Hecate maintained perfect posture as she walked to her office. Anyone who saw her would've thought that she was doing splendidly, working well, and someone you didn't want to mess with.

Really, Hecate was breaking on the inside. Someone had assaulted her friend, a young girl who was meant to be an eternal maiden, (even though Hecate knew it was just a matter of time) still, she never thought anyone, not even Apollo, would stoop that low.

Well, they were right about one thing though: You do not want to mess with her or the people she cared about. If you did, there would be all of Tarturus to pay.

She continued to clack down the hall until she reached her office, pulled out her Pomegranate Phone, and called Hera.

-

Bzzt

Bzzt

Bzzt

"Mommy! Auntie Hecate is calling!" Hebe called from upstairs

"Aunt Hecate?" Hera asked, surprised that she would ever really contact her. It's not that they didn't like each other, they just had nothing to do with one another. (Well, besides the fact that they were both close with Aidoneus).

"Well, Hebe, bring the phone down here."

"Coming!" She called, running down the stairs in her simple pale yellow dress with black stripes.

She made it to her mother and passed the phone over to her.

"Thank you, darling!" Hera said, giving her a little pat on the head. "Why don't you go on and play with Eris?"

"Okie dokie!" Hebe said, already rushing up the stairs.

"Hello, Hecate!"

"Hello, Hera. How are you?"

"Doing well, how about you?"

"I've been... better." Hecate said with a small quiver of her voice.

And that was her second hint, and it definitely confirmed her suspicions; something was very wrong.

First, Hecate never just calls, (she never really calls anyway) and second, even though she didn't know Hecate personally, she knew her whole attitude and look. It was strong, strong appearance, strong voice, and strong attitude.

"Not that I don't enjoy our chats, but are you calling, Hecate? What happened?" Hera asked in a concerned, but solid tone.

"Hera... something happened to Persephone."

And number three, now she was definitely sure what happened. She remembered vividly on that day Persephone came today get her form to be an Underworld intern.

"This... wouldn't have anything to do with Apollo, would it?"

"Unfortunately, it has everything to do with Apollo."

Fates.

"I'm coming, Tower One?" Hera asked.

"Yes, I'll wait for you at the entrance."

"Good, give me a few minutes, I'll be there."

-

Hades held Persephone for a long time. It seemed like hours, when it could've been just minutes. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear as she sobbed into his suit.

"Oh my sweet girl, my beautiful goddess, it'll all be alright."

"You'll get your justice, sweetness. I promise I will fight for you."

"You're so beautiful, so perfect, so amazing... don't blame yourself, darling, you're not broken. You're not damaged. None of this is your fault."

"Everything will be okay."

After a while, her body had stopped shaking and she had stopped sniffing, and now she just lay limp in his arms, breathing at a slow and steady pace.

He kissed her temple and stood, careful not to wake her. Hades walked over to the sofa in his office and set her down, pulling his coat over her trembling body to offer a bit of warmth.

He knelt down beside her and very gently rubbed her back.

"There we go, you're okay, sweetness."

-