DISCLAIMER: I've written this purely for my own and my readers' entertainment. I make no money whatsoever and I don't own anything (apart from the plot and my student debts, and you're more than welcome to take the latter if you so wish).
A/N: This story was requested by Linale Ashley M, who wanted my other Hades and Persephone, 'Above & Below', to be turned into a full fan-fiction. I hope this satisfies you. Incidentally, it is not necessary to have read 'A&B' in order to understand this one, although it is only a one-shot... :D
A/N 2: As ever, first thanks must go to gaia caecilia for not only being my Beta, but also for enduring all my rants and complaints about Uni work in general and Dissertations in particular – love you, my darling! :* :* :* :*
A/N 3: Don't worry, Dawnstar-fans! We do have seasonal specials lined up, but we're just in the process of finishing them off, so watch this space... And in the mean time, I hope you enjoy:
PUNISHMENTS & TRICKERY
CHAPTER 1: PLANS & PUNISHMENTS
BELOW
"PERSEPHONE!" Hades cried as he climaxed, shaking as his seed spurted from him.
Persephone, already shaking from her own climax just moments before, moaned as she felt the searing liquid penetrate her womb. Even when his member had become flaccid once again, Hades kept up their intimate connection, not wanting to withdraw too soon from Persephone's warm, silky depths... not tonight anyway.
But he did eventually move to lie beside his wife and then embrace her when she came to him. As she so liked to do after they made love, Persephone laid her head on her husband's shoulder and her arm upon the light smattering of dark hair, which adorned his muscular chest. She stared straight ahead, but she was staring at nothing in particular, for the approaching dawn heralded her return to the Aboveworld. This would be her final night in Hades' arms for six whole months. Even after all their long years of marriage, their parting never got any easier, and Persephone suspected it never would.
"No, agape mou, let's have none of those dark thoughts tonight," whispered Hades, even though he was thinking exactly the same thing. He began to stroke his wife's hair as she leant up to look at him. Persephone sighed softly.
"But I shall miss you so."
"And I you, agape mou, but we are not parted yet..." as he said this, Hades' fingertips broke through Persephone's thick curtain of golden hair and began to trace a sensual path down her spine, "I believe we still have a few hours before that twit Hermes puts in an appearance."
Persephone, who had been about to kiss her husband, tensed at the word 'twit'.
"Hermes is not a twit; he's the only one from the Aboveworld to even remember I'm here half the time."
"Yes, but his interruptions could be slightly better timed at times. You can bet your bottom drachma that your mother puts him up to it."
Persephone's lips twitched at her husband's almost automatic pursing of his own lips. She lowered her head and touched her lips to his chin before continuing down to his chest. She inhaled his beloved earthy scent.
"But as you pointed out, husband, we still have a few hours left and I think even Hermes has learnt not to 'interrupt' us at this time..." She shifted herself until she was lying atop Hades and began to lather his already stiffening nipples with her tongue. She straddled his hips and bent to kiss him, but Hades suddenly flipped them over with the grace only a god possesses.
This time, their loving was slow, seductive, filled with passion, and when Persephone woke a little while later, she found that Hades was still on top of her, still inside of her. As she shifted beneath him, she felt his member stiffen with a renewed longing and so let him love her all over again.
They stayed in this cycle of sleep and satisfaction until dawn broke.
XXX
ABOVE
In front of the cavern which led back into the Underworld, Demeter embraced her daughter warmly. She looked up and saw Hades watching them; pale, tall, proud, clothed in his ubiquitous black, he always seemed to be guarding his wife. As ever, his ice-blue eyes were inscrutable, but even Demeter had to concede that he loved Persephone dearly and that putting that silly naiad, Minthe*(1), in his path had been a mistake. He had been alert and even cooler towards Demeter ever since, having guessed her part in the scheme.
As Persephone broke free from the embrace, Demeter nodded at Hades politely. After a pause, he returned the gesture; neither of them wanted to set Persephone in the middle of their bickering. Hades' eyes flicked back to his wife, who had transformed back into the pastel-robed Goddess of Spring. Without preamble, Hades turned on his heel and strode down into the depths of the Underworld.
XXX
Life started to reappear in the Aboveworld, which became awash with fresh, bright colours as the new spring flowers opened up. Bees buzzed in the hedgerows, new animals were born, and the nymphs and naiads danced about in cool, clear watering-holes. Persephone and her mother went here, there, and everywhere, over-seeing all of this change. As ever, Persephone revelled in the sunlight, frolicking about in the woods and meadows, singing her life-giving songs and charms. However, as time wore on, her heart grew heavy through missing her husband. At least, she was occupied, though, and this was some, albeit small, comfort.
XXX
BELOW
Hades sat in his black, marble throne; he was straight-backed and glaring at his brother. In all their long years as gods, Zeus had never set foot in his brother's realm, instead preferring to send Hermes with messages. Hades had much preferred it that way, for he was aloof and distant by nature, knowing that almost all in the Aboveworld feared even to speak his name, instead choosing to name him 'Pluton', or wealth, in honour of all the precious stones and minerals that he provided them with.
Now Zeus had ventured down into the darkest recess of the Underworld; the message he carried must be of immense weight and importance. Zeus, having always thought himself slightly better than his two brothers because of his drawing the lot of the sky, started off pompously and officiously:
"Brother, I have visited you this day because the message which I bear is of a most serious nature and as such I judged that it was best met with my personal attention…" he paused dramatically, waiting for the ubiquitous 'what message is that?' that he had come to expect on this round of visits. Hades, however, merely continued to look at him, one eyebrow slightly raised. He had long ago realised that his ever-present calmness and composure often made people very ill at ease and so they often just told him things simply to fill his silence.
