Echo: The Girl That Time Forgot

The Queen of Hell

Her crimson dress swirled along the marble floors and her heels echoed through the halls as she glided gracefully through the kingdom that called her Queen.

She was an elegant woman, tall, with intense eyes and an intimidating aura. Her honey blonde hair was swept into an intricate braid and an elegant obsidian crown sat atop it.

Emotion was something she did not usually waste her time on, she had learned that the hard way, but today she was willing to make an exception. She had been alive about 4000 years and for the first time what she wanted was finally in her grasp, or at least that was what the messenger had said.

The guards at the door saluted and she nodded at them absentmindedly. The door swung open and she walked through to meet her oldest friend.

She smiled."Hermès, it's been a while."

The young man turned around to face her, "Your majesty," he said with a smile, " it has been a while." He kissed her hand and they exchanged formalities before sitting down at the large, iron table in the middle of the room.

The room that they sat in was dimly lit by a few torches on the wall. The entire room was made of sound proofing material, to silence the screams of the anguished. Above the door the words, kolasi ekave o diavolos tote etrexa apo aftin mania, were inscribed. Hell made the devil then ran from her fury.

The woman itched with impatience, she had spent 4000 years surviving and plotting but for some reason the last 5 minutes were the hardest.

"So, you said you come bearing news?" She asked impatiently.

Hermès chuckled, "Always right to the point aren't you?"

"Well, when it's my fate and the fate of my kingdom at stake, yes I am right to the point," she retorted coldly.

"Very well," he said, "you remember the person of interest that we labeled about a year ago?"

"I believe so. The one with the empathic friend?"

"Yes. Well what we predicted came to pass, I arranged for a little rendezvous in a bar, Hera discovered that she was lying and kicked her off of Olympus, but not before taking her voice."

The woman chuckled coldly, "You brilliant bastard, now she has motive, it's perfect, all she needs is a nudge and I think I can arrange that. With the amount of power in her aura she has to be a hero, apparently she's even been spotted with a spirit animal. She's friends with Artemis, right?"

"Yes."

"Well then I have a favor to call in."

"But, according to your calculation we won't be ready for another hundred years."

"I know, but I think I can stall her for a hundred years."

"Whatever you say." He glanced up at her nervously, "but do you really you can keep this up for another hundred years?"

The room turned cold and Hermès shivered at the icy breeze whipping around the room.

"I have spent 1000 years keeping up this charade, do not question me. For everybody's sake, I will prevail."

He looked up at her again, "They will come for you."

"Let them come, any who enter my gates uninvited will choke on their own blood."

Hermès sighed, "Well I've delivered my news, I should go."

She looked at him as unfeelingly as she could, "See you in a hundred years."

He nodded at her then turned to go. The doors opened automatically and he strode out, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She sighed and sat back in her chair as she studied the pomegranate vines that she had had engraved into the ceiling.

In truth she was a bit sad to see Hermès go, while he might be a bit annoying at times he was her oldest and one of her only friends. There aren't many opportunities for socialization in the underworld. And when you're the Queen of Hell people either fear you or hate you, that was something she had been hoping to change, she had been hoping to change a lot of things, but really hadn't had the chance.

But here it was, her chance. If she could ensure her safety and the safety of everybody in the underworld then she would have time to make changes. She would be able to do everything she ever dreamed of, and for the first time in 4000 years, her dreams were finally within reach.

[thank you for reading! I hoped you liked today's chapter! Sorry for the Artemis chapter, although Artemis wasn't actually in this one. Also if you haven't figured out who she is yet, read some Greek mythology.]