AN - Sorry that this update is coming so dang late. My personal life sort of took a few crazy turns but I'm back and I have not forgotten this story! Enjoy the latest chapter :)
Hades
How long had it been since he had allowed himself to stand so freely beneath Helio's watchful rays? The sun in a cloudless blue sky brazenly shone down on him as he lingered at the edge of a mighty sea, watching the azure waves lap against the marble steps that led into the salty depths.
How much longer even had it been since Hades' presence had darkened the doors of the palace of his younger brother?
Before he left the Underworld, Hades had sent a message through the youthful god Hermes to alert Poseidon of his visit. He needed to step away from the Underworld for a spell to clear his head and seek out advice from a neutral source.
Hopefully, the god of the Sea would be in his home to greet his elder brother for this rare meeting. Surely, Zeus would sense Hades here in the land of the living but if Hades could count on Zeus for anything, it would be indifference; he would not care a whit that Hades had left the Underworld and his reluctant guest to traverse the land above.
He stepped into the water and it did not surprise him that he did not sense the water soaking his skin. The steps carried him into the water until he the waves washed over his head and he was submerged. But he did not find himself at the bottom of the sea, standing on sandy ground with the water rippling above him.
A long, sweeping corridor opened up before him. The ceiling was a mosaic constructed of thousands of pieces of glass, every shade of blue imaginable. There was no need for sconces and candles to light the corridor. Helio's rays shone through the water and into mosaic, the light dancing with the motion of the water above, making the whole stunning structure look like waves come to life. The floor stretched out before him was not constructed from shining, neat tile like Hades preferred. Instead it was more like the cobblestone streets of the mortals' making. The whole floor was constructed of perfectly round stones that had been worn smooth by the relentless push and pull of sea. Every stone glowed blue under the dancing light of the mosaic. Marble white pillars with streaks of sapphire running through the stone like veins flanked the walls, leading to the end of the room where a throne sat on a raised dais.
Hades could not deny that Poseidon had a flair for creativity that neither he or Zeus possessed. His palace beneath the ocean had forever outshone either of theirs. This corridor was merely a taste of the beautiful structure that Poseidon called home. But Hades did not come here to admire his brother's handiwork.
The god of the Underworld boldly marched down the corridor, ignoring the Nymphs that cowered behind the pillars in fear of him. Long ago, Hades accepted that the mortals and immortals alike fostered apprehension for the god of the Underworld.
His eyes were trained on the god that sat upon the throne; one carved from a rock that Hades knew Poseidon had plucked from the sea by his own hand. The god himself lounged casually in his throne, elbow planted on the arm of the seat and his chin resting in his fingers. A smirk was curling at the corners of his lips and those stormy gray blue eyes twinkled with mischief.
Hades sighed, awaiting whatever smart remark would come tumbling out of his brother's mouth as his greeting. Poseidon and Hades had gotten along as well as they could, considering their vastly different personalities. They had never quite been openly hostile with one another, as Hades could be with Zeus when provoked.
"Have you come here to steal away one of my Nymphs?" Poseidon teased with his voice echoing off the stones and glass. Hades could not help but allow a sheepish grin to crack his face.
"I have learned my lesson on taking that which does not belong to me," Hades responded while walking up to the steps in front of Poseidon's seat. He planted himself on the bottom step and crossed his arms over his chest. Poseidon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A scruff of a rust-colored beard grew on his jaw, matching with the tousled, close-cropped curls on his head.
"Interesting that you would have this viewpoint, brother," the god mused. "You and I and Zeus, we are the elite of all the immortals. Are we not entitled to whatever we desire?"
"I fail to see how we are entitled. If we are the elite, as you say, should we not act with responsibility for those beneath us?" Hades challenged. He watched while the smirk on his brother's face softened to a smile that he could only describe as pensive.
"You always have stood apart from the rest of us. Never, not even once, have you allowed yourself to act selfishly, until now. It should not surprise me that you would regret your actions."
"I have come here to discuss that with you." Hades cast a glance back to the Nymphs who were still eying him warily. "Could we speak alone?"
"Of course!" Poseidon exclaimed, hopping up from the throne. "Follow me."
"Can we not just stay here?" Hades groaned. Poseidon had a tendency to be as restless as the sea over which he ruled; he could not abide to be in the same spot for long, itching to be continuously moving.
"What for?" Poseidon laughed, shaking his head at Hades' hesitancy. "We can speak elsewhere just as well as we can speak here. Come on, you sour old goat!"
