#Alinea's ancient

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 5

Alternate Universe/In Another Life

It’s rare that Hyth wakes up before his partners, but he always cherishes these quiet moments. Where Hades has no worries on his brow and Emmeline is safely tucked away in their arms. These moments of tranquillity have been fewer since they’ve taken their appointed positions and they are all the more special for it. 

He stares at the strings he sees tying their souls together. Even though they haven’t officially bound their souls together yet, he has always seen that they’ve been fated together. As he runs his fingers through Emmeline’s hair, he’s struck with a thought that leaves him stunned. What if he didn’t have this gift? Since the day he was born he knew he was destined for two others, and had rather impatiently waited for them. He chuckles at the stories their parents tell of the tale. But, what if that never happened? How would he have met the loves of his life? Would he have met them? 

He lets his mind take him back to his childhood. Hades lived in the next building over to his, so they may have met in the park when they played, but he would have been older, and Hades always kept to himself. Maybe he would have friended Eleanora and met Hades through her, but he thinks that Hades still would have given him more space, deeming him Eleanora’s friend. 

Hyth sighs. No, it wouldn’t have been as children. It likely would have been when they were at school. They were both quite academic, so mayhap they’d be put together as partners. The more likely answer was that they would meet at Akademia Anyder. Hyth shakes his head. Hades was so focused on his studies and it wouldn’t have helped that Hyth’s own area of studies was so different to his. But no, Hyth could have seen them meeting on campus in the few shared classes they had. They would’ve had a link from school days and he could have seen bringing coffee to Hades before class, sharing moments in between, lunch on the grounds. He smiles to himself while looking at Hades. Yes, it would have happened.

He then focuses his gaze on Emmeline and frowns. She would have been much harder to meet. She was born outside Amaurot and if it wasn’t for Hyth and Hades, her parents’ would have kept their jobs that took them out of the city and working at research stations and other places in the world. After all, it was from them that Emmeline got her love of travelling; one that she had been able to pass on to him and Hades. 

Her parents would have schooled her, but he thinks that once again Akademia Anyder would have had to be their place of meeting. He sighs again, almost a bit too loudly, causing Emmeline to stir, but he soon is able to get her to settle and sleep again. He taps his fingers against his chin, musing. Hades and Emmeline surely wouldn’t have seen eye to eye in school. Well, they would have actually agreed 100% on the other’s opinion, but they wouldn’t let anyone know that. They probably would have had a misunderstanding on a point they agreed on and then would have ignored the other one for days. Hyth would definitely have been in the middle mediating, and my, how stressful that would be. She’d also take different courses, though more in line with his luckily, but Hades would have felt left out. 

He doesn’t doubt that he’d have fallen in love with the spunky, determined girl who wanted to rescue every creation and stand up for what she thought was right. And Hades would too. He’d admire that she spoke her mind, even if he was quiet. The question was, could they become close enough, quick enough, so that when they got approached for the apprenticeships, their burgeoning relationship would last. 

Hyth is so caught up in his musings that he doesn’t notice Hades awake. It’s only when Hades runs his own hand down Hyth’s face does he startle. As soon as he makes eye contact with Hades’ golden eyes does he realize how stressed he let himself get over this alternate reality. Careful not to disturb Emmeline he leans over and kisses his partner. 

“Good morning.”

Hades raises a brow, “Are you okay? Your soul seemed quite distressed.”

Hyth smiles and shakes his head. “Nothing to worry about. A mere stray thought of what could have been. But luckily for me, it is not that reality.” He leans in again to kiss his partner and hears a laugh below. 

He breaks away to see Emmeline looking up at them. She smirks, “I don’t wake up to this often enough. Please, don’t stop on my account.”

Hades scoffs and rolls his eyes before capturing Emmeline’s lips in a kiss. As soon as he pulls away, Hyth turns her face towards him, and he lays a lingering kiss on her. 

“Good morning my loves. May I say, how happy I am to wake with you two beside me.”

Emmeline tilts her head at Hyth’s words. She can see that something had him shaken, but knows that the man needs time to process before he’ll speak of what occurred. She cuddles up close to him, pulling Hades along with her.

“Good morning. Can we sleep in some more?” 

Hades checks the time and looks back to Emmeline who’s already falling asleep again. Hyth raises an eyebrow. 

“Aye, we can sleep in.”

Hyth shakes his head, knowing Hades is lying, and can’t help but smile at his partner. He blows him a kiss so as not to disturb Emmeline and then wraps his arm around the both of them. Soon, he can hear Hades’ soft snores and he takes a glance. Yes, their souls are still tied together and he can see how brightly each of their souls is shining. He never has to worry about being parted from them. They will always be there for each other, a shining beacon should one ever become lost. Safe in this thought, Hyth soon joins them in sleep.

[viskumal]

Philosophers: A Short Summary

In this post I present the gist of several philosophers’ primary points.

1. Plato - Know yourself.

2 Sartre - Things don’t have to be the way they are.

3. Epicurus - What makes happiness; frequent contact with friends, doing work that you want to do (possible improving the world), master calm. Reflect on moments that truly bring you happiness, change your life in accordance with that which actually gives you satisfaction.

4. La Rochefoucauld - Delivering philosophy in a sentence or two instead of vast alineas.

5. Hegel - Learn from ideas you dislike. Try to see the good in the ideas and ideals of your ‘enemies’. The task of historians is to rescue from the past those ideas that are most needed to compensate for the blind spots of the present.

6. Michel de Montaigne - “Difficulty is a coin which the learned conjure with so as not to reveal the vanity of their studies and which human stupidity is keen to accept in payment” ~= we may all arrive at wise ideas if we cease to think of ourselves as unsuited to the task just because we aren’t ancient philosophers, just because we live an ordinary life.

7. Boethius - Happiness cannot consist in things governed by chance. The best way to find peace of mind may be to perceive that the ingredients we associate with happiness as in truth direct conduits to a fundamental instability, and thereby to inner torment and anxiety.

8. Heidegger - Overcome conditioning. We need to grasp our psychological, social and professional provincialism (narrowness of mind/lack of sophistication or perspective) - and then rise above it to a more universal perspective. In so doing, we’ll make the classic Heideggerian journey away from Inauthenticity to Authenticity. We will, in essence, start to live for ourselves.

9. Derrida - Deconstruction; dismantling our excessive loyalty to any idea and learning to see the aspects of the truth that might lie buried in its opposite. Derrida stressed that many of the most important things we feel can never be neatly expressed in words spoken or written, as a logocentric tends to forget.

