Everyone dies, but not everyone lives

@eternally-persephone

Kingdom Come

“At least your father was one of us! Your father was of us! He may not have been at his best all of the time but we could trust that he ultimately have our country’s best interest at heart!” Pleiades muttered. “No matter what you do - no matter how this ends - you will never have that wench to wife. She will never give you an heir. The Lost Sons will see to it. While you were off playing diplomat, negotiating with our enemy, we grew in numbers. We will never accept her - never accept your heir.”

Thanatos looked between him and his King, his eyes wide with alarm as though he had just figured something out.

“…Were the Lost Sons behind the attack on the Princess the night before we left?”

Pleiades spat at Thanatos’ feet. “We would never get close enough to her. None of our hands would even want to touch her - that was Zeus. All Zeus I imagine. Go ask him…” he began and then his eyes flickered dangerously up to Hades. “And while you are at it - ask Zeus about Minthe.”

Hades just sat however, eyes the only thing truly betrying what he was feeling in that moment. The man was being a raging lunatic at this point, but even he didn't think they'd had anything to do with the attack. The room had been too untouched in the dark to have been anyone who didn't know the layout of the room.

"I was off fighting a war to protect your best interests. On the front lines until they sued for peace. You've made it very hard to see your group as anything other than terrorists now. Ones who would attack women and sleeping children, so I can only hope the next of your number I might come across will be more rational."

He stood up however from the chair. He was done with this madness and wondered just how much these Lost Sons had discovered. Hopefully the reports still stood that Minthe had died with the child still in her belly at the very least. He could deal with being made a fool of even publicly but not if it came at the cost of his ward.

"I learn from my mistakes at least. I can only hope I'm not making another in sparing your life." He turned to one of the guards who had at least the nerve to look him in the face before. "Have him taken to the border. Pleiades, you and all your line are hereby banished from the kingdom of Erebus under pain of death if you should ever return. Do you have anything else to say?"

Kingdom Come

“She is the daughter of the greatest enemy this country has ever known!” Pleiades exclaimed. “Daughter of a man who has in every way tried to destroy not just this Kingdom but your own life! Your own happiness! And you…you are so eager to allow her the chance to give you a legitimate heir!”

He seemed to struggle in his seat, as though trying to lean forward.

“You would be safer with having a ten foot long viper in your marriage bed than that witch!”

Thanatos growled and back handed the soldier.

“You will not speak of our Queen in that manner!”

“Your Queen! But we are the Lost Sons - the children of the heroic dead of the War! She will never be our Queen! We do not forgive. We do not forget. Your people will not forget. Your people want you as their loyal and noble King! Do not be thwarted by a spy sent into your house to destroy our country - destroy your legacy! She will betray you! She will! She will bring Zeus’ army to our gates and when your country’s children cry out in agony at being attacked, or in anguish for the deaths of their own parents, you will know it was your folly! Your misguided trust that destroyed them!”

There was a look back at Thanatos for a moment after the loud smack echoed in the room. Not a warning as much as a request to cease. He still didn't know just what to make of the other guards reaction and was not eager to push them into seeing red. He himself was angry at the words, yes, but letting it get the better of him wasn't going to get this settled peacefully.

"Have you considered a child living under the despot might hate him even more than you do if that's at all possible? A king that would stage an attack against his only child as she slept in order to besmirch her honor? Pleiades, if there's anyone less happy now about this marriage than yourself it's Zeus himself although Queen Demeter is on his heels.

"And yes I've considered it potentially a push to play on my sympathies, but it would serve no purpose. All it's done is delay any sort of wedding and punish his own people in the process." Hades wondered if he shouldn't ask if this was any real organization among the people now with these Lost Sons or if Pleiades was being more poetic than anything.

"Apparently your memories are not as long as you claim or have you forgotten my own father? Cronus imprisoned or killed anyone who disagreed with him to make it look as though everything was safe and he was loved by all. Get caught speaking out against him however and you would find no peace within our borders. A man terrified at the idea that he would be overthrown even by his own son..."

