Wife for Hades

It was a cold yet boisterous evening, crowded with a slew of gentlemen from various and sundry elite families. With each of their faces hidden under a dazzling mask, it was difficult to tell the difference between an oligarch and a tycoon. But one thing is certain-each mask concealed a bachelor who was awaiting to be selected for tonight's much anticipated event.

"We've come to see the highlight of tonight's event," the presenter exclaimed, too eagerly. With the microphone in his hand. He spread his arms wide enough to welcome everyone as his voice boomed in the Grand Hotel Plaza's vast grand ballroom.

The ballroom, which was furnished with magnificent lounges alternatively aligned on each corner, was already taken by random gentlemen dressed predominantly in luxury suits and tuxedos, while cocktail tables were spread across the hall just enough to accommodate guests limited to a certain number of each group.

Above them, however, dangled an exquisite chandelier, the lights of which reflected against the murals painted on the ceiling, which also added some vibrancy to the red carpets and burgundy drapes, while still, of course, would leave anyone an impression of an ancient touch of the Roman empire from ages before.

"How long has it been? It was fifteen years ago since we had this event. And, as we promised fifteen years ago, this year will be even better than the last."

The presenter continued, while the giant led screen behind him flashed a large banner with the word: LUPERCALIAN TWIST.

It was at this point that the Olympia Brothers, Zeus Dreon, Poseidon Luies, and the eldest of the three, Hades Aldione, arrived. Even with their masks on, their unrivaled stature matched no one from the crowd.

Others who had been anticipating their entrance paused to see the trio enter till they were able to sit in a lounge that had been arranged for them.

"Mother must have tricked us when she said there would be a lot of beautiful ladies here," Zeus commented after his eyes roamed around seeking women.

"I see nothing except for mere bulls around here. It's rather boring." Poseidon added.

Hades sighed. Except for women, he hasn't heard anything else from his brothers since they arrived at the venue. He frowned at them and told them to act properly, but they only laughed at him.

"Come on, Hades. Mother is nowhere to be seen. You can get rid of that damn perfect son image you've been wearing for a while now," Poseidon said. He elbowed Hades, who was still apathetic at the moment.

"I know you're bored as well. Your actions do not lie. We aren't brothers for nothing, Hades," Zeus said. He spread his arms on the back rest of the lounge. Zeus had felt his limbs constricted from the trip merely to attend the event, as he cracked a muscle or two.

In astonishment, Hades shook his head. He couldn't agree with his brothers more. The event is truly tedious, but because their mother insisted on their participation, they all still must go and witness it for themselves.

"What was so exceptional about this occasion that there were no women to be found?" Zeus pondered as his eyes wandered around hunting for any sight of a woman with whom he could flirt.

"You didn't come along to just look for women to either bang for the evening, did you?" Zeus was approached by Hades. But Zeus held his stomach before he burst into a hysterical augh because of Hades' abrupt assertion.

"Brother, you wound me," he said. Zeus pressed his palm against his chest to show Hades how sardonically offended he was. "I don't prowl women. They beg for me," he continued pompously. He then stretched his long legs over the coffee table, and Zeus' natural blonde locks were swayed by his free hand away from his eyes.

Hades, who had grown agitated, chastised Zeus once more for his mischievous notions. He can't believe he was forced to babysit his dimwit brothers tonight. While the three were engrossed in their discussions, another man approached the trio. The man seemed to be one of the organizers. He stood in front of them and handed over three keycards. Each card had an embossed set of digits, which caused the three brothers to look at him in wonder.

"What is this for?" Hades inquired.

"These are the entries for the Lupercalian Twist, which will begin shortly," the man explained.

"Lupercalian Twist?" Poseidon stepped in to inquire.

The man turned his attention to Poseidon and spoke to him. "Yes, it's an event that occurs every fifteen years on the fifteenth of February. Where all eligible men are randomly paired with a single maiden for a matching event."

"And then what?" Zeus snuck in after he heard about the women.

"Whoever wins the other's heart will receive a large sum of money from the organization. And if you lose, you must pay us the amount specified by the institution."

"That's a nice catch," Zeus said, then he flashed a grin. Hades can't help but notice a stray thought in the back of his mind.

Hades was supposed to approach Zeus once more, but Poseidon interrupted to speak something.

