Chapter 2 The unachievable quest

The young god was back home, back in the uncomfortable warmth and darkness of the underworld. Her waist length orange red hair was braided back from her long journey. She wore a brown, sleeveless leather top, with straps crossing over her core. And brown pants, dirtied from nights spent in that forest. And brown boots that went as high as her mid calf, they thudded against the warm black marble, coated in that satyr's dried blood. Chips of this dried blood flaking off onto the shining floors, her father would be mad, when is he not mad.

She stopped abruptly, having reached the mahogany doors to his office, studded in metal. She knocked twice, hearing a clear "Enter," she opened the heavy doors. His office was also floored in warm black marble, straight ahead was his throne, a black metal with studs and spikes at its ends, Behind his throne was his big fireplace, on the mantle above were frozen faces made of brass frozen in fears and screams. At the bottom of his large fireplace were the metal gates, the gates that opened to the underworld below. At the sides of the room sat a mahogany dining table where he often sat alone, he never invited anyone to dine with him unless he was dining with someone before he tortured and killed them. He didn't even dine with Persephone, but sometimes he did watch her eat in content. The chairs were also mahogany, with a comfortable blood red velvet fabric. At the other side of the room sat his bar and poisons on a long glass table.

Henris made her way into her father's office, releasing the large door behind her, it closed silently. She looks to her father, Hades, his short curly black brown hair, his eyes dark brown eyes lined in black. He's wearing a black leather, button up vest that shows off his tan muscles. And creaseless black pants, matching his vest. He wears short black untouched boots that just barely cover his ankles. And on his hand, raised to his mouth in worry, he wears silver detailed rings on every finger.

She waited for her father to speak, finally "Did you retrieve what I asked for?" He says flatly. She smiles warmly, leaning in and say "Of course." He finally looks away from the fire, looks to her, and walks to his throne and sits upon it. She waits another moment as he raises his hand and signals for her to approach, she does so. As she walks she unstraps the magical sword from behind her back, feeling the warmth once again in her fingers, even through the fabric it's held in. Its as if the sword was made for her, the way it has welcomed her since the moment she had laid her eyes on it in the forest. She stops in front of her father, bowing to one knee and holding the sword out to him flatly on the palms of both of her hands. With her head bowed she doesn't see as he takes the sword from both of her hands. I wonder if the sword is as inviting to him as it was to me, she wonders, as if this wasn't his sword in the first place and he hadn't just sent her on a quest to retrieve it back.

She feels a small breeze as he plays with the sword in both of his hands, swishing it through the air, pointing it in front of him. He finally says after some moments, in confirmation "You did well, daughter." She raises her head, searching for his eyes, looking at him proudly and in pure loyalty as any daughter and loyal servant would do to their ruler.

He nods for her to rise and she does, he walks back to the fire place, never taking his eyes off the sword, watching as the flames dance in its reflection. He finally speaks, "That'll be all for now."

Henris gives him a nod and a small bow, smiling at her father she turns for the doors, laying her hand on the metal handle he says from behind her, "Wait, there's one more thing." Confusion is displayed on her face as she turns back around to her father, he's still watching the sword, but he finally lifts his gaze directly to her. He raises his eyebrows and smiles, "Zeus' son, he is to be coronated, you are to be there," she is even more confused by this news, with her father being on bad terms with Zeus and all the gods stationed in the center of Mount Olympus. He continues, "His son to be throned with the crown of flames," Henris almost lets her mouth fall open in shock she averts her eyes and thinks, The crown of flames is real? I thought they were just stories. Her father finishes with a deep command "I want that crown." She looks to him, taking in a sharp breath and straightening her back, What? How? But she doesn't question her father, no one ever questions her father. Their eyes connect in acknowledgement, acknowledging that as his daughter she is pledged to him, pledged as any loyal servant of the underworld and pledged for the rest of her immortal life to follow her one true god.

She nods, taking a moment to reassure him saying "Yes, of course my god." He gives one small nod, smiling a little, looking down in thought. She watches him, and leaves. Once the doors close behind her is when she really begins to worry, How am I to do this? How can he expect this of me? He knows I will be killed if I were to do this. She lets out a deep sigh, closing her eyes, straightening her shoulders she looks forward and begins to walk down the long black hallway lit by torches. She knows she has to do this, she will do this, because she is Henris, princess of the underworld, daughter of Hades god of the underworld, and Hades always gets what he wants.

She closes the thick, heavy doors to her father's office, quickly leaning on it in contemplation over the task he just presented to her. She closed her eyes, taking a slow breath, How am I going to do this, she thought to herself. She opened her eyes, raised her head with a plan already forming, and takes one step onto the warm marble floors when she is immediately pushed to the side by an unnatural force. Cerberus. Her immortal childhood dog that would not only guard the gates of hell but protect her at night when her dreams became too much for this immortal life. She smiled warmly and widely as she knelt down to pet the short hair, chocolate brown coat of her enormous strong hound.

The right head begins sniffing at that very hand and the dried blood cracking underneath her nails, she almost removes her hand but doesn't. The middle hand begins tugging at the end of her long orange braided hair, his teeth becoming more aggressive when she is forced to swiftly move her braid behind her shoulder. The last head, the left head makes a giggle escape from her as he ferociously licks the old sweat off her face. She removes her hand from the left head to grab the right head of Cerberus, looks him dead in the eye with a straight face, and gives him a big kiss on his wet, warm nose. She lets out one more laugh as she stands, regretting not saving the leg of of the animal-human from earlier. Shakes her head a little and raises her eyes to begin walking.

