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"Melinoë is the girl. I always loved that name," Persephone said, staring at the fair-haired twin.
"Love it. I bet she'll be a delightful little nightmare like her mother," Hermes said, kissing Persephone's cheek. "And the boy?"
"Zagreus," Hades said, his finger being lightly clasped by his son.
Hermes's brows shot up. "That was one of Dionysus's names."
"I know. He was one of my favorites, and I could never find out what happened to him," Hades said sadly. "I liked the name."
Hermes squinted at the sleeping baby. "You better not cause as much trouble as your namesake, kid."
"You say that like you weren't right beside him," Hades chuckled. He looked up at Persephone. "I suppose we had better bring them out and let them be fussed over by everyone else."
"You'll get them back again," Hermes assured him with a pat on the shoulder. "This is a good thing for all of us, I think. Feels like new beginnings."
Hades picked up the basket with one hand and held out the other for Persephone to take. She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
"Now, now, don't start that, love birds," Hermes said, opening the nursery door for them.
"Later," Hades whispered to Persephone, making her laugh.
Hades had said he'd left the party preparations to Hermes and the triplets, but she hadn't expected so much to have been put together in such a short time. A pavilion of dark blues had been erected in the gardens. Couches had been brought in, and an area was created for Persephone to sit with the children. They must have thought she was still sore because it had an absurd amount of pillows and other soft cushions to sit on.
The Court was already waiting for them, and they all rushed in to hug Persephone and ogle the sleeping twins. She didn't know how they could stay asleep with the racket everyone was making.
"Now, you can have this," Ariadne said, passing Persephone a violently pink cocktail.
"Maybe one," she replied, hugging Ariadne and taking the drink.
"Congratulations on making cute ones. They don't look like squishy-faced, angry old men," Ariadne said.
"Really nice, my love," Asterion groaned in exasperation. He bent down to kiss Persephone's cheek. "Ignore her. She only understands children if she's teaching them how to knife fight."
Ariadne grinned. "I'll also teach these two how to knife fight when the time comes."
"You will have to get in line. They must learn about their magic first. They both have it radiating off them already," Hecate said.
Medusa elbowed her way in between them. "You will all let them be children first and let me teach them fun stuff like video games."
Persephone laughed at all of them arguing about who would teach the children what. She shared an amused look with Hades, who was talking with the triplets. They were looking in the basket with confused expressions like they had never been around babies before. Persephone supposed they hadn't. She slipped through the crowd and over to her husband.
"What's going on? You boys look like you're plotting something," she said.
"Not plotting," Thanatos replied with a slight grin. "We are just confirming with Hades whether or not we can start letting the others in."
"The others?" Persephone asked.
"We have some gods at the borders requesting entry to see the children. Romans," Hades replied. "Bellona is being particularly threatening."
"Bellona is here? Let her in, for goodness's sake. It's fine. The more the merrier," Persephone said.
Charon clicked his tongue. "You say that now, but we have to be careful not to get a fight on our hands."
"They will behave, or I will throw them out," Persephone said, hands going to her hips.
The triplets turned to Hades.
"What are you looking at me for? You heard my queen," Hades said, waving them off.
