Erinyes Game
Pressing your lips together, you avoid Ares’s gaze.
“What’s this? Why’d you two stop talking as soon as you saw me?” He glares at both of you, and you feel yourself shrivel under his burning stare.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” mutters Hermes.
Grabbing him by his shirt, Ares lifts him right into the air, muscle bulging. “If you have something to say to me, say it to my face!”
“Ares, stop!” You shout.
“What’s going on here?”
You turn to see Hera and Zeus approaching. Seeing them, Ares drops Hermes and pretends to dust off his shirt with a sneer.
“We were just having a friendly little chat, is all,” he says before walking away.
You quickly go to Hermes, patting his back. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, fine. Don’t worry, you two,” he says with a forced smile. “Ares didn’t actually hurt me or anything. Come on, Hestia, let’s go.” He takes your arm to escort you away, and as you walk you see Hera and Zeus muttering to each other.
“You sure everything’s all right?” Aphrodite rushes up to the two of you, concern written all over her features. “I know he seems angry all the time, but I swear he’s not a bad guy.”
With a quiet huff, Hephaestus walks by. “Seems a bit dangerous to me.”
You all hear a shout down another hallway, and look around the corner to see that Dionysus bumped into Ares, spilling juice all over his shirt.
Aphrodite groans. “Well, I’m here now. Might as well do something.” She hurries to diffuse the situation, doing her best to calm Ares down.
“I think I’ll just stay away from him,” you tell Hermes.
“Agreed.”
Later on, the time for Moirae comes and goes, as Hades promised. You’re sitting in your room alone, watching the fire. Something about the way the flames flicker just calms you down. You can almost pretend that someone won’t be killed during the night.
“Well hello there, Hestia.”
You nearly jump out of your skin, looking around the room with wide eyes. There’s no one there.
“It’s me, Hades,” he says with a booming laugh. You look up and notice a loudspeaker in the corner of the ceiling, just like the ones in the judgement room.
“Wh-what do you want?”
“No need to be afraid of me, Hestia. I’m not the one who may pose a threat to you.”
“But you did bring me here against my will,” you argue.
“Are you sure about that?” His tone grows mysterious and dramatic, making you roll your eyes.
“Whatever mind games you want to play, I'm not interested. If I must play this Erinyes game, then I will. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“You’re a fun one, Hestia. I’ll be sure to keep my eye on you. I’ll be cheering you on, my dear.”
You wince. “I’m not your ‘dear’ so don’t call me that, Hades.”
“Of course, of course,” he says. “Good night, Hestia. Sweet dreams.”
The speaker falls silent, and you can’t suppress a shudder. The thought of someone watching such a messed up game...
You make yourself get into bed, slipping underneath the soft covers. All the pillows in the world wouldn’t help you fall asleep any faster, but after a while of tossing and turning you finally manage it.
Your night is dreamless, just nothingness.
“What’s this? Why’d you two stop talking as soon as you saw me?” He glares at both of you, and you feel yourself shrivel under his burning stare.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” mutters Hermes.
Grabbing him by his shirt, Ares lifts him right into the air, muscle bulging. “If you have something to say to me, say it to my face!”
“Ares, stop!” You shout.
“What’s going on here?”
You turn to see Hera and Zeus approaching. Seeing them, Ares drops Hermes and pretends to dust off his shirt with a sneer.
“We were just having a friendly little chat, is all,” he says before walking away.
You quickly go to Hermes, patting his back. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, fine. Don’t worry, you two,” he says with a forced smile. “Ares didn’t actually hurt me or anything. Come on, Hestia, let’s go.” He takes your arm to escort you away, and as you walk you see Hera and Zeus muttering to each other.
“You sure everything’s all right?” Aphrodite rushes up to the two of you, concern written all over her features. “I know he seems angry all the time, but I swear he’s not a bad guy.”
With a quiet huff, Hephaestus walks by. “Seems a bit dangerous to me.”
You all hear a shout down another hallway, and look around the corner to see that Dionysus bumped into Ares, spilling juice all over his shirt.
Aphrodite groans. “Well, I’m here now. Might as well do something.” She hurries to diffuse the situation, doing her best to calm Ares down.
“I think I’ll just stay away from him,” you tell Hermes.
“Agreed.”
Later on, the time for Moirae comes and goes, as Hades promised. You’re sitting in your room alone, watching the fire. Something about the way the flames flicker just calms you down. You can almost pretend that someone won’t be killed during the night.
“Well hello there, Hestia.”
You nearly jump out of your skin, looking around the room with wide eyes. There’s no one there.
“It’s me, Hades,” he says with a booming laugh. You look up and notice a loudspeaker in the corner of the ceiling, just like the ones in the judgement room.
“Wh-what do you want?”
“No need to be afraid of me, Hestia. I’m not the one who may pose a threat to you.”
“But you did bring me here against my will,” you argue.
“Are you sure about that?” His tone grows mysterious and dramatic, making you roll your eyes.
“Whatever mind games you want to play, I'm not interested. If I must play this Erinyes game, then I will. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“You’re a fun one, Hestia. I’ll be sure to keep my eye on you. I’ll be cheering you on, my dear.”
You wince. “I’m not your ‘dear’ so don’t call me that, Hades.”
“Of course, of course,” he says. “Good night, Hestia. Sweet dreams.”
The speaker falls silent, and you can’t suppress a shudder. The thought of someone watching such a messed up game...
You make yourself get into bed, slipping underneath the soft covers. All the pillows in the world wouldn’t help you fall asleep any faster, but after a while of tossing and turning you finally manage it.
Your night is dreamless, just nothingness.