That story of Hades stealing me away? It's all true. You can't always believe everything the gods say, but that story, at least, is true. Or most of it, anyway. You want to know the story firsthand? I am one of only two gods, mortals, monsters, or any other creature who was part of that capture. I am the only one who can tell you, as Hades claims that the story is untrue.
You ask who I am? I am Persephone, goddess of flowers and springtime, daughter of Demeter and Zeus, wife of Hades. Once I was a young goddess, living with my mother, Demeter, year-round on Olympus. That was many centuries ago, back when Olympus was still in Greece. Now it is in America, and the entrance to my husband's realm — my realm — is in Los Angeles.
I do not like to say 'my realm'. I prefer to say 'my husband's realm' or 'the realm of Hades' or something like that. It was very hard to face the facts: that I was now queen of the Underworld, and would have to spend four months a year there.
Although I willingly ate the seeds of that pomegranate, half of me wishes that I had not, that I could've gone with Hermes, never to return to that gloomy place, that place where the souls of the dead go, the Underworld. The other half tells me that that would not have been right, that I would have felt sad and lost for the rest of my life.
My heart had warmed to Hades by then, and I could not leave him forever. Though my mother Demeter would have had me stay by her side all year, I could not leave the Underworld.
It was strange, how I had warmed to my new husband and the Underworld. As a teenage goddess, I thought the Underworld was the darkest, gloomiest place ever. Now, as queen of 'the darkest, gloomiest place ever,' I think that this place can be made lighter, happier.
One of the ways I help is I visit the heroes in Elysium and the Isles of the Blest, especially the recently dead.. I talk to them, help them, give them company. The ones I visit most often are those who need me, commonly those who are waiting for someone else.
For example, recently I visited Charles Beckendorf, a son of Hephaestus who was killed while trying to blow up the Princess Andromeda (aided by Percy Jackson) in the days leading up to the final battle with the Titans. He was waiting for Silena Beauregard, who was killed a few weeks later in the final battle after taking on a drakon while pretending to be Clarisse La Rue. I still visit them occasionally, but he is now reunited with Silena (his girlfriend) and no longer needs a companion.
But enough of that. You came to hear my story, so let me begin. Where does it start? It starts in so many places — Olympus, a field of flowers, the Underworld. I guess it's best if I start at the beginning — the very beginning, when I was born, the only child of Demeter and Zeus. That was before Zeus married Hera, back when Demeter was his chief consort.
Now, let the story — a story of pain and betrayal, love and family — begin.
