Chapter 7: Of Problematic Family Relations

"You might not have been my first love

but you were the love that made

all the other loves irrelevant."

- Rupi Kaur

The next morning, as Meg got up, Hercules was already chatting with Phil in the kitchen.

Wonderboy even more energetic than usually, happily babbling about some subject which was hard for Meg to grasp, especially since she had arrived in the middle of their conversation.

"What's up with the kid? He's like a hurricane of positivity this morning?" Phil addressed his question to Meg entering the room.

"Can't I be on good mood?" Hercules innocently asked and both Meg and Phil shared a knowing look.

"Fine, fine, I'll share the news with you. Last night, I asked Meg to marry me and she said yes!" Hercules happily exclaimed as he put his arm around Meg. Meg softly smiled at his enthusiasm. For a moment, almost a comical expression of surprise was left on Phil's face.

"You kids ain't wasting any time, are you? Well, considering you turned down an opportunity to become a part of the Pantheon for her, I guess any other turn of events would be strange. Congrats," Phil finally offered, slapping his student's leg.

"You too, sister," Phil then told her with a small smile. Meg smiled back, knowing that there wasn't luckily any bad blood between the two of them.

"I'm happy for you kids, I really am. Actually the timing couldn't be any more covenient: I was thinking of moving back to Idhra," Phil then shared his own news.

Meg squeezed Hercules' hand, the disappointment obvious on his face.

"Really? But… I thought…" Hercules stammered back, losing his ability to speak because of the surprise.

"What Wonderboy means is that are you sure? Have you thought this through?" Meg stepped in for him.

"Well, I'm a trainer of heroes and he obviously is one now. I mean, there's nothing more for me to teach for him. I can finally retire without any regrets as me and kid both were able to fulfill our dreams. Besides, you two need to start living your own life without an old grump like me hanging around," Phil jabbed.

"There's always room for one goatman," Meg smirked.

"But if that's what you wish to do, you should do it," she then offered.

"I can come visit here and you can come see me on Idhra. It's not like we won't never see again," Phil elaborated more gently, turning his attention back to Hercules, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since learning of his old trainer's plans.

"I know. It was just… A surprise," Hercules lamely replied.

"Kid, you're getting married: you know I ain't gonna stomach all that loveydovey stuff going around here! We'll still see each other," Phil patted his leg comfortingly.

"I know," Hercules then replied, with a small smile.

"Good. Now if you two will excuse me, I need to sort out some stuff. I mean, how much crap can one satyr gather in only one year or so?" Phil grumbled as he scurried to the direction of his room.

"Obviously more than enough," Meg replied, even though Phil obviously didn't hear her anymore.

"Are you gonna be okay with this?" Meg then asked of her fiancé, turning towards him.

"I… I guess," Hercules sighed. Meg felt bad for him: Phil had coached him for several years, and Phil not being there on a daily basis was a big change for Hercules.

"Hey, as Phil told you, you're still gonna see each other, yeah? Shouldn't we give Phil a proper farewell party tonight, we could go for dinner with Phil and celebrate our engagement at the same time?" Meg then offered and Hercules looked much more enthusiastic after her proposal.

"That's a great idea! I'm gonna tell Phil!" he gleamed, hurrying after his trainer. Meg stayed behind, lovingly shaking her head at her beloved.

And as agreed Hercules, Meg and Phil went for a dinner to the same restaurant where Hercules and Meg had visited during their first date. The meal was delicious and they had a good time: Meg politely decided to give more time for Hercules and his trainer to reminisce of their old adventures as Phil had decided to leave the very next morning. After the meal, Hercules suggested taking a walk, but Phil decided to head back to the villa to finish up his packing. He also pointed out that taking a romantic evening walk sounded suspiciously like something reserved only for lovebirds like Meg and Hercules.

So Hercules and Meg bid goodnight for Phil and the two of them went for a stroll to the same garden they had visited back at their first "date". Meg let out a small hum of amused as she realized they were almost re-creating their first date: luckily she didn't have to sit through another play made of her relative's tragic life.

Everything was lovely and wonderful and Wonderboy was as considerate as always, but Meg's mind was occupied with her past, with all the things she still hadn't shared with Hercules. It made Meg feel even worse for still hiding her past from him. From her fiancé, out of all things.

