by M. M. Kin
He had proven that again with the agreement they made the night before.
She glanced to her left, seeing him deep in slumber with the blanket up to his chest, one hand resting atop it and the other arm splayed along the comforter. She remained where she was, not wishing to leave the warm snugness of the bed. Even in here, there was an almost indiscernible chill in the air, everywhere as it always was.
With a quiet sigh, the Queen of the Underworld burrowed deeper into the bed as she wiggled towards Hades, pressing her body to his. It was nice just lying there with her head nestled against his shoulder, his bicep snug in the softness of her chest. She stared off thoughtfully as he slept.
She felt content. She had been so anxious about returning to the Underworld, but having secured the right to go up to the surface world, she would still be able to enjoy the warmth of that world, and down here she had a man who treated her like his queen, and much more than that. His vows of undying love and unwavering loyalty reassured her.
Her thoughts were interrupted as he stirred awake. She raised her head to look at him, and as he opened his eyes, she saw a smile of delight on his face. He certainly looked happy to have her here; would he feel this way every morning from here on?
“Seph...” His voice was a soft rumble as he reached up to touch her face and hair. She was here with him, at his side as she was meant to be. His wife, queen... mate. Her mere presence, even if she wasn't touching him or paying him any special attention, brought about a feeling of contentment he could not put into words. As he shifted around, he realized that he was awake in more ways than one.
With a playful growl, he rolled over and climbed on top of her, smiling faintly down at her. Though Persephone was by no means petite, Hades was still able to pin her easily. He was broad-shouldered and nearly seven feet tall, his form blanketing over hers as he looked down at her. Despite the fact that he was almost one and a half times her weight, she did not shrink back from the formidable deity. She wiggled against him, savoring the warm bulk as she slid her hands into his robe, running her palms up and down his chest.
o0o
When Demeter came back without Persephone, the royal family was especially careful around her. Fortunately for them – and everybody else – the Harvest Goddess did not strike out at any innocent bystanders. At least not this time around. Demophon was healthy enough to not constantly need care, so she had spent most of the last few days by herself, roaming various regions of Hellas to distract herself from her daughter's absence.
She went back to the valley where she and Kora had gone to live after Iasion's death. The house was quiet, a layer of dust covering everything. All of the furnishings were well-crafted, having been created for her by the Cyclopes a long time ago, the quality of their work evident in the fact that the furniture had lasted for so long in such wonderful condition.
Two looms sat at one side of the common room where the windows faced south and west. The projects on both of the looms were not finished. They had not been given any attention since the disappearance of her daughter, so the bright colors of the yarns were subdued by the dust that coated it.
“Oh, Kora...” She sat at the table, ignoring the dust as she placed her face in her hands.
“She does not like being called that.” Demeter looked up at the source of these words, blinking in surprise as she saw her mother. Rhea approached the table, sweeping the dust off a stool with the edge of her cloak before sitting down.
“What brings you here, Mother?”
“I know you needed someone to talk to. I would have come earlier, but I sensed that you needed some time away from us.”
“Thank you.” Demeter's tone was dry.
“I know you miss her, but at least you know you will see her again.” Rhea was thankful that Hades was being considerate of Persephone's needs.
“Only when Hades says so.” She let out a frustrated sigh. The compromise Hades had made mollified her only a bit. There would be no wedding ceremony until she participated in it, or so her daughter said. She considered telling Hades she would never give her blessing, but she knew it would make no difference to him. Her daughter would never be truly free of the Underworld because she had eaten its food. “He has left me no option.”
Rhea nodded slowly. She did think that Hades was being harsh with his sister, but then she also knew that Demeter was overprotective of her daughter, not that she could be blamed. Demeter had as much to learn as Hades did.
“I know it was difficult losing your husband.” Rhea hesitated before she continued, “Have you considered finding a lover? Or adopting a child? You need something to nurture.”
Demeter stared at her mother, her lips set in a tight scowl. “I am not as mercurial with my affections as so many of us are.”
“And they could learn much from you. But while you were searching for your daughter, did you not nurse a dying baby back to health? You are the Goddess of Bounty, and it is not just your own child that should benefit from that. You drew away from the world when you married that mortal and raised Persephone with him.”
“I saw no reason to remain on Olympus.”
“I understand. But things have changed. You made quite the impression on everyone, even the older ones. You have been gone from Olympus for too long. I have missed you, and you would be welcomed by many.”
Demeter did not speak, and Rhea wisely decided to mirror that silence. It was clear her daughter needed time to think, and Rhea had never been one to press a matter at the wrong time.
