A/N: Oops, I forgot it was Friday! I had to get up at the crack of dawn to play sheepdog for a school project. Literally. I had lambs chewing on my pants, and big ewes leaning on me looking for treats. I'm an RVT (Registered Veterinary Technichian) student, in case you can't tell, and our project is to entertain sheep. I actually quite enjoy it. The first project was pigs. I really hate pigs. Except as bacon. 'Nuff said. *cough*
Anyway, thanks for your reviews! I was worried the last chapter was a bit too short, but it seems people enjoyed it. This chapter is quite a bit longer, and we finally get some solid Hades and Persephone moments. I really hope you like it!
Chapter 6: Picnic with Hades
Persephone woke alone and confused. Where was she? What had happened? She remembered the feast of the gods, and panicked. What had they done to her? Did they find her after all? Her heart pounded in terror, and she huddled on the bed, feeling lost and violated. No, she fought them off, she recalled slowly. She ran from them, and fell in the river, and—
Lord Hades! He pulled her from the river! He'd saved her, and brought her to the Underworld to keep her safe. She felt the sudden urge to see him, to make sure he was real and had really taken her away from the other gods. Part of her still wondered if she wasn't trapped in a nightmare after the gods took her, and this was just her mind's escape. Only seeing Lord Hades would confirm that she was awake and safe.
She sprang from the bed and stumbled to the door. To her relief, it wasn't locked. She opened it without looking, and ran into someone who'd been about to enter. She recoiled from the person, before realizing it was the woman who had helped her clean up yesterday. Instantly she threw herself at Lady Hecate, breaking into loud sobs.
If Lady Hecate was startled by her reaction, she did a good job of handling it. The older goddess propelled them into the room and sat on the bed, half-carrying the distraught maiden. A wisp of power closed the door behind them.
"There, there," Lady Hecate patted her back firmly. "There, there. Let it out and tell Hecate what the problem is."
"I'm s-sorry," Persephone stammered. "I j-just woke alone and I w-was afraid."
Lady Hecate tensed. "You were afraid of the Underworld?"
Persephone slowly regained control of her breathing. She shook her head. "I w-was afraid this was a d-dream, th-that I was still w-with them." She shuddered in revulsion.
Lady Hecate sighed in relief. "No, child, you're safe here. I assure you Lord Hades would not allow anyone to hurt you here."
She looked up at the mention of the dark god. "Lord Hades," she asked shyly. "Could I see him?"
The goddess of witchcraft gave a pleased smile. "Why don't we get you cleaned up, and I will take you to him."
The room Persephone was in was actually quite beautiful. It was decorated in pale greens, with agate in the walls, marble on the floors, and furniture carved from massive pieces of jade, aventurine, emerald, tourmaline, peridot, and moldavite. A grey-white pelt on the floor kept her feet from the chilly stone. There were gauzy curtains laced with superfine filaments of silver. The bedspread was silver and green, with silver silk sheets. The colors and design of the room were pleasing to her eye, but when she took a closer look at the materials she came away shaking. When she realized how much wealth was tied up in a simple chryoprase cup—let alone the four-poster bed, vanity, side table, chairs, and wardrobe, all made from precious and semi-precious stones—she almost stopped breathing.
She was afraid to touch anything, and aghast at the casual way Lady Hecate treated everything. Persephone was a simple spring goddess; this was a chamber fit for Zeus himself, though feminine in design. What had she done to deserve this? She would have been happier in a simple wooden cottage. For some reason, Lady Hecate approved of her reaction.
Persephone was wary of the white-blue larimar colored dress that Lady Hecate brought for her to wear. It was very pretty, but she didn't want to wear something that was worth as much gold as a king's tribute to Poseidon. Lady Hecate laughed at her, making her feel very young and foolish. She hunched her shoulders uncertainly, wishing she could go home and hide in her room. But no, if she went home, the other gods would surely find her. It was in the Underworld alone that she was safe. If only she could see Lord Hades!
Lady Hecate realized she'd made Persephone uncomfortable, and apologized. With much coaxing, she persuaded the maiden to put on the dress. Once again, it was made for the larger woman, and draped loosely around her. Persephone tried a curtsy for Lady Hecate's approval. Lady Hecate began laughing again, and rose to adjust the dress.
