~X+X~
Iridya couldn't breathe; the black smoke surrounding her was so thick it was smothering her lungs stealing them of oxygen. She closed her eyes in attempt to stop the dizziness from taking over but it was no good she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. Just when she thought she was going to pass out the smoke began to fade away, she shoved her hand against Hades chest, pushing away from him and out of what was left of the smoke. Iridya fell forward gasping for breath, feeling relived as oxygen once again began to fill her lungs.
"You will get uses to it soon" Hades said as he caught her waist before she hit the floor, Iridya heard a hint of laughter in his voice.
"I don't want to get uses to it" she whispered before stepping out of his grip and away from him. Hades watched her wrap her arms around herself and take in her surroundings before he started up the black marble stairs behind them and taking a seat on one of two large black marble thrones with crimson red cushions. Turning around Iridya took in the room before her, a long room made of black stone floors, at the back of the room two giant black doors decorated with olive leaves and figures of skeletons that were currently closed, the roof was held up by black marble pillars that went the whole length of the room, and at the front of the room rose black marble steps with two giant black marble thrones that had crimson red cushions for comfortable sitting, and atop the larger of the two was Hades, carefully watching her.
"This is your throne, My Queen" Hades said beckoning Iridya to him and placing his hand on the second throne, her throne. Slowly she stepped forward and started up the steps stopping in front of the throne.
"Sit" said Hades "Sit!" He said a little more forcefully when she didn't move the first time making her jump and move quickly to sit. Quickly glancing at Hades, she saw him smile at her before turning his attention on the door, which burst open and the souls of the dead began to file in quickly filling the room leaving a walk way in the middle for skeletal soldiers in bronze armour to drag the screaming souls of the newly dead to kneel in front of Hades for sentencing. Iridya found the feeling of unease start to consume her, being surrounded by the dead, listening to their screams of terror as they were dragged before Hades, hearing the screams of pain wafting through the open doors was making her head hurt, it made her stomach turn unpleasantly making her feel queasy. She glances up at Hades watching as his mouth moved but his words not quiet reaching her ears. She couldn't breathe she needed to see the sky to breath the air outside. Quickly she stood and ran from the room, not knowing where she was going she followed the corridor as it lead her through the palace of the dead. She felt completely lost like she was running in circles, being lead to failure, just as she was about to let out a frustrated cry and collapse on to the floor in a heap, she through open the closet door and found herself not only outside but in a garden.
Iridya wandered around the garden until she found a small stone bench in front of a large fountain with a statue of a maiden and skeletons clutching at her legs their bodies disappearing into the fountain. She sat there on the bench for a long time taking in the beauty of the flowers and trees, there were so many blooming flowers, and it was hard for her to believe that such beauty could grow in such a dark and horrible place filled with death. As she looked around she started to name the flowers she saw, there were Anemone's, Chaste trees', Crocus', Cyprus trees, Heliotropes floated in the fountain, and then Iridya noticed a small pale blue flower, plucking one from the ground she studied it further trying to find its name.
"A Vinca Blossom" Came a voice from behind her, startling her.
"It's Beautiful" She said quietly not looking at the owner of the voice.
"It only grows here in the underworld, in the dark." Hades told her as he took a seat next to Iridya. They sat in silence together the only sound was the wind blowing the leaves of the Cyprus tree and the water trickling in the fountain.
"What you did back there, you will never do again, do you understand?" Hades said "Look at me" grabbing her chin, he forced her to look at him before he continued. "You are their Queen now, whether you like it or not. They are your people. When I sit on that throne you WILL sit beside me like the Queen you are, am I understood?"
"Y-Yes, My King" Iridya Stuttered fear licking at her heart and leaping to her throat as tears started to prick her eyes. The hard cruel look on Hades face melted away to a softer, loving one, running his thumb along her cheek before moving his hand to cup her face tenderly.
"I made this place for you" he whispered before kissing her forehead and leaving her on the bench in the garden. "I will send for you when it is time for Dinner, Do not go past the gates in to the underworld alone" he called over his shoulder not looking back at her.
Iridya sat stunned at what had just occurred, the scene replaying over and over again in her mind. Letting out a strangled cry she brought her head to her hands and wept. She sat there crying until she had no more tears and she just sat there lost in thought.
"Why do you cry My Queen?" Came a soft voice from the shadows making Iridya leap from the bench her hand flying to her heart. "Sorry I did not mean to scare you" Iridya watch as a figure walked out from the shadow of a large Cyprus tree, as she watched the figure come closer she saw a female with pale skin and light brown hair tied up in to a bun on top of her head, she had a midnight blue ribbon tied around it to match the blue of the gown she was wearing.
"I am Nyx" she smiled warmly as she made her way over to sit down on the bench.
"The Goddess of the Night?" asked Iridya sitting down next to her.
"Yes, I live here...well up there" she laughed pointing up at the sky which Iridya hadn't noticed until then.
"You can see the sky? But how I thought we were underground?"
"We are. Hades did this when he made the Garden he opened up the earth so you could see the sky" Nyx explained to her.
"But why? Why would he do that?" she questioned confused.
