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[b][center][color=#da8a67]J U N O[/color][/center][/b][/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=#da8a67]Jupiter's Charity Event[/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=#da8a67]𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝒸𝓉𝓊 𝓂𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓈[/color][/right][/sup][/indent][hr]
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	It was a long time coming, her re-obtained freedom from her pseudo-self containment. Sure, Regina Pavo was still able to have connections with the outside world, but at what cost? Her freedom was squashed. She had no family to speak of, rather lacked the means of locating them, and so the once glorious ruler was reduced to little more than a glorified inmate. And who was to blame for such a thing but Mercury himself. The trickster was a thorn in the queen's side for too long, however relations [i]had[/i] been civil enough, up until a few years ago when he threw her under the bus and dodged the lawsuit she was slapped with. A roll of her eyes as she finished applying her mascara and she was scowling into the mirror before her, [color=#da8a67]"Breathe. As much of a shit Mercury undeniably is, he [i]was[/i] able to help,"[/color] she couldn't help but glance to her left where a letter sat opened and creased, as if it had been read and reread a thousand times. The contents, sprawled out in ink, an art lost to time [color=#da8a67][sub][i]'No one writes anymore'[/i][/sub][/color] safer that way though if one needed to pass information along that needn't be tracked. Seeing as how she had just been cleared of all charges she would like to keep her nose clean. At least for the time being.

More time was wasted, in her opinion, as she paced around her home. She would have thought that she would want to spend the least amount of time within these walls as soon as her house arrest was uplifted. However, she found it to be a tad bit difficult to do so. Call it lackadaisical, foolish, insane, call it whatever is needed to help the pill go down easier but what it boils down to is cowardice. A sense of apprehensiveness that settled in the pit of her stomach like sand shifting under the weight of a home on a windy day. It had been too long, far too long, since she last laid eyes on her family. Since last she held them, could brush the dark locks of Rome from their hardened gazes, always focused on the future. The pressure in her chest tightened and constricted her movements, halting her in her fifth go around of her home. Juno is a queen. Not just [i]a[/i] queen, but [i]the[/i] [b]queen[/b]. To be fearful of reuniting with her family once more is so esoteric. This is her pride, something that brings her so much joy, is the cause for her existence and all that she has worked towards. Absurd to believe that she could be easily dissuaded.

With the sun hardly peeking over the horizon at this point, and shot of liquid courage — [i]or six[/i] — Juno was pulling her clutch from the counter and sauntering out to the awaiting car, poised and at the ready to take her anywhere she had her heart set on. [color=#da8a67]"Jones,"[/color] a motherly smile upon her lips was something she only reserved for those that deserved it. And though Jones had been nothing but a loyal and trustworthy employee in her care for the last eight years he did not receive the matronly gesture. [color=#da8a67]"You will escort me to the Fugalia Charity event, the address was sent to your phone."[/color] Jones helped her into the back of the [url=https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.carscoops.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F01%2F2021-GMC-Yukon-15.jpg&f=1&nofb=1][color=#da8a67]2021 Yukon XL Denali[/color][/url] before situating himself in the driver's side [b]"Yes, Ms. Pavo."[/b] Effective, sharp and quick to action. Just the way Juno liked.

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Driving along at night always brought about a sense of calm to the Roman Queen in a way that wasn't too dissimilar to relaxation. It was a feeling that teetered on the edge of calm, relaxation and buzzing productivity. An emotion that lended itself to some of her greatest accomplishments. Solatium was just a little blip in her mind on a clear, winter evening. Chilling breezes had picked up the fabric around her and swirled it in the gusts of wind. The stars had been shining and twinkling down at her that fateful night, as if they knew the secret of her success before she did. Mars' nascency into the world was on a night, not unlike the one she found herself traveling through. A simpler time all things considered. A jealous shell of a woman scorned. Ripped away from her the chance to bear fruit with her husband, but not the chance to embrace the role of mother. Her precious boy, strong, handsome, devoted. All the qualities a child of the queen should have embodied, Mars procured tenfold. The ancient memories of her tending to him when he was but a child still willing and able to sit with her in the meadows as she carded through his dark locks, reading aloud to her as the sun shone down on them, gracing them with it's warmth. How she longed to hold him once more.

A dab of her fingers lightly beneath her lash line were successful in catching stray moisture, preventing the clinging tears from smearing her makeup. Unfit of a queen to not look the part of one, especially in the presence of others. Juno had an image to uphold, even if that image had not been viewed in a millennia. Absentmindedly, Juno touched the place just above her heart, a heavy sigh on her breast. Releasing it helped to relieve her of some of the impending tension that had crawled up her spine and settled into her bones. [color=#da8a67][sub][i]'Doesn't matter how you feel, it only matters how you look, wasn't that the age old verbiage.'[/i][/sub][/color] a final thought to cross her mind before being thrown into the den of lions. 

