The Kore of Vengeance
"At the core of vengeance lies betrayal."
Chapter 1: Corrupt Gods
Hades lounged in his skeletal throne, tossing a skull in the air to escape from the abyss of boredom he'd fallen into an eternity ago. In his depths he could feel a god of Mount Olympus descending through his domain, drawing nearer and nearer. He didn't bother to acknowledge his nephew as the war god entered the cave-like throne room. The light that emanated from the god drove away the darkness, leaving him in a bubble of light. "Hello Hades." Greeted Ares, crossing his arms and shaking his head at his laid back uncle. Hades' coal black eyes shifted slowly to glare at him, "What do you want, Ares?" He asked in a low echoing voice.
Ares had always been his favorite nephew, (for obvious reasons) but lately he was becoming an even greater pain in the ass than Hermes. And that was saying something. You see, lately, Ares had gotten this idea into his head that he was on the verge of complete separation from the gods. No doubt he'd gotten it from his mistress, Aphrodite.
"My Lord, there is a meeting today on Mount Olympus. I came to remind you lest you forget." Ares said, his strong, noble voice, quivering slightly in the presence of the god of the Underworld, the one god besides his father that he was genuinely afraid of. Hades' thin lips curved into an even deeper scowl. "I didn't forget. I'm not going." Ares sighed, "But Lord Hades, you haven't been to a meeting in so long…" "I have no intention of going to that orgy they have the nerve to call a meeting!" Hades hissed, crushing the skull in his pale hand. Hades got up from his throne and stalked over to the table where his ghostly servants had laid out baskets of fruit and whine to pour himself a glass. Ares was silent for a moment then a sly smirk appeared. "Demeter will be there." He said, knowing of Hades' captivation of the earth goddess. Hades turned his head slightly, but kept his back turned to Ares, so he wouldn't see the gentle smile that warmed his cold face. There was a long silence. Then Hades turned to Ares with his usual uncaring expression plastered on, "I'll come if I can." He growled. Ares smiled and bowed to Hades, "I'll be looking forward to seeing you there, Lord Hades."
Demeter and her best friends Aphrodite and Artemis walked along the marbled path to the Pantheon of Mount Olympus. Demeter listened as Aphrodite went on and on about one of her more recent affairs. "I swear I thought we'd get caught for sure…" Aphrodite's voice faded as Demeter's attention drifted elsewhere. Her green eyes set on the stone cold face of Hades as he rode up to the Pantheon on his black chariot with fire trailing its wheels. It had been so long since she'd last seen him. He looked even more beautiful to her now. She felt her frenzied heart still as his deep black eyes locked with hers. Realizing that their friend was being left behind, Aphrodite and Artemis ran back to get her. "What is it, Demeter?" asked the goddess of the hunt, Artemis. Aphrodite chuckled and pointed towards the god who had caught Demeter's attention. "Hades is here!" Artemis cried in shock. He never came to the meetings. Demeter said nothing. She just continued to stare.
Ares ran to the three girls and threw his arm around Aphrodite's shoulder. "Your husband isn't here is he?" Ares whispered in her ear. "No" Aphrodite shrugged. Ares grinned at her devilishly and gave her a passionate kiss. Athena knocked him on the head with her staff as she passed him. Ares yelled a few curses at her before she disappeared into the Pantheon.
Hades' usually silent heart thudded in his chest as he made his way towards where Demeter and her friends were gathered. There was so much he wanted to say but when he came to stand before her, he couldn't force the words from his mouth. "Hello…Demeter." Was all that came out. "It's good to see you, Hades." Demeter replied with a warm smile.
Demeter had always held a special place in her heart for Hades. He wasn't at all like the other gods who liked to show off their powers to entice young beautiful women into their beds. He preferred solitude and silence, much like herself. However, she could see plainly that his days in the Underworld were having a terrible affect on him. He looked so sad. Oh how she wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him close, but her pride wouldn't allow for such behavior. It was unbecoming of a goddess. So, she just stood there staring back at him as he stared at her.
Hermes flew over the gathered gods and goddesses, announcing that Zeus was ready to begin the meeting. At his word they all began entering the Pantheon.
