I poked at my food with the edge of my fork, watching the lamb slide back and forth on my plate. The room was dim, lit only by the flickering candles that cast long shadows against the stone walls. The sound of Hecate's soft voice filled the silence, but even with her gentle words, I couldn't seem to focus on anything other than the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I wasn't hungry. Not for the food. Not for the wine that sat untouched beside my plate. But Hecate had insisted, and I had to admit, there was something comforting about sharing this moment with her—this mundane moment. Something that grounded me amidst all the chaos surrounding our upcoming wedding. The grand spectacle of it all.
"Have you thought about the guest list at all?" she asked, her eyes meeting mine as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her expression was soft, but there was a spark of mischief in her gaze. "We'll have to keep it small, of course. But even so, there are so many that will want to attend. Gods, goddesses... friends. Enemies, probably, too."
I exhaled a long breath, the thought of all the faces I would have to entertain in a single room making my skin crawl. "You're right," I muttered, barely tasting the bite of food in my mouth as I chewed. "Everyone will come. Even those who don't have the decency to stay away."
Hecate raised an eyebrow. "Well, who would you invite if you had the choice? And who would you rather stay home with?" She took a sip from her glass, her dark eyes never leaving mine as she awaited my answer.
"Wouldn't we both prefer it if it were just you and me?" I smiled at her, but the edge to my words was clear. "I suppose we can't have that, though."
Hecate's lips curved into a teasing smile. "As tempting as that sounds, I'm not sure how well it would go over with the others. We can't keep them all in the Underworld, can we?" She leaned back, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup thoughtfully. "But we should at least have control over who's really there, don't you think?"
I leaned back in my chair, the heavy wooden frame creaking under my weight. The last thing I wanted was a parade of gods clambering to witness our union, but Hecate had a point. This wedding wasn't just about us. It was symbolic, a statement of power, unity, and what we represented. A wedding between the King of the Underworld and the Mistress of Magic. A union that would surely shake Olympus to its core.
"I'll invite who I must," I said, my voice hardening. "But not everyone deserves to be part of this. Not everyone deserves to witness... this." I gestured vaguely between the two of us, the weight of the words not lost on Hecate.
She nodded in understanding, her expression softening as she reached out and touched my hand. "I know," she said quietly. "We'll have to make sure that the right ones come. The ones who matter."
I stared at her hand on mine for a moment before gently pulling my hand away, though the gesture was more out of habit than any real desire to distance myself. I could feel her eyes on me, waiting, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I was still so tangled up in my thoughts—thoughts I didn't want to share with her just yet.
"Hecate," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "What about my mother?"
Her gaze shifted, just for a moment, the faintest flicker of hesitation passing through her eyes. "I sent her the invitation, of course. She responded. She'll be coming." There was a softness to her words, the kind that suggested she knew how much it meant to me, despite my attempts to appear indifferent.
I didn't know what to feel about Rhea's attendance. On one hand, it was a relief. She was my mother, after all. But on the other hand, her presence came with a weight. A burden. She had been a key player in the family drama, and as much as I wished to avoid it, I knew she would bring that history with her. That quiet tension between us.
Still, I let the words settle. "She's coming," I repeated, more to myself than to Hecate.
"Yes," Hecate answered gently, as if she could feel the turmoil brewing inside me. "It's important to have her there. And your siblings, of course." She added the last part with a raised brow, clearly trying to gauge my reaction.
I didn't look up at her. "Not everyone, though."
The words were like a knife through the silence. They cut through the pretense, the carefully laid-out plans, and struck at the heart of everything I had been avoiding. Not everyone would be there. Not if I had anything to say about it.
Hecate tilted her head, studying me closely. "Hades," she began softly, her voice laced with concern. "You know that the whole family will be there. It's inevitable. This is the wedding of the King of the Gods, after all. The event of the century. The politics of it will demand their presence."
"I don't care about politics," I muttered, my fingers curling into fists beneath the table. "I care about what this means for us. For me. You understand, don't you?"
Her hand returned to mine, this time holding it firmly, grounding me. "I do understand," she said, her eyes meeting mine with that rare, quiet intensity that only she could give. "And I also understand that you can't control everything. This isn't just about us anymore, Hades. It's about sending a message to everyone who's been watching. To those who want to see you fall."
I knew what she meant. I had been running from this—them—for so long, it felt like a noose tightening around my neck. The gods who wanted to see me fail, who wanted to drag me back into the shadows of the Underworld. I had always kept my distance from them, especially from my family. My father, my brothers, my sister. None of them had ever cared for me. They had used me as a pawn in their own games, a tool to wield when it suited them.
And yet, here I was—on the precipice of a union that could change everything.
