A Good Relation
Hades was not surprised when he had felt her presence immediately after she arrived. He also knew that she would find him here soon afterwards, for he was the foreign presence in her wildlands and she would always be alert to such things.
He turned his head to see Artemis emerging from out of the trees, his fathomless black eyes immediately meeting her midnight blue ones. He noticed immediately that she had her famous silver bow strapped to her back and a quiver of silver arrows slung on her shoulder; the two things that she always had with her in the forest.
Her eyes looked genuinely surprised as she took in the sight of him. "My lord uncle. Fancy seeing you here in my forests," she greeted to him as she bowed her head in respectful greeting.
Hades bowed his head back to her in polite greeting. "My lady niece," he replied. "I did not expect to see you."
Artemis came to a stand beside him. Her eyes immediately wandered to where Hades' had previously been directed.
When she saw what was there, she finally realized the reason for Hades' presence. "Is this why you are here?" she inquired.
Hades averted her eyes to look at Persephone, who was dancing with a few nymph friends of hers in a big and open field. His lovely new wife was frolicking and twirling on her feet gracefully, her flower-adorned hair sashaying around her in sync to her movements. Her amber eyes shone bright in the sunlight, gleaming like gold and full of happiness.
Hades nodded. "Yes," he answered quietly.
"But why are you hiding in the shadows of this thicket?" Artemis asked, her eyes turning to look at his side profile curiously. "Surely you would want to see her."
Keeping his gaze on his springtime wife, he answered truthfully, "It is not my time to see her; that is still two more months to go. Furthermore, I do not want to risk being caught by Demeter. Despite the fact that I hardly give a damn about my younger sister's fury, I do not wish to have Persephone be caught in the middle. And I especially do not want Demeter to inflict her wrath upon the nature."
Artemis huffed with a roll of her eyes. "If Demeter were to do such a thing, she would have to answer to me," she said in a scornful tone of voice. "She may be the goddess who cares for the Earth, but I am the goddess who rules and protects the forestlands. She does harm to my domain, and she will have to deal with my wrath."
Hades could not help but laugh heartily at her words. "Spoken like the true ferocious Queen of the Wild you are reputed to be, my dear niece," he remarked in amusement.
"Why, thank you, my lord," she replied with a smirk. But then, as she looked back at the distant dancing and laughing Persephone, she asked curiously, "How does she fare, in your realm? I have only heard of her side of the story, but not of yours."
Hades eyed her in confusion, wondering why she was asking him such a question. That was indeed something he had not expected the goddess to ask. Nonetheless, he answered. "She seems to be happy in my abode. She still smiles and laughs. She may become paler in complexion, but the shine of her spirit continues to remain bright."
Artemis nodded her head in understanding, and remarked, "Someone should certainly tell Demeter that. Her words of Persephone being so very miserable and distraught in the Underworld are indeed so very absurd, and it has become such a complete bore for gossip."
There was a sharp pang of irritation at the mention of what Demeter spoke of him – absolutely absurd, and all for the sake of gossip! – but he was even more curious by how Artemis was taking this conversation in a light-hearted manner. He certainly never thought that the chaste goddess would be in such a way when talking to him about this certain topic.
"You are not angry?"
Artemis raised an eyebrow at his question. "About what? Demeter?"
"No," Hades said, before elaborating his question. "You are not angry that Persephone is now my wife?"
Artemis suddenly became very confused. "No. Why should I be angry about that?" she questioned. "That is nothing for me to be angry about."
Hades turned his body to face her. He easily towered over her by half a head, so he had to cast his eyes downwards to look at hers that were inclined upwards to look at his.
"I am confused, Uncle," she told him. "Why would you think I would be angry that you are now married to her?"
With a sigh, Hades answered, "I assumed that you would be angered by the fact that Persephone is no longer a virgin because I had taken her maidenhead. You and she are so very close, so I thought that it would be due to the fact that you were both maidens, since you spend most of your time with maidens such as Athena. Furthermore, I knew of many who do not approve the fact that I, the God of the Underworld, had taken her, the Goddess of Spring, as a bride, citing reason that we were an improper match. I will be truthful to say that I had assumed you to be one of those."
Artemis pursed her lips lightly, her eyes trying to find words to reply to his. Hades only waited, bracing himself for whatever she was about to say.
Finally, she spoke.
