The river Styx stood before Hermes, wide and dark. It twisted as it
flowed, coiling like some terrible black viper.
The stench of death accosted Hermes' nostrils, thick and poisonous. The god stepped aboard the river's barge, nodding wordlessly to Charon.
The ferryman acknowledged Hermes' presence with a chilling disinterest, comprehending that the god must be on Zeus' business and therefore should not be interfered with, for fear of being made the adulterous god's next wife... or perhaps conquest would be more appropriate. One can never be sure of a man that tucks his tunic into his tights.
When the ferry had reached the opposing bank, Hermes made his way off the boat and to the gates of Hades, accidentally bumping into one of the axe-burdened guard as he burst through. "Sorry 'bout that."
The throne room was grand and adorned in a myriad of precious gems that glittered elusively in the torch light. Hades was seated in a polished, velvet cushioned throne, elegant in its simplicity. It looked out of place surrounded by the ornate and rather gaudy gold and silver of the hall's decor. Beside him sat Demeter's daughter; a pretty thing, but fragile looking in a realm of cold stone and marble.
Hades leaped quickly to his feet as the messenger god burst forth, instantly suspicious. "Hermes," he sneered, tugging down his tunic in an attempt to hide his breasts, "What does my illustrious brother command?"
Hermes swallowed a sigh. Stupid gods. Why can't Zeus do his own dirty work? "The girl. You must release her."
Hades looked indignant, "Persephone will not leave. She is my Queen, my love!"
Voice dry, brows arched, Hermes replied. "It's really quite tragic, but I have my orders and those are to bring the girl back to her mother." ... who is scary and quite mad...
Hermes stepped forward and took Persephone by one cold, clammy hand, pulling her toward him. She came readily, eagerly. "Besides, since when does stealing and deflowering a little girl make her your love? She seems to bit anxious to come with me, hmm?"
Rage contorted Hades' face in a manner that was really quite intimidating, making Hermes wonder whether or not he'd prefer being locked up alone in a room with him, or Demeter. It was a hard choice. And all he wanted was to be left in peace to polish his wings and heal his ankles. Oh, and the shin splints that seemed to be developing in that left leg....
That was about the time Hermes noticed that the dark lord's henchmen had grabbed him by both arms and weren't exactly keen on letting him go. Stupid wandering mind... must pay attention to the action in the future. Persephone was restrained similarly by a second pair of minions.
Hermes struggled without avail, then jabbed at one of his captors' groin with his caduceus. The other stayed his blow. Bloody hell. This was not in the job description. "You're a fool, Hades. Zeus won't stand for this."
Persephone pawed at one of the servants hovering over her. "Eww, don't touch me." The servant in question shrunk back from the look Hades gave her, and went off to play with Persephone's tiara. Realizing it was on Persephone's head, she played with the cushion for a bit and then went off to solicit the horrified male henchmen. And then the writer returned to the main point of the story.
Hades paced back and forth, muttering to himself. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. Keep the girl, incur Zeus' wrath... lose the girl, live in desolation for... well, eternity. Immortality can be a bitch.
Suddenly, he was struck by an idea. The kind of light-bulb over the head kind of thing, just lacking in the light-bulb area. Low budget type deal, you know. He clapped his hands and gave a brisk order to a subordinate. She left, quickly returning with a large ball, suspiciously the size of a hamster ball. It glowed plaster-red.
Persephone tilted her head, distracted from her plight. "Is it a hat?"
Hades lifted the... thing.. and admired it the way an evil mastermind admires his weapon of mass destruction. "You must leave, of course, my love. But you must be hungry. First, you must eat from this luscious pomegranate."
Hermes eyed the... thing. "Right. Pomegranate. Sure. Have a taste and let's go." Someone never did his homework on the food of the dead stuff. Or maybe he just didn't care.
Persephone gazed at the... thing, and then looked excitedly to Hades. "You mean if I eat some, I can go? Home? I'll do it."
Hades would have rubbed his hands together gleefully, had his hands been free. He plucked a seed from the fruit and gave it to Persephone, who ate it eagerly while Mahler's 1st boomed enthusiastically in the background. Hades continued to feed her, but after the sixth seed, Persephone shook her head. "I'm full... and it tastes kinda like hamster."
Hades shrugged, and shoved the pomegranate back into the arms of the servant, who scurried off meekly. "You are free to go."
Hermes shook himself free of his captors, taking the opportunity to poke the one that looked like his father in the kneecap. Take that! Then he grabbed Persephone, and fled. Woot!
