Hesperos was used to being pushed into the background by his family. What need did the Gods have for the peace, comfort and compassion that he could provide when his twin Hestia could do so just as easily at her fire? Sure there were a few others in his family that shared duties, but somehow it seemed he was viewed as useless, unneeded… invisible. While he hated it, he had become used to it. Even his sweet twin seemed to no longer see him; it was as though he did not exist at all.
Exists? That was all he had been doing, he hadn't been living for sometime, and he wasn't sure that he knew how to live any more, slowly but surely he had slowly been dying on the inside, someday fading looked far better than living with a family that didn't care about him, that had stopped loving him.
He leaned back against the pillar watching his family argue and bicker for a moment longer with a small, sad smile on his face and tears in his emerald eyes, tears that he wasn't going to let fall, he couldn't let them fall. Then at last he nodded, his mind made up. It was time for him to leave, as he had been thinking for several weeks now. He pushed off the pillar and left the throne room. It was long past time he left. If ever they remembered him and needed him, they would have to search for him. He was done waiting.
It was all he had been doing for years, waiting for them to see him. Waiting to see if they would notice him, to see if they realized that he was still there and still waiting. A hopeless dream and a childish one, Hesperos knew that it was childish but he wouldn't help but think that it was better than living day in and day out with people who had forgot he was there.
It took several minutes to reach his rooms at the end of a long hallway, away from everyone else. After a few moments of consideration he gathered up his the most precious possession - a simple but elegant gold ring with a black opal stone a gift from his betrothed Hades with the promise to always love him and to wait for him to be ready to marry. A broken promise, even now Hades was arguing with the rest of his family to try to force Persephone into marriage with him.
That hurt, so much. The one that had sworn to love him and care for him was breaking it, the one that had said that he would wait for him was turning his back on him. Hesperos wondered if the other God loved him, he wondered if Hades meant what he had said when he told him he would wait for him, Hesperos felt tears slowly fall down his cheeks, broken promises that was all that he had ever received from his family.
Promises that they swore they would never break, they told him that they would never turn their back on him, that they would love him. Yet they did slowly one by one they all turned their backs on him, leaving him in the cold. But that didn't mean that he didn't love them he did, he would always love them even if they had tore his heart out of his chest and thrown it on the ground like some sort of filth.
Hesperos gathered up the items, despite the heartbreak and pain he still cherished them, he still held them dear to his heart and always would. Because they reminded him of better times, of times when they were whole and loved each other, times when there was no fighting or bickering.
These items Hesperos would give to the Fates to hide, with all his power and memories locked in them. If his family ever wanted him back they would need to find them and then find him. He would not come easily; they had to earn back his trust. He paused for a moment before leaving the room, running the fingers of his free hand through his knee length black curls. Was there anything else he wanted to take? But he decided three things was enough and left, the door to his room closing quietly behind him.
He knew that this would be the last time that he would be here, he wouldn't return until his family changed. Until they decided that they would grow up and act the way that they were supposed to, not like children that had their toys taken off them, a humourless chuckle bubbled up in his throat. They wouldn't not him missing, and if they did? He knew that they wouldn't care, why would they? They had ignored him for years and they were not about to change no matter how much he wished them to.
It took a few hours after leaving Olympus to find the Fates. From them he learned that there was a reason that his family had forgotten him, and that his disappearance was needed. But they would tell him no more than that. The next hour Hesperos spent in agony. The removal of his power, immortality and memories felt as though his very soul was being torn asunder. Then there was blessed nothingness.
The Fates looked at each other, the spells that had been woven on the Gods would soon be removed and they would begin looking for Hesperos. They knew that the Gods wouldn't find him because the God of peace was needed, he was needed otherwise the world would end. Death and destruction would rain down and millions of people would die. But that didn't mean they didn't regret what they had done to their friend, they did.
He was the only one that would come and visit them, who would sit and talk to them for hours and hours a day. Making sure that they were fine, that they had everything that they needed, it was why it had hurt them so much, why they would help the Gods to find him after everything was said and done. Because if there was thing that their friend deserved it was happiness.
