This is my first attempt at a 'romance' story - I promise I won't make it mushy :) I hope you like it!
For all the times that I could recall, I had never once stepped out of line. My mother, Demeter, clung on to me as if in fear of losing her only daughter. I know that she loves me, but her love was like a noose tightening around my already raw neck. But what could I do about it? Yes, I am the goddess of spring to be exact. In Mount Olympus my life was just perfect to the point where it was beginning to get dull. I mean, what was I supposed to do besides attending extravagant parties and lying around with nymphs, creating daisy chains? There was one party though that I remember well. I was around seven at the time; it was just like any other party to get the Gods socialising. My mother loved parties, so made sure that both of us were wearing our greatest attire, consisting of a long azure robe with a silver belt and matching sandals. To top off, a brooch of platinum lilies clipped my hair up into a bun.
"You look absolutely adorable!" Mother exclaimed in glee, smothering me in kisses. I giggled with embarrassment while smelling Mother's perfume – a mixture of lemongrass and a hint of lime. Even if I complained about my Mother's clinginess, I still loved her more than anyone else.
Music played in the courtyard while platters of ambrosia were placed on dressed tables. My first move was for the food – I sometimes wondered whether my stomach was an empty abyss connected to a different dimension. Many Gods talked to me, but it was short and sweet. But as normal, my Uncle Poseidon and I talked considerably longer. He is really easy to talk to, but he did have the tendency to blether far too much. A little away from the group was a tall, slender man sitting quietly on a couch with a faraway look. Saying that he was handsome was by far the biggest understatement to say the least. He wasn't overly muscular but not skinny; he was toned in all the right places. His skin was as pale as a lily, his dark clothes intensifying that fact. The man's hair was the colour of ebony, in a high pony tail which slivered down his back. Of course, I left the best for last – his eyes. They were globes of sapphire, gazing at something which seemed to not be there. My gaze was broken when Aphrodite appeared by my side.
"Is something the matter Persephone?" she asked in concern at my stoic expression.
"I, um…" I mumbled as I felt my cheeks flushed scarlet. "No, I'm just fine thanks." She smiled beautifully before taking my hand and dragging me in the direction of the nymphs. To be honest, I just wanted to find the man again, but I smiled and played with the others. As one of the Gods struck into a performance, I darted quietly from the group and hurried to the clearing where he had been. When I reached there, I found Ares and the man talking contently about adult things. At the time I was completely oblivious to their chatter, concerning only with the mysterious God. I liked Ares, though he could be scary if you got on the wrong side with him. He noticed my presence.
"Hello my dear Persephone! Why are you away from the party?"
"I was bored, so I went for a walk." I answered quickly in defence. Ares chuckled deeply.
"As bad a liar as always I see."
"Not!" I retorted with a flush. The man stared quietly as if I was an exhibit; it started to unnerve me.
"Well, I better go back," Ares stated as he stood up, "Zeus needs some help with strategies; keep her company now~"
"But Ares…" the man's voice growled a wonderful note that nearly caused my body to melt. Before he could protest too profusely, the God of war had disappeared like a mirage, leaving me alone with the strange man. Silence commenced for a few minutes, causing me to nervously rub my hands together.
"So, who are your parents?" the strange man asked, giving me a piercing look.
"Um, Demeter's my mum, and Zeus is my Dad."
He seemed to visually stiffen, muttering a few incoherent words to himself. To break the unbearably tension, I sat on the ground and concentrated on making snow drops. I know they weren't the most spectacular of flowers, but they were my favourite.
"What are you doing, girl?" he asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Shh, I am trying to concentrate!" I hissed in annoyance as a few snow drops popped from the earth. Another few minutes passed and I finally made a small bunch of them, my breath a little ragged from the strain of using my power – I wasn't used to it yet. I grabbed the snowdrops, wrapped a piece of ribbon from my pocket around them and presented them to him.
"I made you some flowers Mister," I mumbled in nervousness, "I know it isn't much, but you can have them."
Slowly, the man took the bunch of flowers from my hand and looked at them stoically. It was like he had never been given a present before.
"Why did you give me these?" he gave me an odd look.
It surprised me that he didn't know what to do with flowers.
"Put them in a vase silly," I said before realising what I just called him, "They are a present for you."
"Why did you give me these?" he asked once again.
I shrugged with a little smile on my face, "Because I like you Mister."
The man continued to stare at the flowers before moving his gaze to me, a searching look passing through his face. Before I could say anything else, my Mother's voice could be heard from the party.
"Persephone, honey, where are you?"
My head swivelled round to just see my Mother's head bobbing in the crowd, worry plastered on her face. Sighing, I turned back to the God.
"Sorry Mister, but I have to go – Mum is calling me."
With that, I turned on my heel and sped up the hill, a bizarre feeling of curiosity echoing through by being. I would have definitely liked to talk with the man more.
I never even got the chance to ask his name.
If Ares could be any more annoying, I would not hesitate to throw him to Cerberus. I had been relaxing, enjoying the peace and quiet, before that damn God of war sat down beside me.
