Heir to the Underworld

by Walker, E. D.

  The headboard of her bed was beautifully carved, a female form arching as if to embrace the sleeper. The mattress seemed very soft, stuffed with goose down or something. There weren't sheets on it, just layers of thin blankets and one fluffy damask quilt of deep purples and reds. A room off to the side of the bedroom housed Freddy's new and extensive wardrobe.

  Fixing her hair with fidgety fingers, she changed her soiled sky blue veil for a darker one, but hesitated to change into the strange new clothes on her own.

  She sat on the edge of her bed and surrendered to her boredom. So this was her life--waiting for someone to come along and tell her to jump so she could ask, "How high?"

  She mulled over Deg's warnings. Was the Underworld really that great a prison, or did he just want her reconciled to her cage? Could she escape on her own? Should she try? What about her parents? Would Cernunnos make good his threat? And the pantheons? As much as she'd hated every solitary moment since discovering she was a demigod, she still didn't want to be the cause of destroying the two pantheons.

  What it came down to was--did she trust Deg or didn't she?

  She leaned her face into her hands and dug her fingers into the burning ache behind her eyelids. I don't know.

  Laughter filtered through the small window by her bed. She looked to see Hermes below, laughing and chasing a strikingly pretty woman. The sun poured over the idyllic meadow beneath her window. Without thinking, she tugged her shoes back on and raced out of the palace. As soon as she stepped outside and filled her lungs, she knew the fresh air was worth the effort. Knots of tension worked themselves loose inside her.

  Hermes waved. "Hullo." He tromped toward her through the tall grass and wildflowers with the raven-haired beauty on his arm.

  Freddy waved back. The couple reached her, and she grinned in welcome, happy to see Hermes again. "I thought you left."

  Hermes pulled his companion forward. "Oh, no. I always stop by Elysium when I'm in these parts. Frederica, this is my late wife, Dryope."

  "Nice to meet you." Freddy's mind stumbled over the "late wife" remark-- after she had said her greeting, fortunately.

  Plump and pretty with curling hair and dark eyes, Dryope bowed her head and blushed.

  Hermes smiled with idiotic fondness at Dryope. He glanced at Freddy and chuckled. "Oh, she doesn't speak any English. Just Greek. No need, is there?"

  Freddy fell in step with them back toward the palace. "But your English is so perfect. Better than De--better than Hades and his sons even."

  He shrugged. "I mix with mortals all the time. I even married one once." He kissed Dryope on the cheek. She beamed at him. "Bound to pick things up when I have to guide them here, rescue them from monsters, assist in heroic endeavors, etc, etc." He circled his hand in the air.

  Freddy laughed. "You do all that?"

  He scratched at his chin. "More or less. Not so much anymore. But I do keep my hand in, and no harm in knowing the lingo, is there?"

  "Not a bit." Freddy's insides fired, half-excited-half-petrified. Maybe Hermes could help me escape. "Hermes--"

  "Oh, let's wait." He reached out a hand to stop her forward progress. "Polydegmon came out with me. He went off to run an errand or something." Hermes turned, shielding his eyes with a hand as he gazed at the horizon. "Yes, here he is."

  Deg jogged up the hill too quickly for Freddy to do any kind of escape plotting with Hermes. Well, how were you planning to ask, anyway? 'Oh, Hermes, would you mind running me back to the mortal world so I can blow the peace treaty to smithereens and land you in deep shit with Hades? Pretty please?'

  Deg must not have seen her face yet because he smiled as he approached, speaking to Hermes and Dryope in Greek. When he addressed something cheerfully to Freddy in the same language she returned, "I don't speak Greek. Although, I guess I should learn."

  Deg looked startled. She had changed her veil since he'd last seen her. With her red hair hidden, he probably hadn't been able to tell it was her from far away. He seemed nauseated now he did know, though.

  Very flattering. Although, come to think of it, Freddy was a ragged bunch of nerves and knots, too.

  "Brilliant idea." Hermes smiled, teeth gleaming white in his homely brown face. "She's one of us now, after all. I say, better try and learn some Latin and Italian, too. Some of the old boys are bound to jabber at you in the oddest mishmash. I can barely make it out sometimes."

