Hades sat on his throne, tired and troubled by the ever constant stream of souls passing before him. Why had his brother not put a stop to all the nonsense with Demeter neglecting her duties and allowing the mortals to die? And very likely, the earth to die as well?

Demeter would simply have to move past her grief, he told himself. She could not have Persephone back, so this fit off hers was pointless, selfish, and would inevitably have to end. She had been a fool to ever have convinced herself that she could keep Persephone all to herself forever. Persephone had not devoted herself to a life of abstinence like some of her sisters, Athena or Artemis. Demeter had forced it on her and never allowed her to make any decisions of her own, other than what flowers to weave in her hair that day, Hades thought angrily.

He cast his eyes to his left. Her throne and crown would be finished soon, and she would be seated properly at his side. He considered how sad it would make her to see some of those that passed over, particularly the children and babes, of which she wanted one so very much. Hades then considered the heartache it would cause her to know that they were passing over due to her mother's inability to let her go. He feared possibly having to tell her all of this eventually. He never wanted to see her sad, and he knew this would cause her much pain and heartache, even though she was not at fault.

Hades rubbed his brow and shut his eyes. He wanted so much to be done with his duties for the day and return to his love's side. She was currently out of doors, or perhaps with Hecate, or perhaps both, as one or the other was typically the case when she was not with him. Hecate had been showing her some of the magic and secrets of her practice, which Persephone was apparently enjoying. He knew she was feeling a bit out of place with not being able to grow anything here, and he was glad that she had something to occupy her mind and time. Despite her inability to create life in his realm, she still enjoyed strolling around out of doors. She had spent essentially her entire life outside, and even though all that grew in the grey wastes was ghostly asphodel, Persephone still took pleasure in long walks through them.

Forcing his mind back to the present and on the soul of the particularly obnoxious merchant who was babbling on in front of him, Hades was determined to get through the rest of the day so that he would soon be back in his love's arms. He could only hope that this endless barrage before him was nearing its end.


Persephone was indeed out of doors, strolling through the grey waste and picking asphodel blooms to weave into a crown. A smile crossed her lips as she imagined greeting her lord when he came to their bed chamber that night, wearing nothing but said crown and with blooms scattered over the bed and covering her most intimate areas. They were the only flowers that grew in the Underworld, and Persephone was doing her best to love them, though she missed her crocuses, lilies, larkspurs, roses, violets and irises more than she had words to say. But their loss was a fair price to be with her lord. Other than the loss of her mother, every other sacrifice she had made to be with Hades seemed trivial and not significant enough to make her regret her decision.

Hecate was leisurely walking behind Persephone, keeping the young goddess company as she often did in her spare moments. Next to Hades, Hecate was also Persephone's greatest teacher and source of information regarding her new home. There was one question in particular that Persephone had been meaning to ask the goddess, and now that they were alone, thought it an ideal time.

"Hecate, there is something that has been troubling me, though I have not explicitly stated to Hades. I was wondering if perhaps, you might be able to assist me with a problem we might have encountered?" Persephone said, turning to look at the mysterious goddess.

"A problem, my queen? I find it difficult to believe you and Lord Hades have any," Hecate said, though secretly she knew exactly what the problem in question was.

"Oh, well yes, we are very happy. So happy in fact that there is only one thing in the entire universe that could make me happier." Persephone said, looking at the ground and playing nervously with her fingers.

"You want his child." Hecate said simply and very matter of fact.

Persephone's head shot up in surprise. "You know? Has he spoken of this to you?" Persephone asked.

Hecate shook her head. "No, no my lady. But it is natural, for females who are deeply in love, to want to carry their lord's child. You have been in the Underworld for more than two months now and not conceived. This troubles you, yes?"

Persephone looked a little embarrassed, but nodded her head in agreement with Hecate.

"You are perplexed as to why you have not conceived, as the act of making a child is the activity you in engage in the majority of the time?" Hecate further outlined Persephone's problem for her.

