Part 3: Chapter 9

Ariadne

Without hesitation, I rushed forward and fell to my knees onto the ground right before him. I leaned my body forward to place myself in a prostrate and bowed before him to show just how much I respected him as a god and a king.

Keeping my forehead pressed to the green grass, I told him in a breathless rush, "Great King Hades… Thank you for allowing me to reunite with my husband… Thank you for allowing Semele to follow us back to the land of the living… I… I… I simply cannot thank you enough for allowing us this rare chance… A kind and merciful king you are indeed… Bless you and your Queen…"

I stayed that way for a while, tying hard to take in the fact that this was truly happening. It must seem like a dream; a dream that I was so very afraid I would wake up from and soon forget. But the feel of grass on my face and the voice of Semele muttering in prayers to thank the high heavens were so very real that I knew that this was thankfully not a dream at all. I swear if my heart was still beating right now, its pace would be rapid and racing with excitement and joy.

Suddenly, I felt a masculine hand being placed gently on my shoulder, and I then looked up to see Hades kneeling in front of me to level his gaze onto mine. His fathomless black eyes, despite still looking daunt, seemed much more softer now.

"Ariadne, it would seem that there has been another special request for you," he informed me. "Someone else wishes to see you before you leave from my kingdom for good."

The confusion set into me immediately, and I could feel myself frowning at his words. "Who else is there that would want to see me, my lord?" I questioned.

"Close your eyes and I shall take you to him," he instructed me knowingly.

When I heard the word 'him', I already knew exactly who he was talking about.

I turned my head around to look at Dionysus and Semele, who were standing aside and watching me quietly. I especially focused my gaze on my husband, trying to ask him mentally if I should do this or not. Dionysus did not say anything, but he closed his eyes and gave me a soft smile, just as he nodded his head once in agreement. Beside him, Semele just looked at me gently with her own smile.

"You will return to your husband and Semele when he has spoken what he wishes to speak to you about," Hades told me in certainty. "Do not be afraid, Ariadne. He does not mean you any ill intentions. He just wants to see you again."

Hades must have said that last part because he must have somehow felt the fear that I could feel was rising within me. I mean, how could I not feel afraid? The very last time I had seen who he was talking about when I was still alive, he had angrily disowned me as his daughter and wanted badly to have me killed for committing treason. It did not matter whether or not I was his flesh and blood; the thought that he had wanted me dead still frightened me to no extent.

But when Hades told me that he did not mean me any harm, I felt compelled to believe him. The king could surely not say that to give me a false sense of security. Every word that was spoken from his mouth was all truthful and never once a lie, and I knew now to believe that he was kind enough to tell me to not be afraid.

Might as well I get this over and done with… I told myself in reassurance. Be brave, Ariadne… You are stronger than before…

So I then slid my eyes shut, chanting to myself mentally four words of reassurance.

It will be alright…

I suddenly felt the tips of Hades' lean fingers touching my forehead, and I was suddenly gone to someplace else.

The darkness I saw behind my eyelids was suddenly replaced by a bright white light. I thought at first that this must be something that was going on in my head, but then I realised that I was actually blinking, which meant that I was actually in an abyss of bright nothingness. This certain abyss with its bright aura – the feeling of soft sunshine and moonshine altogether – suddenly reminded me of the time I was first transitioned into the Elysian Fields when I had been given my sentence by Hades and Persephone. But instead of it being just for a fleeting moment, I seemed to be completely in the abyss this time.

However, I was wrong about it being full of nothingness. There was something.

Or more specifically, someone.

He had his back to me when I had first appeared, but he then turned around at that moment. Minos now stood facing me, his eyes looking right back at mine.

"F-Father…" I heard myself subconsciously murmur.

He took a deep breath and exhaled it out slowly. In the deep voice of his that I surprisingly still remembered even after seven years, he replied, "Ariadne."

