Persephone sat with her head bent down listening to the shouting match between Hades and Hermes. Their voices loudened tenfold by echoes bouncing off the high ceiling and stone walls. Hades was demanding that Hermes leave the Underworld and return to his high and mighty brother on Olympus. Hermes, whole foot shorter that Hades, stamped his winged sandal and stated that he would not leave without Persephone. Her mother was distraught over her daughter's disappearance and was freezing the earth over. Crops were withering, fertile land had become baron and mortals were dying at alarming rates.

"I'm fully aware of that," Hades retorted in a snarky voice. "You passed them coming in here. Perhaps I should train my guardian to chase after you as well."

"I'm not afraid of your pesky mutt," Hermes answered, hotly.

"Why should it matter to me what happens in the world above. Surely if her daughter cannot be found in the mortal realm she should know to look elsewhere for her! It's not as if I have kept her whereabouts a secret."

That was true. Half of Olympus knew where Persephone was. In fact, it had been Helios who had told her mother she was in the Underworld, and then Demeter had told Hermes who had told Zeus who had sent Hermes back to Demeter to tell her that Persephone could stay. The news had passed through nearly all of the gods and her mother had not come to collect her, or at least to check on her.

"She wants her back now!" Hermes demanded. "Crops will not return and flowers will not bloom until Demeter had her Spring Goddess back."

"Then mortals will die and my kingdom will be greater than my brother's!" Hades returned. "I suppose you know by now that she is my wife?"

Hermes was ready to respond, but stopped with his mouth agape. He had not been prepared for that. Hermes turned to Persephone, still seated on her husband's throne, and stared at her. It was true that even in her demure state she was glowing with a radiance the innocent Kore had never possessed. Her gown, red and black-colors of the Underworld, was more revealing than anything she had worn for her mother. She had changed, Hermes could not deny that.

"It is true?" He demanded of her.

Persephone looked at him through her long lashes and nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

"Do not make her embarrassed to be my queen," Hades commanded of the guest. "I did not force her to marry me if that's what you're thinking."

"No," Hermes said mockingly. "You only tricked her with an unnatural flower and carried her away to the Underworld unbeknownst to her mother. Of course you didn't force yourself on her."

"He did not," Persephone answered in a tiny voice. "He did not force himself."

Hades smiled in triumph at the tiny messenger and crossed his arms. "Well? What do you say to that?"

"She still has to go back. Zeus had commanded it."

Hades' triumph was short lived and he became so angry that the ground shook and the walls rumbled dangerously. "Why must my brother always meddle in my affairs?" Hades demanded of the air. "Am I not meant to be happy?"

Persephone blinked and stared curiously at her husband. So she did make him happy. She had not given much thought to the fact that Hades actually might like her. She had just assumed that she was destined for marry for the sake of marriage; she was old enough after all. Had she found someone who genuinely wanted to be with her? He was different than any other god she had ever met. His skin had not been kissed by the sun; his eye were dark, but shown with life; he was tall and well-build to be sure, and his dark hair was in contrast to that of his brother, Zeus. Persephone began to play with the lock of hair that hung over her shoulder. Hers was similar in color, though not quite so black. Still, she was different from her mother, whose golden curls could rival the sun, and everyone else's perfect yellow hair. She had always had darker unruly hair. Something so simple, she thought, can bring two people together.

"Zeus has ordered it!" Hermes cried. "He will come get her himself if he has to!"

Hades' scoffed. "That pompous windbag never leaves his bedchamber unless he's killing someone or fucking someone. He won't come down here and dirty his hands."

"Please, be reasonable—"

"Reasonable?" Hades shouted. "Be reasonable about releasing my wife back to her mother simply because the woman is throwing a temper tantrum? And I'm the one who should be reasonable?"

"Hades," Hermes practically demanded. "Demeter—"

"Can rot for all I care!" He interrupted Hermes again, only this time he caught sight of his wife's hurt expression and cleared his throat. He turned away from her and spoke again. "Do I not get to keep her at all?" Hades asked in a calmer tone. "Am I am give her up completely?"

Hermes was silent, only crossed his arms and smirked. Hades looked completely defeated. He looked between the gloating face of Hermes and the bent head of Persephone. He had lost. Once again Hade thought he had found a chance a possible happiness, as close as he had ever come, and once again his meddling brother and the gods of the world above had to steal it away from him. He started for the door and pulled down a heavy drapery as he passed it, ripping it with his anger.

"Come, Persephone," he called to her coldly. "We must prepare to send you back."

Persephone finally looked up. It was now or never. She had to find her voice. At this moment, she was seated on the Throne of the Underworld, married to its lord and dressed as its queen. She was not Kore, sweet little Goddess of Spring-nothing more than an ornament for her mother. Now she was Persephone: Queen of the Underworld and she had to act like it. A queen will not be ordered about, even by her own mother.

"I do not wish to go." Her voice was steady, though it did not carry as she had intended it to.

Hermes stopped and Hades turned to look at her in astonishment.

