Chapter 3

We've made it to chapter three people! So that means a little bit more action, a few more time leaps aaaaaaaand some plot thickening (and not just for our favourite love birds). Hope you enjoy! Oh, and I've changed her majority to 21, I just feel that it will work better with the couple of scenes I've planned out AND it's a little more age appropriate to have a 20+ year old start experiencing these kinds of things as opposed to an 18 year old.

Special mentions to:

Ember Reverie – thank you so much for pointing out my brain explosion regarding Diane/Artemis - I have changed the names so now she'd back in cannon.

madame thome – thank you as always for your optimism and cheer, I'll be sure to make sure they meet up a few more times ;)

Marzh – thank you, I'm also curious to see how things play out (still formulating a few things).

QUICK CW/TW: there is a point in this chapter that some readers may find a little confronting in terms of sexual assault, marked with a #/#. So, if you feel that this is not for you please scroll ahead until you see another #/#

And now, please enjoy!

Persephone POV:

It took almost two years for Persephone to write to her Uncle Hades. It wasn't that she was scared to do it, it was more that she didn't know how to get her message to him. Seeing as she wasn't permitted to leave her mother's lands, and he was in the Underworld, the task seemed next to impossible. To make matters worse, as she'd gotten older, her mother had somehow managed to become even more possessive of her. The only people she saw regularly were her father, mother and the nymphs. She had only caught glimpses of other gods and goddesses coming to the house, but she'd always been shooed away before she could truly see them. That meant trying to get one of them to take her message was also out of the question.

Demeter wasn't a bad mother, she just loved Persephone a little too fiercely, and she seemed obsessed with keeping her as sheltered from the world as possible. She refused to let Persephone wear the more mature style of dress, called a peplus, and at her first bleeding Demeter had cried.

"My baby girl is a woman now." Demeter had exclaimed through her tears, as though some great evil had come into the world. It had taken Persephone months to feel ok about the changes she went through, and she never dared to ask her mother for help with the aches and pains. She'd had to find her own remedies, hidden in scrolls or whispered by the more sympathetic of the nymphs. Another blow had been Demeter's drastic change towards Persephone's desires to leave and meet other people. Their evening conversations, unless kept to safe topics about plants or harvest time, had changed from tales of unnamed monsters coming to take her awaythe perils of men and their vices.

Persephone groaned under her breath as she thought about the horror stories her mother now seemed determined to throw her way. It was as though she thought frightening Persephone would somehow keep her curiosity at bay.

It didn't.

If anything it only increased her desire to know more about the world and its people. Unfortunately, the nymphs, although less inclined to try and frighten her, were no better when it came to her questions. They just giggled and blushed. Sometimes Persephone would catch them whispering to each other, catching stray words about the secret doings between people, but then they would see her trying to listen in and hushed, casting worried glances towards the cottage as though Demeter might hear them. It all frustrated Persephone to no end. She was fourteen years old. She was hardly a child anymore, so when would they stop treating her like one?

To avoid the annoyance, she kept to her own company more and more, pouring over scrolls and devouring their knowledge as easily as honey cakes. While her mother tended the earth, Persephone learnt the names of all its continents and oceans, taught herself its languages and arts, like poetry and songs. She read epic stories of great mortal heroes, like Archilles and Odyssius, and slowly, through their legends, her little world by the stream grew larger.

It was through those books that, finally, she discovered there was a mortal entrance to the Underworld. She came across it, in a very old scroll her mother had lumped together with some maps and other treaties on the merits of geography. The scroll was a map to Underworld, or at least, it alluded to it. Everyone knew that there were five rivers that converged there and the map showed these rivers and their origin points. She noted, with no small surprise that one such river seemed to be connected to the stream near her mother's cottage. The river Lethe. The River of Forgetfulness. It didn't bode well, but it seemed to be her only choice. Perhaps, if she could get one of the nymphs to drop a message off into the river, it might float to the Underworld.

She quickly hatched a plan.

While her mother was out Persephone wrote her request, as politely as possible, and waited until nightfall to try and send it. Unfortunately, Demeter seemed to sense something was up, because she stuck close to Persephone all evening, so she had to wait until she heard her mother settle down for the evening before she could make her move. When the house had been silent for an hour, Persephone slipped out of bed and out of the cottage, moving silently through the trees and down to the stream. Unfortunately, since it was night-time, all the nymphs had also gone off to sleep too.

