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The gardens of Olympus were a daydream, where nature was lush and the trees full of fruits of all kinds. Even if you took one, another one magically appeared to replace it. Adrien was surrounded by beauty, but that place that would make mortal peasants cry for joy was a prison for him.
He was a god, yet he could not leave Olympus to visit the mortal world or the ocean, not he had mortals praying to him and hardly anyone knew of his existence.
An incredible thing considering that Adrien's father was the king of the gods and everyone knew everything about him: they knew how Gabriel had become king, how he had defeated the giants, and also how he had known his queen. Great stories, but Adrien wasn't even mentioned.
How did he know if he could never go out?
"Adrikins!"
That's how he knew.
A blonde girl descended from the sky carried by a flock of swans. The swans landed in front of him and the goddess descended gracefully and then dismissed the animals with a graceful gesture of her hand, which quickly disappeared. The girl in front of him had assumed for that day the look with which she was best known to Adrien, which she said made her "even more beautiful than I usually am, incredible as it may seem", which consisted of chubby girlish face, heart-shaped lips, blond hair and deep blue eyes.
The goddess approached with trepidation and wrapped him in a bone-breaking hug. As usual, Adrien had to hold back a retching to feel the wave of perfumes that followed the goddess of love wherever she went.
"Hi Chloé - he greeted her only gently pushing her away and putting on a patient smile - You have some new news for me from the mortal world? "
The goddess pulled away from her embrace," Mhm ... nothing interesting. I petrified a boy who had insulted me ... "
" Chloé! "
"What is it? He deserved it! And then I went lightly. The god of the sea requested the sacrifice of a girl because her father had insulted the Nereids."
"What did the girl have to do with it?"
"He said his daughter was more beautiful than all the sea nymphs! Of course, they got offended."
"And what happened?"
Chloé wrinkled her nose, "A hero saved her. A girl protected by Nathalie. I think her name is Juleka. She also took the princess away so she didn't have to stay with that idiot father of hers. A happy ending, like the ones she likes. you. "
" If I heard only sad stories I would be more depressed, "muttered the god.
" Oh, my dear Adrikins. Not only would you be sadder, but you would get wrinkles, and your pretty face would be ruined. Besides, this garden is one of the few places outside my palace that I consider suited to my beauty, and I certainly don't want to ruin it. "
" Chloé, you keep saying these things, but look, I'm not that powerful, I can't control nature like that, "the blond protested.
In response the other one gave him an indecipherable look, "You know which ones are your powers? ”
“ Er… no. ”
Chloé looked bewildered,“ Adrikins! But that's not possible! By now you should know! "
" I know! But I have no temples! No one on Earth knows I exist! "
" I could talk to my priestesses and have a chapel built for you in some of my temples. "
" Thank you, but my father wouldn't be happy. I don't want to get you in trouble. "
" Adrikins, I wouldn't get in trouble! "
" And what gives you that confidence? "
Silence. Then," Ugh. But enough talking about these boring things, just thinking about them makes my migraine, and my beauty is likely to suffer - Chloè ignored him with a flourish - Rather, I remembered something new that maybe you might be interested in. There's a new face on Olympus, a new major goddess has emerged, the Queen of the Underworld. It sounds extremely boring to me, but knowing your inexplicable interest in these things I thought that for some reason you might find it interesting. "
Adrien's eyes lit up with curiosity," A new major goddess? Where did she come from, why did no one know she existed until now? "
" Oh, I have no idea, Adrikins, I don't care, so I put the information in one ear and let it out the other. I mean, what could be interesting about someone who spends her time with the dead? Just hearing her name makes it clear how boring she is, plus the fact that she isn't as beautiful as me. "
" What's her name? "
" Mhm… Hades. At least mortals call her with this name. Then she maybe she has another name, but who cares? The gods must have nothing to do with her. We are immortal. "
That was not correct. Cronus was immortal, but Adrien's father had killed him. And before that, Cronus had killed Uranus. With the right weapons, even the gods could be killed.
" Do you think ...Hades ... will he come to Olympus? "
" I hope not. It would be disturbing. Do you want to meet her? "
" Um ... maybe. "
" Don't waste your time with her, Adkins. It's not worth it. Besides, I doubt Gabriel would gladly make her come, except for official occasions. "
About that Chloé was right. And knowing her father, she certainly wouldn't allow her son to meet the new goddess. She didn't allow him to meet anyone. Chloé was an exception, but only because she was the one who found a way to infiltrate undetected or she ran away before his father or mother noticed her.
