Seeds Volume 3

by M. M. Kin

  “Welcome, daughter. Would you come and sit with me?” She gestured to the other seat, where Iris had been sitting before.

  “Just tell me why you sent Iris to fetch me!” Demeter replied bluntly, her shoulders squared. The Harvest Goddess had always been full and curvaceous, but now her body seemed hard, as if it were made of stone rather than flesh. “If you summoned me to beg me to stop my famine, then I am leaving now.”

  “Wait!” Rhea raised her hand. “I am not going to tell you to forgive Zeus or forget what he did. You have every right to be angry with him. I too think he acted rashly, but then you and I know that he does not make the smartest choices at times.” Rhea loved her son, but she would not make excuses for his flaws or mistakes.

  “Good.” Demeter relaxed only just slightly. It was nice that Mother agreed with her, but she knew this was not the end of it. So she decided to cut her mother off before she had to listen to another stupid plea. How many of those had she heard? “I intend to stay the course unless I get my daughter back.”

  “At the cost of human life?”

  “If Zeus really cared about his precious mortals, I would already have Kora back. Apparently he values his pride more than his worshipers. He just does not get that what he did was stupid and wrong!”

  “You are right. Zeus knows you are furious, but he still does not quite understand why what he did was so terrible to you. But why make the mortals suffer for his ignorance?”

  “Because Zeus is an idiot who would not even tell me what he did in the first place until I forced it out of him. He had the nerve to let me go around worrying and wondering if my daughter was being hurt! There is no way in hell I am letting him out of this until he acknowledges what he did and apologizes.”

  “So it is an apology you want?” Rhea asked, placing her chin on her hand.

  “A real one!” Demeter amended. It was one thing to say 'I am sorry', and another to actually mean it.

  “You need and deserve one. But please, stop your blight on the earth!”

  “No. If I did, Zeus would think everything was all right, and just go on as he had before!” Demeter crossed her arms, unaffected by the pleading in her mother's eyes. She had grown up without a mother, as did the other four siblings cast into the pit with her. Even after all this time, Rhea was still closest to Zeus, and at times like these, she felt jealous of her youngest brother, for he alone had grown up with a mother's love and affection. Part of her was bitter and resentful of her mother – even after all these centuries – for not being able to save her children from Kronos. She would not be like Rhea and let someone else take away her own child – her only child!

  “You let your husband take away five of your children. I refuse to let history repeat itself, and I am appalled that you would be complicit with such a scheme. Some mother you are.” Demeter narrowed her eyes, glaring at her mother.

  Rhea was so stunned by these hurtful words that she could only stare at her daughter. With a tight, cold smile, the Harvest Goddess spun around and left.

  o0o

  The Lord of the Dead lay on his bed, staring blankly at the wall, ignoring the ornate fresco that was illuminated by Elysium’s light. He did not focus on his surroundings, merely allowing his mind to wander as he mused the events of this night.

  He would – and could – never forget the feel of Persephone's body under his, the heated pliancy of her flesh under his hands, the sheer satisfaction that came from consummating the most physical aspect of their relationship. Having her eat the seeds was the final act that bound her to him. He had been so sure that this was a clever plan, but deep down, he knew that this decision had been in part spurred by his fear of losing her.

  He knew the situation above was desperate, and a confrontation with his sister was inevitable. Yes, he knew that Demeter would be upset, but he honestly hadn't in his wildest dreams ever imagined she would react so thoroughly, destroying most of what sustained humankind in a scheme that was brilliant despite its consequences. Had she merely cursed Zeus himself, the King of the Gods would find a way to deal with that consequence, and try to hide it from the other gods. But here, everybody, whether god, mortal, or spirit, could not hide. Demeter had found the most wide-spread medium to express her rage.

  Well, Persephone had eaten the food. Her fate was sealed. And if needed, he would act against Demeter. The only reason he hadn't done so yet was because it would take a truly drastic – even borderline forbidden – act to stop her and release the earth from her vicious chokehold that not even the other nature-goddesses could loosen.

