Without Mercy

.6. The Plunge

~

After our dance, Hades led me to the table. Ours was at the head of the whole room horizontal to everyone's tables. This was about us. Tonight was supposed to symbolize our leap into each other. Our leap together. Zeus was, of course, the one of us. But Hades was a king. A rightful king among Gods. The God was so much more than just one of the big three, one of the brothers that helped defeat Kronos. Hades was the God of Wealth, he ruled over the humans when they died for eternity. Their afterlives belonged to him, and now I was his queen. His kingdom was half mine by right. I am his wife; I would be lying if that didn't please me to some extent. Maybe if I couldn't be happy with Hades, I could be happy with the power that came with him. 

After we had eaten, I felt full but better. Decent food was not necessary for us, we do not need food. Like everything else though, we craved the best of the best. If the mortals had it, we needed it and it needed to be better. So here we are, we have the best wines. The best pieces of bread that are flaky and soft. Anything we have is sought to be better than anything the best mortals could have. 

Since the feast was now over it was more of a party. More dancing was to follow, and drinking would most definitely ensue. Looking towards Hades, he sat there unmoving as his eyes looked everywhere. Gazing through the Gods and Goddesses. Observing them silently, but intently. It was like he was trying to look at everyone at the same time. 

I sighed and picked up my drink. Sweet red wine and it was divine, I had only ever tasted it once before.  It was when Hera and Zeus were celebrating just because they felt like it. They had thrown a grand ball. 

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice someone approaching me. 

"Would you like to dance?" The question hung in the air for a moment as I was startled by my thoughts. It was Poseidon. I went to stand up because obviously I was not going to say no to him, but Hades reached out and pulled me back down as he stood up himself. It was so sudden and forceful I looked to Hades, a complaint on my lips. 

"What are you playing at Brother?" 

"Nothing, I mean to give the gift of a dance to your new bride, since she is sitting here ever so bored next to her husband." Poseidon then looked at me again, and Hades' grip lessened. 

I followed my dance partner out towards the other couples that were swirling to the music. Stopping, he turned and grabbed onto me. One hand on my waist and the other grabbed my hand and pulled me even closer to me. Poseidon was known for being unstable and easily offended, so I simply smiled and let him guide me. 

"My sweet Adara. I was pleased with how you took my advice earlier." 

I nodded, he was referring to helping me through my vows. "I thank you, for helping me through them." 

"Of course," he dipped me, but didn't pull me back up immediately, but lingered into it for a second, a few seconds only but enough for those around us to take notice. This God was strong, I knew that by how he held me up as he dipped me, "I was curious how you would handle it. You have piqued my interest." 

"I have?" 

"Yes, your fathers' choice has landed you in a marriage with none other than the God that is the only God that has the title of King. Now you are a queen. A powerful Queen now, when yesterday you were simply the Goddess of loss. Prayed for when warriors were about to die. How much must that have hurt? To only hear their prayers when it was their last moments." 

My mouth dropped as I tried to answer him. I had shared that with no one. I had never told anyone how much I hated it. I hated it with a passion so strong as I heard their prayers and tried to answer them. The mortals who called on me for mercy and solace in their moments near death, on battlefields and in the midst of war. It hurt me; it scared me more than anyone could ever know. Telling anyone was foolish, what could I say? That I was a Goddess that despised being prayed to? That each time it happened I could only cry and fall to my knees as I tried to help them? Even a few times when I had been weak, going down to the fallen warriors. Cradling their heads as I cringed when all I could smell was their blood. Heard them as they cried upon seeing me. Asking me if it was Adara herself, or a cruel trick of the eyes. As I hushed them and assured them that the suffering was over, I tried to help their pain. 

"How, how did you know that?" My voice was only a whisper, I barely felt the ground underneath me as we danced. Increasingly I was just letting him lead me. 

"I saw you once, in the gardens near your house. I was coming to Hephaestus, trying to get him to forge me a new triton. I was about to call my horses when I heard you, you let out a struggle cry and with a hand, over your mouth, you fell to your knees. Tears streamed your face," with a pause, he leaned in and stopped the dance, "I had never seen something more beautiful in my entire life" as he pulled back, I was stunned.  He still looked at me but then his eyes went behind me. I couldn't turn, still too shocked to respond. 

"Ah Hades, come to get your bride from me?" A look at me, then back to Hades. "Yes. That is best." he released me, not before laying a kiss on my knuckles. "Until next time" 

Hades glared at his brother's back but grabbed my hand and brought me to him. I was right there, close to him, my head on his chest as he stared at his brother's retreating back as he moved into the crowd. 

"We are leaving, it's time to go home." He snarled as he moved away from everyone else.