That Fatal Kiss (13 page)

“Ugh!” she exclaimed, struggling to keep the slobbering creature at bay. “Your devotion, while admirable, is unwelcome, you great big drooling beast,” she protested, laughing at his continued attempts to lick her. She gave him a good shove, demanding, “Keep away, dog, down! Sit!” He did what he was told and rested on his hind quarters, his six eyes looking up at her in rapt adoration, and panted contentedly as he awaited further command. Persephone grimaced. “You are probably the most extraordinary hound I have ever met, Cerberus. Do you know that?” All three heads responded with exuberant barks and she couldn’t help but laugh. She gingerly reached out to pet one of its heads and then regretted the overture when he took it for an invitation. He leapt onto her, knocking her back down onto the bed, and began praising her in earnest.

It was so besieged that Hades found Persephone, giggling helplessly as his hound thoroughly bathed her face. He ordered Cerberus to retreat and reached a hand out to Persephone, helping her up. “I’ll wager you weren’t expecting a bath so soon upon rising.”

“I was not,” she agreed, accepting the cloth he handed her and using it to dry her face, “though I am afraid I will require another to remove the effects of the first!”

“I would not have sent him in to wake you, only it is almost noontime and you were still abed...”

“What? So late? Forgive me, I had no idea…”

“No matter,” Hades demurred smoothly, offering her a smile.

Persephone returned it before casting her eyes down shyly. She noticed she was more exposed than not and hastened to pull a sheet over herself. “Is there a way I might summon someone to assist me when necessary?”

“Ah, of course, I’ve been remiss in my duties. Clap your hands once and a palace servant will attend you. Whatever you require, you need only command it and it shall be done. All know that you are now mistress here and are eager to serve you,” Hades informed her. When a blush colored her pale face he asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no,” Persephone said. She stared at him, entranced by the look in his eyes, and recalled the feel of his lips against hers. An intense need to taste them again overwhelmed her, bringing the color to her face. Now she had to satisfy his curious look and said, “I daresay I’m still…half-dreaming.” Which was more or less true.

The god didn’t appear inclined to believe her, but said only, “I’ll leave you to your ablutions.” He clapped his hands together. At once the female servant who’d attended Persephone thus far appeared at the door, hovering at its threshold. “Your Lady desires your assistance.” He turned back to Persephone. “When you are refreshed, she will bring you to my throne room.” He paused at the unusual sound that broke through the room at that moment. He cast his eyes about to discover its origin, then saw that Persephone held a hand to her stomach. Identifying the noise and comprehending its cause, he remarked dryly, “We can remedy your hunger if you wish it. You haven’t eaten in days, you’ll make yourself ill if you keep on like this.”

Persephone shook her head, resolute. “I’ll be fine.” She was sorry for the look of irritation that crossed his features but did nothing to mitigate it, matching his expression with a mulish frown of her own.

“Please yourself,” he said, turning and beckoning Cerberus to follow him. “I shall await you at your leisure.”

Persephone watched him depart, vexed with Hades for his displeasure. And, if she was honest, with herself for provoking it, just when they’d turned a corner in their relations. But she also chafed at his suggestion, when he knew she was decided in her fast. With an irritable shrug, she called the servant in. Persephone assumed a more pleasant expression and asked, “What are you called?”

The maid bowed. “I am Ione, Lady. It is my honor to serve you.”

“Even if I will not eat the delightful meals you have so carefully prepared for me?”

Ione folded her hands together and gave a shy smile.

“Especially then, eh?” Persephone teased, “That is exceedingly good of you, Ione. Now, I would be most grateful to you if you would assist me in procuring a nice, hot bath…” When Ione looked at her with surprise, Persephone explained, “I know, it’s very like mortal behavior, isn’t it? But I find I relish the feel of scented water against my skin. Don’t you?”

Ione gave a quick nod before stepping out of the room, motioning for the goddess to follow. The mortal led her to a chamber further down the corridor. Ione opened the door and bade Persephone enter. The goddess did so and smiled wide with pleasure. A mossy green chamber, with an ivory tiled floor, housed at its center an enormous sunken tub, with steps leading down to its depths. All manner of flora occupied the room, in ruddy clay pots, with ivy twining its way up the walls and around the tub itself. Persephone willed the tub to be filled with steaming water, into which Ione poured scented oils. Moments later, the maid assisted her mistress into the tub and was gratified to hear the latter’s blissful sigh as she sank within. The goddess refused her aid in bathing with a smiling shake of her head.