Persephone blushed and looked away, focusing anew on the asphodel wreath she was weaving. "I would not say that it is the majority of how I spend my time…Hades and I do lots of things other than couple….." Persephone defended them, though she could not think of any great examples at the moment.

"But you think that you have coupled enough that you should be with child by now, and that you are not causes you to fear that you cannot." Hecate further spoke Persephone's fears aloud.

Persephone looked at Hecate with sadness in her eyes that answered the goddess's question.

Hecate smiled at her. She was about to lay her fears to rest, but wondered for a moment why Hades had not done so. Perhaps he himself did not know? He had never wanted to have children, and very likely had no idea at all regarding the matter.

"My queen, you are a goddess of flowers and life, you are as fertile as any goddess who ever drew breath, more so likely. Your lord husband is a powerful and potent god, who undoubtedly has the ability to procreate." Hecate began and saw the young, innocent goddess listen with doe eyes and carefully hanging on her every word.

"However, your lord rules the land of the dead. This barren, sterile, unfruitful realm where life is not nor can be conceived." Hecate continued.

Persephone considered that and quickly decided that it made sense. Hecate saw hope springing anew on her face. "So, in order to conceive, Hades and I only need couple in the Upperworld?" she asked hopefully.

"Essentially, yes my lady." Hecate answered simply. "I am surprised your lord husband has not thought of this himself."

Persephone was awash with happiness and hope that she only needed Hades to take her to the Upperworld to make love and then finally be with child. She was so excited and eager that she was not entirely listening to the last thing that Hecate had said.

"What was that last part? Hades should have known?" Persephone asked.

Hecate thought perhaps she should not have said that. "I only meant, my lady, that our king might have marveled at this predicament himself and realized that it was his realm, not himself or yourself that was standing in the way of conception." She replied.

"But, if Hades suspected such a thing why would he not tell me? He knows how much I want a baby…" Persephone half asker her, half thought out loud.

"It is possible that he never had the thought. But…if he did, perhaps he does not want a child just yet. It would be very understandable if he wanted you all to himself for a while." Hecate mused.

"All to himself? How would a child change that? I am completely and entirely his, and so shall I ever be." Persephone asked.

She is so innocent, Hecate thought. "A child would likely monopolize you and take your attention from him, which I would warrant a guess, is all his at the moment."

Persephone considered that. Yes, a baby would require an enormous amount of love, care, and attention. That would, naturally, require her to give Hades a little less attention, but no less love. She would question him about all of this tonight when he came to bed. The thought of her dark and terrible lord being jealous of a little babe made her smile and almost giggle out loud.

Hecate hoped she had not said the wrong thing, though she could see the doubt tugging at the young goddess's mind. She was more afraid that Hades would be angered by her words, as Persephone would most certainly be posing these questions to him at the first opportunity she had. Walking silently behind her queen now as she was lost in deep thought, she hoped Persephone would leave that last bit out.


Far above the Underworld, Zeus sat on his throne, disquieted and ruminating over the matter of Demeter. The grief stricken goddess of the harvest. His former lover. When he had first learned that their daughter had gone missing, he immediately suspected Hades. Who else could so easily take her from the earth without a trace? And, who else would want to? He had seen the way Persephone had regarded his dark elder brother in that very room only a few months earlier. She had not been afraid, intrigued rather, which he figured was enough to pique Hades' interest in the beautiful and desirable goddess of spring.

And this had not troubled him. If anything, he believed it a good thing. His brother had been furious and vengeful when they cast lots those many years ago and he won the Underworld. Since then, he had been irritable, difficult, and bordering on belligerent at times. He had largely withdrawn from Olympus and any contact with the Upperworld that was not absolutely necessary. Hades also had the power to unleash immense and terrible forces from his realm if he ever had a mind to do so. Zeus did not think he would, but wanted to keep his brother placated as much as it was possible. If Persephone would occupy and content him, then Zeus was happy to let him have her.