"What?" Hermes cried. "What do you mean you don't want to go? Didn't you hear what your mother is doing?"

"Yes," Persephone answered. "I believe my husband called it a temper tantrum."

Hermes stood with his mouth agape. He could not believe what he was hearing. "Y—You mean to say that you enjoy it here?"

Persephone looked around and smiled coyly. "It's not so bad."

"But what about him?" Hermes pointed a finger at Hades.

Persephone followed his pointing digit. "What about him?"

"He's the lord of the Underworld! Where the dead go! Where the Titans are! Surely you don't want to stay down here for eternity? Don't you miss the flowers? Or the trees and the grass? What about the animals? They're all dying!"

"Of course I miss them," Persephone answered truthfully, but she didn't miss them as much as she enjoyed being her own person. "That is not the point. I am married now to a king. I have responsibilities and official duties as Queen of the Underworld, I'm sure."

Hades smiled and came back to her side. "You truly wish to stay? Stay here with me?" He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Yes," she answered. "I wish to stay, but Hermes is right. My mother will kill the entire world. What shall we do about that?"

Hades sighed. "I don't know. It looks like we will be making a visit to the Upper World."

"Both of you?" Hermes questioned.

Hades shot him an ugly glace, but Persephone placed her free hand on his arm. "My husband will accompany me," she proclaimed. "I have decided."

Hades certainly knew how to make an entrance. He opened the earth before the great temple of Demeter and pulled his thundering steeds to a halt. The chariot lurched and Persephone held onto Hades to balance herself. Hermes flew up through the crevice in the ground just as it was closing.

Hades helped his bride from his chariot and brought her hand to his lips again. He had not been able to look at her with any other emotion but love since she had said that she wanted to stay with him. He took her arm and led her up the steps of the temple, into the cella where Persephone was immediately wrenched from his hold.

"My darling! My dearest Kore! You are safe! You are alright!" Demeter showered her daughter with kisses and held her tightly to her. "Oh my love, my love, my love! How I have missed you! How I have longed for you!"

"Mother, please." Persephone tried to pull from her mother's grasp, but Demeter held her in a tight embrace.

Demeter kissed Persephone all over her face and smothered her to her bosom. Persephone's arms were pinned to her side; she could not even return her mother's hug let alone fight her off. Demeter continued to hold Persephone to her until a mighty voice rang out above them.

"Control yourself, woman!" Zeus boomed above them. "The poor girl cannot breath!"

Demeter let her daughter go, but slid her hands down her arms and took hold of her hands. She attempted to kiss Persephone once again, but Persephone turned from her mother and looked towards Hades standing in the shadows.

"What is this?" Demeter demanded. "Why do you look away from me, Kore? What has this beast done to you?"

Persephone saw Hades bristle and turned back to her mother. "He has done nothing to me, Mother," she answered. "He has not hurt me."

"No?" Demeter shot Hades a look of pure hatred. "He kidnapped you and stole you away from me!"

"Oh, Mother," Persephone sighed. She tried to pull away, but Demeter would not let her go. "Mother?"

"I will not lose you again. Not even that brute or to anyone else."

"Mother, let go!" She tugged to free herself from her mother.

"Demeter, release my wife." Hades had moved from that shadows and was coming closer to them.

Demeter let out a shriek that sounded through the whole world. "His wife?" she sobbed. "No, Kore, no! Tell me, daughter, tell me that his lying."

Persephone looked her mother squarely in the eye, something that she had not been able to do as Kore, and said in a strong voice, "I am his wife, Mother."

Demeter released her and fell to her knees. "I am done for," she moaned. "This land shall never hold harvest again! Crops will fail and fields will die. No food will grow! It shall all wither away."

"Mother, no!" Persephone cried.

"My daughter has been stolen from me!" Demeter wept bitterly.

Neither Zeus nor Hades were moved by these tears, and at one time not long ago, Persephone would have been unable to break from her mother's side, but Hades gave her an inner strength she did not know she had. She watched her mother's tears fall and waited for them to subside. Persephone could never again be her mother's Kore; she knew that now. Demeter did stop her crying when she saw that it was not accomplishing her desired ends. From sadness came anger. Now she lashed out towards Hades, but he drew both himself and Persephone backwards. Zeus came and stood between them.

"This enough, Demeter. Have more dignity than that. You're daughter has been brought before you unharmed, but she is married now, to a king no less, and shall remain with her husband."

"No!" Demeter cried in a crazed voice. "I will not lose her! I did not give my consent for her to marry! I will have my Kore!"

"My name is Persephone."

The three turned towards her in amazement, Hades especially. Zeus did not say anything, and Demeter began to mumble something about her name always being Kore.

Persephone shook her head and smiled at her mother sadly. "Mother, I am no longer your innocent Kore. I am Persephone, Queen of the Underworld."

