"Mother please; you have to let me go!" Persephone begged. Demeter sat at her vanity pinning her hair back, ignoring her daughter's pleas. "I'm eighteen now so you can't say I can't go since I'm a child. You throw these parties every year and always exclude me. Please?"

"Don't bat those big blue eyes at me, Persephone," Demeter answered. "It won't work. You're still not coming."

"But why?" Persephone asked, kneeling by her mother. "What's the harm in me going?"

"It's just a bunch of self-centered gods playing mind games with each other. It wouldn't interest you."

Persephone sighed, thinking of some way to convince her mother to let her attend the garden party. Every year she was forced to stay inside their cottage and gaze out of the window, longing to join the party. The gods were beautiful and always seemed to have so much fun. This was one of the few parties not held on Olympus and was always highly anticipated. There was dancing, spectacular food and beautiful flowers. What was the real harm in Persephone attending? Suddenly she thought of an argument she was sure would win.

"The gods aren't the reason I want to go, Mother. I want to see your work on full display! The flowers always look so gorgeous but I never get to see them except from the window. Weren't you the one who told me that to really appreciate a flower you have to feel and smell it? How can I do that from inside?"

All gods enjoyed a nice boost to their ego, and Demeter was no exception. She smiled down at her daughter and stroked her hair, considering her argument. Finally she agreed. Persephone smiled wider than she ever had and hugged her mother. She then ran off to change for the party. Finally!


Aphrodite always looked beautiful, but today she had put particular effort into her appearance. Her golden hair was adorned with pearls and her pink gown was encrusted with diamonds, literally making her sparkle with every step. She checked herself in the mirror one last time and added a bit more red to her lips. She needed to look perfect.

Unfortunately she didn't warrant the look from Hades she desperately longed for. He simply smiled and told her she was beautiful, and then nothing more. Aphrodite did her best to hide her disappointment. He'd wanted her before, why not now?

She took his arm and he escorted her to his chariot. As they rode down from Olympus she couldn't help taking him in. He was dressed immaculately in all black, as always. His fitted jacket emphasized his broad shoulders and the color did wonders for his eyes. They were light blue, almost gray like steel, and were framed by his dark hair that always seemed to fall into them. He was pale, but not unnaturally so. It would be foolish for anyone to think he was unattractive. Hades couldn't help but notice Aphrodite staring at him, but didn't say anything.

The party was well underway when they arrived. Nearly every god was in attendance and obviously enjoying themselves. There were huge canopies housing the finest wines and fruits, and in another musicians played lively tunes. A few couples were already dancing. But the crowning glory of the party was the garden itself. Every year Demeter showcased her new creations much to the awe of the partygoers. Tulips and roses and lilies of every color and variety covered the meadow, creating a unique scent that would make for the most exquisite perfume. Demeter mingled among the guests in a simple green gown and thanked them all for coming. She was taken aback when she saw who had escorted Aphrodite to the party, being one of the few gods who knew what had transpired between the two. All the same, she went over to welcome them.

"Aphrodite, Hades, it's so lovely to see you here. Are you both well?"

"Yes, very," Aphrodite answered. "You've really outdone yourself this year, Demeter. The flowers are absolutely lovely…"

Hades scanned the field as Aphrodite and Demeter talked. He didn't exactly frequent the parties thrown by the other gods but he did enjoy this one. He wasn't the depressed, brooding god the mortals thought him to be; he did enjoy the light and stunning color from time to time. Not to say that he didn't like the Underworld; he was actually quite fond of his home. Perhaps that's why he was best suited for the job of ruling it. It was dark and lacked the brilliant warmth of the earth or Olympus, but it was also peaceful and more suited to his nature. In the Underworld he was able to think and act freely. And it wasn't a lonely place; he had Hecate and Nyx and the other gods who chose to dwell there too.

"And when do you return to the Underworld, Hades?" Demeter asked, shaking him from his thoughts.

"Tonight actually, after your party," he replied. "I made a short visit to Olympus but I'm afraid duty calls me back."

Before Demeter could speak again a girl ran up to her and asked some question about the party. She was absolutely stunning; Hades couldn't take his eyes off her. She had long dark red hair that reflected the sunlight perfectly and eyes the color of sapphires. Her simple white dress flattered her figure enormously yet still portrayed a sense of innocence. Demeter answered the girl's question and she ran off, much to Hades' dismay.

"You'll have to excuse my daughter," Demeter said. "This is her first party and she's a bit excited."

So she was Demeter's daughter. Hades tried but was unable to recall her name. Given that Demeter frequented Olympus even less than he did, her daughter wasn't exactly a topic of conversation. Until today at least. She was immensely charming and numerous gods sought her out. Hades felt a touch of anger whenever the young men approached her, but couldn't exactly pinpoint why. Even the way she moved was exquisite. Her voice sounded like a song and her smile inspired others to do the same.

Like Demeter, Aphrodite enjoyed certain privileges relating to her specialty. One of them was being able to feel when someone was beginning to feel love for another. Her hands clenched into fists when she felt it growing right next to her. Hades only had eyes for the earth goddess's daughter, and that caused her more pain than she could say. Why could Hades not feel love for the goddess of love herself? Countless men would kill to be the subject of her attention, and the girl was insignificant. She hid her jealousy under a smile and snapped Hades out of his trance, suggesting they look at the flowers. He agreed and did his best to pay attention to Aphrodite, but couldn't push the girl out of his mind.