  It was easy to just lay the blame at Zeus's feet, since he was the one who had given his blessing to the marriage and not told Demeter about it, but who had committed the kidnapping itself? Of course, he wasn't the one lashing out at the earth. All he had done was kidnap the woman he loved.

  Bah. He looked at the remnants of the pomegranate he had shared with Persephone. Well, at least the deed was done. In a way, it was an immense relief to him. He could only hope that she could come to feel the same way.

  He rose from his bed, wondering where she had gone to sulk. With a wave of his arm, the shadows in the room thickened for a moment before dissipating. With them, he could find anyone anywhere within his kingdom.

  Where are you, my love? When the shadows pinpointed her location, he felt his heart thud sharply in his chest. No. He knew she was angry and upset, but to want to go to Lethe... Did she intend to erase her memory? He couldn't let that happen! He shouted for Cloe, and the shade appeared with clothing for him. He would be damned if Lethe had her way with Persephone.

  Chapter XLI

  o0o

  The obsidian trees seemed to reach towards Persephone with their taloned branches as she walked down the path disconsolately. The wild mixture of emotions surging through her left her feeling raw, and she ached for a soothing balm.

  How could Hades do that to her? He knew how languid she became after sharing pleasure with him. Honestly, it was hard to react any other way to a man who was a skilled and attentive lover. She had never imagined that he would exploit her during such a vulnerable moment. She had trusted him!

  But you said yes when he offered it to you, her conscience reminded her. She could have said no after the first seed when she realized what he was doing or spat it out, but it had been so cool and delicious that she just couldn't stop eating, enjoying the act of being fed by her lover. After over four months of eating nothing, it had been hard to resist his offering.

  Trees stopped appearing along the path as the light slate hue of the sky darkened almost imperceptibly. Normally, the 'daytime' sky was as if it was merely a cloudy day in the world of the living with the sunlight filtering through the gray veil. That visual effect made the Underworld easy to see and traverse through, but now, it was as if that artificial sunlight had disappeared, though she could still see clearly. The path below her feet was no longer gritty nor dusty, it was as if an invisible hand had smoothed it out.

  Ahead, she saw a structure emerging from the mist. The closer she approached it, the more it came into focus, yet there was still something blurry or undefined about its edges. She had explored enough of the gem-rich caverns of the Underworld to recognize that the structure was made of some sort of crystal, but it was hard to tell when the edges simply refused to come into clear focus.

  It was an entryway made of two grand pillars standing side by side with an arch sitting on top. Beyond that, she could hear the quiet splashing and lapping of water. She looked down, noting that the path was now comprised of smooth and polished crystal. She could not tell whether the rock was black or simply transparent because there wasn't enough light.

  She touched one of the pillars, gratified that it felt solid and cool under her hand. At least it confirmed for her what her vision wouldn't. When she ran her finger along one of the cut edges, it was well-defined. She looked down at her hands to make sure there wasn't anything wrong with her eyes, and was relieved to see that her han
ds looked the same as they always did, without any shifting of the lines. Around the base of the pillars, the shadows were thick, leaving the path and nothing else visible. The sky was darker now, giving minimal illumination.

  Squaring her shoulders, Persephone strode down the path. Despite the darkness she saw surrounding her, the path was clear. As she continued walking, she noticed small pinpoints of light in the darkness, very much like stars. Whenever she saw the sky like this, it was easy to forget that she was in the Underworld, because this so closely mirrored the starlit heavens of the world of the living.

  “It has been far too long since a living being passed through the Shadowed Gate!” Persephone heard someone say. She saw a slender figure approaching her, and was surprised to see a beautiful woman. Her skin was as pale as her hair was dark, and her eyes were silver-gray. Her ankle-length peplos was a smoky gray hue.

  “Um. Uh.” Persephone was unsure of what to say for a moment as she stared at the other woman. “I was looking for the Lethe River, and this is where I was led to...”

