Seeds Volume 3

by M. M. Kin

  He reached out to brush a thick, stray lock away from her face. Persephone looked up at him.

  “I am hungry.” Hades stated cheerfully before rising out of bed and pulling on a loose robe. “Is there anything you're in the mood for?”

  Persephone merely shrugged. He raised an eyebrow but summoned a shade and told it to bring up several different kinds of food. He turned back to her.

  “Would you like to eat at the table, or shall I feed you in bed?”

  Persephone considered her options and whether or not she would eat the food.

  “I will sit with you.” She rose from the bed. “I would like a robe, though.”

  Cloe whisked into existence, carrying a deep green silk robe.

  “I had almost forgotten what it was like to have such a servant,” Persephone commented as she took the robe. The Eleusinian Royal Family had servants and they were commanded to respect the two goddesses, but Demeter and Persephone generally preferred to be alone when they were not doing something with the family. Cloe also pulled her hair up with a matching sash.

  The shades set the table with a limited banquet consisting of dishes familiar to Persephone, some of them done with a twist to liven up the recipe. The rich smells filled the air, as real as any scent on the surface world, and she took a deep breath as she stared down at the dishes.

  Even though she had missed Hades deeply and the freedom she enjoyed here in the Underworld, as well as her newly discovered Gifts, her first Gift remained an essential part of her being. Already she felt an inner part of herself panic and rebel at the sight of the food, the lack of life around her an unshakable fact. On the surface, life had flowed freely around and through her.

  Right now, she could easily ignore that. It had been but a couple of hours, after all, but she knew that over time, it would wear down on her. She could not use her Gift down here to nurture things like she could above.

  “Is something wrong?” Hades asked with concern as he glanced at her, pouring her a goblet of wine, noticing that her plate was empty as she sat there, her arms on the armrests. There was clearly something weighing heavily upon her mind. Her gaze had been downcast, but before she spoke, she raised her eyes to meet his.

  “My lord, you wish for me to be happy, do you not?”

  “Of course. Why ask such a question?” How could he remedy the hesitation and sadness he saw in her eyes?

  “Hades... I am bound to you forever. I am now part of this place just as you are.” She inhaled slowly, drumming her fingers soundlessly against the armrests, “But I also share a connection with the world above. The food you eat clearly does not stop you from leaving the Underworld, even though you are bound to it.”

  “Already you think about going to the surface world?”

  “I do like it here, but I share my mother's Gift. I need to nurture life. I need to feel the sunshine on my face and the pulse of the earth under my feet. I will be everything you want me to be – wife, queen, and mate. I would give myself to you freely, but I honestly do not feel that it is too much to ask for to be able to spend some time on the surface world.”

  As he listened to her, he considered the times he had watched her play and frolic outside. She looked radiant and happy under the sunlight and fresh air. It was like that he had first seen her and fallen in love with her.

  Persephone stared at him, regarding his silence with apprehension.

  “Yes,” he agreed. She opened her mouth, about to argue with a ready answer, when she realized what he had said. 'Yes'. Was he merely indicating that he had heard her or... was that agreement of what she had said? He wasn't going to say 'no'?

  “You are correct. I would not be a good husband if I was not considerate of your needs.” He maintained an even gaze. “You were waiting to ask me that, weren't you?”

  She nodded slowly. A smirk flashed across his face before he bowed his head in acknowledgment.

  “You can return to the surface world in due time. But for now...” He gestured to the dishes. She stared at him before cutting herself a slice of feta bread. She could almost taste it before it touched her lips, because the scent was so heady. Mmm. She hesitated before it touched her lips, remembering how afraid she had been to eat for over four months.

  “You promise?” she asked before she prepared to bite into it.

  “You have my word.” he assured her.

  How different things would have turned out if she had been able to negotiate this before! Well, what was done was done. Her lips parted, and she sunk her teeth into it, almost overwhelmed by its perfect flavor. It was warm, fresh out of the oven and baked with just the right amount of herbs and cheese, with honey and olive oil for dipping. There were also chunks of vegetables floating in a thick broth that she could not resist trying. Everything tasted so wonderful! After sampling the bread and soup, she found herself helping herself to the various dishes, savoring each bite and the various ingredients in them.

  There was something about Underworld food that made it... tastier, and it was not simply the expertise of the Underworld's chefs who had many years to refine their art and had access to a plethora of ingredients that were not available when they had been alive. She stared down at it for a moment, trying to figure out what made it so different from surface-world food, and decided to ponder that later so she could just appreciate the food.

  Hades smiled as he watched her enjoyment. It had always bothered him to eat in front of her when she refused to eat, and now apparently that was a concern of the past. The pair continued eating at a leisurely place, each of them pleased with their own recent victory.

  Chapter LII

  o0o

  Persephone licked her fingers clean of the last bit of crumb and juices from the meal she had just shared with Hades before taking several sips of her wine. She leaned back in her seat, remaining silent as he continued eating. Her eyes were focused on the wall in a thoughtful gaze.

  As Hades continued eating, she occasionally picked up her wine to nurse it, enjoying the light honey flavor. His eyes moved along her body as she reclined on the plush divan. The robe had fallen open just a bit, revealing a welcome peek at the shadowed area between her breasts.

