But then after a few days later, one of her handmaidens arrived with a message from the dark goddess herself.
"Hades has sent for you, my lady," the nymph said to her with a bow. "She said you have stayed in your chamber far too long. At the court, she has no government business to attend to and wishes to divert your mind to some leisure time."
Persephone was mystified by the formal invitation, and she could not refuse it. Ever since she had entered the Underworld, she had been living in constant confusion and surprises, but this one entreaty from Hades seemed different.
Later, as the black sky was not too overcast above the horizon, Hades arrived at Persephone's chamber. When the doors of her room groaned open, the golden-haired maiden felt as though it was her first time meeting with the older woman.
Hades was all glorious and mighty as she had always been. But there was something different about the goddess. Hades's night-black hair was braided down to one side over her slender shoulder. And she stood there in the light of the glowing torches like the rising sun over the rim of the mountains. Persephone found it extremely strange that Hades could appear so grim and somber one moment and then so radiant and lively the next. This had begun to unsettle her mind.
"I apologize for the short notice, Persephone,” Hades said in her gentle voice, “but I hope you are ready for a short walk with me out of the palace."
“Where will you take me to?” Persephone asked curiously.
“You will see,” the older goddess told her. “Seeing you again has moved me so deeply, and I can't wait to show you a special gift."
Strangely hearing her affectionate words, Persephone noticed there was no more animosity or palpable anger in her heart. But she still tried to compose herself and remained unaffected.
"I told you I want no more gifts from you."
"This one I am sure you will find it to your liking," Hades replied.
Persephone could have given a more bitter refusal, but now what was left in her young heart was a strong sense of curiosity. In fact, Persephone did want to know what the gift was, and the notion of having a stroll with Hades made her inside tingle and rather excited than frightened, and which astonished her even more.
"Alright then," came her soft response.
At Persephone’s agreement, Hades's face shone brightly with joy. The dark goddess held her hand out to the maiden. But Persephone stared at it then back at Hades's bright twinkling eyes. It made Persephone's heart pump unevenly again. The young maiden felt her own hands twitched, urging her to reach out for those beautiful slender fingers. But she decided against it and turned away from the goddess before walking out of the room. Hades swallowed the slight embarrassment and simply followed her.
As they walked down the quiet hall, Persephone could hear the drumming of her own heart. In the flowing silk that shrouded her flawless skin, Hades strode gracefully and soundlessly ahead of her. Her agile movement mesmerized the young maiden behind her. Persephone felt strangely fascinated by everything that was Hades.
Once they were out of the grand palace with only the Underworld plains to greet them, Hades continued to lead the way through the black hills into the crooked leafless wood. They strolled like that in a complete silence. Every now and then, they could hear a sound of chattering and murmuring drifted through the fog. Persephone wondered where they were heading, but she didn't dare to ask the taller woman. For some reasons, she felt neither fear nor apprehension being alone with Hades this time.
After a while, they reached a low plain. There erected a beautiful pergola and several trellises for plants to grow on. All around were large stones intricately carved into authentic shapes and encrusted with glittering gems.
Persephone's mouth fell open as she stared at the place before her.
Then she turned back to Hades, speechless.
"I have set aside a corner of the field for you," the dark goddess said, "This is your own garden, Persephone. You can grow flowers and plants to please your lovely self as you always wish to do."
The younger goddess was still astounded by the view. Her feet slowly walked towards the garden while she looked about herself in pure awe.
"My own garden?" she asked as if she couldn’t believe it.
Hades nodded with a tiny smile back.
Persephone went further through the arbor and sauntered down the stone path. For a moment, Persephone felt her heart flooded with brimming joy and excitement. She had missed her daily routine, planting flowers and painting them with pretty colors, and now, this very gift from Hades had finally delighted her.
But then she remembered where she was, and a great disappointment marred upon her face.
"There is no sunlight in here, and everything is cold and harsh," she said dejectedly. "This garden will bear no growing plants."
Hades already knew what her young maiden would be worried about. She stepped towards Persephone. This time, the golden-haired goddess didn't recoil from her. They stood inches apart from each other, staring at the other's divine face.
"I know you would say so," Hades said softly, almost with a hint of amusement in her silken voice. Then she held up her palm and a black cloth bag magically appeared out of a whirl of golden dust.
Persephone looked at it and back at the monarch in confusion.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Open it," Hades said. A smile flickered on her lustrous lips.
Persephone's hesitant hand inched to the bag and then slowly unbound it to reveal some healthy seeds inside.
"Some rare seeds for you to grow in your new garden," Hades added with a soft beam, "They're magical blooms that do not need the sunlight."
Persephone's breath hitched in a pleasant surprise, and her eyes blurred with tears of thrilling elation. And when she looked up at the dark goddess again, her lovely face broke into a brilliant smile that knocked the air out of Hades's lungs. Hades had never seen a smile so bright and so joyful, it tingled and warmed her whole being with its a fierce enchantment.
Persephone wished she could give Hades a gratifying embrace, and she almost did but had to stop herself from doing so. She blinked her eyes and turned her face away from the mixed emotions she hadn't experienced before. There was a short uncomfortable silence afterward, but Hades did notice a shy blush on those lovely cheeks.
