What the hell

Even when leaving, he refused to offer his hand, but when he did on getting on the chariot, I happily obliged.

Not.

This brought a frown to the otherwise void face, and he sported it almost halfway back home.

"Is there where I will go after I finish treating you?" I looked back to where my memories will no longer be mine to remember.

The flames of ember danced with amusement. "And why would you go there." Was his short answer, leaving me in a fearful smile.

Is it really as I feared what it is that I had done? I hadn't given much thought while breaking my cousin's nose nor his curses. My mouth hung open.

The misuse of power on the weak. That must be it.

"Is there really no way? I am dead and now I...."

He almost seemed to have wanted to laugh. "You are not dead mortal." The matter of fact tone made it harder to believe.

"What?" The question was a weak murmur. But as I drew near to hyperventilation I could no longer seem as calm.

"What?!!!?"

"Your soul and your body haven't parted." The words were uttered slowly with careful calm as if to prevent the breaking of the fragile mind of a child.

But I was lost, like in those never-ending corridors. "What about the fall? The prison I woke up in?"

"You were a creature of unknown origin and living, the guards only followed protocol in keeping in prison till you gained consciousness."

Creature? Did he just call a girl a creature?

Ignoring my accusing eyes he continued. "The well was a gateway used by Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, and was left forgotten for centuries. The only other to know of its existence was the High Priest of the Temple built to guard it, even he was never given access and neither did he dare."

"Is there really a curse cast over the place?"

"No, it was only a tale woven by the inhabitants of the village which existed close to the temple." He looked like he was remembering an incident of the past.

"Why isn't it sealed, people, may find it," I commented, forgetting about the revenge I ought to extract for hiding the fact that I was alive from me.

His slit pupils focused on me, the amber in them growing darker and divider and ones again I found myself to be the recipient of the rage and coldness that brew behind them.

To my luck, it quickly went away and his usual indifference replaced it as he went his way to embarrass me. "People rarely go into those parts of the forest."

I noticed the cunning, evil like light flashing in his eyes. "But I believe normal people do not jump into wells or fall asleep in other's bed. Or neither tries to undress someone without their permission nor be impolite enough to ignore an offered hand."

Every word struck home, leaving bloody holes in my self-esteem.

I did not try to undress him....without his consent! I felt my cheeks warming up to display my embarrassment in a shade of red.

It was practicality and logic were the ones who stopped me from punching him. Managing to cross my hands and turned away trying concentrate on the sense of happiness of realizing that I was alive.

The moment the chariot grazed the ground at the palace gates, a soldier rushed forward bowing deeply before engaging in a conversation with Hades who was already off.

I picked up the reins not wanting to get off just yet. The moment I held it in my hand and made plans to ride off into the blazing sun, Hades' voice startled me.

"Get down." Seems like he saw through my plan and I obliged without a word of protest.

I bid goodbye to the glories of Hell' steeds.

As I followed him in, a suspicion of sorts urged me to hold his hand and my brows furrowed with concern.

"How did the fever get back up like this? You said that the light in paradise doesn't affect you. Then how?" I asked stretching my hand to his forehead.

Through hooded eyes, he looked down at me. "Being a God my presence isn't restricted to this body. In a way, my soul spreads everywhere in the Underworld and worlds beyond it and I cannot remain ideal."

My legs tapped uncontrollably with impatience and frustration.

"Okay you are a King and have things to do, but that doesn't mean that you can cross out your health from your 'to take care of' list. You should be thankful that I made a little more of the medicine."

Now, where in this hell did I get the confidence to scold him? Maybe he noticed my fear of being turned into a roasted duck for pictured me as if like I just did.

For a long slender finger tapped my forehead and the stagnant lips stretched into a soft smile.

"I believe you would like to leave. I will make the arrangements." He said before turning swiftly to disappear into the crowd of awaiting soldiers.

It was only a few seconds later that I recovered and noticed the awful amount of people who had gathered. There were many who looked out of place and I clearly saw a maid try to hide her spatula dripping fresh dough.

How did they get here so fast? Seems like word travel faster here than a rumor in high school.

"Yu," I called out to the black haired guard, someone I was literally scarred from our meeting. His lean muscular figure walked over and his eyes searched for the small bump of my forehead left after my accidental detour into his armor.

"It's fine now." My hand reflexively touched the stop which was no longer as visible and painful.

He closed his mouth killing the question with it. "Can you help me find Will because Hades seems to have abounded me." I motioned to where the lonely God was last seen.

"I will help you" His phoenix eyes turned crescent as he smiled and one simple motion of his hand made the rest of the curious onlookers leave.

"This way Lady Elizabeth."

The honorifics made my face crunch involuntarily, but he had stuck to using it even when I had said otherwise.

"So did you have your lunch, Honorable and renowned Lieutenant general Yu of the army of the Underworld?" I smiled in triumph watching his expression change. "Yeah, I know who are Honorable and renowned Lieutenant general Yu of the army of the Underworld."

"Lady Elizabeth you do not have to recognize me by my tile." He sincerely said.

I shook my head, disagreeing. "No Honorable and renowned Lieutenant-general of the army of the Underworld, I will. Not as long as you call me Lady Elizabeth." The phoenix eyes were given a fright.

"I am afraid I cannot do that, you are our Lord's Doctor..." Before he could add Lady Elizabeth I interjected. "Then I am sorry Honorable and renowned.."

