Page 30 of Song of Memories

"What a lovely gift," Eurydice smiled to herself. She sat underneath one of the widest trees, deciding to wait until the fruit ripened and watch the sunset. She had slept through most of the day, but the burst of gardening tired her out again. The waning light of the sun made her sleepy, and her eyes were about to flutter closed when there was a sudden strong breeze that rippled through the garden.

Eurydice knew the presence of immortality when she sensed it. There was a pleasant, white light that appeared in the center of the garden. It flashed bright as the sun for a brief moment, and Makaria stepped out of it.

"Makaria!" Eurydice brightened, wondering what she had done to deserve visits from Pan and Makaria in the span of a single day.

"Oh, lovely nymph." Makaria grinned, holding out her arms for Eurydice as she crossed the garden to join her. "Did you do all of this? I love what you've done with the place. I must say," Makaria got a devilish grin on her face, "I had to do plenty of decorating myself when I moved in with Thanatos."

"Oh, yes, of course," Eurydice laughed awkwardly and hugged Makaria. "Well, I've only really touched the garden. That is the only part I'm interested in."

Makaria sat down underneath the tree, her watchful eye picking up the shift in Eurydice's demeanor.

"Do you not like the house?" Makaria tilted her head. She'd become very familiar with Eurydice's tells.

"Well, houses aren't really my thing, you know? I'd prefer to sleep in the garden anyway." Eurydice motioned to the stunning grounds around her.

Makaria looked right at home among the stunning blooms. Her long, white hair was shining in the setting sun, and she was wrapped in a tunic that looked like oil—black at first sight, but it shifted colors when she moved. Eurydice couldn't help but wonder what Makaria had been doing before she decided to pop in for a visit. The life of someone who was known as 'blessed death' must be interesting.

"Regardless, you've done a marvelous job with the space." Makaria smiled warmly. She had always been a very kind, if not aloof, presence in Eurydice's life. It was something Eurydice had always appreciated about the goddess. She knew there was a lot surrounding Makaria's own story of understanding and belonging in the Underworld, and one day she hoped to hear it.

"You're being too kind." Eurydice was pleased; she cared much more about compliments regarding her gardening than her appearance. It made her flush infinitely more so than thoughts or comments on what she was wearing.

"Now, I have to ask." Makaria's hand dropped casually to the handle of her scythe, and she traced the leather wrapped around it. It was worn in several places where her fingers must have consistently gripped it; the thought made Eurydice shiver internally. "How are you enjoying living here? Besides not being in the forest, of course. How is Orpheus?"

Eurydice should have anticipated that this question was coming, but something about it set her off guard again. She appreciated how many gods were checking in with her regarding her arrival in the Underworld, but at the same time, it was a little exhausting defending Orpheus constantly and explaining herself. Makaria must have sensed this as her face turned a little more quizzical.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," Makaria supplied, her hair rippling like water in the sunset's low light.

"No, I don't mind," Eurydice lied easily. "Everything is going well. As well as to be expected, at least. There is an adjustment period, but I'm happy to be with my husband again." Eurydice nearly split her face in two with the strength of her smile, hoping that it was convincing enough for lying to a god. If Makaria noticed, she didn't say a thing. Her face became impassably neutral, without a single tell or even a slightly raised brow. The atmosphere between the two changed slightly, and Eurydice's stomach sank with guilt.

This is what it means to be married, Eurydice tried to console herself with her thoughts. It's important to defend your husband. Orpheus and I can work out our issues without everyone else's interference.

"An adjustment period is to be...expected." Makaria's tone was somehow both neutral and cautious, which was a carefully curated skill that only the gods and immortals seemed to possess. "I would simply hate for you to go a single day without finding joy in your life, Eurydice. You've suffered enough. Besides, you're fucking dead anyway," Makaria laughed, "so you might as well make sure you're enjoying it. If you were alive, I'd tell you that life is too short to be unhappy, but you've got all the time in the world to make decisions for yourself. I'm here if you ever need anything."