He sighed, "You're right. Is there anything else you can tell me? "
" Well, I helped this sculptor get married with his sculpture. A funny story. Then..."
There would be a council of the gods, and Adrien was not invited to attend.
He tried to protest, but Father ended the argument by saying, "It's a council for the greater gods, Adrien. Of course, you're not invited."
Logical. Obviously. Adrien was the son of the rulers of the Universe but he was not a major deity. He didn't even know what he was god of.
"I get it. I'll just stand on the sidelines, pretend I don't exist. That's how you like it, isn't it?"
He ignored his mother's protests and went into the garden, full of anger but without someone to talk to. He paced up and down the garden in frustration.
He went on for a good five minutes, trying to let off some steam, then paused with a sigh and rolled his eyes. If only Chloé was here…
How sad was it that, of all existing people, gods, and mortals, he at that moment missed someone like the goddess of love? Was that how he had ended his real estate life?
Had he fallen so low that he hoped the goddess would find a way out of the council to be with him for a while? He was about to sit down on one of the marble benches scattered around the garden, positioned under an apple tree, when his gaze was drawn to something unusual.
It was not strange to find rose bushes in the garden, especially because they were among the flowers most appreciated by his parents, but that bush in particular was different from the others: roses instead of crimson red, snow-white, or pink, they were black.
He walked over and knelt to get a better look at them, not bothering to get his clothes dirty.
The roses were not rotten, but they were healthy and lush. The only thing out of the ordinary was the color. "Do you need help? I'm afraid I'm responsible."
Adrien almost jumped in fright. Behind him was a girl in purple robes, her hair tied in a high crotch thing.
Unlike Chloé, she had no jewelry or makeup, and Adrien thought she was much prettier than the beauty goddess. Not that he dreamed of telling the person directly concerned, he didn't want to unleash her anger.
He swallowed, "Um ... no, really, I don't need to ... wait a minute, but who are you?"
The girl cringed, "I'm sorry, shouldn't I be here? I was getting bored and thought about coming here. Was I wrong?"
"Don't worry! I'm the only one here, usually no one comes."
"Why?"
"My parents decided it."
"And who are your parents?"
"You do not know?"
"I'm sorry, I'm pretty new to the whole thing. I didn't have a good time because of Kronos. I didn't even think the gods of the underworld were so frowned upon here."
Adrien's eyes widened, "God of the underworld? So you are one of the goddesses of the court of Hades!"
The girl tilted her head slightly to the side, confused, at which Adrien quickly stammered, "Well...mine is just a guess, nothing more! I mean, I could be wrong, and ...!"
The girl laughed under her breath as she raised a hand to stop him. Adrien froze as if faced with a spell, "You have not offended me, quiet, I'm just surprised. I expected that in finding out where I come from you would treat me badly. Nobody welcomes death, many mortals invent names and titles for do not call the gods of the underworld by their names so as not to bring such bad luck on them, and in some cases, this also applies to the gods. "
"So people mistreat you just for this? - the girl nodded and Adrien's shocked expression only increased - But ... that's not fair! It wasn't you who chose your role, it just happened. I don't think Hades is as bad as everyone wants to describe her I hope she is a good queen and that she treats you well. "
She look elsewhere, "Hades is trying. Being Queen of the Underworld is a responsibility she was not prepared for. Nobody prepared her for this role or told her what to do. Plus the Underworld was a mess when she came. No rules on the sorting of souls, those who had been tyrants in life continued to dominate others, the souls of good people were hunted down the Styx and I don't tell you how domineering demons or other lesser deities were. "
"She looks stressed. "
" Oh, you have no idea. Thankfully she has made some much-needed changes and for now, the situation is progressing well. She still has a problem with how to sort the souls, but she will solve the problem, somehow. "
" Oh, wow. What about you? "
" Well, that's not much to talk about me. "
" What's your name? "
" Marinette. "
" Nice to meet you, Marinette. My name is Adrien. "
They shook hands and the goddess's smile was so beautiful that Adrien felt melting.
" Mhm ... I know it may seem like a strange question, but do you often visit the mortal world?"
"Sometimes. Why?"
"Could you tell me something? Usually, Chloé tells me about the adventures of the heroes or some other exceptional fact, but I would like to know more about ordinary people."
"You never get off the Olympus? "
" Never. "
" Mhm ... so how do I start? Ah, there is a very fertile land that reminds me of this place. It's called Sicily ..."
Adrien didn't know how long it had been since that first meeting. Time was a strange thing for the immortals and for him, forced to always do the same things, it was worse.
