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Diary of a Somber Prince
Part 3
Harvest, 30, Year of the Screaming Turtle
My Dear Orpheus,
You awoke me out of my beauty sleep complain that Persephone refused to eat anything. You were all worked up that she would either starve or die of thirst. As if you did not know that food and drink is unnecessary in the Underworld, like on Prometheus' Rock. But once you taste the food of the darkness you are bound to me and my world and must always come back or die.
I leaped out of bed and flung my clothes on. Obviously you were trying to bind her to the me the easiest way. Well, I had other plans.
“I will take care of this.” I told you, “You get out of here.” You did not listen as usual, but followed me down to the prisoner where the girl was.
Persephone was seated on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chin and her face buried in them. On a little tray in front of her rested a silver plate piled with the finest fruit of the Underworld. A goblet of sweet nectar sat beside the plate. I knocked, then entered without waiting for an answer. The girl looked up under her curtain of red curls and cringed. I advanced, leaving her with one choice, move. She slid backwards awkwardly.
“What is this I hear about you not eating?” I demanded coldly, as I kicked the tray. Pomegranate seeds scattered over the stone floor like drops of blood.
“I would rather die than eat your food, you dirty kidnapper!” she cried, as she leaped lightly to her feet. Her face was flushed and her hands clenched.
“A pity.” I said coldly, “But sadly for you that would take to much work. You see, down here in the Underworld, simply refusing to eat will not kill you. Eating is not required for survival, I occasionally like to do it, for no other reason then to satisfy my mouth. But on the other hand, if you eat the food of the Underworld you are doomed to remain here forever.” I flashed a grin at her. “Tomorrow we get married, so you may as well eat up. You are trapped here anyway.” I turned and walked out.
As I shut the door behind me, I heard the silver dish smash against it and Persephone's enraged scream. I nearly shuddered, but I managed to regain my composure in time. You and Charin were staring at me.
“Get about you lazy louts!” I snarled, “I want this place in sparkling order for the wedding!” You and the ferryman fairly jumped over me in your haste to escape my wrath as I stormed past.
Hades
Rainy Season, 1, Year of the Screaming Turtle
My Dear Orpheus,
“The whole world weeps for Persephone today, your grace.” you told me as you awoke me out of sound sleep.
“They will find something else to weep for if you do not leave me alone!” I snarled and tried to hide under my cushions. But you were even more determined.
“Today is the wedding.” you informed me. I wished the ceiling would fall down and crush me. I never regretted anything more then I regretted my choice to get married.
Whether or not Persephone or I was ready for a wedding, we had it. I have nothing more to say on the subject. I returned to my chamber and tried not to get sick. What had I done? How could I be so hateful and cruel? How could I marry a Nymph? A daughter of the sunlight? How could I drag her down into my dark pit of despair? How could I marry her beneath my Pomegranate Trees surrounded by the scowling civilians of my realm?
I was working myself into a pleasant state of self-pity when you came in. You are always annoying me. I wish you would go away. Can you not see that I am very busy.
“Hades!” you said sternly, “Do you do things like this as an excuse to sulk?” How dare you?
“Nobody loves me!” I moaned.
“That is because you are so unlikeable!” you said. Don't you have any sympathy for my misery?
“Not even you like me!” I sulked.
“Sometimes I hate you!” you retorted. I sat up and threw my blackwood bookends at you.
“Get out of here!” I snarled. You ducked and vanished out the door. Why would you go away and leave me all by myself when I am so unhappy? You are so mean! One day I will shrivel up and die all alone and then you will be sorry! Just you wait, Orpheus!
Hades
Rainy Season, 2, Year of the Screaming Turtle
My Dear Orpheus,
How many times have I told you that I do not want you playing your cursed harp in my realm! Music belongs to the sun. We belong to the night. When you strike your stringed torture device you set everyone moaning and taring their hair. Would you stop that racket! Wait a second is someone else singing with you? I listened hard. In addition to your worthless voice, I could hear a woman's voice. That girl. Persephone. She had hidden herself in her little cell and refused to come out. But now she was singing in harmony with you. I heard Nymphs are drawn to song, and cannot help singing when they hear it. But I had not expected one to sing in the dark and captivity.
