Sobs and wails, dissonant pitches of pain and sorrow, echoed off the walls. He was used to them, the white noise of eternity ruling the Dead. At times, his justice warred with his compassion, but Hades Aidoneus - Receiver of Many, the Unseen One, the Rich One, the Lord of the Underworld - maintained his reputation throughout the aeons with a feared respect.
The sobs coming from the door infront of him, however, shattered his heart. With his forehead to the cold obsidian, his ice blue eyes filled with despair. His jet black hair fell like curtains around his pale, heartbroken face.
This was not how he envisioned his wedding night.
xxx
"All things change. Change is good. All things change. Change is good..." The child, age seven, repeated these words to herself as she waked through her mother's gardens. The winds danced her golden locks in the air, while her grass green eyes narrowed with concentration over her new lesson.
"You are doing an excellent job, Kore, darling," her mother encouraged, noticing how the flowers leaned towards the child as she past them by.
Kore noticed a small group of tulips on her left. They were drooping, their colors fading. She felt their depleting energy.
"Mother, help me with these," she pleaded. But her mother's hands, so strong and capable, went to Kore's head instead of the dying plants.
"My flower, remember what I told you? Change is good. These tulips bloomed earlier and now must go back into the ground."
"But they are dying, Mother."
"I know, dearest. But they will return."
Unhappy but understanding, the young girl bent over the fading flowers, kissed them, and whispered, "thank you."
Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, felt her heart burst with pride at her daughter's display of compassion. "I'm sure they needed to hear that, Kore. Now, head back to the house for dinner."
The girl's eyes widened. "And story time, too?"
Demeter laughted. "Yes, and story time, too."
Kore bounced up and ran towards their home, a simple cottage surrounded by bountiful lands and stunning flora and fauna.
How lucky I am to have her, Demeter thought with a smile. Getting herself up from the grass, she turned towards the tulips and gasped in surprise.
The small gathering had returned to their full bloom glory.
xxx
Kore's curiosity was endless, her hunger for knowledge ravenous. "Why?" and "how?" were her two favorite words. During one day of fruit picking with her mother and fellow nymphs, the young goddess noticed a cave by the cliff, overlooking the oceans below.
Does anyone live there? she wondered. With the mindset of an adventurous seven year old, she set off to find out.
It didn't take long to reach, for the forest was her second home. She often dreamed of living in the trees when she was older.
The cave itself held a surprising darkness to its edges, despite the sun's full glare. Kore, basket in hand, looked around for any signs of animal or plant life. But there was none - just dry soil, rocks, and darkness.
Fascinated, she poked her head inside.
"Are you lost, little one?"
Kore yelped at the deep voice from inside. A pair of eyes came into focus. Blue, but not like the sky or ocean. Rather like an ice blue, nearly colorless. She found them oddly beautiful.
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you were here."
Hades smiled at the child, not sensing fear but rather wonder from her."And I am sorry for frightening you," he replied. "Are you lost?"
"Oh no! I live in a cottage past the forest. I saw this cave and wondered if anyone lived here. Do you live here?"
"No, but I do come here for some rest when my job tires me."
"Oh," Kore frowned. "Then I should go."
"No, wait, please!" Hades reached out his hand. Her eyes widened. His skin was pale, so pale she feared he was dying.
"Are you sick, sir? You don't look so well." She looked into her basket. "Are you hungry?" she asked, offering him a pomegranate.
Touched, Hades chuckled. "No, sadly, this is how I look. I don't get out in the sun very much. My work does not permit me."
"Oh." Her brows drew together. How could someone not be in the sun? "What do you do?"
Not wanting to frighten this inquisitive child before him, he chose his words carefully. "Well, I work with dead mortals."
Her eyes grew like saucers, clearly fascinated. "Wow! Are they nice to you?"
"Some are. Some are not."
"Do you like your job?"
That surprised him. No one could question that he was effective, productive, successful, even. But did he like ruling over the dead?
"Kore!"
A woman's voice rang up, and the child grimaced.
"That's my mother. I need to go."
He was actually saddened by this. Such a delightful, charming conversation was a rarity for him. "Very well. It was lovely meeting you, Kore."
"It was very nice to meet you, too, Cave Man." Hades grinned at her nickname for him. "Here," she placed a pomegranate in his hand. "Incase you get hungry." She darted off then, her feet fluttering over soil and rock back to her home.
Hades sat there, dumbfounded, staring at the fruit. It was the first gift he had received in over two centuries.