by M. M. Kin
Thanks to Hades, Persephone was privy to the truth behind the myths that the people of Hellas told of their gods. Phaeton was a foolish young lad to be sure, but he certainly hadn't boiled away the sea or burned the land like the myth claimed. The bolt sent by Zeus had merely stunned the youth, causing him to fall out of his father's chariot. Mortals believed that the chariot was the Sun itself and that Helios rode it every day to bring light to the world. The gods knew that the Sun was something entirely different, but they let the stories blow out of proportion to gain mythic status. After all, what could be more mighty than a deity who brought the light the mortals needed to survive? It was manifest in the mythology of various races the world over, and gods used this to their advantage, but Persephone remained silent as Aethra continued her telling.
It was a shame that women were not allowed on the stage in Hellas. Men and boys took the roles of females in plays, so Aethra would have little venue for her talent.
Persephone let her mind wander as Eirene started playing again. Sometimes it was impossible to not compare her life here with the one that awaited her in the Underworld. Hades let her do anything she wanted and even though he was fully aware of her femininity in the bedroom, he treated her as an intellectual equal. How many women could say that they had a man who cared for them so? Zeus obviously didn't respect Demeter, or his wife, or other women, and many gods also suffered from this flaw.
She hated to admit it, but she wanted to go back to the Underworld! Even then, how could she ever leave this world behind? She now had a grandmother who was eager to welcome her to Olympus and to help her fit in. There was a frankness about Rhea that she liked. Having such a good experience made her all the more curious to meet the other gods of Olympus, good or bad. Would it be worth it meeting them if she were doomed to go back to the Underworld anyway? Was it worth spending time with Rhea if she might never see her again?
No. That was a silly excuse. That was.... giving up. Persephone abhorred the very idea.
o0o
Rhea waited until morning before making the decision to speak with her eldest son. Her granddaughter refused to respond to anything but the name that Hades had given her, and her affection for the Lord of the Dead was apparent despite her self-controlled behavior. There had been nothing about her tone or answers to cause Rhea concern for her safety or mental state.
Last time she had seen Hades, she had angered him, and he had lashed out at her with the coldness that he exuded in his wrath. He might not be happy to see her again, but with this new development concerning her granddaughter, Rhea was willing to risk his anger.
o0o
In the Underworld, Iris's multicolor aura was faded as if the very place itself was sucking the light away from her. In the Underworld, she could not fly, and the most she was able to do was glide a couple of feet above the ground.
Hades sat upon his throne, looking as imperious as he always did when he received a visitor from the upper world.
“What brings you here, Iris?” Hades asked in a neutral, almost disinterested tone. She was a bright spot in the dark room, but her light did not banish the shadows that filled the room, giving her the appearance of a firefly on a moonless night.
“Your mother wishes to see you. She invites you to sup with her, or if you do not wish to go up, she will come down here. She wishes for me to convey that it is urgent and she would appreciate seeing you either way.”
“Urgent? Matters have been resolved, have they not?” His last visit to Mother had not gone well, and she had irritated him. She was his mother and he respected her, but he did not feel as attached to her as any of the others did, especially Zeus.
Iris shrugged innocently. “She did not tell me what it concerned. Lord Hades, with all due respect, I entreat you to listen to her. No one summons you on a whim.”
“Hmph.” He placed his chin on his fist and stared off, as if considering a refusal, but Iris knew better than to beg.
“Very well. Tell her I will be by to see her... sometime later today.” He did not specify a time.
“Thank you.” She bowed before she retreated from the chamber, the sudden absence of light barely noted by Hades.
o0o
Rhea remained at her house for the rest of the morning and afternoon. She kept food ready despite the fact that her eldest son might not want to eat. If he was hungry, he might be induced to be more talkative. She knew he had a sweet spot for gravy and glazes, so she made dishes laden with the stuff, from honeyed fruit slices to tender pieces of pork and vegetables smothered in gravy made of their own juices mixed with herbs and spices.
It was not until nearly sunset that her son made his appearance. She was at her loom with an eye to the window, but Hades still startled her with his silent entry, almost as if appearing out of the thin air.
“Hades, so good to see you! I am so delighted to have you here!” She gave him a warm smile, determined to not have a repeat of what happened last time.
“You are just happy that I did not make you come to the Underworld,” he responded dryly as he stood still, letting her wrap her arms around him in a hug. She retreated in a moment, frowning.
“Are you just here to antagonize me?” she asked softly.
“I am here because you say that you wanted to see me about something important. I have spent enough time up here lately, so I just want you to tell me what it is!”
Rhea looked at him entreatingly before gesturing to the arched doorway. “I... made you some things to eat. I thought you might like them.”
“What is it that you have to ask me?” Hades replied, crossing his arms. Defeated, her shoulders sagged slightly before she straightened herself.
“I know that Persephone is bound to you.”
“Really now?” he asked, his face betraying no emotion. “What makes you say that?”
“She admitted it to me. She is afraid to tell her mother because Demeter refuses to speak of you. You have put her in quite a situation.”
“I have already told her that I will speak to Demeter myself.”