With that, Poseidon descended the steps to where Hades stood and threw an arm jovially around his shoulders. Hades fought the urge to shrug him off. Instead, he allowed Poseidon to lead him towards one of the doors at the end of the room. He pushed aside the door, made from polished driftwood, and the pair found themselves in another corridor. This one was narrower with the left a balcony that was open to the water, but the sea did not flow past the marble railing.
"So, you have come to me for advice? I cannot recall the last time that you ever sought out the opinion of another." Poseidon inquired, sliding his arm off of Hades and grazing a fingertip through the barrier of salty water. The sea did not break past it's invisible barrier, but instead rippled obediently back into place.
Hades gazed past his brother and into the water beyond. The crystal clear ocean gave him a view of the rugged surface of the floor; there were jagged rocks surrounded by gently waving seaweed and schools of fish with flashing scales as they drifted by. Poseidon and Hades strolled slowly down the long corridor, the younger of the gods waiting anxiously for the elder to respond.
"It is no secret that you care greatly for your realm. What would you do if Zeus ever commanded you within your own realm?" Hades ventured, tearing himself from the sight of the underwater world and training them on Poseidon's profile instead. For a moment, he let himself observe the god, one he had not spoken with or seen in years. Was it just his imagination fooling him, or were those freckles that decorated his sun-worn cheeks and nose the same as Persephone's? Her and Poseidon were family after all.
"What do you mean, commanding me within my own realm?" Poseidon put an end to Hades' observation as he also turned away from staring at the water. He fixed Hades with a questioning frown.
"I mean, if he exerted his authority over yours within the realm that you were assigned to oversee? Not one that was given to him. He has his own realm to worry about." Hades grumbled ruefully.
"I would rather bend to Zeus' will within my own realm than face his wrath." Poseidon answered, raising his brow and putting on an expression of skepticism. "You can think of me as cowardly if you like, Hades, but I know better than to provoke his fury. He does not possess an ounce of your patience."
"I disagree." His stern words bounced off the white tiled floor.
"That is twice now that you've disagreed with me." Poseidon pointed out in a playful voice. The corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled but Hades did not return the gesture. Instead, his mood darkened.
"Even if Zeus commanded me, I would fight against his commands, but not for my own selfish sake. I would do it for the sake of this world that I have created with my own hand." Hades continued, ignoring Poseidon's remark.
"Is that what you tell yourself to justify keeping the goddess in the Underworld with you?"
The gods had nearly reached the end of the corridor when Hades stopped in his tracks. Poseidon followed suit, turning to face his fuming brother.
"How dare you question my motives." Hades demanded. "I follow my own rules for the sake of my realm-"
"I am not ignorant to how foolishly stubborn you are." Poseidon cut off Hades' words and waved his hand dismissively. "You can allow yourself to be less rigid. If Zeus eventually commands you to release the goddess back to Demeter, you must listen to him. It would not do you any good to hold fast to those 'rules' you believe that you have to follow."
"The Underworld is different than the Sea," Hades argued. "The oceans are a part of the world above, so it would make sense that you can ease the rules a bit to bend to Zeus' will. The Underworld is in an entirely different realm altogether; it is not a part of the land of the living." He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. Poseidon could only stand there and shake his head in disapproval.
"I never should have been placed under Zeus' command. I should have been allowed to rule the Underworld as an entirely different world that was not under my little brother's jurisdiction." Hades muttered. This sentiment was one that that he had long harbored until it became a bitter thorn in his side. Poseidon threw back his head and let out a short laugh.
"You never were able to come to terms with the fact that the youngest of us became the greatest of us." Poseidon jested. Hades cut him a withering glare as a response. Poseidon ignored Hades' ever darkening countenance and he carried on down the corridor. Hades had no choice but to follow him.
They passed under an archway and came into a courtyard of sorts. The ceiling above was the same intricate glass mosaic as the one in the entrance. Pillars of the deepest blue stone lined the room. A pool made of the same startling shade of cobalt was sunken into the floor. Tiny tiles of white mosaic decorated the bottom, making intricate patterns that mimicked the roiling waves above the ceiling. Several brilliantly colored fish swam lazily in the water. Green plants placed in pots brought a spot of greenery to the hues of blue and white. Poseidon came to rest in front of the pool and Hades settled in beside him. Silence lingered between for a moment. Hades glanced over at his brother and saw that the laughter in his eyes had dimmed and that same pensive smile from before, when they were in the entry, had returned.