One of the reasons why she felt so hesitant was that she still hadn't leveled to her fiancé about her family history: she knew that Hercules was aware of that as well, but he didn't want to push her or make her talk before she herself felt ready. Meg was thankful for Hercules being always so kind and considerate. She knew she couldn't push the topic much longer though, she had already been avoiding it for far too long.

Hercules had also noticed that something was obviously on Meg's mind, but he didn't want to push it.

They were walking side by side their hands weaved together. How her small hands could fit his bigger ones so perfectly, he couldn't even fathom. It made him happy though, very happy: as if the Gods themselves had designed them for each other.

Meg's mind, however, was weighed down by her past and all the things she still hadn't told Hercules.

"Meg, honey, something on your mind? You have been pretty absent today," Hercules gently asked her.

"I'm sorry Wonderboy. This evening was wonderful, YOU were wonderful. I feel that I need to tell you about my past and I don't even know where to begin," Meg sighed. Truly, with her family history, where could she even begin with?

"Start wherever you want to, okay?" Hercules guided her to sit with him to fountain they almost had their first kiss on, if Phil and Pegasus hadn't intervened so convienently.

Meg sighed and decided to comply. 'Here goes nothing,' she thought to herself.

"It's about my family. I haven't told you about my family and how I ended up working for Hades," Meg then guietly told him, knitting her fingers nervously together. Hercules took her hands on his own, quietly stroking them, trying his best to comfort her.

"They say Gods themselves put a curse on the throne of Thebes. And so it really seems. Two of my brothers, Menoceus and Lycomedes, died during the uprising after king Oedipus had fled and his sons were fighting for the throne. Third one of my brothers, Andreus, was killed by the Sphinx and Haimon, eldest of my brothers, killed himself after my father had punished his fiancée. Her fiancée, Antigone, hanged herself and it was my brother who found her. He couldn't take it, so he killed himself after that. My mother, Eurydiche, had lost all her sons in a short period of time. She was so strucken by her grieve, so she decided to kill herself and succeeded in that," Meg told him with a trembling voice. Hercules already felt bad for her as well as for her family, but also mad: how could his Olympian family punish one family so harshly? Why would they put Meg and her family through all that?

"My father changed after the deaths of his sons and his wife. He had always been a stubborn man, but now he became obsessed with getting his daughters married to good allies. He isolated himself from me and my sisters, Henioche and Pyrrha. My grandmother was there, but she was occupied with my father. As I was the oldest of the daughters, I was left to take care of my younger sisters. I was barely a child myself and I had just lost my mother and my brothers: it was too much of a burden to me. My childhood home started to feel like a prison and all I could think of was getting out of there. As some years went by, my father was more and more obsessed with finding a suitable husband for me. I was scared that he would just marry me off to someone who would treat me as his property," Meg paused for a moment, struggling to continue. She felt Hercules' hand caressing her own and she somehow found the strength to continue.

I was stuck in this situation and I had been very lonely for many years when I met in one of the parties this man. He wasn't of any royal origin, just a son of one of my father's generals, he's name was Alesandro. I mistook his flattering words for love and I foolishly thought that meeting him would change my life. That I wouldn't have to feel so alone anymore. My father, of course, didn't approve of him and told me that if I wanted to be with him, I would have to leave my childhood home and never return. Arrogantly, I did so. I left and never went back. Not even long after that, Alesandro got sick, terminally ill, and in order to save him, I made this deal with Hades: he would cure my boyfriend's illness and have my soul instead. After the deal, I found out that Alesandro had already forgotten about me and found himself a new girl to toy with. Turns out he was initially interested in me because I was king Creon's eldest daughter and he had thought that by marrying me, he would get closer to the throne of Thebes. As I was scorn by my family and property of Hades, I was of no use to him. Quite some time after that, I met you," Meg quietly sighed.

She had never told these things to anybody. She had been so angry and ashamed: most of all, because of her own stupidity and naivety. What was it with this garden that she always had to spill her guts here? On one hand, it felt good to get it out of her chest, but on the other hand, she couldn't help but wonder how Hercules would feel about her after all she had told him? How could he feel the same? After all, she had her share of bad decisions and mistakes.

Hercules had patiently waited for her to finish her story and then he wrapped his hand around her and pulled her close.