  Deg grimaced but quickly wiped his face blank. "Allow me to escort you to the palace?" He offered his arm to Freddy.

  Hermes guided them forward, hands fluttering, like a farmwife shooing chicks. "Yes, yes. Mustn't be late. Without the Lady of the Land about, Hades is apt to be a bit short with any latecomers." He towed Dryope along behind him.

  Freddy reluctantly accepted Deg's arm, and Hermes and his late wife led the procession back to the palace. Deg maintained a stony, distracted silence until he had seen her inside. Standing next to her, he seemed farther away than ever. Freddy pinched her eyes closed in grief and fought the prickling dryness in the back of her throat. I won't cry. I won't.

  The dining room appeared as sumptuous as the rest of the palace decorated with statues made of gold-veined black marble. Festive garlands and floral wreaths hung from the walls. Freddy expected a formal dining table, and instead found three long upholstered benches arranged around a small circular table. Each bench had a raised wooden railing at one end. There seemed to be three places to sit on every bench, defined by two long pillows to either side. Hades seated himself on the bench to the left in the inner corner seat.

  Freddy looked to Hermes for instruction. He yanked off his sandals and nodded for her to do likewise. She pulled off her soft-soled slippers and placed them next to Hermes' sandals behind the benches. He led her to her place on the couches next to Hades and everyone else similarly arranged themselves too.

  The dinner set-up, all stretched out like on a bed, reminded Freddy of midnight movies and snacking on popcorn with Mom at the foot of the bed. The choking lump in her throat throbbed and her vision swam. She swallowed her misery and listened to Deg introduce the other people with chill formality. "Frederica, these are Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Aeacus, the Judges of the Dead in Tartarus." The gentlemen in question were solemn men, bearded and stern, with dark eyes and thick, curling black hair.

  She bobbed her head in greeting. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

  The men acknowledged her with nods, then returned to their own conversations in ancient tongues.

  "What is Tartarus?" Freddy asked in a low voice, looking at Hermes, firmly ignoring Deg as he'd been ignoring her.

  Hermes smiled. "Clymenus will show it to you soon enough. It's remarkable. Not to be missed."

  Deg was the last one to lie down, and he claimed the remaining seat, on the middle bench between his father and Minos--or was it Aeacus? Deg avoided looking at her, and Freddy fluffed the pillow beneath her roughly, taking her frustration out on the innocent furniture.

  Servants brought in the food platters. The first trays were loaded with an array of vegetables, mushrooms, and eggs. The next tray carried artfully arranged shellfish and…snails.

  Freddy's stomach gave an unladylike growl. In the past few days of emotional upheaval, she hadn't managed to eat or drink much. Was there some kind of Grecian grace to sit through before she could dig in? She sat on her hands to keep herself from snatching the food and chowing down, not wanting to appear rude.

  "In deference to my new daughter," Hades turned to her with a graceful smile, "we will speak English. It would be rude to conduct conversations in Greek or Latin until she learns the languages." He nodded to Dryope and the three judges. "Those of us who know English." He said something to the four others in Greek, probably explaining his order.

  "Thank you, my lord." Freddy fidgeted in her seat as everyone looked at her.

  "You may call me Father, child," Hades told her.

  "Okay." Should she say more? Had she offended him with her short answe
r?

  Do I even care?

  After the week she was having…no, not really.

  Hades picked out a large snail for himself, and Freddy fought down her grimace of disgust. Hades spoke with Hermes as he used a needle-sharp instrument to dig the meat out. The three judges stuffed their faces as they chatted amongst themselves, occasionally directing a polite inquiry to Dryope in Greek. All the food seemed to be finger-friendly, and most of it looked edible--except for the snails.

  Sweat trickled in a little river down the side of Hermes's face, sliding under his jaw to shiver in a droplet on his chin. The herald god darted nervous glances back and forth from Hades to the food. Freddy reached for one of the eggs, curious about what was bothering Hermes.

  Hades noticed Hermes' reluctance at last. "My dear Hermes, what's amiss? You are not eating."

  Hermes swallowed. "My lord, I don't wish to offend you, but, you know I can't eat any of this. Not if I want to leave tonight, that is." He gave a hollow laugh.