"I do understand your predicament." Poseidon conceded. "It is no simple thing to ask you to relinquish control over your realm." He looked over at Hades, all traces of a smile gone. Only that pensive gaze remained.
"For as long as I have known you, you have been the one to take your role seriously. Even when we were prisoners of Cronus, you took responsibility as the eldest son, the eldest child, and took care of the rest of us. Life has never allowed you to shirk your responsibilities. Ever since your childhood, you have willingly carried burdens on your shoulders. The rest of us never truly learned that lesson…" The tiniest of frowns wrinkled his brow and his jaw clenched just so.
Hades detected a hint of regret behind that last sentence. But he did not dwell on it for long. The mention of his past and the imprisonment of him and his siblings by Cronus stirred an uncomfortable feeling in his gut. Being the eldest son, forced to care for his frightened siblings during that dark and miserable time in their life had forced Hades into the role of caregiver. That alone had done much to shape him into the god that he grew to be.
"So you understand why I cannot just ease on my 'rigid' rules?" Hades implored. "You must understand that I cannot just stand aside and let my rules slide."
"Yes! I do. Did I not just say that I understood?" Poseidon snapped, cutting his blue eyes over to Hades.
"Poseidon…" Hades growled, warning his brother not to push his patience.
"Hades," the god sighed. "I know your nature, and your nature will not allow you to be bullied into submission. You are bullheaded and hold fast to your convictions. I admire you for being what I cannot. That being said, I implore you to re-examine your stance. There will undoubtedly come a time where you'll stand before Zeus and you will be forced to make a choice; to follow his order or disobey."
"How do you know this?" The older god challenged. Poseidon rubbed his chin, contemplating his brother with a bemused stare.
"Is it not obvious? Who else on this earth wants the goddess more than you do? Demeter."
Hades' stomach clenched at the sound of his sister's name. The name of Persephone's mother…
"You and her share the same strong will," he continued on without waiting giving Hades a chance to defend himself. "She will stop at nothing to get her daughter back from you. Already, she has threatened to take drastic measures to force Zeus' hand. You know that his ire can be quickly stirred into a storm. Demeter is well aware of how our brother is, and she has already been using his temper against him. She has been quite a problem for the god of gods. That is why I believe you must let your own guard down. The three of you locked in a battle of wills cannot end pleasantly for anyone involved."
Hades could not muster up a sound argument against Poseidon's predictions. Unfortunately, his brother's words rang true. Hades turned from Poseidon and idly watched the orange and yellow fish swimming around in the pool.
This palace was far too bright and ostentatious for his taste. He yearned for his home, dusky and dark and calming. Poseidon said at the beginning that he had never allowed himself to be selfish. That no longer could be said about him. He wanted the Underworld, his home, to be intact and untouched by Zeus. He did not want to put his world at risk for the likes of a brother who he did not harbor affection for.
And Persephone had found herself caught in the midst of their ages-old power struggle. How could Poseidon claim that he was not selfish after putting her through this unnecessary grief?
"How unfortunate for the mortals that they have us as their deities." Hades lamented to his reflection in the azure pool. Poseidon clapped a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"You are the best of us, Hades," he assured. "It is a shame that we cannot all be as honorable as you." Poseidon spoke sincerely. Hades would have been touched by his brother's display of rare seriousness, but the words rang hollow in his ears.
"I am hardly honorable. Do not trick yourself into thinking otherwise."
Persephone
Whatever boldness had prompted her to come to the Elysian Fields now quickly melted like snow beneath the sun. Rhadamanthus' arm wound around hers felt heavy as he led her further into the Elysian Fields. A thin cloud of mist shrouded the olive grove where Persephone and Rhadamanthus walked. Their feet crunched over the gravel path that wound through the trees.
He chatted away about the place but Persephone found it impossible to grasp onto his words. Her muscles tensed beneath his touch. Would it be too late to run away now? How foolish she had been to come here, meeting alone with a man that she hardly knew and not only that, one whom she had been warned against seeing.
She took a moment to explore her motives for coming; from the beginning she had convinced herself that this had to be done to protect her secret meetings with Hermes. But the catalyst that had pushed her to the edge and finally made her decide to go?
Persephone huffed, interrupting whatever Rhadamanthus was going on about.