“I know. She told me.”
“Then what is your problem?”
“How do you think your sister will feel to lose her daughter again?”
“I will speak to her. I will take care of it.” Hades refused to reveal anything else.
“What of Persephone? Do you love her?”
Hades glanced at his mother, stroking his chin. “Who are you to ask me such a question?”
“So you merely snatched her out of lust, desire? Boredom, perhaps?” She stared at Hades's face, studying it for any little bit of emotion that he might betray. “To spite Demeter?” she asked in an almost-teasing voice.
“Hmph.” He scowled at her. “Spite? I would not waste my time kidnapping someone out of spite or anything so petty. Do not waste my time asking me stupid questions.”
“I would not ask questions I considered stupid.”
“Then you and I obviously have different ideas of what 'stupid' entails.” His scowl deepened into a dark frown. “What is done is done, and I will not spend another minute listening to your nagging!”
“Hades, I was not trying to...” He could get so defensive sometimes! She reached for him as he started to retreat from the room. “I simply want to understand what happened between you and Persephone, and why you would choose her...”
“I chose her because I wanted her. Simple as that.”
“What about what she wants?” At her words, Hades simply retreated further, ducking out of sight as he left the building. She rushed to the door, refusing to give up. “If you truly care for her, think about what she wants!”
Before she could finish the sentence, he disappeared, shadow swallowing him.
“Ugh!” She slammed the side of her fist against the wall in frustration. It was all too easy for Hades to gain the last word in an argument or making a point by simply disappearing. He certainly wasn't the only god to leave a situation quickly, but his particular Gif
t made his departures effective. One couldn't compel Hades to do anything he didn't want to.
Fortunately, Hades's defensiveness did reveal to her one thing. If he didn't love Persephone, he would have easily said so. She was for the moment content with this one glimmer of hope amidst his aloof secrecy.
o0o
Persephone laughed as she ran across the sun-dappled snow and grass. It was a warm day, with snow melting in the sun to reveal greenish-brown grass. The air was just brisk enough to keep them cool while the princesses exerted themselves playing a combination of tag and hide-and-go-seek.
Their mothers were occupied, Metaniera holding Court with her husband, and Demeter traveling elsewhere to ensure that the curse truly was lifted in all places and that the damage was repaired. This meant no parental supervision whatsoever, and even Thalassa was happy to get away from inside activities and stretch her legs. Demeter had set up protective magic surrounding the forest so that the princesses would not be attacked. Persephone could sense this magic, but did nothing to disrupt it.
Some parts of Hellas were especially rife with nymphs, but the forest was surprisingly quiet. Persephone could feel the presence of a few, but some nymphs actually preferred to retreat into Nature, not talking to anyone. That was just fine with her, since she had spent half of her life in the company of nymphs and was in no mood for their idle chatter or singing. She just wanted to enjoy herself and play a game and be alive.
She hopped over a root, seeing Eirene duck behind a tree to her left. With a mischievous grin, she pranced over to the tree, suddenly reaching around it and startling the princess. Eirene gave out a startled laugh and spun around before Persephone dashed off. She spun around again when she heard a snapping of a branch, seeing Thalassa free herself from a low-reaching limb.
Thalassa looked up when she heard running footsteps, seeing her youngest sister approaching her fast. Eirene was nimble on her feet, skipping over roots and dodging branches easily.
The laughter and cries of the five females filled the forest as Hades stood under a tree, watching. Persephone looked radiant, her cheeks rosy from the cold and activity. Her hair was pulled from her face with a pale sash, but it hung free down her back, trailing behind her in flashes of deep red and bright amber as she ran. He felt tempted to snatch her up and make love to her right now.
But at the same time he wanted to continue watching. She was enjoying herself in a carefree game, lovely even in the drab-hued gray-blue and brown clothing she was wearing. The Sun gave Persephone's hair its highlights and glints of polished copper and gold, an effect that the light in the Underworld failed to achieve. He remembered the first time he had ever seen her, over a decade ago, in Zeus's garden. Her hair had the same shine back then, and it was one of the things he had always remembered about her.
Persephone was right. The Underworld, despite the comforts he offered her, was a very different place. A steady diet of Demeter's cooking gave her limbs just the right touch of softness and filling in the hollowness of her cheeks, restoring her to the picture of radiant health.
One of the girls ran past him, coming within several feet but completely oblivious to his presence. He continued watching them play, reaching out several times towards Persephone and having to restrain himself from alerting her to his presence. It was obvious that she enjoyed the company of the other girls, and they all called out one another's names with ease. His breath came out in thick wisps as he tightened his cloak around himself. The coldness of the Underworld was different than that of winter, but he felt it acutely.
Even as twilight turned into darkness, the girls still romped about, aided by the light of the moon. After half an hour, they slowed down, drawing together to form a loose group that trudged back to the Palace.
“I like having you around, Sephie. You're fun to play with.” Eirene said as she skipped around the Goddess in circles.
“That is good to know,” Persephone responded with a brilliant smile.