  Hades chuckled. "Hermes, you do not think I should be that rude, do you? All this food is from Above. I had it brought in specially once I knew you would be my guest tonight."

  Hermes relaxed at once. "Of course. I should have known, Uncle. Thank you." He reached for a boiled egg and proceeded to stuff himself.

  Freddy didn't talk much. Throughout the meal, Hades spoke mostly to Hermes. Dryope, to Freddy's right, didn't speak any English. Polydegmon talked to the three judges and ignored the other half of the party. Not that she should talk to him. And, despite Hades' order, most of the conversation at the table…benches…whatever…was in Greek or Latin.

  Lonesome and out of her depth, Freddy applied her energies to fumbling through the meal. More courses of decadent trays came out, some with beautiful birds arranged on them, others with hunks of delicious smelling beef and pork. After each course, a servant came around with bowls of lavender scented water. Freddy figured out from watching the others that the water was for hand-washing between the courses.

  No one noticed her much, and so she had to watch and wait, figuring out on her own how she was supposed to eat what. Whether she should help herself or wait for the servants. She slumped against her bench while her insides churned and her nerves stretched with jittery tension.

  There was nothing offered to drink but wine. She took an experimental sip and tasted honey. Savoring the sweet and heady taste, she gulped more down. The wine drowned the lump of emotion in her throat, blurring her worries into a foggy mist. She drained the cup dry and jiggled it at the servants for a refill.

  ~~~

  By the time the last course appeared, Freddy's brain sloshed wildly, a storm-tossed ship in her alcohol-blurred head. Her insides had warmed as if someone had lit a slow-burning candle deep in her gut and left it glowing through dinner. She beamed at everyone and laughed behind her hand at nothing in particular. All her painful, too recent memories drowned underneath a tide of sweet, honey-flavored wine.

  Deg looked at her, grimaced, then turned to murmur to Hermes.

  "What did he say?" Freddy said in an overloud whisper.

  "I said you are drunk," Deg told her in a flat voice, "and should be taken to bed."

  "Huh. Mr. Know-it-All. Mr. Gotta-do-Right." The sarcastic words came out like syrupy glue on her tongue, uneven and slurred, and it was with an effort her brain even produced the right ones. "I've drunk wine before." She brandished her cup and a wave of wine sloshed over the side, spilling in the lap of her gown.

  "All evidence to the contrary." Deg raised his glass in a mocking toast and took a slow sip.

  The gesture seemed like a slap, indifferent and rude, and Freddy pinched her eyes closed in sudden pain, whipping toward Hades, her voice shrill even in her own ears. "I wanna go to bed. The company around here stinks." She glared at Deg.

  "Of course." Hades, distracted, waved a dismissive hand. "May Hypnos smile on your dreams, daughter."

  She didn't understand half of what he'd just said. She smiled anyway. Dryope steadied her as she rose.

  Freddy nearly fell off the couch getting up, and Hades darted an irritated glance her way. Freddy sat on the floor to put her shoes back on, not trusting her balance far enough to stand on one foot for this delicate operation. On her way out, she tripped on a fold of her skirts and went sprawling to the hard floor.

  Someone heaved her upright again by her elbows. She turned to look over her shoulder at Deg as he held her.

  "I'm fine." Her voice caught, and she tried to jerk away, her emotions all a snarl inside her, wanting him and hating herself and hating him, and all of it swirling and burning until the room spun around her.

  "You are not fine." He called Dryope over. The lady rose to meet them. Deg asked the woman a quick question in Greek, nodding his chin toward Freddy. Dryope nodded. Freddy followed the interchange like a ping-pong match, her head rolling back and forth between them to follow their turn-taking as they talked. He turned back, and she widened her eyes to see if that made him less fuzzy--it didn't.

  "Dryope will put you to bed."

  "I don't need help." Freddy tore herself free and nearly did another face-plant on the tile.

  Deg hauled her up with his arms around her waist. "Frederica, please."

  She snuggled against his arms, sleepy and safe. She let him pass her to Dryope.

  The walls blurred as she walked. Dinner rose in her stomach until she seemed full all the way to the back of her throat. Idly, she hoped she wouldn't puke.

  In the bedroom, Dryope untangled Freddy from her gown. The woman undid all the tricky clasps on the jewelry when Freddy's fingers were unable to do anything but fumble. Dryope let Freddy's hair down and brushed it out with gentle, lulling fingers. She helped Freddy into bed, rolling her on her side when she would have passed out on her back. Freddy curled into a ball and fell asleep murmuring against her pillow as Deg's face swam in her wine-clouded dreams.

