Valencia, 1506...

The small skeleton baby boy woke up and tried to breach through the darkness of the night in the room, focus on the surroundings. Something had fallen on the floor, causing a loud enough thud to awaken him. He turned to look wherever he could from his laying position. It all was quiet. Very quiet.

The baby was alone.

"Vah?!" He did, as if calling for somebody to come.

No response.

And many seconds later he started crying, louder and louder by the second. Small hiccups were added to his desperate call for somebody, anybody, to calm him down, reassure that he wasn't abandoned. The crying kept going for about 20 more seconds before the baby saw the floating pale face of a man approaching.

Staring from above inside the cradle, almost glaring down to the small one, silently. The darkness was making the face look like it was attached to nothing. Slowly the smol boi stopped crying, until he was quietly staring at the face. And soon after... started giggling and cooing happily.

His tiny hands, with holes in their middle, reached out for the man excitedly, his legs tried to kick and move as the taller turned to look at something behind and down on the floor. The object that had fallen down, a rattle, levitated and floated back to the desk on which it was placed. At last the man looked again at the little one.

Which had started floating in the air by himself as it kept giggling, slowly going upwards and out of the craddle, still with hands reaching out to the man.

"Why would you be happy to see me?" Hades asked while his hands reached out to hold the baby, upside down as it was, turning him to an upright position. The small skeleton stared at him, still giving his widest smile and making little joyful noises. Hades' expression darkened and he looked away, holding the little bundle of joy with one arm now. "Laugh all you like while you still can. Rough future awaits you." He kept talking strictly and bitterly. He looked again quickly at the baby, staring at him with wide open eyesockets, the only white pupil inside the left one nailed at him.

"ApApa!" He did cheerfully. Hades huffed and looked away again.

"No matter. You don't understand anything really yet. What awaits you and what I really am. But you will grow up and when you meet me better, at best you will just fear me-." His monologuing came to an abrupt halt feeling the index finger of his free hand being grabbed by tiny hands and the tip of it being munched. Hades slowly turned to look at the baby boy as he cutely and inoccently was sucking on the finger. "Charon. Let go." He said, seemingly almost insulted. The baby momentarily stopped munching on the necromancer's finger and looked at him confused, before going back to it happily.

"Mmmniam."

"What am I going to do with this child?" Hades exhaled from his nose as his pupils were turning to look up to the ceiling. He started sliding away and out of the room, soon passing through one of the corridors of the mansion. He had removed his finger out of the baby's mouth and holding it so its tiny head was resting on the man's shoulder and the hands were wrapped around his neck. "At least you look more like your mother in appearance. That makes you less intolerable." Hades commented.

The steps lead him towards another big door, already slightly opened. He entered and his look fell on the big bed with the skeleton woman laying on her side, facing Hades and the baby. Persephone's smile grew bigger as he approached and sat down.

She crawled closer and sat next to Hades. The baby started cooing happily seeing her close and she returned the smiles to it. Then she looked at the necromancer, rubbed her forehead against his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you dear."

"You're welcome. Let's just go back to sleep." Hades said.

He handed the small skeleton to Persephone and watched her as she kissed its forehead. Then she proceeded to crawl back, lay herself and the baby almost in the middle of the bed next to each other. Soon Persephone felt Hades hugging her from behind and all 3 of them drifted to sleep.

Reaper's arrival and addition to the family was a mix of joy and bitterness.

Persephone first felt his presence as she woke up one night, having again that strange feeling that she was being watched. For more than a month. Not uneasy, because whoever was supposed to be watching her almost felt like Hades, familiar.

Thing was her husband was away from the mansion for business. So it couldn't be him. She tried some more to look around the bedroom and understand if there was really somebody with her. She flinched as she thought of the possible reason she felt like that.

And so, she sat on the bed and stared down on her ribcage for a few seconds before she placed hands to feel her soul beating and... another beat. Barely heard but going faster. She let her soul out and saw the smaller one attached to hers.

Her mind uncosciously went back to the day almost 31 years ago she discovered for the first time she was expecting the triplets. But unlike of the first reaction then, seeing the soul she had now, she smiled gently. As her soul went back inside her chest, she hugged herself and fell back on the matress.