“My home is always open to you,” the older goddess said as she rose from her seat and squeezed Demeter's shoulder.
o0o
Persephone wasted no time in reacquainting herself with the Underworld. She paid visits to the friends she had made – Hekate, Nyx, Kampe, and Hypnos – and was happy to resume her role as Queen of the Underworld. When she had been on the surface, the only Underworld deity she was able to see was Morpheus, since she could visit him in her dreams. Despite the fact that Hellas was renewed and the mortals had a bounty of food like nobody ever had before, their dreams were still filled with sorrow for the misery they had been through and the loved ones they had lost.
Elysium had plenty of people who lost their lives due to Demeter's wrath. Some had been killed for food, others had simply crawled off to die, and some had even killed themselves to escape their own pain or seeing their loved ones dying. There were mothers who had given all their food to their children at the cost of their lives, something that inadvertently renewed Persephone's bitterness towards her mother. She tried to not dwell on that, for in this idyllic afterlife these people had better lives than they had as mortals, but it still wasn't right.
She could not help but feel that her mother needed to be punished in some way. Not for being angry at what had been done to her, but for how she had expressed it, inflicting so much needless suffering on completely innocent parties. She found herself swinging between wanting to see Mother again and avoiding her entirely, especially after having been lied to for so long and trapped in the body of a girl when she was well past the age of being one.
She pushed these thoughts out of her head, determined to not dwell on such negativity as she approached the large building that held the weaving studio. It did not take her long to find Eurycleia. The other woman did not immediately register her, but after a few words, her eyes lit up with recognition.
“I was wondering if you had gone off to Lethe. You were nowhere to be found!”
Well, I did go to Lethe, but that's beside the point... “Well... I... it is not something I wish to discuss right now.” Persephone knew she would need to tell the truth sooner or later, but she couldn't do so now. “I just had to do something important. But I missed it here.”
Persephone could see the curiosity in the other woman's eyes, but Eurycleia nodded slowly and silently before she spoke. “Remember that dye you liked so much? I have a bolt of linen for you. I had been saving it for you.”
; “Oh, thank you!” She had nearly forgotten about that.
“I will give it to you later. For now, I am in the mood to enjoy a hot meal. Would you like to come with me?”
“Certainly.” Persephone smiled. Food never ran out in Elysium, and even though a dead soul didn't need to eat, it was still a comfort for them to have food available. Some people liked to cook, so they had no end of ingredients to experiment with, and were always happy to prepare food for others to keep themselves occupied. Others liked to eat, and enjoyed the various flavors, whether it be familiar ones from their mortal lives, or new ones that the limited locales of their previous lives did not offer. It felt good for her to not reject the food anymore. No longer did she have to feel her mouth water at the exquisite foods Hades tried to offer her and turn her head away from it, or to smell all these delicious aromas and wonder if the food did indeed taste as good as it smelled.
o0o
Persephone woke up to feel Hades scramble out of bed. She stirred and rolled over, lifting her head to stare at him sleepily. Shades appeared to give him raiment and accessories, including a crown. Apparently he had someone important to meet. But who?
“Aidon?” she asked softly. He turned to look at her as the shades pinned up his chiton and draped a matching himation across his shoulder in their usual efficient manner.
“I have been summoned,” he replied. Persephone knew that no one could summon Hades; he merely decided if he was in a generous enough mood to honor a request to see him. A quick glance through the window revealed that it was still night, and Persephone wondered who might be visiting, and why Hades was willing to entertain them at this hour.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Merely some important business. Just stay where you are.” He approached the bed and tucked her in. Feigning cooperation, she snuggled into the bed and closed her eyes. As soon as he was out the door, she quickly slipped out of bed and pulled on a robe before turning invisible. She hadn't revealed this Gift to Hades as she wanted time to explore her abilities more fully. Besides, it would be nice to surprise him.
She caught up with Hades as he strode to his throne room, and he showed no indication that he suspected her presence. But she wasn't fooled, Hades was good at masking his thoughts. If she was able to sense him when he was invisible, it wouldn't surprise her if he did the same. Still, she continued to follow him, keeping a respectful distance.
She bit back a startled cry when she saw her mother. She remained beside a pillar as Hades sat on his throne. Next to him, her throne was conspicuously empty.
“Welcome to my kingdom, sister.” Hades's tone was neutral but without a trace of hostility or aloofness. One wouldn't think that he had just been roused from his sleep.
“I have no desire to remain here for long. I need to see my daughter,” was Demeter's curt reply. Persephone tensed, wondering what Hades would do. Hades wouldn't try to keep this meeting from her as Mother had kept so many things secret in the past, would he?
“I shall not prevent you from doing so. But I would like to talk to you first.” Hades wanted a private conversation with his sister without his younger brother around to make an ass out of himself like he had before.
“What is it?” Demeter asked, her gaze wary as she regarded her older brother.
“I really am sorry for how... things turned out. It was never my intention to hurt you. I had been planning to tell you where your daughter was, and that was my intention from the beginning...”
“Then why did you not?”
