Chapter Three: Progression
A/N: Once again, thanks to all who reviewed, you guys make writing worth it!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This is all for fun.
With this new knowledge in hand, Apollo went straight to the Underworld to confront Hades. He was troubled, a frown bent the fair god's brows, as he passed Cerberus and strode into the dark palace.
"When were you planning on sharing your little plot with the rest of us? Sometime before Hera perished, I hope?" Apollo cried upon encountering Hades in his library. Hades, who was pouring over some scrolls, looked up, somewhat startled by this intrusion.
"What in the name of Olympus are you talking about?" Hades snarled, although he knew he was cornered. It was simply inevitable that Apollo would find out on his own about what had happened to the queen. There was no escaping the truth.
Hades was a god who knew when to capitulate, so he decided to reveal all when Apollo asked.
"Do not play coy with me. You know you cannot side step me. I saw everything. She asked you for the vile poison, and you, you stupid FOOL, you gave it to her! You knew what it would do to her-"
"I wanted to help her! You have no idea how she suffers!" Hades retaliated despite himself.
"I know that. Really, I do, but could you have picked a less destructive way of making Zeus confess his feelings?"
Hades shrugged distantly in a way that was purely his own.
"She begged me. I could not refuse her."
Apollo smirked. "You could not refuse her anything, could you? Aphrodite and Eros would have a field day if she ever found out you love Hera."
The god of the dead looked as dangerous as a black panther, muscles taut as he prepared to devour his prey. Apollo knew better than to be afraid of him however, and he approached the large mahogany wood table where Hades had been pouring over different texts and scrolls. He reached for the nearest scroll and lifted it so he could read it. It was a recipe for some kind of antidote...
Comprehension snapped through the god of light as he turned his sharp gaze back at Hades.
"Please do not tell me that you have no antidote for Hera's poison."
At his tense silence, Apollo at once knew the answer to his question.
"Oh mercy above..." Was all he could say.
Now that Apollo had more or less calmed down, he now saw Hades' grief. If it were possible, Hades had become even more pale than he was, his gaunt body was accentuated by the way his robes hung loosely from him. Apollo felt a little pity for the god, he knew he had to help him find a way to reverse his own doing.
"Well we will not accomplish anything by wallowing in self deprecation. Come, we must tell Hera of the way things are progressing, and to let her know we are thinking of a way to rescue her." Apollo dragged Hades up roughly by his arm.
"In case you haven't noticed, dear Apollo, but the queen is not exactly available to receive audiences as of now." Hades remarked dryly. This earned him a scathing glare from the other god.
"You insufferable twit, I was referring to mental communication. You know I can link your minds even though she is not physically awake. You can talk to her by entering her head, while I act as a median between the both of you."
Apollo had to repress the urge to snicker as he watched Hades fathom the idea with a confused look on his face.
"Of course, we must not tell Zeus. That will only ruin Hera's plan. We must work together, the three of us, to restore her to her natural state, but only when Zeus is not looking."
Hades snorted. "That may prove to be rather difficult, especially when I hear that all Zeus does is pine over her, day and night."
"We'll find a way." Apollo said confidently. "Now, we must hurry, we have no time to waste!"
The pair of them fled the Underworld, ascending into the heavens faster than Hermes could say, "Voila!"
Upon arriving, they were greeted by Hestia, a kind and gentle goddess who had volunteered to take a shift in monitoring the queen. They told her she could adjourn to the dining hall, where the rest of the parthenon's occupants were taking their meals.
She acquiesced and swept out of the dimmed bedchamber, allowing them to finally survey Hera's recent appearance.
"Oh dear, she looks quite peaky." Apollo murmured as he took a seat at her bedside.
Hades had proceeded in throwing the lock upon the bedroom door, just to make sure they were not interrupted. He stalked back over to the huge bed and parted the burgundy gauze curtains that hung from the bed posts. He peered inside and found Hera sleeping.
Something in him wilted at the reality of her condition, he half expected her to be recovering. He was sure the poison would only last two days at the most, it was now going on three. His disappointment spurred him on.
Apollo had picked up one of her hands and shut his eyes.
A moment later he snapped to again and looked at Hades.
"She's very weak. We have to do it now."
The urgency was not lost on him.
"Yes. I am ready." He sat on the opposite side of her and placed his hand over Hera's and Apollo's. The three of them were joined as one, Apollo began to chant softly and unintelligbly. Hades shut his eyes as well, clearing his mind of all other possible distractions.
