Chapter Text
All Hermes could hear in his room were the flocks of birds flying away in the sunset, perhaps returning to their nests, just as Hermes did by going back to his room.
Normally he would've continued his job as usual, delivering messages across realms and mail for the mortals, but not today.
His sensitive wings were drooped; it only made the smallest of twitches, not even a rapid fluttering or anything. No. He was…exhausted, which is something uncharacteristic of him. He was always filled with energy, enough to crack a joke and make every god laugh, but he didn't feel it today.
He only felt exhaustion. And that is why he made Iris do the delivery job, along with a promise that he'll repay her by taking her load of messenger work and doing it secretly; he even gave a few drachmae to her in payment, but the plan all collapsed when Hera caught Iris. The snake on his bed, slowly slithering and trying to comfort him by curling around his arm; it did not work at all, and the way it slithered was the same as the thoughts of what happened earlier. It slithered to Hermes and filled his mind with it. He wouldn't say his mind was about to tip over and spill into insanity but it was close. Very close.
The skies of the throne room in Olympus. It was supposed to be ordinary, a pale blue sky dotted with white clouds. But it wasn't, for it was grey and clouds were nearly black.
The atmosphere stirred within the throne room. Everyone was silent, not daring to speak a word at the three deities who were quite clearly the spotlight now.
“ Iris, “ Zeus said. It was nearly a mutter, but it was already enough to engulf her in fear. And Hermes, too. Both of them had their heads dipped down, Hermes holding back the urge to crack a joke. It wouldn't work, it wouldn't work. That was what Hermes repeated in his head. Cracking a joke won't help with the situation. “ And Hermes. “ Zeus ended the sentence.
It was as if that was already enough, enough to explain. “ I'm sure you two know what you've done. “ He glanced at Hera who merely nodded. Then his piercing gaze was back on the two deities. “ I need not explain it. “
And just as Hermes snapped up to look at Zeus with a slightly forced worrying gaze, the skies rumbled and lighting came down on the marble floor, striking downwards. Every other god was eerily quiet, except for the murmurs that occasionally came from them and a yelp that Hermes noticed.
But he was too tired to notice it. The second thing he noticed was a flash of rainbow in front of him.
That can only mean one thing.
“ Iris! “ Hermes yelled out. Or was it Hera? Hermes couldn't tell at this point, it was overwhelming, seeing the flash of the lighting and rainbow.
Iris? Iris was not in front of him, a guess that Hermes made. No, Hermes looked down and to the sight that he didn't ever want to see.
Ichor. Fresh golden blood that stained the perfect marble floor. Ichor that came out of a wound in Iris’s chest. But before Hermes could take one more look at her, or even the wound, Hera pulled her away in horror, her eyes widened with fear.
Hermes noticed the cut on his hand too. Ichor bled from it, drip, drip, dripping onto the floor. Every drip sounded like another scolding phrase to him. He looked up, only to see Zeus having his back turned away and all the other gods still in their seats. Some because they were unfeeling, but mostly because of fear. Fear.
And Hermes? Hermes just accepted his fate. Or his punishment, whatever it was. He didn't care, all he wanted was to rest.
As if on demand, everything went pitch black for Hermes. Perhaps that was Hypnos doing, to let him rest for now, away from the commotion and chaos in the throne room in Olympus.