Chapter Nine

Rape of Persephone

(Then)

This was long after Hades and Persephone had been married, their love still burning strong, and their time apart still as painful as any of the previous times. Hades would mope around the palace the day she had left, and Persephone would in turn lie in the narcissus flowers. Now though, the time was drawing close for Persephone to return to her husband, and her days became increasingly brighter and more impatient.

Hestia and Hera both walked Olympus, looking down at the mortals on earth, and then seeing Persephone stopped to watch her.

"Interesting girl," Hera remarked.

"You dislike her," Hestia commented, feeling protective of her brother's happiness.

"No," Hera shook her head simply as Persephone talked animatedly with a nymph. Well, the nymph talked animatedly, Persephone just seemed to stand there in awkward pain.

Both goddesses were beautiful, though Hestia's beauty was heavier, she was not fat, but her eye lids were heavy, giving her a tired look, and her brows were full but well sculpted, matching her dark hair. Hera had a perfect kind of beauty, a reason Zeus had chosen her as a wife, but she was tired, her once vibrant blue eyes fading. He had hurt her so much, and finally she had begun to give up.

Hestia didn't say anything.

"Have I not protected their marriage?" Hera asked somewhat defensively.

"I did not say you hadn't."

They watched in silence.

"What they need," Hestia said smiling, "is a child."

"Impossible," Hera remarked, "Hades is king of the dead, he could not give life."

"Not without help," Hestia remarked, "You forget I am also the goddess of fertility."

"It would be a dangerous environment to raise a child in," Hera said, "With the mother gone half the year, and the father… well you've met Hades."

"I find nothing wrong with him," Hestia snapped, "He is our brother, he would make a wonderful father."

"He would smother the child like Demeter did with hers."

"Which is why Persephone would balance it out. They will learn."

Hera watched skeptically as her sister smiled.

"It's a bad idea," Hera said.

"It's brilliant. I suppose I can't surprise them though, it would make it somewhat awkward when I would have to explain to Hades he really did father the child."

"Demeter won't be happy."

"Of course she will," Hestia said, "She would love a grandchild."

"Not if it's part of Hades."

"It's also part of Persephone," Hestia reminded her.

Hera sighed, "Do what you wish."

"Is that Hades' wife?" Zeus came out, his loud voice broadcasting around them.

Zeus was a handsome God in his own right. He was muscular, his hair like feathers upon his head, his skin somewhat orange, as if he had received a bad tan, mainly from his thunderbolts. His eyes were piercing blue, innocent and yet cruel at the same time, the shade of the heavens.

"Yes," Hera answered in a strained voice.

"I thought so," Zeus nodded, "Very pretty thing."

Hera stiffened and walked away, Zeus glancing at her over his shoulder and shrugging, moving in closer to Hestia who gave him a warning look.

"What do you want Zeus?" Hestia said in a dangerous tone.

"Nothing from you my little virgin," Zeus tapped her nose playfully, "Just looking at the lovely perfection beneath us. It's very unfair for Hades to have such a wife."

"Who you only let him see half the year. May I remind you of your own wife?"

Zeus nodded, "Hera is very lovely, but she's a bitter woman, she can't handle me," he chuckled.

Zeus continued to stare at Persephone with the rabid look in his eye and Hestia shuddered, "Hades would kill you if you touched his wife."

"Can I not show some of my fatherly affection?"

Hestia was sickened, "You're vile."

Zeus shrugged, "I haven't done anything."

"I would advise you not to," Hestia said narrowing her eyes.

Zeus looked her over, "Then I'll have to find something to substitute me need."

"Try your wife," Hestia snapped and spun on her heel, her long, thick dark hair swaying with her. She saw Hermes who was lounging around lazily and went over to him, "Watch over Persephone for me would you?"

Hermes blinked a few times, "Sure."

"Now. Go!"

He nodded and flew away, looking worried.

Hestia made her way down to the Underworld, Cerberus barking at her as she passed him, but the dog never bothered her.

"Hestia," Hades said appearing from the shadows, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Go ahead."

"It's important."

He nodded, "I said go ahead."

"I do have news that might make you happy," she said, "That is, if you want my gift."

Hades watched her wearily, "What is it Hestia?"

"What if," Hestia said trying to hide her smile, "You could be a father?"

Hades' jaw dropped slightly and his eyes widened, "What?"

"I could give you the chance to have a child," she smiled, "If you and Persephone wanted one of course."

Hades shook his head in disbelief, "But we can't…"

"Which is where I come in," she was grinning now, "I'm the fertility goddess. I can grant you the rare chance of being able to have a child."

"And it would work?"

"Well," she said a small amount of doubt coming into her voice, "It should work."

He nodded, "So there would be a chance it won't?"

"There's always that chance."

He stared at her for a moment, and then actually smiled, "Thank you."

"I just want you to be happy," she said.

