Hades - God of the Underworld

Chapter Twelve

Victoria woke noise in her bedroom.

"Good morning my Lady!" Edith beamed a huge smile at her, Victoria couldn't help but sleepily smile back at her. The other two maids also made their cheery greetings and curtsied to her. One of them carried a pale pink dress with her.

"Would the Lady like a bath before breakfast?"

Victoria nodded and said her thanks.

The water felt refreshing. She soaked in the rose petal water and allowed herself to finally relax.

Maybe I could get used to this.

She pondered at the thought. If Hades remained exactly who he was the previous night, then it would never be a tough decision to make.

But there was in question, his private life. What was he like? What was his reputation? Would he have a constant stream of lovers following him everywhere he went?

Victoria's mind drifted to the feast. To Athena's offhand comment. How no one had ever seen him like that.

Her checks flushed again. The maids had headed her request and allowed her to bathe herself.

Once she was finished, they arrived back and helped her get ready. The dress was soft and whimsicle, the soft fabric reaching just below her knee in layers of transparent and jaggered arrangements. It looked airy. Innocent and soft.

Once clothed, her maids removed her bath and a butler escorted her along the corridor.

"Excuse me but where are we headed?"

The butler smiled understandingly at her.

"The King Hades has requested that you are to dine with him in his private quarters."

At those words. A lump formed in Victoria's throat.

She wasn't ready to see him again. Not after the previous night. She didn't want the lasting memory of him to be tainted by whatever foul mood he could be in now.

A little while later, Victoria stood in front of a large wooden door.

It opened without her making a sound. A voice echoed the chamber.

"Enter."

Victoria hesitantly stepped into the room and found that a round table was in the center of the room as well as some beautifully carved wooden chairs tucked in. Hades stood at a window, in a dark brown tunic and black trousers. His arms folded at his chest, leaning against the wall. Face stoic.

Her heart dropped. 

Zeus and Poseidon sat at the table. This didn't look like anybody's chambers at all.

Victoria felt every fibre of her being crawl into herself. She curtsied. The two Gods sitting at the table immediately protested.

Poseidon erupted from his chair and hastened towards her. He bowed deeply and didn't rise.

"I would like to apologise Victoria. Hades as informed us about your current situation and feelings. Us immortals find it easy to lose sight of how humans would react to what we have done to you."

Extremely uncomfortable, Victoria had unconsciously started fiddling with the fabric of her dress. Hands sweating and cheeks flaring.

In a moment of weakness, she met Hades' eyes, asking for help or support.

He responded with a slight nod.

"I, um, I'm unsure what to say." Victoria laughed nervously.

Hades headed towards her and took her hand, leading her toward a chair which he pulled out for her. Victoria couldn't help but notice the thinly veiled surprise that Zeus and Poseidon had on their faces.

Once she was seated, Zeus began to speak.

"We understand that you want to return to the mortal realm, this is what our brother has mentioned to us. Is this what you truly want? Please take some time before you answer, we will grant whatever you wish as this was our mistake."

Victoria stared at her hands that were clasped together on her lap, feeling the stares of all three gods upon her. In the previous evening, she was convinced that she needed to return back home, everything was all too much and all she had wanted was a sense of normality. Now, in the morning sunlight, Hades'presence beside her and the kindness of these two strangers, she felt a little more comfortable with where she was.

And then Calum came to mind.

Guilt eased it's way down her stomach at the thought of him. Guilt that she had betrayed him. Guilt that he was immediately forgotten when she was with Hades. Guilt that the flame she held for him was nothing in comparison to the one she held for the god that had cared for her so tenderly the previous night.

Did she want to return home because of obligation? No, not really. If she stayed, she would be leaving behind everything she knew, her lovely apartment, her friends and a whole world that she belonged to.

But surely, if it were true that she was intended to be with Hades, the surely she also belonged here too. Was it worth it? Was he worth it?

What she currently was experiencing was not sustainable. If she were to stay and spend her future with him, she didn't want to spend it questioning his every motive and action.

It's not worth it for a total stranger.

But every nice moment she had spent in this place had been one of the most wonderful and lovely moments of her life. Surely that was worth something.

And maybe she wouldn't be as lonely, the gods and goddesses that she had gotten to know had treated her with such familiarity and kindness. Victoria could see herself getting along nicely with these people.

Indecision span in her head with every thought.

She peeked a glance at Hades. Whilst the other two gods idly spoke to each other, Hades sat there in silence. His expression emotionless and passive.

He was perfection in every sense. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke and the air that surrounded him. How he commanded attention without so much as lifting a finger. The way he treated her when he wasn't bothered by anything, how tender he was, and rough when he wanted to, not to the point of scaring her. How it felt to be in his arms. His mouth against hers...

Hades' eyes flickered down to meet hers, as if feeling her stare on him.

A wave of an unknown emotion course through her entire body, lurching her to her response.

"I'm staying."