J is for Juno

Dearie me, how nice to be back here in the Cauldron!

Well, I must admit, I was here not too long ago. I’m a semi-regular character in Stealing Myself From Shadows and the other Tales of the Navel/The Shadow Forest, plus I appear in all of the preludes, tee hee!

Yes, I’m sure you’re wondering, dears. Am I actually *the* Juno, loveliest of all Olympians (even if I didn’t actually get the official Golden Apple of approval due to corruption and treachery) and Queen of the Heavens?

Alas, I haven’t been that Juno for quite some time. Cast out of my former home, doomed to wander many a world, only to become the servant of creature whom once would have bowed down before me. Yes, I have fallen from my once lofty position, but I shall rise again. If I could only draw on my former source of power, I might regain it.

I’m not certain if I want to return to my previous state. I was queen, but I was bored, miserable, and jealous. Completely wrapped up in a husband whom was once my twin until we reinvented the universe. I didn’t care much for what we created. Jupitre ended up becoming lord and master over everything, not that he did much of a job, chasing every pretty face which struck his fancy, siring a legion of bastards which could overthrow us.

Is it any surprise one of them did?

No matter. The universe can be reinvented again. Only this time my daughter and I will rule the universe. My husband can serve us on bended knee, if he behaves himself. All we need is a power stronger than his.

I sensed this power in the Navel. It radiates from dear ‘Brie for all she tries to seem ridiculous and harmless. In fact, it feels a little bit like the light which blasted us out of Olympus, casting us out.

Once I would have been resentful, enraged. I would have concocted the most terrible torture for Gabrielle just for reminding me of that light. Now I can only smirk at her attempts to play the fool with her silly shop and ridiculous hats. Just whom does she think she’s fooling?

Indeed, dear ‘Brie may be a teensy bit too powerful for our purposes. Not quite malleable enough.

On the other hand, that exquisite son of hers and her charming assistants present delicious possibilities. Yes, they do, hee, hee!

Fortunately, those possibilities haven’t been at cross purposes with my current mistress’s. Keeping an eye on Damian Ashelocke while finding out as much about Christopher and his relationship with Damian mesh perfectly with my own plans.

As long as the Lady Duessa Ashelocke and I don’t actually work at cross purposes, she shouldn’t catch a whiff of my plans in that arachnocratic web of hers, tee hee! Not that I’m crass enough to plan to outright treachery, oh no! Right now, the Spider, her Avatar and Ladies are much stronger than I am. It’s in my best interest to be a loyal servant than to scheme too much against her. Right now, I need power, delicious power, and Duessa possesses that.

It’s just a matter of building my own power so I can locate my husband again, oh yes. To make sure his own power is contained and caged. I’m building my own strength, bit by bit. My desire to find my husband is fuelling that power, tempered by a rage which has been building since we first took each other. Given time, my desire should open one of these Doors everyone is so keen to find.

My Door should open on a path which leads my husband and his delicious subjugation, oh yes! I want this far too much to the Door to refuse to open for me. All I need is the right key.

Christopher, Gabrielle’s son, may very well be that key. I hardly dare to hope, but hope lead me this far. To Omphalos and my daughter. To the Navel.

Hope and desire were the weapons of a hated rival of mine. It’s delicious irony to use them to regain my power. Perhaps one day I will be their mistress rather than Venus. After all she became a mother and a matriarch which were supposed to my aspects. It’s only right I should take hers.

Everything is going according to my will, just you wait and see!