“Father.”
“Athena,”
Zeus loosened a tight breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding until the Goddess of Wisdom appeared before him. Athena had been born from his mind and harbored a special talent for imparting wise words that’d earned her title. He hadn’t remembered calling on the others yet, but somehow his conscious reached out to her. She knew that he needed her now being that their minds were linked indefinitely.
And she was a sight to behold.
Zeus rose from his throne, peering at his beloved daughter with all the love in the world, but there hadn’t been a time where she disappointed him. He always counted on her council more than the others and she’d never failed him. Perhaps that’d been why he’d called on her first because he knew her opinion would differ from the other Gods and Goddesses that would be coming soon.
“What ails you?” Athena asked, her voice light and full of knowledge.
“Oh, my Athena,” He started, resting the side of his cheek on the crown of her head. “I have missed you, you don’t visit often.”
She pulled back to look the ruler of Olympus in the eye. They’d nearly been the same height, but different in features. Though she’d been born from only his mind, and with no mother, she somehow inherited dark brown hair and forest green eyes. “There are many that are in need of my power, my help, Father. I can not abandon them in their time of need.”
Zeus smiled, pride swelled in his chest at his daughter’s determination to spread the love that she nurtured for all humans. He’d watch her from the mirror in the center of the room, as he’d done for all of his children, and witness the hope she spread that brought fortune to even the poorest soul. They worshipped her, admired her, and even built statues in her name with impeccable likeness to her image.
“I can’t say that I am upset about that.” Zeus replied then sighed. Though she was here, it was hard to be entirely cheerful about it. He had something on his mind.
“What is wrong, Father?” Athena questioned, guiding him to the steps leading up to the platform where his and Hera’s throne was.
They both took a seat on the steps side by side before he continued. “I am worried for Hades.”
“Is he well?”
“Yes, of course.” Zeus quickly assured. Athena also had a big heart that wouldn’t hesitate to do everything she could in her power to see to it that another was all right. “I feared for him when Persephone passed away.”
“As did I.” Athena admitted. “He closed the doors to his realm to prevent anyone from seeing him. I did not think he would ever heal.”
“Neither did I.” Zeus agreed. He clasped Athena’s hand in his and brought their joined hands to his chest. “I don’t think I would’ve lived if anything were to happen to you.”
That earned a smile from her and she leaned into him. “And I to you, Father.”
“He has found another that he wishes to make his Queen.” Zeus said. He’d felt indifferent to the decision that his brother made, knowing that he couldn’t influence Hades’ mind once it was already made up. But Zeus had a feeling that this girl was special somehow because he knew that his brother was no fool to randomly pluck a human and add her to the ranks of a Goddess.
“Who is she?”
Zeus recalled the information that Hades had been willing to tell him about her. Hades had been watching the woman ever since she was born and he’d only decided until recently to tell Zeus about her. “A princess from the human realm in the kingdom of Evyon.”
“I am familiar with that kingdom.” Athena said. “However, I have not communicated with the humans there. The kingdom is small.”
“Which is why I think it was the perfect place to hide her in plain sight. Hades didn’t want to tell us what he was planning all these years, that’s why he kept his distance.”
Hades had come and gone for decades, hardly exchanging two words with the other Gods and Goddesses. He kept to himself and made his realm off limits to others outside of his inner circle. The only indication that Zeus had gotten that his brother was pulling through his grief had come from Hypnos who travelled in and out of the realm as he pleased.
“Have you seen the woman he speaks of?” Athena asked next.
He shook his head. “When I found out about her, she’d already been in the Underworld.”
“Is Hades willing for you to meet her?”
“Yes. He wishes to give her the elixir to make her into a demi-Goddess.” A panicked feeling started to rise in his chest. He didn’t know what the woman would be like or her true intentions. He was afraid that she’d be a threat that’d have to be eliminated, but he feared a civil war with his brother.
“That is a tenacious decision. One that I hope was made out of love, but we can only hope that Hades is keen on his choice of a new suitor.” Athena foreboded judiciously, she gave their hands a squeeze that caused Zeus to look into her eyes. He felt the warmth filter from her to him and his heart leaped inside of his chest. “Trust in him. Has he ever led you astray?”
