Erik was pacing impatiently. He was anxious, but he couldn't decide what about. He would be unbelievably happy if it was decided Christine should return with him, but he was sure he would face the wrath of her mother. He would surely never recover if she were to be kept from him forever, but the world need not suffer for him.
Demeter watched with a hateful glare that caused the air in the hall to grow cold. A breeze blew through and it brought with it a few flakes of snow. The gods around them were growing uncomfortable in the freezing air.
Out of nowhere, Demeter slammed her hand on the table in front of her. She stood and stalked over to Hades. The god of the dead stood defiantly at her approach. He towered over her, but both figures were equally imposing.
When Demeter was looking straight up into his masked face, she finally spoke.
"How dare you even look at my daughter?" she screamed. She was hysterical and Christine was trying to pull her back and quiet her. "My daughter could never love a monster like you! You are a heartless, cold, terrible being and I wish I never had to see you!"
Christine was beginning to cry. She knew Erik would believe every word of this and it would never leave his mind.
"Mother," she choked, "Please, don't do this. Don't be so cruel."
Demeter turned back to her daughter with a hard scowl. Her eyes softened only slightly at the sight of her sobbing daughter.
"Christine, you don't know what you're saying. You don't understand," she stated.
Christine fell to her knees and let her head drop. She silently sobbed as the two gods watched.
Hades had not changed expressions much as Demeter was yelling at him but, now that Christine was crying, he looked only sad. He had kept a depressed, hopeless expression through the entire ordeal. He hardly blinked as he watched Christine cry and a tear gathered in the corner of his eye.
Demeter turned back to the god with fury.
"You did this to my daughter! You are a monster and you destroyed her! She would never leave me and you have bewitched her to think she should. I hate you!"
Erik straightened slightly at her outburst. His gaze fixed on her and his eyes showed only anger.
"Demeter, with all respect, I never intended to enchant your daughter. I can only say it is to her great benefit that she shares very little of her personality with you. If anyone else were to act the way you do, the world would surely perish. Perhaps she is right to wish to leave you, I would never wish to spend more time with you than is necessary."
The god of the dead stared directly into the shocked face of Demeter as she slowly processed what had just been said.
Suddenly, she lashed out to strike him, but Hades seemed intangible. Her hands passed through him as if he were made of smoke. She screamed with rage and continued to whip her hands through him.
Christine and the other gods in the hall eventually managed to pull Demeter away from Hades.
The god of the underworld remained motionless and with the expression of little emotion through the ordeal. Demeter continued to scream in rage for a while before collapsing into sobs and hugging her daughter close to her.
Each party took up their places at opposite sides of the hall, each at an equal distance to the door behind which the council was convening.
There was silence for a long while.
Athena entered the room and the conversing gods fell silent from their hushed conversations. All eyes were on her as she addressed the gathering.
"Zeus, cloud gatherer, has come to a decision concerning the fate of Christine," her voice boomed through the hall. The sound reverberated off the columns and walls of the hall.
Christine bit her lip anxiously. Demeter buried her face in her hands in preparation for the worst. Her shoulders were tensed in preparation for the inevitable sobs of despair.
Hades stared with such intensity that any mortal to have broken his gaze would have turned to ash.
Athena smiled slightly. "For half of the year Christine may dwell with her mother and for the remaining time she may stay with Hades. She is to choose to accept or not, but this will be the most beneficial for all parties concerned," Athena finished with a small nod to Hades and Demeter respectfully.
Demeter cried out, whether from joy or sadness it was unclear. She was to keep her daughter, but only half of her time.
Christine pulled herself from her mother grasp. She whipped around toward the other solicitor of the conflict.
Hades, who had spun around in shock to face the girl, quickly found himself in her violent embrace. She had jumped to reach around his neck and she hugged him tighter than ever before.
Hades could no longer form any semblance of thought and could only perceive the feeling of her soft hair against his chin. He felt the entirety of her weight on his shoulders, but she was light enough that it was of no consequence. He inhaled and took in the sweet smell of flowers and bread that she carried everywhere she went.
His mind eventually returned to him and he returned the embrace. He bent down so she could stand on the floor and he buried his face in her shoulder. His arms wrapped around her waist with more intensity than the first time he had hugged her, for this time she was his.
In a way at least.
Erik could hardly contain his emotions when Christine spoke.
"I love you," she whispered directly into his ear.
The god of the dead was sure his heart of stone would burst from his chest as he held Christine. All his senses had abandoned him at her touch and her words.
When they separated, Christine addressed the shocked gathering. They had all fallen silent as the grave when she had run to Hades. They were stunned that she should be so glad to be trapped with such a being for half of every year.
"I accept the proposal and thank Zeus for his kind and generous nature," Christine said respectfully, "and thank you, Athena, for I know you could see the solution before any others."
Athena smiled warmly at the girl. She was a very kind creature and Athena was glad Hades would have her. Athena, of all the gods, was more prone to like the company of Hades. She found him logical and less self aggrandizing than the others and he had many talents that she shared an interest for.
Demeter was so stunned that she had hardly moved since Christine had pulled away. She now ran to her daughter and pulled her into her own embrace. She may have pulled her away from Hades a bit, but Christine returned the hug.
"Christine, you could still say no," Demeter hesitantly offered, "you could still choose to stay with me."
Christine pulled away. She gave her mother a sympathetic smile as she gently shook her head.
"Mother, I love you and will always honor you, but you must allow me my own life apart from that which I spend with you," Christine said firmly.
Demeter sighed in resignation and nodded to her daughter. She then turned a cold gaze to Hades. She did not speak to him, but all could tell the meaning behind the expression. She was relaying her opinion of him. She hated him with her entire being, but she was allowing him to share her daughter with her. She knew she had no choice, but she hated him more than anything.
Hades nodded respectfully to the goddess of grain before she left. She claimed she needed to inform the people of the earth of how the weather would change periodically.
When she was gone, Christine turned to Erik, for he was Erik to her and he even began to think of himself as Erik when in her presence.
Christine studied him for a moment with an expression of joy, but with hesitation.
"You needn't wear the mask, dear, I do not fear your face," Christine said gently.
Erik took a knee before her and looked into her eyes.
"Christine, if you do not fear my face, then unmask it," he replied.
Christine stepped forward and gently grasped the cold mask. Her thumb ran over the smooth surface and she allowed her other fingers to brush his face beneath the mask, causing a slight shiver to pass down his spine. She lifted the mask off his face and gazed at him. He could feel her eyes taking in every bit if his ugliness, but what she did next surprised him more than the still viewing group.
Christine leaned forward and kissed Erik's forehead. He could feel her warm lips on his cold skin. Never before had any living being touched him with such affection and love when they knew of his face.
Tears ran from his golden eyes and Christine looked at him with a small smile.
"Does that clear away any doubt you had of my love for you Erik?" Christine whispered.
Erik smiled. "My dearest, loveliest Christine, no god has received a gift such as that. I know now that you speak the truth, for no being could kiss this face without first loving this hideous creature."
Author's note: Hey, thanks for reading. I'm happy to say I received some seriously amazing feedback that helped me add something extremely important to this chapter. I had already been trying to figure out what was missing, and I finally had someone who could see it better than I. I really appreciate getting reviews and suggestions, so never be afraid to tell me when I could do something better. I genuinely need the feedback, so please talk to me. Thanks again for reading.
