by M. M. Kin
“After what he has done? Hardly.”
“Very well, Aunt.” He could see that her mind was made up. “You are going back to Eleusis, right?”
“Yes. Not that it should concern you or anyone else.” Her tone made it clear that she was in no mood for visitors.
“... Understood.” He quickly bowed before flying off.
“Eleusis?” Persephone asked as she raised her eyebrow.
“It is where I have been staying. We will live there until I decide what to do next.”
Just like that, Persephone thought with disappointment. Not asking me what I might want or if there's a place I'd prefer to be. She could see the tone that Mother was setting for their relationship, and she did not like it. However, she knew that an argument right now would just make things worse. She would see what Eleusis was like and judge it on her experience. After all, she was a full-fledged Goddess, aware of her divine heritage. She was young yet and didn't know how her own Gifts might fare against her mother's power and experience, so she maintained her own counsel. She was about to ask Mother what she thought would be an innocent question that would keep her mother amicable when she saw an older goddess come within her line of sight, from behind Mother's left. The resemblance between the two older women wan't immediately apparent, but Persephone noticed the similarity in the shape of their noses and lips.
“Demeter! Oh, how wonderful!” This woman's eyes were warm and friendly, and her hair was a rich, dark auburn, more brown than Persephone's own and barely touched with silver at the temples. Persephone had wondered why her own hair was its particular shade given the two different colors of her parents' own, but now she could see where she had gotten it from.
“Kora and I were just leaving,” Demeter said politely as she turned to her mother.
“So soon? Without a hello for my granddaughter?”
“Her time in the Underworld has been an ordeal.” Demeter waved to her daughter, indicating the delicate, hollow cheeks and pale skin.
“Some ambrosia and nectar will take quick care of that!” Rhea offered. Her daughter nodded.
“I already have some. I must take her home so she can rest.”
Rhea frowned slightly, but quickly smiled. Before she could speak, her granddaughter spoke.
“I should go home with Mother so she can take care of me, but I would be more than happy to see you again soon.” She flashed her grandmother a winning smile that made her appear radiant despite her paleness. Rhea smiled again, this time more warmly than before, relaxing as she saw how friendly Kora seemed to be. Though Kora did seem pale, she didn't seem frightened or abused, confirming her feelings that her eldest son, despite his unorthodox ways, was not a cruel person.
Hopefully she would be able to hear Hades's side of the story soon. “I would like that very much.” Rhea reached out, offering her hands. Kora did not hesitate to mirror this gesture, placing her hands in her grandmother's proffered palms. Usually, Rhea could read someone's aura and discern their Gifts and emotions. She sensed a bit of anxiety and nervousness, but no fear or loathing, or anything else that would cause her to feel alarm, and she sensed a similarity between Kora and Demeter's gifts. However, part of Kora's Gift remained a mystery. There was no doubt that she was a full-blooded goddess, though. Demeter would not reveal her daughter's paternity, but it was clear to the elder goddess that no mortal was involved in her siring.
Rhea turned her attention to her daughter. “Go, take care of her. You both need it, but please come back soon.”
“Hm.” Demeter nodded.
“Good-bye. It was nice meeting you,” Persephone waved as her mother led her away.
o0o
Rhea smiled as she waved back. As soon as the pair was out of sight, she hastened to her son's villa. She had ordered Zeus to go home and stay there, hence his absence at the reunion between mother and daughter. She hadn't wanted Zeus to be there if Hermes came back with bad news.
Her son was sitting outside in his private garden. Much like the garden outside the throne chamber, this one contained roses. Zeus considered himself a rugged, masculine man – and no one else could deny that he was – but he did have a soft spot in his heart for roses and often used them to woo whoever he was enamored with at that time. He especially liked white or gold roses, and at that moment he had a deep yellow one in his lap as he idly plucked its petals off one by one.
He looked up as she approached, and raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
“You will be pleased to know that Kora is back with her mother. The curse on the earth is undone, so we all have a lot of work to do.”
Zeus closed his eyes, shoulders slumping in obvious relief. “Where are they?”
“Did you expect Demeter would want to see you?”
“No. But I was hoping to see... Kora.”
“Mmhm.” Rhea nodded as she sat down in the nearest empty chair. It was well-made and comfortable, just like all the furniture on Olympus. If Hephaistos didn't make it, then one of the Cyclopes did, and nobody could question the quality of their work. She leaned against the padded backrest as she stared at her son. She had been doing a lot of thinking ever since the whole affair had been brought to light, and made careful note of Zeus's comments and actions concerning said matter.
Since she had managed to spirit Zeus away from his bloodthirsty father, she had the opportunity to get to know her youngest child after being denied this opportunity five times with her other offspring. After placing him in the care of several trusted nymphs, she visited him as often as she could without rousing Kronos' suspicion. The nymphs had been kind to him and treated him well, but later, Rhea wondered if he would have been better off being raised by trusted men – Cyclopes, perhaps, or one of her sympathetic Titan brothers – but in the end, she suspected it wouldn't have made much of a difference either way.