"Let's not torture him too much now," she chortled mysteriously. Persephone had no idea what she was talking about. Lady Hecate tugged the dress securely around the young goddess' body, and artfully pinned it in place with jeweled skewers. Persephone eyed the skewers suspiciously, but decided she didn't want to know if they were as lavish as she suspected. Lady Hecate was finally satisfied with her appearance, and agreed to take her to Lord Hades.
Outside her room, Persephone was suddenly overcome with shyness. Her room had been comforting and safe with its cool pastel colors. The hallway seemed too wide, and was decorated in bold, dark hues, lit by the flickering orange-red light of torches. Semi-transparent people walked past them, and she shuddered as she realized they were the shades of the dead. She felt too exposed, like there was nowhere safe for her. She flinched at every shade that passed, especially the males. She tried to remember that she was a goddess of power, but all she could remember was the other gods pawing at her.
A sob lodged in her throat as she caught up with Lady Hecate. The woman seemed safe, barely. Persephone grabbed her hand and walked almost on her heels. The goddess of witchcraft didn't complain, but nor did she offer comfort as Demeter would have. She missed her mom. She missed feeling happy and secure in her own home. Was there nothing that could make her feel safe again?
They walked down corridors that all seemed the same to Persephone, through a maze of passages. She was hopelessly lost. She kept close to Lady Hecate, feeling that she could wander around until she died of starvation if they were separated. Finally they came to a halt before a set of huge, blue-black sodalite doors. They were carved in bas relief, and she stared in fascination, forgetting her fear for the moment. The top showed people in a kind of paradise of endless gardens and joy. The middle section was smaller than the other, and showed people drinking from a river, neither happy nor sad. But the bottom… her eyes widened in horror. Life-like flames licked up eternally, devouring people with frozen agony on their faces. Within the flames were other… creatures, chained and raging against their punishment. Titans, she realized.
"Behold the gates of the dead," Lady Hecate intoned solemnly. "All dead pass within and are judged according to their deeds, to be consigned to one of the three realms."
"Elysium, Asphodel, or Tartarus," she whispered. She felt humbled to stand before these doors, and know who was behind them. How had she managed to gain the protection of such a powerful god?
"Even so," Lady Hecate agreed. "Now behold our lord and master." She swung open one of the doors. It was silent on its hinges, giving them a moment to observe without being seen. This was Hades' throne room. It was like a cathedral with pillars, carved walls, and soaring arches overhead. A line of ghosts waiting to be judged stretched along one wall. At the far end of the room was dais with an ornate throne on it. And on that throne—
Persephone couldn't breathe. Lord Hades sat there, wearing black robes of judgement. His face was stern as he regarded the shade of an old man petitioning in the middle of the room. She had never seen a being of such majesty. He didn't have Zeus' boyish charm or Poseidon's capricious smirk, but he was greater than they. His dull grey eyes judged the old man and his voice was soft and final as he pronounced, "Asphodel."
The old man bowed, and as he did his substance seemed to dissolve, until he was no more. Before a new spirit could take his place, Lord Hades lifted his gaze to Persephone. She felt their weight, and thought her heart would stop. Here was a god worthy of respect. Here was a king she would obey without question. And then he smiled, and she saw him as a man she could trust.
It was like a film was lifted from her eyes. Warmth suffused her from his smile. She was honored that somehow, the sight of her made him smile. He stood from his throne, removing his black robes and laying them on the seat. Under them he wore a citrine-colored shirt and hematite pants. He descended from the dais and began walking toward them. When he was a dozen feet from them, something broke inside of her, and she moved forward to greet him.
Like when she had tried to run out of her room in a panic, she went too fast and crashed into him. She grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. His hands came around her waist. Their heat soaked into her, and she gave a relieved sob.
"Lord Hades," she breathed out the last of her insecurities. He was here. She was safe. Before she knew what she was doing she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and hugged him tightly. His body was awkwardly stiff, but his heart pounded under her ear.
"Lady Persephone," he greeted her, his voice rumbling pleasantly in his chest. "Are you alright?"
