Hades and Persephone Ch 11 2.docx

Hades and Persephone Ch 11 2.docx

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HadesandPersephoneCh112

Shebristledathisdiminutiveforher."Thentryherinterestindiscussingthematter,SonofNyx.Ihavenone."

"Andthisbringsusbacktomyfarbetteridea...acolyte,"hesaidwithasmile."Whydon'tyouandIresolvethisourselves,hmm?

Together.Intheancientway...Communicatewhatwordscannot..."

Shegavehimanindignantlaugh."Doyousingthesecrookednotestoeverywomanyouseduce?

DidyousoiltheancientwaystohavePhaedra?

Elektra,Voleta,Lyra,Philinnia?

Oranyoftheotherwomenwhosenamesyou'vemisplaced?

"

"Hardly.Mywordsandintentionsareforyoualone,Hecate,"hesaid,hispalmrestingonthecolumnaboveherhead.Hisgazewashungry,butrefusedtoperuseherbody,insteadstaringstraightintotheshiftingcolorsofhereyes.Thanatosquietedhisvoiceasheleanedintoher."Whatsayyou?

"

Theyhadplayedthisgamebefore,andHecatehadlearnedovertheaeonsthattheonlysuccessfulmovewithThanatoswasonethatledtoastalemate.Ifsheflinchedhewouldcrowtriumphantly.Ifsheshowedanger,hewoulddelightinherreaction.Ifshelefttheroom,hewouldclaimvictory.Hiswingsspreadandcurvedoverhisshoulders,blockingthelightaroundthem,untilhesurroundedher.Deathlickedhislips.Hecategavehimnothing.Shestraightenedagainstthecolumnandraisedhereyebrows."Webothknowthatsacredvowsbindme,"shehissedathim,"andwebothknowbetterstillthatIdetestyouasthelivingflamedoesthehowlinggale...whatpushesyourfeveredmindintothisfantasticalabyss?

"

Thanatoschosethatmomenttotrailhiseyesdownhertaut,maidenbody,itsformechoingthewaxingmoon.Helingeredonherpeakedbreastsandtheflareofherhips.Hebreathedinherscentofmorningfogandaconite.Shewaseverincontrolofherreactions,yetherheartbeatjustalittlefaster.Thecornerofhismouthlifted.Closeenoughtodisturbtheredcurlsofherhair,hewhisperedclosetoherear,"Wealwayswantwhatwecannothave."

Thedooropened,andPersephonesteppedthrough,followedcloselybyherhusband.Hecateimmediatelystood,Thanatosstraightened,andbothbowedtotheirsovereigns.Aidoneuslookedfromonetotheotherandscowled,bracinghimselfforanexhaustivelitanyofwhateverthey'dbeenarguingoverthistime.

"Ibringnoquarrel,mylords,"Hecatesaidquickly.

"NeitherdoI."Thanatosfoldedhisarmsandlookingathisfingernails.

Aidonthinnedhislips.Theywerealwaysquarrelling.HecouldfeelthetensionintheroomandmadehiswayupthedaiswithPersephoneathisside.Oncehereachedthetop,Aidoneussatdownandimmediatelyregretteddoingso,watchinghiswifefidgetforamomentbeforestandingtallbesidehisebonythrone.Therewasnowhereforhertositandhechewedonhislowerlip,inwardlyberatinghimself.Sheshouldbesittinghereandheshouldbestanding.Ifhestoodtoofferittohernow,she'drefuse.Insteadhesatlookinglikeabarbarianconquerorwithhisnubilewomandrapedoverthearmofhisthrone.Heputitoutofhisheadfornowandfocusedonthepairstandingbeforehim."Whatbrings both ofyouhere,then?

"

"Separateconcerns,"Thanatossaid,smilingwarmlyatPersephone.

"Whoarrivedfirst?

"Persephoneasked,perplexed.Shehadheardbrieflyabouttheirfeud,thinkingthatithadbeenblownoutofproportionbyHypnos.Buttheirbarelydisguisedhostilitycombinedwithherhusband'sexasperationspokevolumes.

"Shedid,"Thanatossaid,glancingbackatHecate.

"Byallmeans,Thanatos,"Hecatesaid,motioninghimtosayhispiecefirst.Shesmirkedashewalkedforwardandfoldedherarmsacrossherchest."Wisdomneverstandsinthewayofafool."

"Warminguptotheideaofyieldingtome,areyou?

"heshotbackwithasmile.

"Enough!

"Aidoneussnapped,raisinghisvoiceandstartlingall."I'vehada long and trying dayandIhavenopatiencetolistentoyoutwobickeringlikechildren!

Soifyoudon'tmind,I'dliketoatleasthave some peaceherebeforeIretirewithmywifefortheevening."Hepinchedthebridgeofhisnose."Hecate?

"

"Ibegyourforgiveness,mylord."Shesteppedforwardandtookadeepbreath."Youneednoreminderofthesufferingbeyondyourrealm.TheCornMothershunsallofOlympus.Butperhapsshewillseeme.Thefutureisasabroaddeltaflowingfromtheriverwenowrow.Sometributariesendinthefrightfulauguriesyouhavealreadyseen,"shesaid,pausingtolookpointedlyatPersephone,"andotherscouldleadtofarworse.Thewatersrunswift,andtheyaredeceptive.Followingonestreamwillstopthesufferingintheworldaboveandstemthefloodofmortalstoyourgates.IintendtoteachDemetertoreadthecurrents."

"Areyouaskingourpermission?

"Persephoneasked.

"Yes,myqueen."

