In the silence that followed Hecate's departure, Hades sensed an undercurrent rising beneath the seemingly calm waters beside Metis.
Her cold, possessive words, though expressed through wisdom and loyalty, were the ultimate desire for uniqueness and an eternal bond.
Hades understood this paranoia arising from the intertwining of divine nature and emotion. He did not dislike it, but rather regarded it as a special bond holding the core of Hades together.
He gently squeezed Metis's hand; beneath the cool touch lay the fusion of their divinities. "Your wisdom and loyalty are the most precious treasures of the Underworld, Metis."
His voice was low and affirming: "However, you have reminded me. The covenant between us, forged by fate and will, has not yet been proclaimed to the world. Perhaps this is an oversight."
He turned to Hecate, the goddess of magic and crossroads, who stood to the side at some point, shrouded in misty shadows. "Hecate."
"I await your command, my king." Hecate's figure emerged from the shadows, holding a torch and key, and bowed slightly.
"As the goddess of boundaries and connecting roads, you are the most suitable messenger." Hades's gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the Underworld, looking towards the direction of Olympus's endless struggle.
"I want you to go to Olympus, but not to the chaos of the main battlefield. Find Hera, the goddess of marriage and family, whom Cronus had forgotten. Avoid unwanted gazes and ensure the conversation remains private."
A flash of clarity appeared in Hecate's eyes: "What do you wish me to convey to her, my king?"
Hades pondered for a moment and clearly stated his intentions: "In the name of Hades, King of the Underworld, and Metis, Queen of the Underworld, I make a request and a covenant with Hera, the goddess of marriage:
We wish to hold a wedding in the Underworld, which she will witness and bless as the being in charge of the authority of marriage. This ceremony will not only be the official crowning of my eternal covenant with Metis, but also the first and most symbolic solemn definition and reinforcement of the sacred concept of 'marriage'."
He paused, a note of profound meaning in his voice: "In return, the Underworld will recognize and honor her as the supreme authority as the guardian of marriage, and will consider her an important ally in any possible future changes to the order. At the same time, this wedding, held in the Underworld, will undoubtedly significantly strengthen and solidify her priesthood. Tell her this is not a handout, but a mutually beneficial cooperation."
Metis listened quietly, the coldness in her eyes gradually shifting to a complex emotion.
She understood Hades's intentions.
This was not only a confirmation of her anxiety, granting her a legitimate and law-witnessed coronation as 'Queen of the Underworld', but also a far-reaching move—to draw the still-weak Hera into their camp, to invest in an important future god in advance, and to use the opportunity so that the chains of 'marriage' could subtly restrain their romantic brother in the future.
"You are very thoughtful, my king," Metis said softly, her tone becoming gentler, and even holding a secret anticipation for this unique wedding.
In the Underworld, the wedding of the King of Hades and the Queen of Hades, personally presided over by the goddess of marriage, was a powerful symbol in itself, enough to make any potential rival aware of its boundaries and futility.
Hecate accepted the command: "Understood. I will clearly convey your wishes to the goddess Hera. In the name of magic and roads, this journey will not bring shame."
Her figure dissolved again into the shadows, as if she had never appeared, and quietly set off on the path to Olympus.
Meanwhile, in a relatively secluded divine realm on the edge of Mount Olympus, Hera sat alone in her small temple.
Compared to the activities of Zeus, Poseidon, and others, her position seemed rather awkward and lonely.
As one of the children Cronus had swallowed and spat out, her divine power was slowly recovering, and her priesthood of 'marriage' and 'family' seemed more like an empty joke under Cronus's tyranny and the current chaotic situation, ignored by everyone, and even she herself felt somewhat at a loss.
At that moment, the shadows in the corner of her temple began to writhe unnaturally, as if alive.
Hera stood up warily, her weak divine power gathering in her palm.
"Do not be nervous, goddess Hera." Hecate's figure gracefully emerged from the shadows, her appearance causing no fluctuations in the external divine power.
"I am Hecate, goddess of ghosts and magic, sent as a messenger by the command of Hades, King of the Underworld, and Metis, Queen of the Underworld."
"Hades?" Surprise flickered in Hera's eyes. She knew very little about her powerful brother who had mysteriously returned, only glimpsing him during the recent rescue.
"What does he want from me?" She remained wary, but the name 'Metis' sparked a slight curiosity in her.
Hecate did not beat around the bush, but directly stated Hades's proposal as it was, emphasizing the strengthening effect this wedding would have on Hera's priesthood, as well as the future friendship and support of the Underworld.
Upon hearing this, Hera fell into a long silence. Waves stirred in her heart.
As a nearly forgotten goddess, Hades's proposal was like sending charcoal in the snow—no, it was an opportunity for her to reinvent her priesthood and gain power!
Hosting the wedding of the King of Hades in the Underworld, under her presidency and witness, was highly symbolic in itself, enough for the sanctity of 'marriage' to be recognized and demonstrated by a powerful god system in the first real sense.
The growth this could bring was immeasurable.
Moreover, 'Metis'... the Oceanid renowned for her wisdom, had actually formed such a strong alliance with Hades.
This opened her eyes to a possibility different from Zeus's exaggeration, one with greater depth and order.
"Hades... and the goddess Metis, are they truly willing to let me preside over their wedding?" Hera's voice trembled with a slight imperceptible emotion—not only the opportunity to gain power, but also a feeling of recognition and respect.
"Yes, this is the shared will of the King of Hades and the Queen of Hades," Hecate confirmed.
"They believe that only you, the embodiment of the authority of marriage, can grant this covenant the greatest sanctity. This is not a transaction, but respect for the priesthood and an expectation for the future."
Hera took a deep breath, her eyes reignited with the light of one who had found her value and path.
"I accept this invitation and covenant," she said solemnly.
"Please reply to the goddesses Hades and Metis: I, Hera, will do my utmost, in the name of the goddess of marriage, to preside over the most solemn ceremony of their eternal covenant. And thank them... for the trust they have placed in me."
She understood perfectly well that this 'offer' was not merely sympathy for her personal experience, but a shrewd investment in the future landscape. And she was willing to accept this investment and look forward to the results it would bring.