Chapter Ten
Meet the Gods
(Now)
They entered the palace, and Persephone was astounded by the amount of Gold in her surroundings, it was as if all the architect knew was gold, gold, gold.
Hades thought nothing of the over done gold, he only saw Persephone clinging to him. She was so beautiful, he had wanted to kiss her so badly when he saw her by the chariot it hurt. She made his stomach burn with want; she took up his thoughts, swam in his blood, and was the reason for every ragged breath he took. He shook his head, thinking how creepy that could sound, and yet how truthful it felt. They stepped to the doors where he whispered, "They have to announce us at this party, it's ridiculously formal since everyone is going to be drunk later anyway."
She nodded, and stood straight, tilting her chin up and taking a deep breath.
"Okay," she nodded, "I can do this."
"Of course you can," Hades said and squeezed her hand partly reassuring her, and partly expressing the fact that she could remember his touch.
The doors opened.
"Announcing Hades King of the Underworld, and his Queen, Persephone Goddess of Spring!"
Heads turned eagerly in their direction, waiting to see the long lost queen. They descended the steps, and there were many audible gasps. Hades' face was calm with a slightly bored expression, and Persephone's was curious, but composed. They looked perfect together, as if one completed the other. Persephone looked beautiful to everyone, and one at a time they all began to mutter their welcomes.
After they had taken the last step they crowded around Persephone, who tightened her hold on Hades.
The questions began.
"What was it like?"
"Can you really not remember anything?"
"You remember me though right?"
"Your mother is a psychopath."
"How could you not know?"
Hades intervened, "Excuse us," he said in a low tone, but everyone heard him and made way for them to walk by.
"How did you do that?"
"I frighten them I suppose."
"You? Frightening?"
"Hard to image I know," he said with the smallest sarcastic smile.
Hestia waited at a doorway for them and smiling softly kissed Persephone's cheek, "It's good to see you again, even if you don't remember me."
"Sorry," Persephone said guiltily.
"How are they tonight?" Hades asked nodding his head towards the other Gods.
"Surprisingly they're doing well."
The two began to talk, and Persephone looked around. Everyone was beautiful, shining brightly, their Godly exuberance taking over. It was a wonder she had once known these people who laughing and gossiping together. Some of them stared back at her, and she tried not to catch their eyes.
"Persephone?" Hades said amused, "Are you awake?"
"Huh? Oh yes, sorry."
Hestia smiled, "I will see you again your highness."
"Nice to meet you Hestia," Persephone said with ringing in her ears.
Both God's paused, "We didn't mention her name," Hades said slowly.
"Oh," Persephone said, "That's an improvement right?"
"I'm honored that you remembered my name if nothing else," Hestia said kindly and bowed her head.
They left and Persephone thought she saw Hades' jealously flash quickly. Sighing she took his hand in hers, "Personally I would rather remember this then your name, I can learn that easily."
He smiled at her and kissed her hand, feeling relieved.
"Now announcing the king of the heavens himself, Zeus and his Queen Hera!"
Zeus appeared, Hera on his arm looking sick, and he smiled at everyone. Persephone felt instant fear and almost cried out. She held on tighter to Hades, trying to get closer. Something about Zeus frightened her, she couldn't name it, but just his appearance made her ankles turn cold.
"What is it?" Hades whispered.
"Nothing," Persephone said automatically. She wondered why she would do that, not telling him of her fear, and then decided they hadn't known each other long enough.
"Hello there Persephone," a light hearted voice chirped.
Persephone turned around to see the most beautiful person she had ever seen standing behind her. Her golden hair curled around her, her shining lavender eyes held amusement, her light complexion just made her more beautiful. She was curvy and not too tall or short, her pink lips curved into an attractive smile. Persephone felt herself become insignificant just by being so close to her.
"Hi," Persephone said uncertainly.
"Hello to you Hades," the Goddess said to him twinkling her fingers and Persephone felt the oddest sense of jealousy.
"Aphrodite," Hades said in a bored tone.
"It's been so long," Aphrodite said to Persephone and hugged her, dislodging her from Hades, "Come with me, you must get back together with everyone!" she started taking her away and Persephone gave Hades a startled look.
"Aphrodite," Hades said calmly, "I would rather stay with my wife tonight if you don't mind."
"Oh then come with us!" Aphrodite said and raised her eyebrows.
Hades paused, looking at Persephone's pleading face and then sighed, "Aphrodite, if you want to gossip with my wife you'll be sadly disappointed, she can't remember anything," he took Persephone's elbow and pulled her back next to him.