"Hello Hades, how is my old friend doing down under?" he asked, a smile gracing that annoyingly handsome face.
"What do you want Ares, I am not in the mood to talk to you right now."
"Ouch, no need to be cold to an old friend."
"When were we ever friends?" I deadpanned with a side glance at him. "Do not make me ask again; what is it that you want?"
The fake smile dropped at that point, leaving the hard serious face that I always knew.
"Zeus has been having problems with the mortals again. They are rioting and deeming themselves more important than us; this is after one of them somehow got their hands on the power of fire. I had thought making a statement of torturing that man would have changed their minds, but it surprisingly hasn't."
"Oh? So this isn't about how Zeus cheating on Hera with even more mortal women?" I hissed with sarcasm. The almighty brother of mine was just a hormonal teenage boy with far too much power, and even less morals. How he had ever become King of the Gods was beyond my comprehension, but I didn't mind – the Underworld is definitely more interesting than Olympus; it also meant that I barely got disrupted by Gods. I had only gone to this party because my brother had practically begged me to come, which was not a pleasant sight. The reason was still to be questioned. But before I could ask, something seemed to catch Ares' attention.
"Hello my dear Persephone! Why are you away from the party?"
"I was bored so I went for a walk."
"A bad a liar as always I see."
"Not!"
My gaze turned to the high sweet voice that seemed to be talking to Ares. For a moment I was wondering who, until I looked a little down to see a small girl, not much older than seven, turning bright pink with embarrassment. I did not recall ever seeing her before, and I would have certainly remembered. She was small, with round freckled cheeks with a button nose, lip gloss shining from her tiny red lips. The girl wore modest clothes, but her hair had caught my eye. Unlike most of the blond bimbo Gods, she had fiery red hair, tied up in a small bun. I slowly began to realize that her hazelnut eyes were slowly looking over my face, puzzlement lightening her features.
"Well, I better go back," Ares stated as he stood up, "Zeus needs some help with strategies; keep her company now~"
"But Ares…" I growled in annoyance; was he going to make him babysit this brat for the entire party? Damn that War God!
An odd silence seemed to occur, making the girl obviously uncomfortable, which I noticed in the way that she was rubbing her hands. She somehow seemed familiar, so I found myself (for once) starting a conversation.
"So, who are your parents?"
The girl took a few minutes before answering my simple question.
"Um, Demeter's my mum, and Zeus is my Dad."
I could not help but stiffen. Not only was I babysitting a brat, but it was Zeus' brat? A few years back I had heard that Zeus had slept with another God, but he would never had thought it to be the sensible Demeter. Most likely she was pushed into a corner and forced to sleep with the bastard. Then again, Demeter had always wanted children, so she might have asked him. Poor kid – having a hormonal Father and a clingy Mother can't be a dream come true. Wait, when did I sympathise with Gods; their lives were fricken' perfect, unlike the mortals on earth, which I had the blasted enjoyment of judging every single day. I turned my attention back to the girl, to find her sitting on the ground, and concentrating on something.
"What are you doing, girl?" I asked flatly, with an odd sense of curiosity.
"Shh, I am trying to concentrate!" she hissed back.
Her comment seemed to annoy me to no end. When did a damn kid tell the God of the Underworld to be quiet? Most likely, she had no clue he was Hades; Demeter had never particularly liked him, so probably never told the child. The girl had seemed to have inherited the annoying habit of her father – bossing everyone around. Suddenly, I noticed small snow drops sprouting from the soil, one after another like pearly white fireworks. After a few more minutes, she plucked them from the soil, wrapped them up and presented the bunch in front of him.
"You can have the flowers Mister," she stated with a small smile, "I know it isn't much, but you can have them.
A few moments of awkward silence passed, before I realised that I had to take them. So I took them from her tiny fingers and held them with no bloody clue what to do with them. What did the God of the Underworld need flowers for?
"Why did you give me these?" I asked in wonder.
"Put them in a flower silly!" she giggled, "There a present from me to you."
I felt a vein begin to throb on my temple. The last time anyone had called me silly was thrown in Tartarus at least three thousand years ago. If she wasn't a girl or a young Goddess, I would have given her a piece of my mind.
"Why did you give me these?" I asked, hoping I would get a proper answer.
"Cause I like you Mister." She answered simply.
The answer had completely knocked me off guard. She had given me a present, because she liked me? But she didn't even know me, let alone fear me like the rest of those pathetic Gods. To be given a present was a first, and I had no clue what to say. Before I could say anything else, a familiar annoying voice could be heard.
"Persephone, honey, where are you?"
Great, it was Demeter.
"Sorry Mister, but I have to go – Mum is calling."
The girl left just like that, her small frame moving quickly up the hill, her body being engulfed by the crowd. Yet, her lovely smile never left my mind. She had me intrigued to say the least. I stood up and left, with my cloak draped around my shoulders. I brought the bouquet of flowers to my face and inhaled the sweet scent.