I pushed my plate away and stood abruptly, unable to sit still any longer. The feeling in my chest, that familiar ache, was creeping back in. The uncertainty. The lingering doubts. I didn't want this wedding to be a performance. I didn't want to stand on that altar in front of those people, smiling for their benefit.
"I need to think," I said, my voice low, almost too low. "I can't just... go through with it, not without making sure this is right. I have to be sure this won't end like everything else. Like them."
Hecate didn't try to stop me. Instead, she stood and moved toward me, her presence a calm contrast to my mounting agitation. "I know, Hades," she said quietly. "I know." She reached up, brushing a strand of my hair from my face, and for the briefest moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift. "We'll figure it out, together. But you can't shut them all out. Not completely. You have to let some of them in."
I felt a strange tension in the pit of my stomach, a mixture of fear and longing. Could I really do this? Could I truly let my family in? Could I share this moment, this monumental change, with them... without allowing them to destroy it?
I exhaled sharply and walked toward the grand, iron-wrought doors of the dining hall. "I'll be in the garden," I said over my shoulder, not looking back. "I need air."
Hecate didn't try to follow. She knew me well enough by now to let me be, to let me wrestle with my thoughts alone. And I would. I had no choice.
The garden was the only place I felt somewhat at peace these days. In the midst of the chaos, it was a sanctuary. But even there, I could feel the weight of everything pulling at me. My family, my past, this wedding, this future... it was all colliding, threatening to overwhelm me.
I leaned against the stone wall of the garden, staring out over the darkened landscape. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the soft murmur of water flowing through the Underworld's rivers, a calming sound. But it didn't calm me.
Not tonight.
<------------------>
The night was still, a rare moment of calm in the chaos that had been my life lately. I found myself walking through the halls of the Underworld, my mind swirling with the plans, the expectations, and the uncertainty of what was to come. The wedding, the family, everything was pulling me in different directions, each strand threatening to unravel me.
I needed to clear my mind. I needed something... familiar.
That's when I decided to go visit Nyx and Erebus.
The doors creaked open as I stepped inside, the dark expanse of their home stretching before me. Nyx was sitting by a low, flickering fire, her dark eyes glinting as she noticed my entrance.
"Ah, Hades," Nyx greeted me, her voice smooth like velvet, the sound of it wrapping around me like a comfort. "It's not often you seek us out. What brings you here tonight?"
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I walked toward them, my footsteps echoing in the silence of their domain. "I need your counsel," I said finally, my voice low and heavy with the weight of the thoughts I was carrying.
Erebus raised an eyebrow as he looked at me from where he was sitting. "Well come over and sit down and tell us what is on your mind."
I sat across from them, my hands clasped together as I leaned forward. "I have a favor to ask of you both," I said, my voice steadying. "I want you both to come to my wedding."
Nyx raised an eyebrow, a faint amusement in her expression. "Really?" she repeated softly. "Very well, I guess we can free up some time to visit you on your special day."
Erebus smiled, as he crossed his legs. "We'll be there, do not worry about that pretty face of yours one bit. Though I believe that it is not us that you truly want to invite to your wedding?"
I looked up at him, his dark eyes unwavering. I sigh and nod. "Yeah, I actually want to invite someone important though I do not know how to actually do it. I doubt that he will talk to me after what has happened."
Nyx hummed as she thought over it. "Well, you will never know unless you actually try. Is Tartarus going to be coming as well?"
"Yep, I plan to visit him after this." I admitted.
As the conversation drifted on, the hours slipping away, I said my goodbyes and headed to the Abyss and made my way to his home.
The Tomb of Tartarus.
The tomb was silent as I entered, the air thick with the scent of lavender. I stepped forward, my footsteps echoing in the cavernous space, until I reached the heart of the tomb. There, on a grand bed carved from beautiful oak wood, lay my so-called uncle, Tartarus. His massive, towering form was stretched out as he snored loudly.
I couldn't help the smirk that crossed my face as I stood at the foot of his bed, staring down at him. Tartarus looked almost... pathetic, asleep like that. Without warning, I kicked the edge of the bed causing it to break as Tartarus crashed into the ground with a big oomph.
Tartarus let out a groan, and the sound of his deep, rumbling voice filled the room. "God damn it, Hades," he muttered, barely opening his eyes. "What is it now? Can't you let an old god sleep in peace?"
I crossed my arms, standing over him. "I have a question for you, Uncle," I said, my tone sharp. "Are you planning on attending my wedding or not?"
Tartarus groaned again, rubbing his eyes with a heavy hand. "A wedding?" He yawned deeply, clearly not impressed by the notion. "Fine. Fine. I'll go. Just let me sleep in peace."
"Great thank you!"
"You owe me a brand new bed!" He yelled at me as I left the tomb.