She slept soundly with the smile on her face. A week later she decided to announce the news to her daughters, since she had caused them to realise that their mother was hiding some surprise. Plus they had felt the new appearance around too. The reactions were different, as different as the triplets were.

Aphrodite had gone ecstatic, Artemis seemed uncertain and rather the most unwelcoming to the fact they would have an addition to the family and Athena... she went up to Persephone, hugged her and silently pressed her ear hole on her chest to hear the baby. To say the least, she was interested.

But since Persephone was happy, for their mother all 3 of them eventually accepted the new addition. Athena had expressed that it would be interesting to have a new baby sister, or brother. Though with how often she showed interest listening to the baby's soulbeat, she had guessed very early that it would be a boy, a little necromancer.

While all 3 sisters showed more or less enthusiasm for the baby, at worst simply interest and curiosity of how things would be, Hades had seemed to take the news worse than everyone. He would learn only the night of his return to the mansion. Persephone and her daughters had decided not to announce to anyone else yet.

And so no one could tell the Renrink any earlier of those news. Before he could even enter the house, the unknown presence was already sensed by him. Another necromancer. And at first he walked cautiously, but when he realised that the presence was much stronger in his and Persephone's bedroom, he had summoned his scythe.

Ready to have 'a word' with the intruder, thinking his wife was in danger. But when he entered the bedroom, when all he could see was Persephone laying on the bed with her back turned on him sleeping and sensing where exactly the presence was located... he realised. He understood.

His scythe had fallen off his hands and the sound it let out before vanishing caused Persephone to wake up and turn on her other side to look at Hades. And while at first she was delighted that he was back home, seeing his expression with even more darkness than the usual, her smile froze.

He knew.

And she knew that he knew.

They stared at each other silent for many seconds. Under any casual circumstances, they wouldn't be like that. Normally, everytime Hades was to be away from the mansion for long, on the night before leaving, him and Persephone would make love to each other, more passionate and for longer than any other of their times.

And on the night he was returning, even if Persephone was asleep deeply, the moment she felt Hades in the bedroom she was ready to give herself on him. It was both to welcome him and at the same time a demand, to apologize for being away from her.

It didn't matter if both of them were tired and sleepy, the moment they were reuniting they were in the mood. But now, after Hades stared at Persephone, silently he walked further away to change clothes, prepare to sleep.

Persephone waited for him to return. The necromancer got on the bed and layed down, staring at the ceiling. Eventually he turned his head to look at Persephone and his arm opened, invitation for cuddle. The woman layed close to him.

"... What we talked about starts now, right?" Hades spoke eventually.

"Yes." Persephone replied. She heard the man exhaling a little bit louder than the usual and nothing else was said.

Just a year after their marriage Persephone had done the question to Hades of what would he think if they had a baby. After cupping her face gently, he looked at her for many silent seconds before replying.

"I do not desire to have a child in this bloodline to give it misery."

With the marriage, he had gotten convinced to not get the name of his bloodline to be replaced. The 4 Sófrons were more than fine to have the Renrink surname. But he had never mentioned or agreed to have any children.

Just because he was alright with the triplets and in very good terms, it didn't mean, as he very much believed, that he would hold similar feelings for a child actually his. Because first and foremost, it would be little, having to teach and take care of it from zero.

With Persephone's daughters it was completely different, again, he started showing his interests to train and eventually grow somewhat fond of them when they grew up enough. Sure, the child would definitely be happy with Persephone's care and affection, she would make an excellent mother.

What about if it turned towards Hades, asking for whatever attention from him too? What was he going to offer him, how was he going to treat him without most likely causing distress? He wasn't raised happily, he was never shown parental love to offer it back. He simply DIDN'T KNOW.

His years at the temple of Death didn't teach or show him either a thing about children. Also, when and how would he give time to interact properly when he had his job to attend to? When he had to deal with problems and cases all around Hispania, out of there even?

Persephone had learned to wait for Hades to come back, or for him finish the work he was bringing in the house, even help him out, but a child that had no idea about work and just constantly wanted attention? What if his temper got out of hand, what if he turned against the child, what if...

