The Blue Rose

A very long time ago.

Zeus's laughter rang out, from the halls of Olympus to the bowels of the Underworld. Hades had been startled the first time he heard it, until he realized the sounds were coming from upstairs, not down. 

Explains why Mother had to hide him in a cave with Kouretes. The warrior/dancers had not only trained his youngest brother but the clank of their weapons had hidden his cries from their father. Now Hades understood that it wasn't just a cute anecdote, but an absolute necessity. The guy really had no concept of quiet or composure.

On the third or fourth peel, Hades slammed his fist on the desk and stood facing the general direction it was coming from. "Do you mind? Some of us actually have duties to attend to!" His voice would never reach the great hall but anger was one of the few things he could still feel, though not intensely, so he indulged. "What in the hell is so funny anyway?!"

"A joyous occasion!" Hermes sang as he 'appeared' in front of the desk. He didn't actually teleport around like some deities did, he was just too fast to see coming. The youthful deity had a scroll clutched in his hand and positively vibrated with news he carried. Another of the few things Hades could indulge in was to prolong such conversations. His cousin was so easily frustrated.

Or was it half-sibling? Or Nephew? Family lines were so complicated when you had such a small genetic pool to select from. It didn't really matter, they were adults and had their places in the universe.

"Hermes, what a pleasure. Sit! Have a drink!" Hades waved a hand and a highball glass appeared with a decanter of his private stock of liquor. As a messenger, the other god was safe from harm but also bound to accept the generosity he was offered.

"Oh, how about later? I have more stops to make. All of them in fact." 

Interesting. "Don't tell me I'm first on the drop list," he said as he poured the dark liquor half way and offered it.

Nervously, Hermes accepted the glass "Well, second. But only because Poseidon was on the way." The hand with the glass lowered out of sight, attempting to conceal it, while the one bearing the scroll came forward in offering. 

Hades purposely ignored it. Several other gods were also on the way, so if he and Poseidon were first it must be big. Which meant he could toy with his guest a bit more. "And how is my brother in his kingdom beneath the seas?"

"He is well. Jubilant with the news I brought him." Hermes gave the scroll a little shake. Standing still was the bane of his existence and he was getting impatient. 

"And his queen?" Hades smiled darkly, knowing how tormenting this was.

A small twitch was developing at the corner of his eye as Hermes again gestured with the scroll. "Also celebrating, as you will too."

Hades relented and took the missive from his cousin/nephew/sibling. "Fine, fine, be on your way." The sound of the others voice giving thanks was literally all that was left of him. Vaguely there was the sound of splashing in one of the potted 'plants' and the ring of the glass being set back on the desk. "That was better brandy than you'll ever get on Olympus" he chided anyway. "Who wastes good liquor on a sculpted plant?" As he unfurled the parchment his expression changed. No more annoyance but genuine surprise. So genuine he was at a loss for words. 

Hours later

The Hall of Twelve Thrones was packed with deities, nymphs, fairies and even a few Titans (the ones who had fought with their nieces and nephews of course). Hades was not one for socializing. The politics the lesser gods engaged in was pitiful and it wasn't like anyone would ever want to take his throne. Even the members of the Dodekatheon, the twelve gods who lived and sat here running the show weren't ideal company. 

Zeus and Hera stood shaking hands at the other end of the receiving line. Poseidon sat on his throne just to the right of their brother's and his wife stood dociley beside it. Pan was  engaging them in conversation but as Amphitrite felt it wasn't her place, Poseidon did all the talking. 

On the other side of the room, Athena stood in front of her throne, her weapons and papyrus occupying the seat. Her companion Owl was perched on her forearm as his master spoke to an unknown nymph. Beside her, the twins sat on the arms of their own seats speaking and gesturing wildly of their adventures apart, needing to share with their literal other half.