It was like a fog had been lifted off them; many of them stopped and looked at each other. What were they talking about? What had they been doing? They looked at each other confusion in their eyes and on their faces, it felt as if they had missed something important. Hades looked down and found that he had clasped his hand with Persephone's hand, he let go of her hand as if it had burned him, he hoped that Hesperos hadn't seen that or it could undo everything that he had been doing.
It may sound cruel but Hades had been trying to get Hesperos out of his shell, his betrothed. His beloved Hesperos. He had been trying for so long, he knew that he wouldn't be able to handle it if anything were to happen; it was why he gave him the ring. He had told him that he would wait and Hades was willing to wait, no matter how long it took.
Dark eyes scanned the room and he couldn't see any sign that Hesperos was there, dark eyes caught Hestia's warm fire filled ones, where was he? Hades began walking from the throne room, he was going to try and find Hesperos his long legs made quick work of the walk to Hesperos' room; he looked around the room and sunk to his knees.
"NO!"
At the sound of his cry the rest of the Gods came barreling into what was once Hesperos' room, they looked around and tried to find, a sign, anything that their brother, uncle and lover was there.
They couldn't find one.
"FIND HIM!"
None of the Gods needed telling, they ran out of the room, down the hallways and flashed off Olympus in an attempt to find him. Poseidon and Zeus both picked up Hades who was silently crying, what had happened? Hesperos wouldn't leave Hades, they all knew that.
"Where is he?"
Poseidon swallowed and wrapped his arms around his brother; it had been eons since the two of them had been like this. Things had changed after they had left their father's stomach, things had been tenser, and no one could blame them. Their childhoods had been traumatizing and they had struggled to cope with it, it also didn't help that Hesperos had been inside of their father's stomach the longest; it was part of the reason why he was so thin.
It was also the reason that they were so protective over him, if he hadn't had been a God then Hesperos would have died, it was one thing that they were grateful for. But that didn't change the damage done to him, it had taken them years to get Hesperos to talk about what had happened, even longer for him to tell them about the nightmares that he had.
Still they had been patient and worked through every bump that came their way and it had worked. He slowly opened up and slowly began seeking them out, his physical body hadn't changed much other than the fact his skin was no longer a grey color, now it was more along the lines of being snow white, it wasn't what they wanted but they would take it over the sickening grey that he had been before.
"I don't know brother."
Zeus was uncomfortable, it had been years since the three of them had been in a room with either Hestia or Hesperos, they couldn't be in a room together because most of the time they fought, either over something silly and petty or over the fact that Hades was going to marry Hesperos. It wasn't that he objected the marriage, he simply didn't want anything to happen to his older brother, and being near Tartarus where their father was, was bad news.
Considering the whole reason their father had ate Hesperos first was because he loved him in a twisted fashion and wanted him to be his consort, something that none of them liked. It was because of that, that Zeus didn't want him in the underworld, didn't want him anywhere near the pit.
"What if we don't find him?"
Zeus shook his head and looked at his older brothers; he slowly walked up to the two of them and rested a hand on each of their shoulders.
"We will find him."
But he didn't sound so sure, they had no idea what had happened, it was like someone had put a fog over their memories and stopped them from remembering. Something that was unsettling to them and it was something that they were not used to. However their memories would return to them slowly and they would be filled with grief and regret for what they had done, for what they had allowed themselves to do.
"You shall not; the time is not yet right." A calm female voice from stated from behind them.
Turning, they found the Fates had entered the room. Zeus did not enjoy being told that something could not be done, not even by these three who would truly know. Hesperos was amongst the most beloved of their family, the thought that any amount of time would pass that they would not have him by their side hurt more than he had ever thought anything would.
"He must be found! There must be some way." Zeus refused to admit his tone was pleading.
They shook their heads. "There is a way, but for now he is needed where we placed him. Once his task is done, we will set you on your Quest to piece him back together."
"Can we not aid him in his task? Is there no way to speed it along?" Hades asked, having somewhat composed himself outwardly. Yet inside he was still broken, he had no idea what he would do.
The Fates conversed for a small time amongst themselves, before giving their answer. "He has a destiny to play out; the task must be done by his hands. When he returned, he did not seem as the present, he would play a different role. Everything would be change."
No matter how they pressed, the Fates would say no more on it. And as the Fates left and the other gods began to return empty handed, Poseidon could not help recalling their words. The task must be done by his hands. They had never said that they could not help, only that he must be the one to actually do it.
