It was nightfall in Mt. Olympus. The celebrated wedding between the beautiful Aphrodite and the diligent Hephaestus had been satisfactory to all but the bride. All throughout the ceremony, she remained indifferent to her surroundings. Neither the first marital kiss nor the married couple's first waltz stirred an emotion from her. Indeed, I was tempted to point out this sort of melancholic air about her had it not been for Hera's warning. My sister told me that I could not judge something I did not understand, and I couldn't agree more.
Hephaestus was the happiest soul in existence. He drank to the health of everybody and joined the conversation of everyone. How I wished Aphrodite had been the same.
"It's somewhat tragic don't you think? Today, Aphrodite was wed without a proud father to dance her. One day, she'll be a mother and her child won't have a grandfather to climb on." Hera stood beside me with crossed arms. She had this look of nonchalant regret while she gazed over the bride. "But then again, I can't say I'm surprised. She's either my niece or my step-daughter. It's a question between Cronus and Zeus. Even if she knew her roots, it still wouldn't be pleasant."
"We're here for her." I said with a tone of reassurance. "And now, she has Hephaestus."
Hera shook her head. Her eyes were glinting with meaning, as she was torn between revealing an ugly truth and hurting a dear relative. The light from the central fire made our clothes glow in a fiercer shade of red. To show our respect to the newly wedded couple, we followed a uniform theme for our clothes. It was ridiculous but Hera insisted on it being done. As the goddess of marriage, it was only proper that her standards would be met to ensure a happy and lasting relationship; and since it was the union between the god of metallurgy and the goddess of love, red seemed the most appropriate.
"Where is Ares by the way?" I asked earnestly noticing Hera's arm unattended. "I haven't seen a trace of him tonight."
"He chose not attend." Hera answered with an exhale of breath. I raised my brow.
"Strange that he should miss his sister's wedding."
"Let's hope that he knows what's he's doing." Hera smiled as she looked at me though I could trace sadness in her expression. "It's really good to have you here, Hades."
"You speak as if I'd be gone in a moment."
"Well, wouldn't you?" Hera laughed dryly. "Who do I have to thank for making you stay this late?"
"Poseidon can be quite convincing when he wants to."
A small smile crept onto her face, one that would certainly last throughout the night. I beamed back at her perhaps not with equal glee but with real sincerity. The floors were open to those who cared to dance. Not far from the distance, I could see my said brother entertaining himself with Athena's stories. The moment our eyes met, he smiled at me and whispered something incorrigible to Athena. The goddess of wisdom then turned to look at me and with all ingenuity bowed lightly as how she was taught to greet those of higher statures. I tipped my head down and my small smile was reciprocated by a little one of hers.
"You know brother," Hera seemed to have followed my eye's line of vision, leading her to the unusual pair. "Athena is really beautiful in her dress. I really hope she wears these kinds of gowns more often."
"You know how she is, sister. She grew up barely concerned of her appearance. She's hardly interested in what another being's opinion of her. Athena's comfortable in the way she sees herself and because of that, there's no room for change."
"I don't want her to change." She shook her head gently letting her blond fringes sweep just above her brow. "Nor will I ever want her to, I believe. Her humility was what melted me. For a moment, I just couldn't help but wish it, perhaps, if she took a little more effort in her appearance, it would be her who'd be walking on that aisle."
"You want to see Athena get married?" I almost choked with laughter. No. That could never happen.
"Would that be too much to ask as a caring aunt?"
"You know, sister, this is Athena we're speaking of. I highly doubt matrimonial affairs would perk her interest." I confidently said accepting an offered goblet of wine from an Olympian servant. He disappeared as soon as he handed me one. "Besides, she is completely satisfied with her life. Why will she ever dare to change it?"
"You are forgetting that I can predict marital unions, brother. And it will not be long before a handsome god of equal intelligence as our dear Athena, comes along to take her hand." I frowned and shook my head. "Alright, perhaps, I haven't foreseen anything relatively close to that but you cannot stop such things from happening."
"I don't have to stop anything from happening because I know that it won't. Athena knows better than to ran off with random strangers."
"She does indeed." Hera nodded with a sly smile across her handsome face. "But what if destiny intervenes? What if love calls for her?"
"Then she will not listen. And she will not let a silly thing as destiny dictate her fate." I took a large gulp of wine at that. Athena? Being married off to someone she barely knew? Impossible. "Everyone is not intended for vows and ceremonies, sister. She has better things to do than procreate smaller versions of herself with another being who will, I assure you, give her only pain and suffering in return for her sincere love."
"That is a very pessimistic way viewing things brother," I could not help but think that this silly discussion had turned into an actual debate. I took another gulp from goblet. "What if she is ready to sacrifice all of what she has and all of what she is for the sake of that said love?"