Cameras shutter and flashes were going off as the SUV pulled up beside the sidewalk, even more once Jones held open the large door for his employer. Juno, with all the grace and poise of the queen she is, descended to the carpeted concrete beneath her heels. Once straightened to her full height, shoulders rolled back and exposed to the element of the crisp, night air, Jones offered his hand to help stabilize only for it to be brushed aside. Juno wasn't completely heartless as she offered him a gentle pat to his broad shoulder. Her gait was purposeful, long strides carrying her towards the front doors to be halted by the incessant questions pouring from the mortals' mouths around her.

[b]“Ms. Pavo!? Hello, quick question,"[/b] Juno kept her eyes in place though she wanted to scoff and roll her eyes before the question was even uttered. She was sure it was going to be something inane and purely... [i]mortal[/i]. However, she stepped closer nodding for them to continue, cameras still going off around her, making sure to gather complete shots of the space around their lenses as well as the people of some category of stardom. All in the hopes of their merchandise being snatched up and profiting off a few simple photographs. [b]"Since your acquittal of the charges against you for your alleged hand in stealing valuable intel from Energence Corp. you have been keeping out of the spotlight. Care to elaborate on why this is? Is there any particular reason as to why someone, so evidently innocent as you, and after so long, would be hiding away from the public? Could it be, in fact, that the courts have their information jumbled and there is more to this case than meets the eyes?"[/b] 

The reporter was even audacious enough to shove the recording device up under her nose, all in the hopes of gathering a story that would no doubt skyrocket their career. So long as Juno's response was one that favored their distorted end goal. She was not so self-destructive as to admit to something that would have her enemies rallying for her head on a spike. Instead she greeted the question with a level head and plastic smile, one that had been cultivated to perfection. [Color=#da8a67]"Most would assume it's because I enjoy my privacy. After having my name and photo plastered across all the different media platforms I had hoped for a little me time. As for anything in regards to recent unfortunate events, well, divulging anything would be a breach of the NDA. If you would like to know more about [i]Solatium[/i] and the 80% occupational growth we have achieved for women 25 and up, [i]or[/i] that our contribution to STEM positions has outpaced most other growths, I'd be more than happy to pencil you in for an interview."[/color]

Any remaining questions they had were dead on their tongues before ever breach their lips. A stunned silence was something she could get behind as she smirked haughtily and strode past the loiterers and into the building before her. [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/91/23/28/9123289a52174c7d3e0bae6f61f9c225.jpg][Color=#da8a67]Fabric[/color][/url] of white shimmered beneath the low lights of the event, sashaying with every purposed step of her gait, elegance exuding from every fiber of her being. Eyes ever piercing scanned the throng of attendees, faces jumping out at her, but no names seemingly paired with them; none that were worth remembering at least. Snatching a flute of champagne from the help she need only look up in order to spot the king of all, looking none too pleased with his 'own' soiree. With all the grace bestowed upon her by her title and standing Juno sauntered towards the base of the staircase.

Jupiter didn't seem to change a bit, sure a little crinkle between his brow, Juno figured it had to do with him having to grandstand before all the other pantheons and mortals. The beings he always deemed beneath him. Below even the rest of his fellow countrymen. Though he wouldn't be so obtuse as to admit the others meant something to him, never out loud. At least, that was Jupiter then, and before her making his way down the steps was Jupiter [i]now[/i]. The man walking in time with the King caught the breath within her by sheer surprise. Sure, with the help of Mercury Juno was able to gather what it was her family looked like, so as to be expecting their presence. However, now that she was face to face with her first born, her pride and joy, Juno was heavily reminded of how mortal she had truly become.

Words were halted on their part as the stood not but five feet from the Roman Queen. Breath still caught somewhere in her chest, refusing to resurface in the form of a suitable greeting of the words. Instead, she all but threw herself at him in a rush of fabric and limbs, throwing her lithe arms around his neck. Tears pricked at the edge of her vision, visage be damned. With cracked voice, barely audible above a whisper with words left unsaid until the very moment she made physical contact with the war god beneath her finger tips, [Color=#da8a67][i]"Inveni filium meum, ego inveni eum."[/i][/color] Those last few steps that had separated them were nothing compared to the eons she had spent away from him, and had he been across a chasm, Juno would have jumped it. A thousand times over.[hr][right][sub] mentions: [@gothelk] [@fledermaus] [@beetlemoth][/sub][/right]

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