It was as if he were stuck in an eternal moment, without the possibility of acting, of living. He didn't ask for much, he wanted to come down from Olympus at least once, and see those cities that Marinette had told him about.
He wanted to taste Athens olives, attend the Olympics, meet heroes, and maybe help them. But he didn't find the courage to talk about it with his parents.
Adrien already knew what they would say, and rather than being told no he preferred to mull over to himself.
He had gotten pretty good at it. How could he tell his parents how he felt? Would they understand it? To that question, he already knew the answer.
No, they wouldn't. For them, Adrien was a weak minor god who needed to be protected. And seriously, had he ever proved them otherwise?
A familiar voice roused him, "Why are you so down in the dumps?"
"Marinette! You're back! Did the queen permit you?"
The goddess shrugged, “Hades wants to talk to your father about his Underworld project. How are you? You did not answer my question."
“Oh… well… I wanted to talk to my parents and ask them for permission to visit at least one city in the mortal realm. I'd also like to go to Nathalie's and study war tactics and learn to weave. She is also the patron goddess of Athens and perhaps I could have taken the opportunity to taste some olives. But…"
"But?"
"I don't have the courage - he admitted, ashamed - Maybe my mother could make me some concessions, but my father would certainly say no."
"It's not fair."
"No, it is not. But what can I do? He is the king of the gods, and I am not important. "
For a few moments, Marinette didn't say something, and Adrien feared she thought the same thing about her father. But instead, she took him by the wrist, "Come with me."
“ What?”
“Your father is too busy managing the world to notice your absence for a few hours. You told me he hardly ever comes here. "
"No, father is not coming, but ..."
“The goddess of love won't bother you today. She is committed to ruining the lives of the women of Lesbos. You don't have to worry about her coming and telling your dad everything. And I think your mother is busy teaching agriculture to mortals too. "
Indeed, it seemed that Adrien could escape from there without risking consequences. It seemed like an opportunity not to be missed.
"Where do we go?"
"In Sicily."
Sicily was more beautiful than Adrien had imagined, and big, so big it got lost.
Marinette had laughed at his confused reaction, but it was no wonder when he wasn't used to something so large, without boundaries, and seemingly limitless.
The sun shone above them while a warm wind blew from the sea, bringing with it the smell of salt and the scent of broom. The branches of the olive trees and shrubs around him chirped in the wind, and the cicadas gave themselves to endless concerts, filling the surrounding air even more with their songs.
A landscape of green and gold opened in front of him, and it seemed to him that he could almost lose himself in the infinity that stood before him.
It was all so different from Olympus! The trees grew free, without being planted in orderly rows, the grass reached his knees, tickling his bare legs, the flowers grew in the most disparate places, not knowing the hand of anyone who regularly pruned them. Marinette seemed amused by her reaction, “You haven't seen anything yet."
"There's more?!"
"Get in, I'll show you," the goddess told him, inviting him to get into her chariot. Adrien was a little scared because they were dead horses, but Marinette pampered them as if they were alive.
"You can't ... Uhm..."
“I cannot summon living animals - the goddess said - My domain is not fit for life. If I used a live animal, it would die after a short time. "
"Oh…"
"I hope Fury and Panic don't scare you."
"Fury and Panic?"
“I didn't choose the names - she defended herself - In life, they belonged to a general. Their former master was not a kind person. He killed them hoping to survive to an illness."
"And did the general get what he wanted?" Adrien asked curiously.
Marinette just stared at the horizon, lost in the void, "No, he died of disease a few months later. Death is ineluctable, a law written at the beginning of the universe and one of its fundamental pieces. Breaking it would mean breaking the You must not avoid death, because it is when you come to the final confrontation with it that you understand what kind of person you were in life, if a coward unable to face it or a brave person, who accepts it for what it is."
A sigh, “But I don't want to sadden you with this talk. Here we go."
Adrien realized she didn't want to talk about it, so he got into the chariot. He clung to the goddess, and the nostrils were invested with the smell of flowers and pomegranates. He was surprised that Marinette's odor was so pleasant, given her nature as a divinity of the underworld.
"Do you want to visit a city?"
“Mhm… I don't think I want to lock myself within four walls already. I want to see more nature."
"Then I know where to go."
The goddess gave a sure shot with the reins, and instantly the horses set off, starting to ply the skies. Adrien hugged her, but his face couldn't hold back a smile of happiness and euphoria.
