Kore followed the hand on her right shoulder with her head and saw a god standing just behind her. He was much taller than she, and when she looked into his eyes she saw they were mismatched - mostly black with shocking green on the outside of the left - and the effect was frightening. His long dark hair didn't help much, either. Behind him were a few more deities also looking completely out of place. She felt a chill shoot through her bones and turned her attention back to the crowd. They all seemed to be feeling the same effects as she and not a single one stirred.
"Glad to see the festivities are under way," came the god's smooth voice. "Good to see you at last, Kore." He picked his hand up off of Kore's shoulder and moved along into the crowd. A path opened up as other gods and goddesses moved aside for him. Greetings were uttered to her as the rest of his group passed Kore. She was astounded and it looked as though her mother felt the same way. Once the group had dispersed, a new god appeared before them. The glow of the entire place might as well have come from him and him alone because his smile could have lit kindling.
"Welcome, my sister Demeter and my lovely Kore! I am very happy you could attend this party." He came a little closer to Kore, and Demeter stood in between the two of them. "Oh come now, sister, let her enjoy her own birthday." A smirk grew across his face that Kore shivered to see, without knowing why. "Besides, remember what I said in the letter. We wouldn't any trouble, would we?" Kore could tell, even from her angle, that her mother was pale and livid.
"Zeus. Make no mistake that either of us would want any trouble," Demeter said in a low voice. Zeus's smugness slipped off his face minutely. Before any more words could be exchanged between them, the god that had come from behind them brought a glass over to Kore.
"Since my siblings are intent on throwing a wet blanket over this..." he turned and looked at Demeter and Zeus's faces for a moment "...happy occasion, I feel obligated to make up for it. Have some nectar. You too, Demeter." He had only brought two glasses and he all but shoved the second one into Demeter's hands. With that, he threw an arm around Kore's shoulders and swept her away into the crowd. "Resume your merriment," he said simply to the crowd.
Just as if everyone had been holding their breath underwater, the conversations rose up again like a gasp for air.
"So ... who are you?" Kore asked the god as he led her deeper into the crowd.
"I am Hades. Has Demeter ever mentioned me?"
"No. She never talks about anyone here. I don't know any of these people." Kore felt very unlike herself. "And why did they think I'm Persephone? Who's that?"
"You'll find out eventually. For now, though, the feast is about to begin. I am sure Zeus is persuading Demeter to join it as we speak."
"She never tells me anything. Might you know why she is so resolute against coming here?"
"I understand - but only a little - why she wouldn't want to come here. Most of the gods here simply don't have their heads on right. Demeter had enough sense to stay away for a while, but our kind can be persistent. She has been hurt." The smooth arrogance had slid from his voice on those last words. Hades turned to Kore and finished, "You must take it at that, because the rest will be revealed in time. For now, it is your place to tolerate and accept your mother."
Kore was dismayed, for no one had ever spoken in such a manner to her. She hadn't been aware of which way they were going, but when they came to a large table at the end of the vast Hall she focused on her surroundings and stared in awe at the feast that was being set. Gods were standing at varied intervals around, waiting for Zeus to take his place. Hades ushered Kore to a place two spots away from the head of the table and then took his place one spot away on the other side. Kore felt a little less comfortable now that her guide had left her, even though he was only sitting diagonal from her.
Soon enough, every god stood behind his or her chair; Kore saw that Demeter was across from her. Zeus was the last to take his place and he lifted his glass while looking at Kore. Kore wanted to shrink away so that it would stop.
"To life!" Zeus said. It was echoed in a jubilant rumble throughout the hall. Kore looked over at Hades just in time to see him mouth 'to you' and wink at her before focusing again at the head of the table.
Kore finally drank the nectar and was astonished at how sweet it was. She felt her mother's eyes on her, and supposed that her mother was watching to see if her daughter would become just like every other god in the assembly. She lowered her glass and set it beside her plate as she and everyone else clambered into their chairs.