If she were being honest with herself, then there was only one clear motive for her actions and she was ashamed to admit it; her anger at Hades for trying to control her actions had turned into sheer rebellion against him. Her visit to Rhadamanthus was nothing more than getting back at Hades.
What a fool she was.
Rhadamanthus had clearly heard her audible distress and he stopped mid-pace, letting his voice fall away into the misty air. His arm gently tightened its grip on hers and Persephone felt him pull her ever so closer to his side. Sheets of silvery locks fell around his face when he tilted his head to gaze down at her.
"You're quiet," he muttered in a gentle tone that took her by surprise. "What happened to that sharp and clever girl from before? Has she been replaced by this timid ghost, frightened by her own choices?"
"What do you mean?" She demanded, trying to stir her ire against this god, but her anger fell tragically short with his face so close to hers.
"You're having second thoughts, aren't you?" Rhadamanthus questioned solemnly. He raised his hand to her face, brushing wayward strands of hair back behind her ear. Shivers ran down her spine at the softness of his touch.
"I would be foolish to try and lie to you." Persephone grumbled under her breath. That drew a smirk from Rhadamanthus. Those icy irises twinkled with mischievous delight as he nodded his head in silent agreement.
"But...you aren't wrong. I am having second thoughts." Her admission changed the man's demeanor. His gaze darkened and he scowled ever so slightly.
"Because of him?" Rhadamanthus questioned. He dropped his hand from Persephone's face as he took a step back from her. "Do you fear that you've betrayed the morose Lord of the Underworld?"
Persephone scoffed at the question, ignoring the pang in her heart. But those pale blue eyes pierced straight into hers, scrutinizing her unspoken thoughts. Persephone peeled herself from Rhadmanthus' gaze and she turned her back on him. The goddess crossed her arms defensively over her chest, keeping her rising emotions trapped inside, and ambled over to the nearest olive tree. She stared at the gnarled bark which she found to be far less intimidating than starting straight into the eyes of Rhadamanthus.
"What is there between us to even betray?" She pondered aloud, the bitterness in her voice unmistakable. Gravel crunched behind her as Rhadamanthus followed her to where she was rooted in front of the tree.
"And you are still playing games with yourself. There is far more there than you want to admit." he whispered from behind. His breath warmed her ear and Persephone wondered how he had gotten so close, so quickly. But she did not shy away from him. Persephone pondered his accusation. Hades had been kind to her, up until recently. She could have even considered him a growing acquaintance. But as far the deeper meaning that Rhadamanthus implied...how could there be anything more? He continued on whispering to her, not waiting for her to defend herself. Any defense would ring hollow in both of their ears.
"I heard that you two had a rather unfortunate spat not too long ago. From what I was told, Lord Hades made it clear that he was not too keen on you coming to visit me."
"How did you know that?" She whirled around only to find Rhadamanthus' face inches from her own. Persephone balked at how close he was and she backed up until she felt the olive tree touch her shoulders.
"I have eyes and ears all over this world, my dear." Rhadamanthus answered. To Persephone, his reply held the air of bragging. She could not help but
"Oh, do you? Why do you need spies? You aren't the Lord of the Underworld." Persephone leaned her weight against the sturdy tree. She tilted her head at the silver-haired god and narrowed her eyes at him in playfull judgement.
"True, that my status isn't so lofty as your friend Lord Hades' is," Rhadamanthus admitted, to Persephone's mild surprise. "But I am still an immortal," he finished with an note of solemnity. He lost that air of arrogance Persephone had come to expect from him.
"I have been given the right to reside in the Elysian Fields as the god of that part of the Underworld. Not only that, but I am one of three Judges that Lord Hades personally appointed. You could even say that I am his right-hand man." Rhadamanthus smiled at Persephone and that wicked gleam returned to his face. He raised his arm, resting it on the bark near Persephone's head. With his smile growing, Rhadamanthus leaned over Persephone.
"Whatever your perceptions are of me, let it be understood that I am an incredibly powerful figure in this land," he murmured knowingly. "So, with that being said, I like to be in the know of all the goings-on that happen in the Underworld."
The way that he loomed over her, practically standing in the crook of his arm, brought a blush to her cheeks.
"Sounds to me like you're just a nosy gossip," she snipped, hoping to cut his self-important attitude down to size. Yet instead of wounding him, her words sparked a change in his icy gaze. His eyes heated until they were pools of molten silver.