"My King knows how much you love to watch the stars" Nyx smiled
"He Knows? How could he know? He wanted my sister...I took her place, he couldn't have known I was going to do that...I didn't even know" Iridya Exclaimed.
"He did not want your sister, he wanted you. It was always you he wanted." Nyx explained slowly trying not to scare her. "You're like a siren song to him, intoxicating and hard to ignore"
Iridya was at a loss for words, she sat stunned looking at Nyx, her mouth moving up and down without sound.
"We better go before he thinks I have given you to the stars" Nyx Laughed, taking Iridya's hand, gently leading her away from the garden into the palace. They walked together in silence the slaves with their ghostly faces bowed in respect, Iridya thought it was for Nyx until she remembered she was now their Queen. Nyx stopped them in front of a large plain black double door where they waited patiently for the skeletal soldiers guarding the doors to open them.
"What took you so long Nyx, I was beginning to worry" Smiled Hades who was previously sitting at the large round table made out of grey marble, he had stood up when the doors had opened to reveal the two Goddesses.
"I told you" whispered Nyx before turning her smiling face to Hades "Relax we were just talking in the garden"
"I see" Hades gaze flicking between Nyx and Iridya, who kept her eyes on the floor in front of her "shall we then" he asked gesturing to the chairs sitting empty at the table.
"Thank you, but I have to be going" Nyx politely declined the invitation to stay for dinner, much to Iridya's dismay; she would have much preferred that Nyx stayed so she wouldn't be alone with Hades. Nyx turned to Iridya and took both her hand in hers. "Do not fret, no harm will be fall you here."
"Goodnight, Lord Hades. Lady Iridya" she bowed respectfully before turning and disappearing through the doors they had just walked through leaving Iridya alone with Hades.
"Come My Queen, you look famished." Hades said as he pulled out a chair for her. Walking forward she muttered a thank you as he pushed the chair in behind her. They sat eating in silence for a long time, Iridya picked at her food as one of the pale spirits holding a jug of wine set to work refilling their cups; every now and then she could feel Hades eyes watching her move the food around her plate.
"Is there something wrong with the food?" He finally asked her sending a quick glare to the dead servants who shrunk away in to the shadows to escape the glare.
"No its fine...it's just...I'm not hungry" she said quietly placing her fork down on the table.
"Why do you not look at me?" Hades questioned as he dropped his fork on to his plate slowly. Iridya slowly raised her green eyes to his blue eyes.
"You tricked me" she told him changing the subject.
"So that's what you and Nyx where talking about in the garden." Hades guessed lifting his cup of wine to his lips, taking a long drink from it but never taking his eyes from hers. "That's why you were late to dinner"
"You knew I would never let you take my sister, that I would give you myself instead of her" Iridya continued.
"Are you mad?"
"Why did you do it?" She asked him, Hades could see the pain in her eyes" Why did you take me away from my Mother and Sister?"
"I watched you, Every Spring, I watched as you sat in the fields watching your Mother and Sister Work, I listened to you sing for them. I couldn't bring myself to look away from you, you held me captive. You still do. From the moment I saw you smile, the first time I heard you laugh I knew in that moment that I would do anything to protect you from harm, that you were my Queen." Hades told her softly, Iridya could see the love in his eyes and she knew he was telling her the truth, but she just couldn't bring herself to believe him.
"I don't Belong here" she said, her voice braking "I will never belong here. I belong with my Mother and Sister" Iridya stood from the table and walked out the door leaving a hurt Hades sitting at the table.
"Take me to my Chambers" she told one of the guards, who nodded to her and started to walk down the corridors not stopping to look behind to see if she was following until he stopped in front of a room at the end a corridor she thanked the guard who merely bowed and retreated back down the corridor. Iridya watched him until he disappeared around the corner before turning to the only room in the hall. Turning the door knob she sighed before pushing the door open and walking in.
The room was simple at one end it had a large fire place with a long Crimson couch in front of it, at the other end the floor raised up in a semi circle on top of which sat a large four poster bed with sheer black curtains and black silk sheets with matching pillows, and opposite the door was a balcony with black and grey curtains blowing gently in the breeze. Iridya turned and walked towards the bed, as she moved up the step she noticed a short night gown lying on top of the sheets.
Undoing the clasp of her dress she let it fall to the floor, pooling at her feet before she stepped out of it and slipped the night gown over her head. Making a face at the fact that the gown went to her knees she slipped in between the silk sheets before resting her head on the pillow. It didn't take long for her exhausted body to relax and fall asleep.
Quietly Hades opened the door to his bedroom hoping not to wake the sleeping form in the bed. He quickly pulled the top half of his tunic off leaving his chest bare before walking over to Iridya. Sitting down softly on the bed next to her, he sat there watching her sleep for a bit, watching her chest raise and fall gently, watching her parted lips, watching her brow crinkle slightly as she dreamed. Bringing his hand up, he slowly and gently trailed his figure tips across her cheek, running his thumb over her bottom lip, before kissing her cheek and moving to the other side of the bed. Sighing he pulled his arm up behind his head before closing his eyes, letting Iridya's soft breathing Lully him to sleep.
~X+X~