Hades shook his head slightly. He rarely spoke of the man any more but he remembered all too well. The kind face his father would put on while insisting that the taxes needed to be raised to protect the borders or whatever other ridiculous reason he would give their subjects. And the look he would give his son when he thought Hades wasn’t paying attention. He had been locked up as well for daring to suggest to one of his tutors what he thought his own reign might be like as though a twelve year old child was doing any more than dreaming.

"Would you say the two of us are identical as well?"

Kingdom Come

Persephone wished to confront the man who had attempted to kill her and drive a wedge between them. And yet…she was unsure she could stomach it. She had been so afraid, and was so unused to the amount of hatred she had received since becoming Hades’ fiance - let alone wife. Wife at least in name. By the law, it could be a very different thing for most of the country.

“I may be a hindrance,” she admitted. “If you wish to learn the truth - even the not pretty parts - it may be best that I am not there. Go. I’ll wait for you when you return.”

Hecate gave Hades an assured nod and turned to lead Persephone away.

Thanatos led his King down into the depths of the fortress’s dungeons. There he would see several guards standing by, yet few who would look him in the eye. They all seemed…upset about something. And when he opened the door, the answer became clear.

Sitting there, tied and bound, was a young member of the royal guard himself - Pleiades. His gray eyes widened when he saw his King enter, and yet rather than immediately protest he was innocent, or beg for mercy, he said this instead.

“Thank the gods your Majesty is here!”

“You will speak only when commanded to, solider!” Thanatos growled. “You dare not address his Majesty when you tried to take his life!”

“Take his life? No! No! You do not understand - I only meant to save him! It was that red haired witch attempting to kill him! She is the one who should be questioned, not I!” the soldier protested, his eyes wild and his voice full of fervor as he turned to Hades once more. “Your Majesty, I beg you! Do not go back to that witch!”

Hades trusted her judgement as to what she could handle or not. And perhaps a few moments alone with Hecate would do her some good as well as the woman had always been one for wise council.

He turned and followed Thanatos down into the dungeons. Hades had to wonder slightly when they arrived in the room if they were more ashamed that it had been one of their own or because they had agreed with him. At least the man wasn’t trying to claim he hadn’t done it at all now that he was tied up in the dungeons.

The king took another chair however and took a seat across from Pleiades, far enough in case the man tried to pull himself free to attack again but close enough to look him in the eyes directly as they spoke. You could tell a great deal of a person from their eyes and this particular man seemed rather set on his course.

“And whom put this idea into your head that the Lady Persephone means me any harm? Did you hear her speaking with the other ladies on how she intends to put poison in my wine? Or slip a dagger in my breast the moment she’s carrying a legitimate heir?” His voice was calm and for the moment he would leave it to Thanatos to be the one angry on his behalf. “Or did someone else tell you of a plot to bewitch me?”

“And if you were so concerned for my safety, Pleiades, it would have been better to request a private audience with me rather than use a crossbow... Intention doesn’t mean much now when the point still stands that bolt only needed to go a few more feet to reach my heart. You have my undivided attention, but as a criminal instead of as a trusted member of my household.”

Kingdom Come

eternally-persephone‌:

Persephone watched as Hades spoke with his attendants, her arms slowly crossing over her body as though she meant to shield herself. She couldn’t quite focus on the conversation. There was only so much she could handle. All she could think of that there was another attempt to hurt her - and one so soon. She thought she would be safe here. Thought that perhaps the attempt in her father’s palace had been left behind when she came to Hades’ palace. But that had been foolish. She was the daughter of Zeus. She would never…

Hades stepped close to her and reached a hand out, asking if she still trusted him. Persephone watched him carefully, wondering how she should process what had happened and his question.

“I trust *you*,” she emphasized in a low voice.

But before she could elaborate, a soldier hurried up towards the royal couple.

“Your Majesty! We have the assailant in custody!”

“Mistress Hecate,” Thanatos began as he looked up to the spymaster. “Why not take the Princess to her chambers? Your Majesty should accompany me to interrogate the prisoner.”