There was a flurry of white above their heads - Kore was surprised she could even detect it against the brightness - and suddenly a huge flock of doves descended upon the table. In pairs they brought large bowls made of pale gold and wrought into the shapes of flowers. The birds alighted before each god's place with the bowls they carried, and Kore saw that there was ambrosia in each. She glanced around the table out of vague curiosity, but then focused in on how the birds acted around Hades. They moved a little more slowly, and looked almost … contemplative. They cooed lowly and preened themselves before taking off.
The ambrosia was even sweeter than the nectar, and Persephone decided almost immediately that it was a little much. Of course she liked sweet food, but this was overdone. She looked down the table but no one else seemed perturbed in the same way she was. They were mostly caught up in talk, occasionally throwing a smile her way. She looked up the table, and noted immediately that Hades was swirling his utensil on the food.
"This is almost as bad as the feast that Tantalus threw," Hades said with a silly grin to Zeus,who seemed quite put out at that comment. Demeter snorted and his grin turned wicked. "Of course you'd remember, my dear sister." Demeter's countenance was suddenly rather stormy.
Poseidon, sitting to Hades' left, sighed. "You do this every time."
"I'm invited every time," Hades retorted.
No one else could really hear them, as Kore deduced by looking at the faces nearest her. It couldn't hurt to ask questions.
"What feast?" Kore asked brightly.
"Don't you dare answer," Demeter said to Hades in a vicious-but-low whisper.
"Oh Demeter... you spoil my fun." Hades said tauntingly.
"Please don't stir up the other guests too much," Zeus implored.
"I guess that's that," Hades sighed dramatically. "Maybe we should talk about the task you've set me, then," he said innocently.
"Go ahead and talk about the feast with Tantalus," Zeus said, taking a swift mouthful of ambrosia. Demeter made a noise of protest.
"Absolutely not!"
"What task?" Kore asked, provoking another twinkle in Hades' eyes.
"Don't answer," said Zeus sharply to Hades .
"This is ill-fated to become the dullest dinner conversation I've had in a long time," Hades pouted.
"None of what you have to talk about is dinner conversation, and that's why it's always dull," Poseidon said resolutely.
"I should think such sweet fare," said Hades, indicating the bowl in front of him, "would make you all that much sweeter. Alas, I am disappointed." Kore held back a giggle.
"If you think serious is interchangeable with melodramatic, you've a lesson coming," Demeter spat.
"I could learn from you," Hades said solemnly. Kore lifted the nectar to her mouth to hide the smile that spread across her face.
"Dionysus!" Zeus called. Most of the guests quieted at the outburst. "Have you any wine?"
"I thought you'd never ask!" came a response from someone that Kore couldn't see.
"Demeter, would you kindly help him? I fear that he may drink it all before it arrives to safety," Zeus said, lifting his empty goblet.
Kore heard a few suggestions slip from under her mother's breath, but was pleased to see that her mother rose and left. Poseidon also rose, "I require something I left with Amphitrite. I will be back," he said with a small bow to Zeus.
Only a moment later his spot was taken by a woman who had imperious facial features and purple-and-gold robes. "I don't see why you couldn't let my place be up here, rather than at the other end with Aphrodite. Really! You know I can't stand her and the way she treats our son."
"Hera, I don't believe you've met Per- uh, Kore." Kore was once again wondering where that name was cropping up from.
The woman turned her sharp gaze to Kore and a razor-thin smile split her face. "Pleased to finally meet you." There was something about Hera's attention that made Kore think she was being appraised. "Here's a girl who will marry sensibly," Hera snapped at Zeus. "I still don't understand why you won't do something about Aphrodite." The name was spoken with utmost contempt.
"I am a King of Gods, not a God of Gods," Zeus reminded her. "It is not in my power to control their natures."
"I hear humility in that," Hades said, clearly still playing at exasperating everyone he could get at. "Hera, that's a pretty good bargain so I wouldn't keep haggling..."
"Who asked you?" Hera spat before marching away with her head up high and cloth billowing formidably with each step.
"You just made everything that much worse," Zeus said to Hades once his wife had left.
"I live to serve."
"Is there something on your mind?" Zeus asked impatiently. Several people turned their heads at the tone in his voice. "Never you mind!" The gods turned away, though they seemed to be aware of what was going on.
