Her Quest

Chapter sixty

Penelope got up from the ground with the support of Adonis and Iaso. Her father grabbed her from their supportive hands and drew her into his. He kissed her head and reminded her how much she meant to him and also how proud he was to be her father.                                                                                                       Hades and Persephone reiterated her father’s words and stressed over the fact that she was going to make a great queen.                                                                              A dark haired, smiling woman that Penelope didn’t recognised stood in front of her. She then introduced herself as Psyche and Penelope was told by Adonis how she had helped by extracting her soul from the Bident.                                                 She thanked the Goddess of souls for her assistance and then Psyche shortly deserted the hill, promising her for a visit in the future.                                                                                                                                  

Out of the corner of her eye, Penelope saw a motionless woman lying face up. Well, honestly there was no face left of her to be seen, but judging by the brown braided hair draped over her shoulder, Penelope knew that woman was unmistakeably Aphrodite.                                                                                                           Penelope bit on her bottom lip as she sought out Adonis’ eyes.                                                                                                                   He frowned at her and raised his one eyebrow slightly in question. She subtly tilted her head in the direction of where Aphrodite was lying down. She held him close to her and whispered in his ear.                                                                              “I’m so sorry, what happened?”.                                                                                    “There’s no need to be sorry or feel guilty, Penelope. She betrayed me. She offered you to Thanatos. Her death was most deserving” He answered her bitterly, a dark glare in his eyes as he stared at her lifeless form.         

                                                                                                                                                              Penelope nodded her head slowly, the prophesised words of the Oracle swimming around in her head. She interlocked her fingers with Adonis’ and placed her lips to his hand, her eyes falling closed.                                                    There was no doubt about what she felt for Adonis, but now that her quest was complete, his soul saved, and the war won, how would they go about their lives together in the Underworld? With her ruling as queen? Something she had no knowledge of.                                                                                                                              A single but beautiful distorted image popped up in her head. An image of promise, an image of the future.                                                                                    She opened her eyes and smiled slightly – despite the ever present dehydration whenever she had a vision. Adonis nudged Penelope with his shoulder, a question about what she found amusing spurring in his bright blue eyes.                                                                                                                                           Penelope shook her head and continued smiling, ignoring his unspoken query.                                                                                                                             Adonis tugged on Penelope’s hand and he mentioned to her that under no circumstances was he going to be allowing her to walk by herself. Penelope was still pretty weak and exertion numbed her limbs, so she allowed him to assist her in getting back to the lower region of the battlefield. Only once they were all back on the main grounds of Pedio Machis, was she feeling strong enough to walk without aid.                                                                                          

Penelope noticed Alex walking towards her, his upper body decorated with rich red blood, something seeping blood wrapped up in a dirty rag stuck beneath his arm.                                                                                                                                He looked different compared to the last time she saw him. He was no longer naively handsome with a dirty harsh mouth that needed antiseptic cleansing with all the filth that poured out of it without any filters.                                                  He now embraced his wickedness and dripped with authority as he confidently strode across the desert towards them.                                                                                                      The was a proud glint in his eyes and Penelope wondered whether he had conquered what he was born into this world for. If he had enough courage and potential to live up to his fateful name.                                                                                Alex smiled wickedly when he saw Penelope staring at him and she immediately rolled her eyes and averted her gaze with a huff.                                                                               He reached them and tossed the bundle he had been carrying towards Adonis. Adonis caught it swiftly with one hand, a frown settling on his forehead. Alex’s smile broadened, showing his perfectly straight white teeth.                                                        “A gift, your highness. The heart of the man who killed you” He said while performing a slight bow.

Adonis narrowed his eyes at Alex and then unwrapped the package he had been thrown.                                                                                                                             Neatly nestled in the covering was the bloody heart that once belonged to Ares. The red and pink fleshy large intestine was ornamentally arrayed around the formerly pumping organ. Penelope peered at the parcel in Adonis’ hands and immediately pulled a disgusted face at him.                                                                                                                Alex smiled impishly and shrugged.                                                                                                                                           “I guess you could say I kind of got carried away”.                                                                     Iaso rolled her eyes and removed the contents from Adonis’ hands, tossing it to the dry sand.                                                                                                                          “You have some nerve handing something of that sort to a King as a gift”. Alex shrugged nonchalantly and stifled a yawn.                                                                 “Alexiares, you are a noble warrior. However, I ask that you leave my presence this instant” Adonis said stiffly.                                                                                                 Alex huffed and rolled his eyes.                                                                                   “Whatever. Look, I anyway have better things to do right now” He answered and started walking backwards. He bowed down mockingly in a half assed attempt of a bow and shook his head.                                                                                               While he was walking away, his back turned to Penelope and Adonis, he turned his head over his shoulder and laughed teasingly.                                                                                                                                        “Enjoy your time in the Underworld, Penny. I’ll see you at the next war”.