Hades and Persephone

Return Home

**Persephone**

The next morning Hermes came. I was slightly surprised Hades kept his word, but not entirely. He isn't present for my departure, however. I stand in the front hall with Jasmine helping me with my bags. "I wish you good fortune up there, my Queen." She curtsies. "Until your return, I will miss your lovely presence illuminating this place." I smile sadly. "Thank you, Jasmine, you have been so kind."

She turns to leave quietly but I cannot help but ask. "Is he angry with me? Is that why he is not here to see me off?"

She appears sympathetic to my concerns. "Not angry. Perhaps hurt. Disappointed he didn't have more time."

I frown sadly. "He will have all the time in the world when I return. I have a responsibility to the people that I cannot complete down here and he knows that."

"I'm sure he does." She does leave then as I hear the flutter of Hermes's shoes. He helps with my bags and encourages me not to sulk. "You're doing a good thing, a noble thing, Persephone. We are all proud you've decided to come back."

"I will return to my husband once this is fixed." I insist. He sighs deeply as he carries me out of the Underworld.

**Hades**

I work early in the morning, remaining at work until I know she has departed. Jasmine approached me hesitantly after she left, a question clearly on her mind. "What is it?"

"The Queen was disappointed you did not show to see her off this morning."

I turn away, inhaling deeply in an attempt to boil down my lingering rage. "I couldn't...bear to see her go."

Jasmine murmurs. " She promised to return to you."

"I have a feeling her mother will change her perspective," I reply sternly. She nods respectively. "Would you like me to have the cooks prepare lunch for you?"

I shake my head. "No, I will not be indulging in lunch today. I'm not hungry."

**Persephone**

Once I return,  my mothers embrace nearly crushes me with overwhelming affection. "Oh, dear girl you've given the biggest heart attack of my existence." I embrace her back, as I truly have missed her - even the most overbearing traits of her - but there's an empty pit in my stomach ailing me. I bite back my tongue though and put on a smile as she pulls away. "I'm alright now, mother. I was never harmed."

She frowns dramatically. " Never harmed? Of course, you were! I cannot imagine what brainwashing has already taken place in the short month you were down there! You must tell me everything he told you. I can guarantee it was all filthy lies."

I pull back. "Mother, no need to be dramatic. Hades tried his best to make me feel welcome and he did not harm me."

"He forced you to marry him! He tricked you into it! You don't...even know him!" Demeter throws her hands around my face. "I am surprised not to see bruises on you, the paleness of your skin is terrible enough! You've always been a creature of the sun, little one, and he's taken that away from you."

"I don't see any sun. It's nothing but clouds and a soulless sky above us, mother. Nothing to nurture the crops! No Goddess looking over the harvest!" I accuse. "First, we will work hard to restore the weather so that we can salvage what mortals we can and then we can talk."

Mother seems taken aback by my forwardness. "Dear, I hardly recognize you." She gasps. I don't reply so she gives in. "Fine, if you will not speak to me until it is done, we have a lot of work ahead of us today, don't we?"

I nod sternly. We drop off my things in my old bedroom before commencing. It is a strange feeling to smell the familiar flowery aroma of my little sanctuary. I vividly remember sitting on that bed and daydreaming of being able to leave my mother to start my own life, never ever believing such a thing was so close to coming true. Now, I am not the same girl who slept in this bed last. I have seen things of death, heard the stories of mortals dying because of my so-called "innocent" mother, and last of all...my maidenhood is no longer intact. I am a grown Goddess now, a married one too.