Hades and Persephone Ch 11 2.docx
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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.
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- Hades and Persephone Ch 11