Chapter 3
“Please tell me you are not even considering asking that Philip boy to rule with you. People doubt you enough as is, Daniel,” Hades says as he frowns at is son. Dan crosses his arms and shrugs.
“So what if I was? He’s capable, loyal, has the perfect attitude to rule, and not to mention he’s been my mate for 6,000 years. Who else would I want to choose?”
“There are plenty of others. In fact, I wanted to talk to you because I found you a wonderful girl that is--” Hades is quickly cut off by Dan standing up and growling.
“Why can’t you just accept me? Literally every god, demigod, goddess, and pretty much everyone else isn’t straight! There are plenty of others that are like me and are just as powerful, if not more so! I get it, you wanted me to be like you, but that isn’t how it played out! I can’t choose any of this and you know that, so why can’t you just at least tolerate it?” Dan yells, staring down at his father. He tries not to let the tears fall, refusing to cry and look weak. Hades stands up as well, towering over Dan.
“I did not raise a pansy. You will listen to me as your father and the ruler of this land. Do not forget your place. I can easily have you and that bloodsucker exiled and have a new heir to this throne.” Hades says, glaring down at Dan.
“Y-You wouldn’t…” Dan stutters, looking up at Hades with wide eyes.
“I can and I would. Now leave, and don’t even think about talking to me until you’ve come to your senses,” Hades says coldly, leaving the room. Dan stands there in his father’s study in shock. This is it. He has to choose between being respected and able to see his family or his happiness and his mate. He takes a deep breath and gathers himself enough to leave the castle.
Phil is walking around the forest, trying to keep his mind off his life which seems to be falling apart. He sighs and sits in a clearing, taking the little velvet box out of his pocket. He sighs softly and looks at the intricate twist and turns of the silver ring, a beautiful gem in the center. He carries it with him always, never knowing when the opportunity to use it will present itself.
Dan goes straight to the forest once he leaves the castle, running before Cerberus can see him leave and alert his parents. He runs and runs until he can’t anymore, eventually coming to a stop in a clearing and falling to his knees as he tries to catch his breath. He coughs a few times, his chest heaving, but all he could care about was being as far from the castle as possible.
Phil looks up when he sees movement out of the corner of his eye, seeing Dan fall to his knees and start coughing. He quickly puts the ring away and hesitantly makes his way over to Dan, not sure if his presence welcome.
“Dan..?” Dan jumps when he hears his name, looking up and seeing Phil. A fresh wave of tears hit and he lets out a weak sob.
Phil immediately sits next to Dan, pulling him into his arms and doing his best to comfort him.
“What happened? Was it your father again?” Phil asks quietly, gently tilting Dan’s head up so he can wipe the tears off his face.
“He’s getting worse, Phil. He’s threatening to exile both of us now if I don’t do what he wants. I don’t have a choice anymore. You don’t deserve to be exiled just because you’re my mate.”
“I feel like I shouldn’t have to tell you that I wouldn’t care if I got exiled if it meant that you got the chance at happiness and the life you deserve, Dan. Do what will make you happy, even if it means I have to deal with the consequences with you. That’s kind of the whole point of us being mated, y’know,” Phil says, looking down at Dan with a small smile. Dan sniffles and hugs Phil tighter.
Dan is quiet for a moment, taking a couple deep breaths. “Can we go to your place? I don’t want Cerberus to find me if he notices I’m missing.” Dan stands up, helping Phil up as well.
“Of course. Let’s go to my mums’; they’ve been dying to see you again.” Phil smiles, the two of them walking in comfortable silence to Phil’s parents’ house. They took the long route in order to avoid the castle and the village. Dan didn’t need the word to get out that he was sneaking around with Phil.
The two arrived to the Lesters’ house, greeted by two very bubbly women ushering them inside.
“It’s been ages, Dan! Have you grown?” “Is Phil remembering to give you the time of day? He’s so forgetful. Just like his mother.” “You forget your anniversary one time and you can never live it down.” “It was a big milestone, Adoni.”
Dan and Phil watched as Phil’s mums playfully bickered, just as in love as they’ve always been. Dan hopes that if everything works out he and Phil will turn out like them.
“Anyways, ignore Kassiopeia; she’s just bitter I forgot our 30,000th wedding anniversary last year. It’s nice to see you again, Dan. We know life has been hectic for you.” Adoni smiles sadly, resting a comforting hand on Dan’s shoulder. Dan puts in the extra effort to only shrug with his other shoulder, needing the comfort.
“It’s alright. It’s just my father, mainly, but I’ll be okay.” Dan tacks on a quiet “hopefully” at the end of his sentence.
“You’ll always have a place here if it ends up going south,” Kassiopeia says, getting up to make them all some tea.
Phil wraps his arm around Dan’s waist and kisses his temple. “It’ll all work itself out. I promise.”
Dan leans into Phil and sighs softly. “I really hope it does.”
Eventually, Dan has to go back to the castle. His father and mother all waiting for him, his father looks disappointed and his mother looks apologetic.
“We know you left with that vampire to do god knows what. You may think that because you are nearing 30,000 that you definitely have free reign over your life, but you don’t. You are a prince and you shall be held to a higher standard. I will not have my child tarnishing my family’s reputation. You are not to leave this castle until you agree to marry a woman that I have deemed worthy,” Hades says firmly, Persephone glancing up at him before shaking her head slightly.