  “You have come to the right place.” The dark-haired woman circled around the Queen of the Underworld. “I sense a lot of anger and sorrow.” The corners of her pretty lips turned down in a slight frown. Gently, she reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from Persephone's face. She did not speak, but she nodded in agreement. This woman's voice was soothing, and she seemed so concerned. Persephone sensed divinity, so she knew this woman was a goddess.

  “Would you come with me, dear? I know just what will make you feel better.”

  Despite this apparent friendliness and concern this goddess showed, Persephone wasn't so naive as to just go off with someone whose name she did not know. The Underworld was not without its dangers; she had remembered her lesson from Styx all too well. She drew away from the hand that was stroking her face – a hand that was surprisingly warm.

  “Who are you?”

  “Lethe.” The way she said it didn't sound so much the way others said it. It came out of Lethe's mouth almost like a purr combined with the whispering flow of a river. Lyyytheee... “And you are?”

  “Persephone.”

  Lethe blinked before she smiled. This was no ordinary nymph or goddess. She had already known this woman was exquisite, but this was just lovely.

  “It is so rare that I get visitors,” Lethe said. Most souls simply remained where they were assigned by the Judges, so she rarely had company. A god or goddess had not come through the Shadowed Gate for several centuries. It got so lonely here, since people only came here to wash away their memories and start a new life. They would be here for a moment, and then gone the next, whisked away by eternity.

  Lethe was a child of Nyx, but the circumstances of her birth was unusual. To be a god was to be immortal, especially if one was a primordial goddess like Nyx. Each pregnancy came to fruition, and mother and child always lived, unlike the gamble of childbirth for mortal women.

  But when Lethe was born, she slipped from her mother's body, unnoticed, uncared for. The child's Gift had manifested itself in her mother's womb, so it was through no fault of Nyx that the mother had unknowingly abandoned her child, forgetting the fact that she'd had a baby. Born from the shadows and the night, Lethe was to take her place in oblivion. Much like Hestia, Lethe represented a thirteenth, unofficial member of the ruling deities of the world they lived in.

  She ate dreams and memories, swallowing them away into oblivion, purifying the cosmic energy that made up souls before they were sent back to the world of the living to be reincarnated. To see Lethe was to be entranced by her. She was a beautiful goddess – if people remembered her, they would say her beauty rivaled Aphrodite's – and like a Siren, she would lure one to their end.

  Her appetite was constant. She lurked around on the fringes of consciousness, rich with memories but creating none for herself in this lonesome place.

  Unlike everybody else, Lethe did not forget. Within her were all the memories and dreams she had eaten. She had seen countless lifetimes and the course of human history through them, playing them through her mind like an ever-shifting sequence. Lethe could peek into that oblivion and see all that it contained, but memories were a poor substitute for a real companion. Persephone was practically pulsating with vitality, and not just from her anger. The Underworld was such a dead place, literally and figuratively, and this young goddess was like an oasis in the desert, a lifespring amidst a bleak and dead landscape. And Persephone was quite the stunner. Unlike a mortal, she wouldn't disappear. She could stay here forever. She would satisfy Lethe's thirst in more ways than one...

  “Come, walk with me,” Lethe said, gently touching Persephone's arm.

  “Where are we going?” Persephone asked as she strolled forward.

  “To a place where you will feel better.”

  Despite the warm comfort of Lethe's presence, the younger goddess had the presence of mind to remain alert.

  “Where?” Persephone pressed, refusing to be swayed by Lethe's gentle touch on her arms.

  “Whatever would make you feel better, my dear. Would you like to soak in the hot spring? Or sit down on a soft divan?”

  A hot bath certainly sounded nice, but Persephone opted for the furniture. Though Lethe apparently meant no harm, her instinct told Persephone to be aware of her surroundings. She had just met this woman, she wasn't about to jump into a hot pool with someone she did not know.

  “Lovely. We can sit and chat,” Lethe said cheerfully. The sky above her head was inky black, with countless little sparkles of light scattered across the nothingness, but there were no discernible heavenly bodies such as planets or asteroids like she saw when she visited Nyx. Before her, the crystal path widened into a plateau, the polished stone sharply giving way to velvety blackness. Two divans sat perpendicular to a table that was set out with a small banquet. Persephone stiffened as she saw the food, taking a step back.

