Chapter 4 An agreement
Hades walks into the creamy, bright hall, his black attire standing out in contrast. He stands before twelve of the most powerful Greek gods and goddesses in all of Olympus, twelve who had decided his fate before and will decide it again. They sat in a half circle, each sitting on a plain white throne in front of a rectangular glass pane that looked out over the ocean.
They were all dressed in their normal attire, some wearing white togas or gold warriors clothing. As for Hades, he was wearing the same as usual, with no intention to dress up for his equals- shining black dress shoes that reflected the light, creaseless black slacks, a long sleeved black button up shirt, and the same cold silver rings on each finger.
He smiled to them as the doors behind him shut with an echo across the room. This meeting may have been Hades' idea, but he wasn't the one to call it. It was his brother, Zeus, the ruler of Mount Olympus and all gods and goddesses he gave the formal command.
Hades bows to Zeus, saying in welcoming "Zeus." He responds with "Hades," after a moment he continues, "you've called us here today to discuss the future of our sons and daughters, and the future of this kingdom." Hades smiled again "Yes I have," he released Zeus' stare and grew comfortable, "I have a proposition for you all." "And what would that be exactly," Athena to the right of Zeus said. He carefully thought out his next few words, "To give equality to all the voices of Mount Olympus and include my daughter Henris in the new council of gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus." He wasn't even finished with his statement before the gods and goddesses vocalized their disgust saying "This is an outrage," or huffing to themselves.
Zeus holds up a hand, they eventually silence themselves, "Why now, after all this time brother?" Zeus might have seen them as brothers but Hades surely did not, he answered "Because I think its time for peace and justice." Hermes was clearly baffled as he yelled "Justice? You just want to use this time to poison our childrens minds, poison our future council!" People agreed with him, nodding.
Hades answered as a disagreeing father, "No, if you knew Henris you'd know she'd never want anything like that." Artemis yelled to him over the rattled voices, "And how are we supposed to know that when you have trained and taught her in the underworld all these years?" They were silent for his next answer, keen on hearing what his solution, "Let me prove to you, let her prove to you all, allow her to attend the coronation and the events leading up to it and decide for yourselves."
The room erupted once more, "We'd be putting our children in jeopardy," and "With the crown on display, no way!" Finally Zeus held up a hand, and when that didn't work he bellowed "SILENCE!" They all drew their attention back to him, after a moment of thought he finally asked "Give us just one reason why we should trust you?"
Hades thought for a very long and hard time his response to this, all twelve sets of eyes were on him as he looked up and said "Because I fell in love with a mortal eighteen years ago and before she died she gave me Henris. And I see more and more every day that mortal woman, my love, in Henris. Wouldn't you want that? Someone so close to the mortal people, a voice for the world to be a part of this great council?"
The room had gone still, he'd done it, Hades had slithered his way into their hearts and begun to poison them. Finally Zeus said "Yes, we want that." And Hades smiled.
Henris and Petra make their way through the halls of the palace. They take sets of stairs down into the bellows of the underworld, finally they reach the last step to the cave under the palace. The echoing of water dripping in the distance, in the dim light they make out the river styx. Waiting on his thin, long wooden boat, oar in hand, is Charon, in his baggy grey robes, hood covering his bald head, his eyes are hallow underneath and his chapped lips are set in a firm line. He waits patiently. Petra slows down at the sight, almost stopping completely, as Henris strides over to the boat. "Charon how are you this fine evening in the underworld," his eyes move slowly to her, then back to Petra. Petra's hair stands, Why is he looking at me like that. Henris continues, "Well, we're silent today aren't we," Charon extends a thin, pale hand to her in which she places three coins- one gold, two silver. She turns back to Petra, "Well, you're coming aren't you?" He looks to her, eyes wide in fear, as he stands still, frozen in place. Petra walks back to him and takes his hand and begins pulling him to the boat, he sets his feet in place, like a tug-a-war game. "You're already afraid and we haven't even entered the underworld," she yells as she pulls. "I take it back, I don't want to do this anymore," Petra says in resistance. As Henris gets a good, strong grip on him and pulls hard, almost pulling his arm out of the socket, she yells "Too late," as they stumble back into the boat. Petra on top of her, Henris underneath, their legs dangle out. Charon begins to row the boat. Hades' two children re-sit themselves, Petra backs on all fours to the front of the boat, putting space between him and his sister. Henris chuckles as she pulls her feet into the boat, leaning back into the middle on the boat's wall.
They enter the orange light of the underworld. The sky is a cloudless orange yellow, and nothing has change since Henris was a child. It still is blazingly hot and smells of fire, except there are more souls working here and the underworld has grown larger. Petra snaps his head back and forth as he fully looks at the underworld for the first time, Henris shakes her head smiling as she watches him.
