A/N:Sorry for the late update! I am preparing to get admission in a college, and I have to give a test on Sunday for that, so i'm super busy because of it. Enjoy!
Natalie had this unpleasant feeling churning in her stomach ever since she left her daughter's side to attend this year's harvest festival. She had never felt this insecure in eons, and now, she was imagining the worst.
Was her daughter safe in her house?
It was probably her paranoia acting up. After all, no god – except for her husband and her son – knew the location of Beatrice's residence. She had also told her best friend Evelyn, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, mainly because she trusted that Evelyn knew of no man that was even close to suitable for her daughter. And of course, Christina, the Moon Goddess, since the young woman had sworn off men, and did not even try to pair Beatrice with her brother Albert, the Sun God. It was not that she wanted Beatrice to remain without a companion or spouse to be with her – although, the idea that she could be a Celestial Virgin was rather appealing – it was just that she could not bear it, should Beatrice's hypothetical spouse would try to minimize the Spring Goddess' visits to Natalie, so that she would subject to his needs instead.
Her ichor boiled at the thought of another man touching her little baby girl.
As the week-long festival came to an end, Natalie rushed back to her daughter's cottage as fast as she could – only, there was no cottage.
Natalie choked back a cry, as she saw the blackened ground, and a hill of grey ash, with charred beams of wood burned at odd angles. The two wood nymphs she had assigned to guard her house, were crying pitifully, blaming themselves for the goddess's disappearance. Natalie was quick to forgive them, though.
The Goddess of the Harvest collapsed on her knees, devastated and heartbroken. The vegetation around her began to wither, turning a warm, golden brown. Her wheat-blonde hair started to turn a shimmering white. The green barley crown on her head began to wither and fall off. Her shimmering, wheat green dress, began to turn a pale brown, like a leaf losing moisture. Her youthful skin began to sag and develop wrinkles. Her viridian irides began to well up with tears.
With a determined look on her face, she set off to the mortal realm once more in search of her missing daughter.
She will find her!
She had to!
No matter what!
Well, he got her here. Finally.
So what happens from here now?
"Man, that was one rescue mission." Zeke comments.
The two gods were currently walking down the corridors, towards the room, where Four had kept the sleeping goddess.
"Tell me about it." Four shrugs. "I still can't believe that a mortal managed to enter into a goddess's territory." He shakes his head. "That little sleaze-ball had the nerve to set her house on fire."
The Wine God's eyebrows disappeared on his forehead. "Are you messing with me?"
"Not only that; the creep had the nerve to think that he could have a goddess for a wife, by kidnapping her." Four scoffs.
Zeke lets out a sarcastic snort. "This weasel sounds like a coward. I bet he only went for her since she's the only goddess – besides Natalie – to actually have a residence in the mortal realm, and was an easy target." He pauses. "I have to get going now. See ya later, buddy!" With that, he burst into a blinding light, and vanished.
After walking for a few moments, he reached the door. He paused, took a deep breath, and knocked at the door.
The first thing she felt when she woke up was that her head was spinning.
What happened?
'Beatrice moaned and rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the most beautiful room imaginable, with carved marble pillars on the four corners, and the magnificent four-poster bed with the softest sheets she was currently laying on.
Where was she?
She screwed her eyes shut as she tried to recollect the events before she unexpectedly fell asleep. She had gone out when the nymphs had wandered away, her house was burned to crisp, a mortal man grabbed at her, and seeing the most beautiful set of eyes she had ever seen. Just before she fell asleep, she remembered blue.
Oh Gods, did her mysterious savior bring her here?
A knock on the door – and it was honestly a magnificent door, with different tales carved on it – startled her out of her thoughts. She took tentative steps towards the door, and her breath was caught in her throat as she saw who was on the other side.
He was the most magnificent being she had ever seen. His beautiful tanned body was sculpted to perfection, wrapped with black robes encrusted with gems, fit for an emperor. He had a spare upper-lip, and a full lower-lip, which had the power to entice any female into kissing them. His eyes were deep set, to the point the point that his lashes were touching his skin, and they were dark blue, a dreaming, sleeping, waiting color.
Blue.
"W-Who are you?" She asked. She hated the way her voice trembled. She vaguely recognized this man.
The man gave her a slight bow. "I'm Four. God of the Dead."
Her eyes flew wide. He had saved her?
"What is this place? Why did you bring me here?" Beatrice demanded.
Four sighed. "This is my home, the Underworld. I had only gone to your home with the intention to court you."
"By kidnapping me?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Look," he said sternly. "I only came to your house with the intention of asking you to court me." He explained. "I only brought you here because a sick-minded mortal man had the audacity to kidnap you and try to make you your wife." She flinched at those words. "Not to mention that he also set your house on fire."
"So now I'm safe. Can I go now?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that." He spoke with a sudden vulnerability that surprised her.
"And why not?"
"If I do that, your mother won't allow me to see you anymore. And I don't think I would be able to handle that."
"I think you're being a bit over dramatic." She says with a snort.
He gave her a small smile, which made her want to melt in a puddle of goo. "You can blame Uriah for that." Then he turned serious. "Please, just stay here for a year. Let me allow you to court you now that your mother is not here." She groaned at the mention of her mother, knowing full well that would have found out by now that she's missing, and has most likely gone ballistic. "If you still don't wish to be here with me after the year has passed, I'll make sure to drop you off to your mother safe and sound, and won't bother you ever again."
She pondered over his words. True, his method of trying to court her was rather unorthodox and unethical, but at least she was free for now, free from the gilded cage. Besides, she was rather traumatized at the fact that she had to see her home go up in flames.
She frowned a little, and closed her eyes. "I need time to think. Can you please leave me alone?"
Something like hurt flashed in his eyes. "I'll be there when you need me." Saying so, he closed the door behind him.
The Goddess of Spring slowly made her way to the bed and sat down. She brought her knees near to her chest, and buried her head, lost in thoughts.
She didn't know if staying here in the Underworld was a good decision.
