Chapter Text
He’s been forced to pace the palace for hours, just waiting on any bit of news. He wants more than anything to be in there, by her side but Demeter and Hera were insistent that he stay outside. His temper was too ‘volatile’ they said which was complete nonsense in his opinion. But even if it was true, how can he not be with what is at stake? Thousands upon thousands of years waiting for this day and everything was resting on it. From beyond the grand doors of their bedchambers, he can hear his wife panting and screaming and it breaks his heart to hear. His sister-in-law and mother-in-law are trying to calm her, their soft murmurs echoing through the door. The God runs a hand through the blue flame that makes up his hair, trying and failing to calm his nerves. It was fine! Everything was fine, it would work this time. It had to.
He doesn’t want to think what will happen if it doesn’t, of the hundreds of others that hadn’t even gotten this far. The sobs of Persephone every time they lost another one haunted him day in and day out. They couldn’t lose another one, they just couldn’t. Not when this was the furthest they had ever gotten and there was so much hope wrapped around this one. It would almost be cruel at this point. His musings were cut-off by a loud yell followed by soft wailing. It makes his heart soar as he hears their child for the first time but that happiness is quickly dashed when he hears his wife crying and he knows from thousands of years being married that it’s not a good cry. It’s pained and anguished. Hera be damned, this was his Underworld!
He burst through the doors of their chambers, heedless of Demeter and Hera’s warnings and the glares they sent his way, not letting them stop him. The sight that greeted him tore his heart in two, his wife, his beloved Persephone laid exhausted on their bed, forehead damp with sweat and tears, cradling a small, almost still form in her arms. Persephone's breaths came in ragged gasps as she gazed down at the child they had waited millennia for. He crossed the room in quick strides to kneel by her side, clasping her free hand in his. “My love,” He said, softly and trying to hide his nerves. “What happened? What’s wrong? Is baby girl okay?” In his heart, he doesn’t need to be told the gender, it’s a girl he just knows.
His wife looked at him, eyes red-rimmed and just sobbed as strands of blonde hair fell in her face. “Oh Hades…our child, our little girl….” Her voice broke as fresh waves of sobs wracked her body. “Her soul is fading.” She wails out, clutching their daughter closer. He peeks over at the child in her arms and sees that while she may be breathing and moving, her form is see-through and slowly becoming more and more transparent. He stares down at their daughter, reaching down to grab her little tiny hand and his heart drops as her little hand phases through his. He stands back up abruptly, snarling in anger and the sheer unfairness of it all as his hair explodes in a giant, fiery explosion of emotion, rocking the palace and causing his baby girl to cry. Hera and Demeter looked on unimpressed, shaking their heads at him.
And in typical fashion, they can’t help but butt in to the situation that has him even more infuriated. “We told you time and time again Hades, this was going to happen. A child of your combined ilk is simply not possible. You are a God of Death and Unlife, Persephone is a Goddess of Life and Spring. You are polar opposites, this was bound to happen. The fact that you managed to get this far is a miracle at all.” Spoke of Hera, shaking her head sadly at the young princess. Hades temper flared more, turning the explosion into a volcanic eruption.
“Who asked for your opinions?” He boomed, as smoke billowed at his feet. He glared at Hera and Demeter, who stood resolute but wary, unwilling to let him intimidate them. “I refuse to lose another one! There has to be something we can do!”
Hera sighed, rubbing her face wearily. She had no love for her brother-in-law, he had always been an ornery, angry man prone to outbursts and she especially didn’t like him after what he had done to her son, Hercules. Casting him down to earth, ripping away his immortality and then nearly killing both her son and his wife, Megara, in his plot to take over Olympus. But, she felt for her niece and the little princess did not deserve to die just because her father was a right bastard. And she would admit, he had mostly behaved since the whole “Let’s try and murder one of my sons and take over Olympus situation.” Mostly. Of course, much of that could be attributed to the fact he had married Persephone after the whole debacle and she had kept him in check.
“I don’t know how you can stop her from deteriorating further as long as she is alive, but you can put her in statis until you figure out a situation. She would be frozen in time, you understand? She would essentially be on ice.” His eyes narrowed as he considered what Hera had to say.
“Stasis.” He didn’t necessarily want to put his daughter in effectively limbo, but it was either that or risk her dying all together. "That may buy us time, but it is not a true solution." He looked down at the flickering form of his daughter, his heart aching. "There must be a way to permanently sustain her….maybe if I…no that wouldn’t work.” The God began to pace again, hand on his chin while his flames slowly began to recede and return to their normal state. Demeter watched on with a scowl on her face. She absolutely hated Hades, to the fullest extent. She didn’t care what the other Gods said about her behind her back about being a helicopter parent, as far she she was concerned Hades had kidnapped her daughter and brainwashed her into marrying him. Even if they both insisted no such thing happened and the elopement was completely consensual. After all, Persephone had just been a child when the bastard married her, she was only two-thousand years old! Still, she wouldn’t let her Granddaughter suffer for the sins of her father. At least.....
“What about the Fates? They may be able to shed some light.” She said, flicking her eyes away nervously for reasons that were only known to her. Hades groaned.
“Okay doll, love the idea but heh, unfortunately, I don’t play well with the Fates.” he said, pacing back and forth.
Hera snorted, earning Hades ire. “Why, because of what happened last time?” She said, glaring at him and causing the God to huff and look away in annoyance. He didn’t like to be reminded of that. he grumbled under his breath, trying to hide the distaste for the old biddies he had.
“Hades, my love! It may be the only way! I know you’ve had mixed experiences with them….not entirely unwarranted mind you, but you must at least ask!” Said Persephone, looking at her child with sorrow in her heart. Oh he hated when she looked like that, it drove him mad. He would do anything for her.
“Okay babe…I’ll ask. For you…and for her.”
He hated being here but, it’s a necessary evil to save his baby girl. He slowly approaches them, watching them pull another string to cut and he takes a moment to watch Atropos cut the string, causing ‘Soul’s Served’ counter to go up. Honestly, he’s surprised they’re still cutting the strings themselves at this point, even Charon and Thanatos had realized the amount of souls they saw daily was too much for a single god and had long since moved to a more managerial roles with people working under them. Hell, even the Furies and the Judges had done the same, and even he had assistants and people to help manage his work. And yet these three biddies kept holding out, and he had no idea why.