"Seven hells." She muttered, liking the way the curse came off her lips.

She stowed her message into her pocket and glanced along the stream. A half-mad idea struck her. The map hadn't been very forthcoming in terms of scale but she figured the river couldn't be too far away. Casting a glance behind her to the cottage, Persephone started to move out into the wilderness, keeping the stream on her left side and being careful as to where she placed her feet. A shiver ran down her spine as she moved through the still and silent forest. At night, the trees took on strange forms and the sounds of animals and the wind were amplified... and a little warped. She kept her head bent low, moving as fast as she dared through the trees. She walked for several kilometers before she sat down in a huff on a moss covered stone. The map had clearly been lying about scale, and Persephone figured that she could wander all night and never find this stupid river.

Rubbing the arch of her foot, Persephone paused to listen to the nightlife. An owl hooted overhead and she smiled, thinking of her half-sister Athena. She wouldn't be afraid of the dark or of walking a little further. With that in mind, Persephone decided to walk for another half hour and if the river didn't appear she would just head home and try to think of another idea. She set off once more, trying and failing not to become more and more disappointed at the stream continued to wind its way through the trees. She was on the verge of giving up when, suddenly, she heard a rushing up ahead.

To her left the stream began to widen and deepen. She quickened her pace, throwing caution to the wind as she raced through the trees, bursting out of their protection and nearly falling face first down the embankment of a wide, rushing river. Breathing hard, Persephone gazed into the murky waters of the Lethe. Her hands shook a little as she pulled out her message. She had wrapped it in an oiled sheep skin, bound by a leather cord, and buoyed by a large piece of cork she had acquired from the wine stores under the cottage. She sent a quick prayer to the Fates to guide it where it needed to go, before tossing it into the racing waters. She smiled as the current quickly took it out of sight. Smiling, Persephone dusted off her hands and turned on her heel. Following the stream all the way back, she was exhausted by the time she found the garden path back to her mother's cottage.

She was relieved to find that everything was as she'd left it, and her mother slumbered peacefully on in her chamber. Persephone managed to shrug off her cloak and hide her dirtied chiton before collapsing into her bed and snuggling down into the welcoming embrace of sleep. For the first time in years she slept peacefully, waking only when her mother came to kiss her farewell before heading to the fields.

OOOOOOOOOO

Hephaestus POV:

Hephaestus stood by the river Lethe, a bottle of wine in his hand and a desire for something stronger growing ever more pronounced as the bottle emptied. He sighed, trying to erase the memory of Aphrodite coming into their home beneath Aetna, her hair tussled in the way it always was whenever she'd been with Ares. She'd seemed surprise to find him still awake but tonight he'd finally become tired of pretending to be asleep whenever she snuck out. Instead, he'd just walked past her and out the door, bottle of wine in hand. He'd wandered blindly until he somehow ended up at the River of Forgetfulness. What he wouldn't give for a little forgetfulness. He was angry, of course, but he also couldn't blame Aphy for how she acted. It was in her nature to be passionate and to seek out the love and adoration of beautiful things. And he was certainly not one of those. It didn't mean he wasn't hurt, but Hephaestus was a firm believer in life not being made of sunshine and roses, so he'd accepted it was his fate to be unhappy in this marriage.

Finishing the wine he sat down by the waters' edge, throwing stones into the swirling waters. His mind was empty, of thought and of feeling, and he wondered if perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to just slip into those waters and have his mind swept clean by the strange magic of the river. He leant back to stare into the sky. The moon was almost full tonight, glowing brightly and unobscured by clouds. He smiled up at Selene as she moved slowly through the sky and then noticed her moonlight highlighting something dark in the water. Hephaestus squinted in the darkness to see it better.

It looked like a strange piece of flotsam. He fetched a long stick and began slowly easing it towards him. He then dipped his hand carefully towards the water, hoisting the object high and carefully placing it on the ground. It was small and cylindrical. He realised it was a piece of sheep's skin, bound by a small cord of leather. He untied it and a piece of parchment rolled out onto his lap. He unfurled it, then stopped as he read the name inside. Only a fool would read a missive sent to the King of the Underworld. He quickly re-wrapped the parchment and pocketed it. His drunken brain pondered on what to do next. He didn't feel like returning home, not yet. So maybe... maybe he could break the painful monotomy of his life and go drop off this strange letter to Hades. The thought both terrified and intrigued him.

