The Marriage Agreement
October, 15, 900 B.C.
“APOLLO! STOP IT!” Artemis yells throwing his arrow back at him
“Told you she would get mad.” I say laughing at my brother from behind a tree
*I pull my bow and arrow back and hit a target above our sister Artemis dropping apples in front of her*
“IRIS! YOU STOP IT TOO!” She yells pulling her bow and arrow backwards as well
*Zeus comes to the garden as we all run towards him*
“Now, now children. Why are you guys shooting arrows at each other?”
“Father, it was Apollo who started it.” Artemis says pointing to her twin
“Snitch.” Apollo replies pushing her hand away
“Enough. Come, we have an announcement.”
This was the night my life would change forever. My family never married beyond our blood. I never thought it would happen to me...till today.
“Iris, you must choose a suitor.”
“What? Father, she is just a child.” Artemis says grabbing onto her brother's arm
“She is to be wed, just like Apollo was and since you swore to be a virgin goddess after seeing how long it took for your brother to be born, you needn’t worry about a husband. But Iris is the Goddess of Virtue and Knowledge, she must wed.” Zeus explains to his children
“Who am I to marry then, Father?” I ask
“That is your choice, either Hades, Ares, Hercules, or Poseidon.”
“My brothers and uncles?” I say shocked
“They are our blood, they are our family.”
“EVERYONE HERE IS OUR BLOOD! GRANDFATHER CRONUS AND GRANDMOTHER RHEA WERE SIBLINGS! YOU AND MOTHER WERE SIBLINGS! APOLLO IS WITH HIS STEP-SISTER! YOU TELL ME FATHER IS ANYONE IN OUR FAMILY NOT BLOOD!”
“You will not speak to me like this Iris, you will choose a suitor and you will be a wife. You have until Hera starts the party. Now head to your dormitories, all of you.”
Zeus walks away and joins his family in the ballroom while I and my siblings just stay where we are.
“Iris, who are you going to choose?” Apollo asks
“I don’t know. If I marry Uncle Hades, I become Queen of the Underworld, if I was to marry Uncle Poseidon I will become Queen of the Sea. But Ares? Hercules? I don’t want to marry someone I called brother my entire life.”
“It is between our uncles now. You must choose whichever makes you the happiest.” Artemis says
“That is the thing, they are our uncles. Our elders. How can I choose?”
“Who do you get along with the most?” They say in unison
“Uncle Hades.”
I sit on a cushion by the table
“That is your answer then. I assure you Uncle Hades will make it seem like nothing changed.” Apollo says
“But things did change. He will no longer just be my uncle, he will be my husband.” I say shivering
Just as we finished talking Hades walks out of the ballroom, grinning like crazy.
“Children, my brother wants you inside now.” He says not taking his eyes off of me
We don’t say anything to him and just walk in. As we do so every other God and Goddess in the room stares at us.
“Why must we be the youngest? I feel like they are judging us.” I whisper to my brother
“They aren’t looking at me or Artemis, they’re looking at you.”
My face falls as I see my father Zeus, my stepmother Hera, my step-brothers Ares and Hercules, along with my uncles Hades and Poseidon all standing on the throne platform.
Hera walks down the stairs towards me.
“Iris, though you are not my biological daughter, I will love you no matter who you choose, whether it be Hades, Poseidon, Ares, or Hercules.”
“Thank you, Hera.”
We walk up to the men leaving my brother and sister on the floor with our other family members.
“Iris, daughter of Zeus, Princess of the Gods, Goddess of Virtue and Knowledge, we have gathered here today for you to choose a suitor. The suitors are Hades, God of the Underworld, Poseidon, God of the Sea, Hercules, God of Strength, and Ares, God of War. Who will you choose?” Hermes announces from the platform over
“Cousin Hermes, I choose Hades, God of the Underworld.” I say looking down
Several people gasp at my answer including my biological mother Leto.
“Well then, Gods and Goddesses, I present to you, the future Queen Iris of the Underworld.” Hermes says walking up to my father
