Hades

information

Stella

Sex with Hades was something to behold.

I woke up feeling used in all the right places. Hades was not in the bed next to me. A piece of paper was, stating he was at work, and that he loved me.

A silly smile crept across my face. Never had I, in my twenty-five years old life been in love like right now. And I didn't get to keep it.

That's when you know it sucks.

I showered, got dressed, had breakfast, and cake, and went to the west wing. Lucinda went into the kitchen as I left, having tons of things she wanted to bake and do.

I had the west wing to myself.

I climbed the stairs and went to the attic with the loveseat. Sitting down, I opened the drawer and pulled out the letters.

Quickly I skimmed the letters I'd read the day before.

The first letter, which I hadn't read, was from Persephone.

Lucinda,

This is great news! You will be rewarded for this, once I return.

Persephone

I really wanted to know what the reward was. Like, why would she do something like this?! Honestly, I thought Lucinda liked Hades? Not as in loved him, but that she liked being here, cooking for him, having the occasional chat?

Persephone,

Stella has been sneaking around the castle. She seems to want to explore, and when Hades is around it's either or, whether they talk or yell or avoid.

I'm not sure what to make of it. It's as if neither one of them wants to admit there is a mutual attraction.

I don't understand this.

Persephone, please have someone else do this. I genuinely like Stella, and I would hate for Hades to throw me out of the castle. I don't want to sell information for a price that, as of now, seems to futile and immaterial.

Lucinda

I smiled. It took guts to stand up for oneself, but I was proud she was trying. Though, by the look of it, and with more letters, I doubted she succeeded. It made me sad.

Lucinda was kind, a gentle spirit, and I didn't want her hurt from this. Though, as of now, it just seemed as if Persephone would make Hades suffer the most after I left.

Of course, that in itself was a pretty substantial punishment for someone living forever. But she wasn't trying to murder someone, and Persephone and Hades' relationship was a weird one.

I had the feeling that Persephone was glad he'd helped her, but she was disappointed in his lack of sentiment towards her. I'm not sure why she would expect he would love her, but I could still sense she hated it. And she hated, based on what Hades had said when discussing her, that she wasn't as much of a god of the Underworld as Hades was.

Maybe the feminist in me should stomp my foot and demand justice, but there was justice. Hades had been the God of the Underworld for who knows how long before Persephone came along. And she didn't seem to even enjoy being amongst the dead. Hades had told me, that after she'd told me I'd stay if I ate, she'd told the same to everyone in the waiting room.

A minimum of twenty-three people had lost their lives as a consequence of that.

I opened the following letter.

Lucinda,

I have promised you, that I will make Zagreus take interest, I keep my promises. Be patient, and ensure that Stella returns to Earth as soon as possible.

Persephone

My jaw was almost hitting my chest. Lucinda liked Zagreus? It didn't really surprise me, but I was certain he wasn't the least bit interested. That day in the kitchen when he'd been around. He'd wanted to escape her chatty ways.

And yes, I'd have to agree, silence was nice from time to other and Lucinda was talking nineteen to the dozen. Even I needed to escape her constant chatter.

But Persephone couldn't, in any way, make Zagreus be with a girl he didn't want. That just wouldn't happen. He was his own being. And she may be his mother, but based on Macaria's relationship with Hades, there weren't any parental feelings between Macaria and Persephone nor Hades. I doubted Zagreus felt any different.

I rubbed my face and looked at the next letter.

It was from Lucinda.

Persephone,

They had sex. I heard them. It's not the first time. I think Hades is attached to her, really attached. It's scary.

Can we stop this?

Lucinda

She was smart. She had to succeed in pulling out! Please! I put the letter back into the envelope and looked in the drawer. Empty.

Dammit!

I put the letters back and ventured around the attic, finding an old diary my Macaria. Without snooping I flipped through it and found a picture of a young guy who was smiling shyly at the photographer.

I put the diary back and went to the kitchen for lunch. As of right now I didn't feel the need for a nap.

Lucinda was chatting about her visits to town and the food. I excused myself, needing the quiet. I went to Hades' room and shut the door.

Somehow I wanted to give him something that would remind him of me.

I sat down by the desk and stared at a blank piece of paper. What would I tell him? That I loved him. But except from that?

I bit my lip and bent over the paper, pen in hand.