Fire and Trials

The Ball

"Did you think you could just disrupt the trials like that?" Hades growled, his fists clenched at his sides.

Apollo crossed his arms, a defiant look on his face. "I was just trying to protect Delilah. She doesn't belong here in this dreary underworld."

"She can make her own decisions, and she chose to stay here," Hades retorted.

The two gods glared at each other for a moment before Apollo made the first move, lunging at Hades with his fists raised. The two gods grappled with each other, exchanging blows and throwing each other around the arena.

Despite Apollo's speed and agility, Hades was stronger and more experienced in combat. He landed several powerful punches on Apollo, sending the sun god reeling backwards.

Apollo stumbled and fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Hades stood over him, panting heavily, but still ready to continue the fight if necessary.

"Stay away from my Delilah," Hades warned, his voice low and menacing.

Apollo glared up at him, but didn't say anything. He slowly got to his feet and retreated from the Underworld, defeated.

Hades watched him go, his heart pounding with anger and frustration. He knew that he couldn't always protect Delilah from every threat, but he was determined to do everything in his power to keep her safe.

Hades and Delilah walked back to the castle in a comfortable silence. Delilah was still in awe of Hades' skills during the fight and was grateful that he had her back. After they had returned to Hades' chambers, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

"Delilah, I hope you don't mind, but I picked up a gown for you to wear to the ball tonight," Hades said, holding out the box. "I thought it would be a nice surprise after everything that happened today."

Delilah's eyes widened as she took the box from Hades. "Oh Hades, you didn't have to do that. Thank you so much," she said, giving him a grateful smile.

Hades grinned back at her. "Of course I did. You deserve to look your best tonight, especially after all the hard work you've put in these past few days."

Delilah opened the box to reveal a beautiful, flowing gown in a deep shade of red. It was the perfect complement to her honey hair and made her feel beautiful just holding it.

"It's stunning," Delilah said, looking up at Hades. "Thank you so much for thinking of me."

Hades smiled and gestured for her to walk with him back to her room. "Of course. Now let's get you ready for tonight. We have a ball to attend."

As soon as Delilah entered her chambers, she found the room full of servants, bustling around with their work. There was a team of seamstresses who were busy stitching the final touches on her gown while another group of helpers were setting up a table with all sorts of hair accessories and makeup.

One of the servants approached her with a soft smile and bowed. "Good evening, my lady. We are here to prepare you for the ball tonight. Please, sit and allow us to attend to you."

Delilah sat in front of the mirror, watching as they began to work their magic. One servant began to style her hair, weaving it into a beautiful updo, while another applied makeup that accentuated her natural beauty.

A third servant brought over a tray of sparkling jewels, asking for her permission to add some sparkle to her look. Delilah nodded her approval, and the servant delicately placed a pair of shimmering diamond earrings in her ears and a matching necklace around her neck.

As they continued to work, Delilah couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by their attentiveness. She had never experienced such pampering before, and it made her feel like a true princess.