still. An echo of the life she had had before.
A millennia had passed since that fateful day and she had come into her Godhood. She had not yet been old enough to pass through her first cycle when she had placed the Yellow Crown upon her head, and still hadn't a millennia hence so she didn't know if such a thing could now ever come to pass. If it was still possible for her to breed with a mortal. If it wasn't, then she would have little choice to accept it as her fate. As the way of things.
She watched the mortals of her realm. Watched them live, watched them die, watched them fall in love, watched them marry, and ultimately have children of their own, such that the cycle would begin again. She did not watch with jealousy, but there was always a part of her that hoped that one day she could participate in the great circle of life to which she was now an observer.
As one millennia rolled into another and another and over again, it seemed to her that she had been given her answer. That motherhood was not to be. And so she resigned herself to her fate, and accepted it as the way of things. That it was not in the nature of Gods to create life anew, with another. It was a small price to pay, she reasoned, for everything she had gained in return.
Heket munched on the body of another sacrifice, bones snapping and crunching with each bite as blood trickled down her chin. She was staring at nothing and frowning. She couldn't explain why but she had been feeling increasingly irritated of late, and wondered if it had something to do with her inexplicable, growing hunger. This was the fourth sacrifice this month, when she usually only required one. It was as if there was some kind of drain on her energy, but she couldn't identify where it was coming from. She subconsciously bared her teeth as her frown intensified to a glare.
“Dare I ask what the offering table has done to draw your ire, my Lady?” Heket blinked as she returned to reality and turned her head to face her archdeacon, a dark green frog past his prime and by the name of Azrius.
They were in the Ritual Sacrifice room. The room was decorated with bones and had no windows, instead being lit by the candlelight of the four standing candelabras arranged around the centre. The other lighting was provided by the ritualists who bore candles during the rituals.
A ritual circle was painted on the centre of the room beneath the offering table. The circle activated when a follower was sacrificed and drew out their life essence for Heket to consume. Around the centre were curved wooden pews where her followers could sit and watch, and her throne was off to one side. The throne had been handcrafted from the hardwood trees of Darkwood, though was less elaborate than the one housed in her throne room, and behind it was the entrance through which she would enter and exit.
“… Pardon?” She asked.
“You were glowering at the offering table with such ferocity, that I was wondering what it had done to offend you,” he replied with an amused smile.
She sighed. “It has done nothing,” she said, and went back to munching on the sacrifice in an almost sullen silence.
Azrius stared at her for a moment before daring to comment. “If I didn't know any better, my Lady, I would say that you were with spawn.”
She stopped in her chewing to stare at him with wide eyes. “What did you say?”
“Ah!” He bowed hastily, mistaking her surprise for offence. “M-my apologies, Lady Heket, for my forwardness. You simply reminded me of my wife when she was that way.”
She blinked. “How so?”
“She was always eating as the eggs were developing, and as it was a constant drain on her energy, she was always irritated.”
She opened her mouth to ask him more questions but thought better of it; They would be much better asked of his wife after all, and she munched on the sacrifice in thought. Was it possible? She wondered. That this was the reason for her growing hunger and irritation? That her first cycle had come at last? She tried to recall her mortal family, her mortal parents, but could no longer remember them, or anything they had told her on the subject (if they even had). “I would like to speak with her.”
He straightened sharply. “Y-you would?”
“I would. And I will trust to your discretion on the matter, Azrius. I need not remind you of what will happen should you break that trust.”
His eyes widened at the implication of that statement and he fought to keep a delighted smile off his face. “Yes. Of course, my Lady.” He bowed his head. “I will fetch her at once.”
It did not take him long to return with his wife, a light green frog by the name of Gretre. She bowed. “You called for me, my Lady?”
“I did,” Heket replied. “There is a matter of some sensitivity that I must discuss with you.”
Gretre inclined her head. “Of course, you can count on my discretion, my Lady. What is the matter you wish to discuss?”
She sighed and did not immediately answer. “I am… not entirely certain how to begin…”
“Perhaps I could?” Azrius ventured, and Heket nodded for him to proceed. “Gretre, you are here because of a comment I made regarding our Lady.” The words were written on Gretre's face; And what was that, pray tell, husband? Azrius raised his hands in defence. “I-I simply made an observation, that she reminded me of the way you were when you were with spawn.” Gretre's eyes widened.
“He explained that you became hungry and irritated, much as I am now,” Heket added, “but… what else?”
“Well…” She scratched at the back of her neck. “There isn't much else to say, my Lady. But you'll know the eggs are coming along as you'll come to notice a growing weight within your belly. And it'll become visibly noticeable as well, though, not nearly as dramatic as it does with our mammalian counterparts of course.”
“… I see…” She replied, absently. It was true; She had noticed that. Though had first dismissed it as perhaps being all the sacrifices she had been eating. “If there is nothing else then you may leave.”
They bowed and chorused. “As you command, my Lady.”
“Azrius. Gretre.” They stopped at the entrance and turned back. “Say nothing of this to anyone.”
They inclined their heads. “Of course, my Lady,” they replied. “Our lips are sealed,” he added.
She waited until they had left before allowing a radiant smile to blossom on her face and she placed both hands on her belly. Oh, was it true? Was it possible? That she was to have children of her very own? That she was to be a mother at last? She wondered how she would feel if it was revealed to be false. If her hopes would be dashed instead. But she was not so weak of heart or mind, that such a revelation would destroy her, and she could think of no other explanation.
It had to be true, she decided. Which meant there were preparations to be made, and research to be done.
But most importantly of all, she would have to find a mate.