Seeds Volume Two

by M. M. Kin

  “Your sire? Oh, Persephone.” He shook his head slowly. “He gave his blessing for the union.”

  “...What?” She became still. Surely her own sire, that kind and friendly King of Heaven with his beaming smile, wouldn't… But then, after what he had done to her mother...

  “I told him I would have nobody else but you. He said yes.”

  “But why would he...” She felt the stab of betrayal in her heart, and it was more painful than she would have ever expected. Her own father had given her away, just like that. The man she hadn't seen for a decade, the man who hadn't been a real father to her at all, not even after Iasion had died... How could he have thought so little of her? His other daughters – her own sisters! – reigned high on Olympus while she had been cast down here!

  “My brother is not without his faults, but he was wise enough to accept my decision. He knew that I would be a good husband. I assured him that you would be well cared for and subject to no mistreatment. He knew you would be better off with me than with any of the other gods or mortals, anyway. As a father, he did not fail in his duty to you, and rest assured, I shall not fail in my own duty as a husband.” He sounded smug at this declaration.

  Hmph. Stupid male pride. It appeared as if Hades wasn't immune to it despite his differences from the Olympians. She blinked back tears, not wishing for the Lord of the Dead to see her cry. She didn't want him to see just how much Zeus's betrayal had hurt her. He hadn't even thought to warn her about Hades! When Hades drew closer, Persephone whipped away from him.

  Mother had been right to raise her to believe that Iasion was her father. Iasion was a good and honest man who had adored his wife and cherished his daughter. While Persephone would have liked to know the truth, she now understood one aspect of the strained relationship between her mother and herself. When put through that, who could blame Mother for this lie?

  “And did neither of you think to talk to me?” Persephone asked before she spun around, crossing her arms and staring out in the darkness, tears burning behind her eyes.

  “When Zeus said yes, that was the end of the matter. He has more children and lovers than he can account for, and of course, your mother prevented you from getting to know the Olympians. He was assured of your safety. As for myself? You cannot tell me that you do not enjoy my company or attention..."

  “Damn you, Hades.” She jerked away from the hand that reached out to grasp her arm. At her defiant gesture, tendrils of shadows whipped out, wrapping around her legs and effectively halting her progress. Curses! Hades's Gift had more than one practical application, and when she flung her arms at him, trying to claw his face as he closed in on her, the shadows pinned her arms down.

  “This is not fair!” Persephone exclaimed with an indignant gasp. She wiggled against her bindings, muttering in frustration at the almost rubber-like pliancy of the shadows, which could effectively solidify themselves to any density at Hades's will.

  “I will not let you walk away from me unless you admit it,” he replied in a nonchalant manner, leaning against the railing as he observed her struggle against her restraints. The defiant captive stubbornly kept her lips shut, shaking her head.

  “So spirited. So defiant. I do enjoy your fire, but there are more productive ways of applying it. Do I need to remind you?” Hades continued on, undeterred. Persephone stilled when she felt a tendril rub against her ankle, slowly working its way upwards, wiggling in a teasing manner as it did so. Oh gods! If it reached its goal, Hades would know...

  “Stop! Please!” she begged. It wiggled up her calf to the back of her knee.

  “That is not what I want to hear.” Hades tutted gently. Now the silky smooth tentacle had reached halfway up her thigh. Oh gods. Wait. The gods would not help her...

  “You were... are a rather... pleasant suitor.” Persephone's gaze was averted, a faint blush on her cheeks. Mercifully, Hades stopped his teasing administrations.

  “Was that so difficult to admit, my love?”

  “No, my lord.” She shuddered as her bindings slid away from her body, caressing her legs as they did so. As soon as she was free of them, she pulled back several paces. “But that doesn't stop me from being angry with you. Or my sire.” She spat out the word 'sire' as if it was a curse.

  “Do not be so hurt by what he did. My brother might be careless and clumsy at times, but he is not a cruel person. He knows I will take care of you. He personally asked that of me.”