He smelled of smoke and shadows and age, that must scent that comes from ancient caverns that never saw the light of day. She nodded, and became embarrassed as she realized how close she was to him. She backed off, looking for Lady Hecate to stand by. The goddess of witches was gone. Persephone squeaked and stepped close to Lord Hades again, clutching his arm. His eyes—no long dull but bright as silver—flashed and he pulled her against him.
"What frightens you?" he asked sharply.
"N-nothing, my lord," she blushed with her stammer. "Only, I find that I become scared when I am alone, and I know only you in this place."
He looked around as well. The throne room had quietly emptied while she greeted him, and they were alone. He coughed, and loosened his grip on her. She felt dangerously adrift when he wasn't holding her, and took his hand. His fingers were large, his palm slightly rough. This was a man that worked with his hands; he seemed almost more like a mortal warrior than a godly king.
"Would you like to join me for breakfast, then take a tour of my kingdom?" he asked kindly.
Her stomach growled. She was feeling faint from lack of food, but had tried to ignore it after his warning.
"I thought I couldn't eat food from here," she said slowly, though she would have given anything to spend more time with him.
"I had my servants bring food from above. It is quite safe, I assure you. I never meant to starve you."
"Then yes, I'd love that," she answered. He smiled again, but his expression seemed troubled. She wished she was brave enough to ask what was wrong, but the words stuck in her throat. He led her back into hallway. This time she wasn't as frightened with Lord Hades next to her. She kept hold of his hand, though she longed to slip under his arm like she had last night. She remembered that clearly, the solid warmth of him, the hard strength of his body. At some point she had gone from leaning on him to waking alone in her bed, and she wasn't quite sure how she had gotten there. The thought that he might have carried her to her room made her cheeks flush, and she got a pleased feeling in her chest.
"Lord Hades!" called an unfamiliar male voice.
Fear clenched in her chest. She skipped close to Lord Hades, almost burrowing into his side. He stopped, looking down at her with a frown. The man who'd called out approached and bowed before them.
"Thanatos," Lord Hades greeted him, though he sounded distracted. She glanced up and saw both men were focused on her. Lord Hades she didn't mind, but Lord Thanatos had a suspicious look on his face. She shivered.
"I have a scroll for you to sign concerning the latest shipment to Hephaestus," Lord Thanatos said, his eyes still on Persephone.
"Couldn't it have waited until the usual time?" Lord Hades asked, a hint of displeasure in his voice.
"You know how Hephaestus dislikes it when his materials don't arrive on time. I thought I would try to get things going earlier than usual," Lord Thanatos sounded bland, but Lord Hades gave him a hard look. Persephone suspected something was happening, but she didn't know either of them well enough to understand it. She didn't like the way Lord Thanatos continued to stare at her as Lord Hades read the scroll. Movement caught her attention, and she looked to see Lord Hades' shadow.
It was moving slowly, as if trying not to scare her. It didn't touch her, but it began to coil around her, shifting between herself and Lord Thanatos. She relaxed slightly. She might not know what the shadow was, but she understood that it offered protection. Lord Thanatos too watched the shadow, and gave her a searching look as though wondering what she had done to earn that protection.
Lord Hades signed the scroll and handed it back. There was an awkward pause as Lord Thanatos showed no sign of leaving. Lord Hades cleared his throat.
"Lady Persephone, I do not believe you have met Thanatos yet. He is one of my most trusted advisers," he said.
"And I am Death," Lord Thanatos said boldly.
Persephone was taken aback by his manner, but she took a half step forward. She could afford to be gracious when she knew Lord Hades was at her back and his shadow was between her and any danger. She curtsied, not quite as deep as she had for her host last night, but still deeper than was probably necessary. She didn't want to risk offending anyone.
"Pleased to meet you, Lord Thanatos," she said, her voice only trembling a little. She felt Lord Hades' hand on her shoulder, and leaned into him.
"And I am pleased to have you as a guest in our home," Lord Thanatos replied in a warmer tone than he'd used before. She gave him a startled look. He offered her a cautious smile.
"Would you like join us for breakfast?" Lord Hades offered.
"No thank you, my lord, I will see that this scroll is taken care of," Lord Thanatos backed away quickly, and left.
