Hades & Persephone

Chapter 6 -

As the hours ticked by, Persephone finally struggled to dry her tears and rise to her feet. Realising there was no way she could wear the clothes she came in, she peered over at the large bed in the centre of the room. Making up her mind, she managed to get one of the sheets free and wrap herself in it, moments later she heard someone knocking at the door. Her heart raced, she hoped more than anything it wasn't him again, before she could collect herself one of Hades' servants, Alekto came bustling in with a tray, mumbling to herself....."thinks he can order me around to do anything, waiting on his latest whore...." Alekto stops misentence and stares at Persephone, not giving a second thought to the torn clothes on the floor, or her red swollen eyes from crying. "Here, my lord hades has asked I bring you some food and water." She set the tray down on a table and left without another word. 

Looking over the contents of the tray, it had quite the variety, water, fruit, nuts and vegetables. She stared at the food with an empty expression, she wanted to go home, she didn't want to be Queen of this lonely desolate and dark place, with only the dead and Hades for company. She wanted to be free, to be able to see the open sky, the green pastures, she couldn't imagine spending her existence in his place. Her stomach growled, realising there was no way to fight if she were weak from hunger, she sat and picked at the fruit.

The hours soon turned to days, but being so far below, hidden away from the sun, the stars, the sky, she had no idea how much time had truly passed, she was just happy Hades had given her some time to herself. Each day one of the erinyes brought her food and water, were it not for that she would have no concept of time at all. As time drew near to when one of Hades servants would bring her food, she heard the gentle knock on the door and assumed it was just a servant, but as she raised her head, there stood Hades, the tray in hand, a smile across his evil face. "I thought perhaps you had enough time to calm down." He set the tray down on the table in front of her, and with another smile he pulled from behind his back a bouquet of asphodel, lilies and dasies. "I thought these would cheer up the room, make you feel more at home in your new palace."

Persephone didn't know what to say, and stared at the flowers, trying to remain calm and hold back the tears. She was surprised something so beautiful could remain alive in his cold grasp. "This isn't my ho......" Hades cut her off before she could finish.

"The quicker you learn your place here, the quicker you'll see how much I truly love you." It was hard for him to keep his temper, but if he wanted her to ever see him for something other than the god who abducted and raped her, he would have to try. Persephone quickly stopped talking, her heart racing, realising he had frightened her, he sat next to her and reached out a hand to gently caress her cheek, wiping a tear that she had unknowingly let fall. "My apologise, my temper gets the better of me at times, but I do truly love you, I've loved you since the first moment I saw you, the sun shining off your hair, your smile so bright it warmed even my cold heart." 

Part of her was still furious and heart broken with the way that he took her, but his words, the way he touched her, so gently this time, so different from how he took her a few days earlier. "Why.....why didn't you court me the proper way then? Why take me like that? You.....you.....r......" She couldn't bring herself to say the word, all she wanted to do was forget what he had done, and especially forget how she felt, not how she acted of course, but the seed that was planted deep within her, awakening something in her she'd never dared feel before. At one point while he took her, she could have sworn she felt arousal, lust even, but she refused to believe it possible.

Hades laughed, not a cruel laugh, a genuine laugh, "My dearest, I wanted to, I asked for permission, your mother denied me, but I swear to you, I met with the fates, they say our paths are destined." He leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly, she started to cringe, to pull away, but this time she stopped herself. His eyes darted down to the sheet she had wrapped around herself, he suddenly turned and slammed his fist onto the table, cursing to himself. She flinched, not sure what had angered him, but as quickly as his temper had flared he turned to her and pulled her close against him. "I am so sorry my love, it was foolish of me not to have an array of clothing for you to wear, I promise I will never make that mistake again. You are my queen and you will only have the finest."

As she felt his body against hers, she could hear his heart beating in his chest, as much as she mentally wanted to fight against him, her body was betraying her. As Hades felt her relax a bit into his arms, a smile spread across his face, and he held her tighter and kissed the top of her head.