[kitchen-rank]

Understanding Alinea Nashville Psychedelics

Understanding Alinea Nashville Psychedelics

As we progress through the twenty first century, the ways that we approach mental health and wellness inevitably evolve.  In some ways, we actually tap into our ancient roots and return to holistic medicine practices that our ancestors may have used!  While therapeutic practices involving psychedelic drugs might sound intimidating, there is a lot of promising research out there that shows its…

[aratalatam]

Prescirption for Sleep Vol 1 remasterizado ya disponible

New Post has been published on https://wp.me/p9Ds3g-9Dv

Prescirption for Sleep Vol 1 remasterizado ya disponible

Scarlet Moon Records se complace en presentar Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Vol. 1 Remastered Version, una nueva edición especial del galardonado álbum de 2014 que presenta canciones de jazz con clásicos de la música de videojuegos.

La serie presenta a GENTLE LOVE, un dúo de jazz formado por el compositor de la serie Metal Gear Solid y Bayonetta, Norihiko Hibino en saxofón y el pianista de Etrian Odyssey y PersonaQ, AYAKI interpretando los favoritos de la música de juego en una canción para dormir y relajarse. La versión remasterizada alinea el sonido más de cerca con el resto de la serie y agrega dos pistas extra adicionales, incluyendo “Fisherman’s Horizon” de Final Fantasy VIII y una composición original de GENTLE LOVE titulada “He Choose You”. La versión remasterizada tiene licencia completa y está disponible ahora.

Lista de canciones:

Lifestream (Final Fantasy VII)

Dire, Dire Docks (Super Mario 64)

Song of the Ancients (NieR)

Lost Painting (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night)

Maiden in Black (Demon’s Souls)

Main Theme (Genso Suikoden)

Singing Emotion (Chrono Cross)

A Wish… (Secret of Mana)

Auriel’s Ascension (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

Aquatic Ambiance (Donkey Kong Country)

Fisherman’s Horizon (Final Fantasy VIII) [Bonus]

He Chose You (Original) [Bonus]

Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Vol. 1 Remastered Version ya está disponible en Bandcamp, iTunes y Spotify.

Vía | Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies

[tortuga-aak]

50 places to travel in 2018

iryna/Shutterstock

Whether you're exploring the world solo or taking a romantic trip with a significant other, travel is arguably one of the best ways to spend your time and money.

The start of a new year provides the opportunity to add to your bucket list of destinations, and in the interest of helping you do that, we rounded up some of the best spots to visit in 2018.

Glide along the rivers of Ninh Binh, Vietnam, or wander the cobblestone streets of Tbilisi, Georgia — there's no shortage of countries to discover.

Keep scrolling to see 50 places that should be on your radar this coming year.

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

John Bill/Shutterstock

Known as the "Halong Bay on Land," Ninh Binh is a small city in Northern Vietnam. Its proximity to Hanoi — 60 miles to the south — is the reason that many overlook the scenic destination.

Nestled into the country's Red River Delta, Ninh Binh boasts impressive topography that includes mountains, limestone cliffs, and forests. Glide along the river in a traditional boat, explore caves in Cuc Phuong National Park, or visit the ancient temples and palaces in Hoa Lu.

Lake District, Cumbria, England

Tranquillian1/ iStock

The Lake District is precisely what you'd imagine when you think of the English countryside. Rolling hills, serene streams, and moss-covered stones. This scenery has served as inspiration for countless famous writers, like Beatrix Potter.

The area makes up England's most popular national park, attracting around 18 million visitors per year. However, it wasn't until this summer that the Lake District was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is home to the country's tallest mountain (Scafell Peak) and its deepest and longest lakes (Wastwater Lake and Windmere Lake).

Click here to learn more about the Lake District >

Chicago, Illinois

Oleg Podzorov/Shutterstock

Named the "Restaurant City of the Year" by Bon Appétit magazine, Chicago is a hot destination for foodies. Must eats include the Au Cheval burger — which is frequently named among the best burgers in the country — deep dish pizza from any number of the city's institutions like Lou Malnati's or Pequod's, and anything from Alinea — which is considered one of the best restaurants in the country. The city also saw the opening of the first-ever Nutella Cafe this year.

Besides its buzzing dining scene, Chicago has plenty of other tourist draws: beaches, ballparks, breweries, comedy clubs, museums, and music festivals. Trivago also named the Langham Chicago the best five-star hotel in the US for 2018. Just do yourself a favor and avoid going during the brutally-cold winter.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider from Feedburner http://ift.tt/2zDsVRe

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 4

Outfit Swaps/Role Changes

There was a flurry of activity and soft giggles as Emmeline, Hyth, and Hades tried to make up lost time one morning. They had landed up sleeping in, then enjoying a leisurely morning with one another, only to realize that they all had places they had to be. Hyth had been able to finish braiding Emmeline’s hair to match his usual style, but hadn’t had time to do his own. He grabbed the concept crystal he had meant to review last night before being distracted by his partners and made sure to put the crystal Hades’ needed in the latter’s bag. Emmeline just finished straightening out her robes before kissing Hyth on the cheek, followed by Hades, then grabbing her mask and calling out an “I love you” while teleporting to the Capitol. Hades shook his head, grabbed the bag Hyth had prepped and grabbed his own mask, kissing his husband deeply, before following after Emmeline. 

Emmeline and Hades arrived just outside the Convocation doors and nodded at each before donning their masks and walking into the chamber. They were 30 minutes late, and while not unusual for Azem, this was sure to be one of Emet-Selch’s few tardies. As the doors opened and they strode in, all eyes turned to them. There was half a second before the convocation burst out in laughter before them, Lahabrea smirking and Themis struggling to keep himself upright. 

“Whatever are you all laughing about? We’re not that late.” Emmeline huffed, before looking at her husband. And that’s when she saw. Her husband was wearing the mask of Azem, therefore she must be wearing the mask of Emet-Selch. She sighed and made to grab his arm to walk them out and switch masks, but Loghrif spoke up.

“No, no! You two are already late as it is. Besides, we’ve had a bet running for when this would inevitably happen, and of course Lahabrea won.” She sighs, looking to the Speaker.”Well done.” 

He nods his head in inclination, “I think we should make them understand the folly of rushing about, no? Today, Azem shall speak in place for matters of Emet-Selch, and Emet-Selch will speak to matters of the Fourteenth.” 

Hades splutters, as Emmeline’s palm meets her forehead. 

“Fine, Lahabrea, but don’t complain to me when this goes badly,” she wags a finger at the man, but no one is threatened by her. 

As Hades and Emmeline share one last glance at each other, they make their way over to the other’s usual seat and the meeting begins in earnest. It’s well and good that the pair are so close, as Emet-Selch is able to speak both from Azem’s point of view, as well as provide his own, providing much insight into her matters. She’s proud of him, but she’s nervous to speak on his domain. Eventually though, it is her turn, and Emet-Selch strides over to her to hand over the concept crystal that had the information they would be discussing. As she pours energy into it and the image displays before them, Emet-Selch sighs and bangs his head against his hands. For of course, the concept crystals between him and Hythlodaeus got switched. 

Emmeline laughs briefly and tries to regain composure to carry on, but the rest of the Convocation has doubled down in laughter again.