  “What is the matter?” Lethe asked, genuinely surprised.

  “I... I am not hungry.” That was a lie, of course. The food looked so damned appetizing, and she remembered the refreshing sweetness of the pomegranate seeds.

  “Then you do not have to eat. Just sit and relax.” Persephone found herself ushered toward the nearest divan. The padding was soft and firm in a way she had never felt before, as if there was water under the upholstery. It sloshed before molding comfortably against her.

  “There now, do you not feel better already?” Lethe asked with a faint smile as she sat down on the other sofa. Persephone nodded slowly, leaning her head back against the cushion. It was just so comfy, and she did need some rest. She closed her eyes, folding her hands in her lap as she did so. Between the incredible sex with Hades and their heated fighting, she hadn't gotten much sleep.

  She murmured softly when a hand caressed her cheek. A curvy and soft body pressed against her own as an arm snaked around her middle. She opened her eyes, seeing Lethe looking down at her adoringly. She blushed and looked away, stiffening when she realized just how closely the older goddess was holding her. She might be pissed off at Hades, but this certainly didn't mean she wanted another lover!

  “Lethe...”

  “Hush, sweet darling. Forget your anger and pain...” Lethe's voice was thick and sweet, like sugar on honey. “Just stay here and relax with me, let me treat you right...” Her hand slid along Persephone's hip, sending a shock of relaxed pleasure through her flesh. It was alarming how nice it felt, and Persephone tried to fight through the mental haze she now realized she was trapped in. It felt as if she was floating along, submerged in a river that seemed to have the same temperature as the hot springs in the Isles of the Blessed. That stirred up a memory of Hades showing it to her, and lovingly washing her in it.

  Lethe's nimble fingers drew out one of the pins on Persephone's gown, revealing some of her left arm. Removing another pin revealed the skin just above her elbow. The younger goddess had been sheltered before Hades brought her down here, but Persephone had o
nce in a while eavesdropped on the nymphs, hearing whispers of same-sex pleasures. How Zeus was not above enjoying the company of a handsome youth, that Artemis was rumored to take lovers among her nymphs and priestesses...

  The Queen of the Underworld was no longer virgin, having offered the last vestige of her innocence to her captor. She had been subjected to a myriad of dazzling pleasure from an attentive Lord. Yet this felt nice, and she felt her resistance wavering in face of the soporific attentions of the Guardian of the River of Forgetfulness.

  Lethe pulled the last pin from the left side of the gown, causing the fabric to fall away, revealing the side of her chest. Her girdle prevented the material from going further, but the seductress regarded it with minimal annoyance, focusing on the exposed breast. The younger goddess arched and moaned softly, blushing even more.

  “Mmm. Just relax and let me have you... you will be so happy here.” Lethe looked forward to having a flesh-and-blood companion, and a powerful one at that!

  Persephone sighed as she felt lips against her throat, peppering her with kisses. Her tit was being played with, tugged and rolled before heated lips wrapped around it. She was almost delirious, but in the recesses of her consciousness, she knew something was not quite right. It was nearly impossible to think straight, almost as if she was drunk. No, a hundred times worse. She felt a bit tired and light-headed on the few occasions she had been allowed to drink wine, but this overwhelming sensation was ridiculous. She shouldn't be feeling so damned happy!

  Why was she so happy? Wasn't she sad and angry? Sad and angry at what? It was impossible to concentrate with Lethe's hand now sliding into her gown, her girdle already loosened. When had that happened?

  “Lethe...” The part of her that wasn't being distracted by Lethe's actions simply wanted out of here. Sure, she might be curious about what being with another woman would be like, but this was definitely the wrong time and wrong place. She blinked, focusing on her surroundings. There was no longer the table or any furniture. She felt a current flowing all around her – warm and comfortable. Why was she considering that? It was so hard to remember...