The Price to Pay

While Maria had been finishing up dinner with her family and the Dubois brothers, Henri had been in his room reading the letter from his family.

His family knew how seriously he took his potential to marry the Greek princess, so he knew that they would have only written if it were something serious.

This caused him great panic, and he practically had run down the hall to get to his room to have some privacy.

By the time he got there, his fingers were shaking as he tried to untie the string and unroll the parchment.

His eyes quickly ran over the words that he immediately recognized as written by his older sister, as he read, "My dearest brother, I hate that I have to tell you this through a stupid letter and that I can't be there to tell you the news in person. I've been sitting here all day trying to figure out how best to tell you, but I have come up blank, so I'm going to just say it-- our sister, Amelia, has fallen deeply ill. Many doctors have come to examine her, and none have been able to come up with a cause for the suddenness and severity of it. She's dying. We know how badly you want to marry the princess you went to court, but I know you well enough to know that you would want the chance to say goodbye to our sister. She may not have much time left. I'm so sorry. We love you very much, and I know Amelia does too. She would probably tell you to stay there, but I wanted to make sure you could make the decision for yourself. I'll take care of everyone until you get back. All my love, Ella".

Henri's eyes welled with tears and he immediately fell to the floor, overcome with grief and sadness.

He covered his mouth with his hands to prevent any sounds from coming out of him as he sobbed.

There was nothing Henri loved more than his family, and right now, one of them was being ripped away, and he wasn't even there to be with her and take care of her.

Feeling totally helpless and out of control, Henri did the only thing he could think of: he found a gold coin and took it with him outside to the fountain in the gardens.

He stood out in the cold with his tear-stained face and just stared at the running water that looked peaceful and inviting.

Henri was helpless and did not know what to do, so thinking there was no harm in trying, he held his coin tight to his chest before he made a wish.

"I don't know who is listening, or if anyone is, but I have nowhere else to turn to. Please save Amelia. Don't let her die. The world never deserved her, but she deserves the world. Please, I can't lose my baby sister," he pleaded.

He tossed the coin in the fountain as he felt fresh tears warm his cheeks that had turned cold from the night air.

Not even a moment passed before Henri heard rustling footsteps on the grass behind him.

He whipped around and saw a tall man with curly, short brown hair and golden eyes that looked like honey staring at him.

They stared at each other silently for a few seconds-- Henri because he was in shock that someone he hadn't seen yet in the palace had snuck up behind him, and the mysterious man because he was taking in the human before him.

"Who are you?" Henri finally asked as he felt the uneasiness grow as the man neared him.

"The one who can grant your wish," the man replied with an amused look still on his face as he observed the prince.

"You can save my sister? Are you a doctor?"

The strange man with golden eyes laughed before he answered, "I'm not a doctor but I do know my way around matters of life and death".

Henri felt his face give away the confusion he felt, and he took time to really look at the man that had approached him.

He was wearing a black toga and he looked as if someone had chiseled him out of marble due to the definition of his face and muscles. His golden eyes seemed to glow, and they looked menacing yet full of understanding and knowledge.

If Henri didn't know any better, he would have thought this man one of the gods that Maria had told him about.

The same ones that she was rumored to be descended from.

"Who exactly are you? And how can you help Amelia?" Henri asked with more force.

"Hades, maybe you've heard of me?" the man asked mockingly with a smirk.

The prince's eyes widened as he realized that this man was implying that not only was he a god, but he was the god of the underworld.

The one in charge of death.

Henri gulped as he nodded his head and asked, "You are the god of death, you can stop my sister from being taken from this world".

Hades smiled, revealing his sharp teeth as mischief filled his eyes.

"Yes child, but to save her I require more than that measly coin you threw in the fountain."

"But I thought a coin was all that was needed?"

"It's true that some of the gods, my estranged brothers and sisters, accept a mere coin as payment, but I require more. And, since I am God of the Underworld, I'm afraid you have no other choice than to make your deal with me," he said mockingly as he watched the human for his reaction.

"What do you want? I'll do anything!" Henri pleaded.

Hades studied the prince, knowing he was about to tell him something that the god had yet to share with any living human, before he said, "I want you to not marry Maria. She is my heir and in order for her to be a successful Queen, she needs a man by her side who can protect her from threats like my siblings, not a man like you who makes wishes on coins. You're not strong enough for her. Walk away from her and never return to her, and I will ensure that your sister lives. You have my word".

Fear filled Henri's eyes and he took a step away from the god before he answered, "So, it's true? The Olympios family are descendants of the gods?"

"Well not of the gods, of me."

Eyes still focused on Hades, Henri asked, "You want me to walk away from the woman I love?"

"You either get her or you get your sister. You cannot keep both. Your sister will die without my assistance. And fast. The choice is yours, but I will warn you that I am not a person you want to go against."

"You promise me that my sister will live?"

"You have my word. Your sister will live at the price of you not being involved with Maria."

Henri gulped and nodded his head as new tears threatened to spill.

"You have a deal."

It was the hardest decision he ever had to make, but at the same time it was the easiest; Henri would do anything for his family, even give up his own love and happiness.

Hades smiled upon seeing his plan come to fruition.

"Start your trip back to Denmark tomorrow and by the time you arrive, your sister will be fully recovered and in perfect health."

"Thank you," Henri said, but it barely came out as a whisper.

"One more thing, boy. Maria has no idea that she came from me, and you will not be the one to tell her, do you understand? As far as she knows, the royal family being descendants from one of the gods is just a rumor used to scare the Greek people into submission."

Too afraid to form any words, Henri stared wide-eyed as he nodded his head in agreement.

"Good," Hades replied, his smile now gone.

Henri closed his eyes for a second to calm his racing heart, and by the time he opened them, the god was gone.

He felt a weird mix of emotions as he walked back to his room-- he felt relief and immense joy that his sister would live, he felt fear that he had just met a god, he felt anxiety as he still wasn't sure he entirely believed what had just happened, and he felt extreme sadness knowing that he had to sacrifice being with the woman he loved.

When he made it back to his room, he immediately began packing as he thought of what he could possibly say tomorrow to Maria, the woman he was hopelessly in love with, as their final goodbye.