Seeds Volume 3

by M. M. Kin

  “She makes the same noises they make. You cannot tell them apart, really, and if you closed your eyes, you would not think there was a human there. And then they talk back to her and she understands them. I do not know how she understands, she just does.”

  “I would like to meet her!”

  “Maybe one day.” Persephone smiled. She didn't say 'yes' because she wasn't going to make a commitment for Artemis, as doing so might offend the other goddess. In the meantime, she was content to simply sit against a tree as she watched Eirene pick up another arrow.

  o0o

  Persephone counted the arrows in her quiver to make sure that she and Eirene had picked them all up before she set it and her bow in her chest. She and Eirene had engaged in a friendly competition, seeing who could get closest to the target. Neither of them had been able to hit the knothole, but some of their shots had come very close. It was something that took practice, to angle the arrow to compensate for different factors like wind or gravity.

  With her time on the surface world drawing to a close, she made the decision to see Grandmother the next day. She had been considering what she might say to Zeus ever since she had learned of her paternity and his involvement in her situation. Nothing she could say to him would change her fate, but there were a few choice words she would like to hurl at him. It was intimidating to think of going face-to-face with the mighty King of the Gods, but she had only to remind herself of the abilities that came with her Gift. If he would be upset by the things she had to say, he would find out that she would not allow him to lash out at her.

  o0o

  Persephone let Rhea serve her ambrosia and nectar along with freshly-baked bread and olive oil to dip it in. After going hungry for so long in the Underworld, she was always happy to eat food that was served to her, whether from Mother or Grandmother or the royal family's servants. Demeter and Rhea were both good cooks, and of course, Celeus and Metaniera had skilled chefs to feed them.

  She happily munched on some bread, savoring the taste of freshly-squeezed olive oil. Thanks to the bounty that Demeter had spread through Hellas, everything was fresh, regardless of what season it normally grew in. Normally, strawberries did not grow until it was almost her birthday, but Rhea had a bowl of them next to the bread, and Persephone helped herself to a few.

  “I am so happy that you and Artemis are getting along so well. She usually does not like to spend so much time with anyone.”

  “I could tell...” Persephone replied as she took a sip of nectar. “But you knew I would get along with her, anyway.”

  Rhea smiled. “I have always been able to match people, though I was blind when it came to Kronos.” She let out a quiet sigh. Kronos had been so charismatic and handsome that she found herself dazzled by him.

  “Was he truly so awful? I mean no disrespect in asking this as I have only heard stories, and we both know they tend to get exaggerated or twisted around.”

  “Yes, the mortals were not aware of just how despicable he was. If I could have seen into the future and known how he would turn out, I never would have married him. That is the curse of hindsight. He was actually much worse than the stories make him out to be. I am just grateful that Zeus has not turned out that way, despite all of his flaws.”

  “Speaking of Zeus...” Persephone folded her hands against the table. “I need to talk to him.”

  “Hmm.” Rhea nodded slowly. She had been wondering when her granddaughter would bring it up. It had surprised her that Persephone hadn't demanded to see Zeus once she was free of the Underworld.

  “I want to see him now.”

  Rhea considered checking to see if Zeus was in a meeting or frolicking with a nymph – though she was more certain of the former than the latter because the nymphs were still shunning him – but she decided against it. This was important, and it was obvious that Persephone had waited for a reason. So what if it inconvenienced Zeus, he had caused enough trouble for everyone else!

  “Come with me, dear. Let us waste not a moment,” she said as she rose from her seat, extending her hand. The young deity's pulse quickened in anticipation as she considered the fact that she was about to see her biological father, a man she had not seen in over a decade.

  Grandmother's footsteps were quick but steady as she strode down several lanes. Mount Olympus was built so that the center of the settlement was a large, public area with the Meeting Hall at one end. Surrounding it on three sides were the private homes of various deities, tucked away along the peaks and set aside luxurious gardens, whitewashed walls, and sumptuous homes and courtyards, accessible by quaint lanes laid out with an eye-pleasing mixture of marble stones.

