27 • 2 • 13
Fate
Chapter I
At Age Eight
Author's Note: Just my go at a story for these two, and obviously, I don't own the myths, I'm not even Greek.
Persephone was a curious child - a real explorer. With unanswered questions, her little eight year old self sought to question everything.
The world was a giant playground. There was no bad or evil; everything was innocent, and beautiful, and just perfectly sincere [as it would look in any child's mind]. Everything was just in perfect harmony with everything else.
It was an idealistic world, alas false and untrue, but it's not like Persephone knew that. The world was an utopia of pure love, and beauty. And with this thought, little Persephone spent everyday roaming the fields close to her little home, spinning in circles, giggling, and soaking up the rays Apollo had to offer. Her youthful days consisted of trying to master her powers, or she would just talk to the animals – whichever came first.
It was a beautiful day. The rays of the sun piercing through the holes of the white clouds. The field little Kore was relaxing in was fit for the goddess-to-be. It was a lush green, mottled with colors of the spectrum. The grass was evenly cut [courtesy of Demeter] and swaying in the warm breeze. The only sound Persephone could hear was the breeze weaving through the trees. She took in a strong breath, and felt the fresh air swirl in her nose.
Everything was immaculate.
However, in her mind the seed of curiosity was planted, watered by ambition, and reared by fresh innocence. With her little mind, it soon became a challenge - a tempted, tantalizing challenge.
She looked back to her grand cottage with whom she shared with her mother.
It rested peacefully in the valley and beyond that was the wheat field her mother was attending too.
Kore hummed to herself. She was eight, and according to her mother, she was old enough to decide right from wrong.
She looked to the beautiful forest toward the western part of the valley, and took a glance at the high mountain in the far distance that was shaded with mist.
It was Mount. Olympus and Persephone was told, numerous times, to never go by it. [Like she could actually climb the steep slopes.]
She questioned her mother why they lived by it, and Demeter told her that the gods and goddesses lived up there.
"Mommy, what are gods?"
Persephone wanted to know more, but her mother wouldn't answer more.
It left her with nothing but questions. She wanted to know what the gods were.
Were they all like her mother? Were they all like her? Or perhaps they were animals that ran through the valley.
Or were they all different?
Unaware of her actions, Kore took a step closer. She wanted to be with gods and goddesses if they were like animals in the field.
And suddenly, in the middle of that flat land, she wanted to go up to Olympus and chat with the gods and goddesses.
Whenever Demeter had to go up, she would be under the watchful eye of her wolf friend, who Kore named Cho-cho. [She liked how the name rolled off her tongue Cho-Cho.]
It would be so fun to explore up there. It wouldn't be like this forest. It would take her hours to study every nook and cranny.
And without thinking of the consequences, [because, honestly, what is "consequence" to an oblivious child.] Kore began a slow jog toward the forest and mountain. She didn't look back to her mother. Persephone didn't even think of Demeter.
But in the back of her mind, her conscience knew she wouldn't like this. But it was such a small portion of her brain, it was easily overruled by her growing curiosity and eagerness.
She began a full sprint, practically becoming one with the dirt as she ran barefoot throw the forest, the twigs snapping over her feet, and her laughter echoing throughout the forest.
But, suddenly, her laughter subsided, and her legs and feet seized to carry her further. Her heels caked with mud.
Her head cocked to the side as she stared at the cave's mouth.
It looked intriguing to Persephone., very intriguing.
Her previous mission to go to Olympus was smothered by the thought that she had never been in a cave before. She, in fact, never been this far from her home before.
She forget Olympus, and entered the cave.
She progressed further, it began to get darker, and darker, as the light from the end was nothing but the size of a needle's point.
"Hm?" She began to descend stairs, and from what little light she had, it was spiraling downward.
If she wasn't eight, she would question the fact that she couldn't go any further down, considering the cave was already on the floor.
But that didn't cross her mind. She believed this was normal in a cave.
So, she ventured further, and further, until she was no longer counting steps. She hopped down steps, making it a game. Then she looked up at the sky.
She looked up to the to the sky, which was a coal black. In the horizon, a strip of gold and slight orange was what was last of the sky before night completely took over.
