hi i wish i had an excuse but i don't, i'd just like to say that moving to university is long and tedious, and college is a huge money trap DONT FALL FOR IT
just kidding, stay in school kids
so i have a few new readers, so hello to u, i love you
Lily's mind was still spinning as she stood on the hard pavement of Royal Street, the reminder of her encounter with one Henry Mavros keeping her white shoes firmly rooted to the ground.
She admitted she had thought him attractive at the school assembly, and even perceived him to be mysterious and alluring. But now, seeing him in person, within mere inches of her face, Lily had clearly underestimated the power and hold Henry Mavros had on her.
His pale skin was flawless, no sign of imperfection on his milky complexion. The dark curls that beautifully framed his face curled perfectly in every direction, making Lily fight the urge to flow her hand through them.
His eyes once again had filled Lily with a strange, but familiar emotion that had plagued her night and day. Although his business attire screamed of formalities and seriousness, his smile had hinted at his playful and mischievous side. And for some odd reason, Lily had known that smile. Whether it was from her sweetest dream or her vivid imagination, she did not know, but she had the feeling she had seen it before.
Many times before.
"Hello? Base to Lily? Come in, Lily!"
Lily focused her eyes onto Anna's tan hand, which was frantically waving inches away from Lily's face.
"Anna," came Lily's timid reply. She watched as Anna placed one hand on her hip, while the other tugged a large, plastic bag.
"I leave you alone to buy us beignets for two minutes, and you go to the loony bin! What happened that made you all freaky, hon?"
Lily glanced over to Claire, who had a scowl on her pretty face as she stared between the two girls.
Anna rolled her eyes, "Anybody?"
"We bumped into somebody while we were waiting, and I guess you can say Lily got a little star-struck." Claire said, her tone souring with each word.
Anna's eyes widened as she jumped up and down, clutching onto both Lily and Claire's arms, pulling them in excitement. "Star-struck? My goodness, who was it? Don't tell me it was Cary Grant! Bing Crosby?"
"N-no, it was…" Lily began quietly, her eyes never meeting Anna's.
"It was? Tell me!"
Lily loosened out of Anna's hard grasp, taking a few steps from her friends and letting her eyes wander towards the direction Henry had left moments ago. "It was Henry Mavros." The hint of a secret smile crept onto Lily's pink lips, her entire being tingling as she remembered his vivid gaze.
Anna squealed, resulting in Claire hastily covering her ears. "Shut it, Anna! Half of New Orleans will think we're murdering ya!"
Anna groaned at Claire's demand. She reached into the bag she was holding and pulled out a crisp pastry, powdered sugar falling to the floor as she held it out towards the pessimistic Claire. "Here, doll. Take a beignet and be happy for crying out loud. I can't stand your negativity anymore!"
As Claire begrudgingly nibbled on her beignet, Anna smiled widely at Lily. She grabbed her hand as they began to walk once more. "Silly Lily, I knew you found him attractive! There's no hiding it from me."
Lily shrugged, "I never said he wasn't. I didn't say anything."
"Well then, that's your problem! How else is he going to know of your undying love for him?"
Claire choked, "Her what?"
Lily laughed, "Anna, you're completely loony!"
Anna raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Alright then, how come you were so dazed once I got back from the café?"
"I- I'm not sure. I guess I was a little embarrassed after he helped me pick up all my stuff-"
"Excuse me?" Anna interrupted.
"We were waiting for you to get back when Mr. Mavros and his disgusting assistant bumped into us. Mr. Mavros bumped into Lily, making all of her schoolbooks fall, Mr. Mavros helped her, he kissed her hand, and then he left." Claire explained in one breath.
"Excuse me?" Anna repeated.
Lily sighed, "He kissed my hand before he left. It was an apology." Although one side of Lily, the logical side, argued this case, the romantic and hopeful side of Lily argued that it had been more than just a simple apology. Not to mention, she had felt a strong feeling of déjà vu once Mr. Mavros had left.
"Apology, schmology!" Anna yelled, placing herself in front of Lily, walking backwards on the sidewalk. "Lily! This is huge! A handsome, foreign billionaire charmingly kisses your hand after coming to your rescue!"
Claire rolled her eyes, "Yeah, right after he bumped into her and knocked her over. Prince Charming, indeed."
Anna batted her hand in Claire's direction, "Oh, ignore her! She's just a cranky old hag." Claire scoffed at Anna's insult, but Claire paid no attention as she bore her eyes into Lily's. "Lils, this could be your one true love!"
Lily put her hands up, "Anna, you're going way too far with this."
"Oh right," Anna exclaimed, "I forgot all about your history hunk. Mr. Mike was it?"