Well that was something at least as his fingers curled around hers for the moment. He didn’t have much more than that before there was thankfully a break in the case.

If it had been anyone other than Hecate he’d asked the king would have refused in an instant. She’d been there however when he’d made the rather quick decision to marry the girl in nothing but her torn bedclothes and been run from a kingdom for it. He also trusted however that if this was an inside job that she wouldn’t leave her to any of the wolves in sheep’s clothing. She’d been looking out for Persephone’s wellbeing since the beginning after all.

“I leave it up to you.” He lifted her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips however. “Lady Hecate will protect you and I’ll come straight away after, but I’d trust her with my life and have on likely more occasions than I know. Or you can come with if you so desire, but I can’t promise it will be pretty.” Hades needed to see this through however and face the man who thought he could get away so easily. He wouldn’t make her watch nor would he force her from his side.

He took her decision however with a small nod and turned to follow Thanatos. No matter how this went he was becoming more sure of the idea that they needed to move back to court as soon as possible. They’d been here for too long and he wanted to be back home.

//Going back to read old posts and found a few things flagged along the way

The bedroom eyes are too much for Tumblr to take.

#ooc

Kingdom Come

eternally-persephone‌:

The first few seconds after the arrow struck the ground a few inches from her feet, Persephone could move - much less think! All she could do was stare in abject horror as every muscle in her body froze. But that was shaken when her husband suddenly threw his body over hers to defend her. She fell back against the tree, her eyes locked on Hades’ for several seconds as panic flooded every thought and emotion that roared through her. That fear didn’t even allow her the chance to think of how intimate they suddenly were - so tight and close. But this was more about surviving than anything. Persephone could only lie still as she could.

But all too soon he had jumped off of her and was standing, grabbing for Zag. He spoke to her - and though she could barely hear him for the thundering in her ears, a distant thought in her mind pondered at the fact that Hades seemed so calm. ‘Stay if you would’ as though this was merely a courting incident and not one where the both of them were threatened! She followed Hades with quick but shaking feet. It was all happening too fast. Zag was in Hades’ arms. Zag was gone. The one Persephone remembered as Hypnos ran up towards Hades.

“Your majesty. My elite troop are surveying the grounds and attempting to apprehend the suspect. We are also taking a census on servants,” he explained.

Persephone took a half step back.

It was not the last time Hades had been shot at and truthfully he doubted it would be the last. If you froze during a battle because someone had taken aim at you then you were as good as done for out there. But she wasn't a soldier and had likely barely seen much of the horrors that had come with this war. Though this seemed like nothing by comparison.

"Lady Hecate has also been alerted and was going through to make sure every secret passage has been scoured of anyone hiding," Thanatos added, having slipped in from behind a tapestry himself. She knew them better than even he did which was saying something.

Hades nodded at the reports, glad things were being done at least. "Fools. They'd rather see us back to war again rather than enjoy the peace they've been given." Then hadn't he himself been less than content with the idea that he'd been so close to taking on the capital of Zeus' kingdom and ready to take back up arms if this plan for peace had been some trick?

He looked back to Persephone then and took a step toward her to take her hand as his voice turned soft and gentle. "You're safe, my lady, I promise. Still trust me?"

#eternally persephone

susiephone

modern hades and persephone where persephone is a tired college student and when she finds out the god of the underworld wants to make her his bride she’s like “become queen of the dead AND never have to go to an 8 AM lecture again, not to mention watch with popcorn as my ex dies and finds out my new boyfriend is his new king? YES PLZ” and just fucking swandives down into the underworld and hades is like “…i had a carriage prepared but okay that works too”

@eternally-persephone

Kingdom Come

His first statement made her go still for a moment. Was her game up? Would he see her as desperate and of no cause to hurry? Surely he must have known how dangerous and precarious her position here was. Certainly until they were married, but even more so until they consummated their union. Persephone was no fool. Especially with the rumors that sparked about what had happened the night they left…

No. She couldn’t think about it.

