Chapter 21:

Hades' POV:

Something jarred the gut in his belly, halting Hades in his steps, feeling a wind blow past, and turning him in the opposite direction from the ocean, filling him with hot air.

He could feel it in his gut, smell it in the air, and feel it in the water that something happened.

His concerns for Zeus disappeared.

Hades flew on his black cloud to the highest point in the sky, looking, searching for her, then turning towards the grey light on the sun upon the clouds.

It was almost like a cold feeling, but even though cold, it made him empower his feelings towards Evey.

He hasn't seen his Evey in months. The love of his life was out there somewhere.

"Where is she?" a voice asked.

Hades turned towards his brother, both uninterested and bored to turn towards a fight with him now.

The younger brother was on his cloud with thunder bolts zapping at his heels, keeping his flight in balance. He spoke first.

"Hades… " Hades addressed, narrowing his eyes, putting up his defenses," Do you not know what has happened? Can you not feel it?"

Zeus winced.

Hades had an idea to summon the beast once again, in order to destroy his brother, instead he pushed the thought aside to hear him,

"Your child lives…"

"Yes, even better yet, that it is my child."

"For now."

"You are ignorant, brother. You always have been. However this ends, Evey shall never love you. She hates you. If she shall die, I will not see to it that I put you in the Underworld myself, but I shall know you will suffer more than me."

"Oh? Well I shall see for myself."

"Are you so blind, brother? You are still so concerned about her that nothing else?"

"No…" Zeus breathed slowly looking away," I have known for a while. You think I did not know how much I have weakened? The months. The days of fear and turmoil that have made you stronger!" Zeus shouted, weak in his knees and arms.

"No one prays to you now."

Zeus' fingers grew cold, unbending, like sausages, along with the cold feeling spreading from his lips to his nose.

It was true.

The mortals have lost their faith in their gods, even in Zeus, and even if he did get Evey back, Zeus… will have absolutely nothing in the end.

It was also true that Hades had grown strong, stronger than Zeus himself, with the evidence that his armor did not continue to rot, but it began to shine.

His hair had become as black as charcoal and his voice was stronger and more clear than what it had been in years.

Almost as if a newborn man.

"I am still the ruler of Olympus, I am Zeus, King of the gods… I shall succeed as I shall win apart from you."

The Lord of the Underworld shook his head.

"You lie to yourself…"

Hades floated to his brother to look deep into the eyes of the his punisher and King, breathing words in a deep and dreadful sound.

The words were small…but deeply and terrifyingly penetrating.

"No one prays to you, Zeus. With the fear of the mortals I grow strong. Strong enough to be King of the Heavens, a haven from which you have banished me, a haven from which you cheated me. ..!" seethed Hades, venting the silent anger, and he continued," From where I stand to see you so defeated, I could say that my newfound happiness shall not be complete whilst you are still alive. But with the pain and torment I learned to live with… I shall do nothing but listen to the silence of the new mornings to come without your prayers… This is your punishment… Along with your sons... Along with your daughters… Along with brother Poseidon... Smaller than dust and ash, you will fall, crying on burning marble in the morning's hike… and…. I'll… watch… you … perish…"

Hades had stared out into the nothing of space, almost losing himself in a dream, but soon regained reality, placing his gaze on Zeus once again.

It was such a sad thought for the King of the Gods.

Today, Death yells checkmate.

The conversation between brothers ended, without another word more, the victorious brother turned and raced towards the sunset!

He zapped, cracked, popped, and hurried in a speed of light, towards the destination of the child that is still yet to be named.

Your POV:

It was not until I woke up from perspiration that I noticed the small baby in Aric's arms, I regained awareness of my surroundings.

Sweat rolled onto the lashes of my eyes from my forehead, stinging my eyes, my lips were swollen from biting on them with my teeth, my throat was sore from screaming.

The constant echo of silence stopped ringing.

One thing was instant: I was a mother.

The baby girl was beautiful, she outshone everything in the room as a full moon would outshine the stars on every night.

Everyone had cleared out of the room to give me a breather.

The baby was curled in a blanket.

With soft baby skin.

The softest hair on her pretty head.

One of the few things that had to be done was to absolutely, positively, completely, utterly, wholly, fully, obsessively love her and never let her go.

Apart from the fact she obviously beautiful, she was an angel.