As they all made their way back to the Throne Room, the three needed only look at each other to know they had all come to the same understanding. Now they need only find him. That was if they could find him, but they weren't stubborn fools for no reason, if they had to burn the world to find Hesperos then they would gladly do it.
There was nothing they wouldn't do for their brother, if anyone had harmed him then there would be war, oceans and rivers would run red with blood and the dead would be let loose onto the mortals, no one would be spared.
After four hundred years of fruitless searching, they had almost given up hope entirely, yet it was still there small embers burning in their hearts.
However despite the hope that had formed inside of them Hades had not taken Hesperos' disappearance well, his had became cold and ruthless much like how Kronos was. The only difference was Hades was not planning on eating them, because no matter how much he wanted to go to the mortal realm and find his love, he couldn't.
He knew that one did not mess around with the Fates; the sisters could and would come up with some very interesting punishments for the people that dared to defy them, and some of them even made him shiver and that was saying something. He still went to the winter solstice, the only reason he kept going was in case someone had heard or saw anything.
He was bitter though; bitter and broken. Why was it Hesperos that had to do this? Why couldn't it be one of the other Gods? Why did it have to be the God of peace?
None of it made sense and Hades wasn't about to go against the Fates, he was angry at them. His temper had caused several thousand deaths and he wasn't ashamed of it, he never would be. The only thing he regretted was Hesperos wasn't there, he hadn't seen it so he didn't know how much Hades did love him.
He never thought that he would love anyone; it had always been everyone else. Poseidon the laid back one, the one that knew how to have fun. The one who was always seen smiling and joking with people, no matter how serious the situation was.
Zeus, the strict. Yet he wasn't always strict he could tell a good joke and have fun should he want to, it also didn't help that he was married to Hera who seemed to take delight in putting laws in place that made it near impossible for Gods to help their children.
After 400 years
"Aww...He was the sweetest thing ever, isn't he?" Goddess cried, as she handed over Zeus a newborn child with electric blue emerald eyes with a few tuffs of jet black hair .
"Yes, he is," Zeus said lightly as he reached out to hold his son. The boy blinked innocently up at Zeus, and gurgled, causing the entire room of people to laugh. Zeus smiled and waved back at her son, and began rocking him gentling in her arms. "There's a good boy... I will protect you, I love you, my boy, Hadrian!" he said fondly, as he tried to smoothen the tuff of hair only to give up moments later.
"Little boy is cute. Hey, little one, I will take care of you, protect you, I promise! Let's smile!" Poseidon murmured.
The boy gave for everyone a sense of peace and joy like Hesperos. It make people were believed he was Hesperos, their Hesperos would return and they promised to care for and love boy very much.
Hades looked at him with filled with love and hope eyes. He began to believe that someday people his lover would back to him.
Tartarus
Kronos - Lord of Titan
That child was a threat to our comeback but killed him would cause terrible consequences from the Fates. We would take him to another world to avoid the interference of him in the future.
That night, Hadrian was sleeping peacefully and shall be a stranger abducted and put him in front of Potter manor. Little Hadrian did not remember anything but the arms cherished, protected and the loving gaze.
Olympus was chaos.
Zeus promised to himself that would not have any more children, he would find Hadrian, which was most important.
They hadn't been able to view him after that, no matter how hard they tried, it didn't matter how many times they tried they were not able to see him again, but that had not stopped the hope burning in their hearts or their minds. It was only a matter of time until their lost family member was back with them, and this time they wouldn't let him go.
Hades slumped down in his throne; he wished that Hesperos was here, he wished that he was able to shine some light onto the darkness that was his life. If son of Zeus was Hesperos, he would wait for him, no problem anyway. But he wasn't and no one knew where he was or what he was doing, it wasn't for lack of trying either, something or someone was blocking them. Hades looked at the photo of Hesperos, the last photo that had been taken of the two of them.
It had been in Hesperos' crystal field, nothing but pure crystal roses of all colors for miles around, no one had ever been allowed in it before. It had always been Hesperos' place, and then Hesperos had taken him to it. He had been so shocked and awed at the gesture that Hesperos had given him; it was a sign of trust.
One thing that he was never going to break, or so he had told himself. Hades looked out a window and sighed.