“Good. I wish to stay by your side, to learn to be a good Queen to these people,” she replied sweetly. “And by that same token…I wish you to remain by my side too. I know that in my country it is seen as bad luck for the groom to be near the bride when she tries on her gown, but I imagine we can put up a fine partition between us…”

And just as she leaned forward to press her lips against his cheek, there was a sudden shriek from the far side of the garden. Persephone gasped as she turned to see an arrow land just about a foot away from the both of them. Paper was tied to the end of it - but she looked up to see a masked man standing a few yards away with a cross bow in his hands and a mask over his face. He began screaming.

“NO DAUGHTER OF ZEUS SHALL RULE US! FREE YOURSELF FROM THE SNARE OF THAT ACCURSED FAMILY, MIGHTY KING! RETURN OUR COUNTRY TO GLORY!”

With that, the masked man turned to run.

Hades had been about to point out how odd of a tradition that seemed and what sort of bad luck might come of seeing the bride in her wedding gown, but the interruption stopped him immediately. The loud thunk of the arrow imbedding itself into the tree behind them was enough for him to pull her close and shield her with his own body, for a moment on top of her as the man shrieked behind them. He had only a knife even on him because the grounds were meant to be cut off from anyone without implicit permission. Unless it was a rogue soldier that had stayed behind he couldn’t think who would have managed to get past Hypnos’ defenses but he would be having a talk with the head guard later.

Right now his first priority had been protecting Persephone in case another arrow had come but apparently they’d only been looking to scare the pair. Chasing after the man would only leave her alone after all and if there was a second assailant then all the worse. “Are you okay, my lady?” He hadn’t moved just yet, both fully clothed and yet strangely intimate. Apparently the archer’s intents had already backfired spectacularly if he’d been looking to push the two further apart.

It seemed as though he wasn’t allowed any peace however. He moved to get up and yanked the arrow out, before gathering up the sleeping boy who just fussed at being moved again. “Stay with me, Persephone, if you would.” He could understand being frightened still but he didn’t want to see her locked away in a room for her “protection”. As long as he could keep her within his sights he would do so.

Still safer inside than out right now as he led the princess inside and found the nearest servant to return Zagreus back to his nanny who had probably still been looking for the boy and ordering the grounds into lockdown. No one allowed to enter or leave without implicit permission. From there he went straight for the throne room. It would make them easier to find admittedly by both friend and foe, but he was hoping for more of the former as Hades finally took the time to see what was on the paper around the arrow.

thefingerfuckingfemalefury

catchymemes

the-headless-vulcan

Capitalism will put the bill on your grave and harass your grieving family until they pay

theludicrousrival

One of my cousins passed away unexpectedly at the age of 35, and had been paying back a loan from the bank. About two weeks after his death, my great aunt received a statement from the bank (his mail was being delivered to her house) about a late payment. She called the bank and explained the situation and the only thing a manager could say was “Well, that’s unfortunate. We can arrange so payments will resume in 30 days, that should be enough time to have already paid for the other arrangements.”

On top of the unexpected $10,000 funeral, cremation and burial bill, my aunt had to finish paying my uncle’s $5,000 loan. She’s a disabled retiree, on a fixed income, and could barely afford to pay for her insulin for diabetes. She nearly lost her home of more than 40 years. Fuck the system.

lawful-evil-novelist

She didn’t need to pay. When people die, their debts are not their family’s responsibility.

In fact, it is outright illegal to try and collect those debts from a person who didn’t cosign the loan and isn’t executing the will.

Who is responsible for paying off the debts of your deceased relatives?

Here’s a link to the detail on that one.

eudoxiav

Banks count on people not knowing that last comment so that they can still get money

niniblack

They really do.

My great-grandmother had her identity stolen before she died at the age of 93, and thousands of charges were racked up on credit cards in her name. After she passed away, they called my mother to try and collect. My mom laughed at them, and told them: “She’s dead, good luck collecting.” The credit card asked my mother, “Don’t you want to clear your grandmother’s debts? Don’t you want to clear her good name?” My mom laughed at them again. “No,” she said. “Because a 90 year old wasn’t watching porn with those credit cards, and her name is fine. Don’t give credit cards to old women likely to pass away soon. This is on you.”

