DIVINE - A Persephone And Hades Retelling

THIRTY FIVE || Glimmer of Hope

With the sheets wrapped around both of their bodies, it was easy to forget there was a whole world on the other side of their bedroom doors. That was exactly what Persephone was trying to do. She knew they both had work they needed to get done this morning, but she could not bring herself to leave their bed. Both were just spending time lying in bed, slightly touching each other, sharing light kisses, and whispering secrets.

As Persephone tried to catch her breath, Hades buried his head into the bend of her neck and growled. Instead of the sweet nothings or the tantalizing suggestions he usually saved for these types of moments, he whispered out a desire for just one more minute.

At first, she did not understand, for Hades was never rushed by anyone and never did anything he didn't want to do. "What's wrong?" Persephone asked, still confused.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, beginning to put on his pants. He looked back at her, his eyes darkened as they drifted only for a second before he finally smiled slightly and told her what had happened. "Your mother is here. You have to get up and get dressed." The moment he finished giving his news, there was a knock at the door.

Usually, no one disturbed them while within their private rooms, so Persephone knew it had to have meant he was right. There had to have been a visitor, and the staff had felt it was necessary to notify them. Otherwise, no one would have invited the wrath of Hades by interrupting him while alone with his wife. Hades answered the door dressed in only the pants he had discarded the night before. He opened the door enough so the person who had knocked could not see her, but she could still hear what the messenger had said.

"The goddess of the Harvest has arrived and is waiting in the grand room," the voice said. Hades nodded once but gave no further response before closing the door.

There was suddenly nothing that could keep her in their room. It was a blur as she got dressed in the first dress she could grab from the closet. She sprinted out of the room and down the corridor, unable to care about grabbing shoes. She had also not waited for Hades, knowing he would take too long, but she assumed he was not far behind her.

She could not contain her excitement. It bubbled out of her in waves. Her mother had gotten her message, and she had come. Her mother was in the Underworld, a place she had vowed never to visit. That had to be a good sign. There was suddenly hope alight within Persephone.

Throwing the doors of the grand room open, Persephone saw her mother standing in the center of the room. She was as perfect and poised as she had always been, utterly and undeniably her mother. Demeter stood just as Persephone had remembered her; motionless, tranquil, and above all else, elegant. It was a relief to see that this time she did not have the murderous gleam in her eyes that she had at the trial.

"Mother!" Persephone greeted, her voice louder than she had initially planned. Her excitement must have been evident on her face.

"Kore." Her mother turned to see her, a smile gracing her lips. Persephone could have cried at the sight.

"You got my message. I didn't think you were going to come." She confessed to her mother as she joined her in the center of the room. "It's been so long."

"Yes, well, I didn't think you were going to send for me," Demeter said after clearing her voice. Persephone nodded, she understood what her mother had said. Sending an invitation was certainly not what either of them thought would happen, not after the trial. But now, she was glad she had chosen to send the message.

"I wanted to extend an olive branch of sorts." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Really?" her mother asked, her eyes holding a glimmer of the same hope Persephone felt.