Chapter 9 – The Fates
Kore had spent the last few hours in the God of death's company and had decided – rather quickly – that she liked him.
'I want to meet the Moirai.' Kore said suddenly. 'I have to know if this is my lot in live – and before you say anything, I know, I know "Hades is not that cruel", but I just need the consolation of the fates to make me feel better.'
'If that is your wish, then so be it.' Thanatos reluctantly agreed. 'But do not say I did not warn you, those bitches are crazy.' He paused, then added. 'I should know, I may have been, let's say, close with one of them.'
'Close.' Kore prodded as Thanatos shivered. 'Define close.'
'Well, it is not something I'm proud of…I was young, she looked…young at the time.' He grimaced. 'You see the Moirai come in three stages – there are the maiden, the lady and the old woman – well, when I was getting close with what I thought was the maiden, turns out I was wrong.'
'You mean.' Kore's eyes widen, while Thanatos cradled his head in his hands. 'Oh, no you didn't.'
'It was dark.' He said quickly. 'And she looked young when we started and then during the finale she…changed – trust me, it wasn't pretty.'
He turned away from her, murmuring something about having nightmares for a century.
Kore laughed, something she never thought she would do in the entirety of her stay here.
'Alright, I'm sorry.' She began, when he gave her a I'm-not-amused look. She lightly touched his back to comfort him. 'I won't say anything, but you need to take me to them, it's important for my sanity.'
'I suppose I could take you to their cave, at least.' He said slowly, playing at being the petulant child. 'But of course, I would leave you there – you know, broken hearts and all, it would not be ideal if I came all the way with you.'
'Fine.' She agreed, relieved that he would take her. 'You have no idea how much this means to me.'
'Hmm, I think I'm going to regret this.' He sighed, Hades was going to fling him in Tartarus for this.
~*O*~
Hades allowed Minthe to dress him, watching as she tied the leather sash around his waist.
He was going to go to Olympus.
He was not going to tip-toe around Zeus any more, he was going to demand his help and if Zeus refused, then Hades would not think twice about taking every jewel and coin for himself, until Zeus complied – and then they would discuss the problem of giving Demeter back her daughter.
'Will you be gone for long.' Minthe wondered as she fixed Hades dark robes into place.
'It won't be long.' He said, running a hand through his hair. 'Once Zeus has followed my orders, I will be done with this mess and Kore can go back to her mother and I will finally have peace in my realm.'
Minthe wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a long, hard kiss.
'He would be an idiot to fool you twice.' She purred, running her hands down his upper arms. 'You are so powerful, no one should think to better you.'
He sighed
'I'll only be gone for a few hours at most, try and be nice to my guest. I don't want her passing on tales to that mother of hers.'
She nodded, though reluctantly.
Hades placed an onyx and ruby livery collar over his head, resting it neatly on his broad chest.
'I mean it Minthe, if I hear that you've been playing tricks on the flower maiden, I will be forced to have you punished – Demeter would not be happy if I let you get away with tormenting her daughter, do you understand?'
'I will do my best to be hospitable to your guest for as long as she stays with us.' She smiled sweetly, not wanting him to see the simmering jealousy that was threatened to take wing.
Shaking his head, he turned from her.
He would get this sorry mess over and done with, if he had to drag Zeus to Tartarus himself.
~*O*~
Kore held onto Thanatos as he winnowed through the ether – black shadows spread around them, ghostly voices, begging for mercy as Kore pretended she could not hear them. Were they the voices of the shades? Where they from Tartarus?
They landed on top of a hill, filled with sharp, glittering, black rocks.
'We're here.' He said quietly, as though one particular Moirai might hear him. 'We can still turn back, if you want?'
Kore shook her head, determined, she had to see these women. She had to know that she would not be stuck down here for eternity, even if Thanatos said she wouldn't be, she had to know.
'Sometimes things we think we want to know turn out to be regretful.' He told her. 'These women, they do not care about you. They will tell you things that you may not want to hear and you can never take it back, you can never unhear it, do you understand?'
'Yes, but I have to know.' She turned to look at him, refusing to back down in her determination. 'You may not understand, but this is my life.' She paused. 'I have to at least have some control over it, I am tired of people thinking they can walk all over me, do whatever they want with me…well, that's over now, finished. I am the master of my own fate.'
He nodded slowly, watching her, analysing her for the slightest bit of weakness.
'Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you.' He said grimly and before she could blink, he was gone, winnowed before she could change her mind.
She took a deep breath. She could do this; she would be brave.
Nodding her head as though to convince herself, she turned and began to climb the rocky hill.
~*O*~
Hades stormed through the great golden doors of Olympus, determined in his mission.
He walked through the gardens, past a few nymphs that were frolicking in the fountain and into his brother's private rooms – not caring if he had company or not.
Zeus was on his own, staring out of the full length window, gazing at the burning sun.
'Brother, we need to speak.' Hades demanded.
Zeus spun around to face him, startled by his brother's sudden appearance, but sobered once he saw the look on Hades' face.
'Not now.' Zeus said, tired of his brother's constant demands. 'I've just had Demeter on my case, I don't need you sticking your arse in to.'
'What do you mean?' Hades questioned.
'The bitch accused me of stealing her daughter.' Zeus said outraged. 'I mean, honestly, I know I'm not exactly pure, but even I draw the line at my own child.'
'Yes, I suppose you do have some morals.' Hades agreed. 'But, there is no need to worry, Kore is safe.'
Zeus stared at him, suspicion in his gaze.
'What do you mean safe, brother.' Zeus enquired. 'How do you know she is safe. All Demeter ranted about was that I have stolen her daughter and that she wanted her back. So, how could you possibly know she is safe?'
