Chapter 25: Rumors
Ever since the "small talk" I had with Martha, she has refused to talk to me much. Her sentences to me were curt and short, somewhat like how I spoke to people back on earth, especially to Madison. But now that it was done to me, I didn't like it.
Martha had earlier asked me what color I would like my dress to be but, she didn't ask about how I would like the designs and it made me somewhat curious thinking about what outfit they are making me wear.
Martha sighs in contentment, as she stands back to admire my outfit. "Well, all done. Lady Aphrodite would have certainly loved her designs on you."
I was somewhat perplexed at the revelation. "Lady Aphrodite… You mean the goddess Aphrodite is Hades' seamstress?"
"Yes, she is the Master's seamstress and the best. I have always imagined wearing one of her designs. I've only seen her a few times when she fixed Hades' clothes or delivered them herself."
"If you only got this dress today, does that mean she is around? Can I see her, even if it's just a glimpse from afar?" I gave Martha my best puppy eyes and a sweet smile.
But Martha only sighed in distress as she shook her head" I'm afraid that would be breaking the master's rules. He said you shouldn't step out of your room. You do remember him saying that, right milady?"
"Mhm," I mumbled in response, implying yes.
"And besides," Martha continued "She wouldn't be arriving until after the gathering. How it turns out will determine if any of them would be visiting Hades at all."
I frowned, not liking the perspective of what I understood from the information Martha just passed to me.
"What's there to be afraid of? You are touching me aren't you?" I raised a question but it wasn't exactly directed at Martha, but all of them took the liberty of helping me wear my gown.
"Well you see," Martha let out, deciding to be the spokesman on behalf of the maids. "We are only maids that have been instructed to serve you. Our lives can't be compared to that of the Lords. And we are more than glad to oblige our Master's request."
I nodded slowly. From what I understand, Martha was sweet, obedient, and extremely loyal. She would prefer to displease herself to please her Lord.
She was submissive… A little too submissive, something I wonder, If I can ever be.
I tear my gaze away from them and start to make my way to the mirror to see what they had made out of me, but Martha's small voice stops me.
"Not yet, Aurora. You can't look till we are completely done with your look."
Well, that didn't make any sense. "What if I don't like how it turns out?"
Martha bites back a chuckle and instead walks up to me holding me by my wrist and leads me to the bed. "If it wasn't Lady Aphrodite that made your dress, I would have allowed you to be uncertain. You look beautiful as it is, a little more patience and you would look even more beautiful." I blushed at Martha's kind words.
She excused herself to go get the tools I would be needing to style my hair and the makeup too.
I watched as she slipped out of the room quietly. Once I was sure she was out of hearing distance, I cleared my throat and turned to the other maid.
"Why is he so… Grumpy?"
"Who, you mean the master Hades?"
"Yeah," I laughed. "Him."
The maid quietly knelt before taking a seat beside my feet. "Well, you certainly did not expect the god of the underworld to be less than how he appears. But the news has it that,"
The maid paused and checked the door to be sure no one was coming this way or peeping around.
While I bit the inside of my cheeks in excitement as she continued.
"News has it that it's because he was betrayed by his first lover and his most trusted minion and best friend, Lucifer."
"Lucifer was his lover?" I questioned interrupting her, widening my eyes in surprise completely taken aback by the information.
"No, you misheard me. I mean he was betrayed by his lover and best friend."
"Oh," I mouthed, getting the point and somewhat relieved.
"Mind you, Master is very faithful and when he loves and trusts others, he trusts and loves deeply. So when he found out what the evil Lucifer was making his lover do, he was both heartbroken and betrayed. Rumors had it that Hades' lover had betrayed him, with almost all the gods, including Aphrodite. Lucifer's case just turned out to be the first he heard since he was close to him, and right under his nose."
I widened my eyes at the information. I was mostly surprised to know that Hades was heartbroken and he loved someone. The god looked like someone that had never heard of the word love, for however long he has been living.
"But I thought Hades' only lover was a goddess, like himself, that he had cheated on?" I questioned trying to put together what I have read about Hades' Myths, and what she was telling me now.
The maid chuckled, briefing, taking pauses to check if there was anyone lurking around or eavesdropping. "Those are silly tales humans made out of curiosity of Master Hades never bearing children. I've heard it too. Truth is, Master Hades is the only faithful man up here. So faithful," she drew closer
"That he's never married or had more than one lover. He's barely been with anyone after the betrayal. But he has someone he has at his beck and call whenever he wants to be intimate. But he doesn't look at a woman the way he looked at his former lover, nor has he desired to bring one to his bed."
My ear perks up in anticipation waiting for the maid to tell me who the person was. But she never mentioned it. Instead, she began to massage my feet, it was then I realized Martha had just come in with the required tools.
"This will be over before you know it," Martha informed me cheerfully before she started her work on my hair.
Thinking about it now, the maid did not exactly tell me who this person that I assume to be a woman had broken Hades' heart. And his newly found... Mistress he calls whenever he feels the need to be intimate.
I wished silently for Martha to forget something and happen to excuse herself, so I could get the opportunity to ask her more questions about it but, Martha never left my side. She was too fixated on my hair.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone