"But mama, what if they don't acknowledge us?" the youngest of her children asked.
"Don't be ridicules my little princess," the spring goddess sighed, "Of course the Olympian's will recognise all of you. You are God's after all." Although slightly different, the queen mused. "Now, don't you look beautiful in that gold chiton you're father got just for you. It really brings out your eyes my dear." Persephone smiled at her daughter and motioned for her to turn. Her youngest did so, albeit slowly and with embarrassment. The mother shook her head fondly; her daughter had nothing to be embarrassed about with the lovely dress. The gold seemed to gleam and shine, somehow glowing luminous against Hazel's dark skin.
The chiton was sleeveless and went just below the knees; it would have been humble and simple if not for the breath-taking gold colour and the black Greek keys along the bottom. Tears sprang into Persephone's warm brown eyes, "Oh Hazel, its simple perfect!" the goddess wiped away her tears.
"Mother!" Hazel ran and hugged her mother, patting her on the back, not understanding what the matter was. "It's okay," she repeated over and over again until her sister came out from behind the changing screen.
"Mama?" Persephone's third eldest questioned at the tears on her mother's beautiful face. "Are you alright?"
"Oh I'm fine Bianca," the dark haired goddess smiled, "Don't mind me; I'm just being silly dear."
You all are just growing up so fast.
Persephone held out her hands, "Let me look at you, honnie."
Bianca twirled happily for her, proudly showing off her white peplos that also had black Greek keys running along the bottom. "It fits perfect mama! I can't wait to show papa as well!" Bianca turned to her little sister and her dark eyes – so much like Hades' – lit up at the sight of Hazel. "And look at you! Sister, you put me to shame." Bianca laughed, twirled and dancing around the room with Hazel.
Persephone's proud eyes shone watery gold at the sight of her happy beautiful daughter's. The queen of the underworld was so enraptured with the heart-warming display that she didn't notice her husband until her wrapped his large arms around her and held her close.
Hades didn't ask how she was feeling or commented on their daughters, he didn't need too. His actions spoke of how he felt; the large arms held protectively but relaxed around her, making her blush like she was a little girl again. The small kiss he laid upon her cheek; telling without words he loved her and was also affected by this day, and how he proudly rested his head atop of hers to happily watch their youngest daughters.
"Where's Nico?" the flower goddess questioned as she grasped her husband's hand and placed it over her heart that beat only for him.
The Greek god hummed in answer, playing with her dark curls while kissing her neck, "Nico?"
"Our son," Persephone warily glanced at her husband, remembering the few family spat's when Hades turned him into a narcissus flower.
For only their son and she could make Hades lose his temper.
"Oh, Nico," the king mused, "His eldest sisters are taking care of him." he innocently replied, but Persephone could feel the growing smirk against her dark skin.
"What did you do?" Her eyes turned dark as they narrowed.
Hades' chuckle was muffled by her hair, "Do not worry so, αγάπη μου. Macaria and Melinoë are fussing over him, you know how they are."
They 'baby' him, yes. And the more Nico runs the more they chase.
Persephone sighed but fondly kissed her husband's hands. "What titles do you think they will receive σύζυγος?"
"I do not know wife, but I'm sure they shall stay here with us," her husband reassured.
The spring goddess visibly sagged with relief at the words. Persephone knew it was more than a little selfish for wanting to keep her children so close, but she didn't want to be parted with them. Let the Fates take all the gold, precious metals, jewels and souls from the underworld for themselves as payment, so long as her children stayed with her, deep within the earth.
You're starting to sound like your mother, Persephone's mind chided her.
Not so, Persephone thought, my mother never gave me the choice of freedom. I never truly had it.
But with Hades I do. I am no longer that spoilt little girl that was frightened of everything the mystery of darkness had to offer. I became the Queen of the Underworld and the Dead, embracing my true self, when I gave up the name Kore. I'm not afraid of myself when I'm with Hades, in fact, I embrace it.
That was the moment their son Nico ran into the room, slamming the door and breaking Persephone out of her thoughts.
"Why Nico, are you all right?" the god of riches 'innocently' asked with a smug smirk. Persephone really wondered what had happened but decided she had enough drama of her own to deal with. This was a very emotional event for mothers.
"Sister's – dandelions – evil," their son uttered between heaves, slumped against the door, trying to bar it with his body.
Persephone raised an eyebrow but slightly smiled when she felt her husband's chuckle against her back. "Enough of that," she held out her hands for her son, Hades' arms still wrapped lovingly around her.
Nico got the silent message and walk over to his mother, trying to fix his shaggy black hair to look more styled than it actually was. While he walked his mother admired how much better Nico looked. His brown-black eyes were no longer sunken in or had dark marks under them, his cheeks and body were fuller, and while the cold, pale white skin wasn't good in mortal expectance; it no longer had green or blue tints to it. (Besides, he's the Heir to the Underworld, Prince of the Dead, King of Ghosts and Lieutenant of Thanatos and Hades, not including his other godly titles that he would be presented with today. This made him a firm resident in Erebus, the place of the dead, darkness and mystery.) Nico wasn't supposed to look 'healthy' or 'pretty', he was supposed to look like death warmed over him with a slight crazed look, which he pulled off very well.
