If I Had Words

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Chapter 88      Chapter 90

Hades hated meetings. 

Nothing important ever happened. They had their regular, boring gatherings to make reports and keep records. He would have preferred to skip those, and he often did, but he never missed the ones when Persephone came to join him. 

Persephone was the brightest light in all of the cosmos. 

Occasionally they would call additional meetings to discuss the messes made by a demigod, or to settle some minor dispute. 

Nothing important.

This case didn’t seem to be anything different. 

A mortal had caught the eye of Eros. No surprise there. The arrogant, young god had probably accidentally shot himself. 

Why did they all have to gather? The answer was simple. The mortal had died. She was in his realm now. Time to let go and find another one. There were millions more, and more born every day.  

Why did the gods have to complicate things?

He knew they would eventually come to him, asking him to bring her soul back. Nonsense. There was no reason to drag her soul away from its rest, no reason to make her go through the pain of reclaiming her body. 

None of these fools had any idea what it was like to be mortal, what it was to suffer the torments of mortality. 

Only through his powers and dominion did he have an idea himself. 

None of the other gods realized the peace and rest provided by his realm. They rarely came. His world was greatly feared and misunderstood. 

The Underworld was better for it.

Keep these unstable, emotional gods to the realms above. Let them wreak havoc there. 

Leave his world alone. 

Quiet. 

Peaceful. 

Except for perhaps the wailing and wandering souls. 

There had been fewer of those since his marriage. His wife had brought his attention to the fact he could help them. He didn’t have to leave them to figure things out on their own. Not exactly the natural process, but helping wasn’t totally against nature either. 

He had been surprised when he realized it was Persephone who wanted to resurrect the mortal. 

He couldn’t fathom why. 

Still, he had learned to trust his wife and he’d granted permission. 

The council seemed surprised by that. They seemed to be surprised by a lot of things throughout this meeting.

“I think she could really help us,” Apollo said. “Athena is right. I think she is meant to be a goddess.” 

Another surprise. 

Of course, Aphrodite had to kick and scream against the truth. 

“She already is,” Hades said. 

He was tired of how long this was being drawn out. Why did it have to take so much drama just to come to a decision? It was time to push things forward. 

Aphrodite looked at Hades, confused and bewildered. 

Hades? Why would Hades want to get involved? 

Aphrodite tried to think. There had to be a reason. Then Aphrodite smiled.

“Hades,” Aphrodite said. “I understand. I do. You favor this mortal because of your wife. You wouldn’t have allowed her to join this council otherwise. But believe me, she is better off in your realm where she can tend to these ‘souls’ she cares so much about. She can help you. She can help your wife. Why worry about making her a goddess? She doesn’t need such power to do her work in the Underworld.”

Hades grimaced.

Had he only just now realized how unattractive Aphrodite had become?  

“This mortal has soundly beaten you,” Hades said. “She’s clearly produced a superior beauty by using her own powers. She’s won the heart of your son. She even got your awful twins to join in and help her with her tasks.

“She has won, Aphrodite. You have lost. Let’s grant her the remaining powers necessary and be done with this.”

“But to allow a mortal to become a goddess, Hades?” Hera said, frowning. “You cannot dismiss the problems this poses. To elevate this mortal, any mortal, could be disastrous. Surely, you must see that.” 

“Couldn’t be any more disastrous than what any of you already do,” Hades said. “Fortunately none of you can bring your problems into the Underworld.” 

“The Underworld,” Demeter said crisply. “As if that’s a place to boast. No light. No joy. There is nothing good about that place.”

“But there is joy,” Psyche said.  

Demeter’s eyes flashed at Psyche and Psyche looked down. 

“You know nothing of the Underworld,” Hades said, rising.

“You know nothing of love,” Demeter said, defiantly. “It was Eros who made you love my daughter. You? You feel nothing. You are dark and empty, void of any emotion just like your realm.”

Hades frowned.

Psyche looked at Hades. He had been so kind to her. He had shielded her and helped her through the resurrection process. She could see the pain Demeter’s words had caused. He half believed them. He wondered whether he was really loving by nature or if that was only Eros. 

Hades was loving. He was good. He needed someone to speak for him. 

“Goddess,” Psyche said, joining in again. “You are wrong.”

“How am I wrong?” Demeter said. “Hades cares only for himself. He cares only for his realm.”

“Before he had the love of Persephone, he had no one,” Psyche said. “No one else offered love or light. He had to look inward. His realm became a sanctuary, a place where he could do his work undisturbed. Likely he was satisfied to continue into the eternities managing his realm alone. Persephone was an unexpected disruption.”

Demeter looked at Hades, puzzled. 

Hades looked away. 

“How could you possibly know?” Demeter said, looking narrowly at Psyche.

“Can’t you see it?” Psyche said. 

Demeter took a step towards Psyche.

“How can you see it?” Demeter asked.

Psyche closed her eyes. As she had with the spirits in the Underworld, she tried pouring some of her light into Demeter. With her light, she showed the goddess the goodness, the kindness she’d seen in Hades as he dealt with his realm. He had found peace with his isolation. He had a purpose and that purpose sustained him. 

Demeter stepped back, surprised. 

Psyche opened her eyes. 

Hera looked at Demeter. 

“What did she do?” Hera asked, concerned. 

“She — she showed me,” Demeter said.

Hera looked sternly at Psyche.

“What is this?” Hera said. 

“Her experiences as a mortal have helped her,” Athena said. “Her trials and everything she has gone through have heightened her abilities.”