"Pathetic," Poseidon replied instead. He glared quickly at his brother, Zeus, before he returned the cold stare back at the staff. Hades nearly believed Poseidon was thinking the same thing he was when he warned Zeus about his comments, but that was completely changed when Poseidon added, "Why would we waste our time for such games?"

"Because your mother, Rheis Olympia, signed an agreement to register the three of you," the man said expressively as he fixed his tie. He shot them a pleased grin in assurance that all his words were genuine and without a hint of reluctance. It was as though he had prepared himself properly for the questions that the three brothers would throw at him.

Hades, who had been trying hard not to be affected by the news, eventually flinched. He wondered why their mother would agree to such a ridiculous event.

"An agreement?" He queried. Hades rose from his seat to meet the man's height. He was a few inches taller than the man, yet this didn't make the man falter even a bit.

"Would you like to see what's in the contract, Mr. Hades Aldione?" The man inquired.

Certainly, he desired to prove the veracity of his comments. But, for some reason, it was Hades who grew too hesitant to prove himself wrong and that the man might really be telling them the truth.

"Can you show me the contract?" Hades asks firmly.

"Just a second," the man excused himself for a brief moment. He then returned shortly with a brown envelope. It contained a sheet of paper with a contract between Lupercalian Twist's management and Rheis Olympia.

The contract contained an irrevocable agreement, which stunned the three brothers. Whereas whoever of her sons fails to bring her a suitable wife after the Lupercalian Twist must surrender all their financial rights and belongings to the Lupercalian Twist institution.

They never approved of the agreement. It was a shocking news for the brothers because they had never imagined their mother would actually put their lives on trial, putting their lifestyles in jeopardy whether they won or lost the Lupercalian Twist event.

~HADES ALDIONE~

It could have been a better day, But not for Hades.

He would have partied, gotten himself drunk, and pampered himself for the sake of worldly thirst. He could have enjoyed each night as though there's no tomorrow. Maybe drown himself in a room full of women that fawned over him, as he often saw from his brothers' Zeus or Poseidon.

Hades wished.

But he appeared too constrained inside his quarters. He's restless, but he's still working extra hours because he has a lot of pending documents to secure. Among his brothers, Hades has the most properties and shareholdings.

Although some of his businesses are administered by his most trusted friend, Thanatos.

Hades has dedicated his life maintaining the flow of their resources for many years, ever since they were stripped of their divine attributes to become mere mortals. Unlike his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, he avoided going all out in every man's common frenzy. He remained undisturbed inside his lair, doing mostly petty tasks that occupied all of his time and attention.

Yet, somewhere in his hectic schedule, Hades considered venturing out into the world of mortals for a bit of relief. But, no matter what he does, he'll always get so bored with all the mortal's doings and activities that he'll eventually surrendered back to his quarters to repeat the same routine.

"How long do you intend to stay here tonight?" Hades' mother, Rheis, barged inside the room that interrupted whatever Hades was doing.

Hades erected to kiss his mother on the cheek. "I'll be out in an hour. You could go home first," he replied.

Rheis gave Hades a suspicious look. She was aware that her son would not be finished in the next few hours. She knew Hades would still spend another five hours doing paperwork that could be done the next day.

There wasn't a single day in their daily lives that she has seen her eldest ever get to rest from his work. Rheis would often notice how Hades would come home late with the scent of alcohol exposing how he just wish to get drunk so that he could eventually fall asleep soon as he reaches his bed.

Rheis, being Hades' compassionate mother, doesn't want his sons to be left out entirely from the things someone at his age should normally have-his own family. But knowing the traits of his eldest for a long time, she may have to pull out her trump cards before she could make Hades start dating women.

Rheis can't help but keep talking as she looks around and turns her back on Hades, hoping to persuade his son to retire for the day. "Your brothers must be out somewhere right now."

"That's just like them, mother," Hades replied quickly. His tone was never tinged with enviousness. Hades knew that if he even showed his mother this side of him, she would never stop convincing him to get out and chill.

Rheis returned her gaze to her son, saying, "Darling, it's about time your skin got some sunshine. Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean you have to do everything. You need to get a life." She finished with a chuckle to provoke his son.

