For a moment the young woman seemed to misunderstand the god’s denial of her request. Of course Latrice knew her mothers final words, but the assumption that Hades already knew was a false one. A last moment between mother and daughter? That was precious. Miriam had already paid her price and lived with his shadow over the Lucinda family. To this he could give her something special for her suffering. A unique moment, a moment of death that he would not spectated by any other being in the universe. That was the respect he held for her.<br/><br/>It was his mistake however for the God of the Dead was not known for explaining himself often. He would on matters that felt important such as his status as a god. Yes that Grecian vanity remained in the heart of his spirit, which was the same that shared spite and envy of his youngest brother, or longed for a time in the land of summer. Hades cared how he was received. Yet it would not be important for Latrice to understand more, for he already knew what was to come.<br/><br/>Mankind were rarely prepared for a transition to the Underworld, for it is not as one would imagine. It was not the earth. It was heaven, hell, limbo, purgatory, sheol, and all manners of worlds apart in one. Many would argue the greatest domain but it was no land of summer. No glory of sweet wines and grapes. For the corridors of Elysium he was not permitted entrance.<br/><br/>Hades was the watcher on the wall and the dead was his domain alone. Always alone.<br/><br/>He approached the young woman slowly as certain details began to register in her memory. So Miriam had spoken to her, good, less that he would have to explain. A strong hand grasped Latrice’s chin as her observation found words. Without effort he turned her face side to side to make his observation. It would not matter if she tried to pull away or resist, it would not stop the Lord of the Underworld from holding her face towards a sliver of sun.<b>“In a certain light yes, you remind me of her. Her radiance and gentle soul.”</b>He mentioned before releasing her and casually making direct eye contact.<br/><br/><b> “You know the story I presume… I stole away Demeter’s daughter from by some misdeed and kidnapped her to the underworld. And to keep her I forced her to eat pomegranate seeds?”</b>Hades spoke with some frustration at the tale. It was clear it was not one that pleased him very little, but by taking Latrice’s hand in his he forced both of them to walk amongst the procession of grave markers.<b> “Demeter would not permit our love. The first moment I saw her, my sister had let her daughter play in the Asphodel Meadows with the spirits of lost children. So sweet was she that her mere presence was a mercy. And so to had she softened my heart, but Demeter knew and would deny us both.”</b>With a smile Hades lifting a small yellow flower to the woman tucking it behind her ear,<b>“It was not Zeus who beseeched Gaia for the yellow Narcissus, in truth my brother only moved his hand for me in the end. Though we were apart for so long I would shower my beloved in a bouquet of these flowers with gems and gold. All that I could give. Alas it was decided that I would place this pretty flower in a field the next her mother would descend upon the Earth. If she would have me then she would take the flower, if not she would leave it be.”</b><br/><br/>Holding her hand in both of his they stopped to look over a view of the city in the distance. The darkly trimmed man would finish his tale here,<b>“That day I whisked her away upon horseback. Steeling her away from the summer lands so that we may be together though Demeter denied us our love above the Earth. When she came to steal her away my brother Zeus gave Persephone four pomegranate seeds grown from the Underworld. To eat them was to be bound. But not permanently, for my dear brother would not let me have such joy. No the terms were for Zeus to be the hero and return to our sister her daughter and cast me as the villain. The one who tricked and lied. I was no liar. I only loved her and so I did until Demeter stole her away forever into Elysium.”</b><br/><br/>Lifting Latrice’s gentle fingers to his lips a darkness welled in his eyes but not of menace.<b>“You are the descendant of my beloved, the last of her gifts to be mine. You will be my wife and be as she was: a beauty below the Earth just as above. I will not promise you an easy transition, but if you cannot willingly submit to your fate… you will come to love me. In the end you will be happy under me.”</b>Was all he explained before letting her process all that she was told. It was more than most could handle, but there was a sense of immediacy. As if Hades held a limited place and time above the Earth.