Notice: I've taken some liberties with Greek mythology. In this story, Zeus isn't Persephone's father, and I've written out some of the gods with roles in the original myth. Enjoy, and I would love to read any thoughts you have! Warning: Like my last fic, this one discusses periods. Sex will be dealt with in more detail than in "Naked Came I."
My mother and I raised sheep in the country. I grew up knowing only her and other farmers living in the fertile meadows; my father had been taken away by soldiers when I was still a baby. She was robust, my mother; her golden hair never seemed to gray and she was not prone to whining like I always did-mostly internally. In spring and summer she picked brilliant-colored flowers with which to decorate our cottage. Most of our time we spent corralling, herding and milking the sheep.
I can't remember there being much estrangement between us. Because she shamed me so little when I was a child, I felt comfortable telling her almost anything, although this might have been due to my rarely seeing any other people. Only when we walked to market for meat, olive oil, bread and the like. Our nearest neighbor was a man who kept an olive orchard with his young son, Anthony. In my girlhood, I didn't speak much at all with Anthony since he was a few years my senior, and to children a few years make a large difference. At the time of my first bleeding, when I was sixteen, mother reacted joyously, throwing her arms round me as I lay on my bed dumbfounded at the gore. "You are initiated into the mysteries of womanhood," she told me. I accepted her reaction as normal, nothing else occurring to me. See, she was vocal about her belief in the magic of the divine whenever she had the opportunity. To celebrate, she walked me all the way down to the beach, where we split a triangular cake with almonds on top. It was soft and laced with just the right amount of honey. I can still taste it; I don't think I've had any more sublime sweet to this day. With some wine she'd brought, mother poured libations to the Goddess into the sand. It was mixed with the blood. What we didn't finish of the cake was left as an offering.
The hems of our pleated dresses fluttered in the breeze. "Would you stand up, dear?" asked mother.
"What for?"
"This is important. It is vital that you go through life proud to be a girl. Proud to shed the blood." When I stood, she produced a knife from the sack she'd brought and handed it to me. "I give you this knife to remind you that no one can control you without your consent. Your body is your own, and it is not disgusting." She then poured the blood-wine mixture over my head. "You will know sweetness." Then, she went to take some sea water in her hands and repeated the action. "You will know anguish." Indeed, the saltiness, like tears, brushed past my lips in the splash. "There is the Goddess in you, Persephone. Remember that." Her bright features brightened more as she smiled at me. Real tears sprung from my eyes.
On the next market day, we walked to the village with Anthony and his father. As usual, she did most of the talking. Because my bleeding hadn't yet stopped, my legs were too weak to keep up with her and the farmer. Luckily, Anthony stayed at my pace along the dirt paths. It must have been at least a year and a half since I'd last seen him-he didn't look as I remembered. He was taller than mother and built with ample taut muscle which his sleeveless robe displayed quite well. I didn't know why, but I felt too timid to look there; even at his smooth face. "How are the lambs?" he asked in a newly deep, velvety voice.
"I-I have had to feed a couple of them milk myself, since their mothers abandoned them. We won't kill any for meat, not until they're fully grown. Mother prefers milking them for cheese, as you know." She went to his house to trade goods, often without me.
"And my father and I are grateful." Anthony's lips were full and rosy without being too effeminate. His hair was thick but soft, black and curly, trailing onto the sides of his face. His eyes were light blue. I can't say I understood sexual desire at that point, but I knew I found Anthony good-looking, and that looking at him-thinking of him-felt good. I understood wanting to see him naked. Mother had clarified the act of love (as she put it) for me when I glimpsed two sheep doing it by chance one day, but at that point I didn't fantasize about it. Our priority was our farm.
We got to the center of the village, built in a crevice underneath a large, bright meadow. There were steps leading up there. Farmers sold every type of food I knew under cloth awnings. Women balanced amphorae on their heads while carrying their babies in their other hands. Bargaining and easygoing chat filled the lane of sandy stone. I didn't feel much like picking out food this time, so I thought I'd take a walk. "Mother?" I called.
"Lucy, Persephone wants to say something," said Anthony.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to walk up those steps to look for flowers. Is that all right?"
"Of course. When the sun passes its zenith, meet me at the foot of the steps. Got that?"
"Yes, mother."
"See you later!" called the men as I ascended. It seemed other girls had had the same idea, the weather being pleasant. If it rained, the roads would be too muddy to travel. Some of them turned their heads. I had seen girls my age before, but not interacted with them. "Hello there!" I approached the girl closest in my path, who was brown-skinned and fresh-faced. "I'm Persephone. May I join you in whatever it is you're doing?"
"I don't see why not. My name's Leucippe. I'm with my sisters and some friends from the village we made. We're looking for berry bushes and flowers."
"Wonderful! Can I follow you?"
"Sure." The flowers I noticed immediately were deep purple. I might as well put one in my hair. What else could I do with flowers? "Hey, do you know how to string them together?" I called. Leucippe had strode a bit ahead of me. I was the outsider. It was up to them to reach out to me.
"Mm-hm. Just sit down and I'll show you." She picked some white ones I didn't notice. While she demonstrated, I couldn't help shielding my eyes to watch the sun, as I'd have been ashamed to disobey mother. My gaze flew back and forth. In my peripheral vision I saw the other girls walking and laughing together. Was it worth it to make friends with them? How did one make friends? I, living in relative isolation, didn't know. What could I talk about to help make more people special to me?
Leucippe placed a ring of flowers on my head. "There you go."
"That was kind of you!" We exchanged smiles. "I think I'll try to make one myself, okay? I'll just go over there; it doesn't look like any of the white flowers are here." Partially relieved, partially saddened at abandoning someone, I skipped over to a cluster of the desired blossoms. Other girls were close enough that I didn't feel detached from their company. All the time I watched the sun. Mother had a talent for socialization-she'd told me she grew up in a town larger than our village. She might dawdle herself.
In the direction opposite the steps, the land dipped then rose again into gentle hills. A tree bearing purple olives caught my eye, and I leapt to my feet: I could pick some for free as a snack! Fully comfortable in my solitary mode, I began to make bounds towards the hill. I held my new headband fast to my head, taking care not to misshapen the flowers.
Just before reaching the depression, I felt the ground move. As I behaved in reaction to all physical shocks, I screamed, certain that one of the girls would hear me and help me keep my balance. I looked behind and saw no one. While I tried to turn back, the tremor grew to a rumbling, so I struggled to remain standing. I spread my legs to bastion my stance. Dust flew into my line of vision from loud cracks beneath me-the earth was opening up! "HELP!" I cried. "DOES ANYONE-"
Any sound I could have made was silenced by a tremendous fissure. More sandy dust billowed into the air; still I tried to regain my sea-legs. With sweaty effort, I climbed back to level ground. Before continuing, I glanced backward to see what had happened.
Out of the rift into the earth rode a man on horseback. The dust clouds thinned, and I was able to look at him.