The Ambassador of the Gods

20. Here And Flawed

-- 19th December 2009 --

Instead of the Underworld at the edge of Asphodel, Nico found himself on the floor of his dreamstate.

Tonight, it was empty, cleared well out like an old house going for sale. It was news to Nico that his dreamstate could be fiddled with so completely.

He got up and looked around the dreamless darkness. The heat and pain were gone. Someone had put him in a black formal dress shirt and pants set, and taken away his coat. His hand was scarless and clean, his nails neat. Clary's rune wasn't there. But the Ambassador's ring remained right where he had first put it on a year and a half ago, at the base of the middle finger on his left hand.

"Hello?" Nico called out, trying not to let anger show in his voice, or worse, let January shake it.

"Nico," said Hades's voice.

Of course.

Nico spun to find Hades standing directly behind him, ten feet tall and donning his usual flowing dark cloths. His ringed hands were steepled in front of him, resting against the front of his chiton. Magnus wore rings too, but Nico remembered Hades's so differently that he had never even noticed the similarity until now. Each of Hades's rings had a history and a purpose: a cold-iron dove for his love and Queen, Lady Persephone; a marital set of a gold band and opal-set ring; an inert Stygian iron skull ring for his ruling land, the Underworld; and a couple others even Nico wasn't sure of.

Nico's father rarely wore all of them at once. The fact that he was now probably had some kind of significance.

The Lord of the Underworld gazed down at him with his black gaze, fusing Nico's feet to the floor. "You seem nervous," said Hades.

Nico blinked up at him rapidly. "Ah..." Then he lowered his head and sank to one knee. "Lord Hades."

Once he'd gotten the Ambassador's respects out of the way, Nico raised his eyes to Hades's and straightened his back. "Father." Hades nodded to release him. Nico stood, smoothing down the front of his silk, incredibly smooth shirt, trying to maintain eye contact. "I'm not," explained Nico. "Nervous. I'm just... had a dream."

"Yes," said Hades. "A long one. I have had to wait."

"I did my best to make it quick." Nico closed and released a quick fist with his left hand to stop himself fidgeting.

"Hm." Hades announced, "Are you aware, my son, of the abrupt prominence Melinoe has gained aboveground here?" He glanced at his own finger and adjusted a ring. "Little reaches the ears of the Underworld like whispers. Whispers of a dream, and a foggy conversation, and of you, Nico."

"Demigods sure do love to gossip," Nico murmured.

Hades pinned him under an unamused gaze. Nico shut his mouth and kept his gaze fixed on the inky bottomless floor by his father's feet as Hades said, "You would not find this situation so humourous if you knew what hangs in the balance because of this road you've chosen." Nico frowned. "Do you think that oath to me saves you from every consequence of your actions? Of the outsiders to the realm that you harbour in my cabin? Of the walls between realms that you claimed would take longer to deteriorate than they do now?" Hades added sharply, "The Grove that has, once again, been burned down?"

Tell me more, Nico thought loudly. About how none of this is sustainable. Maybe then I'll pull out that Deus ex machina I've been keeping in my back pocket till now. Oh, the situation is THAT bad? Golly, I didn't realise! Time to take this seriously!

"Melinoe's sudden popularity threatens the security of the Underworld," said Hades, "not to mention what has already been happening in my domain..."

"It isn't anything to worry about," said Nico. "Melinoe, I mean. Percy-- Jackson and Rachel, the Oracle, had a dream about a conversation I had with her. Camp Half-Blood is full of fidgety demigods starved for a mystery to solve right now. That's all."