An angel who was the daughter of the Lord of the Underworld, and apart from her beauty, I learned, from her eyes, the impossibility of capturing an individual face in words alone.

Feeling a lump in my throat, I began to cry.

Andra came back in with hot water and a rag.

She smiled at me.

"How are you feeling?"

I couldn't speak.

"Evey? Dearest?"

Nothing.

"Are alright, my dear?"

"She's beautiful…" I sobbed.

"Yes. Oh! Look at her eyes."

"She has her fathers eyes," I smiled.

"The father will be very proud."

"Yes, of course he will."

"Now, Evey? What is it?"

"I'm tired…"

"Oh, you have done a wonderful job… You have my best wishes."

"Thank you."

Aric came back in a room with his eyes absolutely glued to the child in my arms with watery blue eyes.

Dropping to his knees, he petted the baby girls head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

His blonde hair looked so at odds with her black hair.

His hands slowly picked her up, holding her head and rocked her back and forth in a circling waltz, looking at her with eyes that held that protecting look.

"What would you like to name her?"

"I don't know, yet."

"You would like to decide with the father wouldn't you?"

"Well, yes, I believe he deserves to."

"A wise decision, Evey. She has your hair and the eyes… I suppose the fathers'?"

"Yes."

"Come now. I need to go clean her up," Andra took the angel in her arms and out of the room to the wash bin.

This was the happiest moment in my life, but it was somewhat spoiled by the faraway look Aric had in his eyes right then. My hands pushed back the hair from his face to show his eyes and the strong jaw line that showed from an emotional turmoil.

"Evey… If it is not too rude to ask you something…"

"Of course. You can ask me anything."

"I-It is not the question that I would like to start with… But with this: I still love you, Evey."Aric-"

"I love you. Alas your affections shall remain dead to me. My question is: At some moment in your life, did you ever love me back?"

"That's… a really… hard question to answer…"

"Did you ever want to be my wife? This is a horrible thought: But did you wish that this child had been mine? Hate me if you wish, but I need to know. As I shall never have you again."

"Aric… I… love you, but… I don't… know. No more questions…"

"If you truly love me…" Aric nearly jumped," Then tell me that this child can be mine. That I can be your husband and you will be my wife and you shall never be lost again…"

"Aric, no…"

"But you love me, don't you? Tell me once and for all: that you love me that you want to be with me or tell me that you don't love me and you will never see me again."

"I can't think right now. I can't answer any of these… You can't ask me these kinds of things."

"You selfish girl. Do you not know the torments you bring to me?"

"I love you. But I'm not in love with you. If that make any sense. All this talk of love is… surreal for me. I don't want to hurt you but I don't want to hurt myself and I'm waiting for someone else and someone else is waiting for me and I am tired!

"Evey, as much as it pains me, perhaps you do not love me as much I had hoped that you would… Mark my words: as you nurse another man's child, I shall be waiting for you… It would prove everything if I were to fight a thousand battles to show you that I love you... And I'll love you till death."

Andra came back in, wiping her hands, and taking Aric's seat. Andra put her hand on my stomach, then dabbing a wet towel on my head.

"How are you feeling?"

"I-I'm fine. Baby girl took a lot outta me."

"Take a rest now, soon, summon your strength as a mother, the other one will come along."

"What!"

Zeus' POV:

Zeus made his destination and shouted for the ugly sisters to come forth and show themselves!

From their darkness, the sister emerged with the Eye. Laughing with crooked smiles, the sisters amused themselves with the outcome of Zeus.

"Fates! Tell me all I want to know!"

"Aww! The almighty Zeus graces up with his presence…!"

"The almighty Zeus comes to us for wise tales…"

"Wise tales to take back his wife…"

"His wife who is in love with the Lord of the Underworld…"

"The Lord of the Underworld who brings demise to your sons and daughters…"

"The sons and daughters who now slowly die in Olympus… Die!"

"Death from the starvation of prayers…"

"How foolish of you, Zeus, choosing a mere mortal…"

"Now the reward is the price of war upon the world, bringing boiling oceans and volcanoes…"

"Soon the immortals shall all perish as the world burns…"

"This miracle child is the bringer of disease and death! How blind of you! Blind!"

"Yet, your brother will not be the end of you…"

"The end of you shall come from your wife… She has broken free from your chains. We had warned you that she will be the end of you."

"Now look what has come! The days are numbered. As we shall die…!"

