Chapter Text
You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.
- C.S. Lewis
Nine, that’s how old I was, the first time I remember seeing the signs, not that I understood that then. I was never meant to have a normal life, which I know now completely. But if I knew all that would come from this meeting I wonder if I still would have had it.
I’ve always been different from the other kids on the Isle. I never understood their willingness to listen blindly to their parents. I mean sure they were villains but now, here, it's not like they could do much to us. Hit us, beat us, sure. I mean sure my mother used that method enough times in an attempt to get me to fall into line. Use magic to make sure we stayed in line though? Not so much. If you were able to handle the beatings, you didn’t have much to worry about. Pain is fleeting. If you ignore it long enough, you just stop feeling it, or just stop caring about it. But that’s not what I am talking about. I mean my mother didn’t give advice often, but one thing she made sure I knew. Stay away from Hades. Gods don’t like children. Gods eat children.
The first time I saw him, he towered over me, with dark blue hair, and ice-like blue eyes that looked like they could have felt threatening. Should have felt like it. To everyone else they did. People on the Isle tended to pull their kids away when he walked by. Scared I suppose, I mean he is a god, not exactly known for their kindness. Like an idiot, I just stood there staring at him. I figured that if I could stand up to the person who gave villains nightmares, maybe my mother would be proud of me. Maybe she would care enough to get me to move. Turning around I think her face should have been the clue to get out of dodge and run. She didn’t look proud, or happy, or even indifferent. She looked terrified, and now I know why.
Well, I was royally unprepared for this meeting. But I suppose it's hard to plan when you get dragged into the one place everyone on the Isle stays away from to have lunch with the God of the Underworld in the middle of the day. I mean, most people would be excited to meet their dad. I on the other hand, for the first time in my life, was wholeheartedly terrified.
He wasn’t even looking at me, he was staring at my mother. Like he knew something I didn’t. Jaw locked, eyes piercing, I am positive that if magic worked on the isle, his hair would have been bright red. He looked so angry, but he just stood there, staring, not a word to her. Looking at him, I smiled, probably looked a little psychotic to most of the isle. When he finally met my eyes, I was completely unprepared for him to take my hand and lead me away from my mother a few feet. Now I was expecting at this point to be killed. Don’t mess with Hades, everyone on the Isle knew that. What I was not expecting was for him to buy some food off the cart sitting there and hand it to me.
“How would you like to come to stay with me?” He knelt in front of me handing me the bruised apple and water. “You won’t have to worry about your mother anymore, you’ll have a constant place to sleep, food to eat.” How after learning that day who I was to him, he remained that perfect calm storm, I will never understand. I remember not replying, not getting a chance to before my mother started yelling at him.
“What the hell do you think you're doing, she is MY daughter, you can’t just take her!” She started walking up to us her eyes burning emerald green. “She has no idea who you are, as far as I’m concerned you don’t get to be involved in her life. How do you plan on explaining her fae gifts to her? You can’t ju—“ She trails off getting closer and closer until I feel her gripping my upper arm pulling me toward her. Too tightly I might add, it was going to bruise.
“She is OUR daughter, not just your’s and I think you forget there is more about people than their abilities, we both know you have the emotional intelligence of a frog, and last I checked my sister is the one who made the Fae in the first place, pretty sure if I have any questions I already can’t answer she can.” Still calm and collected, he looks up at her still kneeling in front of me. How no one had figured out who he was to me at this point was a mystery. Villains and their kids ran, I suppose when two of the scariest and powerful villains start a standoff in the quarter, you leave before you're unable to. Trying to shake off her hand, she gripes even harder till I let out a hiss in pain. Hearing that his eyes fall to mine. “I will not let you turn her into a minion for you to manipulate in some crazed plan to get off the Isle.”