"Lily can have friends that are boys, Anna. Not everyone has to be a love interest, you know?" Claire murmured as she chewed on a beignet.
Pointing an accusatory finger at Claire, Anna laughed, "And you, missy! What did you mean by 'disgusting assistant'?"
Claire rolled her eyes, "It was the same moronic guy who asked me for the time in front of the auditorium. He's just so rude, and I don't like him one bit."
"That's what you say now, but all great love stories start out that way. It would be perfect for some rude stranger to ruffle your uptight feathers, Claire. You need a man!"
"And you need a life," Claire replied.
"Anna," Lily breathed, "Leave it. We're almost home, and you know how my mom is about this kind of thing."
Ever since she could remember, Lily's mother had been fiercely wary of the male species. Boys that befriended Lily were fine, but once they had shown interest in her or vice versa, the friendship would ultimately come to an end. Always.
Anna huffed, waving a delicate finger in the air, "Well, this little doll hasn't heard the last of this, Lily Propolos."
"And this cranky old hag is tired of this conversation anyway," Claire added, making Lily laugh loudly.
Their trek continued on, the girls giggling and talking of other topics until the Propolos residence came into view. The Propolos mansion was one of, if not the, largest mansion on Royal Street. The grand grey building with white French-Door windows took up the entire corner of the street, its three floors standing proudly in the heart of the French Quarter.
Lily was still laughing as Claire and Anna playfully bickered, until a familiar voice chirped through the air.
"Miss! How nice to see you again! And you've brought Miss Claire and Miss Anna!"
The young maid pulled the grand wooden double doors open, allowing the girls to quickly shuffle inside.
"I'll take your things, Miss Lily."
Lily smiled at the young girl, her honey eyes smoldering, "Thank you, Cherry."
Hades sat idly at his desk, his eyes focusing on nothing in particular as he replayed his encounter with Lily Propolos. To have her so near had been euphoric, as he could still remember her sweet vanilla perfume circling her small frame, and although her golden eyes had dimmed to a bright honey, she still captivated him as no other immortal or mortal could ever dream of.
For hours upon hours, he thought of nothing but her. His new office on Canal Street had just been opened, and his business was teeming with life. The sound of a hectic office building filled his ears, but Hades found that he could dull the ringing telephone and the taps of the typewriters out. Recently, he had been so consumed with the thought of regaining Persephone that he could forgo any and every distraction. Which is why he barely heard Thanatos loudly enter his office with envelopes teetering in his hands.
"Well, Diamondeus is now officially open in New Orleans, boss. Although I'm not sure we'll get many customers. The middle class is dominant here, and I reckon they don't have enough money to buy diamonds."
Hades played with a slick, ebony pen, never once looking up to face Thanatos. "Please," He scoffed. "The French Quarter is filled with upper class aristocrat-wannabes. Take for instance, if Mrs. Gareux of Decatur Street bought a diamond necklace, then by the next week or so, Mrs. Rinaldi of Royal Street will have an even bigger and brighter necklace. No, Thanatos, here in the French Quarter, all's fair in fashion and riches."
He slowly looked up, his usual smirk falling into place. Hades had no doubt of the greed and lust here in the Crescent City. The upper class had the ambition and money to show off their lavish way of living, just as the generation before them, and before them, and before them starting at the beginning of time. Olympians were keen to pick up Hades' most expensive and biggest jewels, as one god or goddess always trying to outdo the other. These modern aristocrats were no different.
Thanatos sighed, "That may be, but not everybody is in good financial standing after the war."
"And d'you think lack of funds stops them? They could have no penny to their illustrious family name, millions indebted to the bank, and they would still show off their 'apparent' wealth." Hades spat.
Thanatos narrowed his eyes and nodded, "How right you are. Which brings me to this, actually." Pulling a white envelope from his stack, Thanatos placed it onto Hades' dark desk, awaiting his master's reaction.
The envelope had the name 'Henry Mavros' written in elegant script on the front, making Hades sneer at it. "Well, what's this then?" He asked, looking up.
Thanatos smirked in response, "Open it,"
Rolling his eyes, Hades grabbed his sleek letter-opener and gently opened the envelope. He then pulled out an intricate piece of parchment, his eyes narrowing as he read its content.
Dear Mr. Henry Mavros,
Please join us on September 31 as we host The 32nd Louisiana Wildlife Charity Ball. Live music, excellent Louisiana Cuisine, as well as an Open Bar shall be available.
Donations are accepted to aid the National Wildlife in research and Bayou restorations, but are not mandatory. Please attach any donations to the smaller envelope enclosed below. As well as donations, our annual Southern Belle Auction will be held this year to increase funds.
6:00 to the last stroke of midnight
The Grand Ballroom on Royal St.
Please bring this invitation for entry.
