by M. M. Kin
“Of course not! But I hope that is not the only thing you have been worried about...” Persephone's tone and expression was pointed. “The mortals have been through so much. They were punished for a crime they did not commit.”
“I know. I have already decided what I am going to do. I would like to show you.”
“Very well. I need to talk to Hades.”
Persephone found him in the banquet room, looking especially lonesome amidst all the empty seats at the long table. He held out an arm as she approached him, and drew her into his lap.
“Aidon, I would like to go to the other world with Mother.”
Hades's expression revealed no surprise, though he did look a bit sad.
“Just for one day?” she asked as she touched his cheek, surprised at how much his sorrow affected her. “I will be back in time for supper and bed.”
He nodded slowly. “I know you want to go... there because you enjoy the surface world and you love your mother. I do hope that you will come back here because you enjoy it here, and also...” He was silent for a moment and she regarded him with an inquisitive glance.
“What is it?”
“It is my sincerest hope that you come back to me because you love me. If not now, then one day.”
Persephone quickly looked away as she felt her heart flutter rapidly and her cheeks warm.
o0o
The journey back to the surface world was quiet. Whatever it was that Mother had planned, she wanted to show it first instead of merely telling, and that was just fine with the younger deity. Mother looked uncomfortable sitting amidst the souls of the dead in Kharon's boat and kept her cloak wrapped tightly around herself.
Eleusis was just as Persephone remembered, but instead of going to the Palace, Demeter took her to the temple. It was early morning, and the priestesses were just beginning the morning rituals. Persephone recognized all the priestesses, including Melinoe and Kalia. She did not miss how the priestesses regarded Demeter with rapt attention, always ready to listen to whatever she might say.
Despite the winter weather, the morning atmosphere lacked biting chill, so the coldness of the air was refreshing. Demeter led her daughter into the inner garden and dismissed the priestesses.
“Years ago, when I first came to Enna, the people there were miserable. They had to put every bit of effort into the land just to survive, and sometimes that was not enough.”
Persephone nodded slowly, already knowing this story, but patiently waited for her mother to get to the point.
“I not only removed the source of their suffering, but showed them better ways of farming that would yield more – and better – food. It is my intention to share that knowledge with the rest of Hellas. When I was looking for you, I saw farms that were not managed as well as they could be. I could just make Hellas overflow with food until the end of time, but that takes a great amount of energy, and it would simply cause the mortals to become lazy. I can teach them some of my techniques, so they can earn a better bounty for themselves. But my priestesses...” Demeter smiled faintly.
“What?”
“My more powerful secrets, I reserve for my acolytes. You know that Melinoe is... special.”
“Yes.” Persephone sensed a trace of a Gift in the princess.
“She is not the only one. I have been working with her and the other priestesses, teaching them how to feel and use magic. They cannot do what we are capable of, but with enough training, they can harness some of the magic and use it for the benefit of the people. Apollo has his priests and priestesses at Delphi, trained in the ways of clairvoyance...”
“And you will have your own order of priestesses, trained in the ways of Nature?” Persephone asked. Mother smiled.
“Women have always had a greater affinity for Nature than men.”
“Is that why nymphs are women? I've never seen a male nymph.”
“Yes.” The minor male gods were not called nymphs, and tended to be gods of rivers, lakes, caves, or deserts, unlike their sisters who preferred more verdant surroundings. There was the occasional male who deviated from the norm, but that was rare enough that most people would never see a male nymph in their lives. Persephone pondered what she had just learned about her mother's intentions. All in all, it wasn't actually a bad idea. She couldn't think of any criticism for this plan.
“These women are chosen to learn certain secrets. I cannot remain in Eleusis forever, but these priestesses will use their knowledge and magic to bless the city.”
“Eleusinian Mysteries.” The words tumbled out of Persephone's mouth, reflecting the first thing that came to her mind. Demeter glanced at her with a mixture of mild surprise and open approval.
“Eleusinian Mysteries. I like the sound of that.”
o0o
As she had not eaten morning supper, Persephone was happy to sit down with Mother and eat. It was interesting noting the difference between Underworld and 'real' food now that she had the chance to actually sample and enjoy what Hades had to offer her. While Underworld food had more flavor – almost too much sometimes – food grown here on the surface world had life in it.
Food in the Underworld didn't grow. It was... simply there. Even the animals that provided the meat weren't real in the sense that they were living, thinking creatures. Underworld meat was merely mystical substance given a certain flavor and appearance to suit Hades's desires.
When she ate the food Mother gave her, she could feel its life, where it had come from, where it would go. The seeds would actually grow and bear fruit, and left too long, would go to seed and then decay. She looked down at the lentil stew thoughtfully for several moments before dipping bread in it.
“Is something the matter?” Demeter asked. Persephone smiled and shook her head.
“Just thinking about how Underworld food is different from this.”
“What is the food like?”
“It looks and tastes the same as what we eat.” Persephone was tempted to describe how tasty it was, but since Mother couldn't and wouldn't eat it, she didn't see the need to go into detail.