"I am," he said and for a moment she thought he would hug her, but it wasn't in his nature to be affectionate towards anyone except his own wife.

"Go to her tonight and tell her," Hestia smiled.

Later he left a narcissus on Persephone's pillow, a sign that he would meet her in the fields that night, one they rarely used, both of them knowing they could not break Zeus' word, but both having very little respect for it.

"Percy," he said gently when she arrived.

"Hades," she breathed, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her, his lips parting hers passionately. He pulled them into the leaves of a willow tree, so as not to be seen, "What are," he kissed her, "You doing," he kissed her again, "Here?" she asked.

"I came," she kissed him, "Too see," she kissed him again, "You," he responded.

She pulled away, "You will see me in a few days time, you couldn't wait?"

"You know how I hate to wait," he murmurs, and kisses the spot between her neck and shoulder, his favorite spot. Well, one of them.

"Why are you really here?" she said and he rolled his eyes where she could not see. She was too smart for her own good sometimes.

He drew her closer and sat down, crossing his legs and putting her in the open space in between, "I have something to tell you."

"What's wrong?" she gasped, "Is everything alright?"

"Must you assume the worst?"

She glared at him, "Must you try my patience?"

He sighed, "It is good news."

"Then tell me," she said smiling.

He leaned against the bark of the tree, smiling with her, "We could have a child."

She stopped smiling, and he suddenly felt as if what he said was wrong.

"Excuse me?"

"Aren't you… aren't you happy?"

"I don't believe you."

"It's true!" he said laughing, "Hestia came to me this morning, she wants to help us, and she said there's a chance we can conceive."

Persephone suddenly kissed him again, her full mouth against his, and he felt like he would devour her.

"You truly mean it?"

"I do," he whispered.

They had hoped they had conceived beneath the willow tree. A few days later Hades was still in a good mood, his wife might be having his child, and she would be coming home tomorrow.

"Hades!"

Nyx was walking quickly towards him and suddenly he was filled with dread. Nyx never came to see him unless it was necessary, she seemed to glow a dark blue of the night, and at the moment she was no different. She glittered with importance, but the news she held contained tragedy.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, afraid to find out.

"Persephone," Nyx said, "You must go help her."

"What's happened?" Hades yelled in a thunderous voice.

"Go to her now, don't waste time!"

The smoke flared around him, "I'll stop this," he growled, not even sure of what he was stopping.

"It's too late," Nyx said sadly, "She's hurt."

Hades felt his head swim, and the smoke took him away. She was hurt. Persephone was hurt, he had been too late.

He appeared in her gardens and began to look around.

"Persephone!" he called loudly, "Persephone!"

"Hades?"

The voice was quiet, tired, weak. He immediately knew where it had come from and ran to the willow tree where he and Persephone had lain not long ago.

"Percy," he whimpered when he saw her.

"Go away Hades," she said turning away from him. She was battered, naked, bruised all over, the marks covering her neck, and her waist, scratches on her face and shoulders, tried blood on her lips. Her hair was in disarray, and her eyes were empty. She was leaning on her arms, her back towards him.

He was stung, but he couldn't leave her. She didn't want him to, but she was so ashamed, she didn't want him to see her like this.

"Percy," he tried again, kneeling down and reaching out to her.

"I said go away," her voice broke and she flinched from his touch.

"Who did this to you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters!" Hades yelled, nearly screamed, the anger flooded through him and he punched the ground, making it shake, a large crack appearing in the earth. It only made Persephone shake, and she reached for her torn clothing.

"I love you," Hades said touching her shoulder, and she froze, "Let me help."

"There's nothing you can do," she said, still turned away from him, "Go home."

"I won't leave you," he said forcefully.

"Please," she said again, "Don't tell me no. Just listen to me!"

Sobs began to shake her body and she slumped to the grass.

He stayed where he was, on his knees besides her, wishing he could make this better, wanting to hold her and tell her it would be all right, to tell her he loved her. She would be changed forever now, and he vowed revenge, he vowed that he would find out who did this to her and he would hunt them down. He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her, afraid to touch her.

"Percy," he tried again, and this time she flung her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

"I didn't want to, you have to believe me, I tried to stop him, I tried so hard!"

"I know," he said patting her hair, "I know. You're okay now, you go ahead and cry," Hades felt his eyes brim with water, and at first he was confused. Then he realized he was crying too, he was crying for the pain she had to have, what she was going to have. Her pain was his as well, but now he knew he would never be able to understand what she had gone through, what she would go through in the future.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, "I should have tried harder."

"Never say that," he said, "This isn't your fault. This will never be your fault."

He felt it was his fault, but didn't say so. He hadn't protected her; he had been so busy with his happiness he wasn't here for her. He wondered if she had cried out for him, is she had wondered why he wasn't there. He wanted to know who would have the audacity to do this to her.

Picking her up in his arms, tears still in his eyes, he took her back to the Underworld.

Where not too long after Persephone learned she was pregnant.