The stench of death accosted Hermes' nostrils, thick and poisonous. The god stepped aboard the river's barge, nodding wordlessly to Charon.
The ferryman acknowledged Hermes' presence with a chilling disinterest, comprehending that the god must be on Zeus' business and therefore should not be interfered with, for fear of being made the adulterous god's next wife... or perhaps conquest would be more appropriate. One can never be sure of a man that tucks his tunic into his tights.
When the ferry had reached the opposing bank, Hermes made his way off the boat and to the gates of Hades, accidentally bumping into one of the axe-burdened guard as he burst through. "Sorry 'bout that."
The throne room was grand and adorned in a myriad of precious gems that glittered elusively in the torch light. Hades was seated in a polished, velvet cushioned throne, elegant in its simplicity. It looked out of place surrounded by the ornate and rather gaudy gold and silver of the hall's decor. Beside him sat Demeter's daughter; a pretty thing, but fragile looking in a realm of cold stone and marble.
Hades leaped quickly to his feet as the messenger god burst forth, instantly suspicious. "Hermes," he sneered, tugging down his tunic in an attempt to hide his breasts, "What does my illustrious brother command?"
Hermes swallowed a sigh. Stupid gods. Why can't Zeus do his own dirty work? "The girl. You must release her."
Hades looked indignant, "Persephone will not leave. She is my Queen, my love!"
Voice dry, brows arched, Hermes replied. "It's really quite tragic, but I have my orders and those are to bring the girl back to her mother." ... who is scary and quite mad...
Hermes stepped forward and took Persephone by one cold, clammy hand, pulling her toward him. She came readily, eagerly. "Besides, since when does stealing and deflowering a little girl make her your love? She seems to bit anxious to come with me, hmm?"
Rage contorted Hades' face in a manner that was really quite intimidating, making Hermes wonder whether or not he'd prefer being locked up alone in a room with him, or Demeter. It was a hard choice. And all he wanted was to be left in peace to polish his wings and heal his ankles. Oh, and the shin splints that seemed to be developing in that left leg....
That was about the time Hermes noticed that the dark lord's henchmen had grabbed him by both arms and weren't exactly keen on letting him go. Stupid wandering mind... must pay attention to the action in the future. Persephone was restrained similarly by a second pair of minions.
Hermes struggled without avail, then jabbed at one of his captors' groin with his caduceus. The other stayed his blow. Bloody hell. This was not in the job description. "You're a fool, Hades. Zeus won't stand for this."
Persephone pawed at one of the servants hovering over her. "Eww, don't touch me." The servant in question shrunk back from the look Hades gave her, and went off to play with Persephone's tiara. Realizing it was on Persephone's head, she played with the cushion for a bit and then went off to solicit the horrified male henchmen. And then the writer returned to the main point of the story.
Hades paced back and forth, muttering to himself. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. Keep the girl, incur Zeus' wrath... lose the girl, live in desolation for... well, eternity. Immortality can be a bitch.
Suddenly, he was struck by an idea. The kind of light-bulb over the head kind of thing, just lacking in the light-bulb area. Low budget type deal, you know. He clapped his hands and gave a brisk order to a subordinate. She left, quickly returning with a large ball, suspiciously the size of a hamster ball. It glowed plaster-red.
Persephone tilted her head, distracted from her plight. "Is it a hat?"
Hades lifted the... thing.. and admired it the way an evil mastermind admires his weapon of mass destruction. "You must leave, of course, my love. But you must be hungry. First, you must eat from this luscious pomegranate."
Hermes eyed the... thing. "Right. Pomegranate. Sure. Have a taste and let's go." Someone never did his homework on the food of the dead stuff. Or maybe he just didn't care.
Persephone gazed at the... thing, and then looked excitedly to Hades. "You mean if I eat some, I can go? Home? I'll do it."
Hades would have rubbed his hands together gleefully, had his hands been free. He plucked a seed from the fruit and gave it to Persephone, who ate it eagerly while Mahler's 1st boomed enthusiastically in the background. Hades continued to feed her, but after the sixth seed, Persephone shook her head. "I'm full... and it tastes kinda like hamster."
Hades shrugged, and shoved the pomegranate back into the arms of the servant, who scurried off meekly. "You are free to go."
Hermes shook himself free of his captors, taking the opportunity to poke the one that looked like his father in the kneecap. Take that! Then he grabbed Persephone, and fled. Woot!