Broken Goddess Copyright 2013
Chapter 3 – For the Sake of Lust
A cloaked figure walked swiftly through the night, turning occasionally to see if they were being followed. The figure darted from shadow to shadow as though terrified of being seen. Cloak swishing about, the dark form entered a small temple hallway. The temple was silent except for the figures echoing footsteps. The only light in the place came from two lanterns flickering at the end of the hall. In their light, one could barely make out a man sitting on a cushion.
He sat very still, his head bowed, golden hair falling across his face. His eyes were closed and he would have seemed to be asleep, except for his firm posture and awareness.
"I knew I would be seeing you soon," he said in a silky voice. "Your dreams have revealed it to me."
Demeter lowered the hood on her cloak, her brown hair cascading down her back. "Morpheus. I need your help."
Morpheus raised his head, opening his eyes to reveal bright golden orbs that seemed to shimmer and glow in the light. His eyes held a warning in them. "Demeter, if you would trust in me, I would tell you to let the situation go. You had best leave."
"You know why I'm here then," Demeter stated.
"Of course I do," Morpheus said. "Many of you gods forget that I have powers you don't understand. While Zeus can ignite the sky and you can color the land, I can delve into the mind. And what is found there is not always pleasant, Demeter. Take that as a warning. I will give you what you wish, but I tell you now that it would be better for all if you did not interfere."
"You know what I am facing with Persephone. She is heartsick. She weeps and I cannot understand why. Nothing I or anyone else has done has succeeded in renewing her vigor and joy. She has paled. She cannot sleep. I must know why she has changed so. I must do what I can to help her. Tell me, Morpheus, does something plague her mind?"
Morpheus sighed again. "If you insist on knowing, I will reveal to you what I have seen in her dreams." Morpheus picked up a small bag at his side. He reached inside it and pulled out a pinch of silver sand. "Close your eyes."
Demeter did so and Morpheus sprinkled the sand across her eyelids. He began to hum a hauntingly soothing lullaby. Demeter felt her limbs relax, her body sag, and her mind grow blank. An image formed in her mind.
It was a beautiful sunny day, full of the sounds of the harvest. Persephone was sitting by the side of a pond, watching ripples form across the water. She was alone – wait, she wasn't. There was a boy watching her from across the lake, a boy Demeter could not make out. It was as though he was shrouded in night, a dark shadow hiding him from view. Persephone's gaze met his and fear crept into her eyes. Suddenly the day turned cold, the wind chill and harsh. The shadow around the boy grew and grew, reaching out towards Persephone. She backed away from it, but the shadow suddenly formed the shape of a monster, red eyes gleaming, claws extended. Persephone screamed and Demeter cried out as the beast lunged at her daughter. With a swipe of its taloned hand, Persephone vanished.
Demeter woke with a start. She was lying across several cushions in front of Morpheus. He sat with his head bowed again and eyes closed.
"Thus are the dreams of Persephone. Different every night, but always featuring the faceless boy and the shadowed creature. Always it hunts for her and always, it finds her," Morpheus said, lifting his golden eyes to stare at Demeter coldly.
Demeter sat up, shaking. "Morpheus, tell me what they mean. Tell me why she dreams this horror."
Morpheus gazed upon the goddess for a moment. "I cannot tell you. I do not know."
"But you are the god of sleep and dreams! You must know! You must tell me! What do they mean?" Demeter begged, rising to her knees.
Again, Morpheus simply gazed at her. Then he shook his head and bowed it again. "I'm sorry, Demeter. I will try to send dreams of a more pleasant nature to your daughter. Other than that, I've done all I can. I must return to my duties."
"Morpheus, no. Help me. Morpheus!"
But the god did not respond. He seemed to have entered a deep sleep.
Demeter sat there a minute longer, pondering the dream and feeling as lost as ever. How was she supposed to help her daughter if she didn't know what was wrong? Persephone was haunted by a creature in her dreams, but Demeter didn't know how to destroy a nightmare except to have Morpheus try to counteract them.
She stood and slowly left the temple, discouraged. There was only one person she could think of to go to in her distress. She looked up to the one place she hadn't set foot in since the birth of her child: the temple of Zeus.
When she entered the temple, Demeter held her breath, terrified that she would see Hera standing in the shadows, waiting to catch her sister in the arms of her husband. But there was no one there.
"Demeter?" a voice called out.
Demeter turned and, when she saw Zeus standing in front of her, she ran to him and threw herself into his arms.
"Demeter? What is it? What's wrong?"
"I'm worried, Zeus. I'm worried about Persephone. She's become so afraid and so fragile. It makes me feel afraid. I do not like being powerless to help her. She's having such awful dreams. I spoke to Morpheus and he told me so. But I don't know how to help her. I don't know how to make things good for her again."
Zeus held Demeter as she sank against his chest. "There now, there now. It will be alright. Persephone is growing older. She'll be able to take care of herself soon. You don't need to worry."
Demeter felt tears fall across her cheeks. "How can I not worry? Perhaps she's getting older, but I don't see what help that will do, when I still feel like such a child myself."
Zeus pulled back a little, gazing at Demeter. He kissed her forehead. "Ah, love, do not worry or fear. I'm here. I've got you and I will protect you. And our daughter." He slid his hands across her shoulders, wiping a tear from her eye.
Demeter couldn't help herself. She stepped forward and kissed him, kissed him more passionately then she'd kissed in so long. He responded with such intensity that she was completely unaware that they shouldn't be doing this. But all she could do was giggle like a silly mortal as he swept her into his arms and carried her up the stairs of his temple.
When Demeter disappeared, Morpheus raised his head again, watching as a figure emerged from the shadows.
"If you do not keep your word…" Morpheus whispered in a harsh voice, but the figure interrupted.
"I fully intend to keep my word, Morpheus, do not doubt me," Hades shot back. "You will have your prize." Hades raised his hand and a shadowy figure appeared in front of Morpheus. His eyes glinted with hunger as the form turned into a mortal woman.
Hades watched with a frown as Morpheus reached up to the young woman, who stared at him with wide eyes.
"How…how did I get here?" she stammered. "I was dead. I died, but I'm here now and you …" she stared at Morpheus, "you are the man from my dreams. The man who has haunted me for so long."
"I could not go to you during your life except in your dreams, but once you died, I could not reach you at all," Morpheus moaned, standing and wrapping his arms around the girl. "But now you are back and you are mine."
The woman shrunk away from him, pushing against his chest. "No, please. My child, my husband. I must return to them. They think I am dead."
"To them you are," Morpheus said. "But you will remain with me as my reward."
Hades interrupted. "You will keep my secret, then."
Morpheus nodded, not taking his eyes off the woman.
Hades sighed. "A rare occurrence. Both of us have kept our promises. You've hidden for me what I need to remain secret; I've given you what you want. I would call this an honorable transaction," he said, but he looked at the terrified woman that Morpheus pulled into bed with him and shook his head, "but in this case, I cannot."
When he regained the night air outside the temple, Hades tried to shake away the guilt that was covering him, but he knew it was no use. The guilt had been with him since the first day he'd appeared to Persephone.
"I am a god and gods may do what they wish," Hades whispered. "But even gods need something to keep them in check. We are all wicked beings."
And with that he disappeared, trying to shut out the image of the pleading eyes of the woman he had given to Morpheus, trying to block out her cries for help as Morpheus took her for his own.