The Colour Of Pomegranates

Chapter 15

As Persephone felt her friendship with Hades grew stronger she found herself singing more often. Truthfully, she hadn't really noticed. It was Hecate who told her she could stop whenever she was ready, she remembered smiling.

'Can we go for a walk?' she asked Hades before mid noon. He groaned.

'Where are we going?' he asked. She giggled, growing more and more fond of his particularities.

'I want to go into Asphodel Meadows. Today is the celebration of the Reincarnation.' Several souls were leaving for Above.

'If you insist,' he said, already getting up.

'Will you make it snow again? They told me they loved it. It would be perfect for the day.'

'Who told you?'

'The souls, of course.'

'What if... you made it Spring for them instead?' She blushed.

'I can't - besides, I kind of promised them a snowy day.'

'You promised them?' He grinned. 'Then I can't fail them. You know, in order to save your honour.' He didn't even have to get up or flick or flinch or blink. When she looked behind her she saw the first snow flakes whirl down. Excited, she got up and ran to the balcony, watching the world below turn white once more.

As it kept snowing, covering the roof tops, tree branches and streets in a velvety white blanket, Hades and Persephone walked over the winding path toward the scattered houses in Asphodel Meadows. The children were already outside, throwing snow balls at each other and building snowmen.

'Persephone!' one of the boys cried out. 'Do you want to join our team? We need you!' She laughed heartily and Hades felt his heart grow. Was this what she did when he left for Tartarus or to attend to his other businesses - as he liked to call his wagers?

'Some other time,' she said as Hades and she walked on.

'Where are we going, anyway? I never thought I would see the day that you'd turn down a snowball fight.' Her beautiful eyes looked up at him.

'It's a surprise.' They walked toward one of the buildings in the middle of the street. Hades noticed their hands touching in the movement, but said nothing. It made him all the more aware of what he'd been missing in the thousands of years he'd been Below and it saddened him to know he had never noticed. Persephone was humming a melody he didn't know. The singing she obviously got from her mother as Zeus wasn't know for his lovely voice.

'Here we go,' she said as she took his hand. Why was that so normal to her? He wasn't accustomed to holding hands - with anyone. Persephone pushed open the door to a cosy tavern. The souls in there looked up and raised their glasses to her, exclaiming their happiness to see her. He awkwardly raised his hand to acknowledge everyone. They raised their glasses once more, to him.

'Table for two,' a dark-haired woman said affirmatively as she led the pair of them to a table by the window. It felt weird sitting down at a tavern where he had never been while it was his kingdom. 'Would you like something to drink?' Perplexed his eyes went from the inn-keeper to Persephone. Did he have to choose something? Normally an array of drinks and food was presented to him.

'Hot chocolate with whipped cream for two, please.' Persephone looked at him with the most radiant smile. 'I hope you'll like it,' she told him softly. 'The kids brought me here one day. I never had it before, not even Above. The smell is amazing.'

'Is this why you wanted it to snow?'

She shrugged. 'The magic is gone if it isn't cold outside.' He smiled at her as the inn-keeper brought them a silver platter with two mugs of hot chocolate. Persephone folded her hands around the mug. He could see it cost her the utmost restraint to not drink from it. He really wanted her to, but he didn't want to force her or trick her into it. If she'd be ready to become Queen of the Underworld one day, it would be on her own account. He felt blood rising to his cheeks and hastily drank from the hot chocolate, only to almost choke on it.

'What's the matter?' she giggled from behind her hand.

'It's quite hot. I like the sweetness. And the whipped cream.' You should try it, too. But he didn't say it out loud.

They had lost their sense of time in the tavern. Just as the lights Below were already growing dim, they pulled their coats from their chairs, hurrying themselves outside. The first souls were already leaving for the Upper Realm, as their inner light became bright and radiant and their faces lit up. They smiled peacefully, knowing a new sun would set for them. In the afternoon they had drank the water from the river Lethe and eventually they left the Underworld, as brightly as stars shooting across the dark sky.

'It's beautiful,' Persephone breathed. He smiled, looking at the same sky. It really was.