“When we saw your wife was wearing Hythlodaeus’ hairstyle, we didn’t know that more of him would be joining,” Deudalaphon jokes.

Emet-Selch smiles, “Well, Hythlodaeus always does find a way to invite himself.” 

Lahabrea rolls his eyes, but the smile remains, “Well, if we’re already having an interesting day, come, let us review this concept for the Chief of the Bureau. Surely, we who have such an understanding of our own domains can do this.”

A few hours later, Echo is barely able to stop herself from rolling on the floor with laughter. The review of the concept had started smoothly enough, but then came the quips of who knew more than others. Then it had escalated where some of the seats were trying to make their own version of the concept but with all the additions they thought would make it better. It was rare that the Convocation didn’t have serious issues to discuss, so she’d happily let it slide to see them all happy. Shortly after, her familiar, Kore, startled next to her, alerting her to a presence outside the Convocation doors. She saw that Hades had turned his head and she had an idea of who she’d be seeing as she opened the door. 

Hyth raises his head as Echo opens the door and beams at him.

“Hello Echo! So sorry to disturb a session, but I do believe that my husband and I may have mixed up some concept crystals this morning.” 

“Hythlodaeus!” calls out Altima. “Come here now. We need your opinion on who best understands what the actual function of this concept is meant to be.”

His brows raise and he quickly follows after Echo, who tells him, “We all know. They’ve been working on it for the last couple of hours. Good luck being diplomatic.” 

He brings his hand up to his mouth and chuckles as he makes his way to the center of the chamber where multiple concepts are now running about on display. He’s confused at first as to where his partners are, but he waves once he’s found Emet-Selch and blows a kiss to Azem who returns it. Lahabrea sighs, before giving a slight smile, “Come now Chief. Please enlighten us, before you return Emet-Selch’s crystal and we resume our more usual state of affairs.” 

Hythlodaeus stays there for an hour before he returns to the Bureua of the Architect with 5 additional crystals to the starting concept. He laughs to himself, but it did not seem his partners were upset. In fact, he doesn’t know when last a convocation meeting brought out such happiness in them. It was a trying role, and he did his best to support them, but sometimes it helped to have these light moments. It’s only as he’s walking back and a breeze blows past him that he realizes. He’s left his hair down the entire day. Oh dear, Emmeline was rubbing off on him. 

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Recap/Collection

I had so much fun writing about Alinea's ancient and her husbands!! I'll definitely take to writing some of their adventures again, but I thought I'd make a small compilation list of what I wrote for easier access!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Thank you to all the organizers of the event and to all who participated!! And a massive thank you to everyone who took the time to read and interact with my posts as well!

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 7:

Vacation / Relaxation

Hades had been pacing at the foot of the bed for the last 20 minutes while Hyth had been pulling different pieces of clothing from their closet and throwing it on the bed. Emmeline had told them she had found a beautiful holiday destination on one of her recent travels and was excited to show it to them. They had all taken time off from their responsibilities and were going to spend four days relaxing. The only semi-stressful part as Hyth looks up to his partner, stress level depending on personality, is that Emmeline never told them what to pack. 

“How could she do this to us?” Hades sighs and flops dramatically onto the loveseat they have in the corner of the room. Hyth chuckles as Hades pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“I do think we’re likely overreacting here.” He quickly looks down to hide his laugh as Hades glares at him for “overreacting”. “Has she ever let us down? Let us think about this rationally. Unless it has been to assist her in a fight, whenever she has called us to a cold climate she has always let us know to bring warm clothing. Therefore, we can assume, with 90% surety, that it is temperate.” 

Hades thinks this over and nods his agreement. He makes his way over to the cupboard and starts to pull the winter clothing to the side. “Anything else you think we can safely assume?”

Hyth puts a hand to his chin, thinking. “It has been a while since we’ve been on holiday. The one thing she has truly missed is the ocean. Whenever she’s gone on her travels recently, she’s always been on a mission and hasn’t been able to enjoy it.” 

Hades agrees. “It certainly has been a while. She always was a water baby. We should pack some swimsuits just in case.” 

Hythlodaeus agrees, pointing in the closet where Hades can find them. “Then again, she could have found a rather impressive library and just wants us to read rare and ancient tomes. But I do think she’d rather have done that by herself. We’re not quite as good company there.”

Hades chuckles as he hands Hyth the swimsuits and a few light t-shirts. “Aye, I think she knows that we’re good for only a couple hours on end reading before we both get bored.” He looks at Hyth and then back to the clothing on the bed. “Hm, I think we need a few more things.” 

Hyth looks back at what is now a really rather respectable pile of both comfy, home clothing as well as casual wear to wear outside the city. He and Hades had learned that not everyone felt as comfortable with the Amaurot robes and they had quickly learned to adjust to the towns they came across. He looks back to Hades who is wearing a devilish smirk. “Exactly what do you have in mind, dear Hades?” 

Hades snaps his fingers and a myriad of skimpy, lacy lingerie now accompanies the clothing on the bed. 

“Oh my,” Hyth breathes out as he lifts some of the material up to inspect. He turns back to Hades who has a hunger in his eyes that he’d love to sate. “Do you think we have time to give these a test run?” 

As Hades moves to tackle him to the bed, the familiar gleam of Emmeline’s summoning magic starts. 

Hades sighs, then smiles, “Well, just means I get to see the both of you dressed at once.” He snaps his fingers and all the clothing goes into a knapsack which he grabs off the bed. He kisses the still stunned Hyth, causing the man to come back to the present. Hyth quickly shakes his head to clear his mind and then grabs Hades’ hand, before nodding, as they both accept her summons. 

Emmeline is pacing in the little bungalow that she rented for the weekend. She hopes her lovers will enjoy this place as much as her. The town was not far away and there were gorgeous nature trails that they could use to see the sunrise and sunset. But their little bungalow on the water had sold her the moment she saw it. Surrounded on all sides by glass, but with insulating magic to make it temperate and so that no one walking by could see in, it seemed like the perfect place to just relax. 

She sent out her summoning circle and eagerly awaited her partners’ arrival. It took them a few seconds longer than usual to accept the invite, but the blush upon Hyth’s cheeks and Hades’ hungry look gave her a slight idea as to why. As she smirks at them Hyth shakes his head. 

“For once, it’s not like that. But it will be later. Hades will make sure of that.” 

She casts her glance to Hades who nods at his partner’s words. She smirks, “I’ll hold you to that Hades.” She crosses over to him and kisses him deeply. The look of hunger changes to the soft look that he always gives her after being away so long. 

“I’ve missed you Emmy.”

“And I’ve missed you Hades.”

“And what about me?” Hyth has spread out on the bed and is now making a snow angel. “This bed is wonderful!”