Hades was also a twin. Few knew, since the trauma of their early life made it difficult to be around each other. His sister Hestia was once enthroned here but had relinquished her seat to live a more practical and domestic life. Was she even here? His chest tightened at the possibilities of both seeing her and not seeing her. He scanned the room again. Aphrodite whispering to Ares while her husband Hephaestus spoke to his Cyclops coworkers, Demeter speaking to the newly appointed Dionysus, Hebe carrying a tray while Hermes buzzed over her head, flirting shamelessly. He hadn't spotted her anywhere among them and the scales tipped under the weight of his limited emotions. A slight frown was all the outer world saw.

Turned out, that was all it needed to see. Aphrodite approached and spoke in a low tone. "She's outside, Nephew." There wasn't anything else that needed to be said. Hades gave her a polite nod and went to the open terrace.

She sat at her true throne, tending the eternal flame of life in a brazier she traveled with. She turned when she heard his purposely louder footfalls and smiled sadly. It was as difficult for her to see him, especially now, with his frozen heart.

Hestia. First born, first devoured. Last returned. His opposite. His equal. She was heavily cloaked, her honeyed brown hair hidden beneath a greyed hood. Her face was unlined with wrinkles, vitality not vanity shining forth.  She rose and addressed him. "Brother."

Had his heart been functional it would have broken at the soft whisper. She was so much apart from all of them, even him, and she didn't deserve it. She had been so frightened of the world when they returned to it and he had wrapped her in her first cloak and held her just as he had in their prison. The guilt should be consuming him. Damn Zeus. 

"Sister." He came forward and raised his arms to embrace her. It was awkward, both of them knowing the offer was more from a sense of duty than tenderness. 

"How is your kingdom," she asked, nervously picking at her sleeve and not meeting his gaze.

Hades lowered his arms and took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "Sterile." It wasn't exactly cold or lonely. It was filled with souls doing the same things the same way, over and over. The few who were able to break the pattern of existence usually moved on before becoming of consequence.

"Sterile?" The word seemed to amuse her. 

"Alright, stagnant." 

She smiled. "How strange." 

Hades would have asked what she meant but a large hand clamped onto his shoulder. Zeus drew him into a crushing hug, "Hades! About time you got here! Come! I know you want to see the good news for yourself! Hestia, dear!" Their brother waved her over. They all knew she barely tolerated being touched and would wither if handled as roughly as her twin. "You come too. This is a day for all the family to rejoice!"

Not all the family. Hades mused as he was led to the center of the hall. Hera was bent over a raised column of cloud with Demeter blocking line of sight. Zeus released his grasp, moving to shoo the other immortals aside, and Hestia replaced his hand with her own. As their sisters shifted, the cradle was brought into full view and a soft coo rose from the babe within.

As the eldest of the gods approached, first a glow was visible, then a hand. Finally, a face.

"He looks like you", Hestia whispered to Hera. 

"He does." Poseidon had joined them.

"But his father's eyes," Demeter added. She couldn't stop booping the infant on the nose and murmuring along with him. 

Hermes was making a bet with Apollo. Twenty drachmas that Demeter would be the next to birth. Apollo offered ten, stating that it would be within the next decade. 

Hades glanced at his siblings, all of which were misty eyed and overflowing with emotion. Hestia was the one who finally put the words everyone was thinking out into the open and he could help but squeeze her shoulder in agreement. "This is what we fought for."

"Indeed." Three voices came from the entrance of the great hall, scratchy and wavering from eons of prophecy. The fates or Moirai, were usually present at the birth of immortals, but for some reason, unease passed through the crowd as they parted even further to allow the crones to pass.

Zeus received them as he had everyone else but Hestia sank back, hiding behind Athena and Apollo. As keeper of the flame, she was privy to many of the events the fates wove and was wary. Her other siblings took heed and prepared themselves.

The three had arranged themselves before the crowd according to tradition, Clotho at a spinning wheel, Lachesis with a measuring stick and Atropos holding the cutting shears. They began their ritual weaving of the great tapestry, gathering from the past, seeing the present and forming the future.

"A new God born, first of his peers", Lachesis began.

"Born of a Father who dethroned his own, who dethroned his before him", Clotho added.

"The cycle will continue and tyrant again rise, unless the child have a mortal death and a mortal life." Atropos finished.