Shortly after lulling Cerberus to sleep with food and music, Desdemona and Adrienna were sneaking out of the gates of the Underworld dressed in their best clothing, carefully closing the door to the Underworld tightly behind them. Now it was just a matter of getting through the mortal world, up Mount Olympus, and to the party.

Their peaceful and quiet journey was interrupted by someone calling out to them. 
"Hey!" came the voice. "Wait up, ladies!" When they looked back, it was none other than Marcellus, Ares' son and Adrienna's cousin.

Adrienna then smirked once more. "Why, Marcellus? Why should we wait for you to catch up? Give us one reason."

Marcellus chuckled. "You'll need an escort, won't you? That, and I told Uncle Zeus that I would have a beautiful woman on my arm."

Adrienna shook her head and sighed. "Like hell I would ever go to a party with an arrogant ass like you," she retorted.  "Good luck finding a date in the next little while,
Βλάκας [idiot]."

Marcellus' jaw dropped. "So that's it? You're just gonna leave me here, dateless and sad?" he puffed out his bottom lip in a pout, hoping to garner at least some pity from the duo.
Desdemona stepped between the bickering pair, holding out her hands so as to keep them separated. "How about this? Marcellus may accompany us to the party, but neither of us will be completely obligated to be his date."

Adrienna nodded. "That sounds like something I can agree to," she replied as she stood next to Marcellus.

Marcellus smiled. "Fair enough," he replied with a huff.

Adrienna smirked. "And you can forget about us leaving the party with you, because that ain't happening."

Marcellus smirked. "What makes you think I give a damn?"

Desdemona looked into his deep brown eyes. "You clearly do, if you're reacting this way over a simple misunderstanding."

Marcellus then stepped towards Desdemona. "How exactly is me needing a date, and you two ladies going to the party with me, a misunderstanding?"

Adrienna spoke up just as Desdemona opened her mouth. "Because, cousin dear, we are not going just to please you and make Uncle Zeus equally as happy. We're going because I apparently need to get out more and Uncle Zeus always throws interesting parties. I say that with love, of course."

Desdemona giggled. "It's strange to hear you say that, Adri," she said as she walked between her two friends, the pair following her as she walked up the winding path from the Underworld to the mortal world. "You guys have your disguises ready, right?" she asked. Desdemona did not want anyone to be blamed if they were caught, but she also knew that sometimes it just couldn't be helped. This situation had about a 50/50 chance of being either one.

The trio kept walking for some time - the path from the underworld was long, and Adrienna had no clue how her mom made the trip between realms every March and September - before stopping to rest. She looked over at Desdemona, curious about one thing in particular.

"Des, I have to ask... what did you mean when you said it's strange to hear me say that I was speaking out of love?"

Desdemona shrugged. "Well, you're always so grumpy, and I hardly expect you to be able to feel love - no offense, of course - so I guess I was just... surprised."

Adrienna crossed her arms, but continued walking. "I can feel love. For example I love my dad, and Uncle Thanatos, and you, Des."

"And me?" Marcellus asked hopefully.

Adrienna slowed her pace gradually before looking at Marcellus with a deadpan expression. "No," was her simple, one-word answer.

Marcellus slumped in sadness, pouting a bit, though Adrienna was unwavering in her lack of an expression or pity for him. "Do you have to be that harsh, Adrienna?" he asked, as if to try to get her to at least acknowledge his feelings.

Desdemona smiled at Marcellus, though, and giggled a bit. "C'mon, Marcellus, don't be sad. After all, you do have two beautiful women accompanying you to Zeus' party."

Adrienna smirked again. "Yes, we are accompanying you, and that is all. I am not afraid to explain this to your grandfather."

Marceellus copied the smirk. "I'm pretty sure I already knew that deep down inside, but thank you for the clarification... Princess."

Adrienna turned on her heel and backhanded Marcellus across the face, her eyes on the verge of bursting into flames - if only in the metaphorical sense. "Do not call me Princess. My dad may be a king, but I really do not like being labelled."

As if on cue, a gust of wind kicked up - weird, since Zephyrus hadn't forecast any winds to be sent to the Underworld today or for the rest of the week - and Adrienna watched as her best friend and her cousin's jaws practically hit the floor.

"Hello, Hermes. What brings you here?" Adrienna asked without turning around. "I will not ask how exactly you got here so fast, since speed is most certainly a requirement for a man in your position."

Hermes, the messenger to the gods as well as the god of merchants and travel, just smiled and stared at the trio. "Dear Lady Adrienna, if you'd kindly turn around and stop talking to me with your back turned towards me - quite rude, by the way, though who am I to judge - I will explain."

Adrienna turned around and crossed her arms again. "Very well. Explain yourself."

Hermes just kept smiling as he began to explain. "Well, you see, I was going to travel to your domain in the Underworld to deliver a message from your uncle Zeus, however, I noticed that there were three young gods travelling alone. Being a god of my persuasion - one of travel, if you'll remember correctly - I decided to take it upon myself to get you to the party."

Marcellus grinned. "Yes, please do that. I hate being outnumbered two to one. Especially when one of those out numbering me is a colossal-"

Hermes raised a hand as if to silence Marcellus and cleared his throat once with a quick ahem. Even being as young as the trio were, they knew not to question an Olympian - aside from Zeus, perhaps. "I would watch your tongue if I were you, young man. Brandishing it in such a manner around the other gods will not benefit you in any way."

Adrienna gave a small chuckle. "That amuses me. Thank you, Hermes, for setting him straight."

Hermes cast his glance on Adrienna, smiling a bit wickedly, though he was never a vengeful god to begin with. "Oh, my dear lady, you are mistaken. I'm not done lecturing you three. Well... two, actually. Lady Desdemona has no faults that I can currently see, therefore she won't get a lecture from yours truly."

Desdemona, who had been quietly standing between her friends, smiled. "Thank you, Hermes!" she said cheerily.

Hermes gave her a grin and a nod. "You are most welcome, dear lady. Now, as I was saying... Lady Adrienna, if I can be completely honest with you?"

Adrienna crossed her arms again. "Hit me with your best shot, Pony Express," she retorted. "I'm not scared of you." She stepped close to him and seemingly glared into his soul. "Don't forget, Hermes, that once my father abdicates the throne, it will fall to the both of us to make peace with the situation and work together. Your end of the bargain will be transporting dead souls down here so I can judge them and get them where they need to go. Or have you somehow forgotten that?"

Hermes scowled, not liking her cockiness but not wanting to retaliate with the same snark she was showing him. "My lady," he responded calmly, "I am aware of what will happen once Hades relinquishes the throne to you. Essentially, nothing will change other than who I will have to report to. But I still wouldn't test me if I were you."

Adrienna smirked. How exactly was this even fair? "Whatever," she snapped, "let's just go to the damn party." She continued walking forward, waving her hand and changing her dress to a fancy black toga, a golden laurel wreath crown adorning her head.