Hera glanced at Athena, then looked back at Psyche. 

“How much do you understand, mortal?” Hera said.  

“I’m not sure,” Psyche said.

“Perhaps it is time I examined you,” Hera said with an air of authority. 

Psyche bowed before the Queen of the Gods.

“Earlier you said you didn’t mind if Eros found love in the arms of another woman,” Hera said, levelling her gaze at Psyche. “It is because of Eros that my husband frequently finds himself in those awkward situations.”

Hera glanced at Eros. Eros looked down at his feet.  

“Personally, if you were to become a goddess, I am eager to see how your marriage will stop Eros from using his powers in such destructive ways,” Hera said. “I know I cannot blame Eros entirely, but I imagine it would certainly help things.”

Hera eyed Psyche. 

“Tell me, mortal,” Hera said, “why do men cheat on their wives?”

Eros looked up at Psyche, worried. Psyche smiled. 

“May I?” Psyche said, extending a hand to Hera. 

“Can’t you just answer the question?” Hera said, holding back. 

“I can,” Psyche said. “But I could give you a better answer if you let me see.”

Hera carefully extended a hand towards Psyche. Psyche took it and closed her eyes, searching the goddess’s soul.

Psyche opened her eyes, tears welling up in them. 

“I’m so sorry,” Psyche whispered.

“Answer the question,” Hera said, quickly withdrawing her hand.  

“Men cheat for a variety of reasons,” Psyche said simply. “The reasons are primarily motivated by our greater desire for love and fulfillment. But that’s not your real question. You want to know how the Goddess of Marriage could be struggling so much with her own. You’ve blessed so many other marriages. You’ve helped powerful women make powerful alliances. You helped maintain balance within the cosmos by refusing to be Zeus’s lover and by insisting on being his wife. Since then, you have helped both mortals and gods maintain balance and stability through your powers. 

“Great Goddess, your own struggles are not in vain. It is not a reflection of your weakness. These struggles are to your strength.

“Since Pandora released all of the evils into the world, many women face similar difficulties. They have important choices to make. Your own challenges give you an enhanced understanding as you guide fellow wives through the process of deciding what to do. The answer is not the same for everyone. You know the pain and difficulty of that decision.

“You, yourself, choose to stay for a reason. You know it isn’t easy, but you know it’s important. You know without your sacrifice there would be instability and perhaps even greater disruption in the cosmos. 

“Marriage is not a singular event. It is a process of growth and change. Your powers have grown and will continue to grow. They have not yet reached their full height.”

Hera looked narrowly at Psyche for a moment. Psyche looked back at her, waiting. 

Hera looked at Eros. To finally have his powers contained was heartening. 

Hera looked at Psyche again. She thought about everything she’d watched this mortal do throughout the trial. She could see things. Her understanding had greater depth. 

Hera had endured so much as Queen of the Gods. It was constant humiliation every time Zeus found another pretty face. It was tiring having to punish all of his lovers, most of them innocent. They had to view Zeus’s advances with terror, not ambition. 

But it was so destructive. It distracted Hera away from her real work. Strong marriages were a powerful force for good and did much to combat the evils Zeus had unleashed. Everyone blamed Pandora, but Hera knew it had been Zeus himself. His idea of keeping the mortals in check. 

Now it was constant work for everyone. 

Hera looked at Psyche. She was good. She was pure. She added what seemed to be lacking among the gods. 

“Will you help us?” Hera said, almost inaudiably. “Will you help us with this work?” 

Psyche smiled. 

Hera broke away from Psyche and abruptly turned to Zeus. 

“We should grant her the powers of a goddess,” Hera said.

Zeus furrowed his brows. 

Hera could usually surprise Zeus, mostly with the creative and cruel ways she punished his lovers. But he couldn’t argue the logic behind retaliation. 

This?

This was not like Hera.  

“Why?” Zeus said, confused. “Aren’t you afraid she and other mortals will grow beyond our control? Won’t this disrupt the proper order of things?”

Hera studied her husband for a moment. He was so irksome and yet necessary. 

“If we are to maintain our control, we need her,” Hera said. 

Zeus’s frown deepened.

“Why?” Zeus said. “Why would we need this mortal?”

Hera looked at Psyche for a moment before answering. 

“Because,” Hera said, finally looking back at Zeus, “because she can see things and that’s useful. We can always use another woman in the Pantheon. I’m personally looking forward to having someone I can actually talk to without thinking about what you’ve done to her. And fortunately, she’s out of your reach. You wouldn’t dare touch Eros’s wife.”

Zeus straightened. It’s not as if he went after every possible female. 

“I agree,” Demeter said, joining in beside Hera. “She is no ordinary mortal. Let her be a goddess.” 

Demeter still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it, but her support would infuriate Aphrodite. 

The room stood stunned. 

“What!?” Aphrodite shrieked. “We cannot allow her to become a goddess! We would lose our powers. Look at her! She is weak! She is flawed!”

“And so are you,” Hades said, his gaze piercing through her.

Aphrodite looked around the room, catching sight of Ares. He nodded and raised a fist, giving her encouragement. 

Aphrodite looked at Psyche, filled with anger and resolve. 

This was not over. 

“She has no idea of the full weight and responsibility we carry,” Aphrodite said, facing the council. “It is more than her weak mind could possibly imagine.” 

Aphrodite reached towards Psyche, hand outstretched, with a mischievous smile.

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