“No.”
“Since the time of the Titans, Hades has been nothing but the fitting ruler. He had the love of his life ripped away from him and now he has chosen a new partner to fill his days with happiness.”
He kissed the back of her palm. Their talk had altered any reserved thoughts he had about Hades like he knew she would. She had a knack for diffusing tough situations. “Athena, you are a true gem.”
Athena smiled in return, happy to please. “I am humbled, Father.”
Apollo was the second to arrive and right after him was his twin sister, Artemis. She rolled her eyes at her younger brother who’d looked disheveled from what appeared to be from rigorous activity he dealt with before he showed up. He’d adjusted the lacings of his trousers before bowing his head towards his father as he made his way to his throne next to his sister’s. “Father.”
“Apollo, you could’ve cleaned up before you came her.” Zeus said. He was now sitting on his throne next to Hera, who looked like she could care less about being there, and Athena sat on his other side.
“Then I would really be late.” He replied. “Sister.”
“Brother, Father does have a point. You smell of your latest lover.” Artemis curled her nose in his direction. “It’s a pity me and Aphrodite have to smell it being that we sit closest to you.”
“Mm, you should try taking a lover or two and then you would wear the aftermath of their scents with pride.” He purred at his sister, knowing full well that she would oppose.
Artemis, the virgin Goddess, used her title with pride. She rallied at the side of man and ethereal beings, winning battles with her bow and arrow and her excellent skills with combat. “At least I’ll never have to worry about a lover turning into a tree to get away from me.”
Apollo frowned at that. “Daphne just wanted a change of scenery! Always the one with harsh blows.”
Even Zeus laughed from his seat. He didn’t even bother to hide it.
“If it is meant to be, it is meant to be,” Athena chimed from her throne. “Love always finds away.”
“Hey, that’s my line.” Aphrodite said when she appeared. She was already in her seat, crossing her legs as she settled in. “But there is no hope for you, Apollo. I have already deemed it so.”
Aphrodite and Artemis shared a laugh.
Apollo slumped in his seat. “I wish to leave.”
“In time, Apollo. I have called you all here for a reason.” Zeus said. Poseidon returned and sat silently on his throne without paying any of them his attention. He mindless twirled his triton in his hand, watching the space where Hades would return with Alessandra.
“Do tell us, Father.” Ares said when he popped in. He wore armor from head to toe that’d already been dripping with blood. Despite that, Hera’s eyes immediate lit up at the sight of her son. “Let’s make this quick, I was in the middle of a war.”
“That does not surprise us.” Artemis grumbled. “You instigate most of them.”
A sly grin spread on his face. “That’s what makes it so fun.”
Zeus rolled his eyes. “We can discuss hobbies later. Right now, we have something pressing to discuss.”
With the rest of the Gods and Goddesses were present, it was time to get serious. All eyes turned to their ruler as Zeus straightened in his seat. “Hades will soon be arriving.”
All of them turned their heads to the empty throne that hadn’t been occupied in decades. Hestia’s eyes lingered the longest. “I do not remember the last time I have seen him.”
Zeus turned sad eyes to his sister. “He has resurfaced.”
“Then I will welcome him with open arms.” Hestia said delighted at the pending appearance of the brother she hadn’t seen in a long time. She’d mourned as well at Persephone’s passing.
“Argh,” Ares gagged. “Please tell me we’re not here to discuss a welcome party for that brute.”
“No.” Zeus said. “But we are here because I thought it only fair for all of you to determine whether his new Queen is worthy to join our hierarchy as a Goddess.”
Gasps rapidly filled the room.
“There is another?” Aphrodite questioned. “I must say that I am jealous to not have set them up myself.”
“Who is she?” Hestia replied next.
“A princess from the human realm.” Zeus said. “Hades saved her life and now wishes to share the elixir with her.”
“Is this your first time hearing of this?” Dionysus interjected. He wiggled his fingers and a pitcher of wine appeared in the air and poured him a glass.