Shesighed,thinkingabouthermother,aboutherlifeasKoreandthethingsDemeterwaswillingtodotokeepherintheworldabove.Hereyesstungforamoment.Despiteallthatsheknewnow,alltheignoranceofhertrueidentitythathadbeenforceduponherthroughoutherlife,alltheneedlesscosseting,Persephonelovedher.Shemissedher.Herheartwrenchedforamomentasshetriedtorecallhermother'ssoftarmscirclingaroundher,hercomfortingsmellofbarleyandsunlight.Thekind,peculiargoddessstandingbeforeherwasheronlylinktohermotherrightnow."I...sincerelyhopethatshewilllistentoyou,Hecate."

Aidoneusshifted."IaminaccordwiththeQueen.Gowithourblessing,Hecate.Igiveyoupermissiontospeakonourbehalfifyoumust."

Hecatenoddedtothemandshiftedherfamiliarcrimsonrobestoadarkerhue.Indigo.Persephoneknittedherbrow,realizingthatHecatedidsotoblendin.HerrichlycladmotherwhoalwaysdressedingoldandgreenandredhaddonnedthecolorsonewouldweartoafuneralandforcedallofbrightlydressedEleusistodothesame.

TheGoddessoftheCrossroadspulledupthehoodofherhimation,readyingherselfforthecold,andwalkedtowardtheebonydoubledoors,fadingandvanishingbeforeshereachedthem.Thanatoswatchedhergo,admonishinghimselfforinwardlywishingherwell.Hewascertainshecouldhearhisthoughtsfromtheether.

"Thanatos?

"

Heturnedandstoodupstraight."Wehavehim."

Settlingbackinhisthrone,Aidoneusrestedhischinonthebackofhisknuckles."Good.Mysuggestionwasuseful,then?

"

"WrappingtheChainsworkedflawlessly.DoyouplantosendhimtoTartarusrightaway?

"

"No.Sisyphusspentenoughtimemockingtherulesofthisrealmandthinkshimselfagod.He'llwaitthecustomarythreedayslikeeverymortal.Hewillhaveajudgment,andwillcomebeforemelikealltheotherkingsofmen,"hesaid,thinking."Butunliketheothers,keephimbound."

"Ifyouwishit.Isn'themoreAlekto'sandTisiphone'sconcern,atthispoint?

"

"TheErinyeshavenoshortageofothertasks."HeputhishandupbeforeDeathcouldsayanythinginresponse."Iknow youhavebeenbusy,aswell;weallhave.ButI'mchargingyouandyourbrotherwithdetainingSisyphus."

Henodded."Anyreasontokeephimchainedandguarded?

"

"HerobbedMeropeofherimmortalityandisclearlyageless,possiblydeathless,now.That'sneverbeendonebefore;notevenbyTantalus.Assuch,myfriend,Idon'twanttotakeanychances.YouaretheMinisterofDeath.Ifhetriesanything,Itrustthatyouwillstophim."

"Sodone.Anythingelse?

"

"Yes.Do not gotohiswife,Thanatos."HewatchedDeathgrindhisteethforamoment,thenschoolhisexpressionandnodinacceptance.Hadescontinued."Idon'twanttodisturbherbytellingherthathertormenterishere.Andshewillguessasmuchifsheseesyou.OnceSisyphushasbeenescortedpastthePhlegethon,youcangotoMeropeandletherknowthatjusticehasbeendone."

Deathraisedhiseyebrowsatthis."Threedays,then."

"Threedays.KeepSisyphuschained."

Thanatosnoddedandwalkedacrossthehall,hissandalsclackingagainstthegranite,theroomotherwisesilent.ThedoorclosedloudlybehindhimandAidonandPersephonewerealoneonceagain.

"I'msorry."

"Forwhat?

"shesaid.Aidongrabbedheraroundthewaistandtwistedherintohislap.Shesquealedinsurpriseandsmiledwide,untilshelookedathisface.Hegaveheranabbreviatedgrin,thenlethisfacefallbackintothemutedexpressionhe'dwornbefore.Hermirthdimmedasshesatinhislap.Persephonelookedawayandleanedbackintohim,gazingoutattheriverlandsofAcheron.

Aidoneusregardedher.Howdidsheseehimnow?

WouldhenowsimplybetheFates-consignedloveroftheQueen,athercallonlywhenshehadneedofhim?

Aidoneuswantedallofher.Hewantedtopossessherasthoroughlyasshepossessedhim.Butwithwhattheyhadbeentold,heknewthatwasimpossiblenow.Hisplaceinthethisrealmwasforeverchangedaftertoday.Thiswasn'this—thishadneverbeen his.Atthedivisionofthecosmoshehadpulledahollowtwig.Whatdidthatmeanforhim?

Ashismindwandered,hisfingersabsentlybrushedherbareskinattheopensideofherpeplos.

Shegiggledandhersidespasmedathistouchandjerkedawayfromhishand.Herliltinglaughwasapleasantdistractionfromhisthoughts.Asmileraisedthecornerofhismouthandhemischievouslyteasedheragain.Persephoneshriekedandbattedathisencirclingarm,hisfingersdancingalongtheinwardcurveofherwaistoncemorewhileshewrithedinhislap.Hestoppedandgrinned,butitlookedstrained."Iwantyouwithmeinthreedays."

"Where?

"

"Here."

"ForthejudgmentofSisyphus..."

"Yes."

"Inyourlap?

"

Heplayfullyhesitated."...Maybe."

"Sitting right here?

"shewiggledagainsthim,feelinghimsighinresponse.