"There's that fire I do adore…" The hand that dangled near her head shifted and Persephone felt the man's fingers brush the silky strands of her hair, only for the briefest of moments and Persephone wondered hazily if she had even felt him touch her at all.
"Let us put Lord Hades out of our mind for now," Rhadamanthus encouraged when Persephone found herself at a loss for words, suddenly bashful and unable to speak around the lump that had lodged in her throat. "Do not let his gloom put a damper on our time together." He slid his arm down the tree and once again wound it through hers. He gently pulled her to his side.
Come," he spoke in a near whisper. "I want to show you my home." As the word 'home' fell from his lips, Persephone witnessed a change sweep over the god. He smiled down at her, but there was no hint of mischief glimmering in his eyes. Gone was the heated gaze, replaced with a genuine glow of excitement that put Persephone's doubts at ease. Perhaps what she saw now was a glimpse of the man beneath the facade and she found herself curious to see more. She did not pull away from his closeness but instead allowed him to lead her away from the tree and back onto the path.
And she did as Rhadamanthus suggested and put Hades out of her mind, for the time being. Was she not here in the Elysian Fields now? Had she not forever and always longed for adventure and to see the world beyond her home? She would be foolish to let this opportunity to pass her by, right?
"Luckily, you haven't missed much while you were lost in your thoughts," Rhadamanthus explained. "We're still in the olive grove that surrounds the entrance. Once the trees break, the path will open up into the world beyond. And it will be quite the sight to behold."
True to his word, the path wound around the trunks of the olive trees until they began to thin out. Persephone caught glimpses of greenery beyond the grove and her heart picked up its pace. The pair rounded one more bend in the path and suddenly, the trees were no more. Soft light illuminated the boundaries of the grove and bathed the valley below in a dreamy glow. Rhadamanthus stopped them and together they stood at the top of the hill that overlooked the Elysian Fields.
Gently rolling hills stretched out before her, dotted with the occasional willow tree. A silver stream cut through the ground, the water flowing in a slow, dream-like pace. Mist spilled from the olive grove and hung in the cool air. Dew clung to the endless blades of grass, making the valley glitter as if thousands of diamonds rested on the ground. Directly across the valley, mountains rose from the horizon, their graggy, snowy peaks cutting into the rosy sky. A pine forest bordered the foot of the mountains.
Right in the middle of the valley sat a sizeable pavilion constructed of white marble. From her vantage point, Persephone spotted a dozen or so men and women lingering about the building, some sitting on benches or others leaning against the smooth bark of the willows closeby. There were even a few that sat on the bank or waded in the shallows of the river that neared the pavillion.
"Is it not a beautiful place?" Rhadamanthus muttered proudly beside her. Persephone nodded her head in agreement, but did not express that it reminded her so much of Hades' Underworld. Except, there was a difference in his world and this one. The light here was gentler, less somber. Even the very atmosphere had a feeling of freshness and life anew. Where the Underworld reminded her of twilight, the Fields was more like…
"Dawn…" Persephone breathed. "This part of the Underworld feels like dawn."
"The Underworld and Elysian Fields are two sides of the same coin; one is for the end of life, a meaningless eternal existence and punishment. The other is a resting place for those who are rewarded with eternal peace." Rhadamanthus eased Persephone into a slow pace, leading her down the side of the hill.
"Punishment and peace," he continued on. "Darkness and light. Dusk and dawn. That is how the realm of the dead is divided, though it all belongs to Lord Hades." The god spat out the last part of that phrase like poison in his mouth.
"I detect some bitterness." Persephone dared to inquire. Rhadamanthus did not comment right away. Rather, he remained quiet, fighting back a grimace that threatened to darken his features. Persephone and Rhadamanthus had reached the bottom of the hill and were strolling along the path as it wound by the river. Fluffy laurel shrubs lined the pathway, leading the way to the marble pavillion. Pastel wildflowers dotted the fields beyond the path and Persephone saw a man and woman strolling through the waving grass, arm in arm and not paying any sort of attention to her or Rhadamanthus.
"Since we are so different, ruling vastly opposite lands, don't you think that our jurisdictions should be equally divided?" He questioned, still furrowing his brow in a troubled manner.
"Maybe so." Persephone mumbled doubtfully, pulling her sight away from the couple in the field. "I must admit that my knowledge of this place is practically nothing. I cannot say for certain if it is fair or unfair that Hades has dominion over this land or not."
