Iris made her way through familiar doors and waited in elevators she’d used countless times before. She was busy these days, and she liked it. Not the reasons behind it, not at all, but doing what she was supposed to……that was something she would never give up.
These days, being called to Zeus’ presence was as normal as it had been back on Olympus, and in fact, there was even a sort of schedule to her comings and goings. She’d known she was wanted today, and as always, had come prepared for whatever was asked of her.
The walk to Zeus’ door was quiet, but in this place, that wasn’t unusual. He’d chosen a grand place to live in, a place that just seemed to hush things all on its own.
Being expected, Iris thought nothing of walking in. The place felt cold, and not just from the wind that made her frown as it brushed past her. It was the strange emptiness she felt, something other than the lack of Zeus’ presence, though that did make her pause a moment. She was alone here. She had just walked in, she was alone……and a draft was still playing along her scarf and in her hair. The breeze also brought something to her, a sickening smell she hadn’t known for a long time, yet was still unmistakable.
That was what made Iris move. She didn’t think it was - she couldn’t think it was - her King, how could it be? The denial in her heart could not fill the void where his presence should be, however, nor did it stop her from knowing what it was she found outside, through the doors where the curtains were billowing in.
There was little she could do but stare helplessly at the blood, then kneel quietly by his body, feeling something indescribable at the fact that she was to see him like this.
“My Lord.”
The words were said softly, and were surrounded by long moments of stillness.
She would have remained so even longer, if it hadn’t been for the question of what he would have wanted her to do. There had never been orders given to prepare her for a situation like this, but Iris could well guess what they might have been. Standing, she couldn’t help but wonder if this had been inevitable, if as messenger, it meant she had to be the one to send word of what had happened.
It wouldn’t surprise her if life turned out to be so cruel.