Chapter Text
Hecate said, “I forgot to ask, now that you seem to not be having a breakdown over the idea of your powers, well,” she sighed deeply, “would you like me to train you?”
“What do you mean?” Kore asked, her hand absentmindedly playing with her slip.
“Well, clearly, your powers have changed in some way or form, and until we figure out how to get you out of here, you are stuck with them. So you might as well learn how to use them, in case of an emergency, unless you happen to like living without powers,” Hecate said, her voice completely monotone, not giving Kore any clue if she actually wanted to do it or if she was doing it out of pity.
“And you think you are the best person to teach me that?” Kore asked, while opening the further to let Hecate in.
“Unless you have suddenly discovered one of the other inhabitants of the Underworld, I am the only option you have,” she replied, moving past Kore to sit on her bed. Kore paused for just a moment to admire the way Hecate crossed her legs effortlessly before closing the door and moving inside.
“What I meant to ask, instead, obviously, was how do you wish to teach me, when you know nothing about my powers beyond what little I have told you,” Kore asked, stifling a yawn as she sat on the sofa.
Hecate smirked very lightly as she said, “Neither do you, anymore.” Kore huffed loudly, staying silent in hopes that Hecate would talk further, and she did, “We could know more together, and it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to ask me about my potions, like you have been itching to for two days.”
“I have not,” Kore mumbled, “and either way, why should I trust you with the knowledge of my powers?”
“I can not tell you unless you accept my offer, but there is a way to trust me fully, and,” Hecate raised a hand, “it doesn’t depend on me being your friend and also the only person you know.”
“And what makes you think I want any training-” Kore yawned, “at all?”
Hecate smiled softly, “Even if you do not, I believe that you would not pass up a chance to learn more about your powers, especially if it is as we believed and the change is linked to the Underworld.” When Kore didn’t respond and instead yawned again, Hecate continued, “I can see that you are tired, which is understandable. Do not make your decision now, sleep on it and inform me by tomorrow evening, as I do have to make time for you.”
Kore nodded and slumped backwards on the sofa, almost immediately, eyes fluttering shut.
~~~
Kore jolted awake, not due to nightmares, but due to a thumping noise on the ground outside. She slowly sat up in her bed, blanket pooled around at her feet. The thumping noise had stopped, but she was sure that she had heard it. She was about to go out and investigate, for it might only have been a door falling over, weak on its hinges, when the thumping started again. It was louder this time, as if getting closer to her door. Whatever was making those noises was also vibrating the floor, two vases had already crashed onto the floor.
Kore herself was about to fall off her bed, whether in surprise or due to the thumping, she didn’t know. She stopped trying to get up for fear of falling, and waited for the noise to pass. Whoever was making the sound stopped by her door for a few moments, and Kore started looking for something to fashion into a weapon, should it come inside.
She picked up one of the glass shards from the floor, and stood with her legs wide apart as she had seen Ares stand in his tapestry back home. The posture was supposed to give you stability, but Kore was still trembling. She had picked the largest glass shard, but she highly doubted that it would affect whatever mighty being was outside her door.
She practically fell to the floor in relief when the thumping sounds went away, growing fainter and fainter. She hastily dropped the shard to the floor and opened the door. There were no footprints on the floor, and other than one fallen painting, no evidence of a monster having just crossed by.
She slowly tip-toed out of the room, careful not to make any sound. She kneeled on the floor, looking for a drag or tear that would confirm that what just happened wasn’t a dream. The floorboards were perfectly fine, but the carpets were wrinkled. The purple carpet was thrown haphazardly to the side, and had quite a lot of its threads pulled. Secure in her knowledge now, she wondered what exactly the floorboards were made of, to not have the slightest break after all that jostling.
Standing up, she ran a hand through her messy hair as she looked around. No servants were out and about, and Kore herself would probably be the one walking on it accidentally. She picked it up gently, rubbing her thumb over the crack in the frame. She had never paid any attention to the painting itself, aside from an idle remark or two.
Looking closer at it now, she quite liked the exact shade of purple that was used. The painting itself was confusing, containing a faint silhouette at the centre of a storm, but the way the colours meshed with each other was quite pleasing. The storm itself was a mix of blues, whites and purples, instead of its typical grey.
Kore fully intended on asking Hecate what it meant and who made it, but for now, she put it on its stand. She walked back into her room, just about to close the door, when she heard a sigh outside. She slowly creeped to the door, and could make out sounds of shuffling clothes. She couldn’t open the door, not without alerting whoever was outside to her presence. She heard the person outside stand up, muttering something about untrained dogs, which couldn’t possibly be what they were saying. She had misheard, but before she could puzzle out what else they were saying, she heard a low, gravelly voice say, “I have heard its quite unbecoming of ladies to eavesdrop.”
She blinked, and opened the door to respond, but there was no one there. The carpet was replaced with a garish green one, which looked extremely out of place. The painting was hung again, and Kore wondered how many similar changes she had missed in her ignorance. She wanted to walk outside, possibly run after whoever was just there, but a sudden wave of sleepiness hit her, and she was asleep on her bed before she knew it.