Arianna was speechless, the adorable dog that cuddled her on the couch was completely different. "Cerberus down boy!" The pixie cut one commanded yet, Cerberus ignored her and brought his heads down closer.
"Tisiphone! Megara! Alecto! How dare you!" Large black feathered wings landed before her in a cloud of smoke but she recognized the long black hair. "You come to my home without my permission and destroy it!" His voice demanded respect as the women all stepped back in fear.
"My lord this soul somehow escaped, I was merely bringing it back to where it belongs." Alecto stepped out.
"You dare talk back to me." Arianna was shocked, the warmness in his voice that she grew accustom too vanished and replaced with one that was cold. The air around her was heavy and it felt thick. A darkness started to surround the women as they all got down on one knee.
"My lord" They all said heads down.
"Get out of my sight." Hades deep voice made the others shiver.Hades turned to Arianna "Cerberus go home, I'll be there momentarily." With that Cerberus jumped up into the city shaking the ground they were on. He walked up to her and knelt on the ground and she heard the gasps "Are you alright?"
"I...." Arianna looked around but honestly she was just figuring out how she felt "Yeah, Just a little sore." He looked at her as if gauging the truth. Hesitantly he brought out his hand and when she grabbed it his let out a sigh of relief. "You came for me..." Arianna whispered when he lifted her to her feet.
"Of course I would." He smiled at her.
"Sire, there is a matter that we must discuss." the one with green hair mumbled out.
"What is it Megara?" Hades hissed.
Arianna looked over and saw that the one called Megara looked lost not knowing what to say in front of her. "Hades I think I should go back and you need to find out what they need." She looked at him pleadingly.
Hades took a deep breath in and clenched his jaw "No..." he turned around "meet me at my home, we will discuss what you need there." Was all he said before he pick her up in his arms his wings spread out and he took off.
"Oh my God!" Arianna squeaked out clinging to him.
"Yes my child?" Hades said sarcastically and let out a laugh with his warm voice back.
Arianna scolded "Not what I meant." she looked down to see the women all looking up. "Hey, is this actually okay? it seems that this is not a normal thing. I mean someone being in your home." Arianna asked.
"No, you are the first aside from my wife to be staying with me." Arianna shied away into his shoulder, she noticed he was flying a lot slower as to not scare her.
"So it is a problem. I thought you said that this wasn't the first time." Arianna said.
"It's not the first time for me to let someone decide, but you are the first one to live with me out of all those people." Hades said without hesitation. Arianna was about to say something. "No, you are staying with me and I will not hear another word about it Arianna."
"But!" Arianna raised her voice.
"Are you defying me?" Hades stopped and looked at her.
"So what if I am, I don't want people to think I..." Hades just let her go and Arianna screamed as she fell. She looked up to see Hades watching her for a moment with a grin before diving down to catch her and continued to fly. "You jerk!"
"Then shush and behave." Hades gave her a warning. Arianna closed her mouth and did as she was told. She looked to see that the house was coming up and as he flew through the hole he repaired it. Arianna looked in amazement before looking back to see he was going to his study, he kicked open the door and walked in. A chair appeared next to his desk and he plopped her down on it. "You are to attend this meeting, they interrupted our time together so they can suck it up." He held up a finger. Arianna just nodded quickly and Cerberus walked in the size she was used to and sat in front of her feet. Hades sat down at his desk and leaned back. That was when she heard the sound of footsteps in the house and they got louder as they approached.
Arianna straightened up and cleared her throat as the three women walked in. Megara sneered at the sight of her in the room but they all knelt down. "Lord Hades."
"What was it that was so important that you had to barge into my home?" Hades talked to them so coldly.
"Sir, it may be out of my place but this is something that only you should hear." The one she suspected as Tisiphone said her head was still down.
"What is a soul doing in the presence of you anyways." Alecto sneered.
"It is none of your concern why she is here and I gave her permission to listen in." Hades simply said. "Now speak or leave, choose."