The Underworld was no place to venture on a whim but, Hades was his Uncle, and there was no reason for him NOT to go. Standing unsteadily, Hephaestus slowed his breathing and concentrated, whirling away in a cloud of silver. He re-appeared by the bank of the Lethe, but this time it was underground. As he looked around he realised that he wasn't quite in Hades realm, but had avoided the gates, which lay just behind him. He also noticed a strange figure standing in a boat that bobbed gently by the shore.

"Hail," He called but the figure didn't move. Hephaestus frowned. He staggered towards the boat, stumbling and catching himself on its firm wooden railing. He looked up and recoiled slightly. Charon, the Ferryman of the Dead, was as horrific as the tales said. His hair and beard were matted and tangled with the Fates only knew what, his skin seemed oily and stained with mud. The truly horrific things about him though was his preternatural thinness, which gave him the look of a living corpse, and the fiery red eyes that turned to finally rest upon him with eerie slowness.

"I wish to see the King," He murmured and Charon inclined his head slightly. Hephaestus clamboured into the boat and sat down, but it didn't move.

"I say-" He started, but a thin voice whispered in his ear like wind through dry grass.

"You must pay the ferryman." He whirled around but Charon seemed to have remained where he was by the bow of the vessel. Hephaestus swallowed. This place was definitely creepy. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin, leaning back to press it into Charon's outstretched hand. As soon as the silver was his, Charon's boat moved rapidly across the water. Neither of them said a word as they sailed deeper into the darkness of the Underworld. After a few minutes a cavern appeared up ahead and Hephaestus prepared himself for more horrors, but as the boat emerged into the great caverns of Hades kingdom, he couldn't stop his jaw from dropping slightly.

To say it was vast would have been an understatement. The hollow space seemed to stretch on and on into the darkness. Rivers flowed and swirled from five directions, all meeting at the same point in the centre, the mash of Hades, upon which a great obsidian ridge climbed hungrily towards the unseen roof. Upon its top was a palace, carved from the same jet black stone. Flecks of light sparkled off it from the odd balls of ghostly light that seemed to drift through the air, throwing their light onto softly swaying branches of elm trees and willows which grew along the banks of the rivers. In the distance a softer, more natural light shone, and Hephaestus guessed that was the direction to Elysium. He realised, with a shock, that it wasn't actually that bad of a place. Peaceful, he would have said. Charon's boat nudged the shore and Hephaestus quickly exited, barely throwing a glance over his shoulder as he made for the spiraling staircase at the base of the rocky crag. He looked down at his club foot, as twisted and mangled as it had ever been, and swore.

"Hephaestus?" He whirled around to see Hecate, Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft, leaning casually against the base of the ridge.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and he frowned.

"I have a message for Hades." He asked and her dark eyebrows rose with piqued interest.

"A message. Well, you'd best follow me then." She said and pressed back into the stone, her weight opening a concealed doorway that Hephaestus had definitely missed. He followed and was relieved to find that the magic of the door allowed them to scale the whole blasted mountain in a few steps. A second door opened to reveal a wide balcony, overlooking the vista he had just left. To the left a wide arch revealed the entrance into the palace.

"Wait here," Hecate murmured and Hephaestus did so, taking the time to pull the message from his pocket. A few minutes passed and he watched the rivers move quietly around him. He noticed from this height he could see swaying meadows of tall grass between the rivers and if he strained hard enough... were those people?

"So, she wasn't lying then." A smooth voice interrupted his perusal and he spun to see Hades standing in the doorway to his palace. Although his Uncles' face wasn't lined or marked with age, there was an ancientness to his eyes that belied his youthful appearance. He was dressed, as always, in dark coloured robes, the kind that seemed to blend him into the shadows of the world. If it hadn't been for his incredibly pale skin, he might have blended in altogether. Hephaestus swallowed as he straightened, meeting those ancient eyes with his own.

"Greetings Uncle," He said and Hades nodded in reply. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea.

"Hecate tells me you have a message for me." The King of the Underworld said, not so much as a question but as a statement. Hephaestus nodded.

"I found it in the Lethe. I went there after Aphy..." He broke off, coughing as the memories choked his voice. He looked up to see a brief flash of something in his Uncles' eyes, before the dark clouds descended once again.