Even more, though he knew that every goddess he could name would disagree with him, Hades was a very fitting husband for any goddess. He was the elder of the three, powerful, ruled a vast and great kingdom, and possessed all the wealth and riches that were contained in the earth. Truly, Persephone as a minor goddess of flowers and springtime, should be honored that such a one would take her for a bride.

But, Zeus knew all too well, Demeter did not see it that way. The mortals were dying from lack of food and sustenance with her abandonment of her duties. Without the mortals, fewer sacrifices were given up to the gods and there were fewer and fewer to worship them. It was a predicament that must be dealt with, and Zeus had tried to reason with Demeter. She had wandered for a month searching for any sign of her daughter. It was Selene, the goddess of the moon, who had watched Hades take a sleeping Persephone into his arms and down into a great chasm in the earth, that sealed up so seamlessly behind him that no creature, having not seen it with their own eyes, could believe that it had happened.

Demeter looked a thousand years older now, her brown hair now streaked with grey and her visage as forlorn as one who had lost ten children. Zeus had sent Hermes to try and reason with her, to make her see that her actions were jeopardizing the whole of their existence. Not to mention that Hades was a better husband than Persephone could ever have hoped for, and that it was a testament to her grace and beauty that she had caught the eye of a god who was known for his solitary existence and for having forsaken the Upperworld almost entirely. Demeter had of course vowed to herself that Persephone would remain a virgin goddess all her life, but Zeus had not particularly wanted that for her. He was truly indifferent, but Demeter had tried to force a fate on their daughter without taking into consideration her own feelings. There was no way Persephone was a virgin now, he knew, and so why not simply let her be? She was a queen now, and Demeter should be able to find some comfort or even pride in that. But she had proven that she felt only grief, anger, and despondency. Not to mention a complete and total disregard for the fate of everything else in the known universe.

This could not endure, Zeus knew that. He would have to find a way to mediate and mend this situation. As much as he dreaded dealing with Demeter and what he supposed would be her complete lack of willingness to cooperate and compromise, more so he feared angering his brother. Hades felt he had received the worst end of every deal between the three brothers, and would likely be livid at the mere suggestion that he had to answer for his actions. That he would be asked to compromise when it came to his new consort would no doubt enrage him.

Zeus was brought from these thoughts by his son striding into the room. Apollo, god of the sun and the very image of perfect, Grecian youth, came to stand before his father's throne.

"Father," he said, inclining his head in reverence.

"Apollo," Zeus acknowledged him, a grim and weary look still defining his features.

"Father….you must do something. The earth…"

"I know, I intend to." Zeus cut him off. Apollo had seen the death and desolation unfold on the earth below more clearly than anyone, as he took the sun across the sky daily behind his chariot. He had watched the earth become barren and miserable; the humans starving and dying off in droves now. It was he that first told Zeus of just how terrible Demeter's neglect of her sacred duties was becoming.

"You mean, you are going to force Hades to return Demeter's daughter to her?" Apollo asked, that being the only real solution he could see to this problem.

Zeus winced. "I don't know about that, exactly. Some sort of compromise will have to reached between the two of them. Hades will not give her up completely…..if at all." Zeus said, more to himself than to Apollo.

"He cannot keep her if you will not allow it." Apollo pointed out.

"No, but, I am inclined to allow it. It is likely Demeter who will have to see reason, and who will be less likely to compromise I am afraid." Zeus returned. "But either way, this must be resolved immediately. I am sending Hermes to the Underworld tonight to summon Hades to Olympus."

"He will be sorely displeased." Apollo observed.

Zeus closed his eyes. "Yes, yes he will."

Thank you to everyone for the continued support and kind words! I meant to post sooner, and will try to keep to my every 2-3 day updating. And as you might guess, the honeymoon is about to be over. But, there will be a little more love before our couple is separated. More importantly though, can they have a baby? If they do, it will be a bit of a departure from myth, so if anyone is a strict adherent to what little is known, you may not love where that story goes. But as I said in my summary, this is just my version of the two love birds. :) Please read, review, and enjoy.