"I'm so sorry to hear all that, Meg. All those things you been through, along with your family. I understand that telling this can't be easy," Hercules quietly murmured.

Even through all her negative feelings Meg had to smile: why was she so worried about how he would react when he was always so understanding and forgiving? She closed her eyes, feeling better knowing that at least now she wasn't alone anymore, that she had someone who she could always count on. Then she realized she had forgot to tell probably the most important piece of information concerning her family to her fiancé.

"There's one more thing you need to know, Hercules. My father is king Creon of Thebes," Meg told him, already anticipating his reaction.

For a moment Hercules' mind was blank. Then he remembered all the tales he had heard about king Creon's life and the many tragedies he had faced. He had met the king himself quite a few times; he was a tall and handsome man, though age and many sorrows had left their mark on his face.

'So king Creon is Meg's father?' he wondered, amazed.

On the other hand, he couldn't feel too surprised to find this out about Meg: there had always been something in the way she carried herself, in her presence, in her confidence, the way she could express herself verbally that made her stand out from the rest of the people. Hercules than realized that Meg was still waiting for his reply, obviously anxious.

"So you are a…" Hercules begin, but Meg frantically shook her head: "Please don't say it."

"…Princess?" Hercules finished his sentence and Meg cringed.

"I've always hated that title. Please don't call me that," she pleaded.

"I won't. But does that mean when I first took you out for a date, to watch that play about Oedipus, it was actually about your family member?" Hercules winced as he realized the mistake he had unknowingly made.

"Um, yeah. Oedipus was my cousin. Well, to be exact my cousin and my uncle at the same time. Queen Jocasta, his mother and later on his wife, was my aunt, as she was my father's sister," Meg replied, looking uneasy.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I had no idea…" Hercules winced as he realized the real reason why Meg had seemed so uneasy during that play. Well, that, and also the fact that she had been unwillingly worked for Hades back then.

"You didn't know. I was a little girl when all that happened, so I don't remember much of it. Lucky me," Meg scoffed.

"Well, that certainly is one problematic family history and I know all about them. But Meg, just so you know: this won't change a thing for my part. This doesn't change how I feel about you, Meg. You been through a lot, way too much if you ask me. We can't change our families and we can't change our pasts either. You always see me as the person I am, not as some hero or the son of Zeus, as other people do. You might be a princess by birthright or daughter of king Creon, but for me, you are Meg, the smartest and bravest person I've met. I love you for the person you are," Hercules than told her, drawing comforting circles on her back.

Meg threw herself to his embrace, relieved to know that his perspective on her hadn't change. And as he held her, the tears Meg had been suppressing for years now finally came. And he held her in his arms as she cried, quietly stroking her hair and occasionally pressing some kisses on the top of her head.

Meanwhile, the mount Olympus was in the state of disarray.

A lot of Gods were holding a secret meeting unbeknownst to Zeus: neither Hera nor Hermes had been invited to the meeting, as the Gods feared they would tell everything to the Lord of the Gods himself.

"This is obnoxious! Me, forced to ask a permission, when I want to start a war!" Ares exclaimed, hitting the table with his fist.

"What did that poor table ever do to you? Besides, dear brother of mine, some of us have real motives to intervene in mortal affairs," snickered Athena who, for some unfathomable reason, was seated beside her brother and worst enemy, Ares.

"Hah! And what would that be?" Ares crossed his hands, glaring at his sister.

"Like helping the humankind?" Athena pointed out and Ares rolled his eyes at her.

"Could you stop your bickering and concentrate on the matter? What are we going to do about this?" Apollo frowned at his two fellow Gods and tried to steer the conversation back to the real matter.

"Maybe we won't have to do anything," Hephastus quietly pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Apollo gave him a questioning look.

"Zeus cannot possibly handle all alone matters concerning both Olympus and Earth at the same time. Sooner or later, he will make a mistake," Hephastus continued, looking at other Gods who still tried to grasp his meaning.

"Zeus has made many mistakes, why would this time be any different?" Aphrodite, his fiancée, pulled her hand through her pretty blonde hair as she frowned.

"Darlin', we're talking 'bout mistake of cosmic consequences. Major cosmic consequences," Artemis, the huntress, drawled.

"Meaning what?" Poseidon shot a questioning look at Hephastus, but before he could answer, Apollo spoke again gravely: "Meaning, that when the Lord of Olympus isn't up to his task, we must choose a new one."