There was not a moon in sight.
Persephone took another step.
She was in a dead forest.
The trees were silhouetted, and curved and twisted at weird angles. The dirt was dry, and Persephone knew something wasn't right. It scratched against her bare feet in such a way, it felt like lava.
She felt the mud on the bottom of her feet, and it was so hot.
She felt tears brewing in her eyes. There was no grass, and the air was so stifling hot, she could feel her lips spilt and chap. Her feet sank in the mud, before she pulled them out, and ventured wearily further.
This was atrocious, absolutely disgusting.
It was her worst nightmare.
Everything was suppose to be alive and happy. This was a forest.
Her lips started to quiver.
She sat at the edge of the tree. She wished she had power. She would give her immortal life to make this place shine, thrive, She would make it live . .
She looked back at the way she came, but no, wait, that wasn't the way she came. She turned it to the opposite direction. No way could she have came that way.
How did she get here?
Panic arose in her like she just opened Pandora's Box. Where was her mother? She needed her mom - now.
She heard something - a break of a twig.
"Huh? Who's there? Cho-Cho?" She called, her voice cracking.
"There's nothing to fear, dearest child." A male's voice cooed. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
Persephone stiffened. All of her muscles tightened so much, she couldn't move. She could feel goosebumps rise on her body.
She never felt fear before and she decided quickly that she didn't like it.
It was undescribable. Her hands began to shake. She didn't know what to do.
Kore began to cry more.
And as a result, another voice came in from among the shadows. "Why does the little one weep?" It laughed, sadistically.
She took off running in the direction she believed was the right one. "And now she runs!" It continued.
His voice, his scratchy dry voice, sounded as if it was coming closer to her. Those two were right behind her, yet she didn't hear any footsteps.
A voice cackled so loud, and the other joined her. "Watch her feeble attempt to escape!"
"It's utterly pathetic!"
Their voices were screeching and they were getting closer!
Kore ran down hopping over roots only to trip and land in mud. she quickly got back up, and ran some more.
Amongst all the mist, she began to see a shadow in it. Maybe he could help her. He had a sword equipped in his sheath, maybe he could help her.
When she came closer, she slowed her pace.
She wanted to speak, but her voice came up short.
She dropped to her knees, her hands on the floor. She was out of breath, and her lungs burned so much.
"Please - mister . . . help." She breathed. It hurt too much to talk.
He just starred at her with an unreadable expression, and soulless eyes.
But, a smile appeared on his voice.
Then he chuckled.
Finally, he let out a hardy laugh.
"Brother Dante!" He called out into the fog after his fit of laughter died down.
The man, called Dante, appeared with a whip casually slung over his shoulder. He looked equally thrilled as his brother.
"Look at this . . this child."
Kore's stomach dropped. They were the same voices tormenting her before.
"It's truly sad." They continued, starring at her in her agonizing state.
Both their laughter died down, and they began to look at her with curiosity [Not to be mistaken with the innocent curiosity that landed Kore in this place to begin with.]
"I wonder what this little girl did to end up here."
"Surely something. She's too tiny to be here."
"I didn't . . . do . . . anything." She breathed.
As a goddess, she was not adapted to pain, and this was unbearable.
The man, who has yet to be named, walked around Persephone.
"You obviously did something." He stated bluntly.
"Do you know where you are?" Dante mused, a smile on his face, a smile that showed he had a set of fangs.
Kore shook her head, modestly.
She dropped to the floor - turning her face so it didn't lie in the mud.
She jumped three feet in the air, and closed her eyes, when the no-name man took his sword, and stabbed the mushy mud next to her head, barely missing the tip of her nose.
With her fear, they wholeheartedly laughed at her.
"How can you do this to - to a child!" She stuttered, and closed her eyes.
"Again, do you know where you are?" Dante hissed flashing his fangs again.
"I already told you no!"
The no-name man yanked her up by her hair with so much force her yelp echoed.
Tears brimmed the corner of her eyes. Both men ignored her distress, and Dante gestured around with his free hand. His other hand gripped the handle to his whip.