Which is how I learned as a young child to always question collection agents, and to never pay off debts that aren’t your own. They often can’t even collect that money from the estate, if there is one, depending on how you write your will and what kind of account the money was kept in.

nephrastar

DO NOT EVER PAY OFF DEBTS THAT AREN’T YOUR OWN.

If a loved one of yours dies and bill collectors (credit cards, loans, etc etc) start calling you off the hook and request that you pay off their debts, tell them in no uncertain terms to go fuck themselves.

The reason being is that the moment you give them a single penny, that debt is now on YOU because you’ve now agreed to pay it off.

Do not agree to pay off their debt. Do not pass go, do not give them $200.

Boosting this to let people know that if any of these greedy little dog-fuckers start harassing them to pay off a relatives debt the correct thing to do is just tell them to piss off and not pay them a single thing

And that there is NOTHING they can do if you do this

jadelyn

Never, ever, EVER pay so much as a single cent on a debt owed by someone who’s passed away. You make even a single payment and that’s considered you accepting responsibility for the debt, and they can then legally expect you to repay the whole thing.

They’re like vampires - they can’t collect unless you let them in. Don’t invite them in.

#this seems oddly appropriate for this blog actually #though now I'm imagining bill collectors showing up down in the underworld #who harassed the living #and Hades looking them in the eye silently for a long moment #and creating a whole corner of the fields of punishment just for them

turnitdownsometimes

Please put down your hands ’Cause I see you 🎵

Love Is Blind

Kingdom Come

eternally-persephone‌:

Persephone did what she could to assist the laying out of the sweet luncheon. She knew how lucky she was to have him all to herself. Surely if any of his advisors - namely Lord Cronos - knew where he was, there would suddenly be twenty million things for the young King to do. But thankfully she had him all to herself. She might call him her prisoner, but that would hardly keep in the spirit of alliance brought on my their marriage. When he settled down at last she did take the chance to move closer to him. Instinct told her that now was the time to make him develop stronger feelings for her.

“It is more than suitable. It is wonderful, truly. But the joy comes from being here with you more than anything else,” she smiled. As she got closer to him, she leaned against his chest, not unlike she had done in the chariot on the way over. “Tell me, when shall we ride for the capitol? I have heard tell Of it’s splendor, but only ever seen it in paintings. Will we be wed there?”

Hades had been just about ready to draw his knife in order to slice into the pomegranate for her when she slid right against him. Instead his hand moved around her and making it more comfortable for the pair of them. He wasn’t going to push her away. He’d only done it once after all and that had been more out of caring than anything and they had settled that already.

“Soon. The weather has been favorable and you seem more than ready though I haven’t had the opportunity to be the most attentive recently... At this point I think they’re more waiting for a decision to stay or to leave.” He wanted to be back home again however and in a position where the council was there instead of largely Cronos making the calls on his time. “And from there, I imagine they’ll officially start the preparations for the official ceremony. I’m sure they’ve already attempted to squash talks of our pauper’s marriage taking place in your bedroom. Not that I think most would care considering this will mean a public holiday.” He’d already been sitting in on far too many conversations about all of that and suggestions he take his ring back.

“Of course that also means you’re going to be getting pulled away for dress fittings and the like to make sure everything is just so for the big day. But I would still like you by my side for any official business as well.”

Kingdom Come

eternally-persephone‌:

The sight of his smile was worth all the jewels in the kingdom to her. Still so young a bride and unsure of her husband’s affections, all she could do was hope she was earning the tenderness of his heart. Gods only knew how important that would be in the years to follow. When he was gone, Persephone turned to watch the sleeping Zag. And she could not help but allow her mind to drift back to the sad story her dearly beloved had told her. Of Minthe’s betrayal and of the boy’s true parentage. It was a miracle at all, she told herself, that Hades had let anyone come so close, let alone her…

When he returned she was all smiles as he offered her the red fruit before he bent down and scooped up the boy in his arms. “No, they do not. A funny little thing,” she said as she walked over and knelt down to pick up the basket without hesitation. “Where to, my dear? And tell me - does one eat the skin on this thing? Or open it first? It seems to resemble a citrus fruit!”

