For Love and Kingdom [Hades x OC]

Chapter Four

     "MY DARLING WIFE," Hades seethed, his heartbreak evident. "How good it is to see you. You've had a very successful Spring once again, I see." 

The tears welled in Persephone's eyes as she looked at Hades. "H-He seduced me, and I couldn't b-break free of it! Hades, please, you know that --"

"I don't wish to hear anything out of you," His eyebrows once against stitched together as he addressed Persephone. "And I no longer wish to be bound to you."

Persephone started to break out into a sob. "Hades, w-we can get through this..."

"I gave you a chance last Winter to tell me the truth," Hades narrowed his eyes towards Persephone. "You think I didn't know that you were hiding something from me? As if you demeanor towards me did not change?"

It was as if Persephone did not even see her friend in the room, and Lonna almost preferred it that way. No attention was on her, she was merely a ghost watching the interaction from the shadows. Lonna's eyes shifted from the gods to the goddess. 

"Hades, I-I don't know what to say..." Persephone fell to her knees, her emotions creating chaos within the palace. Black vines grew around the pillars as they creeped from where she wept. "I was lonely without you for all those months, and I-I couldn't resist."

"As if I have never felt loneliness when we are parted." 

Persephone's breath caught in her throat through her sobs. Apollo went to Persephone, attempting to console her as if he was equally not to blame. 

"This mortal," Zeus pointed at Lonna before bringing his hand to stroke his beard. "What part did she play in this scheme that she was brought before me?" 

"She was waiting for me, as a distraction." Hades glared at Lonna. "Knowingly, or unknowingly, she was there."

"Then let us settle this," Zeus kept his finger pointed at Lonna, a bolt of lighting shooting from it and hitting her. She writhed on the marble floor, pain flowing through every inch of her body. She felt as though her body was shifting and changing. "Persephone is no longer bound to Hades, and Hades is no longer bound to Persephone. Your ties have been cut. I have granted this girl immortality in order to take Persephone's place as Queen of the Dead. She will live out her days in the Underworld as her punishment, never to return to the mortal realm." 

"NO!" Persephone cried out, reaching for her friend. "P-Please! She didn't know--"

"Silence!" Zeus' voice boomed throughout the palace. "It is decided, and it is done."

Lonna could barely see anything through her tears. The pain was excruciating. It felt as though her bones were being plucked from her body and reinserted. And then, when she stopped writhing in pain, she could see Persephone being held back by Apollo as she tried to claw her way towards her.

"Zeus!" Hades cried out, dropping to his knees next to Lonna. "This is madness! You've immortalized this girl to pay for Persephone's sins?"

"Is everyone still not happy?" Zeus sounded impatient, growing angry with the lack of praise for his solution. "You and Persephone are no longer bound, I solved that problem. You now have a new immortal Queen of the Dead who can not leave her realm, that solves that problem as well. A little appreciation would be nice..."

Hades' eyes flashed red towards Zeus. His long hair almost created a curtain over his face as he brushed hair from Lonna's face. She couldn't stop her crying, the pain still radiated throughout her body. Her mortal life now meant to be a distant memory, and her immortal life to be an endless one. 

Hades gingerly lifted Lonna from the ground into his arms. "I will deal with you later," He seethed at Zeus before taking one last, long glance towards Persephone. 

Without another word, Hades teleported both himself and Lonna into the Underworld. 

Into her new home.