  “I don't care!” Her eyes glinted fiercely. “As far as I am concerned, the world would be a better place without men in it!”

  “Ahh, you sound like Artemis when you say that. She is none too fond of her father, either,” Hades shot back with a grin.

  “Ugh!” Persephone threw her hands up in the air in frustration, flashing Hades an enticing glimpse of her wrists and forearms. “I cannot believe that I am related to both of you!”

  “Surely I am a cherished relation. More so than your sire, at least,” the Lord of the Dead shot back smoothly, refusing to be fazed by her temper.

  She let out a short shriek of indignation before she darted at him, her small fists pounding against his broad chest. The fact that he merely stood there and let her take blows at him only further roused her ire. How dare he, that self-assured, smug bastard, just standing there and smiling down at her! Suddenly she found her wrists held by his strong hands, effectively preventing her from throwing any more punches. Her body was pulled flush against him when he lifted her wrists, and she glared at him with an angry blush on her cheeks.

  “Let me go!”

  “Calm yourself, love. I am your Lord and husband-to-be, not something to beat your fists on. Of course, I could always bind you again and have my way with you...”

  “Ugh! No!” She squirmed against his grip, catching a whiff of his masculine odor. He relinquished his grip on her wrists, only to wrap his arms around her, muffling her protest against his chest.

  “Stop resisting so much,” Hades whispered in an avuncular tone, one hand reaching up to stroke her hair, his arms forming a grip she could not escape. “Let go of your sorrow and anger. They have no place down here.”

  “I cannot! I will not! You do not understand! How could I ever expect a man to understand?”

  “I do understand, but what is done is done... Your future lies ahead of you.”

  Persephone remained silent, pressing her lips together tightly.

  “Let me go,” she whispered.

  “Are you going to try to attack me again?”

  “No.”

  “Good.” Slowly, his arms slid from her and he took a step back. Persephone felt her heart pound with anger, but she managed to keep herself collected.

  “Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?” Hades asked, surprising her. Was her pain that obvious?

  “No.” She shook her head sullenly.

  “Come now. How about a trip to Elysium? There are many skilled artists and performers, and also pleasant places to walk, though I could give you a chariot ride if you’d prefer that.”

  “No.”

  She heard him sigh.

  “Then what is it?”

  “Not something I wish to talk about." She lifted her chin defiantly, turning away. Fortunately,y he did not follow when she descended the steps to the garden.

  Persephone drew her robe over her head, effectively cloaking herself. The air down here was pleasant, but it was missing some of the familiar elements of the night in the mortal world. She heard no sound of insects or small creatures, nor the call of the birds. There was no rustling of grass as the night breeze blew through them. Persephone wished for a moon to light her way – moonlit walks were one of her favorite pleasures. Without these small natural cues, this place didn't feel real. She would have lost touch with this world if it wasn't for the solid tiled marble under her feet, the soft and thick linen clothing that hugged her body, and that musky, shadowy scent that lingered in the air, tingling her nose but offering no definite note
or source. When she listened hard, she could sometimes hear a faint ghostly whispering, though she often questioned if this was actually a voice within her own head or not. Dis had a way of teasing and playing with her senses at times, overwhelming her or leaving her unsure, grasping at her perception like she was right now.

  This place was alluring, yet unsettling in the dark. She could barely see the pomegranate tree against the sky, and she wasn't sure if the faint iridescent flashes she saw of the flowers were a figment of her own imagination. She stilled, trying to orient herself to her surroundings. Come now, Persephone! It's the same garden, it's just dark.

  She brought her hands forward, veering off to the left. Cool bark met her palms, and she let out a quiet sigh. What would Tartarus be like in the dark! Ooh! She shivered at the thought.