“Stop hoovering Hades, we know you’re there.” Lachesis, the grumpiest of the trio said, not even looking up from her work. He sighed internally, smoothing back his flame for hair and tried to appear casual and unfazed as he sauntered up.
“Apologies ladies, I was just admiring you’re work. Now, I hate to intr-” Atropos cut him off.
“You’re here about your darling little girl!” She said, taking the eye from her sister Clotho aggressively and earning a glare from said sister. Hades pressed his lips together, already feeling his temper flaring. “I-”
“You hate when we do this, we know.” His flames were flickering wildly, as he tried to reel in his anger for a change.
“JUST LET ME TALK. I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW.” The Fates paused, Lachesis raising an eyebrow in mock offense at his tone.
“Very well, Hades,” Lachesis said, a hint of amusement in her tone. “Speak. But do not waste our time.” He breathed deeply, placing his hands together in front of his face as he tried to think carefully.
“I know that you know what I’m about to say, but just let me talk, okay? I'm in a bit of a pickle here. My little girl, my precious Persephone junior, name pending - well, her soul is starting to fade. And as you know, because I know that you know: I was hoping you might be able to help a guy out, point me in the right direction so to speak." He flashed them his most award-winning smile, the one that had charmed countless mortals over the millennia, and them once or twice as well. The Fates exchanged knowing glances, their singular eye glinting with an unsettling mix of curiosity and mischief. Clotho leaned forward, as she spun another mortal’s thread.
"Ahh, yes, the child of the Underworld and Spring," She mused, between her never ending work. "Such a delicate balance of life and death. We knew this day would come." Hades leaned in closer, his eyes narrowed as he fixed the Fates with an intense stare.
"Alright, you old biddies, let's cut to the chase. What do I need to do to save my little girl?" His voice dripped with a mixture of desperation and the trademark bravado that was so quintessentially Hades.
“And why should we help you?”
Hades threw back his head and let out a laugh, his blue flames flickering wildly. "Why should you help me?" He chuckled, a devilish grin spreading across his face. "Oh, my dear Fates, I thought you'd never ask!" He moved closer, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. "You see, I have no intention of letting her die. Now, I know you ladies have a... shall we say, interesting history with me." His gaze narrowed as he recalled past transgressions. "But I'm a changed God, I tell you! I've turned over a new leaf. Well, mostly."
Hades leaned in conspiratorially, lowering his voice to a smooth, velvety tone. "And you know what they say, blood is thicker than water, my dear Fates. I may not have the best track record with you ladies, but family is family, and we’re family. And this little girl," He paused, thinking back to the flickering form of his daughter. "Well, she's the future of our family legacy. The next generation of the House of Hades. You can't let that legacy die, can you?" He flashed them a roguish grin, his blue flames dancing mischievously. "So whaddya say, ladies? You scratch my back, I scratch yours. I know you've got a soft spot for keeping the family line going. What do I have to do to save my little girl? Please."
They three sister’s exchanged a smirk. Atropos, the shortest of the three placed a hand on her hip as she looked him up and down, the snakes of her hair coming to life to look at him curiously. “Tell you what, you do us a solid, and we’ll do you a solid.” His eyes narrowed in return.
“What do you want?” He demanded, trying not to get angry. Atropos laughed in response, infuriating the God of the Underworld even more.
“Right now? Nothing. But in the future, we’re going to have a favor we will want to cash in on. You don’t need to know anything more than that.” He felt his stomach twist and his anger grow.
“You didn’t think we’d do it without getting something out of it, did you?” Spoke up Lachesis, tutting at him. He scowled, flicking his eyes away. The Fates always had a way of making deals that turned sour. Hades clenched his fists, the heat radiating from his flames intensifying.
“A favor? From me? You must be joking ladies!” Atropos stepped closer, her hair snakes hissing softly in amusement.
“Oh, we’re quite serious, Hades. A favor to be named when the time is right. But you’ll agree, won’t you? After all, a father’s love knows no bounds.” Her tone dripped with mock sympathy.
“This isn’t a joke! My daughter’s soul is fading!” He snapped, frustration bubbling over. The air thickened with his anger, but he forced himself to maintain control. “I won’t let her suffer because of your games.”
Lachesis rolled her eyes. “If it makes you feel better the favor has nothing to do with you or your family, it is a trivial thing we need that will have no effect on anyone but us three.” Hades knew better than to trust their casual dismissal.
“Trivial things have a way of becoming monumental in the long run.” He retorted, his voice low and dangerous. The Fates merely smiled, unfazed.
“Be that as it may,” Clotho said, her spindle spinning faster, “you need us more than we need you. Think of it as collateral for our agreement.”
Hades leaned back, weighing his options. The flickering blue flames around him steadied slightly. He couldn’t let his temper dictate his choices; not now. “Fine,” He grunted, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. “You have your favor. Tell me what I need to do.” Lachesis smirked, earning a low growl from Hades.
“What you need is a mortal body.” Lachesis might dislike Hades but she had to respect him for being humble enough to come into their domain and put aside his pride for his daughter. “Your daughter is a soul without a body to call her own. In order for her to survive, she will need to be placed into a mortal body. And I don’t mean find a dead body to shove her into and then drag her down here, she needs to LIVE on the mortal plane for at least a decade in order to build up the strength of her soul. Only then can she survive in the underworld.”
Hades let out a low whistle, running his hand through his ethereal blue flames. "A mortal body, eh? Well now, that's a tall order, even for a God like myself." He paced back and forth, his mind racing. "You realize how tricky that's gonna be, right? Keeping a mortal body alive and kicking for a decade or more? That's a lot of work, ladies." He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "But for my little girl..." His eyes softened as he thought of his daughter and wife, both so fragile and vulnerable in different ways. "I'd move the very heavens and earth to save her." Hades fixed the Fates with an intense stare, his voice dropping to a low, serious tone. "Alright, you ancient crones, you've got my attention. Tell me what I need to do."