"Look around you, can't you guess, Persephone?" He gazed at her. His eyes were so icy blue, Persephone cringed.
"How do you know my name?" She yelled at him, completely petrified of the situation she was in.
"You're an insufferable child, you know that, you're in the Underworld!" Dante screamed out to the empty forest. He sounded so proud of it.
She was thrown back down to the mud, while the undefined man dusted his hands off, and cracked his knuckles.
"Tartarus to be exact."
"Do you know where you are now?"
"I don't know what Tartarus is."
To this, the men didn't laugh, but stared, bewildered.
"You don't know what Tartarus is?"
"No."
"Well, we can show you." Dante vowed, and cracked his whip, before striking her cheek.
Her cry of pain was heard throughout the whole Underworld.
After her loud scream, she burst into a fit of sobs as her own red liquid dripped from her face.
It was her first time seeing blood.
And it was a terrible sight to see. It was everywhere; on her face, the ground, Dante's whip, her ripped dress, her tiny hands.
The men looked like they were going to continue with their fun and games, before Dante stood up straight.
"Andreas, look." He pointed to her face. The cut from his whip, gone, there wasn't a trace but the amount of blood around her.
"She's immortal."
"So - what is she doing her-"
Dante was cut off by the sound of a bark so loud, it rivaled Kore's scream.
"Cerberus."
"What does that thing want?"
He approached the three, barking, snarling, and growling at the two men.
They never had him show such animosity toward them - after all, they do serve the same master.
They backed away slowly, as Cerberus narrowed his six eyes into silts.
When they were a distance, Cerberus snatched half unconscious Kore, and threw her on his back roughly.
He, then, darted off, without the two men following.
After running a bit, Cerberus skidded to a stop, an old, withered voice rang out.
"Cerberus. What do you have there? You know who aren't suppose to take humans out of Tartarus."
"I'm - I'm not human." Persephone said weakly.
"Immortal?" He asked, stroking his facial hair. "Well, she seems rather beaten, what did you do to her Cerberus?"
He growled at that, while Charon took Persephone from his back and onto his boat. "I shall take her from here."
He placed her on a seat, and paddled the boat, humming a cheery tune. Persephone liked it.
They crossed the river, and Persephone took a glance at the castle.
Her eyes went wide, and a spark of excitement overcame her.
It looked perfect for exploring.
As they walked through the halls, everything was black, except for the streaks of sapphire imprinted in the wall.
She grazed her hand over the wall, watching the dark blue sapphire stones illuminate in the fire's light.
"Oh wow." It's was like nothing she ever saw before. "It's so beautiful."
"Child. What were you doing in Tartarus? I don't believe Master sent you there. You are too innocent."
"Huh? Hm. I don't know. I was in a cave, and they chased me, and wouldn't leave me alone. And one hit me with something that really hurt."
"I am sorry. But you are immortal, so you do not feel the pain anymore."
She smiled brightly, and shook her head no.
"Good." Charon said his smile noticable, but the rest of his face was hidden in the blackness casted by his hood.
"Where are you taking me? I want to go home?"
"You will be home shortly."
With this Persephone nodded, and cracked a smile.
Down a few more halls, and around a few more rights, Persephone and Charon came across marvelous mahogany doors.
Persephone looked up at them, and couldn't see the top, fore she was too close, and too short.
"Is it more hallways?"
"No little lady. It's our destination."
This triggered a pout from Kore. She liked the castle. She didn't care what was behind, but what was in front. It was something new, and it begged for exploration.
"Charon!" Someone barked as the door opened. "Aren't you suppose to be fufilling your duties? I can't have Cerberus doing eveything."
"Ah, yes I am Master Hades." Charon chuckled, and smiled. "But," he said, holding up a bony finger, pointing at Hades. "Than again, so are you."
"You question my work?" Master Hades asked, quite amused.
"Master, I - well, Cerberus, found a disturbance in Tartarus."
"A disturbance?"
Charon moved his cloak away, and revealed to him the dirty little runt that was Persephone.
Hades approached the two from his throne.
He stared at Persephone, and she made her hasty retreat behind Charon again.