  ~~~

  Polydegmon left the table soon after Freddy and before Dryope returned. After Freddy's sad, sotted exit, he had lost his appetite.

  He went to Hades' apartments to wait until his father had talked himself out with Hermes. Polydegmon waited alone in his father's dour chamber all night. Hades returned before dawn.

  Polydegmon rose from a chair. "Father, I would speak to you."

  Hades gave Polydegmon a questioning look as he undid the clasp on his cloak. "I am weary."

  "Father, let Freddy go home." Polydegmon clenched his fists. "End this. I beg you. I will do anything."

  Hades stared blankly at him.

  Polydegmon changed tack. "Mother will never forgive you for forfeiting Kore to the stag. Let us find another way to repair this that doesn't involve sacrificing the welfare of a blameless young woman."

  Hades' pale eyes smoldered, he flung his cloak to the floor. "The treaty has been signed. The betrothal confirmed before witnesses. The first third of the dowry delivered. The wedding is in two days. The girl sleeps soundly--"

  "Drunkenly."

  "--safely in her new apartments. I have made my decision, and it is done." He advanced toward Polydegmon. "If you know what is good for you, son, do not broach this subject again. My patience wears thin. I would not enjoy harming you to teach this lesson."

  Polydegmon winced and looked away. He knew well enough how thoroughly his father could hurt him.

  Hades stretched and yawned. "Let Clymenus have his woman, my son. There are other mortal girls as lovely as she. Lovelier, in fact." Hades turned toward his bedroom.

  Polydegmon hissed in a breath. "Is that what you think this is about?"

  "Yes," Hades tossed over his shoulder. "Your lust for the girl has been thwarted. I am surprised she held your interest this long. She must have hitherto unsuspected charms."

  "It isn't about that." Polydegmon's cheeks burned. "She saved my life. Frederica is one of the few good, true things I have ever found. To see her thrown to Clymenus to salve his ego turns my stomach as nothing has since the
grotesque banquet of Tantalus."

  "Polydegmon." Hades clapped him on the shoulder. "Put the girl from your thoughts. What is done cannot be undone. Visit one of your little nymphs tonight--take your mind off the girl, eh?"

  Gritting his teeth in frustration, Polydegmon managed to nod. Every muscle of his body hummed in a dark, heady anger, but to strike at Hades would bring him banishment at best. At worst, Polydegmon would be thrown into Tartarus, and some cruel punishment designed to torment him for all eternity.

  Not wishing to have his intestines pulled out on a spiked wheel, and not trusting his own patience much farther, Polydegmon whirled on one foot to storm from the room.

  He did not, however, seek out a nubile young beauty to while away the remaining night hours as his father had suggested. Polydegmon left the Underworld and went Above to fulfill one last duty.

  He still owed Freddy's parents an explanation for his failure.

  ~~~

  Polydegmon knocked on the front door.

  Colin opened it and said, "Oh, hell," as soon as he saw Polydegmon.

  Ignoring Colin, Polydegmon brushed past him to enter the house.

  Abby leapt from the couch when she saw Polydegmon, the hope lighting her eyes bright enough to burn.

  He looked down, speaking softly, his deep shame stirring an unpleasant ache in his chest. "I came…I thought it proper to come in person and tell you that--that I have…failed." Against his will, he glanced at Freddy's mother, and the woman just stood there looking as if he'd slapped her.

  Colin's hands white-knuckled to fists at his sides. "You said your father would help us."

  Polydegmon whirled around, days of tension snapping inside him at last. "My father is an arrogant old bastard who cares less about his children than he does his reputation." He jerked his hands in front of him. "I begged--I, the Heir to the Underworld, son of Olympians, begged for his help to get Freddy back, to get my sister back. Instead, the old fool agreed to Cernunnos' terms."