  Zeus's home was silent, and Rhea did not sense anyone's presence there. However, she would not give up until she found her youngest son, wherever he was.

  o0o

  The King of the Gods was holding court with several other male gods, trying to meditate an argument over dominion. It wasn't the first time that the gods had argued over provinces or worshipers, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. Oftentimes a god would do a great favor for a city or village, and worship would inevitably shift into his favor, displeasing whatever deity the mortals had formerly paid homage to.

  Though Ares had Sparta, he also wanted other cities to worship him. To him, war was a noble pursuit, the ultimate exercise in strength. A man who was able to command an army and lead them to victory usually gained Ares's favor, more so when the battle was bloody. He preferred to leave strategy to the mortal generals and enjoy the heat of battle.

  The village around Delphi was too peaceful for Ares's taste. Because of the Oracle, Delphi was a popular tourist location, visited by people making pilgrimages from distant provinces to hear her words. Kings of mighty city-states would visit the Oracle, coming to Delphi in elegant processions. Commoners and poor people would come on their own two feet, spending what little – if any – resources they had to hear her words. The residents of Delphi had a thriving industry in catering to their visitors.

  Of course, the Oracle was not the only fortune-teller in Hellas, but the Delphi priestesses had the highest reputation in the land, being blessed by Apollo himself and having a good record of making uncannily accurate – if sometimes vague – predictions. Even if one was not lucky enough to see the mighty Oracle herself, her acolytes were adept at making smaller predictions or giving advice.

  Ares didn't care for predictions. He thought it was stupid, and a waste of time to try to figure out what would happen in the future. As far as he was concerned, the future was affected by what happened in the now. To hell with the mystical mumbo-jumbo.

  It was this attitude that caused him and Apollo to stand before Zeus. Ares had been in Delphi, trying to stir up trouble and cause the men who lived there to take up the sword as their cause rather than serve the Oracle. Of course, Apollo would have none of it, but Ares refused to listen much less cooperate with his brother.

  “Ares.” Zeus stared at his warmongering son with a stern expression. Ares had already tried to instigate enough trouble during Demeter's famine in a desperate attempt to save his city from starving to death. Now that the Spartans had enough to eat again, he quickly became bored and turned his focus elsewhere. No matter how many times the God of War was reprimanded or punished, he simply could not stay out of trouble!

  “You have been told time and time again in the past to leave the other gods alone. You have an entire city that has dedicated itself to your worship. If you like fighting, do it yourself. Hellas has been through enough already, and the last thing it needs is some war that does not even make sense!”

  “Who cares if it doesn't make sense! War is war!” Ares scowled. Apollo and Zeus both glared at him, and Helios and Dionysus merely shook their heads.

  “One would think that a few centuries would temper your bloodlust, but apparently not.” The King of the Gods gave out an exasperated sigh. All too often he had considered physically restraining his son in some way by chains or keepi
ng him in a cell. He was certain that Hephaistos could create something that could effectively restrain Ares, but that seemed like such a drastic measure. The only people in his family that actually had to be incarcerated were the Titans who had turned against their brethren and helped Kronos terrorize Hellas. They had to be dragged into Tartarus by chains, and there they remained for eternity under Kampe's watch.

  Would such a punishment be effective on Ares? At this point, it seemed like it was all that Ares might really respond to. Zeus absolutely hated the idea of having to do this to anyone, especially his own child, but he had his other children – and the rest of the family – to think about.

  “Perhaps a few years in Tartarus would teach you the error of having such an unbridled temper.”

  Apollo inhaled sharply, and Ares's jaw dropped open. Zeus had never threatened anyone with a sentence in Tartarus! The other gods stared at Zeus, but none of them objected. They had all been victims of Ares's aggression in one way or another, and were glad to see the God of War be put into his place.