"Now that you mention it, yes," Hades said, suddenly completely serious. Kore was rather surprised at the shift in demeanor.
"Is it appropriate for mixed company?" Zeus asked with a glance at Kore.
Hades seemed to hesitate. "No. I am sorry Kore," added with a sober nod to her. She felt awkward and was more aware of her age and poor clothing. She smiled as best she could and took her glass of nectar as she left. She made as quick an exit as she could so that she wouldn't have to walk along the long table.
The area off the hall where the feast was taking place was much less noisy, but the goings-on were more distinct. She saw barrels being rolled into the hall, and a group of women chatting about the vintages of the wines being brought in. There was a god standing near them talking to her mother, Demeter, and he had a long white robe with sandals and a wreath of leaves around his head. Kore guessed that this was Dionysus.
She approached them, and the women smiled at her. It was not the vacant smile she was used to receiving from the nymphs, but thoughtful and full of soul. She couldn't contain her own smile at them. On closer inspection, she realized that they were each wearing little more than a single piece of cloth wrapped around their bodies and held in place by a cord that looked like it would give with a single pull. They were all as magnificently beautiful as nymphs, long hair and short, all colors of skin, and their shoulders and legs were shown off by the way the cloth was draped.
Kore noticed that her mother kept throwing them looks of disdain.
"Ah, the girl of the moment!" Dionysus said. "Need I introduce myself?" Kore shook her head, now very shy. He beamed at her. "I was just thanking your mother for the wonderful growing conditions we had this year. The wine will be absolutely perfect!" Her mother seemed nonplussed, as if it were all an accident.
"No need to thank me," Demeter insisted. She paused before, "Kore actually took care of that piece of land, actually."
"I did?"
"She did?"
Both Dionysus and Kore had spoken at once. The women nearby gave soft laughs.
"I don't remember doing that..." Kore said, now thoroughly confused.
Her mother cleared her throat. "Don't you remember that energy I was teaching you how to store? I used that earlier this year as a gift to him."
"Really now?" Dionysus cried. "I had been under the impression it was fresh energy from you, Demeter. Ah well, I guess the secret's out now. I can only imagine what fresh energy would be like." Kore felt herself blush and damned herself for it. "Oh, how rude of me. Kore, these women over here are part of my following, and are among my most devout. They are called the maeneds."
"Hello," one wearing a fuchsia cloth and black cord said kindly. "Thank you for the wonderful blessing on our vineyards. The yield was rather spectacular, if I may say so. My name is Damaris." She bowed. Kore wasn't sure what to do, so she gave a small curtsy back.
"Perhaps I may do so again," Kore said back, still shy, "um, Damaris."
The faces of the maeneds and Dionysus were all either pleased or hopeful, but her mother had a very stern look. Kore faltered once she met her mother's gaze.
"I'll let you alone now," Demeter said, "I'm sure you are capable of handling it from here."
"Oh, of course... of course," Dionysus agreed. Demeter beckoned for Kore to follow as the group they left behind got back to work again. Once out of earshot, Demeter turned on her daughter.
"I don't want you around them."
Kore was puzzled. "Oh. But they seem like good people. Why haven't I met them bef-"
"They are not good people, and it would be highly improper for you to be in company like that!"
"Would you please, for once, just explain!" Kore's voice had risen a little. She was sick of being left in the dark about this. "I can always ask someone else if you won't tell me now," she added mischievously.
Demeter looked at her daughter in such a way that seemed she was searching Kore's soul. "You've been around drunks before, right?"
"Once," Kore offered, brow furrowed.
"They are always drunk. It's a religious practice; it's said they don't even need wine at times. Something about ecstasy and revelation through, well..." Demeter looked like she was struggling. "It's something about spirituality through wild nature, and it's believed that wine makes it easier to get there. Those disciples with him have probably done some pretty crazy things, so don't let their appearances fool you. I've heard of maeneds ripping men limb from limb," she said darkly.
Kore was floored. She couldn't imagine anyone, let alone those nice people she had just met, doing anything of the sort. Then she became suspicious. "You aren't just saying that to scare me, are you?"