"She won't." And as to affirm this, I took another drink from the reappearing servant. "She's Athena, Hera. She won't do anything reckless. I taught her better than that."
"But she has the soul of a maiden, Hades. With a heart that longs and seeks for another individual to complete it!"
"She is already complete sister. And to be honest an added companion will only bring her misery and dissatisfaction. Expectations will be forced upon her by someone who does not even deserve her and she will be subjected to follow them even if it goes against all of what she believes in." I took another quick gulp.
"You say it with all the confidence in the world, brother. As if, it is a universally acknowledged truth."
"Anyone who had seen Athena grew up would agree with me that she is fully capable of fending for herself and is in no need of finding a partner. She is satisfied with what her life is and will stay so in the future." I drank again and I could've sworn seeing Hera shake her head.
"But isn't that what makes relationships worthwhile? The fact that she is in no need of a companion in her life? It will be stimulated by the desire of sharing eternity with another being and not with the necessity of having someone to hold on when things fall apart." She spoke with all the delight and enthusiasm of a marriage advocate. It was almost too sad that I needed to wake her up to the cruel truth—that was and would always be.
"Hera, my dear sister. I love you and you know this well, but listen to me." I placed one hand on her shoulder and drank a big gulp of wine before continuing. "Life is not about finding our destinies in robes of white and crowns of gold, there is more to life than romance and marriage. And we should know this, we will live forever."
"And what about families? Of children? Of love, in general, brother?"
"Family? She has me, she has you, she has Poseidon. Hell, my dear sister, she has the whole of Mt. Olympus and the Underworld to call her family." My vision seemed a little hazy now. My language, I knew, was edging towards my stock of profanities which although limited was still scandalous.
"Why would anyone want children? I had not even met an immortal child whose existence wasn't considered a plague by her roots. Why have children in the first place? Is it only for the sake of having them? Because truthfully, they are entirely unnecessary in our lives—we do not need them. We are deathless!"
At this point, I could smell the scent of alcohol reeking from me as I took another large gulp from my drink.
"And love, Hera? What do we know about love? Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was said to have known every bit of knowledge there is when it comes to the matters of the heart and yet look her now, she's currently miserable for a strange and unviable reason after being wed. So forgive me for having a different opinion, my sister, but marriage is and will always be one of the most deplorable illusions existent in this universe for me."
To this, I decked down my second goblet and took my third.
"Are we still talking about Athena? Or are we talking about you?"
What?
"I beg your pardon?"
"Come on, you heard me, brother. Is this about Athena or about you?" Alright, What?! I was more than thankful for the wine. It gave me an excuse to not look at Hera in face as I tried to savor the flavor of its bitterness and thus it allowed me to discern whether I was really being questioned by my youngest sister about my real agenda in this conversation. "Because frankly, you seem to speak more for yourself and less for Athena every time you reply."
"I'm giving you the best opinion I can come up with regarding the subject of your choice on behalf of my niece, so it is highly plausible that I'm influenced by my own views." I could see her smirking in the corner of my vision. To hell with it—I knew I was right. "But do consider this. Athena grew up in my care, sister and you must admit, there are wide arrays of topics wherein our opinions are justifiably similar. And it won't be long before she proves to you herself that she is in no need of a partner as you suppose."
"Why are so against this, brother? Do not tell me you have fears of altars?" She chuckled to herself and I needed to remind myself not to leave her and Poseidon alone together. They were both incredibly blatant beings when left to themselves with close relatives. "No. It's not the altar is it? You're afraid of commitment! Oh my, I should've known."
She said this with so much confidence that had I not been SURE that I was NOT afraid of commitment, I would've found myself second-guessing if I actually did. "Hera, I'm not afraid of commitment."
"Well then, how could you possibly explain this ridiculous aversion against marriages and matrimonial affairs altogether?"
"Hera," Had I not been so adamant in proving her wrong in her conjecture, I wouldn't have bothered to look at her directly in the eye to say it. "I am not afraid of commitment. How can I be when I'm committed to almost all of you?"
"All of us?"
"Well am I not?" That final gulp of wine affected me more than it probably should. I staggered but refused to let the alcohol get the best of me. "I'm committed to you, to Zeus, to Poseidon—Athena, Ares and even Eris and Persephone. You are forgetting that your eldest brother is the Lord of the Underworld and that gives me three dominions under my responsibility."
"That would have be the most effective escape goat I've ever heard had it not been exaggerated by the fact that you're the king of the undead." I sighed loudly and from my side, I could hear her soft chuckles. Irritated that I was with Hera's implications I can never be angry with her. She was much like Poseidon during odd times like this, enjoying herself immensely while greatly troubling those around her. "Really though, brother. If we're the ones stopping you from pursuing a romantic relation, don't be bothered. I'm sure the children would understand—you ought to give them more credit."
