[new version]
Hermes, pretending not to notice that strange interaction, snapped his fingers, and a beautiful house appeared. Nothing was missing, and they could live comfortably for a thousand years.
It really didn't seem like a bad deal.
But he felt curious about where this story was supposed to go. One day, those thousand years would end—how would they choose to live their lives after that?
"Give it time," as Chronos would say. "Ready. A house with three bedrooms is ready…"
Hela walked smoothly to the entrance of the house and turned to Hermes. "Right. Hermes, you can leave. We'll talk about the wedding ceremony as soon as she recovers."
She hadn't intended to invite him inside.
She had used up all her social energy during the short conversation with him on the way from the court to Ina.
Now, all she wanted to do was rest and make sure her future wife was okay.
Hermes, who didn't feel offended, just nodded. There were gods with much worse tempers than Hela… She was really sweet, despite being very objective.
He thought briefly about something and seemed to realize something important immediately. "Hm… See you after five days and four nights."
Inside that place, there wasn't much to worry about. Just as Ina could sit for decades or centuries without eating a single piece of bread, she could recover fully in a few days, as if she had never been chained.
"See ya."
Hela nodded and soon closed the door behind her, leaving Hermes alone.
Within seconds, she could sense that he was gone and sighed, a little relieved.
She briefly lowered her gaze and saw Ina breathing lightly as she lay in her arms. The woman was so thin and small that Hela felt a pang of guilt in her heart.
Hela briefly observed the house. It was all on a single floor, which would facilitate Ina's movement. She was relieved to note that Hermes had good taste and common sense.
Despite her mixed feelings, Hela always felt concern for everyone. She was deeply affected by injustice or misfortune.
She didn't like seeing people suffer, and knowing that Ina could live peacefully calmed her down.
Ina, who sensed Hela's softness, could feel the intrinsic concern directed at her and had already grown used to people being frightened or repulsed by her poor eyesight or weak body.
Some even teased her, as if that made them superior.
Ina didn't see herself as having a sad or complicated history.
Well, maybe she did—but she didn't view herself as a victim.
She had been born prematurely, sightless, hungry, and abandoned by her family. She wandered for days and nights through war-torn lands.
One day, she caught a sweet scent and followed it, until she suddenly felt a soft, light touch at her feet.
She was standing before a peach tree.
With each step, she could feel peaches piling up—more and more, scattered on the ground, completely ripe and ready to satisfy the hunger of those in need.
Her hunger didn't allow her to think much. She ate more peaches than she could count.
At some point, she realized that it was the fruit of eternal life, and as punishment, she was to take care of it with her own life.
It didn't take long for her to understand that she had most likely died of hunger and cold, yet in death, she had been lost in the immensity of the lands ruled by the gods and had somehow entered paradise.
Ejon had punished her, but it was like a father trying to teach his daughter something.
He made her responsible for the key to paradise and the bearer of the secret of eternal life, the fruit of immortality.
In this way, she lived for years and years, until she was eventually captured and thrown into that strange place, her arms and legs bound by chains.
Ina didn't feel unhappy. She was always very resigned to her state and her fate.
Some people seemed predestined to live amidst sadness and chaos; others, filled with joy and abundance.
She had always appeared to have a harsh life, and now, she had been granted a life—and a marriage.
It wasn't so bad.
She briefly touched the robes covering Hela and easily recognized armor.
Her knowledge of the Nords was shallow, but she understood that they were naturally warriors.
She could feel, in her heart, that Hela most likely shared this pro-war sentiment.
But the woman holding her seemed incredibly soft.
The two remained silent as Hela's steps guided them through the house. Timidly, she walked, getting to know the rooms.
Ina felt curious about Hela. "You smell woody… I like it…"
She gently hugged her and could smell more clearly the scent that exuded from Hela—an intrinsic scent of freedom and nature.
Wild, rough, yet sweet.
Hela, completely taken aback, felt her face grow hot. No one had ever commented on this before.
It most likely smelled woody because it was also one of the fruits of Yggdrasil.
The tree, axis of the world, held the answer to everything and owned everything.
There was nothing Yggdrasil didn't know or possess.
Everything existed.
Ina felt a light touch on her head and smiled inwardly. Hela looked like a frightened child, timidly venturing forward, trying to understand her.
Hesitant, Hela's voice came, low and husky. "You smell like peach blossom."
Ina nodded. She should smell like peaches.
The fruit of eternal life had indeed been a peach.
"You like it?"
Hela swallowed hard, unused to being this close to someone, let alone speaking so softly.
Her throat was dry, and her heart pounded.
"Yes. I really like it…"
Hela noticed Ina's dirty clothes. It must have been very uncomfortable.
Well, perhaps a bath was in order.
In reality, Ina's entire state seemed delicate and fragile.
Dirty clothes were the least of it. She didn't look healthy.
Besides being thin, she was covered in bruises.
Hela was fairly certain that Ina was in pain all over her body.
She shyly asked, "Do you want to take a shower?"
Ina heard the question and couldn't help but laugh softly. It was really cute how Hela spoke.
Nodding briefly, she replied, "I want to."
Hela nodded and carried Ina in her arms, searching for the best room. She didn't mind where she slept, but Ina's health clearly required comfort.
Even though they were about to marry, it wasn't as if they were truly choosing.
Just deal with it like two good friends.
Besides, didn't it make sense that Hermes had built a three-bedroom house? Two wouldn't have been enough!
Finally, Hela found what she was looking for: a corridor leading to the rooms, the last one the largest.
She approached the bed and gently laid Ina on the soft mattress.
Ina smelled the place. The air was fresh and clean. She was glad that Hermes had prepared somewhere for the two of them.
Ina had a good relationship with Hermes. He often came to offer food or company, talking about the boredom of his days.
But now, she had Hela—and that made her happy, somehow, even if they barely knew each other.
Hela occasionally glanced to ensure Ina was okay.
She couldn't control her emotions well and didn't fully understand why she felt that way, but she was immersed in all those unknown sensations.
She was terrifying in so many ways.
Hela leaned against the cool wall and sighed.
She focused only on filling the bathtub. After all, who would have expected her punishment to involve being on a honeymoon with another woman?
Ina, still unused to Hela's quiet manner, wondered for a moment if everything was okay inside the bathroom. "Everything is fine?"
Hela positioned herself outside the bathtub and looked at Ina sitting on the mattress. She smiled awkwardly; everything was so different from what she expected.
Perhaps she hated Zeus a little less in that moment.
"Yes. I'm letting the water fill the bathtub…"
She approached Ina and sat beside her on the mattress.
Ina felt the slight movement and smiled.
She reached out and touched something soft—most likely Hela's arm. She moved with difficulty and, surprisingly, received help as Hela gently supported her by the waist.
Ina felt exhausted, completely worn out.
She rested briefly on Hela's shoulder and sighed.
Hela followed her movements, unsure where to touch or what to say, simply letting Ina move freely.
"You're tired… Do you want to get in the bathtub anyway?"
Ina nodded. Despite her exhaustion, she could endure a shower. "Everything is fine."
Hela, though slightly insecure, agreed. If she was there, nothing would happen to Ina.
"Well… alright… After the shower, let's eat something and get some sleep."
Ina nodded, nestling back into Hela's arms.
So comfortable.
Hela held Ina as if she were something precious—and indeed, she was.
Hela couldn't bring herself to dislike the sweetness that emanated from Ina. She only wanted to protect her.
Ina had suffered so much during all those years in captivity. Hela would not allow it to happen again.
The gods had forced them into marriage, and so they would comply.
But now, Hela's heart belonged entirely to Ina.