Zeus faltered slightly, but carried on:
"As I have said to everyone else, I require your presence forthwith at a meeting on Olympus to discuss this urgent matter, but as you will be rather more involved than others, I thought that I should inform you of my plans beforehand." Hades almost blinked in surprise, but composed himself in time.
Now keen to be away from his brother's penetrating gaze, Zeus hurriedly relayed his plans. Hades listened in utter bewilderment – what could his brother be thinking of? And how could he expect that Persephone would agree to such a scheme? How would Hades explain his compliance to her?
XXX
ABOVE
Persephone looked around the halls of Olympus eagerly. Today was the day of her father's Great Meeting, to which all the gods had been invited, including her husband. Persephone hadn't expected to see Hades for another couple of months, so this Meeting had come as a very welcome, if slightly mysterious, surprise. Such an occurrence, however, had also put Demeter on the alert, knowing that her daughter would take every advantage of situation. She tolerated Hades, but only if he kept to the bargain; Persephone was spending this half of the year with her mother, there could be no time for amorousness.
Aphrodite, however, was very much on Persephone and Hades' side, having helped get them together in the first place. She was also angry with Demeter for scorning their love, so she was determined to aid them in every way she could. And when Persephone finally sensed her lover's cold presence, Aphrodite whispered in her ear,
"Go to him, child; I cannot promise you much time alone, but I will do my best." She then glided up to Demeter and began complimenting her most recent batch of roses, which surely had been the most exquisite that Aphrodite had ever seen.
Silently thanking her, Persephone made her way to the darkest recess of the palace. No one ventured here very much; it was mainly used just for display of the many offerings that had been given to the various gods that dwelt on Olympus. Always having such an abundance of them made them rather monotonous after a while.
Walking through the corridors, Persephone felt slightly tense from the dark and the quiet, so she gasped when Hades' strong arms closed about her. It wasn't just from surprise, though, for as she was pulled back against his chest, she could feel that he was just as excited as she was. He breathing was slightly uneven and the slight bulge she felt through his robes sent an erotic fire sweeping through her.
Hades moaned as they touched and began to delicately caress the pale skin of his wife's neck and shoulder, the kisses were interspersed with tiny nips and his broad hands wandered searingly over her waist and stomach. Persephone turned then, wanting also to caress her husband. She rubbed herself against him suggestively, even wantonly, feeling her excitement grow. They could tell that their love-making would be intense, just as it always was after they had been parted for the required time.
Finally tired of teasing and pleasuring, their lips and tongues met fiercely in the age-old prelude to the lovers' most intimate dance. Hades lost first his cloak and then Persephone began to slowly ease his robes off his shoulders...
"Persephone? Where are you, my child?" Demeter's worried and slightly annoyed voice broke through their hazy senses like one of Zeus' thunderbolts.
The couple had barely composed themselves when she came swiftly around the corner. The goddess' sharp eyes picked out their slightly flushed features and narrowed dangerously.
"You know Zeus' ruling, Hades. My daughter is currently spending her time in the Aboveworld as Goddess of Spring; as such, these," she paused, "dalliances are not to be carried on. You would not even be here were it not for Zeus calling us all together."
Angered, Hades was about to retort when Persephone laid her hand passively on his. Her head was bowed, but she was perfectly steady. She then let go his hand, straightened, and swept past her mother. Hades could sense her sadness, but he was still too annoyed with Demeter to much more other than stand where he was, watching as both goddesses walked away.
At least his robes hid his excited state, although Aphrodite did look at him slightly sadly, as he swept into the hall where the Meeting was to take place. Everyone quietened as his black-clad form strode past them, only stopping to greet his two brothers and their wives on the raised dais. Then, noting the number of thrones, he turned and formally held out his hand to Persephone. She stepped forward and took his hand, allowing him to guide her to her silver, metal throne brought specially from the Underworld. Persephone may currently be enacting in her role as Goddess of Spring, but she was nevertheless his wife and was thus accorded full honour.
When all had taken their respective seats, Zeus rose from his throne and cleared his throat.
"Welcome, everyone, to our immortal home and to this Meeting, the result of which cannot be put off any longer." He paused as everyone stared at each other slightly uneasily. "The hubris*(2) of Mankind has become so great that it must not be tolerated any more. Mayhap I should have taken such action once Prometheus had gifted Mankind with fire*(3), but I did not. Now Mankind will reap what it has sown and be punished in its entirety."
There was whispering amongst the assembled gods, each wondering what Zeus could have in mind.
"How do you mean to go about this?" asked Apollo.
All eyes were fixed on Zeus as he opened his mouth to answer.
"I shall send a flood."
TBC
TRANSLATION
Agape mou = my love (Modern Greek)
XXX
*(1)Minthe was transformed into a mint plant by Persephone in retaliation for flirting with Hades.
*(2) Extreme pride or arrogance, in particular offending the gods by believing yourself better then them; considered the greatest crime of all Ancient Greek society.
*(3) Going against an order from Zeus, Prometheus stole and gave Man fire. His punishment was to be chained to a rock, where a great eagle would swoop down and eat his liver. Being a Titan and thus immortal, Prometheus could not die, so his liver grew again each night allowing his agonies to be repeated day after day. He screams were said to reverberate around the whole of the Caucasus Mountains, where he was imprisoned. Nice.