1 Queen of the underworld

There were a lot of myths about her out in the realm of Earth. Most, if not all of them, utterly pathetic. Casting her as a victim or even worse a clueless naive young woman. The only myth that she ever cared for was the one saying she had chosen to go to the underworld to comfort the souls of the dead. Not a one of them were true though. Her true tale had been erased over many years. Corrupted and twisted until the myths resembled nothing she could recognize from her own life. She didn't remember every little detail of course. Just the overall events and several blazing memories that stuck in her mind.

She sat in her throne in the underworld wondering if she had forgotten who she truly was. If she had allowed others to twist her memories and sense of self the way they twisted the myth of her. How did one keep a sense of self over so many centuries?

"My lady?" Her steward said questioningly. She realized he had said it more than once and her attention snapped to his face.

"Forgive me, Roderick. I was lost in the past. What is it?" She pulled her mind unwillingly back to the present and attempted to focused on the affiars of her kingdom.

Roderick cleared his throat and lowered his eyes away from her intense gaze. He knew she must have been far far away from here in her mind because she normally toned down her aura when in the presence of her people. " The dark prince had come at last. He awaits you in the salon with his people."

Oh. Him. I thought of the dark prince that had so boldly requested an audience with me. He wasn't the first to request an audience of course. As the unmarried Queen of the Underworld I drew many who coveted my power. The unique thing about this dark prince was that he had requested an audience personally. Rather than having his people send me a letter he had written it in his own hand. I knew this because my spies in his household confirmed it. His letter had said only that he wished to meet me and pledge his fealty and that of his family to me. Along with the usual courtesies due my rank.

I considered whether to have them brought in the throne room or to meet them in the salon.

"Is there a reason they were left in the salon and not brought to see me?" I asked Roderick contemplatively.

"The dark prince requested an informal audience before the official show of fealty my lady" Roderick gave a nervous little bow while he awaited my reaction to this news.

"Did he? He is quite bold, this princeling...very well I will dress and meet him and his entourage in the salon shortly. Be sure they are served refreshments and send my maids to my chamber." I said and stood

"It will be done my queen" Roderick gave a bow and I saw his shoulders had loosened. He was always unfailingly formal in his manner and unfailingly loyal in his attitude. Had I told him to haul this prince out by his ear, he would have done so.

I gave him a nod and a small smile and proceeded out the door behind my throne to go get ready in my rooms.

It wasn't a long walk and soon I entered the room that was my dressing salon. It had only three walls, the fourth being open to the beautiful red mountains that surrounded my palace. This room was left in it's natural state as well, red rock roughly scraped out into a square shape and adorned with a small natural waterfall that formed my bath on one side before falling over the cliff edge.

My maids hurried over with eyes down and ready to serve me. I debated on how long to make the bold prince wait. Should I take a leisurely bath? No, I decided, a show of power was one thing but rudeness was quite another.

"Hello ladies let's go with something elegant today." my maids hurried to pull a few gowns out for me to choose. I knew instantly that I wanted to wear the dark green gown and gestured to it. They set to work slipping it on me. It was form fitting at the top and loose at the bottom with a high slit all the way to my hip bone on the right. it looked as though tendrils of greenish black vines trailed up my chest and behind my neck. After trying the ties in the back of the dress one of maids set to work styling my long brown, almost black hair. The other slipped my shoes on one at a time lacing them around my calves. I picked out a few stiff bracelets to adorn my wrists as well. They were stacked and set with emeralds around the gold. My maids topped off my partial updo with my golden crown. They used the smaller gold crown, also set with emeralds, that I wore when receiving guests informally. Roderick must have informed them of the situation. Poor girls must have sprinted here to arrive before me.

I set my shoulders and sent my maids to fetch my own entourage and guards to accompany me. I was sure Roderick had already formed everyone up but this way he would know I was ready. I hesitated a moment before leaving the dressing chamber. Was I ready? Another damn princeling here to try to steal my throne. That's all they ever truly wanted. They never looked past my beauty to the woman underneath.

Well if that's all he wanted she would send him off like the others. Today was no different from any other day. She opened her dressing room door and proceeded to the salon. Her guards and the lesser nobels if the palace fell in behind her.

Her Harold announced her with all her titles and the pomp and ceremony. The visiting court all bowed and curtsied deeply to her as her eyes scanned the room. There he was, right in front. He kneeled fully down on one knee, head bowed. His long black hair fell to one side. As soon as her gaze landed on him he looked up to meet her eyes. He was gorgeous and had eyes as black as night. So different from her deep green eyes. His gaze was not one of adoring infatuation as she had expected... it was filled with hatred. She nearly flinched back from him and caught herself just in time. As everyone rose to mingle he made his way directly toward her and greeted her with another bow, this one from the waist.

"Your highness thank you for granting me and my people this audience." his voice was dark and enchanting and made her heart skip a beat. He avoided her eyes as he straightened.

"Be welcome to my realm and my palace, Prince Hades" She inclined her head, the accepted greeting of a ruling monarch to lesser royals.

Surprisingly he smiled at her greeting. It was not a nice smile but rather a grit of the teeth. Again she wished to be away from him.

"Shall we adjourn to the couches for our conversation?" He held his arm out politely to escort her.

She rested her fingers around his arm lightly and felt a jolt of heat go through her. She could feel just how strong he was under his fine court clothes. She allowed him to lead her over to the low couches and held his arm still as she gracefully lowered herself down and arranged her skirts. He took a seat on the couch next to her couch but sat quite stiffly. A servant hurried over with drinks for them. She saw his eyes flick over her shoulder as her taster took the first sip of her drink before handing it to her. He took a sip of his own without a taster and seemed to challenge her with his stare. Was he implying that she was weak to use a taster in the first place? It was so strange that he was acting this way. It was like he didn't want to be in her presence at all. But if not then why did he request this meeting?