The Forgotten Witch

5 ~ Lexi

Lexi reclined in front of the chamber fireplace with Juniper on her chest and the ottoman under her feet. The child had eaten her fill, and they took the opportunity to nap together while Sella prepared Lexi's bath. Of course, Lexi wasn't asleep, and she listened to the voices of Hades and Elm as they entered the palace. Elm was on a rant, probably about the swings she had challenged her father to build.

Their banter continued up the staircase, and Lexi counted the footsteps as they neared the chamber door. One set was quicker and more determined than the other, and those feet entered the room without pausing, obeying the will of a pouty seven-year-old.

"Momma!" Elm said, pummeling the marble with her boots as she crossed the room. "Daddy wants to ask you something."

Hades walked casually over to Lexi and leaned down to kiss his baby daughter. After that, he treated Lexi to the same greeting. Then he lowered into his chair with a hissing sigh.

"How are you feeling, my love?" he asked as he settled in.

"Tired, but Juniper is content, a hot bath is being drawn, and Fiona is preparing potato leek soup. What is it you want to ask me?"

"Well, after thorough testing of the new swings, we have discovered they don't reach high enough for Elm and Ely to see over the wall properly. Elm has come up with a remedy, and she would like to present it to you now."

Hades gestured for Elm to take the floor, but this only seemed to annoy her as she stiffened her shoulders. "I just want a few stones taken down from the wall, that's all."

"How many is a few?" Lexi turned to Hades, who adopted his contemplative pose; one arm crossed over his chest and one finger tapping his chin. She knew he did this for Elm's benefit.

"I estimate five stones from the top row should do the trick. Then we can run a test and proceed from there." He raised his eyebrows and followed this up with an expression Lexi recognized as his silent plea for leniency.

"Is this so you can see Lars when he makes his rounds, Elm?" Lexi asked.

Elm nodded, although her gaze had turned to the fireplace, and she held up her hand as she stretched for the heat. Lexi knew Elm had become enchanted with the minotaurs, and Lexi couldn't help but encourage it. Relations between the gods and the minotaurs had improved significantly, with Lars and his Uncle Dram being the first underworld inhabitants to be allowed in Olympus.

"That's fine with me," Lexi said. "I would like to take a look if more stones need to come down. Fair enough?" She captured Elm in her uncompromising gaze, forcing her daughter to acknowledge her.

"Fair enough. C'mon, Daddy. Let's hurry before it's too dark."

Elm lifted Hades's arm from his chair and pulled, forcing Hades to comply. When they had disappeared into the hall, Sella bounded into the room with outstretched arms.

"Your bath is ready, my lady," she said. "I'll just take the little darling from you. That way you can enjoy a hot soak in peace."

Lexi grinned, letting Sella have her wish and handing over Juniper's swaddled body. She would have been perfectly fine to keep Juniper with her in the bath, but she didn't have the heart to disappoint Sella, and the nymph continued to make herself useful as she filled Lexi in on the happenings that took place while they were in Boston, particularly the arrival of a baby centaur to the northern herd.

When bath time ended, and Juniper was tucked into her crib, Lexi resumed her position on the chair, drifting back into semi-consciousness to the noise of hammers and picks outside in the yard. As the light from the window faded to lavender, so did the noise, and before long, Hades was dragging his exhausted body into the bath for a hot soak.

To accommodate Lexi and Juniper, the soup was taken in their room, and the nymphs made sure the children were clean when they arrived for dinner. Afterward, Elm and Ely read to Hades by the fireplace while Blythe cleaned up the empty bowls. The scrying mirror rang for the umpteenth time, and Blythe hurried to answer it, hopping over Cerberus lying sprawled in the middle of the room.

"It's probably another call to ask about the babe," she said. "Should I give them your regards again, your grace?"

"It should be Zeus," Lexi said. "I sent the announcement hours ago, and everyone else has called but him."

"Greetings, Odessa," said Blythe as she addressed the scrying mirror. "I hope you are well."

"Very well, thank you. I was calling to see about Lexi and the new baby. I want to congratulate the proud parents."

"Tell her thank you, Blythe," Lexi said over her shoulder. "And tell her she will have a chance to see Juniper when we attend the Lammas celebration."

Blythe recited Lexi's message, which was followed by a squeal from Odessa, and the call ended. Although Lexi was happy to hear from her friend, she was disappointed it wasn't Zeus. Lexi had worked hard to strengthen ties with her birth father, but his moods were stormier than all of his godly counterparts, and he could out-silence anyone if something was on his mind.

"Don't worry, Lexi. He'll get around to calling," Hades spoke behind Ely's head, offering his sympathies. "He still hasn't gotten over the fact that the world doesn't revolve around him."

"In that case, we'll be waiting forever for his call."

"Zeus loves us," Ely said as he looked up from his book about animals living in a busy town. "Maybe he's planning a surprise for baby Junip."

"It's Juniper, honey," Lexi gently corrected him.

"I know, but I like Junip. It's my nickname for her...like you call me honey."

"Don't forget about troublemaker and crybaby," Elm said as she tore pieces from a tattered book and flicked them into the fireplace.

"I'm not a crybaby anymore," Ely said with a scowl. "And you're the troublemaker. Everyone knows that."

"All right, you two. It's time for bed." As soon as Lexi uttered the command, Blythe hustled over to pick up the books scattered across the hearth.

Ely tumbled off his father's lap to help Blythe, while Elm took her time to rise from her spot. Lexi noticed her cheek had gone bright red from the fire. "Thank you for fixing the wall, Daddy," Elm said as she hugged Hades around the neck. "And for the swings."

"You're welcome, puppet. I'm glad things worked out on the first attempt."

Blythe led the children noisily out of the room, leaving the sound of a crackling fire in their place. Hades reached for the glass of wine he'd neglected during reading time, and after tipping a swallow over his lips, he leaned forward and held the glass out to Lexi.

"You look like you could use a sedative," he said, his eyes twinkling with humor.

"Do you mean because I have bags under my eyes and my posture is slouched?" she said, accepting his proffered glass.

"Certainly not. You look as beautiful as the day I met you. I know you're thinking about your negligent father."

Lexi had not been thinking about Zeus right then, but since Hades brought him up. "What's his problem, anyway? He goes on and on about protecting his legacy, yet he's too busy to acknowledge us."

"I hear you, and I agree fully. All of Olympus agrees with you, but trust me when I say there is nothing we can do but acknowledge his failings and live our lives. Why don't you put those unhelpful thoughts to rest and just enjoy our babe?"

Lexi smiled as she glanced through the slats of the crib where Juniper slept. Hades was right. She was the mother of three perfect children, a blessing for mortals and gods alike. Zeus had lost sight of that, and Lexi shouldn't have to organize a parade to get her father's attention. Toasting to her blessed life, she lifted the glass to her lips and sipped, letting the fruity beverage sweeten her tongue as she basked in the glow of the fire. With her devoted husband beside her, short of an apocalypse, Lexi knew nothing could sever their family ties. Certainly, not a god.