She was no longer laughing at me. And though she was smiling, I knew she was no longer jesting. I looked back at her—eyes still full of hope and enthusiasm just as how we started. It seemed as if none of my attempts to change her blissful thoughts on marriage and things of the like succeeded. I was not disappointed by this fact but if it drew an emotion from me, it would undeniably be of concern.
What if the day comes when the reality of the truth about all of which she thought was rainbows and smiles comes crashing right in front of her?
I pondered for a short while on her last remark. Understand, huh? Would they really? I remembered so much of Ares and Athena's tragic childhood—Zeus' distance to the former, Hera's coldness to the latter and the rest of Olympus' indifference to the both of them. It was relieving to know that it was now all in the past. If there was anything I'd ask of the world, I only wish they'd be more assured that it wouldn't happen the second time. The abandonment, the rejection—it was not going to happen again, not to them, not to any of my nephews or nieces.
I was going to make sure of it.
"I love them too much to marry myself off."
"That is what I fear." She chuckled lightly before padding off a fallen laurel on my shoulder. "Well, there's still time. I want to see what I can do to do to make the bride happy."
"Do your best."
I received a brief peck on the cheek and try as I might, I could not suppress my smirk when she had finished doing so. I ruffled her hair messily yet I was only met by a close-to-but-not-exactly-goofy grin. It was nostalgic to see her acting as such—unhindered by the prejudices set upon her as the queen of the gods. The ripples in my goblet called for me to drink more, so I did. I drank to the health of Hera, of Athena, of Ares—of everyone whom I hold dear. I positioned myself farther from the crowd. I'd rather have none of the Olympian gods see me tipsy—if not entirely intoxicated. My head was throbbing and for a moment, I considered settling my goblet down and calling it a night, had it not been for the sudden appearance of Poseidon.
"Alone, brother?" I looked up to him. And though my vision was starting to fail me from all the alcohol in my system, I could see him near me—cradling his own golden chalice of the same intoxicating liquid. "Enjoying yourself with the beverages?"
"There was a reason I refused to having a wine cellar in my home."
"And for that exact same reason, I'm still mourning for the Netherworld's Manor." He chuckled. "Well, at least you took the initiative to not-be-a-wet-blanket on your nephew's wedding day. So quench my curiosity, what did you and Hera talked about a little earlier?"
"You saw us?"
"The both of you are slightly hard to miss. Two of the most respected gods in existence chatting by themselves be unnoticed by a crowd composed of the most ridiculously noisy gossips?"Though I knew from his voice that Poseidon had his own share of drinks, and sure enough it would be twice the amount of what I consumed, he still managed himself quite presentably and might appear for the common onlooker as having nothing more but a pair of reddened cheeks from having stayed too close to the central fire. "Impossible. So what was it about?"
I took a small sip from my goblet—had I finished this one as quickly as my former, Poseidon would undoubtedly call for another round. In all honesty, I doubt my system could take anymore of this abused fermented grape concoction but my body felt it needed its release.
"Well it started off fairly simple. We were talking about Aphrodite's parentage."
"During her wedding reception?" The god of the seas grinned with mocked menace. "I never thought the both of you could be so cruel."
"Don't exaggerate. We started there but the conversation ended on a very different note."
"Really?" Poseidon smiled as he took a drink from his goblet. "And where did it go from there?"
"Well, we argued a little about Athena and her future." Poseidon raised a brow and I was forced to explain further. "She told me that it won't be long before Athena runs off with her future husband who I must, without question, accept is her destiny."
"Now isn't that a fun thought. My intelligent niece flung in the arms of another man aside from her two loving uncles. I'd give a fortune to see that one."
"Luckily, you won't have to, since it will never happen. Apparently, Hera thought otherwise."
"Could you blame her? She is after all the goddess of marriage. It'd be hypocritical of her not to believe in unions." He laughed and took another sip from his wine before asking me to continue.
"It just revolved around a series of questions of such and such. She started to talk about families and I assured her that we'd always be there for Athena."
"We will, indeed."
"And the direction got a little confusing from there. Hera asked me whether I was still talking about Athena or was I talking about myself and my own thoughts against marriage. Next thing I knew, she was accusing me of being afraid of commitment."
"Pffft."
"Funny isn't it?"
"Brother, at that one I think I need to agree with Hera—now don't give me that look—I agree with her but not exactly on the way you probably think." Poseidon smirked at me and leveled his eyes to mine. "You're afraid of matrimony not because of the added commitment but by the possibility your other commitments be taken from you once you're fully committed to another being."
"Alright. First, I am not afraid of matrimony. And second, you lost me with the unnecessary repeated use of the word I'm accused of being afraid of."
