Smoke & Mirrors

Battle Ready

The morning they were set to appear before the Council of Olympian Gods to hear their decision on whether they would grant their blessing to her upcoming nuptials, Kath ventured out of Hades’ mighty palace and made her way to the Elysian Fields where her friend Enrico currently enjoyed the afterlife.

It had been quite some time since she’d seen him, first because Thanatos had warned her that her friend’s Shade needed to acclimate to his new life, and second because of all the nasty business brought on by the Unknown in his foolish attempt to murder the gods. But this visit of hers was cleared by the aforementioned god, so there was no trouble there now.

Surprisingly, there was also no trouble when Kath insisted to her fiancé that she would be visiting alone. Granted, she told him this when he was just about to leave for a meeting with the Judges, but he agreed nonetheless.

A marvelous win, if she did say so. She hoped her good fortune did not run out too quickly.

Kath followed the path that would take her straight to Elysium, her crimson gown whispering against the compacted dirt, the Shades and wraiths that served in Hades’ house making a double-take before hurrying with their bows.

She had taken extra care of herself today. As her mother often liked to remind her, perception was everything and it never hurt anyone to dress a little pretty.

Even though ‘pretty’ wasn’t exactly what she was going for.

Her dress, her ruby-red lips, kohl-rimmed eyes, onyx jewelry, and the blood roses pinned in her hair; all of it was to intimidate Zeus and the other gods into reminding them of who she was and what she was capable of doing.

At first, she and Hades had planned to look cooperative, if not a little muted in the power they held together in an attempt to play into Zeus’ ego, but thought otherwise at the last minute. They could still present themselves in a pleasant way. However, all that would end the moment things looked like it wasn’t going their way.

They would play to their strengths, and between Kath and Hades, they would be fools to not think twice.

Her friend smiled when he saw her pass through the archway that marked the entrance into Elysium. Enrico stood from the stone he was sitting on as he watched Achilles and Odysseus fight over technicalities in a game of dice. Without much thought, the Shade jogged up to her, Kath returning his bright grin as best as she could.

“My lady! What a nice surprise!” She hugged him and he returned the gesture, albeit a little reluctantly. He ducked, grinning. “That’s still kind of odd for me.”

“What, hugs?”

He nodded sheepishly. Kath smiled sympathetically. The guilt she had always felt for being responsible for Enrico’s death resurfaced and knew it showed on her face when he began shaking his head.

“Oh, I know that face,” he said to her with narrowed eyes, trying to make light of it. “That’s the face you make when you’re about to apologize over and over again, then send tons of gifts to my family.”

Surprise flitted across her face. Enrico smirked. “Lord Thanatos told me about it when he was checking up on how I was doing. He seemed to think that I wasn't adjusting well because you kept sending my family gifts.” He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “My lady, how many times must I have to tell you that you don't have to do that?”

“The family you left dwelling amongst the living deserves to know that you’re a hero and they are being rewarded for your good deeds,” Kath said in defense. “And they’re doing well, for your information, since you are simply too polite to ask. Almost half the island gets their flowers from them now.”

It might not have been ethical to show one family so much favor and thereby influence others in the hopes of incurring her favor as well. In fact, Hades had warned her exactly what would happen. She tried to stop, or at least be more discreet in how she tried to help her friend’s family now, except the ‘damage’ had already been done.

“No doubt because of you,” Enrico said with a sheepish look. Though his eyes seemed happy, Shades don’t really sparkle with happiness anymore. They just… were. “Truly, milady, I thank you for your generosity. It means a lot to me that my family isn’t struggling anymore and you’ve hardly asked for anything else in return.”

Kath, however, still lived. And this time, her blush was a tell-tale sign of embarrassment. Enrico raised a brow, and she cursed herself to Tartarus before pulling him further away from the quarreling heroes until they were under the shade of one of the pomegranate trees growing in the Elysian Fields.

“There’s a reason why I came to you,” she told him, voice lowering. “I wanted to know what you thought about something.”

He blinked at her. “Forgive me, milady. I don’t think my opinion is important enough.”

“Of course, it is!” She waved his worries away. “Hades and I, we are about to ask for our marriage’s blessing. Today.”

She half-expected him to stare at her blankly, but Enrico was a clever fellow. He understood exactly what she meant in an instant.

“I wondered why you look like you’re dressed for murder,” he mumbled, a teasing glimmer in his eyes. Then his face turned serious. “Is there a good chance that the Council would turn your marriage down?”

“Yes, but if they know what’s good for them, they would not.”

He crossed his arms. “Then what are you worried about, my lady?”

A lot of things, she thought, but said, “Well, Hades would surely start a war, for one.”

“And here I thought I would never hear my love talk about me behind my back.”

Kath sighed, rolling her eyes, as Enrico's eyes went wide as he caught sight of who was over her shoulder. He immediately sank to the grassy floor to kneel, as all subjects of the Lord of the Underworld do when in his presence.

