Hades
“This is what becomes of the mortals?” Persephone whispered, but the horror and distress twisted her pretty features.
Her eyes were on the three children who instinctively huddled together.
She left my side and walked toward them, only to kneel before them.
Charon paused to study Persephone, and I narrowed my eyes at him, but he used his oar to push himself away from the embankment and back through the dark, misty waters.
I frowned, wondering why Charon’s gaze towards Persephone roused my anger.
“The little ones will be looked after?” she demanded in a sharp voice with accusation blazing in her golden eyes.
“There are safeguards in place to guarantee justice. I do not judge the souls. However, I preside over every single ruling to ensure the three judges do not require a fourth for a difficult judgment. I do not have the luxury of causing errors in the Underworld,” I said coldly, thinking about other Gods' wars and petty squabbles.
I did not have the luxury of utilising any emotion in my realm.
Her pale cheeks turned pink, but she looked away as the children moved in with the crowd to resume their journey towards the courtyard. It was difficult not to feel slighted by her accusatory tone, but I held my arm out for her, and after an initial hesitation, she placed her hand over my arm.
◆◆◆
After the awkward start, we both relaxed while we sat through Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus’s judgements.
Persephone had a throne that matched mine while the three judges sat in their usual black marble thrones.
Much to my satisfaction, each time I snuck a glance at Persephone, her entire focus was on the shade's testimonies.
One by one, the shades moved toward the middle of the courtyard. Some stood tall, with their heads held high as they recounted their virtuous deed, while others cowered, their voices trembling as they confessed their failures.
Her hand suddenly covered mine, slipping her fingers beneath it until she gripped my palm. The first child stood in the centre of the courtyard. She didn't speak but her eyes beseeched me for leniency.
The heavyweight I had carried since arriving at the Underworld suddenly felt heavier. The Gods and Goddesses were loved, with many devotees dedicating their lives to them. Perhaps I was wrong, but nobody respected me and my world. They only feared me.
“What of the children, my Lord? What judgment awaits them?” Persephone whispered.
I kept my eyes on the tiny figure in the courtyard as I answered. “The innocent are treated with fairness. Their lives, though brief, are weighed with compassion. They are often sent to the Fields of Asphodel, where they may find peace and rest,” I said stiffly.
She squeezed my hand before releasing her hold. Her eyes returned to the child, but mine moved to study her. She watched the magistrates confer briefly. Their voices were a low murmur. With a gesture, they directed the child towards a path that led to a brighter, more serene part of the underworld.
Persephone gripped my arm this time and dug her nails into me. When I glanced at the child’s shade, the fear and sorrow were gone, and a faint smile appeared. The tension left Persephone as her exuberant grip loosened, and she sighed before she sat back on her throne.
My irritation at her suspicions toward me vanished as it dawned on me that Persephone cared enough about the mortals to challenge me—the God of the Underworld. Not many could become the Queen of the Underworld. Persephone was stronger than she realised, and my instincts were correct.
“Justice here is not without mercy,” I said softly. “Even in this realm of darkness, there is light for those who deserve it.”
Persephone cleared her throat and removed her hand from my arm to push her hair back, but she nodded before twirling her hair around her finger.
I stared at the lighter wheat colour mixed in with the dark.
The combination of dark and light made me think of the contrast of her nipple against her pale flesh.
Now was not the time to think of consummating our union.
I glanced at the courtyard to focus on the next soul.
Together, we continued to observe the procession of the shades, with each soul's story and deeds unfolding before us.
Persephone witnessed how consideration was given prior to a verdict being decided.
I held a grave responsibility in dealing with the dead and used logic, not emotion, to uphold justice.
Could Persephone say the same for the Olympians?