“I was informed about her a few years ago.” Poseidon finally said. He was so quiet that some almost forgot he was there. “I hadn’t known his infatuation was serious. Zeus found out a while ago when Hades had to bring her into his realm.”
Zeus nodded. “Now, I need to know if you all will be okay with me permitting her transition.”
“I want to see her.” Hestia said. “I want to deem her worth of our brother, don’t you think?”
Everyone murmured agreement.
“They will be here soon.”
“Then you will have our vote when we see them.” Hestia finalized, shrinking into her throne as she got more comfortable for what seemed to be a long wait for Hades.
Zeus wondered why it’d taken Hades so long. They were already assembled, but they were missing the most vital person. When Hades left, he hadn’t been clear he would come back, but Zeus had hoped he would. He wanted all of his suspicion to be put to rest; he wanted to finally see the woman that he boasted about. If he didn’t show up then he was going to stomp and bang on the doors to his realm until he answered even if Hades made him wait for days on end.
“Have a glass of wine, you look tense.” Dionysus offered from his place across the room. He didn’t have to stand to bring him the pitcher of wine; he commanded his power to send it to the ruler.
Zeus took the pitcher in one hand and conjured up a chalice in the other. “Thank you.”
“I don’t like to be kept waiting.” Hera tapped her foot irritably on the marble floor with her sharp heel. She wore a golden headpiece that blended into her golden hair. Her sky blue sheer gown had left little to the imagination with its thin material, but she wore it proudly in front of the other Gods and Goddesses.
“Neither do I,” Ares said. “Maybe you’ve been swindled.”
Zeus immediately turned hard eyes on Ares. “Watch it.”
Hera snarled at her husband for responding so harshly to their son. “He has a point.”
He couldn’t keep them forever. He decided to give him a few more minutes and if Hades still didn’t show up then he would dismiss them and go to Hades’ realm himself. “He will be here.”
Poseidon snorted. “Your confidence in him is inspiring.”
“Poseidon,” Zeus growled. “Not. Now.”
They continued to chat amongst themselves to pass the time. Everyone mostly wanted to talk about what’d been happening on the human realm and then they’d pass jokes in between. With each passing minute, Zeus’ anger flared. Hades wouldn’t disappoint him, not while he needed Zeus to allow him to take the elixir that he kept locked away.
“Enough of this, he’s not going to show.” Ares stood swiftly, his armor clanking together as he did. “I need to go back.”
“Ares,” Athena tried to reason, “patience.”
“Zeus,” Demeter said. “Forgive me, but I must go. He will not show.”
Zeus knew just how painful it was for Demeter to be here. He hadn’t seen her a lot since Persephone passed away. He was surprised she even showed up to this meeting. He understood her reason for distancing herself and refused to push her any further than she was willing to go. “Very well. I thank you all for coming—”
There was a cloud of darkness in the middle of the room that swirled until limbs stepped out of it. Zeus immediately knew the first figure to be Hades as he nearly blending in with the shadows that’d formed then disappeared at his command, but the person standing next to him took his breath away.
“Sorry we’re late.” Hades said in greeting, but no one responded.
Everyone stared in silence, completely taken aback by the body standing under Hades’ arm. Dark, straight hair flowed down her back all the way to her waist, with angelic beryl eyes that matched Hades. She wore a black cloak over her silver dress that was made of silk and split in the center to reveal her legs. She was the picture of a true Goddess.
One that everyone admired.
And one that everyone knew.
“Persephone?” Demeter croaked in bewilderment. She was the first to speak and move, her legs lifted her from her seat and that’s all that she could manage to do. She stood there, her hands clasped over her mouth as tears rushed into her eyes. She hadn’t seen Persephone in what felt like a lifetime and now she was here.
“Shit.” Ares tumbled back into his seat. It was the first time Zeus had seen him caught off guard before and for a God that was always on guard, it was shocking to see him like that.
Hera leaned forward, perplexed and in disbelief. “This can’t be.”