Lord Hades sighed and shook his head.
"Is there a problem, my lord?" she asked timidly.
"I swear, both my advisors are conspiring against me," he muttered.
Her eyes widened. "You mean… rebellion?" she whispered.
He laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "No, not at all. It is only that I have known them a very long time, and they believe they have a right to meddle in my affairs."
She smiled in relief. He became aware of how close they were standing, and suddenly removed his hand from her shoulder. She missed his touch at once, but his shadow remained in place around her. She gave into the urge she felt the first time she saw it move, and reached out to touch it. To her shock, she could feel it. It was nothing she could define, but there was a definite weight and presence to his shadow. She laughed as she ran her fingers over it.
Behind her, Lord Hades stopped breathing. She hadn't realized how attuned she was to him until he stopped breathing and she noticed at once. She turned to look at him in alarm. He stood stiffly, his fists clenched at his side, a dark flush on his cheeks. His eyes seemed to glow with an inner light. It made him look wild.
"I'm sorry," she said quickly. "Am I not supposed to do that? I was just curious."
"No," he said hoarsely. "That's quite alright, my dear. You just took me by surprise, that's all." His words were civil, but his eyes still burned as he stared at her. She was sure she had done something, and she wasn't sure if it was good or bad.
Looking at him, her curiosity overcame her again. She stepped forward into his space. He leaned back from her subtly, but she didn't let it stop her. She reached out and brushed his face with her fingers. She wanted to know if his flush was as warm as it looked. If anything, it was hotter. It darkened when she touched him. She was fascinated by the play of color on his gold skin.
The flesh of his cheek wasn't as soft as hers, and it grew rougher as her fingers encountered faint stubble. Her eyes went to his scar. How would its texture differ from the rest of his skin? Did it still hurt him? Her hand trailed down his face, enjoying the masculine feel of his jaw. Before she could reach his scar, his hand suddenly flashed up and grabbed her wrist. She jumped, but only at his incredible speed. Her heart beat a little faster, though she felt no fear. She couldn't pull back from him, and she didn't try.
"That is not a good idea, Lady Persephone," he said in that same husky tone. Her stomach flipped as he caressed her name.
"I'm sorry?" she guessed, though he didn't seem mad.
"You should be," he confirmed, but his lips curved up. She smiled back, tilting her head to the side. He sighed and stepped back from her once more. Disappointment wilted her. He held her wrist securely, so she couldn't follow him again. Her heart beat a little nervously. Had she done something wrong? She had always been comfortable touching other people, whether it was her mother or her goddess friends, but he was acting differently from them. His thumb stroked over the back of her wrist, providing a little reassurance.
"Let's go to breakfast before I forget all decency," he said, and turned to tug her along. His grip suddenly reminded her of the way the other gods tried to hold her down, and a whimper tore from her throat. She jerked at him. He stopped and allowed her to pull free, but once she was no longer touching him, the fear came back full force. She grabbed his arm with both hands, terrified of being left alone.
"Lady Persephone?" he asked quickly, "Did I hurt you?" He sounded regretful.
"No," she panted, allowing the contact with him to drive away her fear. "I feel better when I'm touching someone."
"Whatever you need," he allowed.
What she really needed was a hug, but after he stopped her from touching his face, she wasn't sure he'd welcome it.
"I'm okay," she insisted, but she kept her death-grip on his arm. He turned his wrist, offering his hand. He put one of hers in it, and they walked hand in hand down the corridor. His shadow followed them, a dark humanoid shape on the wall, even though the light was all wrong for that angle. She felt a light touch on her arm, and looked down to see a filament of shadow. When she didn't object, it curled around her wrist. It was comforting, not confining. She held her head up, realizing she was protected on both sides by Lord Hades and his shadow.
They passed through a parlor into the dining room. The feast hall was light and spacious. It had a table with space for a dozen, though only two places were set. Lord Hades pulled out the chair immediately to the right of the head of the table. No one had even held a chair for her, and her cheeks turned pink as she sat. He took the head seat, and ghosts began bringing out platters of food. She felt somewhat anxious that she had to let go of him to eat. Whenever possible, she rested her fingers on his wrist, but since he needed his hand to eat, she often had no contact with him.
