Work Text
Belo hated King Cepheus, but being part of the King’s Guard afforded him luxuries he would not have had otherwise. Comfortable quarters, meals and clothing were provided. The men feared him for he stood nearly a foot taller than many soldiers. Women were plentiful, though he turned away their shallow advances. He knew they wanted him for his station and his ability to protect them in battle...not for his ability to love. He shut his heart to any feelings when his love was ripped from his arms to “appease the angry Gods”. Leda went bravely, she begged him to stay true to Zeus and obey his whims. He promised though he could feel the life drain from his soul as she was dragged away. He hardened his heart and became a fierce soldier, raising up to King’s Guard. Now he finds himself with a band of men to escort Perseus on his quest to save Andromeda. No one attempted to save Leda. No attempted to save the dozens of women that were sacrificed to the Gods. King Cepheus wants to move the Earth itself for his daughter, Belo hates them all for it. The voice of his love echoes in his mind, “Stay true, Belo.”
For Leda he does this, for Leda he does everything.
He takes a twisted joy in being crass and unkind to Perseus, to obey does not mean to make nice. He gets his cruel japes in whenever his can. While making their way through the dense wood to find the lair of the Stygian Witches
, everything went black.
Belo found himself on the shore of the River Styx and he began to panic. He was not buried, he did not have the means to pay Charon. He looked around desperately as he saw the boat approach. Was he destined to wander the shores for eternity? Leda begged him to stay true to the Gods, what good did that do him? “Leda. What do I do? Zeus, please find favour on me,” he all but pleaded as he clasped his hands together. As the boat reached the shore, Belo felt a weight in his hand. He looked down, An obol! Thank Zeus! He dropped the coin into the outstretched, skeletal hand. As they rowed to the shore, Belo could have sworn he saw the online of a woman in the shadows. When they reached land, the shadow emerged and approached, smiling.
“Leda?”
“My love, you heeded my words. You stayed true and I am here to escort you to the Judges of the Underworld,” she reached for him.
He took her hand, it was cold but solid. All of his fear and anger was gone the instant he grasped her hand. They crossed several more rivers and she forbade him to drink from the Lethe, or else he would forget all. Finally, they were standing in front of the three judges. Rhadamanthys approached and circled him. “You are not a kind man,” he told Belo. He continued to circle, “You are an angry man.” Belos looked down and cold air started to swirl around him. “You are a sad man that lost much,” the judge continued “and yet you obeyed the Gods because of a promise made for love.”
Belo swallowed and looked up, “I did.”
Rhadamanthys put his hands on Belo, “I welcome you to Elysium
with your love. You stayed true throughout your trials. Sadness and anger are not evil, but let them leave you now as you enter.”
With those words, the souls of Belo and Leda entered and were never parted again.