Hera's mind was not difficult to plunge into, he could tell she kept her thoughts more or less compartmentalized. Contrary to popular belief, Hera kept all of her emotions safely tucked away in a little corner of her mind, which led him to believe she was quite clear headed when she poisoned herself. He could dive effortlessly into the flowing current and get lost in the fluidity of it all. He was tempted to see what she thought of him, but he decided against it with his better judgement.
"Who is there?" He heard her voice, small and trembling, and turned around to see her standing there in front of him. It felt like years since he last heard her voice.
"It is I, Hades. How are you feeling?" Despite the obvious, he wanted to determine whether or not she was aware of what was happening to her.
She sighed. "I feel awful. I cannot physically move although for the most part I am able to hear the goings on around me. How is everything out there?" She looked timid, almost frightened by what she wanted to know.
"Zeus cannot think straight." Hades remarked wryly. This brought a half smile to her face, but it was shadowed by concern.
"He has not done anything stupid, has he?" She asked. He nodded, no, and she visibly exhaled in relief. She looked healthier in her mind than out, he realized, which meant internally, she was fine. It was her body, ethereal or not, that needed healing.
"Well, no more so than usual, I suppose." He paused to gather his thoughts, "Apollo and I are going to attempt to find an antidote. You have been unconcious for two and a half days, longer than I believed the poison would last on a god. Zeus has not left your side, only to eat and occassionally to monitor the Earth, but only because of the coaxing of Panacea." Hera listened thoughtfully at the details he was providing her with.
"And Zeus, what has he done?" She tossed her auburn hair impatiently.
He could not help a tiny bit of irritation at her constant questioning about her husband's actions.
"He continually holds your hand and sleeps at your bedside. He is nearly reduced to hysteria at the sight of you. You really look quite horrendous now." Hades added flippantly. He watched as outrage flew through her eyes.
"Horrendous, you say? Hmph. You can take your antidote and stuff it up your-"
"Oh, be at peace, woman!" He roared. She looked appropriately contrite as he admonished her.
"I apologise. I just..." She broke off and fingered the silky fabric of her dress, as if she were contemplating a great quandary. "It is very lonely having only one's mind for company. I am disappointed with my husband's reaction, and now you tell me that I am very ugly indeed. Oh how vain I must sound!"
He came closer to her, everything around them seemed to fade to grey.
"You are not really hideous, my dear. Just tired looking." He looked into her eyes, warm and seemingly bottomless, it was as though he were staring down into the loveliest Tartarus.
"Thank you." She whispered.
A moment later, they were interrupted by a voice that was distinctly Apollo's.
"Hades we must leave now! Hygeia has warned me that Zeus is rapidly apprroaching the bechamber. He must not discover what we are doing, or all will be lost!"
Hades bade Hera goodbye hastily, and reassured her that they would find an antidote. She stood beside the silvery river of her memories and dreams, her long cloak and gown elongating her silhouette. He gave her a small smile, hoping to offer her some comfort, before he abruptly pulled himself from her mind.
"Come, hurry!" Apollo murmured. The both of them promptly vanished into thin air as Zeus entered through the doors. He dismissed Iaso, Hygeia and Panacea, who were Hades' spies, and resumed his place at her bedside.
The three goddesses listened with tender hearts as Zeus spoke to his wife softly, in the most reverent voice they ever heard from his lips. He even brought a lyre with him, plucking the strings and singing lullabies, despite the fact he knew that she probably was too far gone to notice.
But Hera did hear him playing, albeit very faintly, the beautiful strums of music briefly touched the edges of her awareness. The sound of the instrument made her think of those blissful times just after they had been wed, when they fled to the farthest corner of the galaxy, where no one could find them.
They spent one month together, doing nothing but making love, frolicking about in the woods and lakes, and talking about everything and nothing. She so missed that time, centuries ago, when he had openly admitted his love for her. After so many years of a marriage that had run the course of its passion, she had grown used to the way things cooled between them.
Now, she could feel his heartbeat again, a purely unnecessary organ for a god to have, but he made himself one for her sake, saying that he wished to always feel it beat, for it would forever symbolize his devotion to her. She had gotten accustomed to feeling it physically beat for others as time dragged on, but now she knew that the unreasonable, unfair, painful, stubborn organ beat solely for her and her alone.
If she ever regained full possession of her body, she decided the first thing she would do was holdhim in her arms and never let go.
TBC...
A/N: Please review!! Sorry for the wait...