CHAPTER FIVE - I AM... NOT WEIRD

Flashback

2003

Palace of Hades,

Underworld.

Tuesday, August 8

Hades, Persephone, Nuwa and some other gods silently watched Zagreus, as he anxiously paced about. His two twin sisters could be seen eying him from the stairway in the corner.

"How long has he been like this?" Melinoe half-whispered to her twin sister, Makaria, who looked on solemnly at Zagreus.

"For some months now." came Makaria's bored reply.

"What's taking the messenger so long?"

Before her sister could reply a fan-fair announced the presence of the messenger. A small weather-beaten old man in rags dragged himself into the throne room along with two younger weather beaten ladies and they knelt before them.

"All hail the Lord of the Underworld!"

"Speak, mortal."

"My lord, I bring good news and bad news..."

"Spill it!"

"The good news is that Long Mu's soul has successfully found its reincarnated host..."

There was raptures and shouts of joy and jubilation but it soon died down when...

"Wait!" roared Zagreus, beckoning the messager who was about to creep away.

"M-My lord?"

"What of Agnis? Where is she?"

"I'm sorry my lord... but that's the bad news..." the old man a stuttering mess.

"She's dead isn't she?" he interrupted anxiously, before turning to Hades. "Father why didn't you say something..."

"I'm sorry son but I haven't sensed her in four months." Hades murmured as he peered into the purple orb in his hand. "I don't know why I find it difficult to feel her essence."

"What do you mean you can't feel her essence?"

"I don't..."

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?!

"Son, calm down!" purred Persephone.

"I don't want to calm down, Mom!" he whined in anger. "I want to know where Agnis is!"

"My lord, if I may..." the second messanger began, as she stepped forward before kneeling before him.

"Go on!"

"When we got there we found the empty basket and the room heavily guarded by Spirit Warriors and we caught whiffs of her scent on the floor like she had passed out but...."

"But what?!"

"We couldn't find her body... she's missing!"

***

Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean,

The Crystal Palace.

Sunday, February 13

10:18 AM.

Maidservant Bao

"What a beautiful way to begin the new week" I thought as I left my room. My shoes clicked softly as I walked through the corridors inspecting the servants while I greeted the nobles I met along the way.

"Oh no... not again!" I groaned on seeing a maid wheeling a trolley out of the king's study with his tray of food untouched.

"Yang...wait!" I said as I quickened my steps towards her.

"Good morning, my Lady!" she beamed, with a slight bow on seeing me.

"He refused to eat his food again, didn't he?" I sighed.

"Yes, my lady." she murmured, infected by my melancholy. "At least, he didn't dump it on me like Jiayi last week."

I couldn't help but join her in laughing when I remembered how silly Jiayi looked. The king had immediately apologized to the poor girl and increased her pay but up till now she always refuses to not only go near the king's tray but the Royal Quarters as well.

"But on a serious note, my lady...this makes it the seventeenth time he has refused his food. Is everything okay?"

"You never mind that; just give it to me. I'll make sure he eats it. Go and prepare a relaxing bath for the king."

"As you wish, my lady." she said, with a slight bow and left. 

Taking a deep breath I wheeled the cart into his study.

"Your majesty?" I screamed in shock.

I could barely recognize him. He was lying on the lounge chair wrapping himself with an old short faded yellow blanket. His usually long golden hair was a tangled mess and he looked like he hasn't slept nor showered in days.

"My lord, what happened to you?! Don't tell me you drank yourself to stupor!" I scolded.

"Good morning, Maidservant Bao." he mumbled, ignoring my ranting, making no attempt to get up.

My heartstrings stretched on hearing his voice. You could feel the sadness and despair in it.

"You still miss her, don't you?" I sighed, squatting beside him.

He looked like he was groping his mind for a lie but finally decided to settle for the truth and nodded with tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

"Is that a reasonable excuse for you to starve yourself to death?" I scolded

"Leave me alone!"

"Do you think she'll be happy wherever she is now to knowing that you are refusing to eat just because you miss her?" 

The king just glared at me and burrowed himself deeper into the chair defiantly. I sighed in frustration as I straightened myself. Mumming a little about how he was behaving like a big baby, I went to the window and opened up the blinds for fresh air to ventilate the room. The silence was thick till I spotted his wilted snapdragons and white lotuses.

"You just need a change of scenery, my Lord. Hold on, let me change your flowers..."

"No!" he roared flying out of the couch and snatched the plant pot out of my hand.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Your majesty!" I gasped in shock, trying to be as calm as possible. "I don't get what you're being so irrational about... it's just a plant."

"It's not just any plant! It... it's special."

"Care to explain?" I asked, corking my brows and folding my arms.

"Before mother died she told me to take her ashes use it to fertilize her plant." he sighed, sadly. "When I did as she instructed that very day the plant withered but I...I don't know why I never had the heart to throw it away..."

"Because it reminds you of her." I said softly as I closed the distance between us. "The plant is a symbol of your love for her."

"Erm... Maidservant Bao?"

"Yes, my king?"

"Is it weird?"

"What?"

"Keeping this plant... it's weird, isn't it?"

"No... no it's not, my king." I cooed, cupping his face in my hands. "It's just proves to show what a dutiful and responsible son you've grown up to be."

"So... I am not wierd?"

"No you're not!" I found myself chuckling.

"Oh, what will I do without you?" he slurred, pulling me into a hug.

I felt my heartbeat accelerating against the rib cage as I reciprocated. It was like my body had a mind of its own as I patted him on the back. I felt intoxicated by his sweet scent, my breath hitching as I felt his arms tighten around my waist causing our pelvis to rub against each other. Just then, the door opened causing us to break away.

"Good heavens, what's going on here?" exclaimed Master Yìchén, the Supreme Beta.

"I thought we were friends; why didn't you tell us?" he whined.

"About what?"

"About your relationship."

"Relationship? With who?" I asked curiously, weirdly angry at the thought of him with someone else.

"Aren't you two dating?"

"No!" we said simultaneously. 

"Then why were you guys hugging?" he asked curiously and for some reason, I didn't know why I felt tongue-tied.

"I was sad; Maidservant Bao was just comforting me and..."

"Go on!" they prompted.

"And I, erm, got carried away." He stammered. "I'm sorry you guys got to witness that."

"No problem, we just wanted to remind you of those stuffs we talked about the other day." said Supreme Beta Yìchén, airily.

"What stuffs?" I asked, curiously.

"The ones we're not supposed to say in front of commoners." hinted Supreme Gamma Hàorán. 

"Excuse me? Who are you calling a commoner?"

"Maidservant Bao, could you please excuse us? I apologize on Supreme Gamma Hàorán's behalf."

"It is okay, my lord. I was going anyways." I said sadly. 

I felt uneasy as the Supreme Gamma was still giving me the same weird look since he had entered. I don't know why I felt sad all of a sudden when I turned to leave. The king was about to speak when my eyes caught something.

"My lord, look!" I said pointing at the plant.

They all turned in time to see it slowly blooming. It was like watching a living reverse time lapse of a dead plant.

"Incredible!" cried Beta Yìchén.

"My lord, what does this mean?"

"It means...my mother has been reawakened!"

Who's the priestess to Zagreus?

What is Supreme Gamma Hàorán's beef with Maidservant Bao?