The Louisiana Department of National Wildlife
Hades let out a cold laugh, "This is ridiculous."
"Aw, Hades c'mon! It'll be a grand party. Open bar, eh?"
"I don't have time for nonsense."
"Exactly, boss. Live a little! We're in the Big Easy, for crying out loud. This is the best city we've lived in since Ancient times!"
Hades stood suddenly, his immense height stretching. He walked over to his large window overlooking the lively French Quarter. Staring out into the city, he slowly spoke. "I'm here to get Persephone. Balls and Bars mean nothing to me. I'm here for one purpose and one purpose only." He threw a hand to his curls, racing it through. "I need her to remember."
Thanatos opened his mouth to alleviate his master's stress, when suddenly the office intercom loudly beeped. "Mr. Mavros, you have a visitor."
Hades groaned as he returned to his desk and pressed the button to reply, "Not now, Martha. I'm very busy to accept any visitors. Tell them to come tomorrow during business hours, please."
The pair were met with silence, making Hades sigh and sit in his large chair. "I'll have Martha arrange a donation and send my declination." He handed the invitation back to Thanatos, who carefully placed it back onto his desk.
"I'll just leave it here for you," Hades was about to argue, but Thanatos quickly added, "I just want you to think it over. And who knows? Maybe Lady Persephone will be there."
A soft smile spread on Hades' face at the sound of her name, but his scowl quickly returned as he heard the unmistakable sound of his newest secretary, Martha, frantically shouting. "Ma'am! Please, Mr. Mavros is too busy to tend to any visitors!"
Hades and Thanatos both turned to the office door, their look of confusion meeting the panting Martha as she swung open the office door, "Mr. Mavros, I'm so very sorry, she just flew right by!"
Martha was slightly pushed as the mysterious visitor came in, a frown on her pretty face. Her ebony hair was pulled back tightly and intricately, and her expensive blue dress made the loud statement of her wealth.
Hades' eyes widened at her appearance, and Thanatos jumped backwards at her entry.
Her eyes narrowed as she met Hades', a sour look crossing her delicate, pale features.
"Mr. Henry Mavros."
The sun beat down strongly onto Tulane's campus. Students scurried throughout, some on their way to class, others chatting amicably with friends, and some enjoying the Louisiana warmth.
Lily sighed as she set her book down and uncrossed her legs to let them rest on the soft grass. Her long red skirt draped around her legs, shielding them from the sun's powerful rays. After her many classes, she found the temptation of reading on the lush grass under the sun to be irresistible. Pulling a book from her bag, she spent hours in the depths of the pages of her book, paying little attention to the outside world around her.
At times, she would find herself thinking of the man who had recently invaded most of her thoughts. How was it that Lily could feel as though they've met before? They had never met until his arrival to Tulane, but Lily felt she had shared some kind of secret memory and a strong bond with Henry Mavros.
"Miss," Mr. Mavros interrupted, his ocean gaze never leaving hers, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Henry Mavros."
Groaning at the memory, Lily flung herself backwards, her back hitting the grass as she extended her arms out. Feeling the blades of grass on her fingertips, Lily closed her eyes, trying to compose herself as she was soothed by the sound of chirping birds and the slight howl of the wind.
She frowned as she felt the sudden cold of the blocked sun, and as she opened her eyes to see the intruder, her gaze softened as she was met with the friendly smile of Mike Guerr.
"Hiya Lily!"
"Hello, Mike!" Lily replied, sitting up once again. "Care to sit and enjoy the sun?"
He sputtered, "Oh, I couldn't possibly. I mean, I wouldn't want to intrude or anything."
Lily waved her hand, "Of course not. No intrusion whatsoever. In fact, I would very much like for you to sit."
Mike giggled, "Alright then," Mike fell to the grass, his high trousers pulling even higher to reveal his striped socks and worn out sneakers as he sat next to Lily. "So, do you have any classes to go to?"
Lily shook her head, "Nope, I'm done for the day. It was just too nice outside, and I always carry a book with me, so I thought why not? And you?"
"I just finished too. Been up since seven this morning! Haven't had a thing to eat."
Lily watched as he rummaged through his large schoolbag, the mess of papers and school supplies threatening to pour out. "That's… awful," Lily replied.
Mike then pulled out several baggies of dried fruit, and held them up for Lily to see. "You want some? It's just dried fruit. My ma doesn't let me eat real fruit, since I choked on the juice of an apple once."
Lily gave a soft laugh, "Sure, I'd love some."
Mike beamed as he placed each bag out in front of him on the grass for Lily to choose. "Okay, so I have apples, oranges, strawberries, peaches, and pomegranates. Pick whichever one you'd like,"
Lily's eyes lit up at the last bag, "Pomegranates are my favorite,"
Mike's lips puckered in disgust, "Really? Ma always buys them since they're cheap at the French Market, but I find them gross. Never really liked them. But here!"