Then she felt his shadow brush over her feet. She gasped at first, but it only settled across her feet like a favored dog. Now that she had that bit of contact, she relaxed again. As they ate, she asked Lord Hades about his kingdom.
"This is my palace, as you can see," he answered. "Around us is a small town that houses the shades that serve us. Beyond that are the fields were our food is grown, and further than that are the various mineral veins where we harvest our materials."
"There are fields here?" she asked in amazement. "How do things grow without the sun?"
He shrugged. "I think it is the substance of the Underworld itself that allows the plants to grow. That is why those who eat the food from her can never leave, for they have partaken of the essence Underworld."
"So… ghosts and such still eat?"
He chuckled. "They do not need to eat, or to rest, but it is a habit they still remember from their lives, and they are more comfortable with it. Most of the shades here are fulfilling one hundred year contracts instead of going to either Tartarus or Asphodel. To them, one hundred years of servitude is better than their fates."
"What happens to them after one hundred years is up?"
"If they have served well, most go to Asphodel, where they drink the waters of the Lethe and have their past lives erased for a chance at another life. If they did not serve well, or commit crimes during their tenure, I send them to Tartarus. I do not give them another chance." His voice turned stern. His authority was absolute, and rightly so.
They finished breakfast, and Lord Hades offered his arm to her. She took it eagerly, still longing for any contact with him. He showed her a few rooms within the palace, including a library and an empty ballroom. Instead of dungeons under the palace, there were caverns of natural water springs that formed a series of waterfalls and pools, ranging from too warm to touch to nearly icy cold. Washing was another of those human rituals that ghosts clung to, and Persephone was glad she would be able to clean herself as well.
"I have instructed Hecate to find a couple of spirits to serve as maids for your duration here. The palace can be confusing at first, but you can ask them to guide you around," he said, when she expressed doubt about being about to find anything on her own.
She smiled at his generosity, and thanked him.
Once their tour of the palace was concluded, they headed out to the town. Their first stop was the stables. She clung tighter to him at the thought of the Nightmares. He grinned, his silver eyes radiating amusement. They entered the stables, and she was shocked at the colorful and well-mannered horses in their stalls. There were more varieties than she ever heard of, and each one was unique. And like the shades of the humans, the horses were all dead.
"They are?" she asked in shock, scratching the muzzle of a white and chestnut mare.
He nodded. "Most animals, when they pass on, go to a section of the Elysian Fields prepared specially for the spirits of creatures, but sometimes the most intelligent ones, generally the ones that work closely with people, are not content with that. So they come and go as they please, serving when they care, and running wild in Elysium when they tire of it."
Stable hands led out the palomino and the bay that were his current favorites.
"These two are the Nightmares you saw before," he explained.
She gave them a puzzled look, absently leaning back against his chest. "I thought there were four?"
"Illusion. Two are easier to handle than four. One of the side effects of their being intelligent enough to want to serve is that they can also be quite… mischievous at times."
The horses seemed to nicker in agreement. They were hitched up to a bright colored chariot. She stared at it in amazement. It was nothing like the dull black chariot she had seen before. Nothing here was what it seemed. Not Lord Hades, not the shades, not his home. Why did he hide so much from the others? Would Artemis and Athena still have told her those terrifying stories if they knew the truth of him?
Lord Hades helped her into the chariot, and they took a tour of the surrounding area. She stood with her arms around his waist, leaning on his shoulder. His shadow took a loose grip around her middle to help steady her. Wherever they went, he was recognized. Shades bowed deeply at his passing and she saw more than one face blanch at his approach. She also gathered some attention herself. Was it so unusual for Lord Hades to be seen with someone else? Or was it that she obviously didn't belong down here?
She would have liked to stop at some of the markets they passed, but Lord Hades maintained a stern, impassive look. Given the reaction he was causing, it was just as well that they didn't stop. Then they left town. The reddish torchlight faded behind them, but there was still enough light to see their way. She looked around for the source of the faint, bluish light, and couldn't find one.
