Chapter Fourteen: The Ball

Luckily for Kore, Menthe's companionship helped the days pass more quickly. The two quickly bonded over their mutual dislike for the ninnies surrounding them, and the daily afternoon excursions into the meadow were no longer quite so dreary. Kore enjoyed talking with Menthe, hearing stories about her rediscovered relatives. Occasionally one of the nymphs would break in with a scandalous bit of information about a couple (usually one of the couple would be Aphrodite), but for the most part they left the goddess and her friend alone. They lost interest in her after she informed them that she was not, had never been, and would never allow herself to be courted by Hermes.

Almost before she realized it, it was her last day on Olympos, and she and Menthe were walking back to the mountain to prepare for the ball that was being thrown as a kind of "going-away" party.

"It's tradition," Menthe explained. "They always did it before you left for the Underworld – maybe to get your mother drunk enough that she wouldn't be completely broken-hearted. Over the years it evolved into a HUGE celebration of the beginning of the harvest, and it even carried down to the mortals. Well, that part's gone now, but everyone is incredibly psyched for the party again. And everyone will be there – including your beloved hubby."

"I can't honestly believe that my mother would have allowed him to attend a party celebrating my last day on Earth." She winced. "What a weird phrase."

"Well, no, she wasn't happy about that, but you insisted once it became an all-inclusive affair. You felt it wasn't fair that every single nymph and satyr was invited and he, a major god, wasn't." She smirked. "After awhile, he just started spending the night and you two left for the Underworld in the morning."

Kore sighed. It was comments like that that were making her feel so awkward about seeing Hades again. Menthe never said anything outright, but her insinuations were enough to make Kore very uncomfortable. The fact remained, that, however married they had been in her past life (as she was coming to think of that time as), they hadn't had a real conversation since the evening of their "date" so long ago. He seemed like a stranger and she was not looking forward to spending the next two weeks with him. Underground.

Menthe tugged on her arm. "Ah, come on, don't look so down! It's a party! It's fun! There's music and dancing and good food and you get to wear a gorgeous dress. C'mon, we need to get ready!" The nymph dragged her into the palace and Kore allowed herself to get a little caught up in her friend's excitement. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad…

Hades was nervous. And when he was nervous, he had a tendency to pace, which he was now doing. Twenty steps across the width of the room, in front of the thrones. Wall. Turn around. Twenty steps back to the other side of the room. Another wall. Turn around. Twenty steps…

"You are going to wear a hole in the marble."

"Shut up. I think it will create a nice effect."

"Yes, well, while that could be interesting, it would also be expensive to replace once you got tired of it. That marble's antique, you know."

"What's it like up there in the world of people who actually have to pay for things?"

"All right, that's enough stalling. You are coming to the party," said Hypnos.

"I don't think they want me there."

"Like that's ever stopped you before." When no response came, Hypnos stepped in front of the god, forcing him to stop pacing. "Look, you can't hide down here forever. If you want to win her back, you have to get out there and actually make an effort!"

Hades' jaw clenched tightly. "It doesn't seem like she wants me to make an effort." He turned around and headed for the door that led into the palace's inner chambers.

"Hades, the poor girl's had her memory erased! Why don't you just go to the stupid – "

"Because she doesn't love me anymore!" Hades blurted out. "I don't understand why she can't even remember how much we cared for each other! She looks at me like I'm a stranger and she doesn't seem to want to get to know me again! It's so completely fucked up – I don't even know why I should bother. Everyone would be a whole lot happier if I just stayed down here and let it go."

"You wouldn't."

"Thank you, Hypnos, for that dazzling display of insight." He sighed. "I don't know…"

"Look, pretend the wall is Zeus and yell at it for a couple of seconds."

That idea had its merits. Hades screamed profanities at the unresponsive stone and immediately felt better. Smiling, he gestured towards the outer door. "Let's go."

Kore stood just outside the door leading into one of Olympos' many ballrooms. Pressing her ear against it, she heard laughter and chatting and music – and she knew immediately that she couldn't go in. "Menthe, I can't do this."

