26A/N: When asked if I'd do a Hades/Persephone story, my immediate answer was no. I didn't think I could do it justice, really. However, I'm a big fan of the pair and have found many incredible fics chronicling their odd story. I like to think mine will be a bit of a departure from the same-old, no offense whatsoever to the writers who have stuck to the script, for whom I have a great and healthy respect. That said, enjoy!
Stuff in these are thoughts, as always.
This is dedicated to the spring of 2003, whose wacky-ass weather gave me the idea in the first place (you'll find out later).
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Persephone, being the usually polite young goddess she was, tried not to cry out in joy as the black chariot rose from the stifling darkness of the Underworld. She turned her pale face to the first rays of golden sunlight, and tried to ignore the vice-like grip around her waist as she took in her first breaths of fresh air denied to her for the last six months.
Six months, had it truly been only that long since she'd danced in the grass or watched in perfect stillness as a delicate flower bloomed? Or even spoken to her mother, the goddess of the harvest, Demeter? Persephone's heart suddenly ached with the need to see her beloved mother, and silently wished Hades would drive the chariot faster out of that accursed pit which was to be her home for six months out of the year for the rest of eternity.
But the god of the dead wasn't ready to give up his less-than-nobly- got prize. In truth he doubted he'd EVER be able to give up Persephone, his love. He told himself once again that eventually the object of his complete devotion would come around. She couldn't stay mad for all eternity, could she? No, he assured himself, of course not. She'll see my love for her is true in time. He tried to ignore how she struggled against his grip, practically falling out of the chariot to get closer to the sun. He squinted and glared at the brightness of the world to which she belonged. The polar opposite of the world to which HE belonged. Well, Hades the more cynical part of himself quipped, You sure can pick 'em.
"Mama!" Persephone cried in delight as the sturdy, golden-skinned goddess came into view. A joy rivaled by none almost overwhelmed her and tears instantly flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks,
Hades' scowl deepened all the more as he saw Demeter was flanked by Artemis and Hermes, both swift gods armed with their respective bows. An arrow was already strung in each. Just in case I don't make good on the deal, he quickly and bitterly surmised. That bitterness escaladed into a hot fury as he roughly pulled the chariot to a stop before them and pushed Persephone away from him. The goddess stumbled into the grass and fell to her knees, "There's your brat back, Demeter," Hades spat out the goddess's name with venomous contempt, his onyx eyes boring a hole into his wife, "See you in six months."
The instant her golden child had hit the ground, the older goddess and her bodyguards were around her. Persephone momentarily ignored their attentions to look back at her husband. Their eyes met, and Hades' anger promptly melted away into shame at his childish actions. The breath caught in his throat as her warm brown eyes changed slightly from the usual dullness that she'd always fixed him with while in the Underworld to something resembling- could it really be?- hurt. But in a blink it was gone, leaving Hades feeling all the more confused and angry. He yanked on the leather reins, making the team of black horses that pulled the chariot snort in annoyance, and was gone.
Persephone blinked again, trying to rid herself of the strange sadness that brought her lips down into a pout. What was there to be sad about? She was free! Free from the torment of her incarceration in the eternal blackness of the Underworld! Free from the sight of the lost souls that floated in the unending shadows! Free from Hades' ever-present stare, the one that made her feel like he wasn't even staring at her, but at her soul...
"Persephone? Persephone!" Demeter shook her daughter slightly, flustered by the girl's sudden vacant expression. What had that horrible god done to her baby to make her act this way?
The young goddess blinked once more, and then looked up at her worried mother. All thoughts of Hades dissipated like so much Underworld smoke as Demeter's face filled her vision, "Mama?" she whispered before Demeter pulled her daughter into a crushing embrace. Hermes and Artemis joined the pair, dropping their weapons into the lush grass.
From inside the shadows of a tree Hades tried not to gag at the sight of the group hug. He turned away from the four gods, attempting to quiet his nauseous stomach and ignore the disappointment he felt for his wife. In her time as Queen of the dead, Hades had hoped not only that she'd return his ardent affection, but also just maybe grow up a little. Couldn't she see how Demeter, not to mention the rest of the Pantheon, suffocated her in their attempt to raise her right? Couldn't she see how her life was just barely her own? Hades could, all too well. While in the Underworld he'd given her as much private time as he could stand, hoping to nurture that seed of independence he knew was within her. She'd used it too, wandering along the Styx or in the Elysian fields alone and forlorn, her starved body looking nearly as gaunt as the damned souls around her. No, the seed had not blossomed as he'd hoped. With a frustrated sigh, the god of the dead returned to his kingdom in a burst of black flame.
~~~
Persephone fell back onto her soft bed with a delighted sigh and a giggle. The rest of the day after being returned to the surface had been spent on a huge "welcome home" celebration organized by her mother. The young goddess had never seen so many flowers in her life. They hung in wreaths all around her home, they seemed to spring up wherever she stepped, their respective perfumes made the air heady and exhilarating. The earth showed no sign of Demeter's previous catastrophic neglect. It was well past midnight when the last guest had left, but Persephone knew she wouldn't sleep a wink this night. The moon was too bright, the stars too beautiful in their twinkling in the inky sky, she couldn't stop watching them.