Zeus sat on his massive golden throne with his queen, Hera sitting on his lap. As Aphrodite and Demeter entered, he maneuvered her out of his lap and hoisted himself to his feet. With fists on his hips and a broad smile Zeus greeted his fellow gods. "Welcome my dear ones." One by one each god and goddess bowed before Zeus and gave him a polite greeting. When Aphrodite approached Zeus took her hand in his and kissed it, "Aphrodite, my fairest child. It's good to see you." Aphrodite giggled, "It's good to see you too father." She bowed then skipped away to sit beside Ares. Then came Artemis. Zeus shook her hand firmly and congratulated her on her latest hunt. She then bowed and went to sit with her twin, Apollo. Demeter was next. A strange light flickered across Zeus' blue eyes as he took her hand. "Beautiful, Demeter." He bent to kiss her hand. Demeter noticed he let his lips linger on her skin before pulling away. "I swear, if I were a free god I'd marry you right now." Zeus whispered. His words made Demeter's stomach role. Her eyes darted to Hera, who was glaring daggers at her now. "Careful, Zeus, or your wife may cut out that silver tongue of yours." She gave a quick bow then ran as fast as she could to her seat beside Aphrodite.
Hades was the last god to enter. Zeus' eyebrow quirked upward in surprise. "Hades, I wasn't expecting you to show up." Hades ran his hand through his black hair, "You know me, full of surprises. I 'm just here to see whether or not Mount Olympus is as corrupt as it was a thousand years ago when I last came to one of your stupid meetings." Hades turned away without bowing to his elder brother, "I'm just here to observe." He said then went to sit in the very back of the room, away from everyone else.
Hades' rebellion irritated Zeus to no end. It was partly the reason why he tried his best to make Hades miserable, that and if Zeus had not cheated when he, Poseidon and Hades pulled lots for their realms, Hades would have been the one sitting on the throne of mount Olympus. Even now with all the gods watching him, he was plotting his next assault. He wasn't blind to Hades and Demeter's relationship. He knew his brother longed for the red haired, green-eyed goddess. Zeus smirked to himself as his plan began to take shape. If he were to take her away from him, he'd be absolutely, irreversibly, devastated.
Hades watched with eyes blazing like the fires of Tarterus as the Olympian gods drank and made merry, completely forgetting their duties. Zeus's meetings were nothing but parties in disguise. A perfect excuse for him to flirt with the many goddesses and nymphs that surrounded him. Zeus was such a prick. He sat on his throne with three nymphs swooning over him and feeding him wine and grapes while Hera watched in gloom…poor Hera. Hades could see the tears in her eyes, though she tried so hard to hide them. Hades felt sorry for her. She was so beautiful and devoted, he couldn't figure out why Zeus neglected her so. Couldn't he see how much his cheating hurt her?
Zeus laughed at something the nymph on his lap said and kissed her lips. Hades ground his teeth as Hera stormed from the room. They haven't changed. The Olympians are more corrupt than ever. Hades thought angrily. He got up from his chair and walked quickly from the pantheon, slamming the massive doors behind him.
Demeter saw Hades leave and before she knew it she was running after him. "Hades! Hades wait for me!" she shouted, bursting through the door. "Hades!" she called again, stumbling down the stairs.
Hades heard Demeter's pleading and stopped at his chariot. "What is it, Demeter?" he asked, taking the horses' reins. "Where are you going? The meeting isn't over yet?" she said, breathing heavily. Hades let out a laugh, "That's funny." He chuckled, climbing aboard the chariot. "I'm going home. You go back inside. They'll be looking for you." Demeter shook her head with a smile, "Actually, I was wondering if you'd take me on a tour of your kingdom. I've never seen it before. I'm a little curious about it." Hades was at a loss for words. "Uh…um…alright." He stuttered. Demeter wrapped her arms around his and grinned brightly up at Hades. He felt his cold skin warm in the glory of her beauty. Carefully, he hoisted her into the chariot and they sped off to the earth below.