  “No, no, no!” Ares shook his head frantically. It was exceedingly rare that he felt cornered. He had never been to Tartarus, but everyone knew it was a terrible place. Damn Apollo for telling on him. His brother was a weakling, anyways. Apollo was a pretty boy who would rather sing or tell stories than fight, and Ares didn't consider him a real man.

  “No?” Zeus set his lips in a tight, grim line. “You fear the idea of spending some time in Tartarus? Then behave.”

  “But...”

  “No buts! I have been too lenient in the past. I am tired of it. Sparta is your city. Nothing else. If I hear one single word about you trying to take other cities as your own...” His words cut off into ominous silence as he glared at his son.

  Apollo smirked at Ares as he crossed his arms.

  Suddenly, Rhea strode into the grand chamber, closely trailed by another woman. All eyes turned towards her for a moment before focusing on the younger woman.

  Zeus stared at the redheaded woman, barely remembering to keep his mouth closed because he had come far too close to letting his jaw drop. Whoever this goddess was, she was stunning, and it was clear from the reactions of the other gods that they felt the same way he did.

  Persephone was conscious of all the attention given her, but she maintained her dignity, appearing to give none of them any notice even as she studied them out of the corners of her eyes. She was clad in a deep blue chiton – a gift from Rhea – and her hair was pulled back with a matching sash. Her clothing was very modest, leaving only her head, neck, and forearms exposed.

  As she glanced in Ares's direction, she raised her chin haughtily, staring at him coolly. Despite what he had done – or at least, attempted to do – she wasn't the least bit afraid of him. She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before glancing at the others. Even though she had never met them, she recognized them from the statues Hades had in his spectacular sculpture garden. There was Helios and Apollo along with Dionysus. Having heard the argument before she entered the hall with Rhea, she quickly surmised that they were here to support Apollo. The trio appeared friendly enough, and she gave them a polite nod.

  “Mother! What are you doing here?” Zeus asked with a smile, trying to figure out who the new goddess was. She looked familiar and he was certain he should know who she was, but he was unable to identify her.

  “Your audience is urgently needed, and I see that you have resolved the matter with your son, so his presence is no longer needed.” Rhea glanced at her nephew and three grandsons. “You are dismissed.”

  “Wait a moment, you can't do that...” Zeus stiffened as his mother casually dismissed the rest of the gods as if she were in charge.

  “You will not 'wait a moment' me!” The elder goddess' tone brooked no argument as she glared at him.

  “Come on,” Apollo whispered, nudging Dionysus. Generally, Grandmother was a sweet-natured person, but the whole of Olympus knew that she was a formidable figure and not to be crossed when she set her mind to something.

  Her marriage to Kronos had been a harsh experience, and after his overthrow, she was determined to not be pushed around by anybody else ever again. She chose to not be on the Council of Twelve, feeling she needed no recognition as part of an elite, but she managed affairs with a firm hand and was a respected figure.

  The gods were curious about the newcomer, but they figured they would be finding out who she was soon enough. With respectful inclines of their heads, Helios, Apollo, and Dionysus bade farewell to Rhea and retreated from the chamber. Ares lingered, but a stern wave of Rhea's hand caused him to slink away.

  Silently fuming at being embarrassed by his mother in front of his sons and this pretty goddess, Zeus nonetheless held back a scowl as he regarded the two women.

  “What is it that is so urgent?” he asked.

  “You ask me what is so urgent when you do not recognize who stands before you?” Rhea asked, gesturing to her companion. Now that they were alone, Zeus had a better chance to study the newcomer. The hair was much like Rhea's own, only redder, and the green eyes were very familiar.

  “Kora?” Zeus whispered with genuine shock. Last time he had seen his daughter, she had been a pretty little girl, but he had never imagined that she would grow up to be so beautiful.

  “I was wondering if you would recognize me since you saw me but twice in my life,” she commented.