Her son's black chiton finished just below the knee with white Greek keys at the bottom (Hades had wanted the keys to be gold but their son insisted on white, after a while this lead to him being turned into an asphodelus by the angry king.
"My, don't you look handsome, just like your father," the queen laughed at Nico's blush, "Though you do need a haircut, my son." Persephone ran her fingers through his shaggy locks, curling the ends around her fingers as Nico tried to brush her off.
"We must depart now family," Hades' gruff voice spoke through the noise of girlish giggles and his son's whines, "Or Zeus will take insult and while I very much enjoy seeing his head close to bursting, today is your special day and I will not let the Olympian's ruin it."
Tradition saw that when a young god turned thirteen, they were officially acknowledged and formally presented their given titles, though the Underworld children were so close in age they were brought to the ceremony together. (The reason being, that the Olympians didn't want to deal with the dark family more than they had too).
The underworld family held their heads high and back's straight. All the Olympian's eyes were upon them, trying to intimidate and unsettle, trying to brush away with them as soon as possible.
But it didn't work.
"Hades, Persephone," Zeus boomed, electric blue eyes flashing like the lightning he so loved to wield. "Today is a great and marvellous day," but the grimace the king made spoke differently, "Let your children come forth and be acknowledged, let them become family in the eyes of gods and men!"
Family, Hades thought bitterly when seeing Hera's superior smirk as if she too, were thinking of the irony in their younger brother's words. What do any of you know about family?
Then Hades saw sweet Hestia smile warmly at him and slight guilt clutched his heart. Except you sister, the dark king mused, you believe in the words you preach, but then again, you are not really part of the Olympians either, are you?
Bianca was first to step forward after her parent's slight, encouraging nods. Bowing her head even though that was the last thing she ever wanted to do, but her face showed no signs of contempt – none of the dark family's did, they wouldn't give the 'great' Olympians the pleasure – and she stayed like that as the king of the god's rattled off her titles.
"Bianca; Goddess of Selfishness, Quietness, Comfort and Silver, Messenger of and for the dead, Guardian of Undying and Unyielding sibling love, Hunter of the Night and Attendant to Hades. The Roman's shall know you as Angelina." Zeus announced, all the while sounding bored.
The next was their only son, Nico.
Zeus raised his hand half-heartedly as he spoke, "Nico, you shall be the God of Mystery, Poison, Ghosts & Spirits and Shadows. Guardian of Fury, Trust, Affection and Defence." Zeus covered his unbelieving scoff with a very bad cough. "The Ghost King, Heir of Hades, and Attendant of Hades and Thanatos. Your Roman form is Nicolò Pancratius."
Nico rose just as proudly as his older sister had and sent a slight smile his family's way.
Their youngest daughter stepped forward and the Olympian's forms flickered to Romans, "Daria Hazel," Jupiter announced, "Goddess of Gold and Visions, Minor goddess of the Earth, Witchcraft and Wealth. Guardian of Curses, Responsibility, Sadness and Attendant of Hecate." The lightning god looked critically at her, "The Greeks name you Khryseis."
After the naming ceremony was usually a party, and the underworld family stayed for half of it just to spite the other gods. But eventually they travelled back home and celebrated there with a massive feast served by the dead.
"You really need to feed your boy more barley and wheat." the agriculture goddess, Demeter, harshly reprimanded Hades when she noticed his son was 'still too pale and about to die any second now, for sure'.
Nico grumbled about being a god and therefore not being able to die before Demeter turned her attention from her brother and started to scold the young official god.
"If you mother keeps this up, I'm going to show her how one really looks when they die," the underworld king grumpily warned with a slight pout.
That looked utterly ridiculous on the king of the dead's lips so his wife only tittered him half-heartedly, "That is just how my mother shows she cares, you know this." Persephone warily glanced at her son, who was trying to drag his sisters into the argument for Demeter to focus on instead. "Bedsides, I specially made my personal pomegranate cake for you, my love." the spring goddess battered her dark eyes at him coquettishly.
Hades was just about to flirt back when the chaos of the argument between Demeter and their children turned to a shouting match with the gods trying to blast each other into something else.
"How about we take your special treat to your chambers, my love?" the king questioned seriously, trying to stay unnoticed as he casually tried to sneak away.
"I knew I didn't marry you for just your brilliant dating charm," Persephone nodded, trying to sneak away also as she kept her brown eyes warily on her dysfunctional family.
The king and queen of the underworld made a run for it – by passing a suspicious looking corn plant that wasn't there before – giggling like school children while racing down the halls, having utterly no sympathy or mercy for their children being stuck with their grandmother.
"Have I ever told you how much you mean to me? How much I love you?" the male questioned, tenderly stroking Persephone's reddening cheek.
"All the time," she confirmed, "But you may repeat as necessary."
With that the underworld rulers snuck into the chambers and played with their food.
It really is good to be the King and Queen of the Underworld.
Hehe, bet you didn't see this being updated did ya? Love ya guys! Also, I think this would take back in Ancient Greece.
Oh, and also...
Angelina = little angle/messenger (get it? Because her surname means angle and I made her a messenger of/for the dead)
Nicolò Pancratius = (N = victory of the people, P = all powerful)
Daria = Possess a lot/wealthy
Khryseis = Golden (for obvious reasons)