XXV

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Ella's point of view 

I stood stoically near the door; watching Hade's pace through the large room.

My eyes flickered around the room. It was grand, decorated in the finest gold and ivory.

I turned my attention back to Hades, Zeus' words had not only confused me but had angered Hades.

I watched silently as he cursed Zeus, his anger rolled off of him in waves. They clung to me, making the room grow thick in tension.

I felt the shake of the palace as he let his anger surface. I wanted to say something, but I did not know what to say.

Instead, I stepped towards him, the ruffle of my dress seemed to snap him out of his anger-like trance.

His head turned towards me, his eyes trained solely on me. They watched me as a hunter does to its prey. It was a wonder-like gaze, one filled with questions and answers I wanted to know.

I stepped closer now, I was only a foot away but the distance seemed so far. I felt a lifetime away from the man before me.

"Hades, what did Zeus mean?" I ask, taking another step towards him.

Hid face contorted into a look of disgust; presumably at the mention of Zeus' name.

I reached my hand up towards him, stroking his cheek. He relaxed at the touch, his eyes flickered closed and he inhaled softly.

"Zeus said a lot of things my love, just ignore everything that comes out of his mouth," Hades whispered back in answer.

"Hades, what did he mean about the necklace?" I pressed.

I wanted to know more. I was tired of being kept in the dark because Hades was trying to protect me. It was flattering, to say the least. The fact that he cared enough about me to try protects me.

However, I wanted to know what went on in Hades' life.

Hades sighed at the mention of the necklace. He had hoped I had forgotten about what Zeus had said.

His eyes flickered open and he looked at me cautiously. I nodded my head in encouragement, hoping he would tell me what Zeus had meant.

"Why don't we take a seat and I will tell you," Hades offered. His hand gestured out towards the love seat near the large window. The seat occupied a large portion of a wall made of glass that encompassed the land below.

I nodded my head in agreement and moved towards the love seat. It was modern and made of a soft white material.

I sat down and let myself grow comfortable in the seat as I waited for Hades to join me.

He paced around the room again, and I worried that he would leave a trail of footprints embedded into the carpet if he continued.

He eventually stopped, just as I was beginning to feel dizzy from watching him. He placed himself down in the space next to me.

I smiled at him, hoping he would ease up and tell me about the necklace. It had seemed to be important as Zeus recognized it almost immediately.

By the way, Hades had reacted I assumed it meant a lot more to him than a simple necklace would.

My hands reached up subconsciously towards the necklace. I began to fiddle with it. Zeus had said it was a ring but I wanted to hear from Hades what the necklace was.

"Is it a ring?" I asked nervously. My eyes flickered down towards my hands.

I picked at my nails as I waited for Hades' answer. A part of me was intrigued by the necklace and that it could be a ring. Yet, there was the other part of me that was confused by all of this.

"I had hoped to tell this to you when the war was over and the time was right," Hsdes began, his hands reached out to hold mine.

I looked up at him, staring at his dark eyes. They swirled with an emotion I could not place. I squeezed his hands, urging him to continue.

"However, my brother seems to have different plans," Hades mumbled out, his eyes rolling at the mention of Zeus.

"The necklace is a ring. I wanted to take you somewhere romantic and give it to you, but I guess now will have to do," Hades sighed.

He smiled softly at me as I looked up at him through wide eyes. His hand reached out and cupped my face.

His rough, calloused hands felt smooth and soft against my face.

His hand moved away from my face and his other hand let go of my own. They found their way behind my neck and unclasped the necklace from my neck.

I watched as Hades moved the ring off of the chain. I felt stupid for not realizing that it was a ring when he had first given it to me this morning.

He was watching me again, patiently waiting for me to say something. I did not say a word as I watched the ring glimmer in his hand.

The last rays from the sun filtered through the large window and hit the diamond ring.

"I wanted to give you this ring and ask for your hand," Hades said nervously.

"My hand?" I questioned.

"Your hand in marriage," Hades began, smiling softly at my shocked expression.

"I have loved you for what feels like an eternity my sweet, there is not a day that goes by where I don't wish for you to be my Queen," Hades told me.

I felt my eyes well up and the quickened rise and fall of my chest. My heart felt full and overjoyed.

"Ella Thompson, with whatever luck the Fates have destined me, I ask you now to be wife," Hades spoke, breathlessly.

In that precise moment, all the pieces of the puzzle fell together. They intertwined perfectly, each piece made for the other. I realized now that every single moment and decision I made had led me to this.

The Fates had destined for us to find each other, despite the odds and difficulties. They had woven our golden threads of life and intertwined them together.

I looked back at Hades, watching his expression carefully. His eyes were wide and there was a large smile on his face, but if you looked closely you could see the slight fear in his eyes.

It shone through ever so slightly and if I wasn't looking carefully I probably would have missed it. It was such an unnatural emotion for Hades to have. The King of the Underworld was afraid of my answer.

I couldn't seem to formulate words, the letters had left my mind and all I could do was nod my head as I smiled back at him.

"Oh Hades," I whispered.