Then she offered the bag of seeds to the girl.
"You can grow your garden now, Persephone."
The Goddess of Spring accepted it and made no delay. With gleeful steps, she took the seeds from the bag and started out to plant them on the black fertile ground.
The moment she sowed the tiny seeds into the loose soil, each bud began to sprout fast and strong. The flower buds began to grow like they had a life of their own.
Even Hades, the powerful goddess herself, was astonished by it. Her eyes followed Persephone as the goddess moved about the garden like the dancing muses, her beautiful ankles flashing in the dark.
Persephone grew a species of black orchid here and nightshade there. The young maiden worked with a gleeful smile, planting and helping the seeds to grow. It didn't take long for the garden to blossom with flowerbeds of the blooming henbane, blue hydrangeas, and purple hellebore. There were now vines growing up the trellises, bearing big black grapes. Every corner of the place was becoming alive and beautiful and filling the air with its magical fragrance. It made Persephone forget all about her sadness and her hunger.
For the first time, she was truly and utterly happy.
"Do you like it?" Hades asked. Persephone turned back around to look at the goddess, her young innocent heart so full of joy it felt like bursting.
"Yes, yes I do love it!" she said, grinning back at the taller woman, forgetting her own grievance and bitterness for once. Hades was surprised by the effect, and she did return the smile, the most genuine smile she had ever given. Her onyx eyes sparkled and her whole face glowed.
Hades was indeed very beautiful, Persephone realized at that moment. She m
ade her tremble with an unnamed sensation.
As she was still lost in Hades’s smile, the dark goddess came forward and took both of her hands.
The divine maiden wanted to pull away from Hades, not from distrust but out of self-consciousness. Her hands were dirty from planting seeds in the black ground, but Hades paid no heed and leaned over to kiss them with loving tenderness.
Persephone watched the goddess’s thick black lashes cast shadows upon her pale cheeks and felt those soft cold lips upon her skin. It was like the brush of a butterfly’s wings. The same glittery gold dust lingered where her kiss had landed.
Hades lifted her face to her again.
"I am utterly blessed that you enjoy this gift," she said, staring deep into her eyes. "Ever since you came here, everything in my world is beautiful beyond words, and if you kindly allow me, I promise I will spend the rest of my eternity to please you and love you like this, always."
When Persephone was still marveled at her words, Hades gingerly took a step closer, unsure of what the maiden would react, but after seeing that Persephone didn't shy away like she usually did, the dark goddess was emboldened and slowly enfolded her small frame in her arms. Her long silk robe shrouded Persephone like coiling black mist around a dainty flower.
They stared at each other's face for the longest moment. Hades’s heart pounded exceedingly while Persephone remained silent. The young girl lifted her face to Hades again, noticing her long straight nose and beautiful carved lips. She was lost in those radiant eyes that flashed with passion whenever they looked directly into hers.
Persephone could not find the will to protest against the graceful woman anymore, it was as if everything about Hades had hypnotized her mind and captured her soul.
Hades gently tipped the girl's narrow chin and leaned in to kiss her forehead. Persephone closed her eyes, savoring the wonderful tingles. Then Hades drew down and kissed her mouth with her cold lips.
Persephone's breath came to a halt. Every time, Hades kissed her, she felt as if her chest might explode.
But at that moment, a wash of tranquil quickly replaced the tremor in her heart, and she let herself be carried away by an untamed joy.
Hades was astounded and enthralled by the maiden's submission. Her arms tightened around her delicate waist, feeling her body shiver.
"Hades..." a soft gasp escaped Persephone’s lips.
The calling of her name made Hades crave her even more. She drew Persephone closer to her heart, letting her mouth caressed hers in tenderness. Unknowingly, the young maiden placed her hands back around the older woman, gently roaming over her elegant shoulders and lithe body beneath her flowing black dress.
Hades's heart beat fast and loud as they kissed. She craved the girl so much, she couldn't make sense of the depth of it ¬— the senseless possession that made her hover outside Persephone's chamber every single night. And all Hades could do was relishing in this rare golden moment with her.
She kissed the maiden down her chin and to her slender neck. Hades tightened her hold and moved her tongue wetly to the valley of those supple sweet breasts. Persephone felt hot like there was a fire burning underneath her skin and down the region of her belly.
"I love you, Persephone," moaned Hades, branding the words hot on the maiden's blushed breasts.
The daughter of Demeter could feel herself losing her determination. Her hunger was making her weak-willed.
But a thought ignited in her hazy mind. She couldn’t be with the Goddess of the Dead. She had to return to home to her mother. Then with a great effort, Persephone slid back from Hades's arms, pushing the taller goddess away with her frail hands.
"No Hades, I can't do this," she whispered and shook her head to herself.
Persephone was overwhelmed with so many feelings. She needed to escape those piercing black eyes as they stared back at her, hoping and pleading. There was nothing she could do but to let her wobbly feet carry her away from the vivid garden — away from Hades's gripping spell.
And that was what Persephone did best.
She ran.
CHAPTER nine:
Jealousy
Once Zeus learned about Demeter from the great god Pan, he sent forth his favorite son, Hermes, to invite the mourning goddess back to Olympus.
There where the winged-god had been informed, Hermes found Demeter in her ragged cloak and shrunken form.
He immediately spoke to her.
"O Demeter, Father Zeus wishes you to come and join the tribes of the eternal gods," Hermes said, "Come, therefore, and let not the message I brought from him pass unobeyed."
"Did he remember what he has done to my poor child now?" Demeter's voice was cold and cynical.
"Father's wisdom is everlasting; I believe he understands your desperate wish, my lady."
"I have said it before, but I will say it again," Demeter replied, "Until I see my daughter's face emerges from the dark wretched world of Hades, I will not release the Olympians from the sorrow that has plagued me."
Hermes was alarmed to hear it.
"Demeter, the gods are in fright and chaos since the fate of the mortals laid in your hands," He tried to explain the turmoil to the goddess. "Your grief has affected us all."
But Demeter simply turned her face away and ignored the plea. The messenger god tried with all his wits and cunning to persuade her, but the goddess's heart was unmoved.
After his imploring words were said to no avail, Hermes decided to fly back to Olympus and report it to his father.
The Sky Lord fingered his lightning bolt thoughtfully when Hermes finished narrating the story. He then sent forth all the blessed gods to bring back Demeter.
The Olympians came one after the other to her cavern. They kept begging and offering many very beautiful gifts to the Lady of Grain and whatever right she might be pleased to choose among the deathless beings. Yet, no one was able to sway her mind and bend her will, for the wrath was still burning hot within her heart.
The goddess stubbornly rejected all their gifts as she vowed that she would never set foot on the fragrant Olympus nor let fruit spring from the ground until she beheld with her eyes her own fair-faced Persephone.
At last, when the all-seeing Zeus, the loud-thunderer heard this, he decided to pay the goddess a visit himself.
"I suppose we shall have to compromise," he said to her once they met. "I have been thinking. Perhaps I have not been quite fair to you."
"No," said Demeter curtly. "Certainly not."
"Do you still wish your daughter's return, dear Demeter?"
"Indeed, Lord Zeus," the goddess answered back. "And if you still sit back in your throne and ignore my wish, all the gods and mortals shall suffer as much as I."
"Very well then," sighed Zeus miserably, "In light of all the facts, here is my judgment. Your daughter, Persephone, will be restored to you and remain with you again. However, if any food has passed her lips during her sojourn in Erebus, then she shall remain there with Hades. This is the law older than the gods, and even I am powerless to revoke it, do you understand me?"
"You have spoken, Lord Zeus, and I shall hold you to your words," Demeter replied, feeling a surge of relief at last. "My child must have been too sad to eat, anyway. No foods would have passed her lips, and therefore she shall be returned to earth once again."
And with that said between the two immortals, the deal of Persephone's fate was sealed.
~*~
Just past the ghostly meadow, beside the River Lethe and beneath the never-ending shade of white cypress trees, the somber palace of Hades stood high into the black sky. From the throne room window, the royal woman would watch Persephone in her garden.
Persephone spent most of her time there now, planting and tending her magical blooms. Hades even gave her a helper, a very clever gardener named Ascalaphus, son of the river god, Acheron. He was very deft and good company too although she noticed that his eyes were a bit too big on his face.
The maiden lov
ed her garden best, and that was where she found her refuge. She was so hungry she didn't know what else to do, and also she didn't want Hades to see how she felt.
Persephone tried not to allow herself to admit that she had felt some sort of a longing for Hades. The voice of the dark goddess still echoed softly in her ears, and the perfume of her godly scented hair still permeated her clothes. Worse of all, the lingering sensation of Hades's passionate lips on hers made her heart flutter like the wings of a moth.
Persephone pushed the thoughts aside and resumed her gardening. Her helper, Ascalaphus, went about watering and loosening the black soil. He never spoke, which was fine by the goddess.
As Persephone was going under the trellis where the spiraling vines hanging, she lifted the dark-green leaves to find new blossoming orchids with lustrous tender petals, a voice she had never heard before called out to her.
Persephone swirled herself around and saw a strange presence of a nymph inside her garden. The strange woman had a particular look, pale skin and slightly pointed ears with piercing coal-black eyes. Her flowing red hair brushed against the chilling breeze like flames.
"Are you truly Persephone?" the nymph asked her with an unkind look.
Persephone didn't know how to respond and simply nodded back, uncertain of the other's intention.
"I have heard plenty about you," the woman continued, "But clearly you're not as impressive as I had thought. I am fairly disappointed that Hades brought you here."
Persephone frowned at her words.
"Who are you?" the young goddess asked. "Are you one of the palace maids?"
"No!" the nymph growled, offended. "I'm Minthe, daughter of the Underworld river god, Cocytus, and beloved of Hades."
Persephone knew right away that she did not like the nymph, but now she was surprised even more to find out that she was Hades's lover. The maiden felt her empty stomach churn. She felt like the sting of a thousand bees had pierced her being. Persephone had never felt this kind of anguish before, and that made her confused and enraged all at once.
Hades: Goddess of the Underworld (Lesbian Version) Page 5