Oh listen my brothers
Oh listen my sisters
To a tale we know
A tale of five Heroes
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Side by side
Two brothers left
To change the world
To find their destiny
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Three warriors from the Jungle
Three sisters armed for war
Daughters of the Queen
Three Destinies to Seek
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Two Stars and Three Warriors
Lost in the Sea
Seeking the Lost City
Five Heroes nevermore to return
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Luthian of Telmar
Child of a nobody
Brother of Silmar
Outcast to his people
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Caliar, Julia, Monica
Disgraced in battle
Sisters of the Amazons
Outcasts forever
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Five lost souls
Five seeking to clear their names
Five in search of glory
Five sailing beyond the Unknown
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
Cyclops and Harpies
Battled out Heroes
Dragon fire
Treacherous Men
Five ways to change the world
Five ways to find your destiny
Five ways to break your heart
Five souls lost
The singing faded. I had learned the epic by heart in school. It was a forbidden song, but I had liked it. Father said it encouraged rebellions so it had been banned. It was a long piece, going on to say how the five heroes had sailed to unknown lands and returned alive. How they had defied the Star Father and the Amazon Queen. But I hated the end. Luthian had been captured and condemned to the Monster in the Maze. Caliar, he love, had followed him down and died in his place. Luthian had then killed himself. This probably was a picnic for the monster. The others suffered equally tragic fates. Except for Silmar. He had simply vanished. He was the one that was mentioned the least. But it was common myth that he had gone into the maze with Luthian and had been killed before Silmar cast herself between the monster and her lover.
I sighed. Your singing does have a certain soothing effect, even if the piece is a tragedy. I left my chamber and peered out into the gloom. To my surprise, Persephone had left her chamber. She was leaning against a Pomegranate tree. A strange splash of fire against the black wood of the Underworld fruit trees. In the past the only color in my realm was the reddish black of the fruits, but now Persephone was here. She seemed to be made of color. Fire, grass, sunlight and sky. In a way she seemed to belong in that fruit grove. A single torch of light in the darkness.
Hades
Rainy Season, 6, Year of the Screaming Turtle
My Dear Orpheus,
Rhadamanthus, Charon and I were discussing some very important disciplines when we heard the screams of the Erinyes Sisters. These three dark skinned winged females were the executioners of the Underworld. With their stinging whips they patrolled the realm searching for those in need of discipline. But they were often silent. Now their voices were raised in screams. This was a thing uncommon for them.
Rhadamanthus bowed low, you came running, and Charon commanded silence. Persephone ventured a little ways out of the fruit grove, as though curious.
“The little shrew has returned.” he muttered.
“Eris!” I screamed, “How many times have I told you that you don't do that down here!” There was a flash of exploding golden light. I howled in agony as it burned my eyes. Then she appeared. Eris was a Nymph of light. Her whole body radiated sunlight. Her long golden curls cascaded down her back in rippling waves. Her black armor was tinted with gold. But in spite of the light radiating from this particular creature, one look at her face and one would shudder. It might have been considered beautiful if seen at the right moment. But the black ringed eyes were drawn together in wicked glee. White tattoo spikes jutted out from the black. Her lips were curled in a sneer. This was Eris, Queen of discord.
So long ago that the year had long since been lost, Eris had eaten the fruit of discord, now only her presence could turn the best of friends into the worst of enemies. She delighted in taring people apart, creating feuds, and loved blood. One of my ancestors had singlehandedly captured her and banished her into the darkest pits of the Underworld. When I had arrived she quickly became a fierce ally. I liked to send her to Olympus and stir up as much trouble as possible. It was delightful. But she had a wicked heart and would sometimes do the same for my Underworldlings, which was annoying.
“My prince.” Eris smirked, “I have brought my report from the sunlit world.” she spat out the last two words as if they left a bad taste in her mouth.
“Well tell me and leave the sisters alone.” I snarled, “Believe me you do not want their avenging whips turned on you.” Eris laughed.
“How funny!” she laughed, “I am so good that I can make fools forget me while they struggle with one another. You are quite gifted too, but you need to practice more.”
“Why thank you.” I said dryly, “But I don't want your flattery!”
“I am not one for foolish words, your highness.” Eris sneered, “I meant it. You can sew discord in people's hearts without the help of magic. A gift. You simply need to practice and cultivate it.”
“That's what I have you for.” I muttered.
Rhadamanthus stirred and scowled even more ferociously then usual. I glanced at him. He had never liked Eris. He thought her to bright. But in a way she was darker then all the rest of us. Certainly Persephone seemed more colorful then the radiating Eris. I think the Nymph of Discord was just plain evil and took a pleasure in pain, just like my brother Aris.
“The High Lord of Olympus has to start over again on the treaty between the Star People and the Mythicals.” Eris said, and licked her lips, as if she tasted something delicious, “King Cepheus got stabbed by one of the Star Ambassadors. Unfortunately he did not die.” I laughed. I did not care if he died or not. Stabbing the king of the Mythicals was going to cause some major problems. It was a beautiful thought. This would be another bitter herb for Zeus to swallow.
Hades
To Be Continued
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