Her mind raced as she took the quickest route to the courtroom. Olympus was made of a maze of hallways, all intersecting with each other. It was confusing even for a goddess to manage. Even harder for her after having just heard a threat of war. War. The word reverberated through her mind as she thought of what Poseidon's remarks might have meant. She was unsure if he was simply trying to unnerve her, so she would stumble during the trial, or if he truly was trying to start another war. The thought frightened her.
The only thing she knew for certain was she could not tell Hades until she knew for sure. While Hades and his brother's relationship was unfortunate, Poseidon would always be Hades' brother. She could not destroy what little family he had left. She knew that if she uttered even a suggestion of what the sea god had said to her, Hades would lose his mind with anger. If she were to tell him of the ways Poseidon had touched her, Hades would destroy his brother. Either way, Persephone held the power to start a war. Something she hadn't ever thought herself capable of. Something she would never forgive herself for.
Maybe this was what Poseidon had wanted. Perhaps he had given her a choice. Laid the decision in her own hands. She could destroy a family before the council was even called to order. Maybe this was the chaos he had wanted.
She could never do that to Hades. He had been wronged by first his mother and then his father. Even after all this time, he still held the scars on his own back. He did not talk of it often, and when he did, he spoke of them in facts only. She offered me to him, without question. He swallowed me whole, then forgot about me. He never described his feelings or anything that would show how hurt he was. It was simply his past, something he had lived through, and something he preferred to forget. Still, she knew it had taken him a long time to get over the betrayal of his parents; she knew it still wounded him. She could not damage what little connection he still had to his family. They had not acted together in years, not after their falling out. Ever since then, they have been divided, splitting them all deeply. But they were still his blood.
She could not sow seeds of deceit without knowing they were based on truth.
Still, Poseidon had spoken at least some honest words. Some facts had to be the truth, it would be too easy for her to check their validity. He had revealed that she would not have a vote today. Simply because she was not important enough. That had been true. It frustrated her that even though she and Hades had spoken about every aspect of the trial, he had never told her of this detail. He never hinted that her rights might be taken from her. That she would be silenced and then sold like a piece of cattle.
She knew he had not done it to hurt her, not as Poseidon had, but nonetheless, it stung. It made her feel as if she was still a young goddess living in her mother's home: no voice, no power, no importance. Doubt snuck into her mind, making her question whether her circumstances would ever change.
Coming to the grand doors of the courtroom, she cleared her mind. She knew she was simply overwhelmed. Hades had never lied to her. Not once. Not even when it would have been easier for him to do so. He was the one who had saved her. He always listened to her and praised her opinion above all else. He had never trapped her, and she knew that with him, she would always be free.
If only she could know how the trial would end. What would happen after she walked through those doors? Would she leave with Hades as the queen of the Underworld or as Kore, daughter of Demeter? She felt almost certain the fates would side with them, but that did not stop the worry that had planted itself deep in her mind. There it had grown, almost consuming her.
Taking a deep breath, she allowed all emotion to leave her face. Even though she had practiced her cold and unmoving stare, it still, even now, felt unnatural. But she knew it would be a necessity if anyone were to believe her. If she was going to be shown as the queen of the Underworld, she would have to act the part. And queens don't show weakness.
YOU ARE READING
DIVINE - A Persephone And Hades Retelling
Historical Fiction"I've told you, Hades, I can not become your mistress." she sadly told him. She had always lived in her mother's shadow, and if she followed Hades, she would once again be living in another's shadow. Even though she loved him, she did not think she...
