Hades and Persephone

Thanatos Part 1

*Persephone*

I wake up in my old bedroom, the same place I was originally locked in when Hades first kidnapped me. I groggily shake my head. So much has changed since that day. I went from boiling over with anger and screaming at the top of my lungs in this room, to waking up here sad he wasn't sleeping at my side. 

Life is crazy that way. 

After putting on my robe I sit in the dining room on my own. The servants serve me breakfast, but I see no sign of Hades or any indication he had eaten already. "Has the Lord already eaten?" I ask a quiet servant girl as she swept silently on the other side of the room. "No, your highness." She answers quietly. 

"Does anyone know where he is?" I ask impatiently to no one in particular. No one answers, the servants clearly startled. "Isabelle! Jasmine!" I call for my two hand maidens. They are the closest to Hades. They must know where he is. 

I leave my unfinished breakfast as I search for the two of them, finding them both sewing their apology dresses they are still set on making for me. "Our Queen!" Both stand at once. "How may we be of service?" 

"Where is my husband?" I ask simply. 

Jasmine stutters nervously. "He has gone to Olympus, my lady." 

I frown in confusion and shake my head. "Without telling me?" I mumble to myself as I leave the room. "Girls, follow me." I request, as I feebly attempt to hold back my worry. 

Has Zeus called him there because he's changed his mind? Has Demeter retaliated? Why else would he have gone? He never goes to Olympus unless he absolutely has to. 

"Hades never goes to Olympus unless he has no other choice. Especially when my lady is present, he hates being apart from you." Isabelle calls behind me as she struggles to keep up with my fast pace. 

I head to my room and choose a simple black gown to wear in Hades absence. "Some privacy please?" I ask the two of them rhetorically before closing my bedroom door. The girls insist on following me everywhere unless they are sewing for me. No doubt, Hades has ordered them to...It's humorously irritating, but adorable on his part for caring so much to have two handmaidens dedicated to me. 

"Now, the two of you will be helping me today." I inform them both after I open the door. "The two of you serve me primarily, correct?" I look to the two of them pleadingly. 

"Yes, of course." They both answer together. 

"Then, you will have no issue keeping a secret on my behalf? A secret you must even keep from the King. It is for his own benefit." I lean closer to both of them, seriously meeting eye to eye with each of them. 

They nod tentatively. I suspect they will if they can, but we all know if the secret becomes reckless they will run to the King the moment I turn my back. I can respect that, and hope that things go my way today. 

"Good. We are going to see the Fates. Do either of you know how to find them?" 

Isabelle and Jasmine pass glances between each other before settling their gaze back on me. "We may be able to find someone who does know." 

I furrow my brow, trying to think back to all the Gods and Goddesses that my mother told me tales about. She always tried to refrain from passing on tales of the Underworld to me however...which is why I never recognized Hades the day he kidnapped me. Ironic, how her attempt to protect me inevitably made my kidnapping easier.  "Well, who else in the Underworld would know? Who else resides here anyways?" 

Isabelle's eyes widen. "You do not know?" 

I clear my throat. "Hmm, well it has never come up, Isabelle. It isn't as if anyone else strolls around and introduces themselves around here." 

Jasmine cuts in. "I am sure Hades prefers you do not associate with any of them. Many others reside in the Underworld, but not the same place the King and Queen reside and judge souls. There is a reason Hades stays separate from the others, like the other judges of the dead, and the goddesses of the many rivers in the Underworld." 

Isabelle quickly cuts Jasmine off as well. "But there are some that can be trusted. Charon, the ferryman may be able to help us. Hades may have told him where the Fates are." 

Jasmine shushes her. "Oh, that's ridiculous. Charon would never know. There's only two that would know just as much as Hades where they are." 

I sigh impatiently. "Well, get out with it." I shake anxiously, knowing once she tells me I have nothing holding me back from jumping into action. This will be my only chance to do this without Hades stopping me. 

Jasmine shakily inhales. "I do not recommend speaking with either of them, but I am sure either Tartarus, the God of Tartarus itself, or Thanatos, the bringer of death, would know." 

Isabelle gasps. "How could you even suggest either of those? They are both terrible! Who's to say they won't swallow up the Queen the moment she's in their presence?" 

Jasmine nods reassuringly to me. "Tartarus may play games and never give you answer, but Thanatos would never hurt you once he knows your title. He follows the Fate's rule, but he still has to abide by Hades as well, more or less." 

Jasmine's assumptions weren't entirely solid, but it was the best I had. 

"Alright, ladies. Take me to Thanatos, the so-called bringer of death." 

They both nod, clearly terrified, but willing to lead me to him.

"And, on the way. Please tell me of this Thanatos." I lightly command. There is no way I will go and meet him while entirely clueless of who he is and what he is capable of.