There were a lot of issues to think of what a new arrival to the family would cause and in the only way Hades could think he cared enough for a possible child of his, was to never let it exist in the first place. He couldn't show he cared, he wasn't even sure if he could learn to properly care, he had that down only with his wife and the triplets.

He had explained all that to Persephone and many more, stern and grim, preferring pretty much to give her disappointment for not wanting children than have and give it suffering, ultimately giving even more disappointment to her. When he was done talking he looked at her to see her reaction to what he said. Much to his confusion he saw her smiling as she approached him and cupped his face.

"You just named me and admitted all that makes you not fond of the idea to have our own child. And that is incredibly important that you recognise it Hades. You say you care for the child by never letting it existing, but you did tell me all that has been done to you and you're concerned that you'll do the same things. You care more than you think or realise."

"No Persephone. I care not to act in a way that will harm or affect this family, you first. I promised to try and change the monster I am for you, but with a child, trying will not be enough. You were taught one way, I was taught another of how children are raised. And my way? You've heard and seen in the past what the 'discipline' I was given made me become before meeting you. Even once if I fall back on my ways and our child pays..." He huffed frustrated before looking again at Persephone. "... And what happens if it takes after me? I've told you what it requires for the training of a necromancer and it's dangerous. There is no playing around. The family bonds are absent. The training demands for the likes of me discipline, focus and seriousness. My nature is tough and cruel. Will your soul take this having it being our child going through this? How ready will you be when it leaves the house? What about that? You know it is obligatory." Persephone thought for a while.

"Perhaps... Perhaps that will be the hardest part for me. But after all, what concerns you the most is that our child will take after you and will have to follow on the same steps as you." She raised brow smiling. "And what if it takes after me?"

"Then that would be the luckiest child in the whole Hispania, because it wouldn't have to go through what I did and it would be one I'd be more willing to learn loving." Hades stated. Persephone's expression became more melancholic, without loosing her smile.

"No matter what our child turns out to be, remember this Hades: it won't be just a smaller version of one of us. No matter the nature, it will share from the both of us. Half you, half me... you don't want to be the cause of harm. But one reason we bring children to this world is not just to success us for a name to keep living. We hope that they will become the best possible versions of themselves, better than us, happier... Tell you what. You had said once that you don't want to expand this family so it will cease to exist and no one suffers after you, as some kind of revenge. Think of the arrival of a child in our lives that way: you are given the opportunity to leave for the future a descendant who will grow up unlike its ancestors. Healthy, loved, supported. Aside whatever training it will have to go through, if you manage to give the child positive experiences, whenever it spends time with me or you, it won't suffer."

"I told you Persephone, I don't know..."

"And I will make sure to show you, every step of the way, however long needed to learn how to interact with our child. If you're willing to learn from me that is." The woman said calmly caressing his cheek. Hades thought for a few seconds.

"... I could be willing to learn from you, I could try, but I can't guarantee that I will succeed. To be honest, I'd do so only for you. Which means that I would be faking, pretending. Doing it with half-a-soul. That will be mockery towards the child."

"Maybe... you could be pretending at first, but if you gain even the slightest of genuine affection for the child, then no, it won't be fake or mockery..." Persephone thought a little more. "... Think also of this: you are given the chance to break the cycle in which you've been drowned. And that way, you can get back at whoever was before you for the upbringing you've been given for centuries. What do you say?" She asked.

"... Get back at my whole bloodline... by raising my necromantic descendants in a different way of what we've known instead of simply stopping it at me... I don't know how possible that is, but sounds somewhat tempting." Persephone's smile grew a little more triumphant. Hades sighed then as he looked at his wife. "But I'd rather have the child not come so soon. Unless... just how soon do you want a child?"

"Actually I'm in no hurry. I'm not against the idea at all, but I consider what you want too. That's why I asked. Really, let's get to have a few years for us, then we can talk about this subject again. Sounds good?"

"Sounds great."

~

Despite they had already discussed and thought out many problems, considering the obstacles and troubles they could find and they had practiced a few things related for the case of a possible child in the future, on the next few nights after the one Hades realised a new Renrink was on the way, him and Persephone drifted apart for some time.