Poseidon rubbed his finned hands together, excited at the prospect, obviously already imagining himself as the new Lord of Olympus.

"That would be such a shame, really," Demeter, the Goddess of Harvest, sighed and shook her head in motherly fashion.

"Yes, indeed. But we must do what has to be done, if the situation comes to it," Apollo concluded and called an end to their meeting. The Gods separated to their own ways, eager to attend their personal affairs.

One of the deities had remained silent during the meeting and after it came to an end, she too had her personal affairs to attend: however, she took a direction unlike any other God. She was going to the Underworld, to see Hades himself.

Hades, who was still under the cosmic curfew his brother Zeus had put him under, didn't expect any visitors. Especially not her. Her skin was purple and her black hair whipped around her, almost like she had been caught in an invisible storm. Two living snakes were coiled around her wrists, moving relentlessly in her arms.

"Eris, babe! Long time no see! How's the world, you know, in literally anywhere else but here?" Hades didn't even bother trying to mask the bitterness in his voice as he greeted the arriving Goddess.

Making him prisoner of his own kingdom was truly a fitting punishment for his deeds. Hades would have found it almost clever in any other circumstances and would have enjoyed talking to any other God but his buffoon like older brother.

"Seems to revolve well enough without you," Eris pointed out, squinting the slits of her eyes even smaller as she studied was Hades had been doing when she arrived.

Hades had pulled his old strategy table out and he had been in the middle of planning the attack of his and Cybele's army of not-so-living soldiers when Eris had arrived on her unannounced visit.

"Hah, I was just practicing some tactics, want to keep the old fruitbasket sharp," Hades quickly explained as he followed her gaze. Eris looked at him without saying anything, yet it was obvious enough that she didn't believe a word he was telling her.

"You do what you do, it matters not for me," she dismissed and her voice sounded so deprecating, that it alone almost made Hades loose his temper. But than she continued: "I bring news from mount Olympus. Something you might find interesting."

"I guessed your visit wasn't made out of courtesy. Go on then, spill the beans, babe," Hades circled around her.

"Zeus has restricted the powers of the Gods. This has made them… Angry. They are waiting for a something major to happen so they can choose a new God to become the new lord or the lady of Olympus," Eris carefully explained as she studied Hades, waiting for his reaction.

Hades could not contain his glee: he had waited eons for this to happen. For his 'oh so high and mighty' brother to fall from the grace face first! Ha, that would serve him right! He knew that he himself wasn't high on the ranking list when it came to the possible ruler candidates, but just seeing his brother's failure would be enough for him. Weeell, almost enough for him: he could always work his way up. He was a patient God: he would find one way or another.

And talking about the major cosmic happenings… He smirked as he rubbed his fingers together.

"I might have just the thing up my sleeve," Hades' hair was burning red-hot because of his excitement.

"I had the feeling that you might say that," Eris looked completely unsurprised.

"Why would you come all the way here and tell me this? You got some beef with my brother?" Hades was starting to reconsider the reasons why Eris would so kindly provide all this information for him without wanting anything.

"Your brother doesn't really matter: for me, he is insignificant. He might rule, then again, so might someone else. You forget something essential here: I am the Goddess of chaos and strife. I feed on things like these. I would flourish if something of this scale would happen," Eris smiled malevolently.

"Well, gotta keep the good looks up, I get that. Eris, babe, I owe you one: don't be a stranger," Hades smiled back at her in a similar manner before the Goddess took off.

Then he turned back to his table, planning to refine his plans. Oh yes, this would be so much more fun than he had first thought.

A/N: Phew, is it me or did just ton of things happen in this chapter? So Phil is leaving and Meg finally told Hercules about her past: how do we feel of all these things? And I hope the Olympian Gods won't seem too scheming: I just feel that this is how they would react in a situation like this (after all, they did turn their backs on Zeus in the episode Hercules and Apollo Mission as well). And why is writing Hades always so much fun?

I try to maintain my routine of updating my stories once a month, but oh boy, work life has been hard lately. Next week, I'm going for a work-related trip and after that, I'm finally starting my summer vacation!

Thank you for all my readers and reviewers, special shout-out to Nutmeg: Strap in, we're in for a long ride. ;)