The Colour Of Pomegranates

Chapter 56

'Only Zeus can father twins.' Hecate shot Persephone a pitiful smile before she sat down next to her and cupped her pale face with her hands. 'I can tell you something else as well, though. One is born from the light and the other from shadows.' Persephone freed herself from Hecate's hold and slowly rose to her feet.

'No.'

'Persephone, listen to me. I would never say this to you solely to break your heart. I am telling you right now because you need to go back to that damn castle and face him. There is no time to deny what you know is true.'

'I am not pregnant with Zeus' child.'

'You are and Hades knows it, too.' Persephone turned to face her, all colour drained from her face. 'Yes, Persephone, he knows. He can feel it, too. I've been around long enough to know what this means. One does not want to invoke the wrath of Hades.' The young goddess stammered back.

'If any of this happened at all, I wasn't even aware of it,' she whispered. She started breathing harder, walking away from Hecate. Deep down she knew it was true and the unsettling feeling coloured like mercury, leaving her dizzy and nauseous. 

She paid no further attention to Hecate calling out to her and walked back to the castle. Before she could walk up the hill she stopped herself and looked up. A million thoughts occupied her mind, none clear enough to move her toward or away from the god she loved. She didn't know what would happen next. She could walk up and face him or she could walk away and never look back. The pink shame that settled under her skin told her to go, the white love that lit up er aura told her to stay. She swallowed. She wished she could talk to Apollo and Artemis. One would be serious, the other would diminish the weight of the situation, both were equally important. She started tearing up when she wished her mother was with her. Demeter would know exactly how Persephone felt, she would know exactly what to do.

Her feet started moving, not toward the castle, nor to the tunnel leading toward the Above world. She started walking all the way to Tartarus, where a red glowing darkness was already creeping to the horizon. Barefoot she walked through the ravine, where the chained Titans looked down on her with curious eyes. Not a soul in Tartarus dared touch the goddess who was bound to Hades.

When she reached the manor she sank down on the steps and looked over the barren lands of Tartarus. In the distance she could hear the screams of tortured souls. Once upon a time those screams had invited her over. Persephone's heart was big enough to love and comfort a thousand souls a hundred times over. She never thought about motherhood, since she was destined to be a Maiden Goddess from birth and Hades - him being the deity of the Dead - was believed to be unable to father children. She had made her peace with this fact before even considering whether she wanted children of her own. There were lost souls enough in the world. She pulled her legs close to her body and rested her chin on her knees, holding her breath.

'I thought you might be here.' His soft voice made her startle. Hades walked out of the manor and descended the steps to sit next to her. After that neither one of them spoke for a while, Persephone clawing at the last bits of courage she felt, Hades feeling as though his life slid through his fingers as grains of sands. She wasn't ready for a conflict this comprehensive, not now she finally started to feel like everything between them was going to be fine - but she knew that the longer she'd wait, the vaster the mercury stain would become. She already felt like she was drowning, like she couldn't win.

'I didn't know,' Persephone whispered, crystal tears rolling down her cheeks. Hades knuckles turned white, gripping the slate step. Why couldn't he look at her? 'I swear I didn't know.'

'It's okay. We will be okay,' Hades said, choking out a tiny smile meant to comfort her. 'It was not your fault.'

'What's going to happen to us?'

Hades turned to face her, his body stiff, his face emotionless, his eyes blazing with rage and sadness. Slowly he moved his hand to her stomach and closed his eyes. She froze, scared for what he might do, but she allowed him to touch her nonetheless. He leant into her, resting his chin on her shoulder and hiding his face in her hair. He sighed and absorbed her scent.

'You smell of flowers, fruits, and a bit of ocean breeze. It's my favourite thing in the whole wide universe.' He moved and froze when his eye fell on the bracelet. He moved his hand to the accessory and unclasped it, careful not to touch her wrist.

'I will unleash all the monsters of Tartarus,' he said in a sinister voice that didn't sound natural to him. He crumbled the golden bracelet as though it was mere paper and Persephone swallowed. 'I will burn down the world he loves so much. I will bring down Olympus and him with it. I shall never forgive him for hurting you, nor for what he has done to me.'

'Please, don't,' Persephone whispered, taking his hand in hers. Curiously, he looked at her as she put his hand on her stomach. 'Hecate says one of them is yours, and they're both mine. Please don't punish those who are innocent in his mad trick.' Struck with her breaking voice, Hades let out a sigh and knelt down beside her.

'I will love you until eternity, Persephone. Whatever happens, that is a given that will not ever change.' He pulled her into an embrace and she started crying, part from relief, part from her broken heart. They sat like that for what seemed like hours before Persephones tears ran dry and she freed herself from his hold.

'Do you think there is a chance I could talk to your mother?' He let out a dry chuckle out of surprise. Rhea had vanished off the face of the earth since her betrayal and the Titanomachy.

'You're not kidding,' he then said, arching an eyebrow. 'Well, if you plan on leaving the Underworld for Spring, you may look for her. I'm guessing she is hiding out in Polynesia. It's a favourite spot for her.' She swallowed, not deaf to his acknowledgement regarding her responsibilities, and looked up at him with a sincere look on her face.

'I love you, Hades. I have loved you since last Winter, I love you still and I will love you until the day I lose my mind. I will go back Up to see my mother, but I will always come back Down for you. Always.' He planted a light kiss on her forehead. In that moment he knew they would be okay. He would not tear her or Zeus apart, nor would he swallow the mortal realm into the depths of Hell. For Persephone he would do anything, even if that meant he couldn't do anything at all.