"The point is, I found it and it was addressed to you. I thought I might bring it to you." He said, rather lamely, and Hades nodded, stepping forward with the confidence of a king in his domain. Hephaestus extended the small missive and Hades took it from him, loosening the leather cord and unfurling the scroll within. His eyes scanned the message. Once. Twice. Three times. With each reading something changed in the dark king's face. Hephaestus couldn't have placed his finger on what it was exactly, but somehow his Uncle seemed... less intense. Softer. He looked back at Hephaestus and a small smile was playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Come, it's been a while since we've spoken. Would you care for a drink?" He asked politely and Hephaestus thought that sounded like the best plan he'd heard all evening.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Persephone POV:

A few days after her midnight adventure Persephone was sitting by the stream, her feet dangling in the water and enjoying the feeling of the sun on her face. She still couldn't believe she'd managed it. Her mother had no idea, simply believing the dirty chiton was yet another victim of Persephone's growing love for crawling through shrubs and the dirt, coaxing life from the soil and encouraging the green things around her to flourish. A wet hand came to rest on her arm and she opened her eyes to see a naiad gazing up at her, her feline-like eyes blinking slowly above her sweet smile.

"A letter for you Mistress Kore." She said and Persephone looked down to see her webbed hands held a tightly rolled scroll. She grabbed it eagerly and looked back at the creature in astonishment.

"Who gave this to you?" She asked and the creatures brow furrowed as she tried to remember. She shook her head and shrugged, but there was a strange blankness in her eyes that made Persephone think the lapse in memory was more than a lazy naiad mind. She nodded with a smile and shooed the nymph back to her friends. When she was sure she was alone she opened the letter. A neat cursive met her gaze. She scanned the message eagerly.

Persephone,

Thank you for your letter, it has been some time since I received such a polite request from anyone.

I congratulate you on finding a way to send something to me, it was masterfully done.

As to your request, I regret to inform you that I cannot be of much help at this time. Your friend, as you well know, is a rather reserved creature so it may take me some time to locate him. However, I will endeavour to do what I can.

Perhaps, at your minority birth day, you and I might discuss this a little more?

I look forward to making your acquaintance.

Hades

Persephone held the letter to her breast and sighed happily. It was a step in the right direction, and maybe, just maybe, she might see her friend again.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Persephone POV (two years later):

"I don't know why your father insists on hosting your minority on Olympus. We have plenty of room back at the grotto." Her mother complained as they left the cottage. Persephone could barely hear her over the pounding of her heart, which seemed to have moved to her ears. She was beyond excited to finally be leaving the grotto. She would finally see the gods and goddess of her mother's tales and the legendary Mount Olympus. It was almost too much for her to handle. And it was definitely more than her mother was prepared to handle. After whirling them away in a warm wave of green, Demeter complained bitterly almost the entire trip, only stopping when they were in eyesight of great golden gates nestled at the pinnacle of Mount Olympus. Her mouth clammed shut, but her eyes blazed fiercely. Persephone grasped her mother's hand.

"It will be fine, Mother." She said and kissed her mother's fingers gently. Her mother cupped her cheek just as gently.

"Always such a caring soul, my little Kore." She murmured proudly and Persephone fought to hide her wince at the name. She'd thought she'd finally convinced her mother to call her Persephone, now that she'd at least reached her minority.

At 16 years, young gods and goddesses visited Olympus for the first time, to take in the glories of their heritage and introduce themselves to Zeus' court. At their 18th birth day they were expected to demonstrate their calling before the court – although Persephone was convinced she'd already found hers. Finally, at 21 years of age, they were anointed with holy oil and drunk from the nectar of ambrosia, locking them into a state of immortality and officially becoming gods or goddess in their own right.

"Shall we?" Persephone said and her mother nodded grimly. She looped her arm through Persephone's, all but dragging her through the gates and past a collection of curious gods and goddess who lingered there. Persephone threw a glance behind herself, catching the eye of a startling handsome young man with golden curls that seemed to shine like a small sun atop his head. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Something shifted behind his eyes. She looked away, her stomach tightening slightly. She didn't know what that look had been but it alarmed her and... excited her, in equal measures.

Shaking her head to clear it, she found herself drawn into a long hall, glowing with thousands of candles, and crowded with people. The women were all stunningly beautiful, making Persephone feel incredibly young and silly. She looked down at her soft green himation her mother had insisted on her wearing. It cloaked her figure entirely and she felt about as attractive as a rug. A few men were looking at her curiously and she offered a small smile, which they returned until they caught her mother's glare and backed away, looking slightly terrified. She sighed. How was she supposed to meet people if her mother kept scaring them away?