“So tell me, Ione,” Persephone said, “how is it that mortals, such as yourself and Rhadamanthys, come to serve the King of the Dead?”

The maid flushed and fixed her eyes on the floor. “I do not recall very much about my…my death, or how I came to be here.”

Mindful to keep her tone gentle the goddess prompted, “Surely you remember something?”

Ione wrung her hands together, apparently ill-prepared for a cozy chat with an Immortal. She seemed afraid but, with her new queen looking up at her expectantly, Ione did not dare refuse her. Clearing her throat, she volunteered in a shaky voice, “I…I p-passed over when I was p-prep-paring for my wedding—”

“He took you on your wedding day?” Persephone exclaimed. Seeing the girl jump at her sharp tone, she softened it. “Ione, please do not be afraid of me. I am merely amazed that Aidoneus would do such a thing.”

“W-well…I think it w-was w-wonderful that he did so.”

The admission surprised the goddess. “You do?”

Ione bobbed her head. “Y-yes, my Lady. You see…my f-father had b-betrothed me to a mean and m-miserly old man. N-n-no m-matter how I c-cried and b-b-begged my father to release me from the agreement, he would not d-d-d-do it!”

“He must have been quite the horror, your betrothed. If he was as bad as some, I expect service in the Underworld would have seemed preferable to such living misery.”

“B-b-but that is exactly what I thought! I p-prayed for m-my Lord Aidoneus t-to allow me to serve him eternally in Erebus rather than l-let me m-marry that man.”

“And Hades answered your prayer,” Persephone said. “So one moment you were being clothed in your wedding garments and the next you were…?”

“Standing in m-my Lord’s throne room. He asked me if I w-would rather serve him as a m-mortal or an Immortal.”

“And you chose mortality?”

“Yes. Aidoneus allowed me to remain as I w-was, though. He slowed d-down my aging.”

“Will you serve him eternally, then?”

Ione shook her head. “For one thousand years.”

“And then?”

“I m-must reflect on what would be best; t-to return above and live out another life’s cycle or remain b-below and become immortal.”

“Hmmm…” Persephone was amazed that he had given the girl such a possibility to consider. “Are there other servants?” At Ione’s nod, she asked, “How many?”

“T-Ten of us, my Lady.”

The goddess wondered if they too were in Erebus under some similar provision. “And are you close to a decision?”

“I f-feel I shall remain.”

“You would choose eternal servitude in Erebus over life above ground?”

“My Lord Aidoneus is g-good,” Ione said. “He does n-not let us go w-without the things we n-need. He shelters us in the p-palace, with fine chambers.” Persephone saw the maid smile as she added, “He c-can be demanding, b-but he is never unkind.” Ione looked up at the goddess, serious again. “He does not abuse me, nor does he allow the others to d-do so.”

By this point, Persephone’s eyes shimmered with tears. “You are happy here.”

“I am,” the mortal said. “And the w-world above…it is n-not always a good p-place to be.”

The goddess swallowed hard, not trusting herself to speak.

“Of course,” Ione continued, “there are regions in Erebus w-which also should not be entered lightly.”

“I suppose you mean Tartarus.”

“Yes, madam. The upper level is where m-most sinners have been imprisoned, but it’s the very pit of Tartarus which houses the most dangerous.”

“Then it’s wise of you and the other mortals to avoid it.”

“It’s n-not only mortals who would be at risk in the pit, my Lady.”

Persephone smiled at the well-intentioned, if needless, warning. “Are there any other regions which are best left unexplored?”

“I c-cannot say I ever willingly traverse the eastern lands, beneath the mountain. Though the master never sends any of us there, which is a great relief to us all.”

“Why is that?”

Ione’s reply was forestalled by a rap at the chamber door. “My Lady,” called an unfamiliar voice. “My Lord Aidoneus requests your presence in the throne room. This very moment, if it pleases you.”

“Pray tell him I’ll come right away,” Persephone called back. To her maid, she said, “Ione, I must make haste. Would you be so good as to go and lay out some clothing for me?”