"The love of Hades shall defeat you, and you! Zeus! King of the Gods shall perish…!"

"What am I to do?" asked Zeus.

The sisters crawled and slithered forward.

"There is a cure for your disease. For you to live… she must no longer be yours…"

"No longer yours, but to belong to her true love…"

"Mortal, yes. Powerful, indeed… Her happiness shall save you, but be saddened in the knowledge that her happiness is not for you…!"

"True love shall revive you from your ending fate…"

"But there is a caution. Her soul is divided…"

"Divided?" Zeus breathed with fear, and all the gods knew what that meant.

If a soul is divided and is not fully consumed within the mortal spirit, that mortal shall die, unless the soul can be emerged together in a whole.

His wife was doomed.

"How can I save her?"

"There is a task. But it is nearly impossible to do," the sisters laughed.

"What is it! I shall do it! Speak!"

The sisters grouped up together in a huddle, hissing and spitting out black liquid, chuckling at Evey's dark fate.

"This task is for the one that is in control of the dead souls and screaming ghouls beneath the earth…"

"Hades…! The Lord of the Underworld, himself must partake…"

"She must return back to her world. Once there, she must die…"

"What!" Zeus smited his thigh angrily," This is your solution!"

"Once she is dead, the Lord of the Underworld must ferry her soul himself to our world… into an immortal body. As his Queen…forever to be his…"

"Forever to be his. All is fair in the lines of love and war…"

Zeus was crushed.

The first real relationship he has had with a woman, and fate demands that she belongs to another, but in exchange to save their world from ending.

He loved her, but does Evey care enough about him to forgive him and accept to no longer be his wife?

Perhaps she will never forgive him, but she will certainly agree to never be his wife again, as he was so persistent and love struck that he did not care for her opinions or cares.

"I will pass the message…"

"Once you have found your wife, bring her back to us…!"

The sisters coughed and slithered.

"We have a message as well… Fate demands it…!"

"Bring her to us!"

"Bring her to us, as fate rules all…!"

Your POV:

1 Hour Later:

"Oh, look at this! Evey! It's a boy."

"He has your eyes…"

"Oh, he's so handsome…!"

"A mother of two!"

"I've got my hands full!" I laughed, holding my baby boy in my arms.

"Are you ready to breastfeed?"

"I guess so…" I smiled.

"But may I have a word with you, Evey?" asked Aric.

Before I practiced, Aric humbly apologized for his behavior, and I forgave him.

He told me that he had been looking for me for months and the emotions were too much for him to bear, and he had to spill his feelings out.

All the soldiers had agreed to search for me, asking and praying for my safety in high hopes to bring a wife to their captain.

I understood, because if I saw Hades, I would kiss him and hug him and tell him how much I missed him so much and I never wanted to lose him again.

It was a thrill to know that soon, hopefully, he'll see his children.

"I am grateful you forgive me, Evey…"

"It's ok, Aric, like I told you before, there's a girl out there for you somewhere…"

"Of course your wisdom is all I take in account for…"

I laughed.

"Why are you so perfect and amazing?"

"Well, I have to keep up with you," he grinned.

Always charming as usual.

So he would have absolutely no problem getting a girl in the future.

"Even through our conversation… You must understand that I will still wait for you…"

"I know…You're so damn… Stubborn."

"As a mule…"

"Trying to change your mind is like trying… to make a stone bleed."

"Aren't you the flattering type?"

"I guess I have t- OW!"

Aric jumped.

"What is it?"

My arms supported me up to sit on the bed more. Placing my hand on my belly, I felt kicks and - I was having another baby!

"Ahh!"

"Evey! What is it!"

"Shit! G-Get Andra! I think… I-I'm having another baby!"

Aric jumped up, bursted through the door, and fetched Andra as fast as he could. Quick in a flash Andra was kneeling beside me, touching my belly for any movement or kicking.

"Lay still! Lay still!

"I CAN'T! IT HURTS! AHH!"

"Aric, help me!"

Andra pulled up the sheet and check for any sign of a head, and Aric placed a hand on my stomach.

"What do you feel!"

"Kicking."

"How about now?"

"Still kicking."

"AHHH!"

"Hush, Evey! Can you push!"

"OK! OK!" I took a deep breathe," UUUUUGGH!"

"Evey, Evey! Breathe!"

Andra paused, shaking her head.