He was grateful for her volunteering, just focusing on the sleeping boy. Admittedly he was tempted to go lay Zag down in his room, but at this point Hades feared more his own capture. He just led the way back into and through the gardens, knowing a good location that wouldn’t be immediately noticeable from anyone just wandering about or looking from the palace.

“You open it first. The skin is rather tough so I wouldn’t suggest trying to bite into it.” He had a knife however that would work for cutting it open once they arrived.

At the moment however he was having a rather good time just being with her, feeling more like a couple of teenagers running away from the adults. And admittedly if they were found he would just refuse to go back until he was good and ready. He was still the king after all which was supposed to mean he jumped for no one unless he wanted. The area had a large tree for cover from the sun and the hedges would keep them out of immediate view as he pulled the blanket from the basket and did his best to spread it out with one hand enough to give Zagreus somewhere to lay down before settling the boy down and spreading it the rest of the way out.

“Hopefully a suitable enough location for a picnic.”

panoramamelodrama-deactivated20

Poldark s4 ep7

Kingdom Come

Persephone wished she could believe him whole heartedly. But she was more worried about the new people she had come to live with. While she may have been the cause of an end to the war, she was also the daughter of their most hated enemy. One that most people knew the King absolutely despised as well. How could there not be some tension?

When they came across the sleeping boy, Persephone sighed sweetly. He looked so calm and gentle while asleep. “Poor noble heart,” she cooed lightly. “But I suppose I can grant him my pardon. At least…he left me some time alone with you.” She turned towards him and reached forward, bold enough to press a kiss to his cheek. “I can stay here with him while you raid the kitchens for us?”

There was a rare smile from the king at the small kiss. “As my lady wishes.” Not that it took much to find a basket and fill it with a light lunch and a little in case their young friend woke again looking for something else to eat. He returned as quickly as he could however, afraid they might be caught before they could get too far away and set the basket aside for a moment before offering her a deep red fruit while he went to gather up the boy rather than leave him to be caught by the kitchen maids.

“They don’t have pomegranates in your kingdom, do they?”

It took a little maneuvering but soon he had Zag positioned with his head resting on his shoulder and moving to take the basket again with his other hand. It wasn’t fair to ask the lady after all when he’d invited her. “And away we go.”

Kingdom Come

CONTINUED…

“I do believe he wouldn’t have been content with anyone if he hadn’t personally chosen them himself.” After all they’d bent enough once to allow him to marry for love and they had all seen just how well things had gone then with the ensuing rumors that thankfully never hit the truth. He could be seen as cold and cruel as long as it didn’t put the boy at risk. “Though now I’m just waiting for the first one to come along and suggest they’ll assist you in returning home to escape from me. Not that I’m worried in the least about that happening.” His hand brushed against her cheek wondering if it was at all possible to feel any more enamored with someone you’d only known personally for a few short days. And he certainly hoped things would never get to that point though he could just see Hypnos returning to him with green hair and was trying not to laugh at the mental image. “Please don’t teach him that one. I’m sure he’ll be bad enough on his own.” Though his father figure was not one to ignore him so hopefully he wouldn’t feel the need to act out that much. “Let’s go get a few things for our hideaway picnic before I have the kitchen lacing my food with something non-lethal to get back for allowing Zag to run all over the place unsupervised.”

Persephone shivered when she felt his hand on her cheek and she leaned into his touch. At his comment she couldn’t help but smirk and nestle into his palm before pressing a kiss against his wrist. “Mm…far more likely they’ll want to save you from me. I would steal all of your time and take you away to these secret picnics,” she teased. “And I suppose I can keep that trick to myself - but you’ll need to owe me for that one.” And she gave him a wicked little grin, something that promised something that couldn’t be said or done with Zag around. “But for now, you’re right. Should I go in and pull him out or would you like to?”