HADES (Ruby Rose fanfic)

ELEVEN (Iselen P.O.V)

The crunch of apples echoes through the Erebus when the three jaws of the powerful animal clench suddenly and I step back scared seeking refuge in Ruby's... Hade's arms instinctively. She chuckles and leaves a soft kiss on my nape before releasing me.

"Don't be scared, Cerberus would never hurt you..." I swallow hard and move one step hesitating before looking up, even when he's lying down those three muzzles are hanging very high above my head: this dog is massive, with a fur black as coal, and his eyes shine like the Tartarus fire is burning inside them. He could crush me easily with one of his paws while he eats my apples that have the size of a walnut for him actually... but he seems to like them and his snouts sniff around me looking for more. I extend my arm terrified and touch his head close to one of his pointy ears like the ones of the wolves... the fur is soft... I open my eyes in surprise, I wasn't expecting that. The other two heads get closer looking for their share of strokes too and Hades needs to help me since I only have two hands.

"The guardian of the underworld is a lap dog," I whisper in shock while scratching his muzzles in turns with my hands.

"No, he's not... but he's missed you like we all did." Hades whispers next to me and I remain silent while taking more apples from my bag and tossing them upwards for Cerberus to catch them. Every time Ruby mentions the years I spent here as Queen of the Erebus I don't know what to say, I don't have any memory from that past life, if it's true that happened, and I don't want to raise false hopes: I don't want her to believe that this is a permanent settlement since I can't live here, I have my mum and my employees waiting for me. She promised me that she was taking care of that and they wouldn't notice my absence because they think I'm on a business trip but I'll have to go back for the spring harvesting sooner or later.

"Do you have a knife?" Ruby looks at me frowning but takes one from her biker jacket quickly. She's still dressing like Hell Bitch would do: boots with silver rivets, black leather pants, a black shirt made of silk with a red rose printed and a leather jacket but those clothes are of excellent quality and they look majestic on her body like the military uniform of a king. I cut in half the last two apples and hand her the knife back before getting closer to the four impressive black horses that draw her cart cautiously, they're as terrifying as Cerberus because they're massive and probably could kill me with a kick of their golden hooves. The tattooed hand of their mistress enters my field of vision in order to hold the reins and the animals remain quiet chewing their pieces of fruit.

"Let's go, I want to take you to a special place where we can eat."

"Okay... Goodbye Cerberus, I'll be back soon with more apples..." I can't keep talking because I have to cover my ears with my hands since the three-headed dog is barking in joy and has almost deafened me while Hades tries to make him stop.

"I'm sorry," she whispers and I smile shaking my head... it's not her fault.

I jump in the cart standing in the middle like she's taught me: the truth is that it didn't look like the most reliable means of transport when we left the palace this morning and I spotted it in front of the door, to be honest, but Ruby drives it like a pro. She jumps behind me and puts her arms around my waist taking the reins, this way her body protects me from bumps when the horses start trotting down the stony slope. I can see from this height the full extent of the Hades clearly, crossed by its five rivers that converge in the middle, the vast plain of the Asphodel Meadows and far away de dark palace and the Elysian Fields that are green again now that the drought doesn't affect them anymore. I turn my head slightly so I can catch a glimpse of the Acheron River shinning under the dim light, shadows are arriving nonstop and they head slowly to the courtyard where the three judges are waiting for them but I haven't been able to meet the famous ferryman who carries them yet.