Sherbika - Thank you for the review through pm really appreciate it, hope you enjoy this chapter.

The Haymaker

They huddled together like penguins facing the wrath of a winter storm; patch work coats shivering their fleshy muzzles letting out a series of low groans which seemed to add to the shaking of the barn, their trophs lay bare only a few crumbs scattered the base the hay around their split hoofs now covered in mud from when they trampled the ground, after being brought in from the fields that now looked like a newly fashioned swamp. A low fence split the barn in three parts the cows keeping the entrance boarded while next to them chickens along with a rogue roster hid away in their freshly hay bedded homes, there was no chicks to be seen as the eggs were collected months before they would be able to hatch it was only during special times of the year that a new life was allowed in such a dank place as this, next to the chickens was a ground covered in hay and straw mainly used for bedding but also to keep at least a little warmth in the lively barn it was also, the place where milking could be done without the constant threat of being knocked over by a moody cow.

Like every barn there was a small loft where no matter the weather always seemed to look like it was a safe haven; which is where our fair maiden sat cross-legged.

It was the maiden from the stall market this was her one place where she could feel safe a place where running her life didn't have to be over seen by her father, a long grey cloak wrapped around her arms her hands just seen under the long sleeves witting utensils laid out in front of her most of them were just drawings of the cows while others were her own ideas of inventions, most where just simple copies of her fathers work which she tried to enhance and actually make them workable her father was a good hard man but most of the time his head was up in the clouds. Shivering as a gale the size of Argos pushed through the various gaps of the barn she pulled her cloak tighter around her body, her feet buried in the hay that had been tossed up here for extra winter supply for when by the off-chance they would run out. She didn't like to brag but her father had more money than he knew what to do with never during her eighteen years of living under his roof had they reached a crisis', that would mean they would have to live off of rations for a few nights.

Beside her many drawings two painted pictures could be seen one was her mother who her father used to gloat was more beautiful than Aphrodite and smarter that Athena, her father was right about the smarts as she would never allow him to say such a thing when they were out in public in fear that it would anger the gods, (her mother used to tell her many stories on how men and women were punished for thinking themselves as high as the Olympians.) Beauty though didn't seem to be one of her stronger points, her mothers hair was a dull orange like a dying fire her eyes, were close together a strange shade of grey highlighted them, she was shorter than her father; this made her always think that is why father chose her mother because he liked to dominate people make them seem small and weak in front of his prence. She shuddered at such a thought many times her friends who she had to play with in secret would mutter the all to familiar phase:

How could someone so cruel raise someone like you?

It pained her to think that her friends saw her father as some monster that had been created in the pits of Hades but many times her friends had proved her right, so much that she had started to no longer defend her father when they would go to market day as a family.

Beside the picture of her father was a man that she respected and idolised: Archimedes.

In her mind he was the best inventor that was able to sweep through the streets of Greece her father on the other hand hated him he saw Archimedes as a pest, something that stole others work to gain the respect that was rightfully his.

Collecting her various drawings she carefully placed them in a small box underneath her drawings other strange objects loomed there, from tiny pieces of wood to rope along with a wooden doll that had yet to be painted so it was unclear on what it was meant to be, but she knew what it was:

A music box.

Music always fascinated her when there was a storm brewing her mother would sing to her never rising her voice even when the thunder boomed, now since her mother passed away she was left in the silence and the anger of the storm coming up here where her father wouldn't be able to catch her unless he saw the flickering light she was able, to work on her own invention in peace it was going to be touch and go as she had no idea if it would work, then if it did how would she bring it out to the public?

"Persephone!"

A bellow that should have belonged to a lone bull pulled Persephone out of her thoughts her head shot up sharply, causing a hiss to pass her clenched teeth when she was able to pull out a knot in her fringe quickly pushing her box under the hay hoping that the family of mice wouldn't be able to naw through the wood, she blew out her candle before scrambling down the stairs knowing that she would have to make herself seem busy else her father would start to get suspicious of where she had been. She had only just made it to the chicken feed when her father burst through the barn doors:

The cows struggled to move the heat radiating from their bodies moving as the cold air followed by the rain that was caught in the wind, surged through the barn he was a stout man with bone white hair and dark green eyes that always reminded Persephone of a leaf floating on the surface of a puddle, in his hand he carried a lantern tightly his hand shaking either from the effort from not dropping it or the pure fact that even he couldn't fight against the cold. The conversation between father and daughter was short and to the point:

"Where have you been I have been calling for you for over an hour now."

