persephone comes to the underworld sobbing inconsolably for her mother
persephone eats the pomegranate seeds because she's so painfully hungry and she things it might fill the hollow in her heart
persephone endures the days by hades' side because they'll end and she will see the sun again
persephone finds another soul, wandering, just as lost as herself
persephone comforts the soul, befriends it, gives it some small measure of hope
persephone finds herself missing her new friend during the summer months, almost wishes winter would come faster
persephone meets more and more souls and they grow to love her, reaching out to her like her mother's flowers reach for the sun
hades sees and tells persephone she is becoming the queen of the dead in truth
persephone smiles for the first time in years, and her smile lights up the underworld
while hades is gone on business, he leaves her in charge, gives her a steward's chair next to his, not as grand, but hardly insignificant
their people come and worship her and she starts thinking it's not such a bad life
she begins to weary of the months of stifling heat and attention, surrounded by well-wishers and smothered by her mother's futile attempts to protect her
secure in his rule, hades ventures further and further for longer and longer, knowing his queen protects his realm
persephone wanders the pomegranate trees to pluck only the ripest fruit for her servants, longing to feast herself
on earth, a soldier dies on the battlefield and gives his oath of fealty to the beautiful and terrible lady who greets him on the banks of the Styx
more battles rage and more soldiers die and persephone assembles a guard for herself
hades smiles indulgently when he meets them and name them the queen's guard
the summer days seem like eternities and the winter months like seconds
hades leaves for all of winter, bringing only cerberus for company
he returns to find persephone on his throne, arrayed in armor, surrounded by guards, pomegranate juice dripping down her chin
hades bows down
the queen of the underworld laughs and lets him kiss her hand