"You're concerned that once you enter a marriage, you'll end up, forsaking your other commitments." I opened my mouth in response and he smirked at me, politely waiting what I had to say to counter his statement. I had none. And I found myself awkwardly gaping for my lack of words. "You're afraid that you'll lose time for us—for me, for Athena, and for all your other nieces and nephews who in my opinion are quite spoiled of your attention." I frowned at this but Poseidon simply chuckled and continued his course."Of course, I don't necessarily, see this as a weakness. If there's anything, I respect you all the more because of it."
Really now?
"We're your priorities whether you care to admit it or not—and with the Lord of the Underworld as their uncle, I don't think they have anything to fear."
I looked at him bemused. Regardless of the forming headache which I knew would be paid for dearly by tomorrow by an excoriating hangover, I was still able to muster, "Don't get all sentimental with me, Poseidon. Not in our nephew's wedding day."
"Don't get your hopes up, brother." He laughed at me and nudged me lightly by the shoulder. "I should get you drunk more often though. It's nice to hear you joke around sometimes. But then again, Drunk Hades had always been my favorite version of you."
"You have enough blackmail material on me to last you throughout eternity, what more would you want from me?"
"Really though," Poseidon smiled. "Sometimes, it's just nice to have you casually talking like that." It was my turn to nudge him in the shoulder albeit a little less gentle. "That reminds me, you still didn't tell Hera, did you?"
"Tell her about what?"
"Yep, you still didn't." Poseidon swirled his chalice lightly and smiled at me a little more sadly this time. "Don't you think she deserves to know how much we missed her when she suddenly married herself off to Zeus?"
Ah. So that was what caused the melancholic expression on his recently happy face. There was no denying that it was a sad memory. Depressing even, knowing how close Hera was to the both of us before Zeus asked her hand for marital union. Hera saw a father in me but it was Poseidon who took the role of both an older brother and a trusted companion for her. It was understandable. We cared for her more than we were willing to admit. Ever since, she became Zeus' wife, things were never the same between the three of us.
"Do you?" I asked which Poseidon only answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "She's happy now, Poseidon."
"With Zeus around? I'd beg to differ." I eyed him sharply. As siblings, we shouldn't be talking of each other in such a way. "Alright, alright. I won't say anything further. Still though, I look back to our former days when things aren't as complicated as they are today."
"Expect marriage to ruin the joys of a simple life." We both laughed at this jest. I turned to him right after laughing and quickly added, "It's not like we cannot visit her, you know."
"How can we, when every time Zeus sees either of us arriving unannounced he'll suddenly feel the need to cradle his crown on the fear of a dethronement." I gave him a warning glance. "Right, no more. I apologize."
There was a pause. It was an odd comfortable silence that sunk in and drew the both of us in nonchalance. It was something that came after good things had been said—a satisfactory rest after the peak of a discourse.
"You know brother, regardless of everything that had been said, I still do hope the best for you," I raised him my brow. I took the chalice off my lips, I was done with drink. "That you know, perhaps, with serendipity, you'll find your own partner in life."
"You really hope such a thing for me?" Poseidon nodded. "Well, I'm actually hoping the complete opposite."
"And why so?" I waved off my hand to Poseidon. My head was throbbing more noticeably right now and I was forced to settle my index and middle finger on my right temple for temporary comfort—though I had no idea how it helped. "If you're worried about us, I highly doubt you'd turn out like Hera. If there's anything I'm concerned about, it's you not paying enough attention to your future wife when she finds her way towards you one day."
"Why are all of you so enthusiastic to wed me off? Can a married man provide you with more entertainment than a bachelor?"
"Exploits in the bedroom would be a fairly interesting subject—ouch, ouch, I'll stop. I'll stop now—On a more serious note though, I just wish you to be happy."
"Can I not be happy as a single man?"
"You will hate me for this but I believe everyone should have a chance in happy matrimony—may it be you, me, Athena, Ares, perhaps even Eris and Persephone."
I looked on to the floors where the other Olympian gods and goddesses were gathered for the dance. It was a relatively festive scene—filled by lively music and heated colors. From the distance, I could make up Athena's figure talking or perhaps the better term was educating, the younger Eris on the steps to an ethnic dance which was now taking place in the center. Unknowingly, I smiled to myself appreciating the view. A little more near the fire, I made out a dancing silhouette which was leading the rest of the dancing bodies in the parts where it all seemed complicated. The body glowed beautifully in the light of central fire and moved majestically to the sound of flutes and lyres.
She turned to me and I was not surprised to find that it was Persephone. A part of me expected it. There hadn't been any other who had held my fascination without so much as an effort to interest me. She wore a deep velvet dress which suited her dark curls perfectly.
"You really believe that I'd be wed someday, huh?" I asked innocently.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, brother."
To this Poseidon smirked and I could only shake my head in the impossibility of this conjecture.
I must admit, this is by far the most satisfying chapter I've written.
Thanks, lovelies. :*
Love,
Ms. Reen