Demeter shook her head. "No. I really mean it. And I honestly don't want you around any of them."
"Why did you give them my energy then?"
"It was an honest mistake which I realized only when I got back home. I will not be making that mistake again." Kore had never seen her mother like this. Perhaps this was actually good advice...
"I'm going back in to the feast. The dancing will probably start soon, too." Demeter sighed. "Don't wander too far and don't talk to strangers. I'll take that," she added as she took the near-empty cup of nectar.
She left Kore there to roll her eyes at the pointless advice her mother had just given her. Everyone was a stranger at first, and it was mostly thanks to her mother. Kore tried to find the nearest exit so she could get a little fresh air. She walked along, and started climbing stairs she saw near where she had come in. Intuition told her that this area was not private dwellings, so she confidently kept going. The stairs spiraled to her right and she kept going up up up.
The stairs stopped at a small landing, and there was an open door there. Kore smiled at what she saw beyond that. There was a courtyard surrounded by the sheltered walkway she now stood in. There were pillars on the inner side of the walkway, and windows at even intervals along the outside. Kore walked all the way around the courtyard, noting stairs exactly opposite the ones she came up. She then stepped into the courtyard, that had a small spring in the middle, edged by six delicate ornamental fruit trees The sun was already below the walls of the Olympian palaces, and little bugs with lights had come out. It looked magical even for a dwelling of gods.
The grass was soft and cool, somewhat long, with fallen twigs sticking up here and there. Kore walked right to the spring. She saw her reflection in it, and after deciding she didn't look all that bad, she took off her boots and stuck her feet in the cold water. Little bright fish swam up and darted away, sometimes forgetting they had done so and repeated the routine. When Kore tired of watching them and could no longer feel her feet, she stepped out and dried her feet on the grass by wiping them. She put her boots on and with one wistful glance back at the trees, she went back down the stairs.
Music had begun to play in the hall, and when she got there the long table had been cleared away. People were dancing in pairs or alone, and there were those who stood to the sides to merely watch and engage in conversation. Kore saw that the maeneds were serving wine with smiles and laughter off on the far side of the hall. Her mother nodded to her from nearby, but did not come over; she was talking to a woman in a long cloak with the hood drawn over her head.
Kore continued on, contenting herself to walk around and be as invisible as possible. Several people still turned their heads as she walked by, looking like they wanted to speak, but they only smiled. It was starting to annoy Kore a little bit that they were somewhat ignoring her at her own party. Perhaps her birthday was a mere excuse to party. If so, she told herself, she would not begrudge them that.
The music died down for a moment as the musicians shouted drunkenly at each other about what song they should play, until someone in the crowd yelled a suggestion that seemed agreeable to the musicians. Just as the starting notes echoed through the hall, Kore heard someone near her say, "Might I have a word with you?"
She turned, a little surprised, and saw Hades there, looking rather expectant. "Um, yes, I suppose..."
"Very well. Follow me," he said with a tiny smile. He led her over to a wall and procured two glasses of wine. "Care for a drink?"
Kore blushed. "As long as mother doesn't see..." she said as she accepted the goblet. He took a sip from his.
"Surely your mother gives you wine?" Hades seemed puzzled.
"It's usually beer or barley water. But mother was a little displeased with Dionysus when I asked her about him," Kore explained. She tasted the wine. It was dark red but perfectly clear, smelling strongly of a bouquet of flowers and tasting sharp and sweet and bitter all at once. There was a dryness to it that she could have done without, though.
"No doubt she spoke to you about their spiritual practices?"
"Yes... it...um, is it true that they rip people limb from limb...?"
Hades frowned for a moment. "That's a bit of an exaggeration, even for her. She was probably just listening to the rumor mill. I don't recall receiving anyone at my gates who had died at the hands of the maeneds, though there may be truth to the fact that there has been serious injury. No, it's a very active and wild mysticism so that when you practice right you feel drunk on spirituality, not in control and totally in control at the same time. Dionysus's Principle is sacred to many who may not even know it, and trodden on by simple partying that gives the disciples a bad name." Hades paused, still thoughtful. "The maeneds that are here are probably his daughters with mortal consorts. The practice is not recommended without an initiate to supervise."