"I have heard too many similar tales, and I would have to disagree with all of them. To say that I hate all non-virgin women with a passion would be as though to imply that I hate my own mother who had conceived and gave birth to me and my twin brother after coupling with Zeus. I am not at all shallow and do not discriminate non-virgins, although I do not interact with them for they are simply not under my care and patronage. I love and care for Persephone because she is my sister and friend, and I will do so even if she was no longer a maiden. And regarding those who do not approve of your pairing with her; it is all utterly nonsense that should not be taken heed. I am a woman, and many do not think that it is appropriate for me to spend my time hunting and roaming the wildlands when I should be performing 'womanly arts' such as dancing and sewing as a duty. But I do not give a damn to their opinions, for while I still do love dancing and sewing, hunting and the wildlands are my true passion and duty. So if you are happy with Persephone and she is clearly happy with you, then the opinions of others do not matter. It is only yours that does."
Artemis' words were so great and powerful that Hades could feel it taking effect on him immediately. Never would he have thought to hear such kind and knowledgeable words from the young goddess. Indeed, she had proven herself that she was not at all shallow, and she even surprised him by actually being accepting of his marriage to Persephone. To think that the reputedly strict and serious Goddess of Maidens would actually accept that.
I have thought little of her… Hades thought to himself as he processed everything that she had said. Shame on me…
Before he could say anything in response, Artemis added, "Oh, and one more thing."
"What?" he asked, curious to know what else she had to say.
She then told him politely, "I do not believe the story of you forcing her against her will to be bound to your realm. I know very well that you had given her the choice. And I too know very well that you had done it because you truly love her."
This, he wanted to know the reason why she had said it. "Why do you think so?" he asked her.
At that, a smile formed on Artemis' lips. It was a lovely smile, full of warmth and beauty and friendliness. She raised her hand and placed it on his shoulder in a kind gesture, something that he found quite comforting. And with a kind tone of voice with absolute certainty, she said one simple but powerful sentence.
"You are not an evil god, Hades."
That would definitely be something he would remember forever.
Hades retreated to the balcony, effectively escaping the loud and joyous feast that was going on in the grand banquet hall.
It was there he found her.
She stood with her back to him, the palms of her hands placed gently atop the smooth white marble balustrade. She looked beautiful in the silvery-white dress she wore that seemed to radiate in the luminous silver-white shine of the moon and accentuated the perfect slim and slender figure she had, with only the back of her torso being covered from his view by her length of her dark and wavy hair that fell to the half of her back.
But as he approached her quietly, he knew very well that the look on her face will not truly be one of joy and happiness. He had seen her throughout the night during the feast, and he knew very well that she was trying to hide the pain and grief she felt from the inside.
Her voice started speaking quietly when he finally came to her side. She did not sound surprised, for she had sensed him entering the balcony when he first set foot outside the hall.
"How I wish I could feel enjoyment like the rest," Artemis said to him in a whisper. "How I wish that I could sing and dance and laugh and smile with true joy in me. But I cannot. I cannot feel it, because of the pain that lingers in my heart. I feel heavy on the inside."
Hades did not say anything, only following his line of sight to where she was looking.
In the night sky that seemed akin to the color of her eyes, several bright stars formed a constellation near her bright silver moon. With imagination, one could immediately make out the constellation to be in a form of a man, with his head inclined upwards as though to gaze up at the moon. In the right hand of the 'man', there was a club raised high and looking as though it was ready to strike down an invisible enemy. In the left hand, one could either think of the 'man' holding up a shield, an animal's pelt, or a bow.
In an equally quiet voice, as though to not disturb the solemn air around them, Hades remarked, "He shines very brightly tonight."
With a sigh, Artemis replied, "He always had when he was still alive. His spirit always shone brightly, and it always burns raw with life. I remember very well the gleam of liveliness in his teal green eyes, and I will always remember how it seemed to turn into a spark when he asked me to marry him."
A small sparkle caught Hades' attention to her face, and he saw the single silver tear that was streaming down her cheek. Artemis did not look away from the constellation as she brought a finger to wipe away the tear gently. She took a deep breath to calm herself down, but the overcoming sadness that started to take over her beautiful features slowly became more prominent.
In a voice heavy with restrained emotional pain, she asked him, "Would it have been wrong if I were to defy the rules of Death? Would it have been wrong if I were to not allow Thanatos to take him away? Would it have been wrong for you to answer my plea and allow him another chance in life? Would it have been wrong?"
Hades could hear clearly that she was going to break soon. He did not want to answer her question for fear that she would have to face the anguishing disappointment.
He remembered very clearly the day she had come down to the Underworld the day after her beloved has passed on; it was the very first - and maybe the last - time that she had been to his kingdom. He remembered the way she knelt before him and told him her plea. He remembered the pained look on her face when he denied it. He remembered the way she had broken down in a broken state of utter pain and grief when he had refused her plea – it was not because he did not want to, but because he knew that it was not right. It had been the very first time he had seen the mighty goddess in such a state of desperation and depression, and he did not want her to be that way again.
He gently placed a hand atop of hers and gently squeezed in hopes of comforting her. This made her turn her head to look at him, and already he could see the tears that were forming in her eyes.