Even Athena was speechless. She looked at her father for help as to how to properly react to this. She couldn’t believe it even though Alessandra was standing right in front of them. Zeus didn’t even know how to process this.
Poseidon’s triton clanked on the marbled, which caused everyone to jump. They all turned to the God of the Sea. “I-I never knew . . .”
“No one did.” Hades said. “I had to find the right time.”
“She called me Persephone,” Alessandra told Hades. Her eyes hadn’t left the ones of the woman who softly whimpered.
“What is your name?” Zeus asked.
“Alessandra.”
Demeter took one step forward. “What is this, Hades? Why does my daughter stand before us?”
Alessandra turned to Hades in question. “What?”
“This is what I wanted to show you, Zeus.” Hades said. “I wanted you to see for yourself why Alessandra had been someone important to me.”
“What is she?” Hera asked sharply. “Persephone died a long time ago.”
Demeter flinched at that.
“Please, explain this to us.” Poseidon said.
Alessandra thought she was here just to drink the elixir, she hadn’t expected all of the Gods and Goddesses to react to her this way. Apparently she looked like Persephone, but she wasn’t her.
“I know this is strange to behold. When Persephone died, I thought I’d lost my better half. Years went by and nights felt longer and I thought about ending my very existence somehow.” Hades looked to Alessandra. “But when she was born, I immediately felt it—her. I thought Persephone was alive again, somehow, and she’d been on the human realm. I thought somehow she didn’t really die. So, I had to investigate. I had to see and found her born from a Queen in the kingdom of Evyon very weak and close to death.”
Alessandra gasped. It was the first time she was hearing this story. “What are you saying?”
Hades continued, “It was as if a soul was calling another soul and I answered. And I made the deal with her mother, Elizabeth.”
“Oh, my,” Apollo said.
Hades nodded at Apollo’s words, a smile curving his lips. Then he said the next words that he’d been finally allowed to say. “She is Persephone’s reincarnation.”
Demeter collapsed to the floor, drawing Alessandra’s attention to the woman. She felt the immediate urge to go to her and comfort her, but she stayed back. Instead, Dionysus rushed to her side. “That is impossible.”
“She is standing before you.” Hades said. “That is proof enough.”
“I must say this is a pleasant surprise.” Artemis said. Her reaction had been the least bit of surprised as the other, but she was still amused nonetheless. It wasn’t everyday someone was reincarnated. In fact, it was something rare. So much so that Artemis didn’t believe it existed until now.
“Zeus.” Poseidon said. “You must speak.”
“I . . .”
What could he say?
Persephone.
His daughter that he spawned with Demeter was standing before him and he had this overwhelming urge to gather her in his arms.
And yet she wasn’t really Persephone.
She was Alessandra. The princess from Evyon who was born to new parents and raised by them. He hated himself for starting to forget what her features looked like, but when he saw her, he was acutely reminded. She was still beautiful just like he reminded, if slightly altered by the way her jaw was a little rounder. She had darker hair, but her eyes still remained the same.
“You knew this whole time?” Zeus hated that his voice sounded accusatory, but he was merely curious.
“Yes.” Hades admitted. “I did.”
“This changes things.” Poseidon mumbled. He bent to retrieve his triton. “This must be fate.”
“She has returned to us.” Hestia smiled.
“Hmm, it would appear so.” Hera said.
“Wait,” Alessandra injected. She was still trying to process what Hades had revealed. It was certainly not what she expecting to find out about herself. “You knew I was Persephone’s reincarnation this whole time and didn’t tell me?”
Hades held her closer, feeling her unease rise. “You weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to let that knowledge influence you to stay. What’s worse, I didn’t want it to push you away. I had to be sure you fell in love with me as Alessandra and not Persephone.”
“So, the woman in my hallucination,” Alessandra said to herself, remembering the time when she was stuck in that alternate world after she fell in the Sea of Souls. A woman helped her return and she looked exactly like herself. “That was Persephone. She looked just like me.”
Hades hadn’t known she’d seen Persephone before. “Alessandra, I swear to you, I withheld the truth out of good faith.”
“Alessandra,” Demeter said. “That is a lovely name.”
She turned to the woman that’d been Persephone’s mother in her past life. They looked the same, but Alessandra knew this wasn’t her mother. Elizabeth, the former Queen of Evyon, was her true parent. She’d shown her love and protected her until her final breath. This woman was merely a stranger.
However, she was familiar and a part of her longed to be near her. There was a tug in her chest that made her clutch her heart and she realized she’d missed this woman. Persephone missed her mother. “You’re . . .?”
“My name is Demeter,” she said, slowly rising with the help of Dionysus. “I’m your—I was Persephone’s mother.”
“This is strange.” Alessandra laughed hysterically. “Wow.”
“Forgive us, we just weren’t prepared.” Athena said.
“Neither was I.” Alessandra said.
Hades didn’t want to continue on from here if Alessandra wasn’t of sound mind. “If this is too much, then we can go back. I would understand if this changes your decision.”
“No.” She replied. “I still want to do this.”
“And all of us do not oppose.” Athena said before Zeus could because he was still caught off guard. “Father?”
He nodded. “Yes. I will accept you as our own.”
“As will I.” Demeter said.
“Me too.” Everyone else chorused.
“All you have to do is drink this,” Zeus extended his hand, closed his eyes, and imagined the vile of the elixir he kept stored away. Then a long, glass vial with a dark purple substance appeared in his hand.
Alessandra was frozen in place, her hands balled in fists at her side. This was it. This was her final step to being with Hades forever. Although he told her too late, she wouldn’t let that revelation get in the way of what she’d already pledged to do. She would deal with it later. Leaving his side, she walked on stiff legs towards Zeus to reach for the bottle. Up close she could see Zeus’ hand shake a little when she plucked the vial from his grasp. It was cold in her hands with the purple liquid glistening each time it caught the light.
Alessandra returned to Hades’ side.
“Drink it.” He said softly.
“What will happen to me?”
“You’ll sleep.” He explained, talking to her as if she were the only person in the room even though they were surrounded. “And while you’re asleep, your body will change as well as your mind and when you wake up, it’ll be done.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“But you must drink it here.” Zeus warned. “The elixir does not leave this realm in its vulnerable form.”
“Okay.” Alessandra pulled off the top.
“I won’t leave your side.” Hades promised. “Never.”
Alessandra nodded, but she looked over her shoulder to seek the woman that’d once been her mother. Demeter held on to Dionysus with tears still leaking from her eyes. She nodded at Alessandra with a hopeful smile plastered on her face.
One by one, the Gods and Goddess began to rise.
“I look forward to getting to know you better, Lady Alessandra.” Apollo said with a wink. “All in due time.”
And then he vanished.
“Yes, I would love to hear more stories about your human life.” Artemis said. “Maybe I will finally give you lessons in weaponry.”
In the blink of an eye, she was gone as well. They were all leaving, taking turns, most of them wishing Alessandra luck in the next step of her life.
Even Poseidon prepared to leave. “Forgive me, Hades. I understand now.”
“All is forgiven, Brother.” He nodded to Poseidon.
Only Zeus and Demeter remained. They were closer now, standing in front of Alessandra with Hades. The God of the Underworld kept his arms around her ready to catch her once the elixir began to take effect.
Alessandra brought the rim of the vial to her lips. Her eyes briefly met Zeus’ before finally landing on Demeter. Persephone’s parents—her parents wanted to stay with her for what came next.
And even though Alessandra didn’t know them, a part of her did, the part that was Persephone. Suddenly, it made sense. Maybe it had been Persephone herself that’d shown her the memories that she thought were dreams; maybe she’d been preparing her for this moment. As she tipped the vial over and the elixir rushed into her system, she instantly succumbed to it.
Hades was there to catch her, like he always had. He’d waited for this very moment and would cherish this second chance he had with the love of his life. And as she fell into a deep sleep, the elixir quickly doing what it was created for, he whispered the words he’d wanted to say since the moment she came into the Underworld. “Welcome home.”
The End...Until Book 2.