Stepping out into the warm night onto the balcony just outside her room, the goddess lifted her arms and spun, slowly picking up speed until her raven curls flew perpendicular to her head. She giggled, then laughed long and deep with her eyes closed, simply breathing in the air of the home she'd missed so much. Persephone sank to the floor of the balcony, suddenly exhausted. Not enough exercise down in the Underworld, she supposed between ragged breaths, The smoke probably gave me some horrible disease. Thoughts of the dark basement of the world made her euphoria plummet like a stone as she leaned back against the doorframe between the balcony and her room. She couldn't stop the memories of her new home from rushing to the front of her mind.
~flashback~
"Please take me home," she answered Hades. His question had been whether she was comfortable in her room or not.
"I'll take that as a yes," the god said. His wife didn't look up from her lap to see if he was angry or not. She didn't have to, the sound of him noisily shoveling food into his mouth, taking his annoyance out on anything but her was evidence enough, "Why don't you eat?" he asked sharply, his mouth full.
"I'm not that stupid," she replied, her voice dull and monotone. It was all she could manage; the hunger that continued to gnaw at her stomach commanded all her attention.
To her surprise, Hades laughed slightly at her response, although it sounded more like a cough, "Glad to hear it- wouldn't want an imbecile for a wife."
At this Persephone's gaze flickered up at him, then back down to her lap. She couldn't resist saying, "Don't give me any ideas."
Hades laughed in earnest now, the sound echoing along the halls of his black palace. Several spirits glanced around in confusion, not sure exactly what they heard, but deeply disturbed by it, "Oh, my love," he said, wiping the tears from his eyes, "For nothing else one could adore you for your sense of humor."
Persephone's dry lips turned upwards in the smallest of smiles, though Hades never saw it.
~end flashback~
Persephone tilted her head against the doorframe, her stomach a little nauseous from all the food she'd eaten at the party. Ugh, note to self: one of Mama's pitas is one pita too many. But this train of thought didn't last, still being on lay over in the land of her memories. The taste of something else, something incredibly sweet and delicious, teased at her tongue from inside her memory.
~flashback~
She stood by the Styx in rigid anticipation, every nerve tingling with excitement. Her mother had found her, she was going home at last, and nobody was going to stop her.
She felt rather than heard his presence, "I'm going home," she said. Her voice was deceptively strong, the promise of seeing the sun again emboldening her, "And there's nothing you can do about it." Persephone kept her eyes trained on the cavernous hole in the Underworld just beyond the Styx that would bring her salvation even as Hades approached her.
"You think I don't know that?" he snapped brusquely, then paused, seeming to collect himself for something. His next words were smooth and gentle, "Hey- got you something. Call it a going-away present." A perfectly- ripened pomegranate suddenly appeared before her in Hades hand. His fingers barely seemed to touch its red-orange-gold surface for fear of bruising it.
Her stomach lurched, seeming to fold in on itself as her breathing went ragged and her sunken eyes widened with desire. Nothing had ever looked so delicious to her in her entire life, and it took every last atom of willpower she had not to devour the delicate fruit, "Don't do this to me," she begged him, her voice rough with need. At that moment her stomach made a noise to rival Cerberus' growls as she continued to unabashedly stare at the pomegranate.
"Your stomach begs to differ, my dear," Hades replied, his voice hypnotic. Her eyelids slid downward, and she felt sure she would've collapsed right there on the damp rock had Hades not slipped an arm around her waist, "I promise you this isn't Underworld food. Would I lie to you? Your own husband?"
Persephone smiled easily, "No, of course not," she said lazily, rocking slightly in his hold. He would never lie to her, he was her husband.
"Then go ahead, take a seed or two. It couldn't hurt, you ARE leaving, and, as you said, nothing can stop you."
Persephone gingerly took the pomegranate in both hands, and after a second of study, six seeds disappeared down her throat, each one more delicious than the last. She hummed in pleasure as Hades rocked her gently, his chin resting on her shoulder.
"That's my girl," he seemed to purr, and Persephone leaned into him as the seeds hit her stomach.
~end flashback~
What an imbecile I turned out to be, she thought bitterly, I wonder if Hades knows he married a complete dolt! Maybe he'll give me up then. The hope quickly died. He would never give her up, she knew that now. She didn't understand it, but she knew it to be the truth. And there would be no escape from her fate.
Fatigue overcoming her, Persephone lay down right on the balcony and was asleep in seconds, the night air lulling her to a deep, dreamless slumber. Well- the night air and the charmed flower hidden inside one of the boughs below her balcony. She continued her innocent sleep as enchanted ropes bound her hands behind her back, her feet together at the ankle. In fact, she didn't wake until she was miles from her beloved home.
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A/N: Not too shabby huh? I'd love to hear your opinions, so review please! Don't expect and update right away though, I'm not even sure who kidnapped our favorite Queen of the dead yet!