  The Underworld was an unsettling place. Persephone felt like a small child, lost without its mother. She was able to see shadowy outlines, but in a place of darkness, this did not count as much. She wished she was in Mother's arms, wrapped up in a warm and strong grip as Demeter comforted her, soothing away her nightmares and fears. Not even the tree could comfort her because it was not of her own world. On the surface, any tree – whether inhabited by a dryad or not – always had a pulse of life-energy if it wasn't dead or petrified. And despite the hungry rumblings of her stomach, she could not eat the fruit that the branches offered, drooping down as if to entice her, the pomegranates blood-red against the inky darkness that enclosed her.

  She reached out for one, feeling its weight in her hand. She lowered her arm, and the fruit came away from the branch easily, surprising her. The pads of her fingers slid along the heavy globe, outlining its faintly hexagonal shape.

  Persephone closed her eyes and took a deep breath, allowing herself to relax. She would not allow this realm to overwhelm her. If she could unlock its secrets, who knew what she might accomplish. She was not a child, a sheltered little maiden kept away from the world. No, she was a goddess, one with more Gifts than she was aware of if the Fates were being straightforward about their prophecy for her. Even though her mother had refused to tell her about this bleeding, Persephone sensed that it represented a new stage in her life.

  In her mind, she saw the insides of the pomegranate, ruby and violet and deep rose, richly seeded, each plump kernel filled with cool juice and coated with jelly, cradled lovingly in creamy-white flesh. She saw her own blood, imagined her womb filled with these deep colors, surrounded by the pale flesh of her skin. She squeezed the ponderous orb, feeling the temptation of the treat that lay inside and inhaled slowly, trying to not shiver under her warm robe. Her tongue was dry, and she was so thirsty... and these seeds would be filled with soothing pomegranate nectar...

  She pressed the pomegranate against her cheek as she felt its cool rind against her flushed face. All she had to do was eat one seed, just one seed. It would be sweet and wonderful. And she was alone! Alone to enjoy this succulent treat, and have eternity.

  In a different tale that belonged to another race of people barely known to Hellas, the story was that the serpent convinced the woman to eat the forbidden fruit, and her head became full of the knowledge that had not been intended for her.

  Just one seed. What harm of a taste, after all, she had already learned in Khthonios? The other woman had been completely ignorant, and easily charmed by the serpent, but she wasn't. After all, one seed could hardly be considered food, could it? It was dark, and she was alone, hidden.

  ...No, she wasn't. There was that odd prickle at the back of her neck that alerted her that she was being watched. Not by Hades, though. Who could be watching her out here, in the impenetrable shadows? She stilled, rubbing her thumb along the top of the pomegranate. She backed up against the tree, lowering the fruit and holding it against her upper stomach, her eyes trying to see into the darkness and feeling an increasing sense of alarm. When she looked up, she couldn't see the diamonds that had been placed up there! Waving her own hand in front of her eyes, she was almost certain she could see the outline. Almost.

  Persephone closed her eyes, sitting in the thick grass with her back to the trunk. Her head dropped as she inhaled the clean air, listening to the silence...

  She took a step forward, feeling the soft springiness of grass under her feet. Where she expected to come to the path, she found nothing. When she tried to return to the tree, she became even more lost, waving her hand in front of her as she searched for something familiar.

  “Hades?” she whispered.

  “I thought you were angry with him. So why would you call out for him?”

  Persephone stilled, trying to recognize the voice. She had indeed heard it before, but where? The voice was so smooth and velvety, a sleepy caress against her ears. Aha. Was her intruder responsible for the darkness? Doubtless...

  “And you would be my rescuer, hm?” Persephone asked.

  “It did not sound like you are here willingly. You are a rather articulate young lady.” Hypnos appeared before her, his pale features standing out against their surroundings starkly. Persephone realized that she could now see her own hands as clearly as day. The pomegranate she had been holding was gone.

  “You were eavesdropping!” she replied with a soft gasp of indignation. He smiled faintly.

  “I was merely in the right place at the right time. I sensed that you were unhappy at the banquet, and naturally, I had to wonder. Why should a beautiful Goddess be so sad?”

