Let it Burn
Chapter Four: An Unexpected Detour
"So … that's it?"
"What do you mean, 'that's it?' I just showed you the entire Underworld! Well, most of it anyway. The important parts." Geez, was this girl hard to impress.
Not that he was trying to impress her, or anything.
Persephone put her hand on her hip. "What about the river of souls?" She smirked as Hades shuddered. "You know, the place where you took your little, shall we say, impromptu little swim?"
"Uh yeah babe, you're not funny, and that's not on the tour."
"Oooh, I get it, you're scared to show me."
Hades fire smoldered dangerously. "I. Am. Not."
"Prove it."
Hades sighed. What a pain she was! But still, he wouldn't have her thinking he was scared of his own realm. "Fine, fine" he huffed. "Follow me then, little godling."
"Persephone!"
"Whatever."
He took her to the place he had showed Jerkules when he'd come to retrieve Meg. He was rather pleased to see that some of the fear she'd discarded earlier was creeping back into her features.
"Is this," she asked softly, the sharp edge gone from her voice, "Where you fell?"
Hades swallowed. "Yup," he managed.
Persephone took a few steps closer to the edge, peering down, trying to make out the figures of the mortal souls far beneath. "It sure looks like a long way down."
"Oh believe me, it is." Hades cleared his throat. "Okay, so you've seen it. Now let's get out of here."
She turned to look at him, the little smirk back on her face. "Oh, and I thought you weren't afraid."
"Persephone, come on." Hades was beginning to get annoyed, and quite suddenly, he didn't like how close she was standing to the edge. "I'm not kidding, let's go."
The young goddess rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you sound like my mother." The smirk was more pronounced now. "And I don't listen to her either." Deliberately, she leaned further over the edge, and Hades began to feel slightly sick.
"Persephone –"
He didn't quite know the exact instant at which she lost her balance. All he knew was that one moment, she was standing there, and the next, she was gone, only her scream remaining as she plunged into the river below.
He heard her hit the water, and then: "No, no, please let me go! I can't – I can't help you – no please stop, it hurts – please – help me help me!" And then there were no more words, just a strangled, helpless cry as Persephone struggled to break free of the confused and desperate souls clawing at her, surrounding her, smothering her as they tried to drag her down into the depths.
Damn it, he'd warned her! Now what was he supposed to do, dive in and save her?
No way. No way. She was a goddess, she could damn well get out on her own. After all, no one had helped him out of there, had they? This served her right for goading him, mocking him, not listening when he told her –
"Please …" Her voice was barely a whisper now, but he could still hear it. She made a sound somewhere between a sob and whimper.
Hades put his face in his hands. "Oy. I cannot believe I am doing this …" Lifting his head, he looked down at the water, took a deep breath, and plunged in after her.
It was pretty difficult to maintain coherent thought after that. He felt the familiar panic rise in his throat, until he caught sight of her white arm, dangling just out of reach. Doing his best to ignore the slimy souls clinging to him, he extended his hand, and this time, she took it, clutching desperately. He got a glimpse of her wide, terrified eyes, which briefly flashed a shade of brilliant blue, and then somehow, they were making their way towards the shore, emerging soaked and shivering on the rocks.
Right back where I started, Hades thought. So much for never again. He turned to Persephone, intending to snap at her, but stopped cold at the sight of her. She was shivering and shaking, and what's more, she was actually clinging to him, like she was afraid to let go for fear she'd fall in again.
"Oh, oh, I was so scared …" She gasped, and then she buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing.
Despite himself, Hades' arm went around her. "Hey, hey, come on, it's okay, you're … you're safe now." He drew her closer, and she curled to his side, still shivering. He had no idea what he was doing, really, but after a while, it seemed liked it must be working, because her sobs gradually subsided. Eventually, she looked up at him, and she spoke.
"Your … hair …"
Self-consciously, his hand went to his head. "Whoa, is my hair out?" He shook his head slightly, and the shock of blue flame returned. "There. Better, right?" She didn't even nod. And he couldn't help but notice she was still clinging to him. "You um, you okay?"
"I …" she began shakily. "Uh, yes, I think so." She shuddered. "But that was …"
"Awful. Yeah, I know. Been there, done that." He stood up and offered her his hand. Again, she took it, rising quite unsteadily, leaning heavily on him for support.
"You were stuck in there for three months?" She asked in a horrified whisper.
"Yeah," Hades said grimly. "Seemed like longer." Poor kid still looked pretty freaked out. Suddenly, he had an idea. "Come with me."
Too shell-shocked to put up any kind of an argument, Persephone went with him, still holding on to him and letting him carry most of her weight. They walked for a little while, until the dreary scenery of the Underworld gradually seemed to brighten, and finally, they came to a sort of shimmering barrier, through which Persephone could see what seemed to be a representation of one of the more idyllic locations on Earth. It reminded her of the fields by Enna, actually.
"What is it?"
"Elysian Fields. It's um … well, it's sort of the only real 'nice' part of the Underworld. Basically, this is where all the goody-goody mortals go when they die."
"Oh," Persephone said softly, the beginnings of a smile gracing her features. "It's … pretty."
Hades shrugged. "Well, yeah, if you go for that sort of thing." He paused. "Why don't you uh, go on in, take a look around?"
She looked at him in surprise. "You mean I can enter? But the barrier –"
"The barrier's for mortals, babe, the kind that are on Zeus' 'naughty' list and have to stay on this side. You're a goddess, it won't have any effect on you."
"Oh." Persephone looked at Hades and seemed to realize for the first time that she was clinging to him. She quickly separated herself, a telltale blush creeping onto her cheeks, leaving Hades feeling strangely … cold. Must have been the after-effects of his latest 'swim,' he supposed. She turned and tentatively reached a hand towards the barrier. Her fingers slid through seamlessly, as though nothing was there. Her smile brightened.
She turned back to Hades. "You aren't coming?" She asked.
"Oh. Uh, no. It's not really my scene." Well, that, and the last time he tried to tour the Elysian Fields, in attempt to convince himself that running the Underworld didn't have to be so gloomy and depressing, the mortals dwelling there had run screaming in terror, assuming he had come to drag them back over to the other side to experience torment for some long-forgotten transgressions. Suffice it to say, there was a great deal of confusion before things got straightened out, and Hades made a hasty retreat from the lighter side of his domain. He hadn't gone to the Fields since. In fact, this was the closest he'd come to them in centuries.
"Go on," he told Persephone gently. "It's fine, the mortals won't mind you. I'll come get you later."
"But how will I –"
"Just call my name when you're ready to return, and I'll be here."
"Okay." She nodded, and Hades turned to leave.
"Hades?"
That voice. Where did she get that voice? Certainly not from her shrill mother. "Yeah?"
And then suddenly, she was at his side again, her arms briefly clasped around his neck, her breath warm on his face. She whispered, "Thank you," and he felt her soft lips brush his cheek. Then she turned and glided through the barrier, into the mortal equivalent of paradise.
Hades stood there, completely stunned. After a moment, he raised a hand to his face, gingerly touching the spot on his cheek where she had kissed him. He couldn't believe that she had actually …
Okay, whoa, hold on here, Hades thought. Why was he letting himself get all worked up over a stupid little kiss? She was just relieved he'd gotten her out of the soul slime, that was all. She probably would've kissed a cactus if it had gotten her out of the muck. Besides, he needed to focus on what was important. Ruling the cosmos. Yes, that was what mattered. Persephone was just a means to an end.
He repeated that to himself as he turned away, fully intending to get some infernal work done, ignoring that niggling little voice in the back of his head that said the young goddess was much, much more.