They travel for some time on the murky waters of the river styx, Petra is looking into the water when he sees a fat, scaled tail move underneath the boat, he moves back quickly and the boat rocks, Henris spits out "Don't," he looks at her with wide eyes again. She looks past him and juts out her chin to something ahead, he turns to see the lone island where Medusa's temples stands on a hill. Petra gulps.
They row smoothly up to the back, Henris steps out immediately. With both of her feet on the muddy bank, she looks forward to the temple, closes her eyes and takes a large, visible breath and smiles. Petra watches her and waits for help, finally she opens her eyes and turns back around, reaches out a hand to the boat and pulls Petra out with the same strength she used to pull him in. He stumbles out and finds his footing as his sandals sink into the muddy bank, he looks at his feet in disgust. Henris moves to pay Charon three coins again, he extends his hand in acceptance of the payment, she says dropping the coins into his hands, "For your return." He looks at her with those dull eyes and pulls his hand back slowly, drops the coins in a fold in his robes, and takes his paddle in both hands and stick it into the water, the boat pushes along with unnatural ease, until Henris no longer sees it.
She looks at Petra for one quick moment to make sure he's okay, and she begins walking in long strides. Petra doesn't realize she has already taken off so he almost jogs to keep up with her, "Are you sure anyone's home?" Henris doesn't look to him as she speaks, "I'd know if he weren't home." She stops at the foot of the hill, Petra stops abruptly next to her. He looks between her and the temple. He stands impatiently for a few moments, bouncing on each foot, crossing and uncrossing his arms. Petra stands there patiently as she grabs his wrist, looks him directly in the eye and says "Stop it," he wines but eases. They both turn as there is movement at the top of the hill at the temple.
A young god emerges, he begins walking down the hill. He's around the same as Hades' children, he's visibly muscular, with a strong jawline and piercing green eyes, his once dull brown hair now has streaks of gold from the sun and flows in large loose curls to his shoulders. He's wearing scuffed shoes, comfortable grey pants, and a sleeveless grey shirt. Henris shakes her head with a smile, eyes softening at the sight of him, He's the same boy as three years ago, she finds comfort in that thought. But unlike the boy she met three years ago, this one has a black tattoo of a snake wrapping around his left bicep. He finally reaches them at the foot of the hill, he takes in a large breath. Henris begins, "Deuce." He responds, "Henris." Deuce turns his piercing gaze to her brother, eyeing him, "This is my younger brother Petra." Petra smiles and extends a hand to Deuce, Deuce looks down at the hand and back up to Petra, not taking his hand "I've heard about you from Henris throughout the years." Petra, realizing the god won't shake his hand, drops it to his side, "I didn't realize you two were so friendly." Henris looks to him, "We're not," then looks back to Deuce, both smiling, "or at least we're not supposed to be." Petra nods in understanding, "Ah I get it." Deuce shakes his head slightly, "Do you."
Deuce and Henris begin walking at the base of the hill, past the temple, Petra follows behind them. Henris begins, "I'm here on business." Deuce turns to her, questioning "Does Hades need me?" Henris shakes her head, "No," she stops walking, "I need you." Deuce stops as well, Petra, realizing too late, collides into both of them. He backs away in shame. Deuce's eyebrows are drawn down, with a firm line in his jaw, "Henris what's this about." She takes a breath in as she begins.
"My father, he's asked me on a mission," she starts. Deuce says, "You've never needed my help before." Henris answers, "That's right I haven't, but this ones different." Deuce listens intently, "My father has asked me to steal Zeus' crown of flames." Deuce spits out, "What." Henris begins backtracking, "I know, I know." Deuce fumes, "Why would he do this to you? Send you to do something so dangerous?" Henris reassures him, "This wouldn't be a first." Deuce looks into her eyes with his piercing green gaze, "Henris, you know this is different." She nods, "And that's why I'm asking for your help."
Deuce shakes his head and begins walking without her, "What makes you possibly think I would help you?" Henris quickly to catch up to him, she gently grabs his arm, pulling him to turn to her, he stops walking and looks to her, "Because I'm your friend." He raises an eyebrow in humor, "Oh is that what we are now." She tilts her head, looking to the ground, "Because you wouldn't just be getting revenge on Zeus, you'd be getting revenge on you father, his whole court, his whole kingdom," Deuce is begins shaking his head again, she grabs his chin to look at her, "his whole world." Deuce moves his head back from her touch, "You'd think I'd just let Hades have this?" he continues, "I can get vengeance another way." Henris practically laughs, "Oh really? How?" He looks to her sternly.
She grabs both of his shoulders as she looks into his beautiful eyes, "Do this and you get everything you've ever wanted. Do this for me." She removes her hands, he asks, "And how exactly are we going to do this?" She smiles wickedly, "Well that's easy," she raises her chin as she looks at him with mischief in her eyes, "I'm going to make the son of Zeus fall in love with me."