Persephone knew that this was impossible her father could barely concentrate on anything but his inventions for more than an hour let alone looking around for her.

"I was making sure the cattle where all right then decided to make sure the chickens had enough food for the evening."

It was a convincing lie Persephone had to run the farm as small as it seemed there was a lot to do, her father who seemed convinced by the white lie nodded his head as he grunted before turning himself around heading back out into the weather, Persephone for once didn't hesitate she scurried on after her father knowing full well that he knew she hated the dark as she stepped out into the cold she swung the door behind her hoping it was shut she wanted to get back to the house before the candle would go out plunging them into darkness.

He didn't know how long he had been traveling for by the time he allowed himself to stop and get some much needed rest his feet were numb his body was soaked through, his cloak clung to him like it was a second skin it made him shudder in disgust he wanted to take it off but that would risk making his body even more venerable than it already was.

"Persephone!"

His ears pricked to the bellow that seemed to make even the thunder quake in fear he turned himself around upon the barn that he had been leaning against, peering through the cracks that were once covered in spider webs now laying bare due to the storm he noticed the same maiden that had paid for his loaf of bread which was now possibly nothing more than bread pudding no good for his stomach unless he liked slop. The man who made the call seemed tall but that could just be due to the clothing that he wore he carried a lantern in his hand, how it had managed to survive during the storm didn't seem to trouble Hades he knew that mortals worked in strange ways and had learnt to put up with them.

Watching the discussion between what he could guess were father and daughter he moved himself away heading in the direction that the old man walked through he crouched down peering around the thick corner of the barn, he took hold of a stone that easily sat in the palm of his hand he wrapped his fingers around it his body twitching at the added coldness, he could feel his body heating up the stone making it easier to hold as he waited watching with a silent eye much like when he waited for the feeling of bread to actually fall down in his gullet followed by a true taste, he watched the conversation happening in front of him in silence the words were hushed by the wind something he was grateful for he didn't enjoy listening to family squabbles he had to live through one back when he was a god. As the young female quickly took off after her father he tossed the stone towards the door that was left to shut on its own, the stone bounce on the ground before rolling prevent the door to shut, however Hades didn't move from where he was hiding himself he was waiting to make sure that the girl didn't turn back to make sure that everything was secure.

And she didn't.

Hades didn't know if it was because the female had spotted him or maybe it was just down to the fates being on his side for once but as soon as he couldn't see the flicker of the candle light he moved, forward wanting to get out of the storm before it was to late.

The storm sounded so far away as he stood in the barn listening to the commotion of the cattle the ruffling of feathers from chickens the sharp scrapping of claws against wood from an angry rooster, his head tilted as he walked around seeing if there was a place he could rest for the night or even a few hours just to make sure, that his clothing would no longer feel like a burden.

"Oof!"

He grunted when he walked into a ladder rubbing the back of his skull he looked at the many steps that he would have to climb, grabbing onto the ladder he started to climb thinking that any place was better than laying on a floor next to a family of chickens who would easily give away his position if he even twitched in his sleep. Reaching the top he hesitated for a moment there was three piles of thick hay with one spot in the center that was cleared, climbing himself up he allowed himself to walk around the clean bit gazing up towards the beams that were in a cris cross pattern the sound of spiders dragging their across the thick wood caused him to look away, he slipped his cloak off hanging it upon a hook that swung from the ceiling possibly to be used in order to carry food back and forth. Pushing his hair back from his shoulders and around his neck he settled himself down onto one of the piles of straw, he shifted himself around; something was digging in the base of his back.

Shifting himself around he finally gave on trying to find a more comfortable position and instead turned himself around he moved the hay out from under him, to find his fingers wrapping around a simple box he frowned in confusion wondering why it was there it seemed innocent enough so placing it down next to him hoping that he wouldn't roll onto it in his sleep he laid himself down on the straw his eyes darting around, it wasn't as dark as he first suspected he guessed it was because it wasn't even night yet he sighed as he turned himself onto his side his body was shaking from the cold causing him to pull some straw over his body to use it like some sort of blanket. He listened to the gentle sound of the cows below him thinking that he wouldn't be able to get to sleep but his mortal body had other ideas, his eyelids began to feel heavy his body felt like there was a weight around his ankles forcing him to drift off into a welcomed sleep.

Hope you all enjoyed that chapter. Again please R&R thank you.

Signed - The Broken Ghost.