Emmeline laughs and waits for Hyth to bring his arms and legs back in before jumping on top of him and effectively trapping him. She plants kisses all over his arms and neck while tickling him. Hyth’s laughter doubles as Hades does the same to Emmeline. 

Soon they are a bundle of tangled arms and legs, laughter ringing through their little abode. She cuddles into them, “I have missed you both dearly. As soon as I saw this place, I wanted to show it to you. It feels like a little piece of paradise.” 

Hades finally takes a minute to look around the room. He turns back to her and smiles as Emmeline watches him appraise the room. “It’s perfect. Just like you.” 

She blushes deeply and Hades kisses her gently. As soon as they pull away, Hyth gets off the bed and pulls them up one by one, kissing them as they stand up. 

“Come now, Emmy, show us around this little town. We should make a note of all the things we want to try before Hades locks us up in here to get reacquainted with each other, intimately.” 

He winks at her and she laughs. Hades sighs and shrugs his shoulders, but walks hand in hand with them to the village. As Emmeline points out the sites and food stalls, Hades decides that they’ll have to come back here, hopefully many times. He wonders if he could just buy the little bungalow. It really was rather cute. He shakes his head to clear his mind. 

He casts his eyes to his partners and smiles. The two had departed to visit some of the stalls in greater detail, but now had donned flower crowns that the local children had made and were now dancing with each other in the plaza. Hyth catches his eye and reaches out a hand to him. 

As he lays his hand in Hyth’s, he’s quickly pulled into the rhythm of their dance. Ever since childhood, they had always been able to dance in tune to each other, as if in rhythm to a song only they could hear. As he looks how brightly their souls sing to each other, he wonders if that hasn’t always been the case. He hears music in his ears and sees a band start to play. Soon the children who had sold the crowns join them dancing in the plaza. Emmeline kisses them each on the hand and goes to dance with the children, while other adults come to dance in the plaza as well. He and Hyth continue to dance, until eventually people start to leave to take part in the food stalls that have congregated closer to the crowd.

As the three of them share a dessert and watch the kids and adults take to the dance floor again, Hades throws an arm around Emmy at the same time Hyth does. They hold on to each other, and Hades whispers to them both. “I don’t know how you do it Emmy, but you always bring out the best in people.” 

She waves a hand in the air, “Nonsense. It’s all Hyth. He can make a friend out of anyone.”

Hyth chuckles, “Maybe, but it’s you they look too. Hades too. They know they can rely on you, and by extension, me.” 

Emmeline leans back against them, content. “This has been a wonderful first day of vacation.” 

Hyth nods his agreement, leaning his chin on her head. Hades leans forward and nips at Emmy’s ear, “I hope you’re not tired yet. We’ve still got all night dear.” Emmeline can’t help the shiver that runs down her spine. Suddenly, she has no thought of sleep. 

She winks at him, “I do need to see what you packed. Hopefully some appropriate clothing?” 

Hyth lifts his head up, “No winter clothing at least! And very few layers.” 

She laughs, standing and pulling her partners up with her. “Very well then! Let’s go unpack.” 

They return to visit the bungalow every couple of months and it is there they go on their Honeymoon. They had wanted to purchase it from the owner who seemed more than happy to let them make an offer, but alas, it was not meant to be. Before they could go back and make an offer, the final days hit.

As Emet-Selch walked the broken Etheirys part of him wondered if any of their little paradise remained, but he knew that it was unlikely. Parts of Amaurot only existed because of it being their main city and the construction plans were unlike those of the outer areas. He sighs. All he had left were those memories. How he missed those carefree days.

He looks to the shade of Hythlodaeus next to him and closes his eyes. He hears Emmeline’s voice and can see her and Hyth running on the beach in their swimsuits. Sees Hyth splash her while she squeals. Sees her stop and turn to face himself; then run up and jump into his arms, making him wet, but all he could care about was how happy she was. She kisses him deeply, and while he knows this is a memory, he swears it feels real. She looks at him, “I’ll see you soon Hades.” She squeezes his hand and turns and walks away. The memory fades and he opens his eyes. 

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 3:

Date Night

Eris had noted that with every step her and Emmeline took back to Amaurot, her friend had more of a skip to each step. Laughing silently to herself, she had to physically hold back the chuckle that threatened to escape her when Emmeline started humming a song. Shaking her head and smiling, she questions her friend.

“Exactly what part of coming home to Amaurot has made you so excited this time?”

Emmeline comes to an abrupt halt, turning back to her friend and blushing. 

“Sorry, I’m behaving a bit like a school child aren’t I?”

“Don’t apologize.” Eris waves a hand in the air, smiling, “It’s cute.” 

Emmeline smiles and holds out her arm to her friend, who links arms with her, and they proceed to skip down the road. Emmeline leans her head onto her friend’s shoulder,

“Hades and Hyth have planned a date for tonight. When I sent them Hemera and Nyx to let them know we had finished our work earlier than expected, I received a message from Aria letting me know that we had plans for tonight. I wonder what it could be?” 

Eris raises an eyebrow, already having a good idea of what the men had planned. She discreetly summons her familiar, a rather unassuming and gentle moth. It comes to land on her shoulder and she whispers to it, “Is it time?” before then stating, “Eleanora.”

She’s happy Emmeline is busy humming again as she’s happy to continue to keep her in the dark for as long as possible. After another 30 minutes of walking and pointing out all the interesting flora and fauna, Amaurot’s gates stand before them. Emmeline turns to smile at Eris, putting her mask on, before breaking into a run into the city. Eris laughs, dons her mask, and chases after her. The two wind their way through other Amaurotines going about their day. While most will gasp at shock in the beginning, once they see the mask of Azem, they’ll laugh or call out questions as to her adventures. Eris never thought this would be her life, protege to Azem and best friends with her and her partners, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Shortly before they come to Emmeline’s residence, Eleanora comes up to meet them. 

“My, my. Not back even 20 minutes, yet the whole town has heard of your arrival.” 

Emmeline laughs deeply, “Can you blame me? The world is wide and beautiful and gorgeous, but Amaurot will always be my home.” She turns to bow to Eris, “Now ladies, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for tonight.” 

Eleanora winks at Eris, before catching her to-be sister-in-law by the arm. “Nonsense! Hades has been talking my ear off about it for the last week! Isn’t the date only tonight?”

Emmeline cocks her head to the side, before agreeing, “Yes, but I need to get ready! Shower, change, do my hair.” 

Eleanora shakes her head. “No, no, come with me! It’s been ages since we’ve hung out just the three of us. Why don’t we have a spa afternoon? There’s plenty of time before tonight.” She looks Emmeline in the eyes, “I promise I won’t have you late for tonight.” 

Emmeline shifts her weight from foot to foot. This was rather unusual behaviour from Eleanora. They were fairly close, but they didn’t often do things together. But it had been a while since she really got herself glammed up and she could use the help. Plus she probably owed Eris for getting them both covered in mud and all manner of nasty innards from creatures. She casts a glance to Eris, who is just looking at her with a small smile on her face. For a brief moment, she wonders if the girls are hiding something, but quickly dismisses the idea. They would tell her anything! 