At first, it started with the necromancer waking up abruptly in the night, visibly agitated, consequently waking Persephone up too. And even if she asked if he was alright, after he would place hand on her chest and sense hers and the baby's souls, he... would slid away and out of the bedroom.

After this Persephone couldn't sleep for the rest of the night from worry, waking up the next morning tired. Hades didn't seem any better, having dark circles under his eyesockets. He was even more quiet than usual, refusing to give any answers on what was troubling him.

When he would look at Persephone his expression seemed... Frustrated? Dissapointed? Concerned? It was difficult to identify. He wouldn't stay around Persephone for long, he seemed to deliberately avoid her. Persephone didn't know what to make out of all this.

But when Hades started going to sleep elsewhere except the bedroom and away from her, the woman started loosing her cheerful self. The last straw was a week after he first sensed the baby. He simply left from the house without a warning, without informing anyone of where he was going.

For 5 whole nights Persephone would go and cry her eyesockets out in her own personal room prepared for her from her family, until sleep was finally conquering her, not on the bedroom her and Hades shared.

"Alas, did he stop loving me???" She would think, the tears running down twice as hot on such thought as she hugged herself tightly.

On the 5th night of Hades' absence, Persephone finally sensed him back inside the mansion as she cried. But she didn't leave her personal room. She kept laying down on the bed with her back on the door, angry and frustrated.

She sensed him out of her door and shut her eyesockets, refusing to move. Even when she sensed him entering the room she refused to turn and face him, pretend she was asleep. But when she felt his hand on her head, only then she turned to slap his hand away.

"Oh so you remembered you have a wife back home." She spat bitterly as she sat on the bed and glared up to Hades, silently watching her. "You think that you can ignore me and suddenly appear as if nothing happened?!" She kept going as she stood up and walked towards him. The necromancer stood his ground. "Just say it. Go on. You love me less because of the baby, ri-?"

Hearing that last sentence Hades' eyesockets widened up. He wrapped his arms around Persephone's waist and transported themselves both back on their bedroom. Before Persephone could resist, she found herself pinned against the wall and arms above her head.

She started struggling to free herself, to no avail. She looked up to glare at Hades. She froze then seeing his expression. Expressing a mix of what seemed as shock and anger. He kept that stare for a few more seconds as he completely closed the gap with the woman, chest pressed against chest.

And then... his face returned to its casual serious state. His hands holding Persephone by the wrists slid to intertwine his fingers with hers. Then he leaned to kiss her forehead gently.

Now he was looking at her with that tender look that was making Persephone feel her soul melting and almost forgetting her previous negative feelings. Hades let go of her hands, only to place his own on her sides, lower more and place a kiss on her chest. He raised head to look at his love, his expression now having a spec of sadness.

"Don't you say ever again that I love you less butterfly, my queen. Nothing will ever change that..." He sighed as he cupped her face and closed eyesockets. "... I am sorry. For causing you to feel troubled, make you question what I feel for you, now that you... carry our child. I know I acted a little too extreme. I suppose... it felt really unexpected, I believed it would take longer until your soul was ready to carry."

"Your soul has completely healed from birthing your daughters and there is no illness burdening it. The scars Senyor Hades has on his soul doesn't complicate your chances of conceiving, as they would only act in case he killed, not if you tried to conceive life. From the perspective of health, you are both clear. But what complicates these said chances are your natures. If the category of abstract magic was a straight line and we were putting Life and Death on it, they would be at completely opposite ends, with all other known abstracts sharing the space between them. In the case of abstracts, the more opposite they are, the less possibilities for conceival, or the longer it will take until they're ready to carry. Each of you possess the most opposite and powerful of abstract magic, so strong that they collide and extinguish each other. The chances for Senhor Hades' magic to establish itself inside your soul Senyora Persephone for more than 2 days where the new souling will manage to survive and grow without your magic drowning it, will be low. For them to get increased it will take many years with you 2 together for your natures to truly get used to each other. For the one's warmth to chill out and for the other's cold to warm up. It's the first time I, or anyone perhaps comes across your case, but I'd say that taking all of the facts of your natures and health into consideration, it will take at least 15 years until you're ready Senyora to carry your child and of Senyor's."

