A/N: Forgive me beloved readers! I didn't notice something was wrong with it and I have no idea what happened. Hopefully this is readable.
I was out in the gardens, playing with the plants again. They did not cease to fascinate me. That was when I felt more than heard his presence.
I stood and watched his procession through the gardens. He was wearing much the same dark clothes as he had the entire time I had been here. It seemed all he wore was similar. My heart thudded at the sight of him regardless.
Without thinking, I followed him silently, hiding behind the plants. I was curious as to where he was going.
I hesitated at the end of the gardens. I had never been this far from the safety of the castle. As intriguing as the realm was, I knew the dangers. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself toward the garden walls and left through the gate. Miraculously, it yielded under my hands and opened.
I didn't know until that moment that I expected it to be closed. That I would not be allowed to leave the gardens.
I shook off the feeling and searched for Hades, who had almost disappeared from view. It was a building as imposing as the palace, but smaller. I could hear noises from the inside, scraping noises and soft whispers.
He rounded a corner, and I hurried after him. I rounded the corner without precaution, certain he was far ahead.
Instead I ran into a firm wall. I took a step back startled, but I was caught by the arm.
"Hades," I said, mortified at the high-pitched noise that escaped my mouth.
He gave me one of those smiles, where he only raised one side.
"What are you doing stalking me, Seph?" he asked.
I warmed instantly at his use of my nickname. The nickname he gave me.
"I…" I tried to catch my bearings. "I was not stalking you!" I pulled my arm from his grip, ashamed at getting caught.
"Then you visit the stables often?" He asked, crossing his arms.
When had he become so sassy? Was this not the imposing Lord of the Underworld?
"Yes," I raised my head, jutting out my chin. Of course I visited the stables often. At least I would have had I known there were stables.
I pushed passed him and continued around the building toward the huge doors.
Once inside, I nearly fell back unconscious. Instead, I backed up into Hades who apparently had been following closely behind. I jumped when he reached for my arm again, this time gently.
The stables were large, the inside made of heavy, dark wood. There were riding and hunting scenes carved into every inch of wood, some magnificently amazing, some grotesquely detailed. What had startled me, however, were the animals themselves.
They were the same wispy black things that had pulled Hades's chariot that fateful day in the fields. They were shadows that blurred and smudged as if my vision was failing. They drove the temperature of the stable down to the point that I could see my breath before me. I was doubly grateful for Hades's hand on my arm now, who's skin was cold anyway, but nowhere near as this.
Sensing perhaps both my hesitation and cold, Hades secured an arm around me and pulled me forward.
"So those frequent trips to the stables are not that frequent?" He said as we approached the first stall.
I did not dignify the question with an answer. Also, between his arm and stone body, I was a bit distracted.
We stared for a moment at the magnificent beast in the stall. It threw its head back in greeting and continued to go about its business. It was as large as the beasts in the Aboveworld, but difficult to focus on. It was made of darkness and it made whispers that chilled my mind. It scuffed about, radiating power and strength.
"It is the ghost of a horse," Hades answered my unasked question. "Or something like it. It might be more correct to call it the essence of a horse, or the shadows of one."
"Do all animals become shadows like this when they die?" I asked. Looking up at him from my spot at his side.
"No," He looked down at me. "Animals are reincarnated almost immediately, into animals or plants. These horses only became shadows because they were valiant war horses, They died on the battlefield, with honor, and with more intelligence than the average beast."
"So you also judge over animals." I smiled. There was something very wonderful about that thought.
"I can." He shrugged, a very non- Death King motion. "As I said, I usually just set them on the path to reincarnation, unless they stand out. Just as I set mortals on the path of Asphodel Meadows, unless they stand out."
"Interesting," I said, and it was. I was infinitely curious to his role here in the Underworld.
"Come," He pulled my from the stall, back out of the stables.
There in front of the entrance was his chariot and two horse shadows, ready for him. We were going straight for them.
"Where are we going?" I asked, looking up at him again. There was that twitch of the lips again.
"I will save you the effort of stalking and bring you along formally," he said.
"I was not stalking!" I tried to stop to argue, but he continued to push me.
We boarded the chariot and he released me to take the reigns. Which was disappointing. The vehicle was made for one person, however, making the trip in close quarters. Which was not disappointing.
"I was going to take a quick trip over my domain," he said, snapping the reins. I gripped the side of the chariot to keep from tumbling off. "I had the time, and it is good for a reminder of who is the Lord here."