She eventually nods, “Okay, Eleanora.” She gives a deep smile, “It’s been a while since I’ve been properly pampered. Not that Hades doesn’t give a good massage, nor Hyth for that matter.”

Eleanora holds up a hand, a small grimace on her face, “I don’t need to know the details.” She chuckles, throwing an arm around Eris and Emmeline, “Come on, let’s go.” 

Eris sighs as the clerk does her hair. She looks over to Emmeline who looks more relaxed than Eris has ever seen her. She giggles a bit as her friend has her toes and fingers being painted while getting a hair massage. Eleanora motions to her and they both smile at the fact that Emmeline is absolutely clueless as to it all. A short while later, after they’ve all been pampered and had nails and hair done, they walk through the markets, catching up on all what’s happened in Amaurot. Emmeline thanks Eleanora for the time together and Eleanora hugs her a bit tighter. 

Once they’ve made their way back to Emmeline’s building, they are greeted by another familiar face. 

“Echo! What are you doing here?” Emmeline questions. 

The Convocation Record Keeper smiles. “There was a package dropped off for you at the Capitol. I heard you were back in town and I knew that Emet-Selch was stuck in meetings for a while.”

Emmeline gives the Record Keeper a hug, allowing Echo to smile and wink at the two girls behind her. “That’s so sweet of you! Thank you!” 

Echo’s smile deepens, “It is my absolute pleasure. It is good to have you home, Azem.”

Emmeline is positively giddy now. “I wonder what this is!” As she moves to open the gift, Eris intervenes, “Why don’t you go up and open it? We’ve all been on our feet a lot today. Take the time to enjoy your gift before tonight?” 

The other girls agree and all hug Emmeline before bidding her a good night. She thinks their behavior is still a bit odd, but with an hour to go before her date with Hades and Hythlodaeus she hurries over to their shared home, near the top of the building. As soon as she enters their residence, she smells the most delectable scent and finds a bouquet of flowers, almost as big as Echo’s familiar! There’s a card before it that reads, “We’ve missed you, our darling flower. We hope that one of these may compliment you tonight. P.S. You should open your present dear.” 

Slightly confused, she pulls at the thread holding the package together. Once open, it reveals a beautiful shimmering dress of deep purple and blue. The shimmering effect makes it look like stars in the evening sky. In fact, as she looks closer, she can make out different constellations. Her eyes start to tear at the gift, before she quickly dabs at them to not let her makeup ruin. She also finds some dainty earrings and heels, though she appreciates that Hades obviously chose the heels as Hyth would have chosen much taller and strappy heels. She takes her time getting dressed in the mirror and applying the jewelry, thinking of the time when they’ll come back home and help each other undress and reacquaint themselves with each other. She shakes her head to clear her mind, before she gets all hot and bothered, and then with one final glance at herself in the mirror, dons her mask and teleports to the restaurant that Hades and Hyth said they’d meet her at. 

She’s surprised to not find a queue of people there, as it’s a rather popular establishment. She greets the host, who immediately takes her to the reserved area. As she enters the elevator, her heart starts to beat faster. This seemed too much to be just a regular date. Normally after her trips, they would stay home that evening to catch up. The host bows after opening the door for her. She enters the room and is immediately blown away. Her boyfriends stand behind a beautifully set table, in suits no less, with no masks on. She quickly takes hers off and after slowly walking towards the table, she can’t help herself but run around to them, where Hyth and Hades have already moved into position to catch her in a hug. 

Tears fill her eyes, as she looks between the two faces looking down at her. “What… what’s going on?” 

Hades rolls his eyes, but the soft smile on his face warms her heart. “Only you would be worried about something bad at a time like this.” 

Hyth chuckles, “To be fair, we haven’t done anything this grand in a long time. We really should change that.” 

Hades murmurs his agreement, before continuing to Emmeline, “We’ve missed you Emmeline. We will never begrudge you your life’s work, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t spend every idle moment thinking of you.” 

She reaches up to kiss him, and then Hyth, as it’s true. Every moment she’s away, she thinks of them. She often falls asleep holding on to their crystals, wishing she could feel their warmth. 

Hyth pulls her closer to him, as he says, “We’ve wanted to do this for a while, and while most in Amaurot would say why rush, when you have all the time you want to be together, we thought, well, why wait. Why have even one more day where we are not officially recognized as us.” 

Deep down she knows where this is going, but her head, more specifically her mouth, hasn’t caught up to this. “What.. what are you saying?” 

Hades catches her left hand, while Hyth catches her right. In unison, as if they had practiced this, which they probably had, they each kneel down onto one knee while also grabbing the other’s hand. 

“Emmeline,” Hyth begins, “Since the day I was born, I knew I was fated for two people. Who those people would be, I had no idea. Ever since I laid eyes on you both,” he turns to Hades, pressing a kiss to his cheek, “I knew I would follow you to the ends of the earth. Never once have I worried that our strings should break, nor once worried that one of you would break my heart. You have both cherished and loved me for who I am and I would happily live out the rest of my existence with you.” 

Emmeline has tears in her eyes, as Hades gently squeezes her hand. He looks deeply at her, then Hythlodaeus, before looking out the window behind them to Amaurot. “The night you left Emmeline, Hyth was lying on my lap, and as I played with his hair, all I could think about was how perfect that evening would’ve been, if only you were there to share it with us. I take it for granted all too often for having you both in my life. I know I am not the easiest man to get along with, but you have both stuck around, even when I have lashed out when finding myself. I hope you know I strive daily to be someone worthy of your love and adoration.” He squeezes her hand while lifting Hythlodaeus’ to his lips to kiss. “I love you Hythlodaeus and you, Emmeline. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Hythlodaeus lets go of Emmeline’s hand to throw his arms around Hades, “Yes, always, yes.” The two kiss, and Emmeline strokes Hades’ hair. He pulls away from Hyth and raises an eyebrow at her, surprised to hear her so quiet. 

“I cannot in good conscience say yes until I too have said my piece,” she smiles. “I love you both so much. You both comfort and stabilize me. I know that with you, I will always have someone to fight at my side. You never look down at me, but support me in my endeavors. Wherever you are my dears, that is where my home is. I wish that you could come with me, or that I could spend more time in Amaurot, but then I would not be who I am, and I love the fact that you would never want me to be anything less than who I am. But know this, should you ever have need of me, I would drop everything and run to you. You are my world. My life is your life. I cannot imagine a day without either of you.” She tugs Hades’ hand and he stands up, bringing Hyth with him. “Hythlodaeus, Hades. With the knowledge that I will continue to drive you insane but that I will always love you more than life itself, I would love to be your wife, if you would do me the honor of being my husbands.” 