"Don't start freaking out now. Come on, the music's already started…" She grabbed Kore's arm and started to open the door, but the goddess pulled her back hard.

"I mean, I really, really can't do this! I don't…I don't think I can go in there and see them all and they're all going to be expecting me to know them but I don't I can't remember who they are! This is crazy!" Her voice was becoming increasingly shrill and squeaky. "Why should they even want me there if I don't know who they are? I…I…I'm hyperventilating! I don't hyperventilate! Wait, what if I do? What if I really do hyperventilate and I just can't remember it! Oh my god. Menthe!" She turned to the girl next to her desperately. "Do I hyperventilate?"

Menthe had an amused expression on her face. "Clearly. All right, come sit down." She led the way to a bench against the wall and Kore meekly followed. "Kore, you know that these people are your family, right?"

"Yes, but – "

"And family members don't like to see each other miserable, right?"

"I know, but – "

"So you really need to stop being so nervous. All of those immortals in there," she gestured, "are people who know you and who have missed you for the past fifty years. They don't care that you don't remember them yet. Remember, your memory loss is only temporary. After you make your choice, Mnemosyne will work with you, and eventually everything will be just like it always was." She cheerfully patted Kore's hand. "Now, is there anything else that's worrying you?"

Kore hesitated and shook her head. Then she opened her mouth and a rush of words flew out. "Hades is going to be there and I don't know him but he's my husband and tomorrow I have to go live with him underground and I'm scared!" She buried her face in her hands. "This whole thing sucks!"

"No! Kore…" Kore didn't look up. "Hades is a good guy. He's not going to hurt you. He worships the ground you walk on, and he's going to devote pretty much every waking moment in the Underworld to making sure you have a fantastic time." Lifting Kore's head, she inquired, "Don't you want to get to know him? Aren't you the least bit curious?"

Blushing, the goddess murmured a "Maybe." A slight smile crept onto her face. "He really worships the ground I walk on?"

"Well, you're a goddess, after all. And you are dressed gorgeously."

She grinned. "I am, aren't I?" She was wearing a lilac peplos with magenta trim along the border. It was fastened at the shoulders with two golden pins about the size of marbles and left her arms bear. Cinched with a girdle just below her breasts, and again at her waist, it showed off her figure to its best advantage. Her golden sandals, laced halfway up her legs, were visible through the modest slits in the sides of the dress. "You think he'll like it?" Menthe couldn't help but smirk as she saw Kore beginning to admit to herself that she had some feelings for her husband. "After all, it's not as if he's bad-looking….And he's been incredibly kind…Menthe?"

"Yes?"

"My mother won't be too mad if it…if it turns out that I want to stay w– "

Menthe shushed her quickly. "No time for worries right now! We are going to go in and party!" Brushing her own fears away, she pulled open the door and the two entered the hubbub.

A few hours later, the party was in full force and louder than ever, due to the wine that had been flowing freely from the start. And Hades, as per usual, was bored out of his wits. Not given to heavy drinking (although occasions like these usually made him want to start), he found he had trouble "relaxing" as much as his extended family. This added to the fact that nobody was talking to him made for a fairly dull evening.

"Hey, handsome, why so glum?"

Startled, he looked up to see Menthe standing above him, clutching a glass of wine and holding another out to him. He took it and sighed. "I see you've managed to find my little corner of sobriety and boredom." He was seated on a bench that was fortuitously shielded by a large potted plant. It was his customary Olympian ball hangout.

Menthe snorted. "No self-pity allowed. It never really suited you. So," she plopped down next to him and leaned comfortably against his shoulder. "I couldn't help but notice that you're not exactly trying to woo your bride. And considering Demeter has already claimed a headache and gone to bed, I see no reason you shouldn't be out there dancing the night away."