"Ah, there's your father." Demeter muttered and Persephone felt herself practically pushed through the crowd towards a dais that did indeed house her father and a slim woman Persephone didn't recognise. The diadem on her chestnut curls however made Persephone guess it was Hera, Queen of the Gods. Her face was very pretty, in a maternal kind of way, but there was a sadness in her eyes that made Persephone want to give her a hug. Demeter stalked up the stairs of the dais like a whirlwind.

"Ah, Demeter," Her father said by of a greeting, then his eyes found her and he smiled joyfully.

"There's my Persephone." She came forward dutifully, only to be swept off her feet in an enormous bear-hug. She laughed and pressed a kiss to her fathers cheek.

"Hello father," She said then stepped back to curtesy deeply to Hera, who was watching her with a tight expression.

"Lady Hera, thank you for hosting such a lovely party." She said truthfully and looked up to see the woman's shoulders had relaxed an inch. Persephone smiled brightly and looked at the royal blue peplus Hera wore.

"And that is a wonderful design." She said, wishing she could wear one like it too. Hera's eyes warmed even further.

"Why, thank you child." She murmured, inclining her head ever so slightly. Zeus clapped to get everyone's attention, his great booming voice carrying across the hall.

"Gods and Goddesses of Olympus, I present to you, my daughter Persephone." He said and the hall burst into applause, Persephone felt her cheeks flare with heat as the attention of the entire room came to rest on her. She stood straight and tried to appear confident. She nodded to the few people she made eye contact with in the crowd, and was about to step away when she caught sight of a figure to the side of the room. He was partially hidden by tall, white pillars but his dark clothing made him rather conspicuous amongst the vast array of bright colours worn by everyone else. Her father was speaking again but she barely heard him as she took in the King of the Underworld, for who else could it have been? He was tall, the black clothing only highlighting his height and prescence, and she realised that even as pale as he was, the contrast between that and his dark hair and brows made him quite handsome.

Did you really just call your Uncle handsome? She asked herself, her cheeks lighting with colour as she looked away from him casually.

You had best get a grip on yourself, before you make a complete fool of yourself.

Still, Persephone figured that in a family where half-brothers and sisters sometimes wound up married, she could do a lot worse than thinking her Uncle was attractive. As she nodded and mouthed polite greetings to the many gods and goddesses who came forward to meet her, she watched Hades as he stood silently and rather morosely away from the others. Those closest to him seemed uneasy, and studiously avoided looking in his direction. He, in return, leaned against his pillar and observed the proceedings around him with a calm and indifferent gaze. A gaze which he flicked onto her, almost reluctantly.

In that moment, it was like a bolt of lightning coursed through her body. Persephone went stock still, unable to tear her eyes away from his silvery ones. They were wide with alarm and she wondered if he felt exactly as she did. Then a rather drunk looking god with wine leaves tangled in his hair interrupted her vision and all at once the strange connection broke. Feeling suddenly breathless, Persephone babbled some excuse and casually tried to flee the room. She cast a glance for her mother, relieved when she saw her caught up in conversation with Hera, and left as quickly as she could without drawing too much attention to herself.

She broke into a run as she exited the hall, barreling down the corridor towards who knew what. The halls twisted and turned and then, suddenly, there was a balcony at the end of the passage. She could tell by the sunlight that radiated from it and so she made her way there, breathing in the fresh air as she looked down onto the world with no small amount of glee. It was beautiful, a patchwork of green, blue, brown and gold. She leaned further across the railing, as though she might dive into it. A set of hands clasped her around the waist and she whirled with a small shriek. The sunny haired god from before stepped back, his hands raised in supplication.

"My apologies, Lady Persephone." He murmured, his voice gentle and musical.

"I was just concerned that you may fall." She clasped a hand to her still racing heart and nodded. Clutching at the railing with her other hand, she tried to smile.

"My thanks to you, Lord..." She trailed off, realising she didn't know his name.

"Apollo, and please, I am no lord." He said with a bell-like laugh. She found herself entranced at the sound. He was extraordinarily pretty, like a painting come to life.

"Very well, my thanks to you, Apollo." She said politely and he grinned.

"I was in no danger though."

