Chapter Eight

“How do I look?” Persephone spins around while Hades is tightening the bridle on his horses.

The curricle is ready and Persephone is impatiently waiting for Hades to hop on. Her hair are perfectly braided into a Greek hairstyle worthy of a queen. Hades picked for her a short forest green dress with a belt of emerald engraved lilies and tiny rubies.

He climbs next to her, casually fixes the petite crown of dark laurels around her fire hair, and tiredly sets off.

They ride into the darkness and out of the Underworld, heading to the Olympus. Hades cannot seem to hide is malcontent while Persephone, on the other hand, is very thrilled. She always wanted to see it since she was a little child. Her mother told her every tale there was about it and now her dream was coming true.

The mount Olympus is majestic and so in contrast with Hades’ home. He knows the girl will fall in love with it right away. His Underworld does not stand a chance with all the flowers and the treasures however, he hopes she will keep faith to her promise and come back with him.

Hades dismount from his biga nevertheless, by the time he reaches the other side, Persephone is already in the hands of Apollo, who has his puppy eyes in full mode.

A subtle growl escapes the Underworld lord as he is cornered by the numerous divinity who come to greet him. He doesn’t come her often so now they are treating him like the main event.

“There he is. How have you been? How’s the afterlife treating you?” Aphrodite asks cleaning an imaginary dust from his heavy mantel.

“Nothing out of the ordinary to report. You? Still battling to be called the most beautiful goddess of them all?” Aphrodite sends dagger from her eyes but Hades is just used to it. She used to have a pull on him however, it seems to have disappear on the arrival of Persephone and he is terribly happy about it.

Aphrodite brings pain to anything she touches. Her beauty costs a very high price.

“Who is this?” she then faces Persephone and Hades whole body stiffens. “Is this your new sweetheart?”

“Let her be.” He thunders while pulling the girl near him and gently take her away from the goddess’ claws.

“Is that Aphrodite? She is breathaking.” Persephone whispers to his ear in a very intimate way.

“Don’t be deceived. She is rotten inside. Poisonous like a viper.”

“Persephone, dear.” Artemis walks towards her and tightly hugs her. “My dear how have you grown! You are lovely and those curls? It is like Zeus himself crafted each one of them with his bolts. Perfect.”

“Where is he?” Hades asks and Artemis gestures to the clouds under their feet.

“Humans problems. You know him.” The goddess of hunting takes Persephone under her wig and protects her from every invasive touch. Hades takes a little breath of relief, as he answers to everybody’s boring questions.

“I wish I was the lord of the dead, at least I wouldn’t have to talk those hideous humans out of their stupid ideas.” Athena complains while Bacchus giggles at her, his nose red as always.

“I find them quite interesting, honestly.” He replays and raises the stein to Hades before gulping it all down.

Persephone feels blessed by the company; Gods have a golden aura around them that makes them impossible not to adore. She is very happy while cheering for the games they are playing.

“Hades,” the annoying and childish voice of Apollo rings across the table and forces the Underworld lord to narrow his eye in a warning he’ll never understand. “I’d like to challenge the mighty god of death to a little Archery game.”

Artemis looks thrilled as she claps in approval and immediately goes to retrieve her bows and arrows.

“Isn’t it a little unfair being you the god of archery, Apollo?” sentences Persephone while Hades solemnly stands from his seat. His uniform is stunning, it makes him look like a prince of a faraway land and the matching crowing he has, similar to Persephone’s, adornes his dark hair keeping them still and straight. The way he walks, the way he speaks and even how he moves his eyes, everything in him screams divinity and the little girl next to him can’t seem to look at anything else. Hades might be the god of the dead, yet nothing in him screams dull or lifeless. He is strong and very dangerous and surrounded with all this colourful gods, he looks like a cornered panther ready to kill at any sudden move.

“Let the little boy have fun.” The dark god mocks him as he makes his way towards Artemis that hands him her personal bow before bowing her head.

“What do you want to bet?” He precedes the young man as he nocks the arrow and stretches the bowstring. He does not even have to aim, one second and the bolt hits the target right in the middle causing the crowed to applaud in awe.

“Nothing too important.” He mumbles as he repeats his uncle gesture aiming for the centre and getting it as well. “Persephone’s hand. If I win she’ll be my wife.”

Hades’ hand shivers and the bow in his hands breaks as the whole Olympus hold their breath.

That little pitiful god is challenging him. He knew already where this was going, yet hearing those scornful words slide off his mouth make Hades feel like one of Apollo’s arrow actually aimed for his chest instead of the target.