Hades paused, relishing in his brother misery.
'I took her. You went back on you word, brother.' Hades said calmly. 'So, I took her.'
'YOU DID WHAT!?' Zeus roared. He was going to strangle him. 'Didn't you think of the consequences or where you thinking with your cock for once.'
Hades laughed, a cruel, cold laugh.
'Zeus, never accuse me of ever being like you.' He said. 'You gave me your word and broke it and until you help me with the titans, I will keep your daughter, so what's it to be?'
'Keep her.' Zeus said. 'Her mother's gone AWOL, so keep her. It means I don't have to deal with her.'
Hades shook his head. His brother was a real piece of work.
'What do you mean AWOL, what has she done?' Hades wondered.
'She has refused to refurbish the earth.' Zeus answered, pure, sieving anger on his face. 'She said, if I can so easily turn my back on my child, then she would turn her back on the world, stupid bitch.'
'Well, you will have another problem on your hands if you don't get the titans off my property and deep within Tartarus.' He said, not in the mood for Zeus' drama, he brought this on himself. 'I have been nice, but no more. I will not be taken for a fool – either you help me with the titans or I keep your daughter and all my riches for myself.'
'You are bluffing, brother.' Zeus said calmly, disguising the panic that was threatening to surface. 'Didn't I say that I would help you with the titans in my own time.'
'When my kingdom's peace has already been blown to smithereens, I think that is time enough.' Hades would not back down.
'So, you thought you'd take my daughter?' Zeus said slowly, flabbergasted at his brother's uncharacteristic actions. All this because Hades could not take the slightest bit of noise?
'Well, I thought it might move your arse into action.' Hades smiled. 'Caught your attention didn't it?'
'Your bloody right it caught my attention.' Zeus was fuming. 'Do you have any idea what this will mean to our kingdoms? All this because of a stupid flower maiden? Our people will suffer, the people who worship us will die.'
'Brother, I think you know me well enough to know that I don't give a damn what you think.' Hades said, then added. 'Besides, the humans don't pay homage to me as much as you would think. I can live without it, but you can't.'
Zeus had gone pale.
'You will pay for this Hades; I will find a way to make you pay.' Zeus said, clutching at straws.
'Oh, I quake with fear, little brother.' Hades laughed. 'Remember, I am older and wiser than you, I can play this game that you have started, and I will win.'
With that he vanished into a puff of black smoke, his words unsettling Zeus.
~*O*~
Kore stood outside the mouth of the cave.
She had been standing there for the past few minutes, apprehensive about going in. She tugged at her torn spring dress, a little embarrassed that she would be meeting the Moirai in this not so glamorous ensemble.
If she were honest with herself, she was afraid.
Afraid of them and afraid of what they might say.
What if Thanatos was right? What if they told her something she didn't want to hear?
This was stupid, she told herself. She could do this, she was brave and she could do this.
She would push away every fibre of fear in her body and meet these women who knew her past, present and future.
She would do this.
Taking a deep breath, she walked into the cave's entrance.
The first thing that caught her attention was the sound of spinning – rapid and constant – forever running, until the life that they had created stopped.
She turned a corner, holding her breath as the tension spread about her, thickening the air, smothering her until she could barely breath.
This was it, she was going to come face to face with the Moirai and she would be strong. She would not let their words affect her, at least she hoped they would not.
Suddenly, the spinning stopped.
'I hear something, Atropos.' A hauntingly, beautiful voice said. 'Don't you?'
'I smell the faint scent of flowers.' Atropos answered. 'I believe we have company.'
'Will you not show yourself, Kore Soteira.' Another voice joined in. 'It would be rude not to, especially, when you have not been invited to our home. Now come, Goddess of springtime, let us see your face.'
Kore was breathing heavily and with one hard breath, she turned the corner and was staring at the three women who knew everything about her.
They stood – serene and beautiful – in front of a worn-out spinning wheel, strings of gold, silver and red spread about them, like a beautiful spider's web.
'I am here for ans-
'You are here to discuss your future.' They all said in unison, startling Kore.
'Yes, yes that is right.' She began, she was very nervous. 'I need to know, will I ever get home.'
'It depends on what you mean by home, my dear.' The woman, Lachesis – who was dressed in white robes – smiled at her. 'You have more than one home, more than one life.'
What was she talking about?
Kore was confused. What did they mean by more than one life, surly that wasn't possible?
'The seed will take form,' The girl, Clotho – who was dressed in blue robes – said as she walked over to Kore. 'They will consume you, so that only three will come into fruition.'
Three?
'I can see darkness in you.' The older of the three, Atropos – who dressed in red robes, the colour of blood – came to stand beside the girl, lifting her hand so that it touched the side of Kore's freckled cheek. 'All-consuming darkness will contrast with light. You will forever walk in springtime, but winter will follow quickly in your path, leaving misery and darkness in your wake.'
'No, you are wrong.' Kore said, tears falling down her cheeks. 'Your prophesies are wrong, I am Kore, Goddess of spring, darkness will never be my shadow.'
They did not argue, like Kore would have thought they would. Instead, they smiled – eerie and cold – as they stared at her.
'You may not choose to believe it, but your destiny is closer than you think.' The woman in white said. 'No one can escape what we have planned for them, no one.'
I hope you like chapter 9, if I am honest I struggled with this one, I know how I want this story to go, but I am feeling a little uninspired, so I hope you all like it and please, let me know, it will really help me to write.
More character will be introduced as the story goes on. Can you guess what the Moirai were taking about? Let me know.
Sorry If there any mistakes, they will be fixed in time.
Thanks for reading and the reviews,
Kait.
