"Well, no one said there cannot be a mortal prince of the underworld, now did they? And well, you will be named the first prince of the underworld EVEN after you die and well after you die the title 'prince' of the underworld will be then waiting for a new hero - worthy of the title and its gifts" Hades says, nonchalantly.
I really hope now that Nico takes this offer because this is forever going to be a one-time chance offer. We all waited for his answer. At last, he opened his mouth.
"I accept - milord." Nico said, but this time with a mischievous smile on his face that I have never seen! "You did it on purpose, didn't you?" Hades said, his eyebrow raised.
Nico laughed, a small actual laugh. It was like he was that old little Nico who is obsessed with Mythomagic.
"Hades, you do know that once he's the prince of the underworld - he'll be… he'll be the…. the heir of the underworld…."
Now:Percy's POV
Hades glanced at Nico with a worried look but something in his eyes made me say something else… It was like he was pleading…. but not for him to say yes, but to say no…. It was like he was worried Nico was gonna say yes….
Nico looked at his dad with the same worried look. He mouthed to his dad a big 'NO'. His Dad smiled, as if all his burden just go lifted at that moment. Unknown to me at the moment, even one another person observed that exchange. She was also happy that neeks said no, as if there was something else in plan.
"Well Poseidon, there was never a rule that said the 'prince' should always become the 'Heir' now, is there?" Hades asked, with a questioning glance at dad. "Well… I guess not, but that is if you have some other person who is the heir, other than that it's said the 'royal' will become the heir." Dad replied, a bit confused. I won't blame him. Everything is confusing in this gods dam Greek world.
"I never said I don't have anyone else in mind and Nico isn't the only 'royal' in my kingdom." Hades replied calmly, emphasizing on the word 'royal'. Hera smiled gently. "I didn't know you made Melinoe a princess?" Zeus said, surprised. Hera grew a little disturbed when Zeus mentioned it, but mostly because Melinoe is Zeus's daughter. "My 'daughter' became a princess since the day she was born." Hades said, with a calm but cold voice and also emphasizing on the word 'daughter' as if telling Zeus, if all your children can be Olympians before birth, even my stepdaughter can become the princess - so back out. Hera grew a little disturbed when Zeus mentioned it, but mostly because Melinoe is Zeus's daughter.
Yes, daughter. It's said that Melinoe is the daughter of Persephone and Zeus. yep, creepy. Sleeping with your own father is down-right creepy. It is said that Zeus came down to the underworld disguised as Hades to sleep with Persephone, who is his daughter. (It is actually disgusting, now I think about it - but actually it is not confirmed but in this story it's like that)
Suddenly there was a bright flash in the room, all of us closed our eyes. Well us, 'demigods' closed our eyes.
There appeared a woman that I had met once. Her left side was black as coal and hardened like a mummy, while her right side was pale and chalky, as if she was drained of all her blood. Her eyes were like empty black voids, but now there was something else to it, some feeling of warmth in them. She wore a golden dress with a golden shawl draped over her.
"You… you…. What are you doing here?" Ares asked, clearing shivering. "Hello dear, what has happened Melinoe?" Hera asked, while calmly raising her eyebrow. Suddenly, as if like a mist was cleared, all the gods double checked Melinoe. "Yes daughter, what has happened?" Hades asked, confused by her sudden appearance.
"Mom has called both of you for to come down by dinner or else you'll face her wrath," Melinoe said, with a small smile creeping onto her face, "And no excuse as like Drama queen will not allow or the meeting didn't end. There's a slight chance Ria might come. But again slight chance." Melinoe said, staring right through Zeus.
She turned to Nico next. "Hello dear brother. We got off on the wrong foot but since we'll obviously will have to work together considering you are the 'ghost king', let's restart." Melinoe said with a calm face, but her eyes betrayed her - it held a small glace of doubt and nervousness. "My name is Melinoe, your Half-sister. Goddess of ghosts, nightmares, necromancy and funerary rites. But you can call me Mel." Melinoe said with a small smile and raised her hand for a shake.
Nico first glanced at it as if it was something dangerous, but then he shook his head. "My name is Nico di Angelo. The 'Ghost King' and also the newly appointed prince of the underworld. And please do not call me neeks." Nico said, as if he was completely serious about the end part. But who cares? "Alright, it's very nice to meet you, neeks." Melinoe said with a mischievous smile on her face as she disappeared with a black shadow encompassing her.
"MEL!" Nico shouted, his face red.
"Let's continue now, NEXT." Hera said, waving her hand over. Nico and Hades nodded while Nico went and sat on a small throne of his size below his dad.
"HAZEL LEVESQUE!" He shouted as Pluto appeared. All the gods shifted to their respected roman forms. Hazel went forward, nervously. She hasn't met her father in a long time. She's nervous. But with a small thumbs up from Frank and a reassuring smile from the rest of us. She stood there bravely, trying to look at her challenge in the eye.
Pluto's eyes softened. "I give you two gifts which you can accept if you want." Hades said, in a gentle tone. Hazel nodded. "I want to make you the princess of the underworld and also the remove your curse. Those are the two things I want to gift you." Pluto paused, "But it's your choice if you either want to accept." Pluto continued, softly.
"Y-yes" Hazel sai- well blurted out. Pluto almost had a small smile creeping onto his face. Suddenly, Hazel got surrounded by black shadows. Her eyes turned completely black and different varieties of gems, diamonds, rubies, etc…..surrounded her as she floated in the air. Her face morphed into a scared expression as she struggled, trying to reach down.
"Do not resist the power, dear, the more you struggle, - More is the pain." Juno said, her eyes filled with worry. That's always shown on mothers. "Please listen to Juno, dear. What she says is the truth." Pluto said, supporting Juno- worry present in his eyes too. "Oh Son of Mars, tell her." Juno said, facing frank. Frank started slightly sweating. But worry was present in his eyes for his girlfriend, too.
"Hazel, Hazel, listen to me," Frank paused as Hazel stopped struggling for a minute, trying to find his voice. "Stop, stop struggling, stop resisting. This is your power - invite them, allow them to go into your veins and power you up! This is your power, do not resist." Frank said, softly and gently trying to calm his scared girlfriend.
Hazel seemed to listen to frank. She didn't completely stop resisting, but she calmed down a bit. "I know you can hear me. You know it's the truth, please, for me - stop resisting. This is your true power. Believe it. Stop resisting. STOP! Frank shouted in the end.
That seems to do the trick as Hazel completely stopped and then she got completely encompassed in the black light and gems until the all of them unravelled her and placed her down near. Frank ran next to her. She had a tiara on her head made with different varieties of precious, rare stones. She opened her eyes with a small smile gracing her face.
She stood up with more determination than before in her eyes. Pluto smiled. "Now, I pronounce you, Hazel Levesque, Gem Queen and the new proclaimed princess of the underworld! It also removed the curse as a bonus." Pluto finished as Hades reappeared. All the gods turned to their Greek forms.
Everyone clapped.
"Let's get on next with Apollo." Hera said, with a motherly smile gracing her face.
"Sisters are angels who lift us up when our wings forget how to fly."A/N - I'll try my best to do the updates weekly but it might be hard so very sorry if you get the updates late.