“But, it’s her choice, we both know you won’t, can’t do anything to me, and I won’t stand here and let you hurt her.” Standing up, he extends his hand. “It is YOUR choice, remember that, not hers, and not mine, yours.” He didn’t look like the scary monster everyone made him out to be. His eyes were soft with understanding not contempt like my mother's. Looking back up at my mother I can see her eyes burn into mine, dropping my head, I shake my head. Seeing this he turns and starts to walk off. The idea of having a parent who cares though, burns. I know if I let him leave, it's for good, there will be no second chance for me.
“Wait!” I snap out from under my mother's arm. As he turns around I hear my mother walking fast behind me to grab me. Before that happens I run and grab onto his arm and hide my body behind his, breathing heavily from adrenaline and fear most likely. As my mother reaches for me he steps out before she can and leads me down the tunnel towards the docks.
“Don’t bother coming back when you realize he’s no good and you decide you should have stayed with your mother! You will regret this Hades!” I hear her shout down the tunnel as were speed walking onto the port. Well, I was speed walking, He was walking normally, it wasn’t easy keeping up with a man who is three or four times your height.
He didn’t say much as we walked toward what I assumed was his home. As we passed both the docks where the pirates lived and started walking toward the outer edge of the forbidden forest, I started to get nervous. It was already getting dark and cold and I had no idea at this point where we were going. No one knew where he lived. As we approached the cave system I noticed the ever-locked gate unlocked. Realizing that I was running out of steam, and was also low-key freaking out he stopped and looked down at me.
“Everything is going to be okay, I’m going to carry you from here, it's dark inside the caves and you haven’t gotten the full tour yet, and I don’t want you to get separated from me, we can do that tomorrow, okay?” Eyes soft, he waits for an answer. Nodding, I look back and notice two men following us. Confusion and anxiety spikes as I step closer to him. As he picks me up he smiles. “Bluebird over Panic and the moron standing next to him is Pain, you’ll be seeing them often, they work for me. They won’t hurt you, I promise.”
“I wasn’t thinking th-“ I start before noticing his raised eyebrow. “Fine, it's not exactly like mothers minions were the nicest goblins to be around, not use to it,” I say as I lean my head against his chest my eyesight blurring as we walk into the cave. I can feel my brain clouding over as I start to fall asleep. Trying to stay away seemed difficult, maybe it was the dark. Maybe it was the cold. All I know is it felt like—
“Welcome home my little dragon, you can sleep now” home felt like home. The next thing I remember was my eyes closing and the dark settling in.
———————————————————————————————————————
Waking up the next morning it was cold, but not uninviting. Looking around I assessed my surroundings. I was in a room, dark with grey walls. There was a wooden bed with a matching dresser and nightstand. On the isle, finding two pieces of matching furniture was gold, finding a set that wasn’t destroyed was impossible. The mattress is not old and is covered in soft sheets, white. Blankets, white. Not a bit of it is damaged or dirty. The number of questions I had been capsized by the smell of the food sitting on the nightstand. Some kind of bread I assume, Standing up I take it and start to eat it walking around the room. No windows. Of course not, I assume I’m underground, how could there be. As I finish the food, I start to walk toward the door I hear footsteps coming from outside. Freezing in my spot, I wait for the footsteps to leave. Once the sound stops I open the door, only to realize that my dad? Is standing outside the door with a mug of something steaming in his hand.
“Morning, well I’d say morning but it's like two-thirty in the afternoon.” As my eyes widen I take the cup from him. “You had a long day yesterday, figured you could use the rest,” I remember getting to the cave just after dark maybe seven or eight at night, that meant I slept for around eighteen hours, I don’t remember ever sleeping that long. Ever. Shaking my head I start walking down the hall before I realize I have no idea where I am going.
“It's been a long life, now about that tour you told me about, because I almost just started walking around, and I have no idea where I can go and can’t go and would prefer not to get yelled at first day here? Where is here by the way?” Looking at the walls, I notice they aren’t stone, but wood paneling, painted over by different things. Trees, bushes, night skies. The floors are soft and cushioned. After analyzing I realized he hasn’t replied to anything I have said. Eyes downturned a small frown, he shakes his head before a wide smile appears and he throws his arm over my shoulder and starts pulling me down the hall.