"Allow me to enlighten you." Rhadamanthus gave her arm the gentlest of squeezes. "Forgive me, I had assumed that you came to this world already knowing its purpose."
"There is nothing to forgive," Persephone assured despite the growing heat on her cheeks. She loathed admitting her ignorance in front of him. "It would not be wrong for you to assume that the daughter of Demeter and Zeus would already know such a thing."
At this, Rhadamanthus gave a start and he hastily glanced down at Persephone, his pale brows raised in surprise.
"Daughter of Zeus, you say?" A funny smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and Persephone could not read the expression in his gaze.
"Unfortunately." She said. The pavillion loomed ever closer in the distance and the men and women were beginning to take notice of her and Rhadamanthus. Their curious gazes made her nervous and she instinctively drew herself closer to the god's side.
"How interesting…" Rhadamanthus mused out loud, no longer looking at Persephone but his eyes were fixed somewhere off in the distance. The tone of his voice sounded displeased and she could not understand why. "Well, let us also forget about him."
The god took the time to explain patiently to Persephone that the Elysian Fields were different than the Asphodel Meadows and Tartarus. Where Hades took in the wicked deserving punishment and the mortals who had done neither good nor harm, Rhadamanthus chose the virtuous and righteous.
Tall cypress trees now towered over the pair as they made their way to the pavillion. The soft sounds of voices chatting in the distance filled the still air. Eventually, the gravel path turned into a smooth, narrow road paved with cobblestones. It lead them into a courtyard where an elaborate fountain bubbled merrily in the misty morning air.
Many residents were gathered here, lounging beneath the fig trees and enjoying the fruitful bounty. One woman plucked idly on a lire while a man accompanied her by flute. Their eyes were watching Persephone with interest, though none gathered the courage to approach her. Persephone noted how 'alive' these souls seemed compared to the ones wandering the Asphodel Meadows. They did not carry the same glazed over, lost look that their counterparts did.
She pointed this out to Rhadamanthus and he confirmed her suspicions. These lucky souls did not lose their sense of self, he said, as those unlucky enough to be in Asphodel. They retained the vitality and spirit that they had in their mortal lives, and were allowed to live out eternity as who they had always been.
They walked to the pavillion, lingering for a moment before the sweeping stone steps that led to the entrance. Rhadamanthus asked Persephone if she had any questions so far. She untangled her arm from him, Rhadamanthus letting her go reluctantly, and she turned her head upwards at the pavillion.
"Is this your home?" Persephone wondered why this pavillion seemed much smaller than Hades' castle. It surprised her that this man's home would not be more elegant or spacious, since he fancied himself as being on the same level as Hades.
Rhadamanthus came up behind her. "I make my home on the Isle of the Blessed," his soft voice blowing her hair as he spoke into her ear. "This pavillion is for the souls who reside in the Elysian Fields."
"Isle of the Blessed?" Persephone peeked over her shoulder and saw Rhadamanthus' face only inches from hers, once again wearing that warm, glowing smile from earlier.
"That is a place where the most elite of the Elysian Fields dwell; the Heroes of the Mortals and those judged to be the purest of souls and the place that I call home. I want to take you there."
This time, instead of winding her arm around his, Rhadamanthus back away from Persephone, just enough to where he extended his hand out to her.
"May I?" He asked, his tone void of that flirtatious cadence he so often used. The charm that he exuded was entirely disarming but not disingenuous.
And Persephone could not help but smile, sharing in his contagious warmth. She rather liked this side of Rhadamanthus; playful but not obnoxious. Charming, but not obscene. Enchanting, but not disillusioning. During her duration with him, he had not acted as insufferable as she expected him to. Why had he not shown her this nature when she had met him before?
"Of course." Persephone mumbled, placing her hand in his. Those fingers, cool and slim, wrapped around hers and together they strolled away from the pavilion and further into the Elysian Fields, hand in hand.
They headed in the direction of the mountains and the pine forest that grew at its base. The path had turned back into gravel and their feet crunched over the rough surface. Persephone was acutely aware of Rhadamanthus' hand holding hers; she could feel every inch of his fingers holding hers. Every twitch of his muscle, she felt. Each time he moved, Persephone felt herself move with him. There was an intimacy that came with holding his hand that made her heart ache. She was certain that he could feel her heartbeat in her palm.
He did not seem to mind. In fact, he remained calm and cool and collected, pointing out landmarks and chatting about the Elysian Fields without a care in the world. Persephone listened to Rhadamanthus talk about this part of the Underworld, his part of Hades' world, and thought that he carried the same sense of pride and accomplishment that Hades did when he spoke of his world.