"What do they worship, then?" Kore asked.
"That's a good question, but not one that I would dare to answer here. Perhaps another time."
Kore was disappointed but would not let this opportunity to learn slip through her fingers. "What were you talking about when you mentioned that feast with Tanaltus, or Tatulus, or something like that?"
"Tantalus?" Hades offered. "It's a rather gruesome tale for a young and delicate goddess such as yourself," he teased.
"Aw tell, tell!" Kore insisted.
He chuckled. "It is gruesome though. There was a man a long time ago – a mortal – that we thought was rather enjoyable, and he invited us to a dinner as a sign of goodwill. He killed his son and served him up to us. Your mother didn't realize until too late, and took a bite out of his shoulder."
Kore gasped. "No! My mother?"
"Don't tell her I told you," Hades said with a smile. "I had a fun time thinking up a proper punishment for that, and I'll tell you that it wasn't nearly as harsh as some of the things that your mother suggested. She could have made a wonderful Ruler of the Underworld if I hadn't been born," he jested. Kore laughed again.
"What about that task that you mentioned?"
"Curious, aren't you?" Hades asked, smiling when Kore nodded enthusiastically. "That one, unfortunately, I must keep to myself for now. It is a serious nature and is between me and my brothers... for now."
Kore was again disappointed, but thought of another one as she took another sip of wine. "What about that name that everyone called me? Per... serpo... um, Proseph-"
"Persephone." Hades took a long swig of his drink. Kore could see the wheels turning in his head and knew he was torn. "It's the name that everyone had believed your mother was to give you."
"She never corrected them before now?" Kore thought it was rather odd.
"That's your mother for you."
"Persephone is a nice name. I wish it were mine..." Kore said. There was something unreadable in Hades' eyes.
"Kore!" Kore jumped and turned around. Several other people had looked around too, and she saw her mother coming over. Kore realized that she was holding the wine out in plain sight. She wasn't sure if she felt comfortable with Hades witnessing what would inevitably come next. Thankfully her mother lowered her voice considerably for the next part.
"I told you not to drink that!"
"I thought you told me to stay away from those people," said Kore, feigning innocence.
"Ah, that would be my fault, sister," added Hades, covering for her quickly and whisking the goblet away from Kore. "I thought it would be a nice thing to do."
"You know how I feel about those people," Demeter spat.
"Yes, but I wasn't going to assume your daughter felt the same way," Hades said stiffly.
"What's going on here?" came a light voice. All three turned and saw a woman in flattering clothes and elegant hair, with a made-up face barely masking impudent curiosity.
"Aphrodite," both Hades and Demeter said with fake happiness.
"And Kore! How lovely to fi-i-inally meet you," said Aphrodite with arms outstretched to hug Kore. Kore accepted the embrace awkwardly, being swept into musky, fruity scent. "So," she said as she pulled away from Kore, "I haven't seen you two talk in a long time. On speaking terms again?"
Demeter was not hiding the ugly look on her face very well. "Hades is forgetting his limits."
Aphrodite gasped, "Now, now, Hades! Don't ruin Demeter's first Olympian party in such a long time." Hades also had a dark look overcoming his face.
"I know my limits better than most," he said.
"Really? I always find it is possible to win more ground, don't you, when you're open about yourself..." Aphrodite hinted nastily. Kore didn't feel like this was going in a good direction.
"Especially as concerns legs," Demeter agreed sarcastically.
"Only if they're good enough," Aphrodite shot back.
"Aphrodite, please..." Hades said, in a surprise move of attempting to keep both sides from going for each other's throats.
"Don't start, Hades," Aphrodite said with malice, "You don't know the first thing about politics."
Kore sensed a wave of cold off him. "It doesn't matter, does it, because all your worshipers are mine in the end." With that, Hades turned and left, quickly disappearing into the crowd. With one last glare at Demeter Aphrodite left, presumably to go find him.
Kore waited for her mother to speak.
"After presents, we are leaving."
"I get presents?"