The servant gave a smiling nod and left the room. Persephone finished her bath while pondering what she ought to make of Hades’ character after that revelation. Hades had saved the mortal from a fate that he now thrust upon a fellow Immortal. There were differences, to be sure. Persephone had many more resources available to her, both through her own divine abilities and through her familial connections. Ione had none of those things but Hades gave her an incredible opportunity to formulate her own destiny. Of course, he might someday renege on his promise to the girl, though somehow the goddess could not truly credit he would. What to think?

The maid soon returned, bearing a long white cloth with which to dry the goddess. Persephone stepped out of the tub and allowed herself to be wrapped up and escorted back into the bedchamber, where she found a pomegranate-colored dress laid out for her on the freshly made bed. As Ione reverently brought the fabric over Persephone’s head, the latter voiced the question that had bothered her ever since her discovery of the ivory chest. “Ione, whence come these fine garments? Did Hades obtain them from another Immortal, or did he send you somewhere to procure them?”

The mortal raised wide eyes to her mistress’ before casting them quickly downward. She became unduly focused on the task of pinning the gown, which aroused Persephone’s suspicions at once. Her tone mild, she prodded, “Ione?”

The mortal secured the pin and then stepped back, wringing her hands once again and mumbling some unintelligible response. Persephone took the maid’s hands in her own to calm her, asking again, “Come now, answer me truthfully. You need not worry that I shall betray your confidence or mistreat you. You are as safe with me as you are with Hades.”

Lips trembling, Ione replied, “M-m-my Lord Aidoneus m-made them for you.”

“He…he what?”

“The M-master c-created your garments.” Ione whispered. “P-p-please do not ever let him know that I t-told you. He would b-b-be so angry with me if he knew!”

“Of course I won’t—”

“He summoned m-me here shortly before your arrival,” the servant continued in a rush, as if suddenly eager to unburden herself of the secret, “and asked if I w-would advise him on the c-c-creation of your wardrobe. One by one, the g-garments appeared in my hands, each one lovelier than the last. I assured him that there could be n-n-nothing finer for his bride and he instructed me in g-grave tones n-never to reveal that the clothes were of his own m-m-making.”

Fearing the mortal would work herself into hysterics, Persephone pressed Ione’s hands, willing the girl to calm herself. “Thank you, Ione. I shall preserve this secret faithfully.”

The mortal woman’s shoulders collapsed and a blissful smile unfolded across her face. “Thank you, madam, I am grateful for your kindness. Shall I arrange your hair for you, my Lady?” Ione asked, her stutter gone.

Persephone could arrange her own hair within a matter of moments by simply willing it, and with far greater art than any mortal possessed. But, grateful to see the woman’s jumpiness subside, she returned the smile and answered, “Please do.”

Ione sat Persephone before the mirror to the left of the bed. The maid’s unexpected skill impressed the goddess. Ione speedily set the long golden-brown curls atop Persephone’s head, allowing a few tendrils to slip and hang charmingly alongside her mistress’ white face and throat.

While the mortal worked, Persephone speculated as to Hades’ motivation for fitting her himself. Why go to such trouble? He need only have asked for Hecate’s assistance, or ordered Ione to make the clothes. Or ignored the matter entirely. Who was this dread entity, who inspired fear in mortals, antipathy in the Deathless, and yet concerned himself with a female’s attire? Who shamelessly abducted one of his own kind, and yet cared enough to save a mortal from an unhappy marriage? Who desired physical possession of his bride but displayed forbearance, when the balance of power had been completely inclined in his favor?

Ione finished the job of adorning her mistress by clasping the garnet necklace about her throat and announcing that she would escort the goddess to the throne room. Persephone gave the courtyard a wistful glance as they passed it, then brightened at the thought of visiting it at a later time.

After they turned the corner and passed the main entrance, they walked through another large, sterile sitting chamber. At the far end loomed a massive ebony portal. Ione gestured toward it, indicating that Persephone would find Hades within. The goddess nodded her thanks and opened the door. It led into a dark, musty room, even less inviting than the last. The obsidian floor framed a mosaic of the pomegranate grove in its center, identical to the one in the bedchamber. Walls of green malachite reflected dancing torchlight, and shadows filled the cavernous chamber. The dark colors, the twisting shadows, and a distinct lack of furnishing gave an impression of imposing austerity that Persephone assumed Hades wished to cultivate.