I like having you around too, Persephone, Hades thought as he watched them approach the small back gate. As if she knew what he was thinking, Persephone glanced up suddenly, glancing in his general direction over her shoulder. She frowned contemplatively before turning away.
o0o
Persephone reclined in the tub, steam surrounding her as her head lolled back. Had it been her imagining, or did she really sense that Hades was there while she played with her friends? She had felt, just for a moment, before that sensation was gone. She turned her attention to washing herself, and was soon enough having her hair braided by Mother. She was content to let her mother do this for her, and closed her eyes as she felt the comb running through her damp curls.
After her visit with Rhea, Mother had asked her what they talked about. Not that it surprised her, but she wouldn't answer Mother's questions, cutting her off with a simple statement of it being a private conversation. Of course, Mother hadn't liked it, but what could she do? The disappointed parent had given her the silent treatment for the rest of the night, but Persephone simply ignored it. In the morning though, Mother had changed her mood and was pleasant and cheery, even accommodating to her daughter's desires. So Persephone returned that courtesy, polite in her demands, and so far, it was going well.
“Mother, the earth is healed now, and we both have a lot of time on our hands. I was wondering when you were planning to take me up to Olympus and introduce me proper,” Persephone asked casually, fiddling with the brush that her mother was now finished with.
“There is no need to rush into that.”
That answer did not surprise the younger woman, and she was prepared. “Of course, I am not saying I want to do it now! Just that I would like for people to see that I am not a weak girl, or to have people keep associating my name with Ares's or Hades's own. I want to look them all in the eye and be acknowledged on my own right.”
Demeter's hands stilled as she heard these words.
“It is the mortals who worship the gods, not other gods. Are you not happy here?”
Persephone stiffened, but plowed on. “Eleusis is a lovely place and I enjoy the company of these mortals, but I would like to see and meet my family, not just hear the stories about them.”
“In due time,” Mother replied guardedly, determined to avoid an argument despite her temptation to say 'no'. Determined to not give up, Persephone made a graceful rebuttal.
“What about Athene or Artemis? Or Hestia? Grandmother was so nice and I enjoyed spending time with her! Or would you rather I spend time with Dionysus?” Her eyes twinkled with merriment.
“Dionysus? I am not letting my daughter stumble around drunk with him!”
Persephone laughed out loud. “Mother, I was just teasing! It is not trouble I seek! And the women would have good advice about being a goddess, right?”
Demeter had hoped to keep Kora a little girl, but inwardly, she knew – as much as she hated to admit it – that her daughter would grow up and that her magic could only work on her child for so long. If she was selective about the deities that her daughter spent time with, there was hope yet that Kora would remain aloof to the gods. After what had happened with Ares and Hades, surely the girl's interest in men would have waned.
Demeter nodded. Persephone was satisfied with that answer, even if Mother hadn't said 'yes'. Hades was right, patience was a virtue... at least, sometimes.
Chapter XLVIII
o0o
“There is no need to be so nervous, Persephone,” Rhea said with a reassuring smile as she squeezed her granddaughter's shoulder. Persephone smiled shyly at her grandmother. Another week had come and gone by with a couple more visits with Grandmother, and these were always pleasant. They had talked more about Hades, but there were plenty of other things to talk about.
In some ways, Rhea reminded her of Eurycleia. However, she had only ever been with her first grandmother as a child, and despite Eurycleia's obvious love for her, there was the inevitable age barrier. Here, she was treated like an
adult, and as any grown person knew, their relationships with elders were different once they had passed childhood. She still had a few arguments with Mother, but after the first few days of her homecoming, their relationship had improved. Slowly but surely, Mother began to accept the boundaries her daughter established, at least, most of the time.
“You will like Artemis. You both enjoy romping about in the woods, and you are not obsessed with men like some of the other goddesses are,” Rhea added with a wry smile. There were so many gods on Olympus – Gaea's immortal brood was impressive indeed – but she thought it best to start with a few goddesses that had proven that they had a good head on their shoulders. And then, a few gods as well, to show Persephone that not everyone was like Zeus or Ares.
“You mean Aphrodite?” she shot back. Rhea nodded. Aphrodite was like no other goddess, and she had quite the impression on the younger gods, and the older ones as well. Persephone was beautiful in her own right, her expressive green eyes and regal features giving her a depth that was lacking in Aphrodite's pretty heart-shaped face and big blue eyes.
“Grandmother?” a new voice called out from the entryway.
“Come on in, we are in the kitchen.” Rhea answered. In a moment, a woman with dark brown hair emerged through the doorway, and her appearance fulfilled Persephone's expectations of the Goddess of the Hunt. Rather than an ankle-length dress like most women would wear, Artemis was clad in a tunic that ended above her knees, comfortable-looking leggings completing her outfit. Strapped to her back was her quiver, and Persephone saw the glint of silver amongst the arrows. The younger goddesses appraised one another before Artemis smiled at her.
“Hello,” Artemis offered. “So you are Demeter's daughter? I was almost sure you were a story Hermes made up.”
Persephone laughed at that statement. Goodness, Hermes did have quite the reputation, didn't he?