A/N: I'm gonna be perfectly honest, I don't care about Demeter. But she is incredibly important to the story, so we have a short chapter devoted to her. Then we can get back to the Underworld and all the fun there. :)
Chapter 3: Nature Despairs
Demeter returned to Persephone's meadow, anxious to see her darling daughter. They got along so well, almost like sisters more than mother and daughter. Demeter had been overjoyed when Persephone had decided to become the Goddess of Spring to aide her in her work, bringing the seasons to the mortals. Persephone was a bright light in Demeter's life, and she was glad that her daughter could bring joy and life to the mortals as well.
The harvest in the Peloponnesian peninsula had been difficult, and Demeter wanted nothing more than to relax under the willow tree with her lovely daughter. She approached Persephone's favorite tree with a tired smile.
"Oh my darling girl, I've missed you. You wouldn't believe the time I've had. You're lucky you weren't there, I must…Persephone?" Demeter walked all around the tree and scanned the meadow. Her daughter was no where to be found.
Demeter began to panic. She searched up and down every tree, behind every bush, under every rock. The spring goddess was no where to be found. It wasn't like Persephone to wander off. And now she was gone.
The nature goddess began to cry in fear for her daughter. She immediately flew off to Olympus. She arrived at the grand gates of the sky palace still in tears.
"Whoa babe. What's eatin' you?" Hermes came to comfort Demeter as she made her way to Zeus' throne. Demeter could do nothing to hold back her sobs and ignored Hermes. He flew ahead to Zeus and Hera in their thrones to warn them of the nature goddess' unhappy arrival.
"My lord and lady, the Goddess of Nature approaches, and she is majorly upset, man," was Hermes' announcement.
"My sister? What is the matter?" Hera asked Hermes as Demeter came into view. Hera rushed to her sister's side. "My dear! What's happened?"
Demeter sobbed into her sister's slender shoulder, nearly knocking the slim goddess over. Finally she was able to accept Hera's comfort and take a deep breath and speak. "Persephone. She's gone."
Zeus came over to his wife and sister-in-law. "What do you mean gone?"
"When I returned to Sicily, she was nowhere to be found! I searched the entire island, Lord Zeus. I fear the worst," Demeter cried. New tears formed in her eyes.
"Hermes!" Zeus called his messenger, "Sound the alarm. I want everyone searching. Send Artemis to the forests, Apollo to the skies, Poseidon to the seas and Athena to the cities. I want you to personally check everywhere else."
"Got it!" Hermes fluttered away with his caduceus and winged shoes to carry out his task.
Zeus returned to the weeping Demeter. "We'll find her. Don't worry."
But Persephone was not found. For a whole month, the gods and goddesses searched. Demeter wandered the earth, weeping uncontrollably. She would not eat and she would not sleep. Frost came to the mortal crops, as Demeter was too upset to see to the harvest.
Finally, Demeter, disguised as an old mortal woman, came to the town of Eleusis in Attica. A family took her in, and she looked after their young son. Demeter finally ate and allowed the seasons to change properly.
But two problems remained: Persephone was still missing and now that Demeter was marginally happy in Eleusis, she refused to return to Olympus.
Zeus knew of one place the gods had not searched and decided to do the search there personally. Hades was in for a visitor.
A/N: So I've done a little family remodeling here. In true Greek Mythology, Demeter is the sister of Zeus, Hera, and Hades (four of the children of Kronos). Persephone is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. So the neice and wife of Hades. So thus why Disney kinda skates over this stuff, and I will too. So don't be mad that I'm bending myth. Thanks :)
