DIVINE - A Persephone And Hades Retelling

EIGHTEEN || Forever

Persephone tossed and turned for hours that night, trying not to wake Hades while also trying to find that long-awaited sleep she so desperately needed. She could not slow her mind enough for her to drift off. Instead, it kept buzzing with the day's events, going over every second.

She remembered fondly the private moment behind a pillar she and Hades had shared before entering Olympus. She remembered feeling confident then, nervous about being in the spotlight, but sure the day would end with anything but tears. She also remembered her mother. Her hand swinging for Persephone seconds before she caught it, and the betrayal in her eyes as she left the courtroom. She had always known her mother would do anything to remain in control, but nothing could have prepared her for what her mother had done to Hades. The things she had said would take years to erase from his image. Hades had told her that it didn't matter to him what others thought about him, all that mattered was the life they would create together. The lies had not affected him, at least not that Persephone could tell. For her, it was not so easy to forgive.

Guilt struck Persephone as she crawled out of bed, wrapping herself up in a blanket to battle the chill of the underworld night. Quietly, she made her way out to the terrace where she could think and not be at risk of waking Hades. She certainly was not going to sleep tonight.

She had not yet decided if she should tell Hades of the confrontation between her and his brother. Poseidon hadn't done anything to her except attempt to scare her. She wasn't even sure if his threats were real or if they were said to send a chill down her spine. If they were, then they had certainly succeeded. One thing was sure, if she did tell Hades of the altercation, innocent or not, Hades would never forgive his brother.

Hades sometimes looked so lonely while he sat upon his throne. He had relied on himself for so long she sometimes wondered how he found room for her. And in truth, it had taken years for him to feel comfortable being vulnerable around her. But once he had decided she was someone he could trust, it was as if no one could change his mind. It was as if a switch had been flipped. Since then, he had always let her in, told her his thoughts, and relied on her. She had always treated this trust with the utmost seriousness. She knew soon the harvest would come, and with it, she would have to leave him, and once again, he would be alone. But maybe this could bring him and his family together. Maybe when she was not available, he could call upon his brothers.

She could not ruin even the slightest possibility because of a strange feeling. She knew how important family was and how difficult it could be to rely on them. Or at least she once did. She knew she should hate her mother for what she had done, but still, she missed her mother already. She didn't think there was anything her mother could ever do that would make her stop loving her. Even after this, after all the hate, after all the crosswords, there was still love, no matter how small.

But the same was not true for her mother. Persephone had seen the hate in her mother's eyes as she left the trial hall. Demeter would never forgive Persephone. She could grow the most magnificent spring, most fragrant flowers, the greenest trees, and still, her mother would never look at her the same. Her mother had never been one for forgiveness.

Suddenly, she heard the doors open behind her and the echo of his footsteps as he walked out towards her. She did not have to turn to know it was him, she could feel his magic reverberate around her. It was only then that she noticed tears leaking down her face. Quickly, she wiped them away before he could reach her.

In his own quiet way, he sat down next to her, pulling her small frame into his much larger one. He must have known that she needed him to hold her because that was all he did. He simply sat quietly with her in the chill of night and held her as more tears made their way down her cheek.