“One, you won’t get yelled at here, ever, we just don’t do that here,” He says pulling me into an archway. Looking over the room I notice a fireplace burning and couches and chairs fill the room. “Well you won’t get yelled at, Pain and Panic, well, that's a different story, they are straight-up morons, but you get used to it, you’ll probably yell at them at some point.” He pulls his arm away and goes to sit in the middle of the couch in front of the fireplace. Following him I sit opposed in a solitary cushioned chair, crossing my legs in the chair watching.
“So why am I here exactly, I mean I know your my dad obviously, but I’ve been alive for nine years and this is the first time I’ve ever talked to you, so I’m a little confused.” Keeping my head facing down toward my mug I hear a sigh and a grumble under his breath at my tone.
“I didn’t know” leaning his head back against the couch. “I mean I thought I could have been when you were younger, but she told me your father was some-“ He starts before I cut him off “A weak, pathetic, no good excuse of a human?” Lifting my head and meeting his eyes he smiles.
“Yeah, your mother is a… piece of work at best. Should have known to not take her at face value when it came to the confirmation of if you were my daughter. Nevertheless, I wasn’t sure until yesterday.” Looking directly at him I tilt my head and raise an eyebrow in a ‘like that explains anything to me’ fashion.
Smirking “Not many people would have been able to stand there and stare at the King of the Underworld and not be terrified. You weren’t, plus, I’ve kept an eye on you just in case as you’ve grown up, your hair for one is a lot darker than when you were born. It used to be almost a light silver and now it's almost a lilac shade, probably will get even darker over time” Waving a hand in the air and a new mug and teapot appear on the table in front of me. In my disbelief, he fills his mug and leans back, like he is waiting for me to comment on it.
“I have a feeling I’m not going to be any less confused after this conversation” Rolling my eyes at him. He huffs out a loud laugh, smirking.
“On the other side, I’ve seen you with people, you don’t tend to see people the way they do, your friends for example” Stopping to take a drink. “You don’t look at them with confusion when they do something, that should make people angry or confused because you already know why, you can feel it, in your gut, it's why making those deals you do is so easy, feels as easy as breathing.”
I remember for the first few years of my life, making deals with people for food, shelter. It wasn’t like my mother was going to provide it. Most people on the Isle would feel embarrassed making deals for things they could just steal. Not me. Never me. I’ve… always had this thing for words. Maybe it's because my mother is dark Fae, we tend to be known for our deals with humans. Or that's what I thought back then. Maybe it was because of him. My dad.
This time when he stops he just sits there waiting for me to respond. Waving my hand in a way to say continue, he snorts.
“Plus I don’t know many people who could access magic like we do, and don’t give me that look like I don’t know what I’m talking about, on an isle full of death, while the others magic is repressed we can’t be. I kind of can’t be full without my magic or else the Underworld would stop working, but never the less we're talking about you.” Staring into the dark coffee in my mug I can see that even though we have been sitting here for almost an hour it's still steaming hot, yet I am not being burnt by the mug.
“I can only do small things, like well, this” Lifting the mug to show how it's still hot. “I thought she could too when I was younger, and when I realized she couldn’t I figured it was best to keep quiet about it.” Taking a large gulp of the burning coffee, I relax into the chair. “You going to teach me how to do that mug trick you did earlier? That might be fun to be able to use at my gang meetin- oh shit” Realizing I didn’t check in last night. “I have to go, The guys are probably freaking out and I didn’t get back to the clubhouse-“ I start setting the mug down and start walking back toward the hallway before I get stopped by a hand stopping me.
“I figured your friends would be freaking out, that's why we beat Pain and Panic back here, they dropped off a note saying you would be back later tonight. I’ll walk you back myself since you have no idea where we are. Now take a deep breath cause your panicking and that won’t help anyone” leaning against the archway I take a deep breath before I realize.
“How do you know where the clubhouse is? No one outside of my gang knows?” I say raising my voice.