The words fell from my mouth, I was unsure if he had heard me. The tears trickled slowly down my face. It was a joy I had never experienced before.

A thousand butterflies were beating their wings within my chest as one.

"I will, yes, thousand times over," I managed to say through the beating of butterflies.

I flung myself towards him, needing to close the barrier between us. His body was warm and welcoming. His arms caged me in and held me close as I silently cried into his chest.

"Why are you crying my sweet?" Hades asked, concern evident in his voice.

I shook my head in reply. My head was still buried deep within his chest, my hands clung to him for dear life.

"Then what are the tears for my love?"

"Joy," I said. The sound was muffled by my tears and his shirt, but I knew he heard. His arms tightened around me and I imagined he was smiling.

He pulled away from me now, glancing down at me with a frown and disapproving look. His smile vanished when he saw my tear-stained cheeks.

His hand reached up and gently stroked my cheek; wiping away all of my fallen tears.

I watched as he lifted my left hand softly into the air. I followed his motion as he placed the ring onto my finger.

It slid on easily, fitting perfectly on my finger. The ring was simple, everything I had ever imagined.

"Oh Hades, it's beautiful," I gasped.

I lifted my hand to the sun and watched as the diamond caught the light.

I turned my attention away from the ring and towards the god before me. I noticed how his attention was not centered on the ring, but rather on me.

He slowly dipped his head and his lips met mine in a slow kiss. My eyes fluttered closed on instinct and my left hand reached up to his chest.

I let my emotions flood out, pouring my soul out for the man in front of me. I only hoped he could feel a fraction of what I felt for him.

We parted and his head found its way to my neck. He nuzzled himself into my neck as we stood in each other's arms.

The room was painted a deep pink as the sun rode out its final moments, drawing time out for as long as possible.

I knew Apollo was responsible. He had ridden his chariot slowly across the sky today. Painting her in deep hues of pinks and purples.

I wanted to pause time, to prolong the moment. Maybe take a picture so I could remember it for a lifetime.

Time, however, was not so kind. Hades slowly pulled away and the sky began to turn crimson. Apollo could only delay time for so long.

"Is this what Zeus meant earlier?" I asked, laughing at my question.

Hades smiled back. For once the mention of his brother did not anger him.

"It's not uncommon for gods to gift their future bride's necklaces like the one I gave you," Hades explained.

"I had hoped no one would notice, or even if they did that they wouldn't say anything to you."

 It was a beautiful gesture, one that seemed to have deep roots within the gods. They had all seen the necklace and surely knew what it symbolized. A part of me wished to know their reaction, and another did not. 

A sudden rapping sounded on the door of the large room, Hades narrowed his eyes towards the sound but smiled softly at me. He left my side and strode to the door in ease. He pulled the door open, staring down towards whoever was outside. 

I watched as he stepped aside, allowing a skittish man to enter the room. His head was down and he scurried inside, pushing a cart. 

I let my eyes follow him as he crossed the large expanse that was the room. He placed the cart next to a small table off in the corner of the room. 

He hurried around the room, fetching plates and cutlery from the cart placed off to the side. I gazed around the room, I had only now realized that there were two doors in the room. 

Hades and I stood in what seemed to be the lounge area. There were couches and delicate decorations placed throughout the room. I assumed that one door led to a bedroom and the second perhaps to a bathroom. 

I focused my attention back towards Hades. He was watching the man carefully as he placed all of our food on the table. 

Once the man was done, he turned towards Hades and bowed. It was an odd gesture, one that I was not used to. 

He then turned to me, and dipped his head lowly in a bow, "My queen," he said before leaving the room as quickly as he had come. 

I stood unmoving as my brain tried to process the words he had said. I had surely heard incorrectly. I looked up at Hades, my mouth slightly ajar. 

He nodded towards the table filled with food and I drifted slowly to the chair he held out for me. I sat down and stared at the food in front of me, utterly confused. Hades began eating the pasta placed before him and I followed suit. 

"Hades, I can't be queen," I said, placing my fork down on the table. 

I stared at him while he stared back. The room was silent as neither of us said a word. His eyes were watching me carefully, trying to read any emotion I let slip. 

I watched as his eyes flickered with emotion. One was amusement and the other was confusion. I wanted to ask him what he found so amusing but decided against it. 

"What do you mean my love?" Hades asked, picking up his fork and resuming eating. 

"I am human Hades, I can't be the queen of the dead," I stated. My face was stern and I hoped for my sake that I came off as intimidating. 

"Who says you can't?" He asked, plopping a forkful of pasta into his mouth. I watched his tongue stick out a lick the alfredo sauce off of his lips. 

"Fate, Hades, I am going to grow old and eventually die and you will look the same as you do now, the same you looked a thousand years ago," I whispered. 

The sadness had taken over now. All my fears that had played through my head were coming true and I could do nothing but fall victim to the never-ending spiral of my thoughts. 

"You're not going to grow old and die, Ella," Hades said, his eyes bore into mine. 

He had said it so matter of factly, so determinedly that for a split second I had actually believed him. But then reality struck. He may be a god but he could not control what had already been decided. 