She walks halfway down the hall before she takes a left turn, the light from the torches flickering as she passes. She makes her way down the hall to the very end where she takes a right turn, the way to her rooms where she can begin plotting. The third hall is dimly lit, some torches have been blown out with cobwebs collecting on others.

She doesn't need to look as she feels his presence, and smells his orange and rose scent. Her half brother Petra pushes himself off the wall, away from the shadows to walk in step next to her, she doesn't slow for him, doesn't even give him a side look to acknowledge him. Finally after an impatient moments silence he says "Back so soon dear sister?" A pestering little brother he is, father never asks him on missions, never trains his power, from the moment Petra was born his father new he was a softer sort, his mother's son, Persephone's son. A different story than Henris'.

She slowly turns to him, a growing devilish grin on her fair features. She finally takes him in from head to toe- he's wearing a white puffy long sleeved shirt, with tawny pants that run down to his calves, and sandals that strap higher than his ankles, the whole outfit is carefully thought out, to compliment his glowing deep tan. He has very sharp cheekbones with an even sharper jawline, a head full of brown curls combed twice a day, and his eyes, his eyes are a deep hazel full of care and contemplating. In some small way she had always been jealous of Petra, for his more feminine side and appeal, her father would have never accepted that from her.

"Well," finally answering his question sarcastically, "what can I say, I do enjoy my job." He lets out a snort, she smiles. She has never given him insight into what she does for their father, even when she has come back time and time again with broken ribs, swollen ankles, bleeding brows. As adolescents he used to beg to go on tasks with her, to take her spot for her, but she knew their parents would never approve. Hades would lecture her Petra slowed her down, and Persephone would lock her in the underworld if she found out her only child went on a deadly mission. So Henris never gave her brother clear answers anymore, and right now she could feel in the silence how much it irritated him.

She finally looked at him. She expected the inevitable question before it happened, "What did you complete this time?" She turned to him, stopping in the hall. Giving him a nurturing smile she said, "Petra, you know I can't tell you that." He furrowed his brows like an angry child, "And why is that?" He knew the answer, "Because it's too dangerous." He crossed his arms, "Telling me is too dangerous? I wasn't even there." She shook her head and began walking, "If I tell you than part of dad's secret plans will be out and you'll go off talking to your faerie friends." He huffed, "You know I wouldn't do that." She raised her eyebrows, almost saying Is that so.

They finally reached her rooms, which seemed to be in the darkest corner of this palace. She opened the thick, silent door to deep red walls. The room was one of the biggest in the palace, which is another complaint she's heard from Petra since they were children. On the left wall is her comfortable king sized bed, covered in red, silky sheets and a thick red and black laced comforter. The wall across from the entry way are huge windows that overlook the underworld, the room remains quiet from the agonizing voices. In front is hear dark brown wooden desk that she uses for plotting and mapping. In the far corner is her large, ornate golden mirror and the bathrooms right next to it. At the foot of her bed is her seating area with her black, velvet couch and brick fireplace (not that she ever uses it because the underworld is always hot). And in the right corner is her large walk in closet that houses all her silk, delicate clothes contrasting to her leather, studded boots and hunting clothes.

She walks in, slipping off her leather jacket and throwing it on her bed. She then steps out of her leather boots. She turns to her brother who's still in the doorway, "I'd like to shower to get this blood off me." He folds his hands in front of him, patiently "I'm not stopping you." In fake revulsion Henris says "Ew, perv," and throws a pillow at him, he catches it in the air with his right hand. She takes a seat at her couch, visibly exhausted, knowing he won't leave anytime soon. He walks over and takes a seat next to her. She stretches her legs out in front of her and turns to him, "I'm not telling you anything." Petra wines, "I'm not in any danger Henris if you do," he says more quietly, "I can tell you're worried."

She looks at him with full eyes, he continues "You're never worried about your missions." She bites her lip and begins, "This next mission, it's the most dangerous one yet, and if it goes wrong it will get both of us killed." Petra pops up to the edge of his seat, she's never wanted to include him in a mission before, "Why are you telling me now, what changed your mind?" She thinks it over, "Because, honestly, I can't do it alone, and it's going to take a team." Petra leans in, "Who else?" Henris pushes her self up, away from the cushions of the couch, "Like Deuce, Medusa's son." Petra leans back, letting out a puff of air, "Woah." Henris nods, "Yeah." Petra looks back to her, "I kind of forgot about him." Henris smiles to herself, saying a little quieter "I didn't." When she looks back at Petra his eyebrows are raised, he's grinning wickedly, "Oh?"

She stands up, begins walking to her closet, yelling over her shoulder to Petra on the couch, "Anyways, are you going to help me or not?" She grabs her looser sleep wear from a drawer, and re-emerges from the closet holding her clothes. She walks over to her bead and sets the down. Petra stands, "Of course I'm going to help you." She smiles. After a moments silence he grows restless, "So what's the mission." She turns to him, sitting on the edge of her bed, "To steal the crown of Zeus."

"What?!" Petra yells, he walks quickly around the couch and to her, "You do want me killed!" She shrugs, "You don't have to come." She walks away, entering the bathroom and turns the knob to her bath, cold water sputters out. She walks out of the bathroom again as the bath tub is filled, she leans on the doorway to the bathroom. Petra walks to her again, "Of course I'm coming." She laughs, shaking her head. Petra smiles as well, "So what's the plan?" She looks up.