It was as if the air itself was providing light. Lord Hades sighed, and shook out his shoulders as if releasing tension. His shadow billowed behind him almost like wings. She looked at him and did a double take, for he was glowing faintly as well. She glanced down at herself, but she was as dull as ever. That was when she began to feel it. There was a presence here, both familiar and new. It reminded her strongly of Lord Hades, but somehow it was more than him as well.
She realized she was feeling the essence of the Underworld itself. It resonated with its king's power; they sustained each other, the god and the Underworld. His power came from it, and yet it would not have power, life, without him. For despite all the stories of the Underworld, there was life here. There were gardens on either side of the path they took, the plants also emitting that soft bioluminescence.
She tugged at his arm. "Please, can we…?"
He fingered the reins, and the horses pulled the chariot to the side of the path and stopped. She got off and walked into the garden. There was no one around but for them, and she felt secure enough to walk away from him. Beansprouts twined around trellises on one side of her, while a strawberry patch grew on the other. She examined the leaves of the beans. They were both alike and unalike the living plants she had known above. The shape was similar, but the color was slightly off. If she looked a certain way at them, she could almost see through them. Ghost plants!
She knelt in the strawberry patches and looked under the leaves for ripe berries. Sure enough she found them, glowing like everything else, looking so full and sweet she just had to taste them. She picked a handful and was about to eat one when Lord Hades caught her wrist.
"Lady Persephone," he said, his voice strained. "You cannot eat those if you wish to return to your mother."
"I'm sorry, I forgot," she looked at regret at the strawberries she'd picked. She hated wasting food, even ghostly food as this. "Can you eat them?"
He spread his arms in answer, doing something to make the Underworld glow brighter in his body. "As you can see, I am already part of the Underworld. It does not harm me to eat the food here."
She smiled in relief, and offered him the strawberries. He considered her a moment, before taking them from her hand. He held her eyes as he slowly put them in his mouth and chewed. There was something sensual about watching him eat, his jaw moving silently, then the bob of his Adam's apple as he swallowed. Her face grew warm, but she couldn't look away. She was enjoying it too much.
When he was done, he held his hand out to her. She took it, and he pulled her up against him. His shadow pressed to her back as his arms held her waist. He stared down at her from inches away, his silver eyes almost too bright to look at. For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She tilted her head up, sure that his kisses would be nothing like the ones the other gods had forced on her.
But no, he straightened and stepped away. She was bereft. He took her hand when she tried to follow him, allowing the contact but maintaining their distance. He was breathing faster than usual, and shook his head sharply.
"Lord Hades?" she asked in concern.
He shook his head again. "I'm alright. Shall we continue?"
They got back on the chariot and resumed their ride. They left the gardens and entered seemingly endless fields of grains. Once more they stopped at her request. Mindful that she couldn't eat anything, she simply walked in the field, her hands out to brush the seed heads. She could feel the seeds with her power. She hadn't thought she would, given their deathly origin, but they were filled with the same potential for growth as the seeds above.
She returned to Lord Hades and laid her head on his shoulder when they moved off again. He was not looking at her, but concentrating on the path. She was free to observe him. His face was not classically handsome like the other gods. He was carved from rougher stock, his features not as refined, but somehow more masculine. She felt something stir in her heart, when she looked at him.
She knew she was young and had little experience of love. She knew it was too soon, and that it might just be a reaction from the way he saved her. But she couldn't deny that stirring, and wanted to explore it further.
They reached the end of the fields, and though the path continued on, they didn't take it.
"That way lies the mines," he said, pointing down one fork of the path. "Down that way lies Elysium, Asphodel, and Tartarus." He took neither track, choosing instead a third path that led to an overlook. He stopped at the top, and got out with her.
She looked over his kingdom, and her breath caught in her throat. It was beautiful here. The gently shimmering fields stretched below her, dotted here and there with ghostly workers. In the far distance was an orangeish firefly that was the merrily burning town. Not a breath of wind stirred this place. With no other sound around them, the noise of their breathing was precious. She heard her heartbeat in her ears, and fancied if she stood still enough, she might hear the heartbeats of Lord Hades and the horses as well.
She turned to him. His face was serene, his eyes gentle as he watched his kingdom. He loved his kingdom, she realized, and he was a good king over it. The luminescence was brighter on him, but it was not harsh to look at. As she studied him, lit from within, she realized something.