He chuckled, leaning forward to place his arms on either side of her on the railing. He was very close to her and Persephone swallowed as she tried to place some distance between them but found her way blocked by the railing itself. She'd have to know how to fly if she wanted to go any further. He was still smiling and she felt her own become rather tight as she made to leave.

"I must get back, they will be missing me." She murmured but he made no attempt to raise his arms. She frowned now, staring at him in confusion.

#/#

"What's the hurry?" He asked lazily and she swallowed thickly.

"Nothing, I just want to get back to my party." She said and he smiled knowingly.

"But I haven't shown you your present yet." He said and Persephone laughed shrilly. Her mind was racing. Surely someone had noticed her absence by now.

Even if they have, it might take them ages to find you. That traitorous little voice made her knees buckle slightly. She forced a polite smile onto her face.

"That's truly unnecessary, you did save me from falling, so let's leave it at that." She said, once again attempting to move along the balcony. He followed her, his eyes now full of that strange look she'd seen in them earlier. This time however, she only felt fear.

"Oh, so I did save you?" He said and she bit her lip.

"Well, maybe I deserve a little reward, for saving your life."

She chuckled, edging further and further. He followed, drawing closer and closer. There was a strange glint in his eyes.

"I-" He pounced on her and she screamed, bringing her arms up to try and stop him. He was too strong however and he soon had her pressed against the railing, her hands trapped awkwardly between them as he used his body to render her unable to move.

"Now, now," He said as she squirmed to get lose.

"Let's be still." He said curtly and covered her mouth with his hand. She tried to bite him but he just laughed, using his other hand to feel over her body. Hot tears poured down her face as his hand travelled underneath her himation, grasping at her breasts before travelling down to places that even her mother hadn't touched. She jerked rigid as his fingers brushed against her private lips.

"Shhhhhhh, it'll be alright." He said softly and she heard a sound that made her start struggling all the more. His belt being loosened.

"You'll like this, I promise. I've never heard anyone complain about their time with Apollo." He murmured softly, in a cruel mockery of what a lover should sound like. She threw a prayer to the Fates to send someone, anyone, to help her. Then she felt something long and hard press against her and she went still. Taking her stillness as a sign of victory, Apollo relaxed his grip ever so slightly.

#/#

She lurched forward, bringing her knee up and between his legs. He collapsed, his pretty face twisted with rage and pain, but Persephone didn't stay long enough to see if he got up. She ran for the door to the hallway, only to slam into something hard and impenetrable. A sob burst from her lips as she looked up, expecting to find some door locking her out with a monster. Instead, silver eyes met her own and she flung her arms around Hades, her entire body shaking. He went rigid at her touch, but then obviously surveyed the scene properly. His inhalation was sharper than a knife.

"I suggest, Apollo, you leave now." He said, his voice filled with violence. She didn't even bother to look as the Sun-God limped past them. She kept her face buried in Hades chest as she sobbed.

"Persephone," He was speaking to her now. She moaned and refused to look up. Strong arms came to rest on her back and he squeezed her delicately, as though he didn't quite know how to hug her properly.

"It's alright. He's gone. I'm here now." He said, repeating it over and over until it finally broke through her haze of misery. She looked up at him with bleary eyes. His own were wide with shock and horror.

"He just, he came at me, I didn't know what to do." She mumbled, her words spilling out uncontrollably. Hades just nodded, concern in his eyes.

"You did well." He said, and she preened at the praise, even as her whole body felt as though it were about to fall apart. He brought her to sit by the doorway, crouching down beside her.

"Persephone," He continued breathlessly and she looked at him, rubbing at the tears on her cheeks.

"I must ask you something, and it's very important that you answer me truthfully." He said quietly but firmly. She drew a strangled breath and nodded.

"Did Apollo... did he succeed in...?" He trailed off, his handsome face a mask of horror. She flinched at the word he refused to say. She withdrew from him, folding her arms around herself and moving back against the railing.

"No." She said, her voice surprisingly calm.

"No, he did not rape me." Persephone felt, more than saw him flinch. Her shoulder slouched.

"Why? Why would he do something like that?" She asked, feeling tears well up once more. A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder, she flinched. He retracted it instantly. She looked up with a small smile.

"It's ok, Uncle. Thank you for stepping in when you did." She said and he nodded, his expression still thunderous.

"We should tell someone." He said gently but the thought filled her with panic. She shook her head violently.