Hythlodaeus swoops in and steals her lips in a kiss. She laughs before deepening the kiss. Eventually she pulls away and jumps into Hades’ arms, kissing him deeply too. Hyth wraps them in a hug, and eventually they just stay in there together, breathing each other in. 

A knock at the door sounds, and their host asks if they are ready for dinner. They look at each other, and then Emmeline’s stomach growls. Hyth bends over in laughter, while Emmeline blushes. Hades smiles and shakes his head at her, before telling the host they’re ready. The rest of the night flies by with good food and dancing on the balcony overlooking Amaurot. As the sky fades to night, Emmeline thanks them for her dress and wonderful evening. 

“I don’t think anything will ever top this,” she says, laying her back on Hades’ chest, while Hyth leans against him. 

“Hm, we do still have our wedding to plan,” Hyth winks at her. 

Hades groans, “I’m going to have to pull out the planning book in the morning.” 

“You have a book?!” Emmeline gasps in surprise. “Can I see it?” 

“No, not until it’s ready.” He pecks a kiss on her head. “At least let me knock out the options we don’t want. 

Her and Hyth wink at each other. “Yes dear,” Hyth says, “Just tell us where to show up and when. Preferably give me some more notice so I can dress us up.”

Emmeline then realizes, “Wait! Where Echo and Eleanora in on this?” 

Hades chuckles, “Eleanora yes, but I think Echo deduced it when Hyth left the package with her this morning.” 

She shakes her head, “I think Eris suspected too.” 

Hyth nods his head, “Oh most definitely. Her moth has been watching us for the last 20 minutes.” 

Emmeline gasps, as she finally notices the moth on the rosebox. “Luna!” If it was possible for a moth to look displeased, it did. She tapped impatiently, as if waiting for a message. Eventually Emmeline sighed and rolled her eyes, before smirking, “The date was excellent, I said yes, and now we’re going to continue dancing, and who knows where the night will take us.” 

“Oh I know!” Hyth chirps up. She turns back and winks at him, and when she turns around to face the moth again, it’s already flown off. She then moves back to her fiances and kisses them both deeply. 

Hades starts playing with her dress, “How about we let you corrupt us, and we’ll dance in the streetlight on the way home, yes?” 

She gasps in delight, “Is my incorrigible nature rubbing off on you?” 

He pulls her tightly against him, “It always has.” 

She laughs, and quickly threads her arms between her fiances. “You heard the man, Hyth! Let’s head home.” 

They grab their masks and depart the establishment after thanking the host and owner profusely. As they twirl and dance the way back to their home, Emmeline has one more question about the dress. “How did you choose the colors Hyth? They’re all so different but work so well together.” 

He smiles, “That’s simply really. They match the colors of our souls.”   

A few blocks down, Eris sits with Eleanora, Themis, and the now engaged throuple’s families. They had been impatiently awaiting news and eventually Eris sent her familiar, even though most of them had tried to tackle her to stop her. However, when the moth returned, those same people were the ones who had jumped for joy first and started opening the champagne. Eris couldn’t help but shake her head, a very good date indeed.  

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 6:

Celebration

Hades frets in front of the mirror. His hair is styled like it is every day and his robes are immaculate. Still he feels unprepared, though he knows logically that there is no reason to be. He hears a small laugh behind him and sees Emmeline sitting in Hyth’s lap, both watching him with fond expressions. He sighs.

“I’m sure you two see no issue with how I look either?”

Emmeline gets up and crosses over to Hades. She raises a hand to her chin and thoughtfully looks him over, before asking him to do a twirl. He sighs, but appreciates that she’s respecting his concern, and seems to actually be investigating. After completing two full rotations, he looks back at her. She smiles.

“You look perfectly put together Hades. As you always do. You will do great in the Convocation today accepting your role. I know this is an internal struggle, but you are ready.” 

Hyth gets up to join his partners and places a sweet kiss on Hades’ cheek, before turning to look at Emmeline.

“She’s right, you know. Besides, don’t you remember how panicked she was the day she accepted her nomination?”

Hades smiles, while Emmeline covers her eyes in embarrassment. 

“Oh, I don’t want to relive that. I almost fell over my robe 5 times getting to the chamber.”

“And didn’t you even teleport straight from here?”

She glares at Hyth’s words, but there’s no anger behind them. She sighs, shaking her head, but then smiles at Hades. 

“Hyth has the right of it. It truly is a monumental day, but Charon made the right choice in choosing you as his successor. No offense Hyth.” 

“None taken. He merely liked the idea of me, but for the true role of Emet-Selch, I was not the right candidate. However, look how much I have accomplished at the Bureau of the Architect.” Hyth smiles proudly. He had not taken any offense that Hades had gotten the role. Indeed, he was rather thrilled that his partner’s abilities were being utilized. Hades always wanted to contribute and he was always available for Emmeline or Hyth, but now he could find his own ways too.

Hades kisses Hyth on the cheek, before grabbing Emmeline’s hand. “At least you will be there, watching over me.” 

She smiles, “Every second, love.” She places a sweet kiss on his lips. “And don’t worry, there will be a small celebration there at the transition of roles, and then we can come back here and spend the rest of the evening however you like!!” She turns her head, “Our parents do want us to all catch up in a few days, so we can do some more celebrating then!” 

Hyth claps his hands together in delight, while Hades gives a gentle shrug. 

“If you all insist.”

A unanimous, “We do!” resounds around the bedroom, causing them all to burst out laughing. 

Emmeline dons her red mask. “I’ll see you there, Hades!” She gives him a kiss before turning to Hyth with a stern look on her face, “Make sure he leaves the house within 10 minutes.”

“I shall do!” He smiles and she smiles back, knowing that Hyth knows just how important this truly is to Hades. 

With a small wave, she teleports to the Capitol, leaving her lovers behind. 

Hyth places his hands on Hades’ shoulders and looks deep into his eyes. 

“I don’t need my soul sight to know that you’re worried about this, about the future. I know your brain is confused between all the what-ifs and all the things we have spoken about. Know this. Emmeline and I will always love you. Even if you two disagree on the Convocation, you’ve disagreed about theories as children. Emmy is eager to learn and will always show you respect. Just breathe and walk us through your thoughts. We will always do our best to support you.”

Hades nods, letting his best friend and partner’s words filter in and fill him up. He smiles and straightens. 

Hyth nods, “There he is. Go get this Hades.”

 He kisses him and then shoos him off. He had asked Echo for a copy of the commemoration and while she frowned and said that wasn’t really the norm, she’d ask the other thirteen’s permission. She knew they had gotten a copy of Azem’s ascension thanks to Venat, but she didn’t quite have the same sway. 

… 

“And do you, Hades, solemnly swear to uphold the values of the Convocation? To uphold the duties and responsibilities of the Third seat?” 

“I swear.”

