The Colour Of Pomegranates

Chapter 40

The flowers that bloomed in her path turned darker with every day Persephone spent Above. From snowdrop, daffodil and daisy to chocolate sunflower and dark red carnations now. She was getting anxious as she still numbered the days, not knowing to when.

'Could you please spare a smile?' Demeter sighed. 'It's been five months already. September lies in waiting.' Persephone glared at her.

'Just leave me alone, will you?' Demeter put her glass down hard.

'I am your mother still, and you will do as I say. Your mood is ruining mine.' Persephone draw a sharp breath.

'For someone so important to me I wonder about my importance to you. You never wanted me back because you love me. You wanted me back to prove a point, to show the world that you own me.' Persephone averted her eyes, the meaning of her own words dawning in on her while she looked out the window. Suddenly she understood what Hades was talking about, not wanting Orpheus to leave with Eurydice, not wanting to believe good in the mortal way. She would die for Hades in a heartbeat. If it meant he would be happy, she would do it. Her immortality meant nothing to her if he wasn't happy.

'It's not true and you know it,' Demeter seethed.

'Then let me go.' Persephone got up from the chair. With shaking hands Demeter took her cup, but before it reached her mouth, the porcelain burst, spilling tea and shards of porcelain all over the floor. Persephone rushed to get a towel and started to clean the mess up.

'I never wanted to give you the impression you were a prisoner,' Demeter said, tears falling down her cheeks. Persephone looked up to her mother and placed her hands on her knees.

'I don't,' she whispered, 'but I know you still see me as the little girl prancing around in the fields and I'm not anymore. I've been around long enough to know my way, and now that I've been Below I know that is where my destination lies.' Demeter rolled her eyes and got up.

'You mean, with that awful being that's my brother,' she snorted.

'I do.'

'Your father won't approve.' 

It was a lovely day for a confrontation between father en daughter. Demeter had tried to convince her otherwise but seeing her daughter was going through divine puberty she let her have her own destructive way. She would see the way it would pan out and was ready to catch her daughter when she'd fall. She was certain Zeus would say no. He knew his brother, too. He wouldn't let his own daughter be with him.

As they walked into Court, several divinities nodded in acknowledging Persephone. It was totally different from the first time she was there. She wondered about the reasons - was it because she got a hold of Hades' hard-to-reach heart? Was it because she had survived so long Below?

'Persephone!' Hermes exclaimed upon seeing her. He went over and messed up her curls.

'We are so glad to see you've returned,' said Aphrodite, pulling her in a too-friendly embrace.

'Me too,' hesitated Persephone.

'It is you,' Zeus roared with happy laughter as he walked into the Atrium. 'I thought I saw Hera glaring. You don't look too shabby for someone who spent all those weeks in the pits.' Persephone smiled faintly.

'Thanks. I came here to talk to you about something.' He poured himself a drink and offered her one with a slow swing of the crystal bottle, which she declined.

'Let's go into my office.'

'No!' Hera and Demeter bellowed in unison.

'It's okay,' Persephone said, 'they can hear it. I don't care.' She took a deep breath. 'I want to know how to forsake my vows of abstinence.' Gasps of horror echoed in the crowd. So it was true! The girl had lain with Hades! Zeus waved his hands.

'Consider it done. You are no longer to be chaste.'

'Really?' she said. 'It's that easy?'

'Well yes. You take the vows for yourself. If you don't wish to follow up on them, you won't have to. Didn't your mother tell you?'

'I guess not,' she sighed. But then again, there were a lot of things Demeter never told her.

'Was that all, Kore?' Demeter flinched, Persephone crossed her arms.

'How is he?' she asked softly. Zeus lowered the glass he just raised, arching an eyebrow. He shrugged.

'Hell wasn't a nice place to begin with. Does that answer your question?'

'It doesn't. How is he?' Bored, Zeus sighed.

'Depressing. Why bother with Loserboy anyway?' She tried to suppress her anger at his callousness. Her mother once called Hades heartless while he never ever confirmed those words - she had called Zeus supreme, superior, all-powerful and what not - and all he did was confirm what Hades had told her. She hated her father with every fibre of her being.

'I want to go back.'

'Okay then,' Zeus said without so much as a frown.

'No!' Demeter shrieked, 'she won't!' Turning to her daughter, she vowed, 'I will chain you to your bed if that's what it takes! Mortal kind will die because of you!' Persephone ignored her and stared into her father's eyes. A mischievous grey glint assured her she was getting her way. Zeus always had a dark preference for Chaos.

'Done,' he said, bending over when his voice turned into a whisper, 'but we'll need to discuss the specifics. Can't have my fans dying over puppy love.'