Doctor Caninto's daughter had been called to come and check on Persephone, about 2 years after her marriage with Hades, see if her soul was capable to carry soulings. Well she had fallen a little out from her calculations. So yes, it had caught off guard the couple that a new life appeared sooner than that.

"Is this really why you acted in that way those days back?" Persephone asked Hades as he opened again eyesockets to look at her. After many seconds he found the words to speak and express himself, thing he was capable to do only with his wife.

"... I can't find myself feeling happy. I'm more... agitated... concerned... even if we spoke, I don't think I can trust myself around the child."

"The nightmares... were they related to this?" Persephone asked. The other nodded.

"... I have constantly been seeing myself repeating the evils done upon me once. Other times I see you... dead. But when I follow after you, I can't find you..." The woman's expression turned sadder.

"Dear..."

"You could teach me all you want Persephone, but the thought of me and... our... child." Hades hugged her again, a little tightly but not in a suffocating way. Rather desperate. "You could have faith on me that I'll be different than the past ones, but I can't. Even if I would do it only for your sake, so I don't face the day you fall out of love for me and rightfully, so I don't see your dissapointment-."

"Hades." Persephone placed hands on his shoulders and looked at him stably. "That won't happen. None of what you're worried about will happen. Because before and after our baby is brought in this world, I will be with you every step of the way to guide you, show you how to treat the several situations that will come when you interact with our child. I promise to help you become, if not the most loving and attentive parent, at least decent enough so our child doesn't grow distant and hurt. If you're going to be the first of your family to try break the cycle and for deeply rooted negative habits inside you to be forgotten, I know, I get it, it won't be easy. But... since our child will take after you, try to commit and give for the first 10 years of its life as positive as possible memories. After that, even though it will be sadder for me, the temple it will be send to will take care. And when it comes back home, it will be fully mature and mannered. Everything will be alright, so long as you let me show you what to do." Hades huffed before nodding.

"Teach me, my Goddess." Persephone smirked lightly before wrapping her arms around the necromancer's neck.

"Yes, of course." Then she turned slightly serious. "Now kiss me bat." She said, causing Hades' eyesockets to slightly perk up.

But a few seconds later, in a swift movement he held his wifey bridal style, causing her to yelp in surprise and hold onto him more stably. He walked towards the bed and sat down, putting Persephone sit on his lap. Then they kissed firmly but lovingly, having not exchanged any for more than a month.

First with the necromancer being absent for business, then because he kept distances with Persephone. Suddenly the woman jolted and she broke off the kiss giggling cheerfully and placed one hand on her chest. Hades looked at her confused.

"Everything alright?"

"Our baby tickled me. It hasn't done so that whole month. Maybe it liked what we did."

"Or tried to stop us from kissing any further." Hades added, looking suspiciously at the souling and receiving Persephone's laughter.

"No matter what, that sensation was cute." The 2 didn't say anything after that and soon went to lay down on bed, cuddling closely. Or, not for long. Persephone broke the silence. "Hades?"

"Yes butterfly?"

"You said that you had nightmares and those caused you to act as you did days back. But what was your reason for leaving the house?" She asked quietly. Hades held her closer.

"I went on the temple I was trained. I asked... for an oracle. My nightmares weren't only about my concerns of hurting the child, or you dying at birth. I asked... to have a further look of what will its future be like." He said slowly.

"Really? And what did the future say?"

"... That for the most part, it will go smoothly." Hades said, for the first time in decades lying.

~

The months passed by fast and the closer Persephone was to reach the month of giving birth, the more visibly concerned Hades showed to be. He wasn't constantly like that however, showing at times of peace and quiet serious and silent interest for the baby's soul. Despite feeling slightly dissapointed that there was a new necromancer on the way.

"Since our child inherits from you, during the time you will spend to teach it the first things about the necromantic nature, you will be able to practice all that I'm teaching you on how to behave."

"I can only hope I don't forget upon loosing my temper..."

"Honey, try and remember this: if you ever feel like you're about to let anger get the best of you, walk away and allow yourself to relax."