Rapturous applause breaks out as Elidibus and Lahabrea swear him into his role. Charon is behind him, having relinquished his role and his mask. The next part is the most daunting. The destruction of Charon’s mask and the adoption of his sigil. It was only after this that Hades could then create his mask and don it, thereby taking his seat on the Convocation.

He looks to the Fourteenth seat and sees Emmeline, no Azem here, smiling at him. She winks at him and blows him a small kiss. He chuckles. They’re not meant to show favoritism or romance here, but everyone had known about the three of them, and the Convocation trusted each member of their trio to act to the best of their station. He straightened again. He would not let his loves down, nor those others who would place the fate of their beloved world in his hands. For Emmeline, for Hythlodaeus, for Eleanora, for Themis. For them, he would take on the seat of Emet-Selch and make sure that Amaurot gleamed in this age. 

As he brings his hand up and then down to cover his face, his sigil glows brightly and Emmeline’s smile grows even wider. She’s clapping, as is the rest of the Convocation, and with a snap of Hades’ fingers, he creates his mask. Donning it, he raises his face to look at Elidibus and Lahabrea. Elidibus smiles, “Take your seat, Emet-Selch.”

A short while later, the official part of the ceremony has come to an end and all the members are hanging around, conversing now. Echo had indeed been able to record the ceremony and had the crystal saved to give to Azem.

Azem had been deep in conversation with Loghrif and Mitron, but as the latter two take their leave and walk over to Altima and Deudalaphon, Azem waltzes up behind Emet-Selch. He could sense her presence, but her sultry line of “Welcome to the Convocation, Emet-Selch,” still sent a shiver down his spine. He looked at her and could see that she was indeed very turned on, and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to teleport them both out of there. 

Apparently this was noticeable by everyone in the room, and so Nabriales and Phastarot bid him farewell. Azem nodded, “Have you made your way around the room?”

He nodded, “Indeed.” 

“Very well,” she smiles, then turns to the crowd. “Thank you, for such a lovely welcoming ceremony for the new Emet-Selch.” Everyone present gives a clap and cheer, though Charon had already left, saying he wanted to spend some time with his family.

Lahabrea smirks, “We look forward to seeing you bright and early tomorrow morning, Emet-Selch.” 

Emet-Selch turns to face Azem, who has never once left their apartment bright and early, save for when being bribed with waffles or other assorted pastries. 

She smiles at his raised brow, “Lahabrea’s joking. Well, maybe. They may have given up inviting me to early morning meetings ages ago.” 

Emet-Selch shakes his head, sighing, before turning back to Lahabrea, “I’ll be here when you need me.” 

Lahabrea nods, “Good. But… take care of your family too.” 

Emet-Selch is surprised at the man’s words, but one look at Azem confirms that it seems Lahabrea does indeed care more than he lets on. He nods once more at the Speaker before turning to all his new colleagues and bowing at them. Azem then grabs his hand and stops at Echo’s desk to grab the crystal. 

As they exit out into the hallway to teleport home, Emmeline smirks, “Hyth is going to love watching this.”

“You think?”

She leans in to whisper in his ear, “Oh yes, most imminent Emet-Selch.”

She laughs at his face and teleports home, Hades arriving just seconds after. He chases her around their home, only to be interrupted with Hythlodaeus teleporting himself back to enjoy the fun. Indeed, Hades was well congratulated by his lovers on his appointment, and as he fell asleep between Emmy and Hyth, he had to think to himself, “This really wasn’t a terrible celebration. Especially the one at home.”

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 2:

Domestic Life/Mundane Tasks

“Hades, can you cut the vegetables please?” 

He raises an eyebrow as he enters the kitchen after changing from his convocation robes, but makes a sound of agreement. “What are you making for dinner, love?” 

“I’m trying out a new recipe from one of the villages I stayed at during my last trip. Hyth sent me a message saying he’d be late, so it gave me the extra time to prepare the broth.” 

He chuckles, “So that’s why you snuck out of the meeting with Mitron and Loghrif early?”

She turns to face him and gives a huff of indignation, “Why, I would never do that!”

He laughs fully now and pulls her into his arms, “At ease, darling. I was just teasing. I know that that’s your gossip time with them.” He continues to laugh as she swats his chest while moving back, but he catches the wink she sends his way. He turns back to the vegetables on the board, cutting them as finely as he can. 

“Thank you for making dinner today.” 

“You’re helping too! More hands make light work.” She places a kiss on his cheek as she takes the cut vegetables to the broth. “We’ll let this simmer a bit. Tell me about your day.”

The two converse about the meetings they were in, the new shows they wanted to mention to Hythlodaeus, and what errands they wanted to run around town later that week. While discussing an upcoming meeting with all their parents’, Hyth walks in through the door. He spots his two lovers and the tension rolls off his shoulders. He drops his bag, walks over to Emmeline and hugs her, picking her up and swirling her around, before placing her down and giving his husband a deep kiss. 

“I’ve missed you both,” he says, his forehead against his husband, Emmy still wrapped in his arms. “It was a long day.” 

Hades gives him a chaste kiss on the lips while Emmeline kisses his cheek. 

“We’ve missed you too, my dear. I’ve made dinner! It’s a new recipe that I thought you both may like! Sit down, I’ll bring it to the table.” 

Hades shakes his head, “No, you two both sit down. I can dish and serve the meal.” 

Emmeline nods and walks hand in hand with Hyth to the table. As he sits down, he jumps back up again, “Oh! I almost forgot. I strolled past the market on the way home.” He goes to his bag and pulls out some pastries from Emmeline’s favorite stall and some beautiful flowers. “Even if I couldn’t help with dinner prep like usual, I thought I’d contribute something.” He reaches down deeper into the bag, “I even found these,” handing Hades his favorite hard sweets. 

His lovers embrace him, and when he sits down to eat, he cannot be more thankful for these people to whom his soul was bound. He still saw the threads between them, thicker and fuller than they even had been at birth. They were lucky that there had been friendship between them, and that that friendship has blossomed into something more. He had seen many couples burn out, but he knew that the trust and understanding they had was something they worked towards each and every single day. 

As the meal finished, he brought out the pastries and made tea. Plans were made to visit family, opera tickets were chosen, and Emmeline was convincing them both to go shopping with her on the next run for groceries. 

“We three are terrible when it comes to grocery shopping. You know we are a menace!” 

It’s not that Hades doesn’t want to shop with his wife and husband. In fact, he rather likes seeing what meals the three of them come up with together. He doesn’t love that everyone decides to come up and talk to them because of Hythlodaeus. Emmeline is well-known in her own right, and he hates that even a single person looks down at her because of her outspoken role as Azem. Of course, there is also the fact that somehow grocery shopping reverts them all back to being children and trying to do anything to get a laugh out of each other. 