"She is immortal and I believe she came in Tartarus on innocent curiosity."
Persephone began to look around the grand room that was his throne room. They continued to argue about her, but she was too amazed by his room that she did not bother to listen.
It was such a marvelous room, a smile grew one her face for she had never seen such a grand place.
Her modest home was nothing but a farm compared to the palace of this god.
Look at this. She thought to herself. The palace room was breathtakingly haunting. The two colors that dominated the room's decor were black and cobalt blue.
It was here that Kore also learned Hades was not just King of the Underworld, but God of Riches. Like the halls, the room was etched with engraved sapphires, and amongst the blue crystals, but if you looked closely, you could see engraved rubies. There was a rug Kore was stepping on. It was black and plush, and felt heavenly on her bare feet.
A throne sat proudly atop of the stairs at the opposite end of the room, and just, wow. She never seen anything at this level. Granted, she didn't know much of riches, so she was blown by the extent of this room.
Kore's green eyes, were were bright amidst the darkness of the room, wandered to the balcony, adorned with railings.
She ventured off from the two men, approached the balcony and looked down at the Underworld. But she didn't look at the land. She looked out over the horizon to the sunset she never saw before in the Aboveworld.
Like the view at Tartartus, the sky was jet black, blacker than Hade's hair, with a streak of red and orange over the horizon. It was perpetual and everlasting twilight, and despite the dead feeling from below, Persephone liked how the sunset looked.
Finally walking back in the throne room, Kore glanced to the wall with the door. To the right of the passage, was a large map of Hade's territory, and it was huge.
Persephone gave it a curious eye, and as she looked closer, the lands were divided by sectors.
She wondered where she was, but she was snapped at of focus, when she began to tune in to the conversation - rather friendly debate, between the ferrymen and ruler.
"People don't find the Underworld with the blink of an eye, Charon."
"She is immortal, Master. I assume she came down from Olympus and found your passage."
After some thought, he declared, "Sensical. Persephone."
Hades called to her like a father, glancing behind Charon. He discovered she had moved from her spot.
He looked around the room, and came upon her studying his map.
She redirected her attention from the large, engraved map to the man with the crown.
"Hm? Who are you? And how do you know my name?" She asked, recalling that everyone in the Underworld seemed to know her name.
"I am Hades, and this is my ferryman, Charon."
"Hades?" She asked. "Hadessss." She said rolling it off her tongue.
She had heard that name before. "Hades, as in, Uncle Hades?"
Hades turned to Charon and with a wave of his finger, he commanded, "Return to your post."
Charon nodded, and left, gently closing the doors behind him. Persephone was sad to watch him go.
"Persephone, I am your uncle?"
"Zeus in my father."
With this an amused smile played across his face.
"I see." He took off the glove covering his right hand and proceeded to touch her face.
She flinched away, but eventually let him scrap away some of the mud from her face.
"And who is your mother, Persephone?"
"Demeter."
He instantly took his hand back as if she turned into a rapid dog. He never had it well with Demeter and the last he wanted was for her to think he kidnapped her daughter.
"Demeter?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. Come little Persephone." He gestured as he began to leave the throne room.
"We are to get you cleaned up, and sent back home."
She smiled brightly up at him. "Hades?"
"Yes?"
"I like your castle."
"Thank you, Persephone."
"Hades? What is Tar – tar – us?"
"It is a place in the Underworld. You were there."
"I don't like it. Your castle is better."
"I would hope so."
"One man hit me with something, and I don't know what it is."
"Do you remember his name?"
"Dan - something."
"Dante."
"Yes! That was it. Do you know what it is called?"
He sighed, so she encountered his servants. If she was a just a bit older . . . the things they would of done to her . ."No, I'm afraid I do not." He lied, not wanting Demeter to storm his castle, blaming him for the corruption of her daughter.
"Oh."
Hades called to a maid with a wave of his hand.
"Yes, Master?"
"Take Persephone here and get her cleaned up, and present her with a new gown. Have her in my throne room when you are done."
"Bye, Hades." With the mention of her name, the maid looked at her weirdly. She was even more stunned when Hades didn't correct her.