He started to approach me then, while I remained still with anxiety and uncertainty. It was true that he did not sound even the slightest bit raged or spiteful or disgusted, instead sounding just like how he would usually speak normally and calmly. But still the thought of being near my father, considering the fact that our relationship had been severed greatly on bad terms, made me absolutely fearful and anxious.

Clearing my throat which had gone dry, I muttered meekly, "It… has been… quite a long time…"

"Indeed it has," he said knowingly with a nod of his head when he finally stood in front of me.

Now feeling very uncomfortable, I took to crossing my arms in front of my chest (as if I could protect myself like that…) and fidget uncomfortably as I casted my eyes downwards, wondering what else could I say to him in this admittedly bittersweet reunion.

"I… I did not know that… You are…" I did not continue out of hesitant to mention the fact that he was in the Underworld.

I heard him exhale a low sigh, which held something felt heavy and weary. But before I could even think to know what it was, a thin and slightly wrinkly hand cupped my chin and gently tilted my head upwards, causing me to look into the grey eyes of my father. I gulped unconsciously, feeling more nervous by the second as I now looked back into his eyes. His gaze, even back then, had always been unwavering and focused, as though he was a predator focused on his next prey. Such a stare could scare anyone and make them anxious; myself included.

But it was then I realized that his eyes did not really look as hard or stony as I had expected them to be. Instead, it was soft and gentle, and almost remorseful-looking. Such an expression could only suit that of my father when he was at point of utmost sorrow.

I could not bring myself to look away, so I maintained his gaze and tried to get myself to stay calm. As I did, he asked me in a low murmur, "Do you still fear me, my daughter?"

Now that was a question I clearly did not expect him to ask. And now I was anxious again; not because I did not know how to answer it, but because I know all too well what was my answer.

"You are hesitant, but I can tell from your eyes that you do," he suddenly said lowly but knowingly. "You still do fear me…"

In an attempt to calm the constant growing anxiety that was deep within me, I replied hesitantly in a shaky voice that was trembling with fear, "Y-Yes…"

I casted my eyes downwards again as the anxiety and fear were already starting to get more and more serious with each passing second. I wanted to break off his hold and run away, not wanting to face any bad thing that could possibly occur at such a moment like this. But I was frozen, rooted to the spot as I could only stand before my father.

All of a sudden, his fingers moved from under my chin to my cheek, bringing the fingertips down the skin gently in a caress. His eyes continued to hold that sense of gentleness as he looked back at me, watching my every reaction.

"Quite understandable…" he whispered, maybe to himself. He too casted his eyes downwards as he carried on speaking, but now in a low and very grim tone of voice. "My last actions towards you had been enough to cause you to be afraid of your own father… How foolish and cruel I had been because of it…"

Now, however, I was slightly confused, and I unknowingly tilted my head back up to look at him, realizing that he looked just as grim as he sounded. I really wondered what was with his sudden change in demeanour.

"Ariadne…" he breathed my name in a low exhale of breath. "Dear Ariadne… My dear daughter… I… I had requested our lord Hades to allow me some time to just speak to you, because I fear that I now do not have any more time to lose… I had asked to see you, because I wish to personally apologize to you for what I had done… I wish to repent to you all the wrong that I had foolishly committed towards you…"

His hand on my face moved to take hold of both my hands in his. He held them with a gentle grip, his wrinkly and leathery skin pressing lightly against the softness of my smooth hands. I looked down at our intertwined hands, keeping quiet as I allowed him to go on.

"You truly do not know how remorseful I feel towards you at this very moment, my daughter. Seven years have passed since we had last seen each other, and our last encounter had been anything but pleasant. I remember that day like a haunting memory. I remembered how I had condemned, cursed, disowned and banished you, and had even ordered your head be cut off. But I admit to you now that those are deeds that I did not mean to commit, but it had already been committed out of blind anger and rage. I was so caught up with the thought that the Minotaur being dead, and that the tradition of the annual sacrifice of fourteen Athenians now destroyed. I cannot believe that I had valued something of such cruelty above you. I cannot believe that I had actually ordered you killed, just because you had helped in saving fourteen lives and more fourteen lives that could have come."