He looks up and sees Emmeline’s pleading eyes. He knows that she knows what he’s thinking, and if it means this much to her… “Very well, let’s go in two day’s time. I have a meeting with Altima in the afternoon and I’m sure he won’t mind if I cut it short.”

Emmeline giggles with glee and throws herself into her husband’s lap to give him a hug.

Hyth is chuckling, “Surely the great Emet-Selch isn’t thinking of ditching work?” He raises an eyebrow and sits straight, imitating Hades’ usual posture. 

Hades looks him dead in the eye, “For either of you? I’d do anything.” 

As he deals with his husband throwing himself on top of him and his wife, Hades snaps his finger and the couch expands. Life with these two was never dull, but it was worth it. 

[diamondangelkitten]

Polyam Week Day 1:

Sleeping Positions / First Time Sleeping Together

Kronos smiled as he watched Hythlodaeus and Hades chase Emmeline around the living room. The youngsters had continued to be nigh inseparable since the day they met, and even Eleanora had slowly come to befriend Emmeline and Hythlodaeus. Clio said that Emmeline saw Eleanora as a big sister which Kronos and his wife, Rhea, were grateful for. 

He looked at the newer of his friends, Calliope and Fontus, who were both smiling at their son. Soon after, Emmeline tripped and started to cry. Hades and Hythlodaeus surrounded her in an instant, stroking her hair and arms. 

Clio went to pick Emmeline up, “I’m sorry, but I think Emmy is coming down with something. She wasn’t feeling well when I came home from work. Max or I must have brought something home from our offices.” 

Kronos and the other parents all rose, Eleanora finally looking up from her book to see what was happening. 

“No apologies necessary Clio. Come on Hades, Eleanora. Let’s head home and let Emmy rest.”

Eleanora jumped up and grabbed her father’s hands, but Hades lingered by Emmy. He crossed his arms and shook his head. Hyth’s mother, Calliope chuckled, before beckoning to Hythlodaeus, “Come on now, dear. Please do listen to us.”  

The two young boys looked at each other before looking back at their friend who was curled up in her mother’s arms. She stirred and turned to look back, reaching out her arm to them, and Hades leapt to try and reach her. 

Clio sighed, “Boys, you don’t want to be around her. If she’s sick, she’ll make you sick.” At this Emmeline’s eyes widen and she retracts her arm. Hythlodaeus and Hades, however, stand firm. 

“We don’t want to leave her. Not if she’s unwell,” Hyth says, crossing his arms, which Hades soon copies. 

The parents give a collective sigh, then turn and look at each other. 

“Well, if you’re okay with it,” Clio says. 

Maximilian nods, “We don’t mind having them here. We can make her bed bigger, but they will likely get sick.”

Kronos looks to his wife, who has a smile on her face, “Let him do it Kronos. He’ll be pouting even more if he’s not allowed to see her for days at a time while she recovers. We’ll bring his things and some medicine we have from the last time Eleanora was sick.” 

Kronos looks down to Eleanora, “Hear that? Whatever you want to do sweetheart, we can!” He smiles at her and she beams back at him, before going to hug her brother and stroke Emmy’s arm. 

“Feel better soon! I’ll miss you all.” 

Emmy nods solemnly at Eleanora’s words, before curling back up in her mother’s arms. 

Hythlodaeus looks imploringly at his parents, who nod and acquiesce. 

“Do let us know how else we can contribute. We do feel slightly guilty that it’s our son who’s roped you into all this.” Fontus scuffs his boot at the floor. Truthfully, he’s glad his son has found peace, but he knows it can be a lot on the other two couples. 

Calliope smacks him on the shoulder, while Rhea and Clio shake their heads. “We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Clio responds. “We know Emmy is so loved.”

The parents bid their children good-night, and Hades and Hythlodaeus follow Clio and Emmy to Emmeline’s room. “I’m going to tuck her in. Follow Max and he’ll help you with your pajamas and teeth.”

The two boys nod and hurry after her husband. Clio tucks in Emmeline who is asleep within seconds. She motions to the boys to be quiet as they re-enter. Hythlodaeus carefully climbs in behind Emmeline and once in place, puts a gentle arm around her. Hades lies in front of her, on his back. Sensing his presence, Emmeline reaches out her hand to lay on his chest, which Hades soon covers with his own. Clio smiles at the sight as she leaves and closes the door.

Fast forward thirty years later and Themis, more commonly known as Elidibus to most of the world, is walking towards the apartment that Emmy and her husbands own. She and Hades were meant to be at a convocation meeting this morning, but he knew that she had just arrived back the day before from one of her adventures. He pauses outside the door where he sees the Echo’s familiar still waiting to be acknowledged. “Good job Kore. You may return to your master.” The hound appraises him for a moment, before barking in acknowledgment and running off down the hall and then vanishing into thin air. He smiles at the sight, before turning back to the closed door. 

He places a hand on the door and it unlocks for him. He smirks at the fact that those closest to the three had easy access to their home. Upon entering the threshold, he noticed Emmeline’s dropped bags. There was no coffee or tea being prepped, no breakfast dishes either. As he made his way through the kitchen, a curiously folded paper animal stood out to him. He reached for it and as soon as he touched it, it unfurled into a note reading, “My dear Themis. I have arrived home safely, but unwell. If you see this, then I’m likely passed out asleep. Hyth and Hades will likely have stayed with me and thus we will all be out of work for the next few days. My deepest apologies. Love, your sister.” 

He looks at the paper and out of curiosity, taps it again. To his immense delight, he found the right location, and it turned back into the folded animal. He then quietly sneaks down the hall and sees the open door to their bedroom. He sneaks a glance in and isn’t surprised by what he finds. 

Their parents had loved to tell the story of how stubborn the three of them had been as children and their first sleepover. Apparently some things never change. Emmeline is still lying in the middle, Hyth curled around her and covering her back, while Hades guards her front. He smiles at the image, wishing that he too can find the happiness that they have. 

He closes their bedroom door and makes his way to leave the apartment. As he does so, Eleanora and Eris appear. He smiles, “Not to worry miladies. Emmeline is home safe, but they’re sick.” Eleanora smiles fondly while shaking her head and Eris just raises an eyebrow. 

“Very well then,” Eris says, “who’s going to deal with their responsibilities?” Two sets of eyes land upon her. “Right, I’ll get on her report for the convocation right away, Themis.” 

He grins, “No need. She already sent it in days ago, also marking your valuable contributions. I had wondered why Hades sent his report through so late last night, but now I know.”  

Eleanora smiles, “Well, then, sounds like you have the day off Eris. I’ll go let our parents know that Emmy is back in town.” 

“Oh, can I come? Your mom makes the best bread in town. And Emmy’s the best scones.” 

Themis shakes his head, “Why don’t we all go to visit then? And what about Hyth’s mother?” 

“You know I love her tea blends.” Their laughter echoes off the apartment hallway and into the street below, where they once again don their masks and make off in search of good food and quality tea.