Page 57 of Song of Memories

"Your plan worked, Orpheus." Hades stood up and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You pushed me until Pan got exiled, but you have to live with the consequences. Eurydice is not beholden to you in the slightest. You will certainly find no champion in me for your cause." Hades's voice dropped lower as he spoke, making the atmosphere in the room drop a little bit more.

Orpheus looked like a petulant child. Eurydice shivered at the change in temperature and also in remembrance of the time she had spent together with Orpheus. Everything about him now repulsed her; she could not believe that there was a time when she thought he was the be-all and end-all when it came to men.

"Eurydice..." Orpheus whimpered, looking towards Eurydice with a broken look on his face.

"Get out," Hades commanded, pointing one finger towards the door. "Before you are removed, and I promise I will not make it polite."

The thunder rumbled again, and Orpheus turned on his heel and ran out of the room without a second glance. Eurydice was once again slightly stunned at how quickly he would abandon her after trying to declare his fealty. There was a heavy silence in the room, and Eurydice realized she didn't quite know what to do next. There was no one beside her that she needed to consider, only herself.

The only thing I want to consider is how to get Pan back. Her thoughts were turned towards him. Maybe she was running into one relationship after another, but this one was her choice. Pan loved her; he’d always had. It was the kind of love that made her want to be better in spite of everything, to make decisions that benefitted herself for once.

"I am sorry for what happened." Hades's voice broke Eurydice's train of thought. She jumped a little, momentarily forgetting that she was standing in Hades's great hall with the infamous god.

"Lord Hades, why—" Eurydice turned around and was about to ask Hades why Pan had been banished when the doors to the room flung open. They slammed against the walls and sent cracks up to the rooftop, echoing throughout the cavernous room. Eurydice ducked and covered her head out of habit, but Hades only looked embarrassed.

"Hades! What in the fuck is going on in here? I have left you alone for two days and now... Oh, hi, Eurydice, darling." Persephone stormed into the room. Her hair and tunic were whipping around her as she stormed through the doorway. As she walked, the pink swathes of fabric morphed to a darker red color, then crimson, and then black. Eurydice watched in equal parts admiration and horror as her crown of flowers died and the petals fell off, revealing a crown of open-mouthed skulls.

Persephone stopped in front of Eurydice, pulling her into a tight hug without a moment's hesitation.

"I'm so sorry about this, lovely child." Persephone made a tutting sound and turned around, pointing her finger at Hades. "Would you like to explain yourself to me?"

Eurydice had never seen the fearsome Lord of the Underworld look afraid before, but Hades sat back down on his throne and blushed. Eurydice was watching one of Greece's most fearsome gods blushing under the interrogation of his wife.

"Do you want to speak about this over dinner, my sweet wife?" Hades reached up and undid the knot in his hair, turning on the charm. He smiled warmly, his dark eyes glowing. "I haven't made that smoked fish for you in a few months..."

"Do not try to distract me, Hades Aidoneus Plouton Clymenus!" Persephone snapped. "This conversation is relevant to Eurydice, anyway."

"Honestly, I am dying to hear why this happened." Eurydice shrugged, looking between Persephone and Hades. "And I've done a lot of dying." She pinned her gaze on Hades. "I can't fucking imagine why you've let this happen."

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Eurydice's eyes widened, and the color drained from her face. Perhaps she was emboldened by the appearance of Persephone, but Eurydice suddenly remembered she still didn't have any place reprimanding the god of the dead. Persephone giggled, grabbing hold of Eurydice's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Don't worry, love. He doesn't mind it when women speak back to him."

Eurydice's mouth dropped open in surprise, and Hades groaned exaggeratedly, covering his face with his hand.

"Hades, please," Persephone implored him, her expression softening. "I can't believe you would do this, after everything that's happened."

Hades stood up and crossed the room until he was standing next to Persephone. He wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her closer to him, Eurydice letting go of Persephone's hand. There was a tenderness in the gesture that she didn't imagine that Hades was capable of, even though the stories of how much he loved his wife stretched far and wide. It made her heart ache when she thought of Pan on his way to the gates of hell to be escorted out of the Underworld.

Hades told them both the story of what happened with Orpheus and Demeter, especially how he threatened Demeter and refused to let her run amok in the Underworld. Persephone's anger ebbed and flowed with the story, her magic spiking every time she heard the mention of her mother's name. Eurydice's anger ebbed away. Orpheus had discovered the loophole, and she understood why Hades had to make the decision that he did. She just wished that it didn't involve her losing the love of her life mere moments after they had finally come together. It was like dying on her wedding day all over again.

Eurydice turned away and walked towards one of the low benches along the wall, sinking down onto it as she tried to process the bevy of emotions that ran through her head. Persephone was now embracing Hades, and he was running a hand through her golden hair. Her anger had seemingly dissipated. While Eurydice was glad they had come to some sort of reconciliation, a placated Persephone was probably not going to fight for Eurydice like an angry one. To her surprise, Persephone picked up her head and looked directly at the nymph.

"How do we help Eurydice and Pan then, beloved?" Persephone grabbed both of Hades's hands and raised a brow. "We can't leave everything like this."

"I don't know," Hades admitted, stroking a hand through his beard. "I didn't want you to get stuck in the crossfire, Eurydice, but there was nothing I could do at the time. I couldn't let Demeter have free reign in the Underworld."

Persephone visibly shuddered at the mention of it, and Eurydice knew that she didn't blame Hades for his decision. She was heartbroken over what it meant for her, but he had done it to protect his consort. Even Eurydice could see what kind of chaos it would cause if all the gods suddenly started using the loophole that Pan had been provided.

Hades opened his mouth to say something when a breeze fluttered through the door.

"What now?" Hades groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Makaria drifted in a moment later, the sweet smell of her magic and soft sparkling clouds accompanying her presence.

"Eurydice," Makaria offered up a sad smile. She crossed the room and went straight to Eurydice's side, sitting down on the bench and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I came as soon as I heard. Thanatos told me. He's ushering Pan to the gates with Hermes." Makaria narrowed her gaze and stared at Hades with a venomous expression. "What the hell did you do?"

Hades grunted and threw his hands up in exasperation. "Are there any other goddesses who have an issue with the way I'm running my Underworld? Do you want to poll Nyx and Hecate?" Hades paused. "On second thought, no, never mind. Let's not. Let me have it, Makaria."

"Your Underworld?" Persephone interrupted Hades first, tilting her head to the side and pursing her lips.

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