The horse shadows tossed their heads and gained speed, absolutely thrilled to use their powerful legs, intoxicated with the run. At one point, the horse shadows inclined and took the chariot to the air and we flew over the Underworld.
Hades showed me then, his kingdom. He showed me the entrances grand and guarded. Even the lesser known doors, like the one I had used. He showed me the grey Asphodel Meadows for the ordinary souls were vast and apparently took the largest portion of his kingdom, other than Tartarus, the pit of punishment, which was far below the Underworld. Elysium and the Isles of the Blessed were beautiful and golden, for the righteous. I leaned far out of the chariot, delighted to be able to see what few had ever seen before.
The wasted souls in the Mourning fields made my heart constrict, though. That was where I would be cast were I a mortal probably, wasting my life on unrequited love.
Seeing my sobered mood, Hades handed me the reins.
"What are you doing?!" I had never driven a chariot before, much less a flying Underworld chariot. I made panicked noises, struggling to keep the reins from trembling as much as I was. The horse shadows did not seem to even acknowledge me, however. They must sense my incompetence, but they continued on, ignoring my accidental tugging and shaking.
Hades remained uncaring of my struggles. Instead he seemed to be focusing entirely on the far off ceiling. Raising one arm and then the other, I could feel him concentrating his power. The amount of power he wielded was almost suffocating, but he continued it for a while.
I began to notice not long after that it was getting brighter gradually. I studied Hades, the reins loosely in my hand forgotten.
He pulled that immense power, and I realized he was pulling all the light toward himself. It came to the point that I had to close my eyes and turn away.
I heard the shrill of a strong wind and I opened my eyes again.
He had tossed the light into the air, and it was still flying up. We watched as it solidified into a sphere, finding its place before it hit the ceiling.
Satisfied, Hades took the reins from me again.
"What-" I was brighter now I realized. I had to squint a bit at the brightness. I looked around. The constant haze that enveloped the Underworld was gone now. It was brighter and clearer now because of the sphere.
"You made a sun," I stared at him in astonishment.
"A sun imitation," he corrected, he urged the horse shadows faster. "It is far smaller and dimmer than the one in the Aboveworld."
"But… why?" I was gripping the edge of the chariot again. I was too astounded to care about the speed. I twisted my head so I could see his face.
It was as unreadable as ever.
"My subjects will be pleased to have a night when the sun sets." He said finally. "It has been centuries since anything changed in the Underworld. They need a novelty to discuss and fight over."
I found my face had stretched into a wild grin, but I could not help it. The sun. I had the sun again. It was even had a bit of warmth coming from it. Granted, it was still colder than the Aboveworld on average, but there was a sun. A bright ball of light.
We landed back before the stables. Hades was careful and thanked the horse shadows for taking him. I did the same.
We walked back to the palace and I could not help but turn my face toward that new sun. It gave me joy to no end to see a sun. I revealed in the warmth it gave my face and I played with the light with my fingers.
"Do… you like it?" Hades asked.
I quickly directed my attention back to him. I tried to look at his face, but it was as impassive as ever. The handsome face could have been carved from stone.
"I love it," I said, letting all the feeling into those words. He may be cold and distant, but I could never be. "It's beautiful and grand. Will it move?"
"Yes," He looked at it. "It is about midday now. I made it so that it mimicked the sun in the Aboveworld."
"Then there will be a night," I clapped my hands.
"I made a sun for light, for the day, yet you are excited about the night?"
"Yes!" I said. On a moment of reckless impulse, I latched onto his arm, at his elbow. "The day is beautiful and bright, but the night is mysterious and amazing. I think they make each other more special merely by existing as a consequence of each other."
"I see," he answered, his mind far away, but he did not pull away.
We finished the walk, crossing the gardens in silence.
I knew what was coming, he would make an excuse and pull away, off to his duties.
So I pulled away instead, releasing his arm.
"Thank you, Hades, for the trip and even if it was not for me, thank you for the sun," I waved exaggeratedly.
His stone face softened, I thought. The corner of his lips twitched in barest of a smile.
"Thank you for accompanying me, Seph," he said.
Perhaps because he had taken me with him, or because he had put his arm around me. Perhaps because he had not pulled his arm away or because of the way it felt when he called me Seph. Perhaps it was because of the day or because of the new it was that conveniently placed stone and where he stood. Whatever it had been, I found myself springing forward.
Jumping onto the rock with one foot, I pushed myself up, up toward his face. It was quick, a peck on the cheek. But so much started on my side when my lips touched his cold cheek.
With that, I was quickly off again and running back toward the gardens. I was hoping for shelter from my mortification and excitement at my girlish prank.