"No!" She exclaimed and he looked at her in surprise. She kept her arms folded across her chest.

"My Mother will NEVER let me leave the grotto again. Not if she finds out." She explained and Hades rubbed his face, clearly troubled but willing to accept her decision.

"Lets get you cleaned up then." He said finally and she looked down at herself. Her make-up and hair were probably a mess and her himation needed had a ghost of a smile on his face.

"I know someone, discreet." He said softly and she nodded, placing her hand in his as he lead her back through the maze of corridors. His 'someone' as it turned out, was a mousy haired goddess who observed Hades with a clinical eye as he lead her out of the hall and into the room where Pesephone waited. She took one look at Persephone and her eyebrows shot to her hairline. She scowled at Hades darkly.

"It wasn't him." Persephone said, reading the outrage in the woman's face. She looked to Persephone then nodded. Within a few minutes, the goddess had weaved her magic. The cuts and bruises on Persephone's skin faded away, and the woman helped her re-assemble her hair and make-up. When they were finished the unnamed goddess nodded her farewell and left for the hall once more.

"Who was she?" Persephone asked and Hades looked at the door the healer had left.

"Aceso. She is a minor goddess of health and healing." He said automatically and Persephone nodded, storing the information away for later. A thick silence fell over them. She wanted to break it but didn't know how. Neither did he, apparently. She giggled. He looked at her askance, his face openly shocked. It made her giggle even harder.

"It's all just... rather absurd, isn't it?" She wondered aloud and he rested his hip against the table on which she sat. He looked concerned.

"You're in shock," He announced and she realised he was probably right.

"Yes."

"But you are laughing, so I expect that can only mean good things." She nodded and his face relaxed a fraction.

"Thank you, for helping me and for... the other thing." She said sheepishly, and his lips stretched into a small smirk.

"Of course, Lady Persephone." He said with a small bow.

"I am at your disposal." She hopped off the table and walked to the door. She cast a glance over her shoulder and smiled tremulously.

"Although I wish we'd met under slightly different circumstances, but I am very glad we met finally." She said and he nodded, looking at her with a rather perplexed look on his face.

"As am I."

"I'll see you at my next birth day?" She asked hopefully and the King of the Underworld looked slightly awed, as though he couldn't quite believe she'd asked. However, before she could marvel in that look, he hid it quickly behind his usual mask of indifference.

"Indeed. I'll always watch over you." She smiled broadly now, the knowledge that he wouldn't be far making her feel warm and safe. She walked back to the hall, finding her mother who had decided it was time to head home.

OOOOOOOOOOO

From then on, every time she returned to Mount Olympus, Hades kept his promise. Although she couldn't always see him, directly, she had the sense that he was around, keeping just out of sight but always within reach. It made her feel much better, having him as a sort of guardian. She never stayed in the room with Apollo long enough to do more than trade pleasantries, no matter how hard he tried to catch her alone. 'To explain,' as he put it. But even that was enough to make her want to throw up.

Her 'damned suitors,' as her Mother took to calling them, grew more numerous with each visit. She heard people whisper that she might even rival Aphrodite in beauty, but she didn't believe it. No one could possible measure up to the divine beauty of the Goddess of Love. As for men's reactions, Persephone was at a loss. No matter how softly they spoke or how kindly they appeared, Persephone (generally) couldn't bring herself to be in their company for more than a few minutes at a time. Her Mother, of course, rejoiced at this, thinking her daughter might take up the mantel of Celestial Virginity. Persephone wasn't sure though. Every time she thought of doing so, she stopped. She had every reason not to bother with the world of men, but... still she stopped taking that final step, every time.

At her 18th birth day Persephone announced herself as an earth goddess, like her mother, demonstrating her ability to call forth crops and plant life at will. Zeus was incredibly pleased by this and her mother was beyond estatic.

Three years later, she prepared to returned to Mount Olympus to tasteaccept her godhood... and maybe, just maybe, to finally collect on an old promise.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Oooooooooooh, okie dokie. Moving every along now. Did you like it? Was it too fast, too slow?

I kind of wanted to push through Persephone's teens quickly, but at the same time make sure it seemed like she and Hades still got to know each other. I hope it wasn't too dark for everyone, but what can I say, I love a little drama and angst.

Did you like the references to Hephaestus? Don't worry, he'll be back. As will a few characters old and new.

As always, please leave CC if you feel so inclined. I always get so excited seeing a new review.