The Fates exchanged a knowing glance, their plan was working flawlessly. This time a half a century century from now, they would be sipping cocktails on a beach in Florida if they played their cards right. “The child must live among mortals for at least a decade, without your interference Hades.” Atropos chimed in, crossing her arms. “And while she may be taken to the Underworld after then decade mark, to actually survive she must naturally ease out of her mortal body. No prematurely pulling her out.” Hades narrowed his eyes, his blue flames flickering with barely contained impatience.
"A decade, huh? No meddling, no popping in to check on her? And even longer in a mortal body. Sounds like a real long haul." He let out a frustrated sigh, drumming his fingers against his thigh. "Alright, alright, I get it. The line between life and death and all that jazz. But you're talking to the Lord of the Underworld here, ladies. I think I can manage that.” He lied.
“Good. There will soon be a man in the lands of South America. Columbia, to be exact. He is slated to die soon at the hands of raiders, his thread is nearing the end. He will do anything, and I mean anything to ensure his wife and newborn children are safe from harm. We cannot tell you more than that, but he will be the key to having what you need. But it will take time. Oh, and you need an empty body, one that had a soul at any point in it won’t do.”
Hades listened intently, his mind already whirring with plans and strategies. A mortal body, Colombia, a man desperate to protect his family - this could work. He just had to play his cards right. "An empty body, you say?" Hades mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Well now, that's a tall order. Those don't exactly grow on trees, you know." He fixed the Fates with a pointed stare. "But I suppose you wouldn't be telling me this if you didn't have something specific in mind."
Clotho nodded, the barest hint of a smile playing at the corners of her ancient lips. "Indeed, now go. The hour is upon you. You will know where to go, the blood and carnage that you feel when senseless slaughter occurs will guide you.” Hades nodded slowly, his mind already whirring with possibilities.
"Blood and carnage, you say?" He flashed the Fates a sardonic grin. "Well, you ladies certainly know the way to a God's heart."
He turned on his heel, his long strides carrying him swiftly towards the exit. As he reached the threshold, he paused and glanced back over his shoulder. "You know, I have to admit - I'm impressed. Looks like you old hags still have a few tricks up your sleeves." His eyes glinted with mischief. "I'll be sure to send you a postcard from Colombia. Maybe a nice little souvenir, hmm?"
Without waiting for a response, Hades strode out of the chamber, his blue flames trailing in his wake. He had no time to waste. The trio watched him go, waiting for him to completely disappear before Lachesis turned to Atropos, glaring at her and ripping the eye away. “Atropos, why did you said he couldn’t visit her on the mortal plane? You know that’s not true.” Her sister shrugged.
“To better our chances of our plan going off without a hitch. Besides, you know nothing is set in stone. It’s a fifty-fifty he doesn’t listen, and if he doesn’t, it will make things much more difficult for us.”
Pedro Madrigal was frozen, or rather time was frozen. Every movement and sound had ceased to exist around him. The birds hung motionless in the sky, their wings suspended mid-flap. In the distance, the smoke from his burning home spiraled up lazily, as if trapped in a void. His neighbors' faces were etched with terror and anguish, their bodies locked in place in various positions. It was disorienting, one moment he was being attacked by raiders and the next he was a spectator, watching helplessly as his wife and newborn triplets seemed to turn to stone before his very eyes. He had no idea what was going on.
"I froze time. It's not exactly within my domain as the God of death, but all Gods have some control over time, even if it's just for a few minutes.”The new father whipped his head around, eyes searching madly for the source of the voice. He scanned the horizon, turning and turning to look before suddenly, standing behind him and looming over him was a man nearly eight feet tall, with ash colored skin and blue hair made of flames. He wore a toga made from a black cloth and mist seemed to come off his form, trailing around the bottom of his outfit. The man, if he could even call him that was smiling down at him with a look that made him gulp and step back.
“Pedro Madrigal, right? Aeacus sent along your file from the Department of Judgement, very impressive.” Hades said, summoning Pedro’s file folder and rifling through the pages, quickly reading the contents. “Let’s see: Born to Josefina and Marcos Madrigal, you had three older siblings making you the baby. You were a carpenter by profession and married one Alma Sánchez, now Madrigal and who just today gave birth to your newborn triplets, Julieta, Josephina, and Bruno Madrigal. And, as of…one minute and thirty-two seconds ago, time freeze not included, you have died to raiders in an attempt to save said wife and kids. Oh! Says here you tried to reason with them! You tried to appeal to their humanity, yeesh, talk about a bad move on your part buddy.” Read-off Hades, as he finished reading the contents.
Pedro stared up at the imposing figure, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion. He was dead? I mean, that made sense but who was this man. This was not what he expected death to be like, he was expecting pearly white gates and Saint Peter! "Who...who are you? What's happening?" He stammered, his voice shaking. Hades let out a booming laugh, the blue flames of his hair flickering wildly.
“Who am I? WHO AM I? Why, I’m hurt Pedro my buddy, that you don’t recognize me. I am Hades, Lord of the Underworld,” He leaned in closer, causing the mortal man to back up out of fear as Hade’s piercing glare bore into the man. “As for what’s happening, well let’s just say I am about to make your day!” He said, giving Pedro a sardonic grin.
“I…you are not Jesus…”
Hades laughed, bitterly and stood up straight. “Jesus? Oh no, he’s not real…well he was. One of Zeus’s half-breed children, a Demigod. Tried to start a religion and demolish the worship of the Greek and Roman Pantheons. It worked, buut, he was destroyed as a result. Unfortunately his religion stuck around.” Muttered the God, rolling his eyes at the cross he noticed around Pedro’s neck. Hades waved a dismissive hand. "But never mind all that. We have more important matters to discuss, Pedro Madrigal." He fixed the mortal man with an intense stare, his blue flames flickering ominously.
“You want to save your kids, right? Those three, adorable little newborn triplets, and that wife of yours, right?”
Pedro stared up at the imposing figure of Hades, his heart pounding in his chest. "My family...yes, of course I want to save them! But how can you help?" He glanced around at the frozen scene, the raiders poised to strike. Hades let out another laugh, practically having to hide how excited he was.