"Does that mean I get to leave our child in the monster afterlife when we go there?"

"Stars no!"

"Not a bad idea though."

"Hades!"

"I'm just saying. But what do I do when I can't get away from our child?"

"Think of me. Make the icon of me inside your head, then try to remember what I've said, of what you can do to calm down yourself and our child. You might not hold fond feelings for it at first, perhaps never, but keep composure, stay calm. The least you can do is let the child know that you're source of protection for us."

"..."

More often than usual Hades got to hear Persephone singing, in that gorgeous divine voice of hers, all happy and cheerful. Songs and lullabies from the past when still a maid, causing him to feel falling in love all over again with her.

Even though not so thrilled for the baby's arrival, seeing Persephone 10 times more alive and beautiful from happiness, he was keeping most of his bitter thoughts to himself. Persephone had tried to encourage him say words, anything to their child, even sing with her. But Hades would refuse.

"Let our baby hear more of your voice Hades, come on."

"What's the point, he doesn't understand at the state he is."

"Maybe he doesn't understand the meaning of our words, but he learns the sound of our voices. He finds comfort learning to know what we sound like."

First Athena, next the 2 had sensed and confirmed months now that it would be a boy, the nursery was on the way to be prepared.

Uncosciously and suddenly, 2 months away from the birth, only then Hades started speaking a little bit directly towards his son. During those months Persephone had started feeling even more strongly the presence of the baby's soul. Due to his nature, apparently there were times she felt extremely cold, or sleepy, or both.

Common problems anyone who had ever married a necromancer had. She wasn't even letting Hades touch her and would call the triplets to hug her, or dress herself in heavy winter clothes. Also, it felt as if the baby was tugging abruptly, as if not wanting to be attached to the mother's soul anymore.

In one of those times, as Persephone had almost fallen forward from the sting of pain the baby was giving her, seeing this, Hades walked up to her, held her by the waist and leaned forward so his almost glaring face was close to her chest.

"Sτøρ τørmənτιɲg γøυr møτhər."

Persephone's mind was blown away when the baby's soul stopped tugging hers. She looked at Hades surprised, who looked at her confused.

"How did you do that???"

"Did what?"

"He stopped tugging!" She expressed surprised. Hades' eyesockets perked up for a moment before staring serious at Persephone's chest again.

"Ah, so the little sadist understands words after all." He said.

"Hades! He's not a sadist!" (persephone, i think all of us the readers have learned to love you and sympathize with you, but you will be wrong about this one)

"Why yes, all babies are."

"Nooo! He's just almost ready to meet this world, meet us and he's being active!" Persephone tried to say.

"By inflicting pain upon you."

"It's unavoidable for us who carry the children."

"Remind me to never again get you pregnant. I'm the only one who can give you suffering. And that is on the bed."

"('Ò///Ó)"

But after all, what really was calming the baby down and stopping it from stinging Persephone in her soul wasn't simply Hades' voice, it was him, his presence close to his wife. When hugging her, when running his hand over her chest, being affectionate, was when there was the most peace and quiet.

"He senses that we are the same nature and calms down. It doesn't mean he likes me."

"Let him come out to the world and not only he's going to like you, but love you." Persephone said with certaincy, like all other times she would talk about Hades and the baby.

"..."

And at last there had come the day.

Persephone's screams echoed through the mansion as she fell on her knees gripping her chest tightly and crying. She could have sworn that this pain was somewhat worse than when birthing the triplets. Or had she forgotten the feeling of going into labor after so many years?

They had quickly moved her in her own personal room. At first she didn't like it when Hades commanded the maids to remove all plants and get them away from the room, but he didn't recommend them to stay.

"The moment this boy emerges, his aura is going to kill, at best infect anyone and anything that isn't us at close proximity, like your plants."

And for that reason he had commanded the maids to leave the room and not be close at all to when the birth was taking place. It would be just him, Persephone and the triplets. But the hours became a day and that day became a week. Just like years ago.

When Persephone's mom struggled for many days to birth her, now her daughter was having the same struggle. The tears wouldn't stop flowing from her as she tried to endure until the baby's soul was unattaching himself off hers. She wasn't scared at first, just in pain.