They all stood up straight with their hands behind their backs. Cerberus snarled at the movement but Arianna simply rubbed his back to calm him. This movement seemed to shock the women but they looked right at Hades. "Sir, we are to expect a number of people in a month's time. It looks like a war is being prepped for and heavy casualties are to be expected." Megara spoke up.
"Oh? how many is to be expected?" Hades leaned forward listening intently.
Arianna felt a cold feeling run down her spine. She sort of expected to hear something like this but Hades usually sugar coated it for her but hearing it for herself frightened her. "Over a hundred and in a span of a day from Sanctuary Valley." Tisiphone replied.
Arianna noticed Hades stiffen and Arianna tilted her head in concern. "Where are we sending them?" Hades said in a monotone voice.
"It all depends on the outcome, that is the reason we came to talk to you. The names change constantly which changes the place we take them." Alecto stated.
"What?" He said Arianna was just as confused as Hades was. He opened up his laptop quickly and typed away. Arianna leaned over to take a peak at what he was doing and the looks of the women could kill but Arianna just smirked. She was curious he showed her the names and how they got sorted once before and he told her that it clearly showed where they were going to, if you clicked on their name you could see how they die and what they did in their life. He pulled up the date they said and the names kept on shifting as if it was undecided who would die.
"Do you know how we should proceed? Should we expect double the amount if anything?" Tisiphone was almost excited.
Hades fell back into his chair and looked at Arianna which made her lean back as well. "What?" Arianna asked.
"It all depends on her what will happen." Hades pointed at her and the others shouted in protest.
"You can't be serious are you seriously going to leave this decision in the hands of a child?!" Alecto protested. He gave her a glare that silenced her in an instant.
"I'm going to have to agree with her Hades what are you talking about?" Arianna asked confused. Hades simply pointed to the monitor and Arianna looked at the name but it wasn't one she would know but then it shifted and she bolted up from her seat. "Damian!?" Arianna turned to Hades and grabbed his collar. "What the hell is this about?!"
"Release him!" The women all surrounded her with a weapon drawn out.
"Back off!" Hades ordered them. "Arianna calm down and I will explain." He gently put his hands on hers. Arianna was fuming her breath was harsh and she felt her hands shaking and eyes burning.
"Those eyes..." Megara whispered.
"Shut up and leave the room. Now!" Hades shouted and they all left the room immediately. He patiently waited looking into Arianna's eyes and she saw that he was calm. "Breathe kid." Arianna took one breath in and slowly drew it out. "Good." He combed her hair back. "Now what you just saw was an outcome of what might happen okay?" Arianna focused on his words. "The reason it is shifting is because you are still undecided about what you want."
"So the war is...." Arianna tried to calmly say but it came out broken.
"Yes, someone is going to attack Mareen. Which in turn will force the city to fight back and with that-" Arianna cut him off.
"The Redeemers will need to fight, and with me down here they are weaker. Meaning Damian will die along with who knows how many." Arianna collapsed to her knees. Hades moved his chair and sat on the floor with her.
"Arianna. I hate to say it but you have a time line now if you want to go back or not. That list of the dead will depend on your decision." Hades looked at her in the eyes.
"But which one is the right one?" Arianna pleaded.
"I don't know, but this is your choice. Just know that either way I will help and support you." Hades hesitantly wrapped his arms around her trying to comfort her.
Arianna started to cry "I don't want to leave you... I love being with you and Cerberus. But I don't want Damian to die either." She clung to Hades. He just hushed her as he rocked her back and forth.
"I'm sorry." Hades said though his voice seemed hoarse.
"No!" Arianna pushed him away. "Don't apologize for my happiness. You have done more for me then my parents have in my entire life. I don't want you to regret making me happy. But..." She wiped her tears. "I can't let Damian die because I want to be selfish, he has done nothing to deserve that. I don't care if he would go to Elsyian fields. He deserves to be happy, to get married and have kids and to be an uncle."
"Then what do you want to do" Hades asked.
Arianna stood up and wiped her face with her sleeve. Taking a deep steady breath looking down at Hades "I'm going back."