"What is it? What is it!" Aric shouted, watching blood drip from the table.

"Something's wrong…"

"What! What is it!"

"Something's not right…!"

Andra kneeled up to look at me.

"Evey. Look at me. Look at me! I need you to push. Push as hard you can!"

I took another deep breathe.

"UUUUUGGGGH!"

"Push!"

"UUUUUGGGGHH!"

"Aric, count for her! Push, Evey!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1...!"

Something was definitely not right, and I could feel it in my stomach.

A painful sharp pang!

"AAAAHHHH! PLEASE!"

"Push! Push!"

"PLEASE! STOP! I CAN'T…!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1...!"

A rip of flesh came to my ears, scaring the hell out of me, and worse, I felt the pain surge through my loins and to my belly.

My head swung back, hitting the bed board.

"Push! Push! There's no turning back! Push! Push! Push!"

"AAAHHH! NO! PLEASE!"

"Evey! Push! It's not good enough! Push!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

Aric grabbed a hold of my hand, and I squeezed it!

"You're breaking my hand!"

"Don't give up! Push!"

"OH GOD! I FEEL IT! DON'T!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

"Push! You're losing a lot of blood! Push! Push!"

"OH GOD! ARIC I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M- AHHHH!"

Sweat poured down and onto my eyelashes, burning my eyes.

"Pick up her legs! Pick her legs up and push!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." Aric yelled, still holding my hand.

"Don't you dare cry! Push! Push!"

A 'blop, blop, blop' sound came from somewhere.

"I CAN'T! OOOHHH! GOD! I CAN'T DO THIS!"

"Evey, you're almost there, you're almost there. Keep going!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

"Please! Evey! Push! Don't give up! Push! Push!"

"Pull up her legs. Evey hold your legs up!"

My hands locked onto my thighs, pushing my knees upon my belly.

A heavy 'drip, drip, drip' sound came next.

"OH GOD DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"

"Aric! I need you to push down on the belly! Push!"

"WHAT! NO! NOOOO! AAAAAHHHH!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

"NO! NO! NOOO! ARIC- I CAN'T BREATHE!"

"Evey, I'm right here! I'm here!" Aric kissed my hand.

Andra was pulling something.

There was a gurgle of blood. A 'splish, splash' sound fell on the floor.

"What's happening to her!"

"Push! Push! Push! Push! Push! Push! Push! Push! Push! Push!"

"What's wrong with her?"

"I'm losing her. I'm losing her! Wake up. Don't stop! Wake up!"

"Hades…" I whispered to myself.

I blacked out.

Aric's POV:

Aric was shooed from Evey's room by Andra, only to join Adelio roasting the flesh of a beast over the fire. Beside Adelio in a neatly woven basket was Calista, their daughter, sleeping by the warm fire. Evey had stopped screaming, suddenly falling into a deep sleep from exhaustion, making him more worried.

Now, he did not know the high maintenance of a woman's body, but he was sure that Evey had been in danger with the life of hers and her baby.

"My wife made the same noise. Near some 3 years ago…" said Adelio, looking at Aric with dark knowing eyes.

"Oh?"

"Yes. Calista had not been our first child, oh no, she is our 4th."

"Your 4th?"

He scratched his head to the back of his neck, looking at Calista with a knowing glance.

"Andra and I tried for years. Each time we failed. We prayed to the gods. But those prayers were never answered. My wife had given birth before, but the child did not last 12 months."

"Lost to disease?"

"Yes. That was our first child. Our second child was born, but we did not name it. In 7 months, it was stricken was disease as well. My wife and I made a rule: We shall not name a child until after 12 months have passed. Better chance it will survive."

Aric looked towards Calista, still warm and sleeping.

"Our third child was dead before it was born. My wife had to carry a dead child in her womb for 2 weeks, until then she was able to push it out. A sad thought. But tis' a fate intertwined with the life of a poor fisherman and his wife," he smiled, scratching his beard.

Adelio glanced at the door, thinking about the two women who were behind it. His glance was followed by the young soldier.

"My wife's hopes for a child were diminishing. Then she had gotten pregnant again and this time, she was ill. At that point I thought that this would be the end of me, that I would lose both my wife and the child…"

"Then she came," Aric finished.