  The promise he had made her meant he would have to see Demeter tonight, but as he studied her, he was reminded of how much he had ached for her during her absence. There was still plenty of time left in this day that he might put off the inevitable confrontation with his sister so he could enjoy Persephone's charms. Setting down his plate, he glanced at her with a smirk. After a moment, she noticed him.

  “What?” She raised her eyebrow as she glanced at his lips, thinking of them kissing along her body. She was learning how to read his smirks, becoming familiar with the different ways he would tilt his lips up or down and deducing what it was that he wanted. She tilted her chin up by a mere fraction of an inch before leaning over to set down her wineglass.

  “Well, I would like continue with making sure my bride has a proper homecoming.”

  “Oh, Aidon.” She flashed a grin before she thought about the fact that he had called her his bride. He had said that things were different in Dis, but it just didn't feel right to be called that when they hadn't made some sort of vow to one another. She had seen several marriage ceremonies at neighbor's houses when she was still living in Enna. There would be a banquet the day before, at the bride's house, and another one the day after the wedding, at the groom's house. Family members and friends prepared a feast, and the bride and groom would have a procession to their home – perhaps a room in the groom's parents' house or a house he had built for his wife and future children. Worship was also part of the ceremony, especially for the bride who would pray to Hera, the patron goddess of wives. They would also pray to others, depending on who they personally worshiped and what they were asking for.

  For a warm and happy hearth, women prayed to Hestia. For protection in childbirth, Elithya was called, though young wives would also pray to Artemis for this protection a
s it was said she assisted her mother in the birth of her younger twin brother, Apollo. And of course, Demeter was petitioned to, to bless the fledgling household with her bounty.

  “I was never properly courted. How could I be a bride?” she asked. Hades actually looked confused, as if he had never considered such a matter before. He was quick to recover himself, and shrugged.

  “You now eat the food of your own accord. You come to my bed willingly. You wear the crown I put on your head. Do I not give you every honor a man would give the woman he loves?”

  Persephone hadn't meant to bring this subject up now, especially after having he had agreed to let her have time on the surface world, but as long as he talked about it, she would just go with it. He didn't seem angry or offended, and she knew this was a good sign that he would at least listen to what she had to say.

  “It is not that I do not feel cared for. It is just...” She paused, trying to find the words that best expressed her thoughts, “I would like an occasion to acknowledge... and even celebrate our marriage.”

  “Celebrate?” He sounded interested, and she smiled.

  “Is having me as your wife not worth celebrating?”

  “Well, we could have a banquet and invite our friends. Perhaps Erebus will come.”

  Persephone smiled and shook her head. “That is a good idea for the post-wedding banquet and I'm all for it, but that's not quite what I meant. Has it occurred to you that Mother would wish to be involved in this?” She wasn't sure how her mother would feel, but if Demeter had a hand in the ceremony, she might feel better about her daughter being with Hades. But it wasn't just for Mother, but for herself. She wasn't sure if Hades considered it silly, but she wanted an official ceremony, and personally, she felt that it would be good for him.

  “Huh.” Hades frowned thoughtfully. It had never occurred to him that she might wish for a wedding ceremony. She did have a point about wanting to celebrate, but why a ceremony? She was already his queen, crowned by him.

  “Besides, it would give us both a chance to impress the other gods.”

  “I did not know you were concerned about such matters.”

  Persephone laughed softly. “The gods of Olympus fear you. You are the dread Lord of the Underworld and ruler of souls. Even Zeus himself acknowledges your power though he will not admit it.”

  “That's right.” His smile was filled with pride at her words... which was just the effect she intended. Hades might be taciturn and wise, but he was not above a few caresses to his ego, just like any other male.

  “If I am your Queen, should I not be acknowledged as such by these same people?” She remembered the admiring glances of Apollo and Dionysus, and even Helios. The apprehension in Ares's expression had filled her with no small amount of smugness.

  She wanted Zeus to see her as a queen and show him that she was not simply one of his many offspring. She didn't plan to tell anyone of her true paternity – she would work on her reputation through her own merit – but she wanted Olympus to know her as Persephone, not little Kora.

  Hades could not think of a good reason to argue. There were plenty of reasons he could make up, to be certain, but none of them suited Persephone.

  “You want me to show you off to our family?” he asked with a grin.

  “You will be the envy of the others.”

  Hades sat back as he laughed quietly. Everyone feared and respected his power, but during all these long centuries, he had never boasted of a lover or affair. When dressed up in her finest, Persephone truly was a sight to behold, though she was just as comely in plain, homespun garb. He could not help but envision himself among the Olympians with Persephone on his arm, having his brothers, cousins, and nephews admire what could never be theirs.

  “They will envy me, indeed. There is no Goddess like you, and none could ever compare. I truly am the Rich One.”

  Persephone grinned before she rose from her seat and approached Hades, placing her hands on the sides of his face and giving him a deep kiss.