Handing a large seed to Lily, she thanked Mike and placed the fruit delicately into her mouth. "It tastes a little bit different when it's dry," She laughed.
Mike rubbed the back of his head in shame, "Yeah, sorry about that."
Lily only smiled in reassurance, "Hey, did you ever publish your article? You know, the one about my trip to Peru?"
Mike nodded eagerly, "Oh yeah! It's being printed in the monthly edition. You'll be under the 'Terrific Tulane Student' section,"
"I can't wait to read it then! Hopefully you don't make me out to be some plant-freak." Lily joked.
"Oh, I could never. You're great," Mike said seriously.
The pair sat in a comfortable silence, occasionally making comments about academics or things that they enjoyed to do.
Mike was a History major, and he attended Tulane University on pure scholarship. He and his mother lived in the outer rings of New Orleans, right next to the Mississippi River. He explained that his house was in the not-so-nice part of town, as the houses were small and frail.
Achieving his student employment for Tulane's school paper, Mike was able to spare money for textbooks and other essentials for school as to not bother his mom with expenses in their limited budget. Lily found herself admiring Mike, as his independence and ambition to work and study were characteristics that Lily found rarely in her small circle of friends. He was like a breath of fresh air, reminding Lily that she needed to be down to earth and grounded even with all the privileges she had been blessed with her whole life.
Mike also allowed her to, even for a little while, push those haunting, icy eyes to the back of her mind.
"Mr. Henry Mavros."
Hades stood slowly, his grand posture rising as he straightened his suit. "Martha, Nathaniel. If I could please have a moment with our visitor."
Martha simply nodded weakly, apologizing as she quickly hurried out of the office. Thanatos took one last look, silently telling Hades with his gaze that he would be near should he need help. At Hades' stoic nod, Thanatos left the office, closing the door behind him.
The silence was deafening in Hades' office. He paced around the room, while his guest stood powerfully in the center.
"After so many years, I never thought I'd see you at my door." Hades said.
"And after so many years, I never thought I'd see you in the same continent." Came her reply.
Hades growled, "How dare you show your face here after your betrayal. After I gave you a home, a position, my friendship. After all that, and you still did what you did."
She stiffened. "I did what I had to. And how dare you show your face here after I warned you."
"Please, let's not play the victim, Mrs. Propolos. Or should I say… Hecate." Hades spat.
Hecate raised her chin, "I took Persephone for her safety. I guarded her while she slept throughout all of these centuries, hoping and begging the cosmos that you wouldn't find her. I knew it would cause you trouble, and that's why I left without telling you. She was in danger."
Anger engulfed Hades' entire being. "What danger? Her curse had been lifted! I saw her breathing myself. I could have taken care of her. You let me live all this time in agony and pain, waiting for a sliver of hope that never came until I pushed fate aside and searched for her myself."
Hecate's eyes softened. "Hades, I know you won't understand. But if you had been in my position, you would have done exactly the same thing."
"No, I wouldn't have!" Hades roared. "You took her from me. You let guilt consume me for thousands of years. I blamed myself every day for her curse, and I had found her cure, Hecate. We were so close to happiness, but it was taken away, just as everything is." He slammed a hand down onto his desk, the loud smack making Hecate jump. "But, imagine my surprise when I find out that it wasn't my cursed fate, or the cosmos who took her, but you."
Hecate gulped, "Please, Hades. I beg of you. Please don't make her remember."
Hades seethed, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't. Give me at least one reason as to why I can't be happy with her once more. Give me a reason to walk among the mortal lands alone for the next hundred or thousand centuries. She doesn't belong in this pretend life you've given her, she belongs by my side."
Hecate opened her mouth and closed it repeatedly, seemingly arguing internally. She finally opted to keep her mouth closed, her eyes lowering to the floor.
"As I expected," Hades chuckled darkly. His eyes dangerously bore into hers, his menacing tone making the large office seem small and cold, "Nothing is stopping me this time, Hecate. I was a fool to let the Fates decide my life for me, but not anymore. I'm making my own fate, and I assure you that Persephone is in it."
Taking large steps, he angrily opened the office door, hinting at Hecate's departure.
She looked to Hades with disappointment in her eyes as she trudged to the door, stopping in front of the tall god, pleading one last time. "Hades, you're making a huge mistake."
He smirked, "I'll be the judge of that."
so hopefully you got the cherry reference from the sleeping goddess, i'll be filling this story with a lot of references like that throughout
also i love everybody's guesses as to who everyone is
you wait, we've just started!
until next time :-)