"Your hair," she said in surprise.
He glanced down at her, his expression mild. "What about it?"
She reached up and touched one of his messy curls. The strands were soft and pliable, but sprang back into when she released it. "It's not black at all. It's blue."
He smiled faintly. "So it is," he agreed. "I make it appear darker when I travel to the land of the living."
"Why do you do that?" she asked suddenly.
"Do what?"
"Why do you hide so much? All the stories about you are all about death and decay and horror. They say your kingdom is ugly and dark, but it isn't. It's beautiful, and it glows down here. Practically everyone is afraid of you, but you are gentle. You create the illusion of blackness and Nightmares when you travel anywhere else. Why don't you allow anyone to truly see you?"
His warm expression turned distant, and his face closed off. "There are stories about me for a reason," he said warningly. "If you think I am gentle, it is only because my control is hard-won. Do you think my kingdom was always like this? It was a harsh place of monsters and madness when I first gained it, and I had to be more of a monster to subdue it. You should believe the stories they tell of me, for they are true. In the beginning the others saw only what they wished of me, and now they see only what I wish of them."
He turned away from her, stalking back to the chariot with his shadow like a dark cape on his back. Her question upset him, but he was wrong. Whatever he had been to tame his kingdom, he was not like that anymore. Even the gods could change.
"We should head back," he said shortly.
"What about lunch?" she asked.
"Back at the palace."
"What about the basket?"
"What basket?"
She showed him the picnic basket tucked discreetly in a corner of the chariot. He stilled, looking at it. He hadn't known it was there. She got it out and explored the contents as he sighed and shook his head.
"Hecate…" he breathed. He watched her as she laid out a blanket and a collection of foods. Having now seen the Underworld plants, she could easily tell these were from the world above.
"You would still sit here and eat with me, knowing what I am?" he asked incredulously.
She met his eyes without fear. "Yes," she answered simply. She knew who he was. The god of the Underworld was not the beast he believed he was, the monster the other gods created of him. He was a responsible king, a good man, and one she trusted. Still watching her, he sat down on the blanket. She sat down by his side and reclined against him. Her hair brushed against his neck, and she heard him inhale sharply.
His hands shook slightly as he offered her food: bread, cheeses, fruits, and finely sliced venison. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her cheek. She didn't know why touch affected him so, but she felt the same way. Despite that, his motions were controlled as he served her. They both greatly enjoyed the venison.
"We rarely get meat down here," he explained.
"How come?"
"This is the land of the dead. We grow our food here, but from where would we get the meat? There are no animals here save those that serve us, and it would be cruel to cut them for our pleasure. The only meat here is what is brought from the world above, and there is seldom a need for it."
"That makes sense," she agreed. "For us, my mom and I, we only had meat when Artemis would stop by. Mom did not like it so much, but I was fond of it."
She looked up at him. His blue hair lay over his forehead, and she wanted to straighten it. His shadow arched behind him, most definitely in the shape of wings.
"Can you fly?" she asked in amazement.
He glanced at his shadow-wings and blushed slightly. "Yes. It is faster than taking the chariot when I want a quick overview of the land."
"But you could just teleport too, couldn't you?"
"Yes…" he agreed slowly. "That way is fastest of all."
But she would bet flying was the most fun. He hadn't worn shadow-wings before, so she imagined he only did it out here where few would see him. She was honored he was sharing it with her.
"Can you take me flying?"
He jumped, then coughed to hide his surprise. "Maybe some other time," he hedged.
They finished their picnic, and got back on the chariot to ride home. Lord Hades offered her the chance to drive, but she was feeling somewhat tired, and declined. She leaned sleepily on him, until he relented and put his arm around her. Held securely against him, she breathed in his shadow-and-age scent, and was content to doze.
She woke slightly when they reached the palace. She was aware of him picking her up, and carrying her through the hallways. They reached her room, and he placed her on the bed. He tucked her in, but before he left his fingers stroked her cheek softly.
"Sleep well, sweet Persephone," he whispered and was gone. She placed her hand on her cheek, and fell asleep with a smile.