  Her kiss was light and fresh, tasting of fruit and a deeper, underlying sweetness. He moaned against her lips, his hands reaching up to her sides. She gave out a quiet coo of delight when his hands slid down to squeeze her rear end, and she wiggled against him with a knowing smirk.

  o0o

  When Demeter heard what Thalassa had to say, she became livid. The princesses cowered from her, their heads bowed, their mouths silent in an obvious attempt to not draw any attention from the goddess. She wanted to explode; such was the anger boiling within her.

  She was supposed to just sit around and wait for Hades? Hah! He might not be here for her to lash out at, but she knew exactly who she could vent her wrath upon; and he fully deserved it.

  With a rumble and whoosh, she was gone from the room, and the girls did not lift their heads for several seconds, holding still as statues. Only when the room was fully silent did Thalassa raise her head. She slowly rose to her feet, wondering what it would be like with Persephone gone. Demeter had blessed Eleusis, and Thalassa knew they were lucky to be spared from the blight upon Hellas.

  She silently prayed such a disaster would not repeat itself.

  o0o

  Since his confrontation with his mother and daughter, Zeus had been unusually subdued. He still held Court, but he was usually quiet, and his suggestions or ideas actually seemed more thought-out. He eased off his attempts to seduce the nymphs that lived on Olympus or in Hellas.

  He spent much of his free time reminiscing about his childhood and later being discovered by the elder siblings he had never known he had. The overthrow of the Titanomachy had not been easy, and took over a decade before the clash of the Titans ended. During this time he had gotten to know his siblings – some of them better than others, of course – and learned of his father and what he was doing to the people of Hellas.

  After Kronos was brought down by the combined efforts of his children and their Titan allies, the Olympians settled into a golden age. Mortals no longer had to worry about abuse from Kronos or his allies. Metis had been his first serious relationship, though that had failed in a way he had never expected it to. Then Mnemosyne, and nine lovely daughters, though he had cheated on her a few times through the relationship. And of course, there was Hera; the only woman to be his crowned queen. He missed watching his children grow. The thrill of these golden years had faded, leaving behind the inevitable hubris that came from decades or centuries of rule by a dynasty. It certainly seemed that he had been making more mistakes lately, and he made a conscious effort to avoid trouble. This change was noticed by some, but they did not consider it unwelcome.

  He spent some of his time in the quiet mountain valley where he had been raised, hidden away from Kronos. He noticed over the last week he had not been in one bit of trouble, and it actually felt good. The absence of female companionship helped to somewhat clear his mind.

  He had even managed to get Hera to agree to have supper with him. Like most of the other gods, she had been displeased with him over the whole Hades-Persephone-Demeter affair, but she had been friendly to him today. She had even volunteered to cook supper for him, telling him that her nymphs would simply carry everything over to his house. That certainly suited him, so he was all too happy to accept.

  “I was going to have my servants cook, but you always make such wonderful food, I would rather have what you can make! I look forward to it, but more, your company.”

  Hera had smiled brilliantly at him, and as he watched the nymphs bustle about the table, setting the food and dishes down. He had considered having it in his rose-garden, but unlike Rhea, he could not command plants to grow, so he was stuck with them until she would undo the damage.

  Zeus was tempted to flirt almost out of force of habit with the nymphs that worked for his wife. It had simply taken some introspection to come to the conclusion that flirting with them would not be the wise thing to do to the woman who had just cooked dinner for him. He glanced at a spot on the wall, focus
ing on someone only when Hera came into the room, looking as well put-together as she usually did.

  She had on a peacock-blue tunic with matching gold and lapis jewelry, and he smiled in appreciation at her efforts. He truly enjoyed looking at her, and was happy for this opportunity. Perhaps she would even come to his bed tonight, and they could reminisce about the old days afterward. Their marriage went in ups and downs, with periods of conflict – mainly due to Zeus – followed by times of him wooing her back and being able to enjoy having her as a wife before his eyes strayed elsewhere in an unending cycle.

  He poured her a glass of ambrosia, doing everything he could to be charming. From the warm smile on her face, it was obviously working.

  A startled cry from one of the nymphs outside alerted him to the fact that this wonderful evening was at risk of being ruined. Quickly excusing himself with a promise that he would be back as soon as possible, Zeus rose from his seat and rushed to the front door just in time to see Demeter take wide, angry steps across the yard, the grass and trees withering in her wake.

  “Demeter!” Zeus exclaimed in a shocked hiss, lifting his hands up to halt her progress. “What is the matter? I thought everything was resolved!” He could not think of anything he might have done recently to incur her wrath, unless Persephone had told her what happened between the two of them... Oh, shit.

  “Persephone is gone! Hades has kidnapped her again!”

  “WHAT!” Zeus's obvious surprise caused Demeter to still for a moment.

  “Yes! He kidnapped her while she was playing with her friends!”

  “I... well... I really do not know how I can help you here...”

  “Tell Hades to give her back, like you did last time!”

  “Well, yes, I can do that, but...” Zeus stilled as he remembered Hades's words during their last meeting. His older brother hadn't stated outright that he would take Persephone back to the Underworld, but as Zeus remembered – and considered Hades's words, he was overcome by the sensation of his heart sinking into his stomach. Oh, no...