“You can still help me in the gardens, though. Come on; there’s a lot of new seeds that I need to plant that I got from the market.” Persephone walks over to Dan, giving him a small, sad smile as they make their way towards the gardens.
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“16,000 years I’ve been with Phil and he just expects me to leave him? Doesn’t he understand how a physical bond works? I can’t just say ‘hey, I’m breaking up with you’ and it’ll be done! I love him and I want to have him by my side through my reign and afterwards! Why does he have to be such a prick?” Dan rants, pacing through the garden while Persephone tends to the plants.
“Your father has always been like this, Dan. He was like this when I brought up the fact that I’m not straight. If I wasn’t his wife and the only woman willing to deal with his shit, he probably would have cast me aside already.” Persephone sighs and angrily stabs at the dirt with her shovel. “Your father is an asshole, but when he’s not being rude and self-centered he’s actually not half bad,” she says with a small shrug. “Get Phil over here and talk to him. Your father is busy in a meeting so it’ll buy you some time to explain all of your father’s bullshit,” she tells Dan, kissing his forehead and standing up. “I’ll let you know when your father is near.” She leaves the gardens and goes into the castle, leaving Dan to have a bit of freedom.
Dan quickly runs as fast as he possibly can to Phil’s house, greeted by his mothers at the front door.
“Dan! Phil’s upstairs if you need him,” Kassiopeia says, letting Dan in. Dan quickly says a ‘thank you,” while running upstairs and bursting into Phil’s room.
“I don’t have any time to explain here but I need you to come back to my place so I can explain everything that’s happened. My dad will kill me if he notices I’m gone,” Dan rushes out, still trying to catch his breath.
“Come on, then. He’s probably got a guard looking for you already.” Phil gets up and grabs Dan’s hand, the two running back to Dan’s place. They stay in the gardens, Dan trying to figure out how to explain all of this.
“My dad has decided that I can’t be in a relationship with a man because he’s the only homophobe in all of Greece. He’s got a woman that he’s deemed worthy and wants me to marry her. He’s expecting me to leave you and break our bond because he doesn’t want a gay kid ‘tarnishing his family’s reputation.’ It’s not right, but there’s nothing I can do about it that won’t end in me losing everything and dragging you down with me. I don’t know what to do, Phil. I can’t leave you but I can’t just give up everything either. I’m not allowed to leave the castle until I choose and I’, so lost. What am I supposed to do?” Dan sits down in the middle of the garden, his previous anger dissolving into dejection. Phil sits next to him and grabs his hand, sighing softly.
“Go through with his plans. Talk to the girl and try to figure out a way to have you take the throne and keep your dad happy and you and I can just… Stay in the shadows until he isn’t a threat anymore, then we’ll figure it out from there. Do what you have to do to secure your spot on the throne and don’t worry about me much. We’ll be okay,” Phil says, kissing Dan’s temple and pulling him close. Dan melts into the embrace, looking up at Phil.
“Are you sure about all of that? The last thing I want is to end up hurting you…” Dan says quietly, knowing that this could easily backfire and ultimately destroy their relationship.
“Of course I am. I trust you enough to do this. Plus, what kind of person would I be if I selfishly made you give up your life just so we could be together?” Phil asks rhetorically.
Their conversation is interrupted by Persephone coming back to the gardens and warning them that Hades is coming back from his meeting to make sure Dan is still her and Phil isn’t. Phil stands up, helping Dan up and hugging him tightly. “Go find that girl and talk to her. I’ll come back tonight and check up on you,” Phil says quickly, the two barely having the time to share a kiss and exchange “I love you”s before Phil has to leave.
“Your father isn’t in a good mood, so be careful with him, yeah?” Persephone says as she starts working in the garden again, Dan helping out so it looks like that’s all they’ve been doing. Dan can’t help but feel a bit sick at the thought of what he’s about to do.
Hades shows up a few moments later, a scowl on his face as he walks through the gardens and finds Dan and Persephone. “So, Daniel, have you thought about what I’ve told you?” he asks, his arms crossed behind his back.
“Actually, I have, father,” he says, taking a deep breath and glancing at his mother’s concerned face before he turns to his father. “I’ll agree to rule alongside the woman you have picked out for me. I have one condition, though. We do not marry until the both of us feel we are ready to. Whether it be before or after I take the throne,” Dan says, not willing to budge on this. He watches as his father smirks and chuckles like he’s won.
“I knew you just needed a push to come to your senses. Come with me and I’ll introduce you to each other.” Hades turns on his heel, walking back into the castle with Dan following behind. Dan tries to ignore the small sob his mother lets out as they walk away.
Dan is led to a room on the far end of the castle, far from his own room. Inside is a woman around his age reading in a chair by the window.
“Elpis. My son here has come to the decision to marry you. I would like for the two of you to get acquainted with each other before the coronation,” Hades says with a smile, pushing Dan into the room and closing the door behind him. Dan waits until he can’t hear anymore footsteps before he starts speaking.
“I don’t want to marry you,” he blurts out, Elpis looking hurt and offended. “It’s not because of you! I’m just not straight and I’ve already got a mate of my own but my father is forcing me to be with you or my mate and I will be exiled and I’m so sorry but you have to help me. You’re my last hope of a chance at not having to leave my mate,” Dan says in a rush, a pleading look in his eyes as he watches the emotions flitter across Elips’ face. The looks range from anger to pity to sadness, but eventually the look on her face settles on one of determination.
“What do I have to do?”