Before Persephone
Torrent D. Kamikaze
Chapter 1
The Golden Hind
Alala was perfectly still as she froze in place, her eyes alert, as she watched her prey. The Hind was not nervous, as it ambled easily through the woods, cropping up the grass with its teeth almost lazily. It was a large beast, for its kind, and Alala gave a smile as she thought about all the starving people that would be feasting this night. She drew her bow noiselessly, her every muscle tensed.
The arrow flew immaculately, swift and deadly, it pierced the hind through it's lungs and heart. The Hart jumped, tried to run, but staggered to the ground, falling dead.
The hind's blood gushed from its wounds, as Alala leapt off the tree she had taken refuge in, landing in a crouch, her cherry-dark smile stretching across her heart-shaped face.
Though mortal, she was exotic and beautiful enough to be a nymph, or even a goddess.
Her father was a warrior, her mother an amazon. She had the blood of Aries in her veins, but not enough to make her immortal, only dominantly athletic, fleet and strong, with an incredible stamina.
As she drained the blood from the body of the heart, skinned off the hide and preserved the meat, she wiped sweat from her face. Finished, she took her horn and blew into it.
An answering call from another horn came to her ears and she set up camp, to wait for her brothers to pick up the spoils she had earned.
Alala laughed softly as she thought back on her family.
She lived alone, in a house she had earned from a would-be suitor.
Challenging the lord who had asked for her hand in marriage, she had wagered her hand against all his possessions. If she won, she would get the house and all the servants and lands that surrounded it; if he won, he would win her hand in marriage, and she would bear his children.
She had won, claimed her house, the servants and land, and now hunted for pleasure and sent the meat to her brothers, who dispersed it among the needy.
All in all, it was not a bad life. She certainly wouldn't trade it for any other... or, that is what she lead herself to believe.
As she looked around, she smiled as she saw a rippling pond of water.
Quickly, she stripped herself, baring her perfect, sculpted, bronze-skinned body to the sun, and she dove into the pond, washing away sweat, blood, and tears.
Eros, on his way to run an errand of doom for his mother, paused as he noticed Hades, slinking through the woods, thinking that he was unseen. He was dangerously close to a pond where a mortal woman bathed…hold everything!
Alala?
Eros looked closer.
Yes, it was Alala, daughter of Leander and Hecate. Alala was said to be the most beautiful woman among the amazons…and Aphrodite had sent him to make her miserable.
He grinned.
Making Hades fall madly in love with the mortal would be great fun…and it would doubtless cause no end of torment for Alala. He recalled also that Hades had said something rather degrading about the number of men Aphrodite slept with in a day. If he paired the two of them together, it would be the same as killing two birds with one stone... or in this case, one arrow.
He quickly darted down, invisible, and drew his bow, just as Hades turned in the direction of a loud splash.
(Hades POV)
I feel a burning, such as I have never felt before.
I have heard of this feeling…I never thought it would feel like this.
It's like fire, smoldering in my body, altering my mind by consuming with feeling, dispensing my logic.
I gasp, groaning in agony, as my vision blurs, and then clears…
Gods…
I cannot believe it…
In my vision is a goddess…
Only she is mortal.
I have never seen such beauty in a mortal.
Her skin is like bronze when it is in the fire…the fire of Hephaestus.
Her eyes are like the sun, the chariot of Helios, molten gold and shining.
Her hair cascades like rivers of liquid rubies…or the blood of mortals, red as roses.
Her lips are dark, plump and stretched in a relaxed smile.
The shape of her face, the curves of her body…she is perfect.
My need washes over me like a flood…
But I must not…I MUST NOT…give in… no matter how tempting.
I shake, quivering; eager like a young man…I hold my ground, but my desire, my want, my need is choking me, stealing the breath from my lungs...
As I quickly run from the sight, I gasp aloud again, and I feel my need pressing into me like a blade.
I must have her; of this I have no doubt. I must, I MUST have her.
But after watching my brothers, my nephews, the lesser gods and mortals with the unwilling maidens they have claimed, I dare not make the same mistake…I dare not repeat their same error. I am the Lord of the Dead. I refuse be like other men.
She must be willing, as I am willing; she must want me, the way I want her…
Alala shifted uneasily in the water, sinking until just her eyes showed above the water.
Swiftly, she jumped out and replaced her hunting chiffon.
As she returned to the deer, she froze.
Wolves.
A lot of them.
They looked at her hungrily as she growled low in her throat, gripping nothing, cursing herself for leaving the raw meat unattended for so long…but since when had wolves been in this part of the country?
No matter.
She slowly backed up, as the wolves began to slowly advance, growling at her, their yellow eyes hungry.
She turned tail and ran.
Fleet as a deer, she kept ahead of them, adrenaline racing through her blood.
She cursed when she discovered they were right behind her.