“Why do you think?” His voice remained calm, but Demeter could hear an edge of rebuke in his tone. “You refused to allow your daughter to be in the company of men. Of course, with certain... events that had transpired, I could hardly blame you for that. Still, I knew you would not allow me to court her. You would not want her with any man, much less one who lives in a dead realm.” He shrugged. “So the only recourse I thought was possible was to kidnap her.”
Hades could feel the anger building up in Demeter. The Goddess could be truly frightful, as she had proven with the famine. He was fully prepared for this, and continued, “In hindsight, it was not a smart thing to do, but love can drive one to do things they did not think possible, hm?”
Demeter had fallen in love with a mortal and all but withdrew from Olympian life so she could enjoy a peaceful existence with him in Enna. She had never thought it possible to love anyone since she had never found anyone she cared for so deeply. Iasion was the first time she had ever felt what she knew she could define as love. It made it all the more painful when he died, and she almost envied Zeus who was able to move on easily when one of his mortal lovers died or he became bored of them.
“I regret all the pain I have caused you. I truly do.” Hades's expression became kind – a rare instance indeed for the Dark One – as he leaned forward. “Even though Persephone eats my food, I have no desire to cut her off from the surface world. It would be cruel to you and to the woman I love.”
“You truly love her?”
“Of course I do. I do not make a habit of kidnapping maidens. Persephone is the only one I have ever wanted as my mate. Our brothers would tease me, telling me that I needed a companion in this dark world. These words never affected me until the first time I saw your daughter.”
“Why her? Out of all the women in the world, why my daughter?”
“Why love Iasion?” Hades countered. Demeter opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“I have never treated Persephone with anything but kindness. Be assured that I never forced myself on her or kept her confined. I made sure she had all the comforts she could want.”
“So you consider yourself a good host?”
“Yes,” Hades replied wryly. He was silent for a moment before he spoke in a firmer tone, “I would – and could – never harm her. I desired her very badly – and still do – but I always treated her with dignity and respect. She is worthy of nothing less. I earned the affection she has for me.”
“It is hard to imagine that she could enjoy being with you.”
“I can understand that. I expect no special favors from you. We have always respected one another, and I desire to maintain that. Do not think of me as her warden. Think of me as a man who loves her with all my heart.”
Demeter tensed, but remained silent as she pondered his words.
“Would you like to speak with Persephone?” Hades offered.
“Will you give us privacy?”
“As you wish.” Hades gave a nod before he rose from his seat. Persephone ducked behind a pillar, turning visible before she emerged from the shadows. Surprise flashed on his features for a moment before he smiled at her.
“How nice of you to join us. Your mother is here to see you.” He stepped down from the dais and gave them a quick bow of his head before he left the throne room.
“Were you there the whole time?”
“Yes, I followed him. He does not know what I can do.”
“... Really?” Demeter raised her eyebrow. Persephone smiled and shrugged.
“Women have their secrets, do they not? So how have you been?” It was nearly a fortnight since her return to the Underworld. She had actually been thinking about asking Hades to let her go to the surface world. She had practiced the varying aspects of her Gift as she tried to find out what other abilities she might have, while she was by herself.
“As well as any mother could be in these circumstances, I suppose. Is everything Hades says true?”
“To the last word. He will be a good husband.”
Demeter let out her breath before she spoke. “I dread the thought of you having a husband.”
“So you tried to keep me a little girl forever.”
“Could you blame me?”
“Yes!” was Persephone's blunt reply as she narrowed her eyes, letting some of her old resentment bubble up, “You wouldn't even tell me about the monthly courses so when it happened to me, I was terrified, not knowing what was h
appening to me. For so long I waited to grow up, to have a body like the nymphs. How I waited and hoped... and you never would talk to me about womanly matters. There were so many times that I was angry and frustrated with you because you refused to actually listen to me or talk to me as if I were anything more than a stupid little child... sometimes I even felt like I hated you.”
“I am sorry.” Demeter quickly looked away.
“The words of the Fates have been fulfilled despite your efforts to circumvent them.”
“I know.” The older woman shook her head slowly. “At least Hades has been kind to you.”
“I would not wish to be with him if he had ever been cruel to me.”
“I am not yet ready to help you with the wedding. I need time.”
“Certainly.” Persephone shrugged acquiescently.
“I was thinking we could do it on the spring solstice, unless another date suits you.”
That was nearly three months away. Persephone was mildly surprised, but relieved that her mother wouldn't be giving her a hard time. “I think that's a wonderful idea, Mother. That gives us plenty of time. And I was thinking that Grandmother could help. And Hestia, if she wants to.”
“I am sure she will. She enjoys cooking, and I have always liked being with her.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I would like you to come back with me. I miss you.”
Persephone had to bite back a laugh. Of course Mother wouldn't come down here just to leave her daughter behind! And she had been missing the other world. But first...
“Is that all you have thought about since my return to Hades?”
“Would you expect me to simply forget you?”