But his stubbornness when it comes to his social life made him grin. "I already have my life here with you?" he told her as he hugged her. "What else could I still want?" He made a sly remark to his mother.

"I want you to have a wife and give me a grandchild," Rheis rolled her eyes and pushed Hades away. "It's been a long time since I held a young child in my arms-" She continued, while she re-enacted an imaginary infant to cradle in her embrace before she switched back to face Hades to add, "-before they've grown into this fine man before me. Get out there, Hades, and flirt!"

Hades wasn't able to hold off his horses. Because of what Rheis' wish, he laughed quite loudly.

"Mother, do you really want me to be like Zeus or Poseidon?"

Although all her rattles sounded irritating in the ears for anyone, Hades on the other hand, found every word his mother had said really funny. That the laughter he just made even caused him to yield a small tear at the edge of his eyes.

"Not exactly," Rheis said, knowing how stubborn her two younger sons were compared to her eldest. Rheis' favorite of the three is Hades. She just doesn't show him much in front of Zeus and Poseidon to avoid any conflicts with the three. Rheis was just worried about Hades being such a workaholic, which is why she concluded, "-but I seriously want you to get out there and date women. Stop burying your face in these papers once in a while."

"Don't be worried about me, mother. You should be hoping for a grandchild from either Zeus or Poseidon."

"I knew it would happen, but I still want to see a mini version of you, Hades, before I die."

"You're such a comic, mother, and you're still too young to leave this world."

"You always have something to say about whatever I suggest."

"Mother, you know what? You're really tired from the day. What you really need is some rest," Hades replied, as he assisted his mother slowly towards the exit.

This time, Rheis finally acknowledged that she couldn't persuade her son to leave work early-not today at least.

Soon after Rheis' departure, Hades returned to his seat to pick up from where he left. It was a usual scene for Hades to see his mother pressuring him to live the same life as his two younger brothers. But that wasn't what he had in mind, particularly when it came to dating women.

When it comes to women, Hades is quite overly fussy. He doesn't want an aggressive woman, nor does he want one who talks a lot. Hades dislike it when a woman becomes too entitled and demanding. He would want a docile one, someone who understands that his world does not revolve solely around her. She doesn't have to be very attractive, just decent enough to be presented before Hades' mother. However, it appeared that these qualities are too difficult for Hades to find.

Hades decided to stretch his cramped limbs after nearly an hour of endless paperwork and quiet solitude inside his quarters. When he left his office, he discovered that the city had been completely devoured by the night.

The bright light from the headlights that had passed by the main road caused Hades to adjust the way he looked outside in order to avoid being blinded by it. The city lights shone brightly, reminding him that nightlife had finally begun and was waiting for him.

He yawned, Hades thought that the evening was still too young for him to retire home. He climbed into his Maybach Exelero and drove down the bustling intersection of Larkspur, South Carolina.

Hades' after-work habit was to stop by the Orange Flamingo, where he would linger for a couple of hours to drink until he was too exhausted. That's how Hades would run his life after work, so he could simply fall asleep when he got home.

"Is it the same brand, boss?" Miguel, the regular bartender, inquired as he wiped one of the cleaned beer glasses fresh from the sink.

Hades nodded grimly. He secured his usual spot on the counter's stool. Miguel immediately realized the cue and handed Hades a mug and a bottle. "Four times the alcohol, four times the hops, and four times the flavor."

"BrewDog calms my nerves down easily."

"Are you still working extra hours, boss?"

"It's nothing new-" Hades smiled as he added, "-within this solitude, I sentenced myself."

"What a miserable life when you have all the luxuries," Miguel remarked. Miguel has earned the badge for taking cheap shots at Hades because he is accustomed to his presence. And as he finished his first glass, Hades doesn't seem to mind.

Their conversation was cut short when another customer sat on the empty stool next to Hades and ordered the same brand.

"Miguel...Miguel..." The man beside Hades with a mature hoarse voice approached Miguel straight away. It was too downright frightening to hear that Hades had kept his annoyance obscured.

"Have you been ignoring my phone calls?" The man inquired of Miguel.

"There was no reason for me to respond," Miguel retorted sarcastically.

Hades rolled his eyes inwardly. He was well aware that Miguel's response would incite a feud. But since Hades dislikes violence and fights, he quickly finished another glass and left a few dollar bills on the counter for Miguel before he strided for the door. Hades had foreseen where the conversation would go, and he didn't want to get involved.