Swiftly, she saw a tree with a low, overhanging branch and put an extra burst of speed, swinging herself up onto the branch as she leapt, then climbed higher.
The wolves circled the tree, leaping up onto it, barking angrily at her.
She grinned softly.
"Can ya climb trees, ya furry bastards?" she sneered at them.
They growled angrily.
Suddenly, an arrow zipped through the air, and slit the throat of one of the wolves, who fell down dead.
Suddenly, the branch she clung to broke, and she began to fall to the ground, but all at once, there was a volley of arrows, and soon, all the wolves were dead, arrows piercing them.
Slowly, Alala looked around, shouting," Halooo?!"
She heard footsteps, but just barely, so light was the footfall.
Into her view strode a dark man.
His face was cleanly shaven, his dark, thick hair was cut short to his head.
His dark, amber eyes, almost red, like fire, stood out from his ebony face.
His build was strong, and his aura was…heavenly…
"Are you injured?" his voice was rumbling and deep, almost like the purring growl of a lion.
Alala quickly shook her head.
"Thank you, sir, I am not injured." She responded easily, sizing him up as a potential opponent.
He was certainly formidable; not only in appearance, but also from the way he carried himself.
He was graceful, as though every movement was liquid, and she knew there weren't many people who could move like that, unless they were skilled dancers…or fighters. From what she saw of his build, there was far more perfection than that of any build of the mortal race.
She gave a curt bow as she leapt nimbly from the branches of the tree.
"I am Alala, daughter of Leander and Hecate."
He regarded her a moment before replying, "I am Hades, Lord of the Underworld."
Her look told him everything; shock, astonishment, wariness, and she backed up, her face wary as she coldly replied, "What do you want from me? Have you come to take me to the Underworld, my lord?"
He smiled thinly.
"No, my dear. If I had that intention, I would have broken the tree down, for the wolves to attend to you. As it is, I was on my way to attend to an errand…when I came upon your predicament. I didn't wish to see you stuck so needlessly in the tree, while you wait for your brothers…so I slew the wolves. I've always enjoyed archery." He added on an off-hand manner, gripping his bow in his hand.
She paused on that thought. True…she owed him her life. How... ironic.
Finally, she knelt down, and told him plainly, "I owe you my life…my lord, what can I do in return?"
He heard the caution in her question and knew what she feared and smiled.
"If you would give me anything…allow me to visit you, in your home, to join you for your evening and morning meals."
She looked up in surprise. That was not the reply she had been expecting, and she was grateful.
"My Lord, be it as you wish."
Favoring him with a dazzling smile, she curtsied.
He nodded, a pleased smirk on his dark lips.
"I will see you then, soon, perhaps."
She nodded.
"Thank you, My Lord. Fare well." she responded softly.
He nodded and turned to leave.
She watched in amazement as he vanished from sight, and she shook her head.
"Gods…I have spoken with the Lord of the Dead." She murmured softly as she put her hand to her forehead.
She had never expected Hades to be so handsome. True, he had not the golden, fair beauty of Apollo, or the tempting, lusciousness of Eros, or yet the roguish, mischievous youthfulness Hermes. His fire was not the lustfulness of Aries, or the majestic grandeur of Zeus.
He was grave, mature, exotic and mysterious and she had detected something in his eyes that had made her quake when she asked what she might do for him.
If he had chosen to take her, she would have fought him, and fought him hard…she was very surprised at his request.
To visit her?
To dine with her?
Of what interest was she to him?
Had he been watching her?
What did he really want?
"If all he wants is to get beneath my skirts, he's going to have to earn it." She muttered tightly, knowing she would not be able to defeat this god…eventually, he would win, somehow, but for now, she growled low in her throat and returned to see her brothers riding up, baskets in hand to collect the meat of the Hind she had slain.
Aphrodite stood, watching the young girl through her magic mirror.
"Hmm…" she murmured irreverently as she stroked her golden hair with her delicate hairbrush.
"This could be quite interesting."
As Eros alighted in her bedroom, she turned to him with a wicked smile.
"Excellent work, my son. I believe that unkind remark Hades made about my fidelity has been repaid." She laughed.
Eros nodded with a smirk.
"So, then, I did well, mother?"
"Yes…though she really doesn't deserve the love of a god, the little chit!" Aphrodite scowled.
Eros stroked his chin, disagreeing quietly.
After all, the woman he loved was a mortal…but he did not tell this to him mother!
Aphrodite continued to gaze upon the young woman, 25 years of age, who was a virgin, a warrior, a hunter and a shrew as well.
She nodded.
"My son, I want you to get that pet of yours to bite Hades tonight, when he joins her for dinner…then, nothing will prevent what must happen to complete my revenge on she who others think is so beautiful!"
Good evening, my readers. I hope this little story finds you amused. If not, well, I can't apologize for it, because I've found some great amusement in writing it.
However, if you would be so kind, please leave a review. I look forward to hearing from you all.
Best Wishes!