My father's mother greeted me as I stepped foot on land.

She smiled sweetly and held gently out her hand.

I trusted her because she had my father's eyes,

little did I know this was Hades in disguise.

Zagreas had just past the through Tartarus when he met a familiar face. The goddess Aphrodite stood stark in the centre of the chamber, "I see my dearest Artemis has blessed you," she cooed, "I won't hold this against you, you must have taken it to be polite." Zagreas approached her, "you could say that, my lady."

"Step back."

Zagreas turned to see Megaera, furious as she was tired, standing tall in the chamber entrance. "You think when you defeat me I just lay in the cold floor, waiting for someone else to kill you? Waiting for you to come back and fight me?" He had just taken her in battle and come out victorious.

"Meg, you know I think too highly of you for that, I..."

"Be silent!" The walls echoed, "the Lord Hades demoted me to be your babysitter all because your little escapades."

Zagreas took a step towards his old friend, his flame. He had seen her angry, but not quite with this look in her eye, "Meg..."

Aphrodite interrupted amused, "I sense a lovers quarrel here," she drifted between the two as if to feel the tension better, "a godling and a fury, how adorable."

"This has gone on for long enough, Zag," Meg said through gritted teeth, "since your father isn't brave enough to tell his relatives the truth maybe I should."

"The truth?" Aphrodite perked toward the fury, "the truth about what, my love?"

"Meg, you don't know what this means..." Zagreas pled but was silenced by the goddess.

"Dear Megaera, please elaborate," Aphrodite curled towards Meg, "the truth about what?"

Meg swallowed hard, "the prince is lying to you and your court, my lady," Zagreas felt his stomach tighten into knots, "he doesn't plan to escape to Olympus, he is looking for his mother... for Persephone."

The chamber went black, the warm air that followed the love goddess turned icy and her soft look shifted as she turned to Zagreas. Megaera regretted her brashness instantaneously.

"Prince Zagreas," Aphrodite hissed, "you have made a grave error in judgment." She rushed the Prince and held him to the ground. "Just like your father, I should have known you'd be no different. Liar."

Zagreas struggled against the goddess to no avail, "I meant no offence, my lady," he pled. He looked to Meg who, horrified at her actions, ran toward the struggle. She was no sooner pushed back, held at bay by the furious Aphrodite.

"Thank you, Megaera, for your honesty," Aphrodite said, "tell Lord Hades and my dearest Nyx their child has committed a crime against Olympus and as such must pay retribution."

"No! Please, I didn't mean for this to happen, I..." Meg struggled against the invisible force that held her back from Zagreas, "Zag, I am... I am so sorry!"

"This infraction is enough cause for me to remove my dearest Prince from his 'captivity' here," Aphrodite looked so intently into Zagreas' eyes he couldn't help but look away, "I would have treated you like a god, now I know you deserve no more adoration than a slave." She dug sharp nails into Zagreas' chest, it burned worse than hellfire. The Prince failed to hold back a pained gasp, "he's quite lovely when he's in pain," Aphrodite giggled stroking the godling's hair, "don't you think, Meg?"

"Please! My lady, let him go, he can pay for his crimes here in the Underworld," Meg begged through tears.

"It is clear that Hades is too lenient on his son," Aphrodite clicked her tongue, "he will be better trained on Olympus." With that the goddess disappeared, leaving the two alone in the chamber.

Zagreas choked and held his wounded chest, now branded with the crest of Olympus. Meg ran to him but before she reached his side, he disappeared into dust.

"What have I done..."

Authors note:

thanks for reading! Please let me know what ya'll think