The feeling of freedom and the prospect of being able to do what he wanted, no one controlling him ... he felt the excitement increase with every second that passed, and he would even scream. After a while, the steeds slowed, and the chariot landed. The young man blinked a couple of times before going down and looking around. They had landed in a gigantic plain, in front of them for miles and miles stretched ears of corn, like a giant golden sea, bending at the light touch of the wind.
It was the work of farmers. It was his mother's job.
"Did my mother help with this?" the god asked. He knew that his mother was a benevolent deity who loved humanity.
But until that moment, he had not understood how much she had done for mortals. While Gabriel was concerned with maintaining his power, Emilie's concern was for her subjects.
“Yes, she did. "
Adrien's eyes widened while his gaze embraced the immensity of that golden sea even more. He knew that his mother was a powerful goddess, he knew the contributions she had made to men, but ... to be honest, he had never noticed it, had always put her in second place compared to his father, and had underestimated her.
And now, Adrien was regretting this. Seeing what she was capable of doing made his throat lump.
"Can we stay here for a while?"
"Everything you wish, Adrien."
Since then, he has waited for Marinette's visits with more trepidation.
The goddess couldn't come often because of her commitments to the Underworld, but she somehow found the time to come to Adrien.
Thanks to her he had seen for the first time the cities of mortals, so noisy, chaotic, but exceptional, it was incredible how many different people could exist.
He had even eaten food and never would have imagined that there could be anything tastier than nectar and ambrosia.
He had discovered and seen so many things, too many to list, and had tasted a freedom that had always been forbidden to him.
But no beautiful things cannot last, and it was a discourse that applied to both mortals and gods. One day, father came into the garden.
Gabriel never came, he had more important things to take care of than his son.
Maybe Emilie or Nathalie had convinced him to visit Adrien, maybe he hadn't even thought about his son and was there to rest.
Any was the reason, Gabriel came into the garden when Marinette was there. His reaction was not good.
"What are you doing here?" the god asked, glaring at Marinette.
She didn't flinch, “That's ironic. I could ask you the same question. ”
“ If you think you're using Adrien for your purposes…”
“ I'm not like you. I don't exploit others. I met him by chance and we became friends. Great friends. ”
“ Friends? Someone like you can't have friends. ”
Noticing Marinette's hurt expression, Adrien said,“ Father, just because she's a deity of the Underworld you can't treat her like that! She doesn't deserve it! ”
“ Adrien, do you know who this person is? ”
“ She is Marinette. ”
A snort,“ You used your real name with him. Very reckless of you, Hades. ”
Adrien felt short of breath. He looked at Marinette, hoping she would deny it, but the goddess was staring down.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't mean to scare you. You're so kind Adrien, but I was afraid that knowing who I was… I don't know… I thought it would be easier for you to accept that I was a lesser goddess of the Underworld than the queen of the dead. My job isn't pleasant… ”
“ I don't care. ”
Marinette looked up, surprised. Adrien continued, “You didn't tell me the truth, but I understand why you did. Gods and mortals aren't fair to you, and you don't deserve it. You are an incredible divinity and despite everything, you do your duty. That's what I love most… I admire you. ”
Adrien had spoken from heart in hand, not thinking of resenting herself.
Marinette had given him a taste of freedom that no one had ever allowed him before. She had done a lot for him without asking for something in return. No other god would have done that. So Adrien couldn't hate her, and the god doubted he would ever.
His father was unhappy with him, "How long has this been going on?"
"Maybe a few years."
"And I have never noticed. What tricks did you use, Hades? ”
“ No tricks. I took advantage of the fact that you were too busy to notice anything. ”
“ I understand. It was good while it lasted, but that's enough. I forbid you to come back here and annoy my son again. ”
It was an order from the king of the gods. Nobody could object.
But Marinette was a queen too, and she didn't fear him.
"Ask your son what he wants to do."
"Adrien has no say in the matter."
“We are talking about his life. He has to decide. "
"And what are his choices?" asked the king of the gods.
“He can choose whether to stay here forever and not have more contact with me. Or…"
"Or?"
"Or he could come with me."
“Do you think he would agree to give up Olympus for the Underworld? You're crazy. "
"At least if he came with me he would have the opportunity to leave whenever he wants."
Gabriel began to argue angrily, but Adrien didn't listen to him. He was thinking: the Underworld might be another prison, but Marinette wouldn't stop him from leaving if he wanted to.
Marinette was giving him a choice, unlike Gabriel. So, without hesitation and in front of his father's livid look, Adrien took her hand.
"I want to come with you."