An unwelcome thought danced across her thoughts; what if she found herself enjoying Rhadamanthus because right now, he reminded her somewhat of Hades when he gave her a tour of the Underworld?...
Persephone shook her head, willing that thought to go away. Rhadamanthus and Hades were nothing alike!
The pair walked past a tranquil pond. A few other souls had found respite on benches by the gentle water, beneath willow trees with their tendrils trailing lazily on the glassy surface. They watched Persephone with curious smiles as she walked by them. Now that Persephone knew they were not the mindless beings of Asphodel, she found that she did not fear them as much anymore.
Not far beyond the pond, the path took them to the edge of the pine forest. It was not the wild woods that surrounded Hades' castle. Rather, it was a well maintained plot of land that was dotted with small pavilions and gazebos for the souls to gather. Music filled the forest and laughter of unseen men and woman rang gaily amongst the trunks.
Eventually, the pines thinned out and Persephone found herself standing on the shore of a wide, sweeping lake. The blue waters glistened like a precious stone as the waves lapped upon the shore made of dark pebbles. Mountains dominated the skyline across the lake, miles away from where Persephone stood. Out in the middle of the azure waves, Persephone could see that there was indeed an island.
"Persephone," Rhadamanthus murmured her name, pulling her along as he made his way down the shoreline. "Come with me."
"Where to?" Persephone asked, skeptical of where he was taking her now. Rhadamanthus simply turned to her and smiled.
"If you are going to visit my world, then you must learn to trust me," he playfully teased. "Our passage to the Isle is awaiting us just over there."
With his free hand. Rhadamanthus pointed to a boat that was tethered to a post that had been shoved into the pebbles.
"There are no oars in that boat," Persephone observed as they came closer to the boat. "How will we get there without oars?"
"I have my ways," Rhadamanthus winked at her. Persephone just grinned back at him. She followed him to the boat and let him guide her to the water's edge.
"Step in," he instructed. "I will follow in just a moment.
"Alright then," Persephone stepped inside the boat, taking a seat in the middle while Rhadamanthus untied the tether from the post. He pushed off the shore and hopped in the boat just as it glided over the wake. As if being propelled by oars, the boat cut through the water of its own accord.
Rhadamanthus settled in beside Persephone, gazing down at her with a triumphant grin.
"So." He started. "What do you think of my world so far?"
"It truly is beautiful." Persephone answered truthfully. She scanned her eyes over the roiling surface of the water, taking in the sight of the waves and the mountains and the rosy dawn sky. "It reminds me of Hades' part of the world, but it is different. The atmosphere is lighter. Fresher. Freeing. I do love it. I am glad to have made a visit. I do wonder about one thing though…"
"Hmm?" Rhadamanthus hummed curiously. The boat picked up speed as it soared over the water, picking up the god's silvery hair and tossing it about in a wild frenzy.
"Why does Hades not rule this part of his own world? How did you come to be god of the Elysian Fields?"
At her question, Rhadamanthus frowned a bit and he turned away from Persephone. She took this moment to study him; his pale lashes framed those icy blue eyes and his thin lips were down turned into a pout. Still, she found him not to be handsome in the way that Hades was, but rather eerily beautiful.
"My past life living in the mortal world proved my worth to be god and Judge." The god finally answered. Persephone started a bit at this statement. She nudged him on the shoulder, bringing his attention back to her.
"You lived in the mortal world?" She asked, unable to hide the interest in her words. Rhadamanthus sighed and did not meet her gaze. Instead, he glanced down and picked up her hand, holding it in his once more.
"I did, my dear. I lived in the mortal world as a mortal, though I have known since my childhood that the blood of the gods runs through my veins. You see, I am also a forgotten child of Zeus."
"You...you are?!" Persephone exclaimed, full of excitement and shock. "You are a demigod?"
"I am. My mother was merely a fleeting tryst for the mighty Zeus. Her unfortunate fate was to be yet another object of his desires, discarded and forgotten once he had his way with her. I carry little love for the god of gods. Even so, despite my harried origins, I lived my life. I grew to be a man of importance in my homeland. For a time, I could be called King. Then familial troubles from a jealous brother drove me off my throne and into exile. Still, my inflexible integrity intrigued the gods, to the point where even my loathsome father took notice of me."