"How can I help, he asks!" The God leaned in closer, his piercing gaze boring into Pedro. "I'm the Lord of the Underworld, my dear mortal. Saving lives is kind of my thing….well, usually it's taking them, but desperate times and all that."
“How, how could you help them?” He asked, desperate.
“By giving you a miracle! Again, usually not my field, Pedro my boy, but I am a God, and it’s well within my wheelhouse. I will create a safe haven for your family, a house made of pure magic to protect them. The valley we are in will become encased by the mountains. They will be safe from the raiders.”
“But, what if more come? What if other people try to harm them?”
“Tell you what, what I want out of you will be a pretty big deal, so I’ll add a caveat. Gifts. Magical gifts that is, for all of your descendants once they reach a certain age. Powers to protect their home from anyone who would do them harm.” Pedro stared at Hades, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and desperate hope.
"Magical gifts? Powers to protect my family?" He shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around the God's offer. "But what is it that you want from me in return?"
Hades smirked, he could tell the man was desperate, just like the Fates said. "Ah, straight to the point. I like that, my friend!" He placed an arm around Pedro’s shoulders, as if they were best friends. "What I want from you is simple: a body. Well, more specifically, a female body, preferably newborn.”
Pedro's eyes widened in horror at Hades' request. "A body? A newborn?" He shook his head vehemently. "No, I can't. I won't give you my daughters, you monster! " Hades raised a hand, his piercing gaze silencing Pedro's protests.
"Now, now, don't get your toga in a twist. This is for a good cause, I assure you." He flashed Pedro a roguish grin. "You see, I have a little girl of my own, just like those two little girls of yours, and she's in a bit of a predicament. Her soul is fading, and I need a mortal body for her to inhabit in order to save her."
“But-”
“Look, I am not asking for one of your daughters. I need a body without a soul…like a stillborn child.” Hades grinned, why didn’t he realize sooner? “Yes, one of your descendants, the first stillborn female born to your family I don’t care who, it just needs to be female, don’t want to give my little girl an identity crisis.” Pedro stared at Hades, his heart pounding in his chest. The idea of sacrificing a newborn, even a stillborn, to save this God's child filled him with a mixture of horror and desperation. But if it meant protecting his own family...
"A stillborn child." He murmured, his voice trembling. "You...you promise you'll protect my wife and babies? Keep them safe from harm?"
Hades nodded solemnly, his blue flames flickering. "You have my word, Pedro Madrigal. I will create an impenetrable sanctuary for your family, and bestow upon your descendants the power to defend their home for generations to come." He fixed Pedro with an intense stare. "All I ask in return is that first stillborn female child. A small price to pay for the safety of your loved ones, don't you think?"
“What’s from stopping you from going back on your word?” He asked, hesitantly not entirely trusting this man, or God rather.
“Smart man. One second.” With a flourish of his hand a contract appeared from nothingness, with a floating golden quill. “Feel free to read it over, pretty straight forward.” Pedro scanned the contract with trembling hands, his eyes darting back and forth across the ornate parchment. The terms seemed clear enough: Hades would create an impenetrable sanctuary for his family, and bestow protective gifts upon his descendants, in exchange for the first stillborn female child born to his lineage. As horrific as the idea was, Pedro couldn't deny the desperation welling up inside him. The raiders were poised to strike, his wife and newborn babies in mortal danger. If this bargain with the Lord of the Underworld was the only way to save them...He looked up at Hades, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resolve.
"Alright, I'll do it. Protect my family, and you can have the first stillborn…granddaughter I guess? Most likely, in my family.”
“Perfect. Sign here, here and initial there. And tell you what, since you did me such a favor, I won’t drag your soul to the Underworld with the rest of the pathetic souls. You can stay here and play house or whatever you mortals do.” Pedro's hand trembled as he signed the contract, his heart pounding in his chest. It was a stillborn child, it would be dead anyways, what was the harm? As he placed the final flourish on the contract, a brilliant light flashed, and suddenly the frozen scene around them shifted. The once barren valley was now transformed, the mountains rising up to encircle the valley in an impenetrable wall of stone. Pedro's eyes widened as the raiders were vaporized into dust and a large house, a casa, began to form from nothingness. His wedding candle came alight; It was a miracle, like the God said.
Hades let out a low chuckle, smirking at the sight before him. "There, you see? I am a God of my word, Pedro Madrigal." He gestured grandly at the protected valley. “Now, I will be back at a later date to claim my price, have fun!” Pedro watched him go, as time resumed. He turned towards his wife, and children. He did it for them, what harm would it do?
Hades is once again pacing as he listens to his wife anxiously fret over whether or not they were doing the right thing. He loves Persephone so much but she was too worried about making their daughter sad to realize they were doing the right thing. It had been too long! Just waiting to get the body had been tedious, let alone waiting for her to be old enough to bring home. Those thirty five years watching his daughter’s soul in stasis had been difficult, especially when all of the man’s granddaughters had came out alive and healthy. He had been worried they would need to wait for a great-grandchild when finally, after those thirty five years, a suitable body had been found.
And then, it had been another fifteen years of waiting for their daughter to grow. Hades had wanted to take her as soon as she turned ten like the fates said they could but Persephone had convinced him to give her a few more years. Well, actually she had wanted to wait for their daughter to die from natural causes but Hades put his foot down on that idea. He wanted his baby home now, preferably while she was still a baby! Well, she was a teenager, but still!
“Do we have to?” Persephone murmured, wringing her hands. “I don’t want her to hate us.” The Goddess of Spring was nervous and constantly needing to wipe her hands on her skirt to get rid of the sweat accumulating. Hades paused his pacing to stop and turn towards his wife. His blue flames flickered softly as he gazed at her with a mixture of love and exasperation.
“Babe, ‘Seph. I know you’re worried but it’s going to be okay. She’s going to come home, where she finally belongs with us. Besides, they’re a terrible family anyways, we’re doing our baby girl a favor.” Hades said with a scowl as he thought about the Madrigals, specifically Alma Madrigal. Talk about a power trip, that woman had let the ‘Miracle’ consume her life and become more important than anything else, including her own family. He had not made it as secret to his wife that he despised the old biddy, especially with how she treated his daughter.
