Wait For Me? I will. || Hadestown (WLW Version)

Seven: The Passion

Orphea's hands were shaking. She snuck into Hadestown and finally found Eurydice. Eurydice was sitting on the floor shaking and muttering to herself, they've already broken her. Will she even recognize Orphea? No, Orphea can't think like that. She needs to at least try, Eurydice will recognize her. She'll bring her home, she has to.

Orphea took in a breath and said, "Come home with me."

Eurydice turned around and smiled. "It's you," Eurydice whispered.

"It's me," Orphea reassures.

Eurydice smiled and hugged Orphea who spun her around. "I called your name before," Eurydice said, tears brewing in her eyes.

"I know," Orphea said moving her hair behind her ears.

"You heard?" Eurydice asks.

"No, Mr. Hermes told me so," Orphea admitted sheepishly, "Whatever happened, I'm to blame-"

"No!" Eurydice cries.

"You called my name!"

"So? You came! But how did you get here? By the train?" Eurydice asked moving away from Eurydice, her eyes full of fear.

"No, I walked, a long way. I can bring us home again," Orphea promised.

Eurydice's eyes go to the floor. "No, you can't," Eurydice whispered.

"Yes, I can!" Orphea swears.

Eurydice was practically sobbing at this point. She cried out, "You don't understand."

Like on cue, Mr. Hades spotted them, and Persephone was drunkenly following him. He called out, "Young Lady!" Orphea quickly grabbed Eurydice's hand and jumped in front of her. "I don't think we've met before. You're not from around here, girl! Don't know who the hell you are but I can tell you don't belong."

Orphea was frozen with fear. Mr. Hades seemed to make her bones stiff as stone. "These are workin' people, girl.
Law-abiding citizens, Go back to where you came from because you're on the wrong side of the fence," He snarled.

"Hades, I know her," Persephone said putting her hand on Hades's shoulder.

"What? Is she one of the unemployed?"

Persephone rolls her eyes. "Her name is Orphea," Persephone tries.

Hades throws her off himself. "You'll stay out of this!" He fixes his eyes on Orphea, "Did you hear me, girl? You better run!"

Eurydice stared deep into Orphea's eyes, "Orphea, listen to him. You should go,"

Orphea looks between the two of them. "I'm not going home alone. I came to take her home."

Hades laughs, a cruel laugh that Orphea didn't even think was possible. "Who the hell do you think you are? Who the hell you think you're talkin' to? She couldn't go anywhere even if she wanted to. You're not from around here, girl, If you were, then you would know. Everything and everyone in Hadestown I own," He snarls.

He grabs Eurydice and pulls him over to him. She clinches her fists but doesn't say anything. "But I only buy what others choose to sell. Oh, you didn't know? She signed the deal herself And now she-"

Orphea's heart breaks. "It can't be true," Orphea begs. Eurydice doesn't dare meet her lover's eyes.

"-She belongs to me," Hades confirms.

" It isn't true. What he said, Eurydice," She turns to Eurydice hoping, praying for Eurydice to tell her it wasn't true, but she wasn't rewarded.

"I did," Eurydice whispers, "I'm sorry Orphea."

Hades shoves Eurydice aside and hops up on a platform to address the crowd of workers who gathered around them. "As for you, 'Orphea,' Everybody look and see, what becomes of trespassers with no respect for property!"

The Moirai sisters rip Orphea's guitar off her back and smashes it against the pavement. One of the workers rips off Orphea's shirt and another whips her bare skin. "Eurydice!" Orphea cries, but she's far gone. Orphea is smashed against the pavement and curb-stomped. She's flogged until she's bloody and twitching. Then, finally, they decide to leave her alone. Orphea tries to stand up but collapses again.

"Baby," Persephone says grabbing Orphea's hand, "come on kid, I'll bring you to the infirmary."

"They won't treat me," Orphea says, she collapses into Persephone's lap who picks her up bridal style.

"They'll treat whoever I tell them to," Persephone promises.

—

Orphea woke up covered in bandages. She was still alive, she knew that much. The rips in her skin still stung. "I wouldn't move if I was you," the doctor said, "the names Doctor Asclepius, your encounter with Hades has been spreading around, causing riots. Hades wants your head."

"Eurydice-"

"Don't worry, your lover is on suspension until future notice. Persephone is keeping her in her apartment. You need to rest, and as soon as you're healed Hades is sending you away."

Orphea sat up. "No. I came to take her home. I'm not leaving without her."

Doctor Asclepius smiled. "Atta girl, I can say you request an audience. I doubt it will help, but if you're a wordsmith like your mentor-"

"You know Mr. Hermes?" Orphea asked.

"Everyone knows Mr. Hermes," Doctor Asclepius says with a kind smile, "I wish I could help more, but I like staying alive."