"Hey you!"

Before Hades could even took another step outdoors, a man called from behind him. Though Hades had no intention of turning around, the man eventually catched up with him, which infuriated Hades even more.

Hades was exhausted and all he wanted after work was a tranquil drinking spree, but that was abruptly interrupted when this strange person with an overwhelming stinky attitude, like his breath, entered the area.

"You appear to be a newcomer here. Why don't you join me for a drink instead?" the man asked. Hades knew the likes of him.

The man in front of him is nothing more than a drunken jackass who was just plaguing Orange Flamingo.

He ventured to inform Hades. He mistook him for a newcomer to the area, despite the fact that Hades routinely visited around these hours. Hades can't help but be disappointed. He thinks the guy is completely pathetic. He believed that responding to him with even a single word was meaningless and a waste of time.

The man flared up just as Hades turned his back on him again.

"I haven't finished talking yet. Why are you urning your back on me?" he told Hades, attempting to send a fist that Hades easily avoided.

Hades grabbed his arm and twisted it against his back, then kicked the back of his knees which forced him to kneel quickly on the floor.

"Fine. Now you heard me talk, asshole," Hades added with a sneer.

In anguish, the man begged and cried. "Please...Have mercy on me. I-I will do everything you say as long as you let go of my hand," he begged Hades.

Hades placed his weight against the man's twisted arm which exacerbated the suffering.

"Gawd, have mercy!" The man sobbed.

"If I ever see you come around this spot once more, I swear you'll never make it out with an arm again," Hades whispered beside the man's left ear, "You hear me?" he added. Hades clenched his teeth. He restrained the violent desire he wished to bestow on the man.

"Yes, yes... I'm not coming back here," the man continued to plead while his face kissed the floor.

Hades soon released his arm. He then landed a powerful kick in his gut that caused the person to scream in agony as Hades marched for the exit.

As soon as Hades reached the streets outside Orange Flamingo, he let out a frustrated groan. He moved his wrist in a circle motion, deep in thought about where he would go now to continue drinking.

Hades sighed.

Perhaps he should have just gone home and drank there instead. At the very least, no one would bother him if he stayed in his room all night.

But, just as Hades was about to get into his car, a woman panted and raced-for what appeared to be her life-collided with him.

"Sir, please help me!" she begs. She appeared anxious, as if she had been running for a long time and was fatigued.

Hades was deafeningly silent. He had no idea what to do with the woman and had no desire to become involved with her. But he can't deny that she really needed some help in her current state.

"What happened to you?" he inquired.

"I have no time left. I desperately need somewhere to hide," she murmured. She glanced around nervously. Her eyes are welled up with tears.

Hades is quite skeptical. He had no idea who she was or where she was from. He can't just be too sympathetic to everyone. Hades just wondered whether the woman was trying to persuade him that she really needed his help for some ulterior motive.

Hades, on the other hand, was stirred by her presence at some point. She appeared frail and vulnerable. Perhaps it was her excessive running that caused her brown locks to become entangled as she swayed them away from her sweated face. The woman's rich perfume of rose and ambrosia teased Hades' nose. Hades was so engrossed that he shook his head to get his bearings.

Hades refused to give in to his irrational impulses. His doubts about her were striving to overwhelm him, but his compassion for the woman seemed to have won out.

"Please, Sir, I beg you. They're after me, and if they catch me, they'll kill me," she added.

"Who are these people? And why are they hunting you? Have you done anything-"

The woman cut Hades off before he could continue saying what he was supposed to ask her. Frightened by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching behind them, she hastily pushed Hades inside the car and followed him.

"What the fu-" Hades was about to say something when the woman covered his mouth with her palm and hushed him to stop himself.

The woman sat on top of Hades' hips. She placed a finger before her lips, which pleaded with Hades to be quiet. "Sir, please be quiet. Just this once until they all leave," she replied as she shut the car door.

Hades was taken aback by her actions. Their current situation made him feel even more uneasy, as the heart of her femininity was pressed against his groin.

Hades altered his stance so that his back was reclined on the car seat, but the woman quickly followed his moves and made it more difficult for Hades to keep his sanity from bursting.