"Except, of course, the small matter of Persephone being mad at me for tricking her into coming here and the rest of Olympos shooting daggers at me for the trouble I've caused them with Demeter. Again." He gulped some wine, then scowled, "Besides, she hasn't exactly been lacking in dance partners."

"She's not mad, but I admit that maybe it's been a little difficult for you to ask her." Since Kore had made her entrance into the room, she had been whisked from partner to partner, in dance after dance, with hardly a moment for her to grab anything to eat. Menthe knew the girl was exhausted, and figured now was the best moment for Hades to try to talk to her. "She seems to be very popular this evening. Especially with Hermes…" The nymph gestured towards the main floor, where the messenger god was once again waltzing with Kore, who looked pained both physically and mentally.

Menthe could almost see Hades' proverbial shackles rise. "Oh, so he thinks he can just swoop in and steal her right from under my nose? We'll see about that!" He swallowed the last of his wine and stood up. "Right, I'm going in!"

She grabbed his arm. "Be chivalrous. She's still scared of you, so don't go and punch him or anything."

He looked indignant. "Of course not. Wouldn't dream of punching a family member." Menthe laughed as he walked away and heard him mutter, "Except Zeus, of course."

Kore couldn't understand it. She really couldn't. Why on earth did everyone want to dance with her?

"And then Ares was totally, like, there's no way you can throw that discus farther than me, and then I was like, 'Wanna bet?' And then we, like…um, threw the discus…"

And why, especially, did Hermes feel the need to enlighten her about the particulars of his athletic competitions with Ares (with whom, by the way, she had also danced, until Aphrodite had angrily pulled him away)? Her feet were killing her, her throat was dry, and (she winced) a slight rumbling in her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten more than a slice of pita all evening.

A smooth, deep voice interrupted her thoughts. "May I cut in?" She turned and gasped to see Hades, whom she had been rather grateful to avoid all evening, standing behind her and extending a hand. Again, she had to admit that he was very attractive. He was taller than her by several inches, with black hair that was held somewhat out of his face by a golden circlet – his crown, she assumed. Of course, he was dressed in black as well, in a short tunic that was clearly woven of expensive cloth, despite its lack of decoration. Kore glanced up at him and was immediately caught by his eyes. There was something enticingly familiar about sinking into their dark depths, and, for some reason, she felt immediately at ease.

She was almost unconsciously reaching her hand to take his when Hermes butted in. "Hey, man, I'm dancing here. Wait your turn."

Hades smiled tightly. "I do hate to be rude, but I thought it might be a good idea if I was allowed at least one dance with my wife, seeing as how we've hardly talked in fifty years." He glanced at her. "But, of course, if she would rather stay with you…"

"No! No, I think you're right, Hades," Kore quickly replied. She smiled apologetically at Hermes. "Maybe later."

Hermes shrugged. "Whatever. Yo, Chloris!" And he was off, chatting up a busty nymph who'd obviously had too much to drink.

"I guess he'll live with the disappointment," Hades said dryly, then quirked an eyebrow at Kore. "Shall we dance?" Without waiting for an answer, he swept her into the waltz that was still playing.

She immediately wanted to kick herself for sending Hermes away, for she found she was unable to meet his eyes. As they whirled across the ornate marble floor (everything was marble here!), in between other dancing couples, she stared determinedly at her feet, afraid to look up and see him watching her. She could feel him looking at her, or at least at her head, but by the time the music had stopped, neither one of them had uttered a single word.

Hades bowed and Kore curtsied, but before he could ask her for another round, she began walking off the dance floor. "I've been dancing all night, and I'd certainly like to rest for a bit," she explained as he followed her. She also hoped that maybe he would find someone else to dance with, but he very gallantly offered to get her something to eat. After being sure she was seated comfortably, he made off for the buffet.

Sighing, Kore untied her sandals and reclined on the blue velvet couch on which she was seated. Hades was simply too nice – she couldn't quite believe that he wasn't playing some sort of trick on her. She knew (because everyone felt the need to remind her) that he was supposed to be madly, madly in love with her, and that she had once reciprocated his feelings. At this point, however, it was entirely too weird to think about.