Hades was already dressed in his Greek regalia, wearing black from his head to his sandaled feet. The silver trim of his battle armor showed a scepter and a bident crossed over the other, repeated again and again in a pattern around its hem. Although he carried no weapons— that she could see— he did carry his Helm of Darkness under his arm.

With pursed lips and crossed arms, she said, “Don’t you think that the Helm is a little overkill, dearest?”

He flashed his white smile at Enrico, who still could not help but flinch a little at the sight of it. Ignoring her, he said to the Shade, “You’re looking well. Have Achilles and Odysseus challenged you to a fight yet?”

Frowning, Kath looked to where the famous warriors still argued while Enrico let out a quiet chuckle. “They have, my lord,” he confirmed. “But I am always careful to tell them that I was a florist in my past life, not a soldier.”

“Lord Hades!” Odysseus finally called out, an irate look on his otherwise smooth face. “May we please have our referee back?”

Both gods turned to Enrico, who turned a shade paler. “I guess I must go. By your leave, of course, my lord.”

Hades shrugged. “As long as you know what you’re doing playing referee for those two.”

After a quick bow, Enrico kissed Kath’s knuckles and whispered to her, “Do not take ‘no’ for an answer, my lady.”

She smiled. She wasn’t planning on it.

The two watched him walk back up the small hill, to where the arguing Shades were still hissing at each other. A hand took hers, and she frowned disappointedly at Hades, who rolled his eyes.

“Please don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re about to make me beg you to keep the Helm,” he deadpanned.

Kath started back down the path she had come from. Before them, the snaking bank of the River Lethe spread across their path with the forest just on the other side. They walked a few meters away from the river, just far enough so its stench did not reach them.

“How do you think the Council would take it if we showed up with you carrying that?” Kath pointed out. “Let me remind you that we are trying to convince them to bless our marriage. I want to avoid war as much as possible.” He made a suggestive sound at the back of his throat. She glared at him forcefully. “Hades!”

He groaned. “Little Kitty, I have dealt with my family far longer than you have. Why don't you trust that I know exactly how to handle them?”

“Because your methods of 'handling' them are silly and barbaric!” She kept walking. “I don't know what changed that they would deign to hear us out, nor am I willing to question it. We have one shot.”

She shook her head, clearing away her negative thoughts and chiding herself for being so doom and gloom. Now more than ever, she needed to have faith. Besides, she had Hermes, Apollo, her own mother, Athena, and even Dionysus on the Council. They would surely vote in their favor. All they would need is one vote more to make it a majority.

Apollo had promised he'd get his twin onboard, despite her dismay that Kath rejected her offer to join the Hunt, while Aphrodite was set on the task of persuading her legal husband. She believed that both would be triumphant and only had to wait for the final result of the voting before she could start planning her actual wedding.

“What if I promise you I won't use the Helm?” Hades asked as they crossed the river bridge and neared the edge of his property line. “I'd just bring it for, uh, aesthetic purposes.”

Kath rolled her eyes. “You are deeply absurd, Hades.”

“Absurdly in love with you, Little Kitty,” he replied without missing a beat. Pulling her to a stop, Hades kissed her chastely. “Fine. I’ll do away with the Helm.”

With a wave of his hand, the Helm vanished in a burst of black smoke, allowing her to breathe a little more easily. Her shoulders relaxed. The love of her existence frowned. With one rough finger, he tipped her chin up.

“Do you remember what I told you?”

She couldn’t help the smirk that tipped the corner of her mouth up. “You’ve told me quite a lot these past few weeks, my Lord of Darkness. Anything in particular you’d wish for me to recall?”

The hand he had settled on the small of her back tightened its hold on her. “We don’t have to do this.”

Kath closed her eyes. “No, Little Kitty, look at me.” When she did, two intense pools of dark fire flecked with golden embers stared into her soul. “Whatever happens up there, none of it will change what we both are to each other. I am still yours.”

“As you are mine,” she whispered in answer.

The riot in her heart and mind quieted with such a simple assurance coming from Hades. Their foreheads connected, and for a long while, they simply stood there in the middle of the Underworld in a loose embrace. There was nothing but the sound of their breaths and their two hearts beating. Quietly, she drew from Hades’ strength and he let her cling to him for as long as she needed.

Then the smell of lilies and fresh rain tickled her senses.

“Thanatos is here to retrieve us,” she murmured, breaking the blessed silence. “We must go.”

“I love you,” was his only reply to the news of his general lurking nearby. It was accompanied by another kiss, one that lingered and brought her both inner strength and peace.

She ran the tips of her fingers down his cheek, tickled by the stubble there. “As I love you.”

Hades linked their hands, palm to palm, turning them to where Thanatos was walking towards them, also dressed like he was going to war. But there was stark determination in his eyes, in Hades’ demeanor, in the very blood that pulsed through her.

Perhaps in a way they were going to war.

They would go to Olympus, and they would win.

She would get that blessing, even if she had to fight every single one of the gods.