"Yes, a healer of mercy. What joys I had known when my wife was healed and the child was born, oh yes, what joys and cries of happiness. Then the gold… The 'miracle child' was not done with us yet. She gave us our lives back. Reviving our hopes and dreams. Pulling us out of a pit…"

Aric leaned back in his chair with arms and legs crossed. Adelio looked at him with a stern pointed eye.

"Listen here, soldier. Do not look at my dirty clothes. Do not look at my whiskered chin. Look at me. If you love that girl, you will let her go, because you know damn well that she is in love with another. I see her as my own child, a daughter, and I know the wishes of her heart better than you can. I have had practice with the ghosts of my dead children for years."

"Why are you telling me this? You can not stop me from loving her, old man. Yes, another man may have her heart, but that does not mean that I can not wait for her as long as I possibly can."

"You are a soldier yes?"

"Yes."

"Then give me your word that whatever you see, whatever you know, whatever happens, you shall not rage upon the father of her child."

"Why on earth would I?"

"In time you shall see that not all that you wish to see is all good. Sometimes fate demands it. Fate sometimes demands sacrifices, passion, and something cruel and bittersweet."

"Wisdom from a fisherman? Very well. You have my word. A soldier surrenders with honor and dignity to any vow."

Adelio gave him a more stern look, pointing his finger at him.

"Hold yourself to that young soldier. Fate is watching over you, me, Andra, and Evey. It is the many fascinating aspects of life we will never fully understand. On the day my wife had given birth, fate was very kind to us, giving me a child healthy and strong, my little Calista. Today fate is very cruel and unjust and terrible, giving Evey two wonderful children, but one dead child."

Adelio shook his head in pity.

"Now, look who is at my door! What surprises this day has brought… Zeus! How is it you find an old fisherman's hut?"

It was true, Aric looked, and there he was. The King of the Gods looking more dead than ever, standing in his dim armor.

"Fisherman, I have come for my wife."

"W-What, you! You are Evey's husband!"

"Yes, young soldier. My wife and I must discuss our business in private."

"You can not. She has just given birth and is sleeping."

"I know, but this is urgent and she needs to know what I must tell her. Her life depends on me."

"You will not take her! Have a heart, she has lost her child…"

Zeus paused.

"The child is dead? I am too late…" Zeus said going through the bedroom doors only to come out with her limp form in his arms, ready to sprout into the air and fly away.

"You can not take her! She is injured!"

"I am the only one who has the ability to heal her… I am the one who shall save her soul. Out of my way, soldier."

"Where are you taking her?"

"To the Fates. I shall leave the child here in your care for the time being. I shall return her to her rightful place."

"Children. She has a girl and a boy. One is dead."

"Alas, 3 children? Evey shall be devastated to know that one has passed. The others are healthy, yes? What can I do for her then? Tell me soldier! Shall you wait here for her? Until she returns?"

"Of course."

Zeus leaned forward, looking keenly into the eyes of the soldier.

"Do me this, soldier. You shall receive another knock upon your door. It shall be my brother, Hades, here to find Evey. We shall be with the Fates. Waiting for his arrival to revive her… But I warn you. Our world is ending, there is a chance that you may not be able to live whilst she is still here, she must be taken away by Hades and myself. Many mortals will die. Can you take this caution wisely?"

"I shall."

As Zeus foretold, Hades did find the fisherman's hut, and Adelio warned Aric not to be enraged by the presence of the Lord of the Undead. It be best to not play with his temper.

Aric knew that Hades had stolen away Evey, but did not say a word, because he knew that he was the only man alive to help Evey.

Andra and Adelio cowered in fear in the Lord of the Underworld's presence, holding their child close at hand while Aric stood ad watched Hades go to the bloody bedroom.

The fear was too much to bear to lose another child so Adelio rushed his wife and child out of that hut, telling Aric that they shall wait outside for the departure of the god until it's safe.

The soldier held still.

Waiting.

Aric did not follow him in, but soon saw the god walk out with all three children in his arms, but with a new atmosphere around his being.

Like the heat of a candle on wax, melting and glowing in the warmth of the flame sending vibrations of something good.

There was no emotion depicted what he will do with the dead child, but there was… something… that told Aric that he should not worry about Evey's children.

Hades petted the children.

His footsteps upon the board headed towards the doorway, barely able to fit his large figure.

Hades did not nod or speak, but took the children with him and out the door, towards the clawed fortress of the Fates.

(Writer: Baby names will be revealed in the next chapter!)