He was back, carrying a goblet and a plate full of food, whose scents made her stomach growl louder than ever. "Here you are, Persephone. Some of your old favorites."

She inspected the plate when he handed it to her. There were spanakopitas, stuffed grape leaves, some sort of meat pastry, and, of course, a small heap of pomegranate seeds. It all looked delicious, and she dug in, devouring the spinach and phyllo dough pie first. She had to admit, he did seem to know what she liked to eat. The liquid in the goblet was sweet and refreshing, and she looked at him in surprise. "Is this wine?"

"No, it's just nectar. You never used to like to drink too much."

Kore nodded, and went back to her meal. When she was finished draining the last sips of nectar from the cup, she wiped her mouth and looked straight at him. The food had given her some courage, and she decided to face her worries outright. "So, they tell me I'm going to live with you tomorrow."

Hades looked nervous. "Well, yes…I thought you knew about that beforehand…before you decided to try this… experiment?"

"Yes, I did. However, I feel like I hardly know you. It was different up here, because Demi – Demeter is still my mother and I've lived with her forever. But you're different. Everyone says you're my husband, but I don't feel like your wife." She had spoken as gently as she could while being honest at the same time, but when he remained wordless she grew afraid that she had offended him. Not knowing what else to do, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "It's of course not your fault. I understand that you don't remember me, and I'm trying to accept that, but it hurts me." He fell silent for a minute, then spoke haltingly. "I just hope that…that you won't come into the Underworld tomorrow with the...prejudices that I fear have been instilled in you these past two weeks."

She blushed and agreed that the Olympians had, on the whole, spoken negatively of the Underworld. "But Menthe has said that it's a nice place – and that you will be a perfect gentleman."

"Well, she would know, wouldn't she? And, you know, you won't be completely among strangers in the Underworld."

"I won't?" Kore looked up at him querulously.

"Menthe has agreed to come with you for the stay, if you will temporarily lift the ban on her leaving her group of nymphs." Hades wasn't entirely certain how Persephone would react to that idea. He knew they had become friends, but she had been incredibly adamant all those years ago about keeping the nymph away from him.

He needn't have worried. "Menthe's coming?!" she practically shrieked with excitement. "That's great!" She knew that she could count on Menthe to help her through this visit, as she had helped her get through the mind-numbing hours of flower-weaving. All smiles, she turned to Hades again. "So, tell me more about the Underworld!"

The rest of the ball passed swimmingly, for Kore's fears had been completely squashed by the knowledge that Menthe would be coming with her. She was able to talk with Hades for the last two hours about his kingdom, and she found herself surprised that it intrigued her. It certainly sounded more interesting than what she had been forced to do the last two weeks.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Sooner than she expected, the last few people in the room were heading off to bed, and she reluctantly arose. She smiled shyly at Hades and offered her hand. "Will you walk me to my room?"

"Whatever the lady wishes," he declared with mock chivalry, then grinned. "Do you still have trouble finding it?"

"Only a little," she admitted, laughing.

He guided her down the halls that she was finally beginning to consciously recognize until they reached the door of her room. "I'm staying the night, so I'll see you tomorrow morning. I think we're leaving after breakfast."

"Where do you stay?"

He pointed down to the adjoining room. "Remember, we share a wall. You heard everything we were talking about."

She grinned sheepishly. "Well, it's not like you were making an effort to keep your voices down." There was a silence, but it didn't feel awkward for some reason. Kore smiled. "Goodnight, Hades."

Hades seemed to hesitate, then he very quickly leaned in and kissed her lips. "Goodnight," he murmured, before hurrying to his room. She was left standing before her door, quite surprised, but inexplicably elated.

A/N: Such a short interval between chapters this time….lol. Thank you everyone who reviewed the last, and please continue to tell me what you think! I'll try to get started on the next part as soon as possible.e had helped her get through the mind-numbing hours of