“Your not that sneaky, and like I said, I’ve kept an eye on you wasn’t too hard to figure out where you spend most of your time. Now since we’re already over here, why don’t we get the tour over with, and then you can go calm down your watchdog, Jay is it?” Humor dripping in his voice as he tries to hide a smile.
“He’s not my guard dog!” Arguing back, as we walk back into the hallway, as we go he starts pointing out multiple rooms including another living room type area, a kitchen, a couple of bathrooms, and then we get to two tall wide doors that look like they are made out of pure onyx. Stopping in front of them he turns around to face me and takes a deep breath before starting, “I’m sure you’ve realized that half of this stuff shouldn’t exist on the isle, and that's because it doesn’t, because the cave system on the isle is connected to the Underworld.”
Taking a step back, I can feel the panic rising in me. “I’m in the fucking what now? I thought it was a one-way trip? You know cause you have to die first?” Before I can step even farther back into the hall he wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into a hug.
“First, language, you're nine, not ninety, watch it. But yes, that is typically a step that has to occur, except you're the God of the Underworld’s daughter, you don’t exactly have to play by the same rules. ” I can feel him pulling me toward to doors, and before I can say anything else, I feel everything. Turning my head and gazing outside I trees and plants living but also dead, along with rivers, from here I can see two, but I remember in class learning about five. This place feels of death and despair. I should feel terrified, panicked, maybe a little scared. Instead, I feel calm, at peace. Stepping out of his arms I walk outside the doors leaning on the ledge of the balcony in front of me. Watching people walking around the river in front of me I see people reaching into the river with their hands and drinking from it.
“It's the River Lethe, upon entering the underworld, the living must drink the waters of the Lethe to forget their lives on earth. But you’ll learn more about that type of thing soon. I’m sure you have plenty of questions, but for now, we should get you back to your friends.” Looking at me for confirmation, I stand up straight and we start walking back through the house. “To get from here back onto the isle you just have to walk through this cave it’ll take you there and back for future reference.”
As we walk through the cave, I notice different gems and silver streaks within the walls. It's beautiful, they almost shine and light up the hall as we walk. “So what do I tell people about why you and mother were fighting? Cause we both know they will, you two aren’t exactly subtle.” Running my hands over the wall on my right as I talk.
“Your working for me now, that’s what they will remember, it's not safe for you to be known as my daughter, you already have a big enough target on your back being Maleficent's daughter. Being known as mine would just make your life difficult. If you want to tell your friends, just make sure they keep quiet about it, no need for you to get hurt over something that has nothing to do with you.” Shaking his head in thought, we get to the middle of the quarter. Looking down at me, he ruffles my hair. “Well, I better let you get back to your ‘gang’ princess” using finger quotes he laughs.
“No, drop the nickname not happening, not a princess, not my thing” I argue, shaking my head. He lifts his head in a snort.
“Your my daughter and I’m the King of the Underworld, makes you a princess, princess” He leans down and whispers raising his eyebrows in amusement. Clenching my jaw I stare at him in annoyance. Breathing out through my nose, I roll my eyes, looking at the shacks around me before a wide psychotic smile breaks out over my face.
“See you later old man” I yell loudly smirking staring straight at him walking backward knowing people in the quarter are listening in on the conversation now. If I could go back and take a picture of his reaction I would. He looked like he wanted to commit actual homicide.
Heading back to the hideout, I stop outside staring at the sign. The place that for most of my life I have seen as home. But now, knowing what I know, I don’t think it is anymore, or at least, it's not the only one anymore. Thinking back to what I know now, the Lethe was a perfect example of how I felt. Everything I thought about who my dad was ended up being completely incorrect. Everything is different now. Now it's like I have a new chance at having a decent parent maybe.
Ethier way, Jay, Carlos, hell, Evie, they can never know. I love them but Jay and Carlos are terrified of disappointing their parents, and knowing this, and not being able to tell them... it would eat them alive. Evie on the other hand would love to tell everyone, not with malicious intent, but because she would have been happy for me. She has always been too sweet for the Isle, but here sweet isn’t so sweet.