Spring in Hades ✔

Chapter 25

Damn it, Demeter. Enough with the dramatics. Innocents are dying by the droves just so you can get what you want? Hades seethed. But at the back of his mind, he knew that he too was no better than Demeter. More innocents will continue to enter his realm as long as Persephone is with him in the Underworld. 

She is my wife. Her rightful place is here with me, and no one can say otherwise, he argued with himself, his eyes burning amber.

Furious, Hades grabbed his doru and began spinning it in his hands. He hurled the seven feet long weapon, and it flew across his private study and impaled itself into a battered thick timber post. As Hades crossed his private study to retrieve his doru, he unwrapped the top part of his himation, secured and tucked it around his waist. The muscles on his arms and shoulder blades flexed and tensed as he extracted the weapon.

A soft knock came to the door but Hades did not hear it. Blood rushed to his ears as he spun the weapon swiftly over his shoulder and around his waist, his agile movements skilled and elegant.

 "Aidoneus?" came Persephone's sweet voice quietly, as she closed the door behind her softly; the first time she entered Hades' private study. She stepped in slowly, careful as to not make a sound lest she would disturb her husband at work. 

She gasped, her hands covering her mouth. Persephone was completely stunned as she watched her husband in combat mode. Hades the warrior was a sight to behold.

Suddenly, he turned towards Persephone, and flung his doru in her direction. A terrified Persephone stood rigid, looking with wide eyes at the weapon that was coming her way.

 "Persephone!" Hades shouted, shocked. He grabbed his kopis and threw it towards his doru, parrying the long weapon to the floor. Hades ran to his wife, wrapping his protective arms tightly around her. Persephone shook all over, her face buried in his slick chest; she could hear Hades' heart pounding like a call of war.

"Are you alright, Persephone? Did I hurt you?" Hades asked as he hold Persephone at arm's length, inspecting her. Persephone shook her head timidly, still speechless from shock. 

"I'm so sorry, my love," he said gently, kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry, I should not have barged in. I did knock but as you did not answer, I thought I should check on you," Persephone's voice was just above a whisper, and Hades kissed her. 

"I'm sorry, my flower. I did not hear you. My mind was elsewhere. Is something the matter?" he asked gently, Persephone buried her face again. 

"Nothing important. I was just lonely," her voice muffled and slow, Hades' heart broke.

Persephone looked up to see his face fell, she rubbed her index finger on the wrinkle between his brows. "I can see that you are very busy. I don't want to be a bother. I'll go now," Persephone said as she turned around quickly, not looking at Hades. 

He caught her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. "Stay, wife. I want you here with me," he said as he brushed the tip of his sharp nose on the nape of her neck, and kissed her shoulder.

Persephone giggled. "I'll just sit myself in the corner-" her voice trailed off and ended in a squeak when Hades dragged her as he sat on his klismos. 

"You're sitting here, my flower," he said firmly, planting Persephone on his lap. "Are you sure, Aidoneus? I don't want to be a nuisance. I can go back to our chambers. It's just... the size of our chambers seemed to emphasize how empty I felt," Persephone said quietly, looking away from her husband. Hades felt as though as his heart had been wrenched out of his chest; he cursed Demeter in his mind.