For the first time in a long time, Persephone was content. Her children where all in the Underworld- all where home and they had not been home for a long, long, long time. At least not altogether.
Hades was smiling. Smiling, not a grimace or scowl or frown, but a true and proper smile and at times like these she remembers how she fell in love with him and how he loves her just as much.
She was walking towards the throne room where the sound of laughter could be heard; in fact all over the Underworld the joyous sound could be heard; which was quiet rare. When she graciously strode in she couldn't help the small smile that made its way on her lips as she took in the scene that was in front of her.
Melinoe was discussing about scrolls she had read in the library to Bianca, while Bianca was playing with the braid in her hair coming over her shoulder talking about her quiet walks through the grounds outlining the palace.
To their right her other two daughters Macaria and Hazel where agreeing with each other that their once a year on Olympus was not enough to satisfy their curiosity about the heavens; their second home as some would call it. That and the topic about boys, she would see to 'investigate' that later.
Persephone glanced to her right and saw her husband Hades and son Nico discussing topics and events in the Underworld that needed their attention.
She tried to remember what it had been like when the gods had made a lot of their children demi-gods, (hers included) so they could control the Great Prophesy.
She had been heart-broken pretending to hate her little boy; turning him into a dandelion had been normal when he was a god and they had their little family spats but for him to think she hated him and would turn him into it just because she could broke her heart.
Having to watch her children be carried and birthed by other women, Hazel by Marie Levesque while Bianca and Nico where birthed by Maria di Angelo. Not only that, she had to watch them die before they could be reunited with her. Die! To watch your children who are supposed to be immortal, supposed to never grow old, to be with you forever. Die. She had cried when Hazel had died. Screamed when Bianca was crushed and she could do nothing but watch. Bianca came back though, remembering Persephone was her true mother. The gods had to keep her hidden from others though. Because once the 'demigods' had 'died' the others weren't allowed to know. It would ruin the memories they had been given and destines that had to play out first. She was hopping she would have Hazel back in her arms too, she didn't care if the world would end then; her would had ended and kept ending when she could only watch them and pretend to hate them. But Nico had brought Hazel back to 'life'. At least he had one of his sisters with him in the mortal world.
She had watched them fight on the battlefield with the others, oh, she was so proud of her babies. All she needed was this war to be over and then her children would remember her and come back home. They would be a family again.
She had watched Nico fight not just in one war but in two. TWO! What if he got so hurt he had to be reborn….. Again? Those were her thoughts every minute of every day and night.
But both wars were won and Nico and Hazel were both all right. A mother could not wish for anything more. All the 'demigods' were given back there real memories and titles. When she heard her children were coming home she was nervous.
'What if they hate me for pretending to hate them?'
Bianca didn't hate her, but Bianca didn't 'know' her as Persephone the goddess. Her daughter knew her as Persephone, her mother. So there she was waiting when all of a sudden she feels four arms around her. She looks up not realising she had been so in thought she didn't see her children run up to her and hug her like their lives depended on it. Without even thinking she hugged them just as much. It was instinct. Her parental instinct was kicking in.
She looked over her children's shoulders to see Hades having an arm around Bianca and both of them admiring the view. Melinoe and Macaria where standing next to their father and sister giggling. All of the family happy to just be reunited once more.
So as she made her way over to her husband in the throne room, she knew they would never take anything for granted ever again. They would stay together no matter how hard it would get. Because they were a family. A slightly dark family. But a family none the less.