Persephone bit her lip, trying to stop her emotions from overwhelming her. “They aren’t that bad Hades,” She murmured softly. “Maybe they forget about her but her mortal parents love her.” She said, flicking her eyes towards the scrying orbs. “She loves them, it will hurt her to be ripped away.” Hades couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he began to pace again.
“Sure, yeah they love her. Love her so much that despite being fifteen, she’s still sleeping in the nursery and they let the old biddie and her ‘sister’ bully her. Face it doll, she’s better off here at home. Her soul is finally strong enough and I want our little girl.”
Persephone sighed, her pink skin dimming slightly with worry. “I know…just, try not to overwhelm her Hades.” She said, reaching out a hand to her husband who stopped and took it without hesitation. “We both know how you can be, and if it wasn’t for the meeting in Olympus, I’d go with you.” She said, giving her husband a look that said he better be on his best behavior.
Hades squeezed Persephone's hand, his blue flames flickering softly. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be gentle as a lamb." He flashed her a roguish grin. "Well, maybe not that gentle, but I promise not to scare the kid too much." Persephone raised an eyebrow at that, completely unconvinced.
"Hades..." She said warningly.
"Alright, alright," He conceded with a dramatic sigh and a small grin. "I'll be on my best behavior. Scout's honor." He raised his free hand in mock salute.
Persephone couldn't help but smile, despite her anxiety. "Just... remember she's been living as a mortal all this time. This will be a huge shock for her."
“I won’t doll, it will be great. Now, I would love to stay and chat but I got us a daughter to collect.” Persephone could only sigh. She just hoped he wouldn’t be too…too Hades.
“La Familia Madrigal!”
Mirabel watched the flash of the bulb go off, lost amongst the sea of onlookers all watching her family gather for a photo she wasn’t a part of. It was for the best, she decided. She would just ruin it like she ruined everything, like Antonio’s ceremony. Sure, he got his gift but she knew that Abuela was not happy that she helped him to his door and she was fully expecting a reprimand once everyone had gone home and it was only them. Mirabel sighed, as she turned away and began pushing her way through the crowd towards the exit of Antonio’s amazing new room.
She’s trying to pretend like she’s happy for him but she wouldn’t lie, she was jealous. Not of his gift, or his room though she wouldn’t mind having the last one mostly because she was dreading what would happen once Isabela and her dumb hunk of a boyfriend started having kids and they needed the nursery. No, Mirabel was jealous of the love being shown. Because that was all she ever wanted, was to be loved. She didn’t care if she ever got a gift, she just wanted someone to love her for who she was. She knew it was sad and pathetic, but that was the truth. As Mirabel pushed past the throngs of people, an earthquake rocked the room.
At first no one was seriously concerned as earth quakes just happened some times and aside from some glasses rattling, it didn’t seem to be that serious. And then the second quake came and people began to mutter to each other, the tension slowly building but everyone wasn’t panicked. Abuela as usual was trying to calm the crowd that was growing concerned, assuring them it was probably just Casita.
And then the third, and most serious quake hit causing people to topple over and the animals of Antonio’s room to scatter to the nine winds. That’s when the panic set in and people began pushing and shoving each other as they scrambled for safety. Ignored as usual, her family didn’t seem to notice she wasn’t with the family but was instead lost in the throng of villagers.
"Quickly, everyone outside! We must get to safety!" Abuela shouted over the din of the crowd, trying to lead the flow of people. Mirabel merely followed the flow of people as they spilled out of not only Antonio’s room but Casita herself. Every few seconds a new tremor would go off, causing a new round of screams and wails from young children who clung to their older family members for comfort. As they exited the house, the tremors got more and more violent until they were shaking the very foundation of the house.
Mirabel was worried for a moment that Casita might actually topple and fall from the earthquakes, and so did Abuela because she made sure to stop and command Casita to give her the candle before spilling out with everyone else. Just as everyone managed to exit the house, a defeating crack rent the air and five hundred meters away from the house, a giant fissure appeared in the ground, emanating a blue light.
“Mama!” Pepa shouted over the din, towards her mother who barely managed to over hear her second born. “What’s happening?” She asked, holding Antonio close to her.
That was a good question, what was happening? Everything had been going so right, Antonio had a gift which meant the Miracle wasn’t in fact dying and it was just Mirabel who was defective. Abuela Alma stared at the glowing fissure, her face a mask of shock and fear. Out of habit and trauma, she couldn’t help but blame Mirabel even though she knew logically that Mirabel wasn’t at fault. Mirabel who she realized was not with the family, and everyone else in their family was just noticing now too, especially Julieta.
"Mirabel!" Julieta cried out, frantically scanning the crowd for her youngest daughter. "Mirabel, where are you?"
As the ground continued to shake, and people tried to find cover, the giant glowing blue fissure began to expand before with a loud explosion of light and noise that had Dolores screaming and holding her ears. A giant three headed dog, easily fourteen feet tall came flying out of the hole before it landed with a thud before the fissure. On it’s back was a man that was eight feet tall with charcoal grey skin, blue flames for hair, clothing as black as night and smoke and ash billowing around his ankles.
The man slid off the dog with grace in his step, slicking back his flames for hair once before clasping his hands behind his back and sweeping his gaze across the crowd of frozen and terrified mortals. Well, what do we have here? Someone having a party?” He said looking at the crowd of probably four hundred villagers he surmises. “Ooh, wait are those birthday banners I see? Looks like maybe I chose the wrong day to claim my pound of flesh. Whose ever birthday this is will probably remember it for years.” And probably be traumatized, as he was about to take away one of their family members away, forever.
“Who are you?” An elderly woman wearing a maroon dress and black mourning shawl demanded, pushing her way to the front with a very familiar candle in her hands. Hades narrowed his eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" She said, even as her voice and hands trembled.
“Ah, Alma Madrigal, we meet at last.” He replied with an exaggerated flourish and bow before straightening himself up. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hades, God and Lord of the Underworld. And I have come to collect on what your husband promised me.”
Alma's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "My husband? What are you talking about?" She clutched the candle closer to her chest, as if it could shield her from this imposing figure. Then, gathering her wits and resolve, she handed the candle to Pepa, straightened her back and stepped forward, chin held high. "I know nothing of any promise made to you. Leave this place at once!" She demanded. Hades gave a low chuckle. He had to give it to her, the old biddy had a back bone, even when outmatched.