Having gotten to watch him grow up, Rhea became aware of his flaws as well as his strengths. He might not be cruel or capricious, but as she knew all too well, he could be careless and irresponsible.
“I need to ask you something, and I want total honesty. Do not try to change the subject or shift blame,” Rhea stated as she regarded her son with a steady, calm gaze.
Zeus stiffened visibly at his mother's pointed words, his fingers stilling around the rose. He loved his mother and had a close relationship with her, but sometimes she could make him uncomfortably aware of his own weaknesses.
“Is Kora your daughter?” Rhea tightened her jaw as she saw her son's immediate reaction. He quickly averted his gaze, his fingers nervously plucking and ripping petals with more fervor than before.
“So that is why Hades approached you.” She stroked her chin as she studied her son, “What happened between you and Demeter?”
He shrugged and mumbled. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
“She did not know it was you?”
“Not at first, no.”
“And what appearance did you take?”
“Her lover.”
Her daughter had a lover? That was surprising, since Demeter didn't seem to care much for the attentions of men, much like Hestia or Athene.
“And who is this lover?”
“He was a mortal she was living with. He died years ago, but I swear I had nothing to do with that.”
“Did you become jealous of him?” she asked dryly.
He looked away again, taking a few moments to answer. “I... propositioned. She said no. After a while, I spied on her and saw her with him.”
“Oh, Zeus.” She set her lips in a tight line, her disappointment all too clear. No wonder Demeter didn't want Zeus around her daughter. Though she was still upset with her daughter for the curse she had placed upon the earth, there was no way Rhea could begrudge her fury with a god who could be frustratingly obtuse at times, especially because with this revelation, she now realized that her daughter had been holding onto her anger for a very long time, and justifiably so. It was almost a miracle that Demeter hadn't lashed out
years earlier. Right now, she could not help but feel disgusted – she loved her family, but she certainly wasn't going to condone or support any of this kind of behavior.
“Listen to me.” Her voice was sharp and tight, “You have created a huge mess here, one that will take a long time to clean up. I expect you to do everything you can to help, and I will be on you to make sure you do. I also expect you to stay out of trouble. Do you think you can manage that?” She was unable to hold back a touch of sarcasm at that last sentence.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Good. In the meanwhile, stay in your house unless you are out there helping.”
“But, Mama...” Generally, Zeus called her by the proper title of 'Mother', but he had called her 'Mama' as a boy, and still did when he wanted to appeal to her. It had been too long since he had enjoyed the attentions of a pretty goddess or nymph, and a weak, starving mortal woman just didn't offer the same experience as a willing and healthy one. He had offered food for company a few times when he had been getting desperate and in the mood to rut, but they were far more focused on the food than giving him a good time, and since a god had to restrain himself with mortals especially during sex, he gained minimal pleasure from these exceedingly few encounters.
“No buts. Keep it in your tunic. It has caused enough trouble.”
Damn. It was uncanny how Mother seemed to sense what people were thinking at times.
“Yes, Mother.” he replied dully. He knew that if he tried to sneak away, she would somehow know, and just come back to nag and scold him, and was one of the very few women who could actually frighten him. She could be worse than Hera sometimes.
“Good boy.” She rose from her seat, patting him on the head before she left.
o0o
Eleusis was a far cry from the barren landscape that had haunted her nightmares, and the land was rich in the flow of life-energy. Better yet, it was a city; a city filled with more people than she had ever seen in her whole life! Persephone had been afraid that Eleusis would be some sort of isolated place like the place where she and Mother lived before. Enna had been a quiet, idyllic valley with a homey town surrounded by a thick barrier of unspoiled land, and she would have been happy to see another village, but this was better.
Persephone started to tug off the homespun wool cloak that her mother draped across her head and shoulders, but with an impatient tut-tut, Demeter tugged it back up. A surge of irritation welled up from deep within, for all she had wanted to do was get a clearer view of the city, and this stupid cowl obscured much of her vision.
Mother wasn't giving her any time to appreciate the sights, sounds, or smells of this new place. She had been silent most of the trip, which surprised the younger goddess since she had expected to be bombarded with questions of her captivity.
Finally, she was ushered within a palace that while nice in its own way, paled before Hades's own impressive domicile. A couple of servants bustled about outside, one with a large basketful of laundry. From what she could see, the palace was built around a courtyard as the homes of the more wealthy often were, and she immediately recognized Mother's handiwork in the well-tended gardens.
She could not help but wonder what Mother was doing here. How had she come to live with these people?
Suddenly, a cheery voice rang through the air in greeting. Persephone lifted her head high enough to see the source of the voice. The woman at the top of the stairs that led from the courtyard looked approximately the same age as Mother's physical appearance, or a bit older. She was a handsome woman, her black hair streaked with gray, her pose proud and sure.
“Welcome back! Is that your daughter?” the woman asked, tilting her head to one side.
“Yes. This is Kora. But right now, we need to be alone.”
“But of course. Will you be joining us for supper?”
“We will see.”
“Very well.” Metaniera bowed her head as the pair passed. Persephone wanted to talk to the woman, but she was rapidly ushered along again.