Persephone was so grateful that her mother had let her come to the party. She'd never had a better time in her life! The gods were friendly and she enjoyed meeting all of them. Being as innocent and sheltered as she was, she didn't realize when some started flirting with her. She simply smiled and laughed as she always did and enjoyed the day. It was close to twilight when the gods shifted from appreciating the flowers to dancing. As it became dark Demeter told her daughter to go to bed. Persephone begged for only a few more minutes, and Demeter was in such a good mood that she couldn't refuse. She skipped to the center of the field to dance alone when she literally ran into another god. He turned around from his conversation with whom she guessed was Aphrodite, and Persephone was stunned. He was incredibly handsome, but different from the other gods, darker in a way.

"I'm so sorry! I was just running to dance and I wasn't really paying attention and I…" she rambled. She stopped when she finally noticed his amused grin. "I'm Persephone."

"Hades," the man said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Aphrodite," the other goddess interrupted, much to Hades' annoyance. "You're Demeter's daughter, aren't you? She's thrown a lovely party. She seems a bit overwhelmed though; perhaps you should go help her? Water the flowers, or whatever it is you do?"

"Aphrodite!" another man suddenly bellowed. The three of them turned to see Hephaestus with a bouquet of pink tulips, his wife's favorite, wearing a shy smile on his face. He limped over to them but had eyes for only Aphrodite.

"Husband, what are you doing here?" she asked, annoyed. He never came to these things, why tonight?

"I felt bad for making you come on your own. I figured it wasn't too late to join you. You look beautiful, Aph."

Although she was young, Persephone could be quite observant when she wanted to be. She didn't miss the immense adoration Hephaestus had for Aphrodite, and how she didn't seem to return it. She felt bad for the man who she feared would never be returned the love he felt for his wife. She was interrupted by the sound of her mother's voice calling for her. It was time for her to go inside, and she hated it. Perhaps if she just hid for a while her mother would think she had gone inside. In the dim light of the evening her white dress seemed to glow; she needed something dark to cover her. Seeing that Hades, still looking at her for some reason, was wearing all black, she took his hand and pulled him over behind a statue, shielding herself. He was stunned that the girl had been so forward with him, but she was too busy looking out for her mother to notice. Once Demeter's shouts subsided she finally turned back to Hades, gasping quietly when she realized how close they were.

"I apologize; I just needed to hide from my mother," she explained, trying her best not to start rambling again. "I'm afraid my dress makes me stand out."

Much to her confusion Hades removed his coat, never taking his eyes off her. She stiffened slightly, not entirely sure what he was doing. He wrapped his black coat around her shoulders and pulled her in closer by the collar.

"Here, now you'll blend in better," he said. His voice was smooth and reminded her of a dark ballad, much like the one playing now. Although the coat was secure around her shoulders, he still didn't let go.

"Um, thank you," Persephone said, not really sure what else to say. She darted her eyes around the party, watching for her mother. If she were to see Persephone this close to a man she would never let her leave the house again.

"Don't worry; she's not looking," Hades said. "She doesn't give you much freedom, does she?"

"None at all," she answered without thinking. "But she's a good mother! She knows what's best for me."

"But really, are you in any danger now?" he smirked darkly. They both knew very well that Hades was the more powerful of the two, but for some reason Persephone wasn't afraid of him. Her eyes met his and she felt as if she were drowning in them. How many people could say they had gotten this close to him? It didn't seem possible, but he pulled her even closer as he waited for her reply. Demeter's shrill cries interrupted them once again; did she never give up?

"Is there somewhere we can go where you won't be seen?" Hades asked. Persephone nodded and took his hand once again, running toward the forest. In the darkness they were able to slip away unnoticed. Persephone led him to her lake, the one with the willow tree. Once they arrived Hades was taken aback at its beauty. The moonlight cast an eerie blue glow covering everything, and the water reflected the stars like a thousand diamonds.

Persephone let go of his hand and walked to the edge of the lake, suddenly realizing that she had ran away from her mother with a man. They were completely alone, and she hardly knew him. What had gotten into her? She sat on the edge of a rock and dangled her feet in the cool water, casting ripples across the mirror-like surface. Hades simply watched her in silence.

"I come here when I want to be alone," Persephone finally said. "I guess you could say it's my secret lake."

"I'm honored you chose to share it with me. It's not a bad thing to want some distance from your mother, Persephone."

"Well this is the closest I'll ever get to it, I'm afraid."

Hades joined her on the rock, getting as close as he could without actually touching her. They sat in silence, but it was peaceful, not awkward.

"May I ask you something, Persephone?" Hades said, breaking the silence.

"You just did," she replied. He smirked. "But yes, you may."

"If you had an opportunity to get your freedom, but it scared you a little, would you take it?"

"Maybe," she answered quietly.

Hades' eyes fell to her soft lips. He leaned forward slowly, knowing she wouldn't refuse him. No one ever did. Her brows furrowed in confusion, and she suddenly realized that he was about to kiss her. Just before he reached her she turned away, leaving his lips barely hovering over her cheek.

"I should go," she said quickly. She disappeared into the forest, leaving Hades alone and confused. As he stared into the smooth lake he found himself immensely more infatuated with her. She was a challenge, something refreshing to him. He skipped a rock across the water, vowing one day to get that kiss.


Author's Note:

Thanks again for reading! I know I just posted chapter one yesterday, but I just couldn't leave the story like that! Updates probably won't be as frequent in the future, but I'm on break from college now with really nothing else to do, so who knows?