His Undoing

Washed Up 2

She choked and sputtered, sand flying out of her mouth, making her gag. Her reflex grew stronger and soon she was spewing seawater across the sand with force. It burned her mouth, throat and nose, and seemed to continue with no end in sight. Finally, she upheaved the small ocean she swallowed and collapsed back onto the soft sand. Her eyes closed, she slowly took inventory of her body, testing her limbs to see what was damaged. She slowly moved her limbs, one by one, and took account that, while she was very very sore, nothing seemed to be permanently damaged. She pushed herself up so she sat on her knees and brushed the sand from her face, arms, and torso, taking sight of the wrecked clothes that had dried with the salt and sun into stiff peaks of fabric around her frame. 

"Just perfect," she croaked. She stood slowly, a sharp pain piercing her head and making her eyes flash in the bright sun. She didn't even make it to her full height before she collapsed back in the sand, succumbing to a dark, dreamless sleep. 

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Poseidon stepped out onto the sand and slipped off his shoes to feel the soft sand in between his toes. Sensing his presence, the sea extended its reach up the beach to meet his toes, making him sigh contentedly. He wanted to melt into the sand then and there, becoming one with his precious sea, the only place he had ever felt truly at peace, even before the loss of his bride. He walked slowly, his thoughts roaming his memories with her, always inside, away from his precious ocean. Truth be told, he was heartbroken for the loss of his bride, but also relieved to return to his home. Since he had met her, she controlled every aspect of his life and kept him from the place he was truly most powerful. 

It's not a secret amongst the Gods that Poseidon himself killed her- and no matter how many times he emphasized that it was an accident, he was still met with disgusted looks upon entering certain circles. As a goddess of the sea, he thought she would hold more love for both it and him, and instead, she found him to be repulsive, and she detested the ocean, for it had held her captive longer than she wanted. It was the very reason the accident happened, as she tried to pull him from his ocean, his power and his anger overcame him, and before he could stop himself, his precious sea tore apart his love. "Finally..." were the last words she choked out as she became part of the tide he was walking in now. The days that followed had his heart so wrenched with pain and anger that not one ship was able to sail the sea without being swallowed up by it, drug to its depths below, crushed into the abyss, with various creatures coming from the darkness to fed on the bodies of those whose souls were lost to Poseidon's anguish. Statues were erected, sacrifices were made, as the mortals desperately tried to beg for the God's forgiveness. It took decades before the God was no longer beating himself up with guilt, able to enjoy the few pleasures he had left. He walked slowly, eyes on the horizon as the moon rose along with the tide. He was deep in thought, thinking about what his brothers had said during their intervention a few weeks ago. 

"Really, Posy, you need to get out. Find another dame. You're wallowing in pity was cute for the first century. Now, it's just getting old," Hades had said to him. What the f**k would you know? Poseidon had wanted to say. You have a gorgeous wife who is perfect in every aspect. What do you know of my pain? 

Poseidon cursed and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew he was happier without his wife, but he couldn't get over the guilt of his anger taking her from this world. There was nothing he could do about it anymore, anyways. They were right. He needed to get over her and himself, and start enjoying life again. He smiled out at his vast domain, the ocean. In his excitement, he ripped his shirt off and was just about to lose his pants to become one with his sea, when he caught sight of something on the beach. Behind a rock, he could see a pair of legs, being caressed by the tide as if they were his own. He followed the tide and made his way over, finding a young woman, unconscious on the sand. Her hair was wild around her face, blowing in the breeze, it was long and beautiful, shining like silk in the moonlight. Her skin was tan, her limbs long, and her body was.. 

"Perfect," he whispered, brushing her hair from her face, taking a look at the gorgeous woman in front of him. She had a necklace around her neck, the Triad symbol representing himself and his brothers. 

He scooped her up in disgust and conjured another portal, the seas churning and the sky threatening to fall as his anger radiated out of him. He stepped through the portal just as a wave crashed into the shore behind him. He was in a dark office, lit by gas lamps, yet with an, ironic, large desktop computer and a tv on the wall. Behind the desk sat Hades, typing furiously with his fingers. Poseidon rolled his eyes, of course his brother couldn't learn how to type properly. Hell, if not for Persephone, Hades would still send scrolls instead of emails. 

Poseidon cleared his throat, and Hades held up a finger, typing with his other pointer before returning both to the keyboard. He typed a few more letters and then moved the mouse to click on something before turning his attention to Poseidon. When he realized Poseidon was holding a woman in his arms, he shot to his feet. 

"What have you there?" Hades asked, nonchalant. He wasn't sure if his brother was playing a joke on him. 

"What have I?!" Poseidon's voice rang through the halls and vibrated the walls. "How f*****g dare you, Hades?! Who the f**k do you think you are? This is some kind of game now?" 

A look of utter confusion crossed his brother's face, and Poseidon took a moment to study the emotions on Hades' features. 

"I assure you, Poseidon, I have nothing to do with anything. What is going on?" He stood and walked over to Poseidon, brushing the woman's tangled hair aside. It was surprisingly soft and he found himself wanting to run his fingers through it. As he touched her, a scene flashed before his eyes- a beautiful field of flowers and a lake, something right out of Persephone's realm. "Where did you find her?" 

"Practically on my doorstep," Poseidon seethed. "You and Zeus are taking things too far, brother. And don't try to f*****g deny this- she's wearing the f*****g Triad for Gods' sake!" 

"Now just wait. I said I had nothing to do with this, and I don't think he would either. We've agreed to let you go at your own pace. Why don't we just bring him down for a ch-" Hades, ever the vioce of reason, was cut off as Poseidon thrust the young woman in his arms and stormed off in a flash of sea and pain, leaving behind the scent of salt and ocean.  

Hades looked at the young girl in his arms, her bruised body, her disheveled clothes, and thought she had definitely seen better days. He heaved her over his shoulder and went off to find a room for her to sleep in until she regained consciousness. 

"You have quite a story to tell, lass, and I suggest you rest up until you're ready.." Hades set her down and went off to his own chambers, finding a fury on his way and informing him of the new arrival, and tasking him with finding a goddess to attend to the woman.