Kingdom of Greed

Chapter 2: Chasing shadows of magic

I sat perched on our sofa sipping my tea while silently losing my mind. Everyone was already out of the house. Busily rushing about to get a head start on the day's chores, leaving me to stew with my mind spinning all sorts of positive and negative fantasies of the Prince in my room.

The third stair suddenly creaked, making it known that someone was making their way down the stairs, that someone being the prince. I quickly but silently rushed over to the window seat and gazed out the window, hoping the sunlight would help lessen my startling appearance. It’s not like the book’s you read, Athena. Princes don’t save the damsel or the kingdom. They sit on their thrones changing nothing, just as their fathers and their fathers, father did before them. An unending cycle, no matter how handsome they are. Oh but he definitely was handsome. Those curls and dark eyes could drive any girl mad.

“Good morning.” A husky voice echoed from the stairs, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Good Morning your highness, how did you sleep?” I asked, already knowing.

“Quite well actually, far better than I expected.” He said as he ran a hand through his shaggy hair. I could just eat him.

“My mother puts sleeping herbs in the pillows to help the guests sleep better. After all, the majority of them haven’t had a good night's rest in some time.” I smiled sheepishly at him, fighting my eyes to not take in every inch of him.

“That would explain it then,” he chuckled. “I’ll have to get the names of those herbs. I haven't had a sleep like that in a while either.”

“What's your goose down and priceless furs not comfortable enough?” I smirked.

He half smiled, “I wish I could blame it on that, sometimes I wish I was as arrogant and foolish as my family. They say ignorance is bliss, but they never tell you how insufferable empathy can be. You see so much suffering, and you're almost at a point where you could really change things. Yet that’s when they question your ability to rule. You have no idea the anger and frustration of having the ability to change things for the better, and it hangs just out of your reach, brushing your fingertips even.” He sighed heavily.

“You really wish to change things?” I asked, finally feeling some semblance of hope for the city Kyfetalos, my home, the once shining jewel of the mainland. The last standing Kingdom along the borders of the dusk lands, the lonely city that survived the onyx death.

“With everything I am.” His eyes stared into the depths of my soul, and I knew with everything I was, I was going to give my all to help him.

Hades didn't stay long after he woke up. He stayed long enough to have some toast and tea, then giving us his thanks, he quietly slipped out the door back to his perfect life.

"Oh! Thena I never expected you to bring home such a man! Well, any man, for that matter." My Aunt Ember swooned.

"Oh Ember, leave the poor girl alone." My aunt Sage smirked over at me. "After all, did you really expect her to be a nun. I mean look at the she devil." She smirked into her tea cup.

"Ok, but how did you manage to snag that? My cousin Cordelia leaned close to me, so close I had to scoot my plate to the right.

"I mean I don't know I-"

"I mean, for a second," I even thought he was the prince! But when he opened his mouth, I realized he couldn't be, because of how nice and normal he was." Cousin Raven said as she now crowded my right, forcing me to push my plate towards the center of the table.

"Oh come on Thena don't be such a sickler for details. What did you do? Did you show him some leg?" Aunt Ember chimed in again.

"Alright ladies, that is enough!" my mother laughed. I smiled up at her gratefully.

"Oh come on Mae we just want to know how she did it. Or if he has a bother or hot Father possibly." my aunt Ember wagged her eyebrows at me.

"Aunt Ember!" I chuckled.

"What? I'm young, single and definitely in need of some mingling as long as they look like that! She placed her hand on her forehead and pretended to pass out.

"Alright, well, I have lost my appetite, so I am going to go find something to do." I laughed as I left the table.

I made my way to the northend of the city where there was nothing but condemned homes, the homeless and crime was at its highest.

I walked a short distance more to see my uncle Gareth working to replace a roof.

"Hey, having fun up there?" I hollered up at my uncle.

"Oh yes, definitely. There's nowhere I would rather spend my Saturday morning than helping repair the slums of the city. " He laughed as he hammered another nail.

"I guess I'll work on the yard then." I smiled up at him.

"Then get to it!" He motioned for me to get started.

I chuckled up at him as I grabbed the wooden rake from off the side of the building. This side of town was in the worst state, being as it's the closest to the dusk lands, many abandoned this part of the city in fear of the Onyx death. The cases are few and far between now, but none have survived it so far. Though after the last decade this part of the city was forced into use again after the great war, many came to the city seeking a new start. But what they found was a prison. In our spare time we have worked hard to repair what we can to put more roofs over peoples' heads, but it never seems to be enough. It's like putting a bandage on a tumor. A blood-curdling scream echoed just up the street from us. I turned my head to see many people running from a small child.

"She has the plague!" A woman screamed. And sure enough, glancing down at her hands, her nails were solid black and her veins darker than usual. I quickly covered my mouth with my arm as my uncle rushed me away from her. The child screamed in terror, unsure of what was happening. I turned my head away, afraid my better judgment would get the better of me.

Making it home, I rushed up to my room, slamming the door. I couldn't stop the tears from falling as my mind replayed that girl's terror. What hurt most was knowing she would die alone within the next few days. The Onyx death starts slowly turning your nails black like a gem, then your veins darken, giving you a fever and making it hard to breathe. Eventually, your eyes turn a solid black and the bleeding starts, thick black blood pours from your eyes, nose and ears until you have lost too much and leave to be with the gods. It is excruciatingly painful. Many don't make it past the second stage. I remained cooped up in my room for days along with the majority of the city. Although we stayed in for other reasons, I learned the girl was found dead on her family doorstep. I have always had a hard time not taking strangers' death to heart. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I looked out the window.

"Athena, get up. I need you to go get groceries. Now." My mother said as she threw my clothes. I sighed as I picked them up and put them on as slowly as possible. I picked up my crossbody and basket off the floor. Groaning one last time before heading out the door.

The market was still basically empty. There were only a few booths open and very few customers shuffling about. I quickly grabbed what was on the list my mother conveniently left in my pocket. Instead of going straight home though, I made my way towards the northend of the city just to look at where the girl stood. "I'm sorry this happened to you, may the Gods welcome you home with open arms." I gave the empty street a small smile, before I turned around and started my walk home. I didn't get far before I heard my name being called out.

"Athena!" I turned to an alley on my left to see the prince standing in the dark with his hood up.

"Hades?" I squinted my eyes before I walked into the alley.

"What do you think your doing?" He hissed, as he grabbed my hands, looking at them closely, before he looked at the rest of me as if looking for something.

"I was just saying my goodbyes to the girl." I spoke confused.

"You need to stay away from this part of the city! When I heard you were over here on the same street, no less with the plague so close to you, I nearly lost my mind while we were cooped up." He said, looking between my eyes.

"I can't, we have been the only ones trying to fix it, so people, your people have roofs over their heads." I huffed out.

"Are you kidding?" he laughed out. "Trying to fix this part of the city is like chasing shadows of magic. Your only asking for trouble at this point, Athena." He spoke sternly.

"Well, chasing magic is better than doing nothing for these people." I spat back.

"Athena, I order you to stay out of this side of the city, if something were to happen to you." he ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated.

"Hades, I can handle myself." I replied, "Besides, it's not in me to do what I'm told nor is it in me to ignore the right thing to do." I rubbed his arm slightly before walking back towards my house.

"Athena, just be careful. Please.." He trailed off before disappearing down the alleyway. I gave a soft smile at his back before I continued on home.