“Oh, I have no doubt at all that you’re unaware of the little deal your husband made with me. But tell you what, how about we hear it from the man himself?” Hades said with a grin, before snapping his fingers. In a flash of bright light, the ghost of Pedro who had been invisible to all but Hades, suddenly became visible. The crowd of people, family included gasped as he appeared and even Alma who mourned her husband every day took a step back. Before Pedro could open his mouth, he found himself suddenly tugged and dragged to Hades side, who proceeded to drape an arm over his shoulders like they were good friends.
“Go on Pedro, ol’ buddy. Go ahead and tell your wife where her miracle that she loves so much,” He spat, anger filling his voice. “Actually came from?” He can see Alma going pale in the face and for a second, he was convinced that the Fates would cut her line right that moment. He hated Alma Madrigal, the rest of the family wasn’t much (rat man and kid excluded) better but his hate for her knew no bounds, driven by her treatment of his daughter. Which is why he knew it would hurt so much more to come from her own husband over Hades.
Pedro’s ghostly form trembled as he glanced between his wife and family, and the God of the Underworld who was relishing in the scene unfolding before him. Shame and regret came over his face and he found himself needing to avert his gaze from them all. “Alma, mi amor... I'm so sorry. The miracle, our home, our family's gifts... they came at a price."
Alma stumbled back, as did Julieta and Pepa who had stepped forward to grip their mother’s arms to both support her and themselves as all three women were overcome with confusion and emotions from seeing the spirit of their dead father and husband. "What are you saying, Pedro?" Alma said with a trembling lip, grasping both of her daughter’s hands like they were life lines.
Despite being dead, Pedro’s mouth felt as dry as the Sahara as he glanced around at his family. How could he even begin to explain the terms of the deal he had made with the God of the Underworld all those years ago? He glanced briefly at Julieta, his eldest before glancing away. He knew he was going to rip her heart out.
“I….when the raiders attacked us, and I was killed, this…God, froze time and appeared before me. In exchange for this home and magical gifts that would protect our family for generations to come.” Pedro paused, wishing the ground would swallow him up into a hole. “All I had to do was..." His voice trailed off, unable to complete the horrific bargain. “I had to promise him the body of….the first stillborn female child born to our family Alma. Which is…is one of our nietas, Alma.” Pedro can’t name her, it’s too hard.
Immediately the crowd began to murmur in horror and confusion and Pepa and Julieta shared a look of fear mixed with grief. “What are you talking about? There are no stillborn children, female or other, in our family!” Julieta protested. Hades let out a low chuckle.
“As far as you know. You see, you might be wondering, why does ol’ Hades need the body of a newborn baby?” He said, grinning widely. “You see there is an issue with progenies when a God of Death and a God of Life have a kid of their own, and my own baby girl was born without a body to call her own.” He paused, sweeping his gaze across the crowd again. Mirabel had pushed her way to the front, and was watching confused and horrified. He would get to her in a moment, he wanted to have a little fun first.
“And to save her, I made the deal with your dear old dad to get her a body in order to save her from dying after putting her soul on ice. Now, your father only skimmed the fine print and I can only assume he thought I was just going to grab the body and go, but if he had actually read the contract properly, he would have noticed the part where my daughter needed to be raised amongst you mortals until she was old enough to be taken home. Which, unfortunately for you, is today. Try not to panic too much, stillborns don’t have souls to begin with. You would have had given birth to a corpse. But instead you had the privilege of raising a goddess!” Hades said with a wide grin.
Alma's face drained of color as the words sank in. The realization of what her husband had done hit her like a shockwave. "No..." She breathed, her hands trembling. "You couldn't have. Tell me you didn't, Pedro!" All this time, she thought the miracle was born of her husband’s love for his family, and in reality, is was born of a deal with a devil! Pedro couldn’t look her in the eye, merely avoiding his wife’s gaze that spoke too high of volume of what he had done.
“Wait, which granddaughter?” Every head whipped around to look at Camilo who was frowning and trying to figure out which of his cousins or sister was secretly a Goddess in disguise. Everyone immediately turned to look at Isabela, which Hades supposed given the information they had wasn’t a bad assumption to make. After all, ‘Seph was a Goddess of Spring.
Alma felt her heart sink as she too, immediately went to Isabela. “No, not Isabela!” She breathed, her voice trembling. “She’s our precious flower, our gift! We can’t lose her!” Hades let out a booming laugh in response, his blue flames flickering wildly as he grinned.
“The closeted lesbian who hates your guts?” Hades let out another laugh before stopping abruptly and scowling. “No, not even close. I’m sure because my wife is a Goddess of Spring, you naturally assume my kid must be the same but no. You are far too annoying for my tastes.”
Isabela was frozen on the spot, and it was like her brain short circuited because there as now a few cacti by her feet. She had just been outed to her entire family and the town by a God who seemed to know too much about her. He knew things that she had tried her best to hide or lie about in her attempt to be the perfect granddaughter that Abuela always wanted. And now, it was all laid bare.
Her eyes darted around the crowd nervously, looking for condemnation and disgust for what surely must be considered revolting. But really she was only met with confusion and concern as people looked between each other and muttered about what a day this was turning out to be. Yes, this was a tight-nit religious town but there is a family with literal god-like magical powers, you learn to not care about certain things eventually. Especially when the lesbian’s aunt can hit you with lightning.
Isabela knew she should feel relief that her secret was out and no one seemed to care, but all she felt was dread and shame mixed with failure for not being the granddaughter Abuela wanted. “Wait, then who is it?” Someone yelled from the back of the crowd. “And also wait, Isabela is a lesbian? I guess that makes sense since she’s always hanging out with the Baker’s daughter.”
Hades chuckled again, sweeping back his flame again. “That’s the question isn’t it? If it’s not little Miss Perfect Isabela, who could it possibly be?” He said, with a sardonic grin spreading across his face. “Let’s see….” Hades flicked his wrist, and people began being moved and pushed back until Dolores and Luisa were standing side by side out in the open. Hades wanted to toy with them just a little bit before he made the grand reveal. Even though Mirabel didn’t want to be taken away, it still hurt that this God didn’t even consider her. Or anyone else as people seemed to have forgotten that Abuela had four granddaughters, not three.
Hades circled around the pair like a vulture, eyeing them critically. “Maybe it’s Dolores.” He offered, pausing on her. Dolores made a small meep and shrunk into herself, eyes looking around wildly. “Shy little Dolores, who is always second best and runner up. The shadow of her perfect older cousin who was born just a week earlier. The one always struggling to be heard and has been jealous of her own cousin from day one. Little Dolores who has been trying to subtly prevent the engagement of Mariano Guzmán and Isabela.”
Dolores’ eyes went wide with panic and she began trembling as the anxiety set in. She attempted to open her mouth to protest but found herself unable to get out a single word. She looked towards her family, and all she could see was hurt and disappointment. Everyone that is except Isabela who was staring back at her with pure relief. It occurs to her right then that Isabela doesn’t love Mariano. Why would she? Isabela was a lesbian after all, according to the God. Suddenly, all Dolores can feel is love and hope. Maybe, just maybe, if she’s no-
“Nah.” Hades said dismissing Dolores with a single hand. “I don’t think so, good luck on your petty jealousy though.” With a flick of his hand, Dolores found herself propelled towards the rest of her family, as only Luisa was left on her own. Hades strode forward, stroking his chin as he examined Luisa closely.
“Or maybe Luisa? Poor overworked Luisa who is treated like the town’s personal pack mule.” He said with a twisted grin. “Always tired and overworked like her mother and always two steps away from cracking under pressure. Strong little Luisa who is worried no man will ever love her because she’s not small or dainty like Isabela.” The God finished with a low chuckle.
Luisa let out a gasp, averting her eyes and daring not to look at her family as shame filled her face. No one was supposed to know about any of that! She was supposed to be able to handle any pressure; she was like Hercules who was her personal hero.
“Hmm, you know what? I don’t think so.” Hades said flicking Luisa away. “Oh dear, oh dear. Tsk tsk, looks like that’s all the contestants but if it’s not any of them, who could the lucky Princess be?” He said with a devilish grin. He snapped his fingers and suddenly, a giant wave of energy pushed people away and a mystical bright light from the heavens shown down on Mirabel, illuminating her for everyone to see.
Mirabel blinked in confusion as suddenly the spotlight was both figuratively and literally on her. No, this was impossible, it couldn’t be her! Maybe she was standing in front of a long-lost cousin she never knew of. But when she turned around to look, there was nobody and when she turned back Hades was standing right in front of her. “Hey Baby Girl.” He said, taking a knee.
“Mirabel!?” Alma said in disbelief as she stared at her youngest nieta who was now the target of this strange man. The rest of the town and family seemed to be having similar reactions as the din picked back up. Mirabel was the runt of the litter, in more ways than one and was giftless. Surely this God was toying with them all still…..right?”
“No, no!” The shouts of Julieta attracted everyone including Hades who turned to look at Mirabel’s mortal mother who was trying to get to her youngest daughter but an invisible barrier was stopping her. When Hades said he was taking one of his babies away, he already knew it was a three in four chance it would be one of hers. When he hadn’t initially mentioned Mirabel, she had been secretly glad and had not said anything because Mirabel was younger than Isabela and Luisa and she didn’t have the same abilities as they did. She was more vulnerable than her older sisters and she was Julieta’s miracle baby who nearly didn’t make it.
“This….this has to be a mistake.” Mirabel whispered, her voice trembling in disbelief and confusion. She looked around desperately, seeking comfort from her family but all she saw reflected back at her was confusion and fear. Fear of her? A hand touched her face and Mirabel jerked her head back to look at Hades who was still kneeling, the arrogance and haughtiness on his face having melted into tender softness.
“I know it’s difficult to reconcile, Baby Girl, but it’s true. You’re my little Princess and me and your mother have been waiting a long time to bring you home.” He said gently, cupping her cheek. Oh it was good to finally be able to hold and touch his little girl. He had waited too lon-
“No!” Agustin shouted, trying to body check the invisible barrier to no avail. “She’s OUR daughter, you can’t just take her!” He shouted, enraged and desperate to get to his youngest. Hades sighed and stood up, smoothing back his flame.
“Julieta and Agustin, was it?” Hades asked, even though he knew their names. “I understand this is difficult and I appreciate you raising her for me and her mother for the last fifteen years but I think it’s time she comes home, don’t you think so?” He said, patting his daughter on the head. Julieta was not hiding the fact that she was sobbing openly as she tried to claw towards her daughter.
“No! Please, you can’t take her!” She sobbed out. Not Mirabel, not her baby. Hades raised a placating hand, trying to be both kind yet also irritated with this family and town as a whole. So now they suddenly remember Mirabel? Where were they ten minutes ago when they were deliberately excluding her from the family photo?
“I’m afraid I must. She is, after all, my daughter.” He flashed Julieta and Agustin a sardonic smile that further infuriated the other man. “The bargain was made many years ago and I always collect on my debts.” Hades insisted.
“You will not take her!” Alma had found her backbone again and was staring down the God of the Underworld with contempt. “That deal was made without our knowledge or consent! You have no right!” She insisted. Hades let out yet another laugh but it wasn’t one filled with amusement or to be polite, it was dark and angry and almost sucked the life out of the valley.
“My dear Alma, I can assure you this agreement is binding. Your husband SIGNED it on behalf of him, and all his descendants. And as the God of the Underworld, I assure you that it is enforceable.” Hades stood up and strode away from Mirabel to approach Alma, stopping right in front of her and leaning down so they were face to face.
“Besides, let’s be honest here you ol’ Biddy. You don’t actually care about Mirabel, you’re just saving face. I’ve been watching this family and you in particular since she came into your family. You haven’t shown her a shred of kindness since she was five years old and you realized you couldn’t exploit her like the rest of your family. Tell me Alma, if I were to make you choose between your precious miracle and Mirabel, which one would you pick? We both know it would be the gifts.” He finished.