He just turned away.
"Come now, Persephone. What is your favorite color? I will pick out a nice dress for you. "
"I like green."
"To goes with your eyes."
"My mother said that too."
As Persephone bathed in the large tub, the maid combed her hair, and even took the liberty in braiding it. But, it felt weird to Kore. It was only her mother who braided her hair, and it felt alien to have someone who was radiating dead vibes.
Kore may have not fully grown into her powers, but she thrived off of life, and this woman wasn't shedding off any of it, despite the fact she was smiling.
As promised she was presented with a flowing emerald green gown. It made little Persephone feel beautiful.
"Thank you."
She smiled nicely at her and outstretched her hand. "To Master." She said.
Persephone happily took it, and skipped her way to the throne room.
As promised, Hades was there, on his throne, judging a soul.
They did not converse with each other, and the maid quickly left.
Persephone climbed the steps to Hades' throne, setting down at his feet.
The soul gasped, but dare not to question.
Persephone didn't see the sin in such an act, and once again, Hades didn't correct her.
He cracked a smile down at her. "Hello Persephone. I will be done shortly, and escort you back to your Mother."
"Okay." She smile at him, and looked at the soul.
Hades didn't talk to the soul, and the soul looked down, too afraid to look up.
"Asphodel Fields." He snapped his fingers. The soul smiled, it was better than Tartarus, and for that, he was grateful.
"Come now Persephone. Time to go home."
She smiled happily at this. "That's it?"
"I can read minds Kore. You will learn the extent of a god's power when you are older."
"Will I get powers?"
He nodded his head.
They walked in silence, and as they walked through the Underworld, Kore kept clasping her small hands around the pants around his knee.
She didn't like the feeling of the dead.
It was opposite of what she liked.
It was wrong. For in the eyes of Persephone, everything deserved life.
They had to venture into Tartarus again.
She was reluctant, but he assured her he was the ruler of this land, and with any threat that came her way would be gone with a snap of his finger.
"Okay." She said, following after him clasping on to his calf.
"Heyy~ Master." The fimiliar sing-song voice. "What brings you to Tartarus? Slow day and wanna use the sad souls as targets?" Dante mused.
"Dante." Hades said with a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am Ruler of the Underworld." He said not holding back any signs of arrogance and pride. "And therefore, I have to keep order in my kingdom, no?"
"Yes . . ." Dante replied shakily.
"So, why, in Zeus' name, where you causing disruption in my kingdom, knowing full well, I would have to sort the dilemma out. I do not have to jest - I have souls to grade." He continued, sounding annoyed and impatient. Persephone didn't like how the nice god she new as Hades, was now turning into a brutal dictator over these men.
She took refugee in his cape.
Dante stepped back in defense. "What I do?"
"You are aware you are to not touch anything human, or soul, without my permission. But you disobeyed me - deliberately." He stated.
Persephone came out from behind Hades cape, latched on to his calf, and watched the fear in Dante and Andreas grow.
"You are not to do it again, understood?"
He nodded.
A swift, quick movement of Hades wrist, he crashed the blunt end of his spear on Dante's head - just for reassurance.
"Just so we are the same page." He dismissed Dante, and turned to Andreas, then to Persephone. "Did he harm you?"
She nodded and Andreas, too, earned a throttle of the spear's blunt end.
"Don't. Let. It. Happen. Again. I have the Underworld to run and I don't need nuisances like you to bother me."
"Yes Master." He bowed, and entered the fog, rubbing his head.
Kore giggled.
"Violence humors you?"
"What is 'violence?' " Hades raised his eyebrows in shock.
She really was the purest anyone could ever be. He pitied her. She was locked away in a house, and deprived from the world. She'll learn. Hades thought.
"Onward Persephone."
"To mother." She smiled and up the stairs they went.
"Hades?"
"Yes?"
"Who were those two?"
"My idiotic servants."
"I think you need a better servants." She paused, than began to ramble. "But, no wait! That maid who braided my hair was nice. Look!" She twirled in her emerald dress, and showed him his braid as they continued to venture up the stairs, Kore explaining her lovely time with his maid.