Aphrodite had come outside to see what her friend was up to. She laughed quietly to herself as she watched Hades leave with Demeter. "I love my job." She sighed. Just then, Zeus came out to investigate. "What's going on?" he asked Aphrodite. Aphrodite brushed her thick black hair over her shoulder; " I've made another perfect match that's what. Hades and Demeter make such a lovely couple. She'll do Mr. Dark and Gloomy a whole lot of good." Zeus' blue eyes narrowed in anger, "Aphrodite" he growled, grabbing her by the arm. "What the hell's gotten into you?!" she screamed in fright. Zeus glared dangerously at her, lightning flashed in his eyes. "I want Demeter and you're going to help me get her if you know what's good for you." He hissed in his booming voice. Aphrodite's eyes widened in fear.
When the chariot came to a halt at the gates of the underworld, Demeter stumbled off. Her legs shook still from the terrifying plunge through the earth. She looked around at the dismal scene before her. The souls of the dead poured through the gates to the river Styx to await their turn with the ferryman. It was dark and still and well, dead. "Not exactly a kingdom is it?" Hades asked her in a voice as dead as the world around them. He took her by the hand and led her to the ferryman's boat. "Charon, give my guest and I a lift to the palace, would you?" Demeter quivered in disgust at the living skeleton that ferried the souls of the dead to the Underworld for a price.
Charon leaned against his pole and sighed as if they were asking him to do hard physical labor. "Depends." He said, his skull's jaw moving as he spoke. He held out a bony hand, "Did you get what I asked for?" Hades rolled his eyes, and reaching into his robes, he pulled out a bottle of rich red wine. Charon snatched it out of Hades' hand and poured it into his mouth. The liquid seeped through his bones to stain the funeral shroud he wore and pooled on the bottom of the boat. The skeleton sighed in satisfaction, "Ah! Nectar of the gods!" He tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder then helped Demeter and Hades into the boat.
Hades led Demeter past his guard dog, Cerberus, and through the doors of his palace to the lounge. The two sat down on the soft velvet cushions that were piled in the room. They began to talk. "Your home seems kind of empty." Demeter commented. Hades laid back on the pillow and closed his eyes, "It's always like this." Demeter laid down on her side and propped her head up on her elbow, "Don't you get lonely?" The corners of Hades' lips pulled slightly upward, "That's a rather stupid question." Demeter sighed, reaching for an apple on a silver tray that was set out on the floor. "You should take a wife." Hades snatched her wrist, "Don't, if you eat that, you'll be stuck here with me forever." Demeter smiled coyly, bringing the apple to her rosy lips, "That doesn't sound too bad to me." Hades held his breath as he watched her mouth open to take a bite.
Just as her teeth were about to cut into the apple's skin, Aphrodite appeared. "Hmmm, what have we here?" The love goddess asked in a playful voice. Demeter set down the apple and shifted away from Hades. Hades too moved away, suddenly over come with embarrassment. "Come along, Demeter. Zeus is looking for you." Demter rolled her eyes then turned back to Hades. "I'm sorry. I have to go now." She leaned towards him and pecked his cheek, "Come visit me sometime." Then she got to her feet and left with Aphrodite. Hades watched the two goddesses disappear with a rare smile twisting his thin lips.
On the earth's surface, Demeter met with Zeus inside a small orchard. Zeus plucked a grape from the vine next to him and put it in his mouth, smiling at her approach. "What do you want Zeus?" Demeter huffed. Zeus' expression hardened, "Don't speak to me in that tone. I don't think I need a reason to visit my favorite goddess." Demeter put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chin defiantly, "If it's about what you asked me the other day, I'm still not interested. Please go back to your wife." She began to turn and walk away, but Zeus' strong grip around her waist, kept her from fleeing. "You still choose, Hades? My brother has never married or taken a lover. The man wouldn't know what to do with you. I, however, am well practiced in the art of pleasing women." Zeus breathed in her ear. Demeter pried his arms from around her, turned and glared up at him. "I'd rather rot in Tarterus, than give myself to you." She spat. Zeus' grin broadened, "And that's exactly what will happen to you if you marry Hades. You know that, don't you?" He motioned to the breath taking landscape of the Greek countryside. "Are you really going to give all this up to live in a dank hole with your dreary husband?" Demeter did not reply, she turned and stormed off without another word.