  Refusing to be shaken by her sudden appearance, he smiled in his charming way. “Do forgive me, dear daughter, but your mother was determined to not let me be your father. I do hope you are not too angry with me for respecting her wishes. Fortunately for us, we are gods, and have endless days to make up for lost time.”

  Persephone turned to her grandmother, ignoring Zeus for the moment. “Would you mind too terribly if I were to wish to converse with him privately?”

  “Oh, not at all.” Rhea patted her granddaughter's shoulder before giving her a reassuring smile and leaving.

  “Make up for lost time? Are you serious?” To Zeus's surprise, his daughter actually sounded offended. He could not possibly imagine why.

  “What is the matter, Kora?”

  “My name is Persephone. And you talk of making up time when you gave Hades your blessing, knowing you might never see me again!”

  “Why worry about that? Hades has let you go. I am the one who ordered him to release you!”

  “And if he had not let me go?” Persephone stared at him levelly.

  “Why worry about such things? It is all over!”

  “Because not considering such things is what caused the disaster in the first place.”

  “Ko- Persephone, I never intended you any harm. Hades promised he would treat you well. Has he?”

  Yes he has, but that's beyond the point... idiot! Mother had called him idiot several times, and it was all too apparent why. How fortunate that she had been raised by a much more worthy father figure!

  “That is not what I asked,” she replied calmly, reining in her fury.

  Zeus held his smile as he rose from his throne. “Persephone dear, please do not be angry with me. I only acted in your best interests. Hades gave me his word, I never would have given my blessing to a man I thought would mistreat you.”

  Demeter and Rhea had both commented on his charm and affability and she remembered her first meeting with him and how kind he had been, but Persephone would not be swayed.

  “And you did not think that I would have something to say about that?” As he moved closer, she took a step back. It was all too obvious that he wanted to hug her or pat her arm in an attempt to pacify her.

  “What was the point?”

  “What was the point?” she repeated with open incredulity. “It did not occur to you that I might appreciate some input, or even a warning? Hades appeared out of nowhere to snatch me away! I thought I was going to die!”

  “Oh, my! I truly never intended to cause you any distress.” Zeus offered in his most placating tone
, shaken by the reminder of the fears that had been stirred on the fateful day Hades had come to him for his blessing. “I truly am sorry. But things have worked out, haven't they? Look at you, you have grown into such a lovely woman! More than fitting to be the Goddess of Spring!”

  Not for long, Persephone thought bitterly. As soon as Hades reclaimed her, she would sit by him as his queen. There was no spring in the Underworld, how could there be when there was no life?

  “Do you understand what you have done to me?” she demanded. “After your son attempted to rape me, you thought it would be appropriate to give me away to another man?”

  “Hades did not rape you, did he?”

  “Hnkkk!” Her cheeks were flushed with rage as she gritted her teeth, choking back a frustrated hiss. “Are you always this stupid?”

  Zeus's smile froze. “I will not be insulted!” He had dealt with enough abuse from his large family during the famine, and was still being shunned by the nymphs. Kora – Persephone, whatever the hell she wanted to be called – was returned to the surface world, why was she so hostile? He might enjoy the company of women, but they baffled him as much as they had ever. A father arranging marriage for his daughter, that was nothing new! It had been done since the time of the Titans, for god and mortal alike, and not just in Hellas. Most women were generally acquiescing to gender norms, having been raised into them.

  “It is the truth!” Persephone snapped back, her voice rising. “You gave your blessing to Hades without telling Mother or me, or letting me any say in the matter whatsoever! You have not seen me for over ten years, and you just... gave me away!”

  “I am your father, and I know best!” Zeus responded firmly, wagging his finger.

  “My father! You never were my father! You are just someone who tricked my mother into letting you stick it into her!”

  “Silence!” The hairs on his body were standing on end due to the sudden influx of static electricity in the room, something that usually happened when he started to get angry, a precursor to his Gift flaring up.