Aidoneus

The Attack

Hades woke the next day with the small goddess still nestled in his arm. They had stayed up talking for several house till he heard her breathing deepen during his recount of a fight between Zeus and Poseidon. Awake or sleeping, all he cared about was having her with him. Now that he had a small taste of life with her, he was determined to keep her with him. He had wandered the Underworld lost and lonely for two thousand years. That is until her. Until now. She looked at his kingdom not with fear or disgust, but with wonder and appreciation. What he felt for her was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Not like Hera, Minthe, or...no. They were so different. With Kore there were no demands. No requirements. Just acceptance. 

He watched her sleep for while. He needed to make her see the bigger picture. Mortal lives are a blink of an eye in comparison to theirs. He could provide her a lifetime of affection and riches. If she returns to Sparta she could maybe have another fifty or sixty years with her father before he dies and comes to the underworld. That is, if the Fate's prophecy of her dying in battle doesn't  come true first. He needed to talk to Zeus and Hera. As goddess of marriage, only Hera could sanction a recognizable marriage between Gods. And he needed Zeus to stop investigating Kore's origins. 

The artificial sunrise was just changing the sky of the underworld. Helios and Apollo did not go to the underworld but centuries ago Hecate had crafted a flame that burned forever and acted as an artificial light. He watched as it's rays slipped over the horizon while he formulated his plan. He didn't know how much time passed before he felt her shifting besides him. She slowly opened her eyes and groggily looked around before seeming to remember when she was. She smiled when her eyes landed on his. His heart swelled. The thought of waking up next to her every day was worth fighting for. 

"Morning" he said as she yawned and stretched beside him. "Good morning. I'm sorry I fell asleep on you." Judging by the sly smile on her face, she was not sorry. "Goddess, you may sleep wherever you like in my Kingdom" he was surprised by his newfound boldness around her. "Is that because of xenia?" she winked at him. He laughed loudly, "you think I would let Hermes sleep next to me?" and now both started laughing. "How about we go get breakfast before everyone else arrives" he suggested. She smiled, "really? That would be great. Not sure if I am up for answering questions about last night just yet." She then leaned over and kissed him on the nose. It was a small quick gesture. But one of pure affection. Something Hades had rarely experienced. 

They made their way down to the kitchen. It was early and the staff had yet to arrive so they each grabbed some fruits and bread. They started walking towards the dinning hall when he had an idea. "How about a change of scenery today" he watched with delight as she turned towards him. A curious grin on her face, "lead the way!" 

They walked outside and followed a narrow path that led out from behind the armory. This was one of his favorite spots and he seldom shared it with anyone. As they walked the sound of water cascading on rocks could be heard. They made their way through a forest of trees before emerging into a clearing. She gasped as she stepped from behind him to take in the view. He built the lagoon and waterfall a century ago. As somewhere to relax and bathe after sparring sessions. He watched her eyes widened as she scanned the area. "Hades, this is incredible!" she said with awe. "Thank you. I built it" he said with pride. "What! You built this?" she motioned across the glistening clear water. He laughed "I did indeed". "Melerose mentioned a waterfall but this is beyond what I imagined" she smiled. 

They breakfasted on the shore and he described how he built the lagoon. The plants he chose and why. She explained that while her mother was the Goddess of Harvest, Kore herself was unsuccessful in growing plants. They laughed and found themselves reminiscing about silly stories. He lost track of time when he heard branches rustling and a commotion approaching.