Amusement danced in Hera’s eyes as she stepped to the side to allow Lachesis to pass. Hermaphroditus gaze hadn’t bothered the former queen in the least. She’d never confirmed or denied her role in his tale, it was more entertaining to leave others guessing, and could understand his hesitance to approach. Though blatant staring had always struck her as terrible manners.
“Now, Grandmother,” through her chuckles, Hera did incline her head respectfully as she used the title, “you know full well that when my husband is indisposed, I prefer to go stag, as it were. After all, Goddesses of Marriage can hardly be seen out on the town with other men. Think of the scandal.” Her words were perfectly serious and more than few of her pantheon might have believed her to mean them as spoken – she didn’t. Hera’s dry wit almost crackled along with a minute twitch of her lips that might have been a smile.
“Besides, I’m an old married woman,” the twitch was most certainly a smile. “Why on earth would I want to put up with any man’s ramblings all night when I’m already stuck with one full time?” There weren’t any other two goddesses she would have made that joke in front of, but the Atropos and Clotho were special cases.