Demeter reacted to this proclamation with rage. The walls began to shake and the ground opened. Thorns and dead trees sprang from the stone floor of the temple. Dried out vines grew up the columns and overtook the roof. With every cry of her voice the wind howled and dead and dying foliage grew thicker and thicker around them. Hades grabbed Persephone's hand and pulled her out of the building before the door was sealed with vines. Outside the temple was overrun by withered stalks of grain and corn that stood as high as any tree. The ground outside was torn and the wind grew colder. Ice began to form over the roof of the temple and icicles as long and sharp as Zeus' thunderbolts grew on the trees. Snow blew and whipped around them. Persephone held tight to Hades as her clothes were slashed around in the frigid air.

Demeter continued to scream from within. By now the temple was nothing more than an overgrowth of dead and dying trees. Leaves and flower petals were tossed around in the stormy winds. Hades' great black horses pawed at the ground demanding it to open. Persephone began to shiver. Hades pulled her as close to him as he could. The earth opened wider and the temple threatened to topple into the wide chasm that had formed. Demeter continued to shriek and wail and refuse to let her daughter go. Just as Persephone thought the ground would swallow the temple and them with it, the world stood still. Trees and plants were stuck in midair. The temple stopped shaking and plants had stopped growing.

Persephone watched as the earth closed itself again and the temple righted. The ice melted and the dead foliage fell to earth. Still there came shouting from inside the temple only now it came from Zeus. Persephone looked up at Hades with eyes full of fear and concern.

"What are you going to do? I don't want to go back with her."

Hades kissed her forehead. "I fear that you must. If this is how she will behave without you, she will destroy to whole world."

"Because of me," Persephone answered sadly.

"You are not responsible for your mother's behavior," Hades told her, lifting his face to his. He kissed her softly. "Besides, I have an idea." He produced a pomegranate and offered it to her. She looked at it curiously. "Eat of this and you will be bound to the Underworld and to me for at least part of the year. It is food of my realm." He smiled at her sadly. "I fear this is how we must live as husband and wife."

"But it's not fair," she told him, tears forming in her eyes.

"I know it is not," he agreed. "I would give my kingdom to spend every day with you, but we cannot allow your mother to destroy the mortal world. Persephone," he began. How she loved it when he said her name. "Trust me."

She did. She trusted him completely. Persephone reached out and took first one seed from the fruit, and then another, until she had eaten six. She reached for a seventh, but he grabbed her wrist and shook his head.

"I cannot take you away from her completely."

"Just one more," she whispered, but he refused her.

They were not noticed when they first entered the temple as Zeus and Demeter were locked in a matter of words. Hades took Persephone's hand in his free one and tightened his grip on the dripping pomegranate in his other hand. The floor was still split open inside and stones were scattered throughout. Demeter's attitude hadn't changed, and she was flailing her arms as she demanded her daughter's return and that she would destroy the whole earth and every living mortal. Zeus kept repeating that Persephone was married and that she belonged with her husband now. Demeter opened her mouth to answer but caught site of Persephone standing with Hades.

"Kore! Come to me, dear daughter." She opened her arms to Persephone, but Persephone did not come to her.

Hades grinned wickedly and held out the pomegranate missing six seeds. Demeter screamed again, and the ground began to shake once more. This time Zeus held up his hands and a thunderbolt clapped above them. The ground stopped moving and Demeter fell silent, though her eyes shot daggers at Hades.

"This is a perfect solution."

"Perfect?" Demeter was outraged. "My daughter has been kidnapped!"

"She has eaten six seeds of the pomegranate. Therefore, she will spend six months, half the year, with her husband. The rest of the year she will spend with you here in the mortal realm." Zeus looked from Demeter to Persephone and Hades. "That is my decision."

"Very well," Demeter spat. "Come, Kore. We have much work to do."

Persephone did not move. she took hold of Hades arm with both of hers and stepped closer to him. "Mother, I wish to stay." Demeter gaped at her, but Persephone continued. "Mother, I wish to begin my life with my husband. I shall join you when it is time."

"You cannot be serious! Zeus do something!"

"What do you want me to do?" he asked. "The girl has agreed to the decision. Does it matter who gets her first?"

"I am her mother!"

"And he is her husband!" Zeus returned.

Persephone was not about to get in the middle of another argument with her mother. She turned to Hades and whispered that she was ready to return home.

"Home?" he questioned, smiling.

Persephone nodded and asked again if they could leave. Hades took her arm and guided her for the door. Just as they were leaving, Persephone turned and called a farewell to her mother. Demeter tried to argue and took a step after them, but by the time she reached the entrance of her temple, the ground was opening for the final time and Hades was turned his chariot towards the entrance of the underworld. Persephone caught one last glimpse of her crying mother before the ground swallowed them up and she found herself on the path that led back to the Underworld. They passed spirits on their way to their judgment and swung around the last bend before the whole of her new kingdom opened before her. From here she could see nearly every corner of the place she now called home.

Persephone felt Hades slip the reigns of his chariot over her head so that she stood between his arms close to his chest. A smile crossed her lips and she felt Hades lips on her cheek.

"Welcome home," he told her and snapped the reigns of the horses, rushing her towards a new home and a new life.