A bead of wetness fell onto the top of my hand, and I realized that he was actually starting to cry. Tears had already welled up in his eyes, with some steadfastly streaming down his cheeks in messy rivulets. He did not make to wipe them away, instead continuing on with his words.

"When you had taken your younger sister with you when you ran away with the prince of Athens, I thought that I could live with it, reasoning with myself that the both of you – especially you – had been nothing but burdens, which I had been thankfully relieved of. Gods above, how I was so very wrong back then. I remember clearly how I would tell myself constantly that you would only shame me if you were to continue living in Crete, and soil the family name by having been in allegiance with Theseus. However, no matter how much I tried to think of you as insignificant and forget about you altogether, it failed. You constantly haunted my mind, Ariadne. Every second, every minute and every hour, my mind kept me thinking of you. Whether it was a memory of mine that involved you, or just an image of your face, I was constantly reminded of you."

Another shaky exhale of breath, and he then asked me quietly, "And do you know what I realized then, Ariadne?"

I remained quiet, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"I finally realized that I felt guilty about what I had done to you, and that I was so ever remorseful for having driven you away from your homeland and from your family. I missed you so much. I missed your beautiful smile, your warm presence and your loving demeanour. I regretted what I had done to you; regret, when it comes to you, I have oceans of it. It would not be a surprise if you do not forgive me. In fact, I think I do not even deserve your forgiveness for my cruelty towards you."

All of a sudden, he went down on his knees, let go of my hands and bowed before me in prostate. It was then he started to cry; I could hear him sobbing and see him shaking. I could do nothing but stay standing still and watching him, out of shock and confusion. His hands, shaking fervently, reached out and grabbed the hem of my dress in handfuls.

"I am so very sorry, my dear Ariadne…" his voice spoke in broken sobs. "I am so very sorry… I was horrible to you… Harsh… Cruel… Evil… I am everything that is vile… I am ashamed that I am your father and I had done such a thing to you… I am ashamed that I had let anger take over me and made me commit the gravest sin towards you… When I died, I died feeling empty, because you were not there for me to see in my final moments… I am ashamed that I was weak and did not even have the heart to find you and bring you home… I am so very ashamed… I am so very sorry…"

The sight of my father in such a state had triggered a sort of emotion within me. I felt pitiful to see him crying and sobbing so very remorsefully, and I too felt like I wanted to cry at how sincere he was being as he apologized to me over and over again. I could clearly see now that he truly was regretful of his past actions, and was trying in the earnest to let me know how sorry he was.

Knowing this, I then made to kneel before my father and cupped the sides of his face to tilt it so that his eyes were looking at me. His grey eyes were red and teary, and there was such a heavy pain and sadness that lied within. Quietly, my thumbs gently wiped away the tear trails on his cheeks, my eyes continued to hold his gaze.

"Dear father…" I began, my voice low and soft in a whisper. "It pains me to see you sad…"

"I deserve the sadness," he bitterly replied. "This is my punishment for my sins…"

In response, I shook my head in disagreement. "I cannot say that I wish for you to suffer, Father… I see your guilt and remorse, and I know that you truly do regret what you had done… Although I was afraid, I will admit to you that I had missed you as well… When I think of you during our happier times, I always yearn to go back home to Crete… But nothing bad had happened to me when I was banished… Theseus had gotten rid of me, but the god Dionysus found me and made me his wife and the Queen of his revelries and rituals… I am happy with him, now that I am his wife and the mother of his twelve sons… So you did not cause me any unhappiness at all…"

Suddenly, a small smile started playing on his lips. It was small and nearly could not be seen, but it gradually got more noticeable as it broadened.

"It is good to hear that you have found your happiness, dear Ariadne. And I am proud for the person you had become. Unlike your sister Phaedra who had lived a life of cruelty and vile intentions which had earned her a life in the eternal fiery depths of horrible Tartarus, you have been a kind and merciful soul to all those around you, and that truly made you worthy of residing in the Elysian Fields. But now, you are going to deserve something much better. You will become a goddess, the most mightiest and most powerful of beings. You will be loved, and praised all around."