"You cannot change fate Hades, you can't make me immortal," I stated. 

"Who said I had to change fate?" Hades whispered; a devilish smirk upon his face. 

"Our future has already been decided, fate cannot be changed, but no one ever said your fate was to remain human forever," Hades said. 

His words confused me, causing a frown to form upon my face. I wanted to question him further, hound him for the answers I so desperately needed. My heart was fragile for the god before me. 

However, before a single word could leave my mouth he was already speaking. 

"Six pomegranate seeds," Hades said, his eyes watching me. 

His voice did not waver as he said these words but grew more serious as he spoke. He was leaning forward now, closing the gap the table created between us. 

"Six pomegranate seeds?" I questioned, utterly confused by what he had said. 

"Six pomegranate seeds," He repeated.

There was a look on his face that I had never seen before and a determination that made me believe him.

"What do six pomegranate seeds have to do with me being queen?" I questioned, my eyebrows scrunching up in confusion.

"Everything," Hades answered, a wicked smile upon his face.

I looked at him weirdly, trying to decipher if he had lost his mind or was telling the truth.

I settled on somewhere between the two.

"They will tie our souls together for eternity, granting you immortality," Hades explained. 

"Hades, where on earth did you come up with this?" I asked. 

"The Fates came to me in a dream the other night, they told me of your destiny," Hades stated. 

"My destiny?" I asked, my eyebrows raised in alarm. 

"You are not destined to be mortal my love, the gods have a greater plan for you one that I cannot explain," Hades said. 

"Why not?" I pushed, angry that everyone knew of fate beside me. 

"It's forbidden to try change what is written in the stars, not even Zeus himself can interfere."

"How will knowing my destiny change anything that is going to happen?" I questioned. 

"You may not realize it but it will play on in the back of your head every day and influence every decision you make,"  Hades told me. 

I wanted to scoff at his words, to curse him to the depths of the Underworld but that would not change anything. 

"What did the Fates tell you in your dream?" I asked, trying to ignore the fact that I was purposely being left out of my own life. 

"They gave me six pomegranate seeds and told me that you must eat them, if you do you will become immortal," Hades reached across the table and gently took my hand in his, "you will be able to spend six months in the Underworld with me and six months on Earth." 

I looked at him shocked, I did not want to spend half the year on Earth. I wanted to be with Hades, I did not want to spend that much time apart. 

"I don't want to spend half of the year on Earth and my family will grow suspicious in ten years when I still look the same," I stated. 

I was proud of finding a loophole in his plan. Finding a reason why I should not spend six months on Earth but instead a lifetime with him in the Underworld. 

Hades suddenly burst out into laughter, one that bellowed through the room and shook the walls. I felt a slight blush creep up upon my face, was it something I had said? 

"I had asked the Fates about this and they informed me that you do not have to go to Earth for six months if you do not wish to," Hades told me. 

It settled me slightly knowing that if I accepted I would not have to return to Earth for half a year. Yet there was still one question that burned in my throat, begging for an answer. 

"What about my family?" I questioned, "They will surely notice if I do not age as time passes by." 

"We will tell them about the Underworld about me and my throne and your immortality," Hades said nonchalantly. 

"Tell them everything?" I questioned. 

"We will tell them everything when the time is right, there is a special place in the Underworld for them in my castle," Hades said, a soft smile upon his face. 

"They could live in the Underworld?" I questioned, slightly relieved at the news

"If they would like to, or they could live out their days on Earth and join us in the Underworld when the Fates decide it right," Hades told me. 

"You do not have to decide now if this is what you want." 

I nodded my head at what he had said. Relieved that he did not pressure me into eating the pomegranate seeds now. I wanted to be his queen but the war was coming and I had my family to think about. 

We finished our meal in comfortable silence and soon retired to our bedroom. The bed was large and filled with mountains of pillows. We laughed as we threw almost all of them to the floor. 

"Sleep my love," Hades whispered into my ear as he pulled me closer to him. His warm arms wrapped around me, pulling me to a gentle sleep. 

My dreams were filled with the blued-eyed god who slept beside me. He stood in a meadow filled with flowers. He smiled sweetly at me with his arms wide beckoning me to come to him; pomegranate juice dripping from his lips. 

......................................

Hi loves, 

sorry for the long wait but here it is. this chapter is 3264 words! I really hope you enjoyed it, if you did maybe leave a vote or a comment. 

What do you guys think of the pomegranate seeds? I debated putting them into the story or not but I felt it a good idea as this is what happens in the original myth. I obviously changed a few aspects of it to fit the story. 

What do you guys think about Ella's family and the Underworld? This was another part of the story that I debated putting in or not but I felt it right as I did not want any plot holes within the book.

I ultimately want to keep this book plot hole free (Ella cannot simply run off to the Underworld and never return to Earth, her family and friends would grow suspicious)

On the note of friends, we will be seeing more of Davies and Camilla soon (does anyone still remember them??) 

hahaha, anyway, that's all from me 

stay safe loves, 

lots of love

- s


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