"Inflexible integrity?" Persephone raised a quizzical brow at the god as she echoed his statement with healthy skepticism.
"The Rhadamanthus that rules is far different from the Rhadamanthus that plays." He turned his sights from the island, growing closer by the second, and winked at Persephone. She rolled her eyes at him, but tried to take the smile on her lips.
"So when you died, instead of residing in the Elysian Fields as your eternal resting place, the gods decided to give you dominion over this land?
"I never died," Rhadamanthus admitted. "They chose me before me before I succumbed to my mortal fate. As I said before, my character caught the attention of Lord Hades and Zeus alike. Lord Hades and a few of the other gods suggested that I would do well to rule the land where the elite are sent to spend their eternity. Because of my immortal bloodline, Zeus agreed to allow me to reside in world of the afterlife. Looking back on it now, it is interesting that Hades in particular has an interest in me. I am sure that he lives with regret for his choice."
Rhadamanthus laughed aloud, a hearty sound that carried over the water and Persephone rather liked his laugh.
"He has found that even he does not escape my judgement. I do not pander to his moods as Nyx does. When the Lord of the Underworld needs honesty, he comes to me. The one and only thing that Lord Hades and I stand together on is our equal and honest judgement," Rhadamanthus continued on. "As well as our distaste for the cruel punishments that Zeus is so fond of. I do not sway easily to the opinions of others. And of course, I have been told that I am rather clever. I cannot say that I disagree with this assessment."
Persephone found that she could not think of what to say to him. She nodded her head, showing her interest in his story, but one detail stuck out to her; Rhadamanthus was a son of Zeus and a mortal. Another offspring of a woman with the misfortune of attracting the god's desire. To her knowledge, Persephone had not met another child who shared her paternal heritage.
She felt the god beside her shift and then his arm wrapped around her. His fingers grasped her arm, gently, softly, featherlight on her skin. He barely held her, close enough for her to feel his touch but she could pull away if she wished.
"You fall silent when you are troubled," his smooth voice could hardly be heard over the restless waves lapping against the wooden boat as it cut though the wake.
"How was it-" Persephone began in a strained voice. Her throat had suddenly tightened and she found it hard to speak without sounding fearful. "How was it meeting him...Zeus?"
Rhadamanthus let a scoff escape from his lips. He tossed back his mane of silvery hair and Persephone could feel something like irritation roll off of him in waves.
"If you pretend that he is not your father, then he is not so loathsome," was his grumbled response. This time, it was Persephone who scoffed.
"I doubt that I can make myself forget such a thing…" Persephone had already spent a lifetime trying to wipe her mind clean of the circumstances of her birth and her hateful father. But to no avail. She could not forget it. Demeter would not let her forget it.
"Forget it now, dear girl. The Isle of the Blessed is no place for such troubles." " Rhadamanthus tapped her on the shoulder and he pointed to the front of the boat. Persephone looked away from him and saw that he was pointing to the island, which was growing closer and larger by the second. Persephone spotted a small stretch of beach with a cypress forest beyond the shore. Rhadamanthus and Persephone did not speak as the boat slid onto the tiny white pebbles with a crunch. He leapt out of the boat and rounded the bow, coming over to Persephone's side to help her out of the boat.
For a moment, he moved as though he were going to wrap his arm around her waist, but Rhadamanthus stopped himself. Instead, he allowed his hand to fall between her shoulder blades. The warmth of his hand seeped through the silk of her robes, but he hardly touched her; just enough to where he turned her just so to face the forest.
"It may not seem like much," he murmured beside her. "When you look at it from the outside, you see nothing more than a spit of rock rising out of the lake. It is when you go beyond these trees that you see the Isle for what it truly is. A world within a world will open up to you; a world for the pure of heart and the heroes amongst men. Come with me."
Unknown to the couple that slipped into the protective grove of pine trees, there was a hidden observer already on the Isle anxiously awaiting their arrival. A pair of starling emerald eyes watched their every movement. Fiery hair whipped around in the gust of air that came sweeping over the lake. A cruel smile, made by bold rosy lips, broke out on the face that watched the goddess and her new friend.
Wicked glee coursed through her veins.
Not too much longer now…
Hades would be in her arms once again.
AN- I had very much intended for this chapter to be a little longer but life went nuts for the last few months and I haven't been able to focus on this story like I had hoped to. Hopefully the next one will come out a little bit quicker! Thanks for hanging in there with me! Love ya all!