Eurydice's heart started beating faster, and she started to fight against a lightheaded sensation. She was a private person, and this was officially one inquisition too many. She knew it wasn't fair to judge her friends this way, but really, how much input on her life was she supposed to consider? There were too many factors bouncing around in her head, and it was starting to feel like she had a constant hive of bees between her ears. Before she opened her mouth to respond, Orpheus's voice called out from the other end of the garden.

"Eurydice? Are you out here?" Orpheus shouted in alarm. "What in the name of the gods has happened to the garden? It's disgusting. These unkempt weeds are everywhere."

Eurydice's heart sank. The garden was not overgrown, and she would know. It was finally full of life, with blooms and bushes and birds. How could she find a way to make Orpheus see the world the same way she did? She recovered quickly as she realized Makaria had unsheathed her blade, a venomous look on her face. From where Orpheus was in the garden, he couldn't see Eurydice and Makaria. He was unaware that someone was listening to the way he spoke to Eurydice and what he had to say about her efforts.

"Orpheus," Eurydice shouted quickly, waving her hands, "we're over here. Makaria is visiting." Eurydice stressed the goddess's name, hoping that it would put Orpheus on his best behavior. It did just that. When he responded, Orpheus sounded as polite and optimistic as ever.

"Oh, the lovely goddess! What a surprise." He sounded like a politician as he emerged from the garden path, walking eagerly over to the grove of fruit trees.

Orpheus had spent the entire day sleeping off his hangover, yet he was gleaming like his own golden lyre. His chiton was pressed and featured a purple trim with an expensive brooch at his shoulder. Eurydice tried to not roll her eyes at the sight.

He's outside in a garden right now. Who walks through a garden with jeweled sandals? Be fucking barefoot like the rest of us. Eurydice barely avoided another guilt spiral when she realized how sharply she critiqued her husband in her mind; that wasn't giving him a fair shot, was it?

"It's lovely to see you here, Makaria," Orpheus held his arms out in a welcoming gesture.

"It's 'goddess,' thank you," Makaria replied with a curt nod. Eurydice watched as the muscles in Orpheus's jaw twitched. She could tell he wasn't used to being corrected in such a manner and didn't appreciate Makaria's sharp insistence he not use her first name.

"Goddess," Orpheus replied through clenched teeth with a tight smile. He turned his attention to Eurydice. "These trees are certainly new, aren't they? And already bursting with fruit!" Orpheus walked closer and went up on his tiptoes, plucking a nectarine from one of the low hanging branches. When it didn't pop right off the stem, Orpheus grunted, snapping the entire branch in half to get at the sweet fruit. Eurydice visibly flinched at the sharp crack of the tree limb falling apart.

"Yes." Eurydice was quick to flash another reassuring smile. She was well aware of Makaria's attempt to light Orpheus on fire with her stare. "These grew last night. They're enchanted," Eurydice's voice picked up in excitement, "so you know that they'll bloom..."

"Of course!" Orpheus slapped his forehead as if just remembering something obvious. He tossed the nectarine up int he air and caught it. "It must have been the music." He smiled at Eurydice. "Your sweet presence just coaxes the best things out of me, my love. And then the music makes the trees grow. That's what all the songs say about us, you know. You give me the power to make the rocks weep and the trees grow." Orpheus held out a piece of the nectarine to Eurydice. She leaned forward to take it with her fingers, but Orpheus pulled it back quickly, a playful grin on his face. He shook his head and held it out again, clearly indicating he wanted to feed her.

Eurydice flushed with embarrassment. She was as wild as the forest, but she didn't appreciate such a display of forced affection. It made her feel cheap. Nonetheless, she obliged, as Makaria was sitting with them and clearly judging Orpheus. Eurydice was keen to prove that everything between them was fine, even if just for the reason to convince herself that everything was going fine.

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