"Elizabeth."

"Huh?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Elizabeth." It was a plead.

We found Will within a small time span for it turned out that he was searching for me. Without giving it another thought I hugged him, and after a startled moment of inactiveness, he hugged me back with twice the strength.

"I heard that you even made him smile." He patted my shoulder like a proud parent when he pulled back.

"Yeah, with my life on the line." I pointed out. "Hey, why didn't you tell me that I was alive?" I asked with a sparingly sweet smile.

He raised his hands in defense. "I didn't know that you thought that you were dead." And in an attempt to change the subject, he pointed at Yu, who had quietly excused himself. "Why did he look so scared?"

"He got to know me." Was the only explanation I provided.

Will walked with me as I said my goodbyes. The cooks were kind enough to prepare their special coffee. Every now and then I asked around for Hades, but none knew of his whereabouts.

I concluded that he was busy and that I had to leave without a word of farewell when one of the guards informed me that the means of transport was prepared. It was time for me to leave.

With Will's help, I got the required items to make the medicine again and left it in a basket by his bed. The hot pink bow tied to it was Will's idea.

The charming friend of the God of the Underworld held onto my hand tightly all along the way and my heart bugged me to ask him if he was upset with me leaving. I knew I was.

This gentle warrior made it harder to leave; his kind blue orbs that evoked a sense of comfort would be missed most. His face morphed to form a smile before pushing open the reveal my awaiting ride.

My eyes immediately narrowed turning its ice-cold gazes to Will, accusation and the murder intent clear behind them. But Will had the gut to appear innocent, pretending to have not known the fact that it was the Lord of the Underworld who was my assigned driver.

"You should be resting."

Will found it to be the right time to present forward his excuse in a rushed whisper. "You would have asked for a new driver if you knew it was him."

Following immediately after was a set of domineering blank words."Little girl, I am a God, I can do whatever I please."

Knowing there was no use in waging a war of argument I helped myself into his chariot, a pout taking form as I did. Coming up the sides of the magnificent chariot, Will, found it necessary to ruffle my hair, but this I decided to go on the offensive and messed up his platinum locks into small sand dunes.

"Hey!" It was his pleas that were heard this time around. I grinned in true happiness. "Now you feel me."

He laughed and when it died down he looked at Hades, words in silence passed through his eyes. Turning back to meet my eyes, he said. "I will miss you." Painfully they felt as they were spoken with formality and politeness.

I knew that I held no importance in his world and that I must have been only one of the hundreds who he meets and forgets each day.

Trying to keep the hurt away, I used a tone of coolness and calm. "Me too." I do not know whether my true feeling passed through as he smiled, never finding it too late to tease. "Stay evil, kitten." I smiled the smile of a perfect poster child as the chariot went into motion.

It seemed I could not overcome the excitement each time the magnificent black beasts took off. Even when the horses slowed the chariot did not fall under the force of gravity but remained levitating.

We flew across the breathtaking lands of the Underworld to reach a cave well hidden under the curtain of creepers. Upon entering, the world went dark, only to be lit up by the ancient torches at each of the carved walls.

We progressed forward till we were directly below a circular film of water. Indulged in curiosity, I was startled by the sudden command of a voice of power and authority. "Hold on."

I vaguely registered the sight of the horses flying upwards, their long tails tangling with the reins as a pair of strong hands pulled me forward and against a warm chest.

Moments later, the chariot followed behind vertically from the ground. I had the urge to scream from where my head looked over his shoulder at the distant growing ground.

I obediently executed his order and wrapped my arms around him and found his arms that held me to be my tragic heroes, but my footing was greatly-off-balance. I felt like I was laying on a bed with a large hole below my knees.

The strangest thing was my heart that beat at the speed of fifty miles per hour and I prayed that he did not hear it. I tried to calm down by reminiscing on the fact that I only reached up to his collarbones.

My unbound shoulder-length hair blew into my mouth when I asked. "Why are there no seatbelts?" I regretted opening my mouth when one of his hands let go to ruffle my hair.

It was out of reflex, and maybe the haziness caused due to shock that I ended up punching him in the stomach.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Did I just punch a god? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I blame Will for this outcome.

"You do get annoyed by that." My face which had ironically hidden in the clothes of the same person it was hiding from, peaked out, on hearing his remark.

I paged in shock of what I saw, so close to my widen eyes. Hades was smiling. There was no crease below the eyes, no movement of the cheeks, only a faint curve to the lips and the top row of aligned teeth showing, but on this face it made me wonder whether I was vaporized.

From under his messy hair peeked eyes of hazel that shown like sunlight on polished stones. And within such close proximity, I finally noticed the blue within the ambers which rimmed the inner edges of his eyes.

Infinite streaks of Deep sea blue lining his pupils.

Straining my eyes elsewhere, I managed to reply. "It does annoy me." But my eyes were drawn back to his when he said.

"I thank you, Elia Rain Airlea "

How...how did he know my name? Have I told him my name and if so why call me Elia instead of Elizabeth?

The entrance of the well grew closer and I missed the movements of hands that took hold of my face. "When it is time for you to be judged, show this King a life worth pride." My legs were already on solid-ground and his hands left me to the cold air.

Giving me only a cursory glimpse of his haunting smile, he faded away like a forgotten dream I woke up to.

Is this the end?