Why Did She

"I'm so sorry, Hades," Zeus said silently.

The two brothers were not in the Great Hall of Olympus, where everybody could hear their conversation. Zeus knew better than talking about his brother's personal life in front of his throne to every other Olympian's ear.

Hades stared down the floor for the last hour, not looking up at the Supreme God's eyes. Zeus realized that. Hades was once always a proud, confident god. Never intimidated of anything, even when he was always strangely different from other gods.

All of this time, Zeus thought he was dark and miserable enough. But now, Hades couldn't even bare to show his own eyes. He seemed broken. The lost made everything else he ever achieved or possessed, worthless.

Zeus really meant what he said. The sadness was contagious, and he would help him if there were any way. There were none.

They stood in the balcony of Zeus' library silently for quite a moment. Zeus respected the silence.

"I never even said to her how much I loved her," Hades looked up to the scenery of the blue sky.

His brother's face was controlled, seeing Hades' dim eyes for the first time, listening.

"I told her everything, Zeus. Things I never said to anyone else," then Hades smiled a little, "Sometimes she would be so irritatingly stubborn, and I lost my temper, yelling at her that she would be my queen forever, accepting it or not, that I needed her there with me. No matter how long she needed, I swore to wait."

"But I never really said those three words," he glanced to Zeus.

Zeus wanted to ask why, but said nothing.

"Now I lost her."

Another brief of silent was with them. Until Zeus spoke again,

"You could have kept her, you know. I know you well, brother you do not bow at my orders. Death of the earth wouldn't be your problem, and those dead mortals wouldn't even burden you that much. But still, you let her go."

Hades looked at his eyes with no word. Zeus smile sadly.

"Love her that much, huh?"

The meeting was honestly unnecessary to Hades. Zeus would never change his mind, the order was already given. But he still insisted meeting Hades, to formally talk after he sent Hermes to take Persephone. Deep down Hades appreciated his brother, knowing that the whole meeting was about how sorry he is. But the earth must stay alive.

With his black robes strolling across the stairs, Hades way on his way out of Olympus Palace when he saw Eros leaning on a pillar with a goblet in his crossed hands. Hades stopped steps and glare viciously, it was a weak glare though, he wasn't in the mood to even look at the bastard. He continued to walk and turned his way out.

Eros frowned at Hades' rude greetings, and then followed calmly behind.

"Tell me, My Dark Fellow, you are not going to hate me now, are you?"

Hades' long steps made Eros followed faster.

"Do not speak to me," he answered in a low, deadly voice.

"Oh come on now. You think I caused all of these feelings you have for her? That if I hadn't shot you with my arrow, the pain you feel now wouldn't exist?" Eros was talking in an arrogantly amused manner. "Well let me tell you a secret, the love you felt, was all your own decision. My arrow merely released the feeling and compassion you had all along inside you."

Eros fastened his steps to catch up, he talked louder, not sure if Hades was listening. He said, "When I shot you, you suddenly fell for her. But it was you, who chose to love her."

His voice softened at the last sentence, and that stopped Hades.

Never turning to Eros, he whispered, "Why did you do this to me?" his voice was calm, no trace of demand. The god of love didn't answer, not sure what he was asking.

"Why?" Hades asked again lower, "Why was I the only one shot by your arrow?"

Eros raised his eyebrow, understand what Hades meant.

Why did he choose to give Hades an unrequited love?

"Do you even how it felt, when the maiden you love looked up at you in disgust? Move away when you sat beside her? Shiver at your harmless touch?" it was as if Hades' voice was even too tired to talk about it. He shook his head and walked again gracefully, pleading Eros to leave him alone.

"How do you know that I didn't shot her as well?" The God of love said with his head held high, not following him again.

Lord of the Underworld was not interested in listening to this sick god anymore. It was enough, he thought. He didn't like someone else talking about his suffering now.

"Is that really what you think? Persephone not feeling the same as you are?" Eros said again. "Then explain this," he spoke louder.

"Why sometimes when you weren't looking, she stares at you, wondering if you were feeling okay?"

Hades kept walking.

"Why lately she doesn't want you to leave her alone in the dark garden of yours? Lately she preferred your company instead locking herself, didn't she?

Was he watching us? Hades growled inside. Though something inside his chest twitched in thought if that were ever true.

"Why was she angry when she misunderstood you with that nymph?"

Those large steps slowed, his fist grasping itself tighter.

"She does not fear you, but why didn't she ran away with that human Adonis, which in my opinion, they would've make a good couple?" Eros continued innocently.

That was it. The Dark Lord was way stronger than the young Love God, he turned with shaking anger and lifted the young god up with his power and slammed him to the wall. The palace shook a bit and the wall was cracked into a hideous damage.

"How dare you speak about my private life!" he roared.

Eros wasn't hurt of course, only irritated. "Were you not listening to anything I said?" He tried to sit up and cleaned his arms from the cracking walls, shaking his head, this god was even impossible to talk with. Crazy old god, he thought.

"Never speak that condemned mortal's name again in my presence," Hades pointed his finger to Eros, and was about to turn and leave him before he chuckled and said,

"Oh yes, and above all else, explain this," Eros spat out the dust from the wall.

"Why did she eat the pomegranate... in purpose?"

Time froze.

Hades turned to see Eros again, wide eyes, "What?"