"I am so very sorry, Artemis," he told her remorsefully. "But it would have been wrong. Orion's thread of life had been cut by the Fates who had determined the day of his death, and he can no longer remain in the land of the living. It has already been weaved to happen."
All of a sudden, her hands clenched into fists, as though his words had been like the jab of a spear to her heart. From his hand that had been placed atop one of hers, he could feel how she trembled and shook, and her skin was warmer as her ichor boiled in clear anger.
But he focused on Artemis' face, taking in the image of how it contorted in a mixture of anger and pain and sadness, all in one. She was frowning menacingly and her lips were pulled back into a snarl to reveal clenched teeth, but her eyes, which were completely guilt-stricken, were only filled with hot silver tears that were steadfastly streaming down her cheeks. She was making a choking sound from deep within her throat, trying to hold back the cry of anguish that was threatening to sound.
On impulse, Hades turned her body to face him and immediately took her into a hug. He was abandoning all aspects of personal space and the fact that he was a king. He instead only wanted to comfort his niece who had her heart broken by the sudden death of the only man she had truly loved. Despite it being a year since Orion's untimely death after accidentally being shot by one of her arrows, Artemis still could not get over the loss of her beloved.
Hades could understand such a loss; he always felt it whenever his beloved Persephone returned to the Aboveworld for six months. But that sort of loss was only temporary, for she would always return to him for the other six months. It could not compare to the eternal loss that Artemis had to face.
Artemis did not push him away when he wrapped her arms tenderly around her frame. Instead, she pressed her face into his shoulder and gripped handfuls of his tunic, trying to find some stability to hold herself together. Her tears soaked the silk of his tunic where her face pressed, but he did not think too much of it, only focusing on caressing her back up and down repetitively in a soothing gesture.
With a slight tightening of his arms, Hades murmured to her, "I am sorry, Artemis… I am so sorry…"
Artemis only responded by placing her hands on his shoulders and gripping them gently. Her crying was soft and muffled, but they were clear of the hurt and angst that was plaguing her heart. Her cries echoed in his ears, and he could feel the deep hammering of her heart as it helped her take in deep breaths in between sobs and whimpers.
Never before had he thought he would see the ferocious and fearsome Goddess of the Hunt in such a fragile and broken state. She had put on façade of nonchalance to the others, but to him she showed what she truly felt inside. Somehow, he felt that this moment was important to him, for it gave a proof that Artemis trusted him enough to reveal to him the truth.
That could be further evidenced in the way she held on to him, wanting to seek comfort from him.
But yet, as he tried hard to give her the comfort she yearned for, he still felt pity for her.
"I am so sorry…" he whispered over and over again. "I am so sorry…"
Artemis shook her head gently and took in several deep breaths to quieten down her sobbing. In a voice still thick and heavy with painful tears, she whispered to him, "It is good to know that you can still show care for me at this moment, Uncle… I truly appreciate it…. Thank you for showing a spark of kindness in my time of pain…"
Hearing that, Hades tightened his embrace, holding his niece closer to her as she continued to sob quietly.
Amidst the crowd of elegantly dancing attendees, Hades made his way to Artemis after having finished a dance with Hestia.
When the young goddess had been released from Hermes' arms in a twirl with a big smile on her face, Hades cleared his throat audibly. He caught her attentions immediately, for she turned her head to look at him. When her midnight blue eyes met his dark black eyes, her smile broadened immediately.
With an open and extended inviting hand, Hades asked kindly with a gentle smile, "May I have the honor of dancing with my favorite niece?"
Without hesitation, Artemis placed her hand in his, replying politely, "Of course you may, my favorite uncle."
Very soon, they were spinning away in graceful unison and perfect harmony. With their hands entwined, they each led each other to follow in sync to their movements, accompanied by the beautiful music of the dancing hall.
Many observed the uncle and niece having a very good time together, smiling and laughing to their heart's content as they enjoyed each other's presences.
Author's Note:
The first part would take place a few short years after Hades married Persephone. The second part takes place a year after the death of Orion. The third part could be some time later than the first two.
No, people! I do not ship Hades and Artemis! It's just that I find the plot of them being quite close to each other to be rather sweet! For those of you who know the personalities of Hades and Artemis in my own opinions, they would know that Hades is really a kind and gentle god (deep inside!) and Artemis is a nice and warm-hearted goddess (unless she gets super pissed!).
Besides, I've always imagined Artemis to be more accepting of others, especially Hades. I wanted to (purposefully) stray away from the stereotypical cruel, haughty and mean Artemis, and give her a more gentle and kind and friendly character.
Also, the thought of Artemis being Hades' favorite niece and Hades being Artemis' favorite uncle seems like a good one-shot :)
Thank you for reading!
Muse of Fanfiction