Looking at an object which looked increasingly like a cave the closer they got, Stefania felt frustration and anger boiling in her veins, for, nothing was worse than Thanatos forcing her to walk for hours through the darkness of Syndesi; No houses, no civilisation, just black open field, surrounded them.

'You son of a rug!' Stefania barked at Thanatos.

He was walking in front of her, showing no signs of tiredness, yet she could feel her knees shaking and her feet aching. It would be worse if she was human. The bleeding blisters she would have to endure are simply imaginable.

'Really Amara?' He turned his head briefly to send her a disbelieving look, 'is that all you have? A rug?'

'I told you to call me Stefania. That's who I am, or is that a lie as well?'

'Don't exaggerate...Stefania,' Thanatos made sure to highlight her name, 'You will need to remember, however, your name still remains Amara for those who don't know you. Don't ask me questions but remember it is dangerous for random creatures to know your real name.'

'Why?' Stefania asked, yet did not get an answer from Thanatos.

'Now. I took you here for a reason,' he changed the subject and with his index finger, pointed into the distance, 'that cave, is the portal into the Kingdom of Mavros, or the underworld, as some mortals like to call it.'

They were getting closer to their destination, merely ten minutes walking distance or so, and Stefania saw a magnificent high rock mountain, painting her view. Higher than anything she ever saw, yet bare of any trees, any living things, it was still beautiful in its own dark way. Right in the middle, a perfectly round opening, forming a cave, creating an image, no one would wish to un-see.

She stopped to look and admire the sight in front of her, 'It is beautiful,' she had said.

'Come now Stefania, we must not stop now that we are so close,' Thanatos had said and kept walking.

Stefania followed him, without the explanation why they were walking to the darkest destination in the universe. She followed him like a puppy, 'will you share the reason you dragged me for hours just, so I can visit hell?' she asked as she overstepped a stone.

'Technically, it is not hell, when most souls end up there anyway.'

'But I thought the good souls end up in heaven.'

Thanatos turned his head around briefly and took a deep breath, 'I guess you do need those lessons. Who knew a creature living in this universe for over five hundred years or more, would not find things on their own?'

'Shut up,' she muttered quietly.

They continued their remaining ten-minute journey in silence, only their feet making rustling sounds as they continued to walk, until they entered deep into the cave, the smell of brimstone overpowering Stefania's senses. The atmosphere around her changed enormously, the warm stuffy air stroked her skin. The rough walls, naturally ovoid in shape, curved towards the floor and thin mineral stalactites hanged from the ceiling, forming naturally beautiful decorations. The interior formed an impenetrable darkness, not even the brightest of lights could break through. The sound of dripping water echoed through the air, steam mixing with the darkness.

'Glacier cave makes it even more ironic don't you think?' Thanatos cynically questioned.

He stopped in front of a black treasure chest, a single gold-plated Greek word carved on the top, dynami, meaning strength. Taking out a beautifully elegant yet at the same time humble black gown and he passed it to Stefania, 'this belonged to my wife,' he paused to exhale, 'she was a simple woman, but it will do for now.'

Stefania looked at the fabric in her hand and noticed the lightness and smoothness of the material. When she looked up, she noticed Thanatos already looking at her, a humbled expression on his face. It made him look almost different, more trustworthy and she painfully wanted to convince herself to follow her heart.

Yet it took a lot more than that to know and comprehend a man.

Still, Stefania never heard him talk about his life, even a single word. Until this very day, she heard no mention of his wife, or even if he ever had one and it left her amazed, 'it's beautiful, thank you.'

Stefania did not elaborate any more, and Thanatos passed her a black Victorian style lace-up shoes, from the early eighteen hundred, she guessed. It matched the dress perfectly, 'there is a room behind that wall. Just walk straight and turn right. I will wait here.'

'Thank you, my prince,' she thanked him sincerely with a small humble smile and started walking in the direction he instructed her.

To her surprise, when she turned the corner, her view occupied a room without a door to hide its field of vision. An equal mix of white and gold-plated walls surrounded her, and the main feature of the room stood in the centre of the wall in front of her; an extravagant fireplace made from white marble, a beautiful lion carving placed on the top, the grooves gold plated. The blinding floors were made of pure gold it seemed and the furniture had a golden shimmer to it too.

This whole room was a contradiction of Sindesi, of Thanatos. The decorator of the four walls was someone else she guessed. His wife came to Stefania's mind and it left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, for a reason she did not understand. Stefania ignored her inner battle and quickly changed out of her nightwear, replacing them with the clothes Thanatos gave her. She placed her hair in a messy bun and quickly made her way back.

***

Thanatos lowered the lid of the chest and sat down on top of it, holding a gold wedding band long forgotten in this chest, filled with his late wife's belongings. It brought a wave of nostalgia as he stroked the top of the band and he could almost see her standing in front of him in this very cave, wearing the same ring. Memories from a long time ago flooded his mind where love towards his wife still blinded his dumb senses. They visited this cave all the time, he remembered, for, loved visiting Mavros and Thanatos always thought it was due to her adventurous nature.

How wrong could one be?

And if another did not hold the pieces of his broken heart in her fragile palm, he would have had tears in his eyes once again. That was another story, however. He knew the pieces would stay broken, held tightly in her palm, suffocating him forever.

For, she was not made for him and he was not made to love again.

For his late wife Aura, took the right for love, away from him, for, his curse was all because of her, he knew.

But he still could not hold hate towards her.

At least not anymore.

Thanatos lifted his head and stuck the ring in his pocket as soon as he heard heels clicking and echoing through the cave. As always, Stefania humbled him with her soft grace and he could not help comparing how the gown looked on both women, yet his wife's face was blurry now and all he saw was the woman standing in front of him. He swallowed his saliva, the sound loud in his ear and stood up as she stopped in front of him. Her height reached his shoulders and her scent made him weak and he was slowly losing control.

He needed to distract himself from his racing mind, therefore, he turned away from her, 'today will be your first lesson about our world,' he paused still looking at the furthest corner of the cave, 'A creature, human or not always gets more choices how to deal with trouble. You may think it was unfair to erase your memories or omit information and it will be difficult to make you see my reasonings however I can promise you one thing. I never do anything without a valid reason.'

Thanatos wanted to turn around to look at her but instead, he closed his eyes, other words, more delicate and passionate on his tongue. But he could not say them for he was forbidden to show emotions. A quick, brief touch into his memories made him even more desperate to turn around; blue eyes shining with tears of astonishment before she disappeared leaving him crouched in his office as she was forced to gather a few dying mortal souls.

He liked to imagine she cared about him at least a fraction of the emotions he held for her, yet he ignored it as soon as that thought entered his mind, 'when we get there, it is a different realm altogether, one I don't have much control in. You belong to me because you are my servant. But you must never, for any reason wander off by yourself. Is dangerous and full of dangerous creatures who's only survival is to kill and they will not hesitate to kill you.'

He did not dare check if she understood and walked to the left where a strangely levitating stone wall stood, the edges not meeting the other walls, nor the floor, yet it still stood intact. Greek words, Eiságete To Skotádi, were carved into the middle of the wall.

Thanatos spread his wings, and grabbed Stefania's hand gently, involuntary noticing her weak pulse under his fingers. He had an urge to trace his fingers over the pulse point but instead, he reached his free hand and stroked the written words on the wall. Closing his eyes, he quietly murmured, 'Hades, allow your servant Thanatos and your servant Amara, enter your kingdom with peace,'

The writing alight in red and Greek, incoherent whispers echoed in Thanatos' ears until red smoke surrounded the pair, their previous surroundings slowly dissolving.