  Persephone shook her head.

  “Ahh, no. I saw it in your eyes. After all, eyes are the window to one's soul,” the God of Sleep commented with a fluid shrug of his shoulders. He was garbed in deep purple so vibrant it almost hurt her eyes.

  “So you sneak around Hades's Palace to eavesdrop, hmm? I doubt he will be pleased to learn of that.”

  “No, I simply happened to hear that you paid a visit to Tartarus today, and thought you might be in a mood to receive visitors.”

  “Who told you?”

  “Inquisitive, are you not?” he asked with a slightly amused smile.

  “Who told you?” Persephone repeated calmly, glancing at him coolly.

  “Even those of the Kingdom of the Dead must sleep sometime.”

  “You and Hades should get together and tell one another riddles.”

  “Seems like you are in no mood for riddles,” he replied, and Persephone wished his tone wasn't so velvety. In fact, it was too velvety. It might be seductive to other women, but she found herself on guard.

  “I do not enjoy you eavesdropping on us. I am going to tell Hades you were trespassing.”

  She was gratified to see a flicker of worry in Hypnos's handsome features.

  “Aha,” She lifted her chin. “If you knew it was not something you were supposed to do, why risk incurring his wrath? What did you do, hide in the flowers?”

  “My hearing just happens to be very good,” Hypnos replied. Persephone stared at him, her shoulders squared. He circled around her, reaching out to touch her arm with pale fingers. She growled and jerked back.

  “That is funny. Hekate was not much different the first time I met her.”

  “She is smart. Good for her,” Persephone shot back evenly.

  “Come now, you wound me." He placed his hand over his heart. "I was simply thinking that you and I should get to know one another better. After all, you are now part of the Pantheon of Khthonios Would you not agree that it is a good idea to make acquaintance with everybody in your new circle?"

  Persephone let out a quiet snort.

  “And you consider this...” She waved her hand at the oblivion that surrounded them, “a good way to make acquaintances?”

  “This is my domain, or part of it.”

  “Does not look very interesting,” Persephone replied with a shrug.

  “Allow me to remedy that.” He smiled before lifting his hand. Lush green grass rolled out under their feet and the sky became a startlingly clear shade of blue.

  Persephone gasped as she
saw the sun hanging high in the sky, illuminating the vast expanse of the field they now stood in. Were they now back on the surface realm? Oh! Her heart pounded as she slowly turned around before facing Hypnos, seeing a small smile on his face.

  No. She did not feel the pulse of life-energy, and the sun failed to provide her with its warmth. She frowned, feeling disappointed after experiencing a brief but intense surge of euphoria.

  But it was better than the darkness.

  “Is there anything else that would interest you? Perhaps flowers? Or animals?”

  “None of it is real,” she muttered, more to herself than him.

  “I will admit that this is but an illusion. What would you expect from my domain?”

  “I suppose. But is it... always so dark?”

  “How could there be real light in here? Sleep is merely another form of oblivion, albeit usually a temporary one.”

  “Certainly,” She could agree with him on that. When he started walking, he beckoned to her to join his side. After a moment of hesitation, she joined him, falling in step beside him. It was a slow and pleasant stroll, and even if it was an illusion, Persephone enjoyed the light of the sun and the vivid blue of the sky.

  “What about dreams?" Persephone asked. She hadn't yet met Morpheus and wondered why sleep and dreams were ruled by separate gods. After all, didn't these go hand in hand? "It seems to me that dreams should be here." She waved her hands at the pleasant surroundings around them.

  “Sleeping people dream. If you are the Lord of Sleep, why not dreams?”

  “Ahh, but sleeping and dreaming are not the same thing. Yes, the realms overlap, but sleepers do not always dream, and dreamers do not always sleep.”

  “I have never had a dream when I was awake.” It was an odd thought. “Would it not be confusing? Trying to tell the difference between dreams and reality?”

  “Surely you have had daydreams?”