Page 38 of Song of Memories

"Did you..." Hermes turned around and stared at the oak tree that had sprung up out of the ground, fresh dirt still upturned around it. He spun back around and looked at Pan, his face surprised and delighted. "You did! Or didn't you? I've been forced to hear plenty of rumors of how you make the forest grow..." Hermes's trailed off, scrunching up his face in displeasure.

"Oh my god!" Pan flushed, covering his ears. "I do not want to discuss this with you."

"Okay, that's mutual," Hermes assured him, waiting until Pan removed his hands from his ears. "Why do you look so upset then? If you two... Oh." Hermes quickly put together the scene before him. "She went back to him?"

Pan didn't say anything, resting his chin atop his knees again. He was torn between the raging loss and heart-wrenching sadness within him to come so close to Olympian levels of bliss and have it ripped away from him again. He leaned into the numbness that was threatening to consume him, clutching onto memories and the scent of Eurydice that still clung to him.

"That fucker," Hermes growled. "I can't stand that she doesn't know what happened." Hermes's winged sandals appeared on his feet as a golden aura of power fluttered over his skin. Pan appreciated the outward show of magic, knowing that it was his father's powers reacting in displeasure to the heartache that Pan was suffering through.

"I know," Pan sighed heavily. The tears were falling freely down his face now, and he did nothing to stop them or brush them away. "She's not even happy with him now. He treats her like shit, but she feels pressure to stay with him because they're 'Orpheus and Eurydice'." Pan grunted the names with displeasure.

"She told you this last night?" Hermes pressed. Pan couldn't decipher the expression that popped up on Hermes's face.

"No, she didn't say much last night."

"Did she say she wanted to fuck you? Explicitly?" Hermes growled, his temper suddenly flaring. "If she was drinking and if you..."

Pan was on his feet in a flash, throwing his body weight at Hermes. They crashed into the oak tree with Pan's forearm against Hermes's throat.

"I would never," Pan hissed, "and I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt her."

Hermes's face beamed with pride as Pan caught his breath and released his father.

"Just checking. So she's told you she's upset?"

"Yes," Pan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and beginning to pace. "I don't know what to do. Part of her has to remember what happened because she's unhappy with Orpheus and doesn't know why."

"Well, the answer is he's a prick," Hermes scoffed. "She doesn't need to remember his betrayal to not want to be with him."

"Correct, but she thinks they have this great love affair that was tragically cut short. She's staying in that relationship based on a precedence that isn't there. It's practically cruel to watch, but Hades is determined to let Eurydice suffer."

Pan's melancholy morphed into something darker, a righteous defensiveness of the woman he'd loved for a hundred years.

"Now, now," Hermes scratched his chin, "Hades is a rule follower, and that's for a good reason. He wouldn't want anyone to suffer. Especially in his realm."

"He's doing a shit job of it," Pan growled, beginning to pace back and forth. He grew more agitated, and Hermes didn't know what to do with it; he watched helplessly as Pan worked himself up into a frenzy. When he finally dropped to his knees, Pan released an anguished scream that ripped through the trees.

Hermes ducked as the trees shook, watching in horror and awe as all the vegetation as far as he could see shriveled up and died. The landscape around them simply disappeared, withering away to nothing. The lush, green forest turned into a twisted mess of thorns and weeds. Hermes was one of the few deities who understood just how fucked the world was if Pan was this devastated; there wouldn't be a living green thing left alive when he was done. Demeter would have a fucking conniption, and they'd all had enough of her tantrums.

Hermes's heart ached for his son, and he walked slowly towards Pan on his knees, weeping softly in his hands. Hermes sent a ripple of power out through the ether, requesting the presence of one of the Underworld's gods.

Hermes got down on Pan's level and opened his arms, clutching his son to his chest like a babe. Pan's silent cries erupted into a barrage of sobs, and his hands held tight onto his father. Hermes sat there patiently while Pan cried, his mind made up. A soft breeze drifted over the dried and dead ground. Hypnos slowly appeared on the winds, his figure half obscured by white clouds. He tilted his head curiously and yawned, studying the scene in front of him.

Pan didn't even notice the god's presence. Hermes nodded, a silent conversation happening between the two gods. Hypnos nodded once and stepped forward, gently placing his hand on Pan's back. As soon as he touched him, Pan's sobs quieted, and he fell into a deep, heavy sleep.

Hypnos disappeared without a word while Hermes muttered his thanks to the wind. He laid his son down on the earth, which sprung up to meet him. Hermes breathed a sigh of relief as another fresh mound of grass and flowers grew around Pan, cradling the god while he slept.

"At least your dreams must be pleasant," Hermes whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his son's brow. "When you wake, it'll be to a different world."

Hermes vanished in a cloud of rippling, golden power, sprinting across the Underworld to his destination. Orpheus had caused too much suffering, and Hermes wasn't going to let it go on any longer.

* * *

Hermes moved in total silence. His footfalls were devoid of noise, even the wings on his circlet and sandals were quiet. The god of thieves had a legacy to protect and creeping through Hades's halls was difficult enough, even with a thief's magic.

The long, winding hallway was covered in thick carpets and had arching ceilings. The walls were made with glittering obsidian and flecked with jewels. There were tables and heavy chests lining the sides of the hallway, covered in shining weaponry, gold and silver, and even more jewels and treasures of priceless value. Whenever Hermes was inside Hades and Persephone's home, he was filled with the undeniable urge to start pushing things over, like a cat knocking things off a tabletop.

Hermes's thoughts were then interrupted by a very loud crashing sound, followed by the sound of breaking glass. Hermes clapped a hand over his own mouth to keep himself from reacting out loud, spinning on his heel to see the cause of the chaos.

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