Once Upon a Winter's Spring

10. Let It Go

The chariot arrived at Aphrodite's place and Kori helped herself through the manor, looking for her best friend. She found Eros in a fountain, having a bath with his siblings while their mother sat nearby, grooming herself in the mirror.

"Oh hello, Kori dear." Aphrodite said with a quick look her way.

Eros heard his mother and excitedly looked to find his best friend coming in.

"Hi, Aphrodite." Kori casually said as she sat by the fountain.

"Hey, Kori." Eros said, swimming closer.

"Hey Cupid!" She took a look back at Aphrodite and leaned closer to Cupid, whispering: "Come on, get dressed! I just saw this amazing place!"

"Ooh, where are we going? It better not be anyplace dumb."

"No. It's really cool." She rolled her eyes and splashed water at him.

"So where is this really cool place?" Aphrodite startled them. Kore didn't think she'd heard.

"Oh.... uh ... around the water hole."

"The water hole?! What's so great about the water hole?"

Kori dunked her friend and gritted at him.

"I'll show you, when we get there."

"Oaah" Cupid finally caught on. "Uh, mom, can I go with Kore?"

They went over to his mom, asking permission.

"Well..."

"Pleeeease?" The friends asked in chorus, putting on their biggest smiles.

"Alright. But be back an hour before dinner."

"Alright!" The friends celebrated and Cupid flew to his room to put on some clothes.

Kori waited for him in her chariot and they were off to the watering hole.

"So, where're we really going?"

"Shh! Just wait."

The chariot dropped them at the watering hole and the driver went off to the parking. With no chaperone, Kori was finally eager to tell her friend.

"We're going out of Olympus!"

The cherub flew up in terror. "Are you crazy? Why would we go there?"

Kori rolled her eyes and pulled her friend down.

"Relax, you chicken! It's a place around aunt Hestia's house and it's really beautiful. You HAVE to come see it."

"Ok, but how are we going there?"

"Well you can fly, and I can have my plants take me!" She demonstrated her powers by willing vines under her feet.

"Come on let's go!" Kori went ahead and Cupid sighed before flying after her.

The farther past Olympus they got, the more nervous Cupid became. Soon Hestia's house was in sight but Kori didn't go closer, lest she be caught.

"Come on, this way." She lead a detour through the wild grass.

"This is creepy." Cupid stuttered.

"Shut up, we're almost there. Look!" Kori pointed over the cliff at the giant mansion made of black marble.

"Woah!" Cupid gasped, amazed. "Who's house is that?"

"Hades, duh!"

Cupid tripped on her vines.

"H-h-h-Hades?! Do you think he's really in there?"