He then got out of his prostration position and sat on his haunches closer to me. It was then he extended out his arms and pulled me into an embrace, his hug gentle yet strong. Without hesitation and with gentleness, I too brought my own arms around him to enforce our embrace.

I heard him sigh, and then he told me softly, "I feel content now to know that there is no longer any bad blood between us, and that you have found yourself a life of happiness. I am glad that the Fates had woven good omens into your thread of life. You are a strong woman, my dear daughter. You have braved through a storm of difficulties to have made it to what you are now. I admire you for your strength, as well as how I admire you for your compassion."

Hearing those words of sweet praise brought tears to my eyes, and I gently hugged him tighter. "Thank you, Father… And I too am sorry for all the wrong I had done you… I am just so glad to know that there will no longer be any strain and bad blood between us… Thank the high heavens…"

I smiled to myself at how comforting the embrace felt; how any hug shared between my father and me always had been when there had been nothing but love and affection in our bond. I realized now how much I missed these sorts of affections, which I have never gotten for seven years. And I knew now that I was just so very glad that there will no longer be any anger any hatred and mistakes between us anymore.

I felt him place a kiss to the top of my head, followed by a gentle caress of my hair. "My dear sweet daughter…" he murmured in soft sorrow. "As much as I am thankful for Lord Hades to allow me some time with you, and as much as I am thankful that I have been blessed by the Fates with the chance to see you once more… I am sorrowful to tell you that it is now time for us to part for good..."

A sudden clenching started in my heart, and I tightened my embrace on him instantly. Suddenly, I was so consume with an all new pain and sadness. The thought of leaving my father was the one to now devastate me this time.

"Father…" I could only say, unable to speak through this time of grief.

He shushed me gently and pulled me back slightly so that I was looking at him once again. His finger gently wiped away any tear that threatened to fall, and his hands then came to rest gently on my shoulders as he held me.

"Dear Ariadne, I know how much it is painful for both of us to part, now that we have reconciled… But what is weaved into our respective threads of life cannot be undone… I have been dead for considerably a long time now, and I have already come to be bonded to the Underworld as one of its three judges… I cannot leave the Underworld that I have now considered my final home… But you… You have another chance at life, and you are to be a goddess… You truly do not know how proud I am that you have deserved such an honorary title that is above even that of the greatest kings who rule the lands… I want you to be happy, for someone like you deserve a lifetime of happiness…"

This time, it was me who embraced him, and I embraced him with a gentle firmness to indicate how much I was savouring this moment while it would last. I knew that I could no longer deny that this would be the very last time I would ever see, hear or feel my father, so I was making this moment worthwhile.

"I will miss you, Father… I love you…" I whispered in a voice that was threatening to break with tears.

Father hugged me back, and this time his embrace was one of sorrow. I could feel his tears falling onto the top of my head, wetting my hair. In a shaky heavy voice, he murmured, "And I love you… Ariadne, my dear daughter… If ever you yearn, just remember that I will always remember you and hold you dear to my heart…"

Still remaining in that embrace, I could feel a shift in the air. The aura of the bright white nothingness was slowly disappearing, its brightness slowly starting to dull.

Knowing that my time was up, I whispered my final words to him.

"Goodbye, Father…"

Author's Note:

I am a terrible author... I forgot that I had intended to publish this chapter yesterday... Slipped out of my mind (I'm not used to this odd updates now) :(

But alas, it is alright, for it is now published!

So it seems that Ariadne finally manages to settle one last matter before leaving for good. I'm just glad that she was able to forgive her father for his mistakes, as well as apologize for hers. And thankfully, all the bad blood between them has finally disappeared, and they have reconciled with tender affections :)

And so, this leaves me with just 1 chapter left of Drunk On Love and the epilogue, both of which will come out on Saturday. I can honestly say that I cannot wait!

See you on Saturday!

Muse of Fanfiction