“Really? There is nothing special, like how we have ambrosia and nectar on Olympus?”
“Uh-huh. There is no special food.” Except for the pomegranates from Hades's garden, maybe, since I know how special the tree is to him, but Persephone saw no reason to comment on that.
o0o
After nearly half a month in the Underworld, Persephone was keenly aware of the difference between the two realms, though it didn't bother or overwhelm her as much as before. After returning to Hades, she didn't feel so afraid or distressed at the lack of life down there, and conversely, when she came up here, she didn't feel the surge of relief she had experienced upon her first return to Hellas.
It was early afternoon, and she still had several hours ahead of her. She was at the moment roaming the Eleusinian countryside alone, thinking about what to do next. Familiarizing herself with the rest of her family was her top priority as long as she was here, but she didn't want to rely on Mother or Grandmother for transport. Now that she knew she was not barred from the surface world, she was more determined to know her clan. How could she get around on her own, unaided?
When there's a will, there's a way, she reminded herself. She had but to apply her Gift... or first, figure a way to do that. Visualization was an excellent way, as she remembered. As her mind meandered its way through possible ideas, she could not help but recall the Fates and their cosmic tapestry. In some ways it resembled a spider web, one that spun out for eternity with an infinite amount of threads. She would never forget the sight of the tapestry for as long as she would live, and the thought of threads going on forever boggled her mind.
Hmm. Like just any woman across the world, Persephone knew of the importance of threads. It mattered not what they were made of – thick woolen yarn or leather cords to slender linen strings or thin, delicate strands of silk. One could even say that without these threads, civilization would not exis
t.
She had used the idea of threads to make it easier to share her Gift with the dying people of Hellas. The concept had just come to her naturally, and now she could see it spinning off into something else...
Persephone turned towards the Palace, envisioning a thread that started from her hand and stretched all the way to the Palace walls. If she could somehow... reel herself in, or slide along it, and...
A startled gasp penetrated the silence when Persephone found herself a couple of feet away from the wall. She placed her hand on it to make sure she wasn't dreaming.
I did it! I really did it! She felt almost faint from the thrill of her discovery. I can go anywhere I want!
Persephone tested her new ability several times, trying varying distances. She appeared in her mother's temple and the Palace with the same success. Hekate had told her that she needed to find her own way of doing things. The Goddess of the Crossroads had but to imagine a road opening before her to lead her wherever she wanted. Having walked down a couple of these paths with Hekate, she now had a better understanding of her powers. A thread worked for her just as well as paths did for Hekate, or the darkness for Hades, or the earth for Mother and Grandmother.
Would it work over a long distance? Well, there was one way to find out...
o0o
More often than not, Athene often went amongst the mortals, whether as a goddess or in disguise, but she had elected to spend this afternoon on Olympus, visiting with Artemis. Despite having different mothers, Athene and Artemis got on very well. Though they had different interests, they had enough in common to agree on most things, like how especially stupid and/or useless men were, and how better the goddesses were off without them around. What had happened with their father and Demeter certainly was proof enough of that.
However, they were not as inclined towards gossip as some others were, and often amused themselves by playing games or making up riddles. Sometimes Athene would weave as her sister talked, like right now.
“Hello?” Athene heard someone call out as a firm but polite rapping filled the air for a long second. She raised her chin, shooting the other goddess an inquisitive glance.
“That's Persephone,” Artemis commented as she rose to her feet. “Should I invite her in?”
The older woman gave a brief nod. “This should be interesting,” She followed her sister.
Persephone stood in front of the gate. Generally, gates were made of wood and sometimes rope with the rare exception of iron or brass when one could afford it, but the ones on Olympus were beautifully wrought metal, swinging on proper hinges just like the ones in the Underworld. Each gate was unique and matched the personality and identity of its owner, making their homes more identifiable. She had gone to the nearest gate to knock. Nobody was home, but at the second a nymph was there to answer the door. Persephone declined to leave a message.
Upon seeing the fourth gate, it was easy to guess whose home it opened to. Athene's had carved marble owls on either side of the opening, and the gate itself looked like silver, slightly tarnished. The first had been black iron, the second brass, and the third gold, so this darkly gleaming silver seemed to fit the stately-looking goddess she had glimpsed during her last visit to Olympus.
Spreading through the design of the entire gate was an olive tree, branches and roots visible, mirroring one another. Set amongst the branches were cabochons of peridot and emerald of varying shades of chartreuse and green, representing the olives Athene so loved.
After she knocked, she waited for several moments before Artemis emerged. Athene followed, and Persephone lifted her hand in greeting as they approached the gate.
“You have come just in time for lunch,” Athene said as she regarded Persephone with an even gaze.
“Really? How nice!” Persephone entered after Artemis opened the gate. She did not miss the way Athene was appraising her with her stare. The younger woman stared back just as coolly, and Artemis bit back a smile.