They ended up in a modestly sized but comfortable room that bore obvious signs of Demeter's touch. What surprised her most was a cradle near the hearth, cozily lined with clean blankets. It was empty at the moment. In one corner sat a large and comfortable bed with several blankets that were also the product of her mother's efforts.
“Who was that woman?” Persephone asked.
“She is Metaniera, the Queen of Eleusis. She rules with her husband, Celeus.” Mother explained as she closed the door. That made sense, given the fact that stood with the assurance of a woman confident in her power.
When Persephone pulled the hood from her head, Mother didn't stop her.
“Sit down,” Demeter gestured to the seat next to the hearth. Persephone was glad to sit down, so she did, and watched as her mother started a fire, using her Gift to focus warmth to create a spark. Mother could not generate or manipulate fire, but with enough concentration, could form the beginning of one. As she waited for her mother to bring the fire to her liking with a combination of kindling and several logs, she slid the wool cloak off her shoulders. After getting used to the fine materials that Hades kept her clothed in, the wool felt rough against her neck. She loosely folded it and draped it across the side of the chair as she pondered what she would say to her mother.
“Well.” Demeter rose to her feet, wiping her hands on her skirt before she turned to face her daughter. She had been silent on the way home because she had been brimming with so many questions – too many of them – and was so overwhelmed to see her daughter again that it was easier to just hold her tongue.
Now that they were in Eleusis, the place that had been home to her for the last couple of months, she felt more relaxed. Celeus and Metaniera had been such wonderful people even before they knew she was a goddess.
What should she ask her daughter first? It seemed almost hard to believe that this pale and wan woman was the sweet little girl from a summer long gone.
“Mother?” Like everything else, Kora's voice had changed, becoming smoother and almost purring in timbre.
“Yes?”
“I am hungry.”
Demeter could have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. Of course, food would be the first thing Kora needed after starving for so long in the Underworld. She was relieved by this distraction, and hastened from her room to fetch some food for her child.
In no time, there was an array of food in front of her daughter from stew to fruits and vegetables to bread, and fresh goat milk and cheese. Persephone wasted no time getting started, and Demeter watched silently as she ate. She was a bit quick at first, stuffing food into her mouth in an unladylike manner, but given the fact that she had been trapped in the Underworld for months, she could hardly be blamed, so her mother did not scold her. Demeter was just relieved that her daughter was safe, and she smiled when Kora downed the last of the milk, blowing out a contented 'ahh' sound as she sat back.
“That was good?” Demeter asked.
“Delicious! It has been too long since I had anything to eat.”
“Hmm.” Demeter frowned as she nodded, thinking of the dreariness of her brother's domain. “I suppose Hades did not think to offer you anything to eat.”
“Well, he did offer the food of the Underworld, but it was not the same as the food we eat. I could feel it.”
“Of course, it is the food of the dead! He should have known better!”
“Mother...”
“How could he do this to you, to me? What was he thinking, taking you to that... unnatural place?” Demeter knew that death was part of life, but living things didn't belong in the Underworld any more than dead things belonged in the sunlit realm!
“Mother...”
“Do not worry, I will make sure such a thing does not happen to you again! It was bad enough what Ares tried to do to you, but then Hades had to go and...”
“Mother!” Kora's voice was firm, and given its mature timbre, it had a startling effect.
“I know you worried for me and missed me. I missed you too, but Hades is not like Ares. Yes, he did kidnap me, but he was never cruel to me. He never... forced me, or even tried to.”
“Ever?” Demeter's disbelief was all too apparent, but Persephone had been fully prepared to deal with her mother's inevitable negative opinion of Hades.
“Ever,” she repeated firmly as she stared at her mother. “I know you are angry with him and you deserve to be, but I would be lying if I said that Hades was a poor host. I don't want you thinking things that are untrue. Be assured that he has treated me with respect and dignity while I was there.”
“Hm.” Demeter frowned for a moment before she quickly collected herself. “Well, the important thing is that you are back with me, where you belong.”
Inwardly, Persephone sighed. Hades was a man of his word, and she dreaded telling her mother about the inevitable.
o0o
Persephone stood next to the tub in her underwear as her mother heated the water to a temperature she deemed appropriate.
Demeter glanced up at her daughter, motioning to the pale silk tunic she wore under the dark gown she had been clad in moments earlier. She was disturbed by the physical changes that were apparent under the thin material. Kora had been kidnapped in the form of a barely pubescent girl. The metamorphosis was startling, and Demeter gestured impatiently, wanting to get her daughter in the water and wash away all traces of the Underworld. The water was scented with a few herbs that Demeter used when she wanted a purifying bath, and she had scattered flower petals, adding a delectable fragrance to the crisp, earthy odor of the herbs.
Persephone backed away, folding an arm across her chest shyly.
“I can undress and bathe myself, Mother.” She was in no mood to be scrutinized by her mother, and was determined to set some boundaries in their relationship. After what had happened to her in the Underworld, she knew she would never have the relationship she had with her mother in the past. It could mean a good thing if Mother would treat her like an adult, but if Mother saw her experience with Hades as a reason to shelter her further...