Alma recoiled, taking a step back as if she had been physically struck by the God. Her face paled at the accusation that she knew deep down she couldn’t refute, she hadn’t treated Mirabel the same as her other grandchildren. The crowd around her murmured in uncomfortable agreement, having picked up on the fact even amongst her family she was treated as an outcast. “I may not have been the grandmother Mirabel deserved,” Alma said, admitting for the first time in ten years that she had been a poor Abuela to Mirabel, “But she is still my nieta and I will not let you take her from us!”
“Look,” Hades began, looking at his nails with fake interest. “This has been great but we do need to go.” Before anyone could stop him, not that they could given that everyone had been deliberately frozen in place by the God, he put to fingers in his mouth and whistled. Cerberus who had wandered off to sniff around for new smells gave a bark before bounding over. He climbed the dog and with a snap of the fingers, Mirabel found herself being suddenly teleported onto the giant three-headed dog.
“Wait, no! Stop!” Mirabel protested as did her family but Hades gave them no mind, just pushing her down when she tried to get off the dog before tapping Cerberus twice to tell the dog to start going.
“Byeeeee.” Hades said with a mocking wave to the town and family before Cerberus bounded towards the hole, jumping in without hesitation and beginning the fall back towards the Underworld as the hole above began to close. Mirabel struggled as she tried to claw her way off the giant dog but Hades just kept pushing her down. “I wouldn’t do that Baby Girl, it’s a long way down and all you would accomplish is falling off and destroying your mortal body prematurely. In fact, I recommend you hold on.” He said.
Mirabel tried to struggle further but the speed of velocity became too much and she found herself clinging on to the dog for dear life. Hades didn’t seem fazed, choosing to stand rather than sit. As the continued to fall, Mirabel couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of fear and confusion. This had to be a bad dream, she was just Mirabel! She couldn’t be the daughter of a God! And even if she was, she didn’t know this man. She wanted her parents, her real parents!
The deeper they went, the more she struggled to keep her eyes open. She was been overwhelmed by the speed but also the heat that was prickling against her skin. It didn’t burn but she felt a stiff heat coming over her that was almost too much. Once or twice, she managed to open her eyes to look at this Hades character who was staring at her with a strange mix of excitement mixed with tenderness that had a small bubble of anger beginning to form within her.
Just when she was about to ask how much further this fall could be, she spotted a light below her as they fell through the ceiling of the Underworld. The fall from the cavernous roof of the Underworld to the ground below was still a good few miles. When Cerberus landed, the dog did it without so much as a bruised toe much less an injury from falling for so long and far.
Mirabel stared upwards at the hole they had came out of, watching as it began to rapidly close until it was gone. “My….my family,” Mirabel whispered, even though she knew she couldn’t see them any more, she still stared at where the hole once was, tears beginning to gather in her eyes. A hand on her shoulder caused her to jerk her head around to look at Hades who had a piercing gaze of empathy mixed with determination.
“I know this is all overwhelming, baby girl,” He said softly, trying to calm her fears. “But this is where you belong, with your mother and me. Your real family.” He insisted, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. The anger inside of Mirabel mixed with the confusion and fear boiled over.
“I’m not your baby girl!” She shouted, removing his hand from her shoulder and sliding off the dog before he can stop her, dropping to the ground with a thud. She glanced around in a frenzy, trying to find an escape or an easy exit back to her family. They had emerged into a vast, cavernous realm that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The air was thick with an eerie, coopery scent and just overwhelming sense of foreboding. There was no sun down here, but giant crystals in the roof of this place glowed during the day and dimmed at night, acting as a day and night cycle.
The landscape was littered with towering obsidian cliffs, jagged peaked mountains piercing the sky. Rivers of molten gold dotted the landscape as well as one very large, central river that was filled with souls that moaned and was red in color and seemed to travel down the entire middle of this strange, endless place. Though this was the underworld, it wasn’t barren and deserted. There were strange, alien plants and trees that fit right in with the landscape.
In the distance, she swore she could see what appeared to be large cities of, including one that was golden and glowing like a beacon in this dark and alien world. There were paved roads and just what seemed to be an endless horizon that went on for who knew how long. But Mirabel was distracted most by the giant, massive palace that loomed ahead of her. It was made of obsidian but the walls were filigreed with gold, and silver and gemstones of all kinds decorated the outside of the walls in murals. But mostly, twisting vines and roots snaked up the sides of the wall and beautiful elegant green trees sprouted out of the walls, leaves rustling in the wind. Blooming flowers of every imaginable hue wrapped around the trees and Mirabel was sure she could smell jasmine and lavender.
It was an oasis in the middle of the underworld.
It also reminded Mirabel too much of Isabela’s room, only multiped by ten.
“I can see your expression, I know it’s a lot. But it makes your mom happy so I put up with it. Regardless, welcome home, Princess.” Hades said, jumping off of Cerberus and dismissing the dog back to her gate. Already Hades return had spiked the interest of the Guard who upon seeing their king and presumably Princess began approaching to await for orders from their King.
Mirabel stared up at the palace, confused and overwhelmed from the sheer scale and splendor of it all. This couldn’t be her home now, as fancy as it looked. This had to be a dream. “This isn’t my home.” She said tearing her eyes away from the palace to glare at Hades. “My home is with the Madrigals, in Columbia. I am not a Princess, or your daughter.” She said defiantly. “I want to go home. Now.”
Hades let out a heavy sigh, the weight of eons etched upon his face as he knelt in front of his daughter again. “Look, I know this must be difficult to understand Mirabel,” He said giving her a sad look and cupping her cheek. Gone was the intimidating figure of Hades the God and in his place was Hades the father burdened by the gravity of his actions and love for his child. “But me and your mom love you so much.”
He moved his thumb over her cheek to brush away some trickling tears. “I know this isn’t exactly the most welcoming of realms, I admit.” Hades said with a low, humorless chuckle. “But this is where you belong Baby Girl. Here, at home with me and your mother. I know it will be hard-”
Hades found himself cut off as the anger inside of Mirabel boiled over and her hand connected with the side of his face followed by a giant glob of spit hitting him in the eye. Hades slowly stood up, wiping the spit from his face as he narrowed his eyes down at his daughter. This was going to be more difficult than he initially thought.