“Pardon me for asking, but how is it that you are up here? I thought you were trapped in the Underworld,” Athene said. Everyone knew that Persephone had eaten pomegranate seeds, many said that Hades tricked her, a few said he raped her, others said that she had simply been so hungry that she gave in to temptation. Not one person thought that Persephone would eat the food of the dead on her own accord.
“I made an agreement with Hades for some time in this world.”
“So he permits you to visit Olympus?” Athene asked sardonically. Artemis frowned faintly; Athene had the habit of teasing or baiting a newcomer as a way of testing them and gauging their reactions.
“Permit? Oh, no. He is quite easy to manage when one knows how to treat him.” Persephone smiled mysteriously. It had taken a while, to be sure, but her growing intimacy with the Lord of Death also brought greater understanding. She had seen him angry and sad, and knew that she could rouse either emotion from him with choice words or actions. Yet she didn't want resort to provoking him and they were both so much happier for it.
“Oh, really?” Artemis flashed a grin. “The mighty Lord of the Underworld, managed, you say?”
“Hades is Hades, but he is also a man.” The red-haired deity was calm and confident if a bit flippant. She knew people would wonder about her relationship with Hades, so she had already decided how she was going to be about it. No bragging, just short and simple truth without unnecessary details. “I never got the chance to really meet or know the other gods before, so I am eager to make acquaintances.” And some friends, but Persephone refrained from saying it because she didn't want to sound too eager.
“How come your mother did not show you before?” Athene asked bluntly as they entered the house.
“She did not want to raise me amidst the Olympians. With what has happened, I hardly wonder why.”
Athene snorted quietly. “I can see the logic in that. Though that did not help any when Hades kidnapped you.”
“Right you are. However, things did not turn out too badly for me.”
“For you? What about Demeter?”
Persephone shrugged. “That was not my fault. If I could have escaped the Underworld and stopped the famine, I would have. But, Zeus...”
“Yes, yes. We all know. Sometimes I wonder how I can be related to such a man,” Athene replied. Artemis grinned and nodded in agreement.
“Just be glad that our Gifts are our own, and not given to us by our parents. No one could call him the God of Wisdom, hm?” Persephone asked.
Athene was intelligent and at times caustic, but she was not above well-timed flattery. There was a sparkle of pleasure and approval in her gray eyes.
“Makes you wonder what it would be like if Hades was High King. The gods would not get in so much trouble!” Artemis commented.
“Imagine Father sitting on Hades's black throne! Surrounded by all that gloom, the only women around already dead!”
“It might have done Zeus some good,” Persephone added dryly. “But I did not come here to bitch about men.”
“So you will not be regaling us with tales of married life?” Athene asked.
“Oh, please. There are so many topics that are more interesting than that!” she shot back lightly, responding to the gray-eyed woman's challenge.
o0o
Metaniera could sense Demeter's sadness as they worked in the weaving room. Demophon played with clay animals on the floor. He was full of energy, often running around and laughing. Celeus would chase after him with his eyes twinkling, a smile on his face, moving like someone half his age, but right now Demophon was ready for a nap, his toys on the blanket that had been spread for him. As he played quietly, the women weaved. After what had happened with Persephone, Metaniera was unsure of Demeter's next course of action now that her daughter's fate was decided.
She glanced at Demeter several times before she finally spoke.
“We have enjoyed having you here, not merely as a goddess, but as... a friend. You have blessed us in so many ways. We
are forever in your debt. I know you miss your daughter. Would you like to have Demophon as your own child? He enjoys your care, and you are a wonderful mother.”
“You would be willing to give him up?”
“He is happy with you, and I see the fondness in your eyes when you look at him. I know my son would be in good hands. After all, what good mother does not want the best for their child?”
A wistful smile appeared on Demeter's lips.
“You have made me feel welcome. It has been a while since I felt so honored. I am happier here than I am with my own family. And the Mysteries... Anyway, Triptolemus does not wish to stay here. He wants to travel the world. He has the deep yearning for it, so I will put him under my protection. As he travels, he will teach the farming secrets I wish to share. Demophon will be your heir. The reign of your husband will be a long one yet and you will live to see Demophon become a father. I will stay here until spring.” There was Persephone's wedding to prepare for, and she was loath to leave Eleusis so soon. She would enjoy some more time here before leaving with Triptolemus.
The queen let out a sudden squeak of joy before quickly collecting herself. She had seen the wanderlust in her son's eyes. Triptolemus would be unhappy as King, though he would bear the crown out of filial piety. Serving Eleusis should be more than that. She also wanted Demophon to be happy, but she wished that for all of her children, which was why she would not allow her daughters to be wed to men they did not like. And now this, knowing that she and her husband would share a long and happy life yet, seeing her children and grandchildren grow... and just the year before Demophon was going to die, and her city was being threatened, her daughters about to be forced into marriage... Oh! This change of fate was all so wonderful!
“Goddess, we are infinitely blessed by your presence. We delight in your presence for however long you wish to stay. My hearth is yours.”
o0o