Aphrodite laughed, her trademark, "I see I've been thwarted. Alright Hades you win, another time then Persephone."
She almost skipped away and Persephone was left dumbfounded.
Hermes came up and kissed Persephone's cheek¸ "How are you Kore?"
"Okay," she said in a nervous voice.
"How they treating you?"
"They seem nice."
"We're all excited to have you back, especially me."
Hades cleared his throat.
"Well fine Hades first, then me."
"Thank you Hermes."
"Tell me Kore, how do you not know anything about the Greek Gods from being with the mortals?"
Hades raised an eyebrow, also interested.
"My mother never let me watch the Disney Hercules," she shrugged, "She said Greek myths gave the wrong impressions, so I just never learned any of them."
"Ah that Demeter," a chilling voice said behind her and she instantly clutched Hades arm. Hades gave her a strange look and she let out a small nervous laugh and let go, turning around to see Zeus looking down at her.
"She can be quite demanding," Zeus said, he wasn't yet drunk, and so his voice stayed at a respectable level, "Of course you're proof of that."
Persephone didn't know what to say and just nodded.
"Brother," Zeus said to Hades nodding.
"Zeus," Hades responded.
Another man came up, his beard white and long, his eyes grey smoke, and a straight nose between them.
"Poseidon," they greeted him.
"Why don't you and Hermes walk around," Hades said to Persephone.
Persephone gave him a curious look, wanting him to remember his promise, but Zeus's presence seemed to frighten her and she nodded.
"Well look here," Poseidon said smiling, "Little Kore, you've grown up well."
Persephone smiled, "Thank you."
"I'll meet up with you later," he said kindly and then became more serious when he turned to his brothers.
"Don't worry," Hades whispered, "I'll be close by. I'm not leaving you."
She glared, "I'll think of it as a journey."
Hades squeezed her hand, "Forgive me."
"Come on Kore," Hermes took her hand and pulled her away.
"What was that about?" Persephone asked.
"They're going to speak with each other," Hermes said, "It's best to stay away."
"They argue," Persephone said suddenly remembering, "Right?"
"Usually," Hermes nodded.
"My dear Persephone!" a voice called, and she saw two handsome Gods walking towards her, one holding the hands of a very pretty Goddess.
"Hi," she said uncertainly.
"I'm Eros, this is my wife Psych," the golden haired one said holding up the beautiful goddesses hand in his. She smiled.
"We've met before," Psych said, "Although you wouldn't remember it."
Eros gave a crooked grin, "You gave her your quote and quote beauty in a box."
"Beauty can't be put in a box," Persephone said confused.
"I know that now," Psych said miserably, and Eros kissed her cheek affectionately.
The other God didn't have a flaw to him; he had deep soulful eyes and a lazy smile, "Apollo," he said nodding.
"I wish I could remember you all," she said.
"With Dionysus' wine we can make all your worries disappear," Apollo grinned.
"She's fine," Hermes said putting his arm around her shoulder.
"Yeah," Persephone said ducking out from under it, "I'm good."
Persephone spent the next hour being drug around meeting people who all claimed to be best friends with her, and who all immediately talking about the old days.
"When we were worshiped widely," Apollo said, "Those were the days. People appreciated us for what we did."
"What did we do exactly?" Persephone asked quietly, still nervous around them.
Apollo stopped, "Well we're Gods, what don't we do?" he laughed.
It continued.
"War!" Ares yells, "War on the mortals is what we need!"
"Aren't the mortals fighting in enough wars at the moment? Why not join in with them?" she said politely.
Ares looked at her, "Because they are not my strategies."
"But no one uses those anymore, as war you should adapt to the time they're using, I mean I'm not for war," at this Ares prickled, "But why start a new ridiculous war when you could just join an existing one?"
"What if I don't like that war?"
"What reason would you have for disliking a war? I mean you are the God of them, do you not support your own cause?"
Persephone was gradually taken off her mysterious pedestal and soon people were remembering what she could be like when she talked. Curious and questioning their movements, sometimes acting as if she didn't understand what they were saying so they would have to explain it out, only to sound ridiculous in the end, with Persephone's red lips in a mocking smile.
"You've been doing some minor damage," Hades said next to her.
"You left me," she accused, but she smiled.
"I was watching you," Hades said and risking rejection and public affection, kissing her head lightly.
"I don't think they like me."
"They like you," he tried but she looked at him skeptically and he gave in, "Well they like you a little less. They liked you better when you were quiet and timid."
"Excuse me for having a personality."
"You used to be worse," Hades smiled, walking outside the palace with her, and Olympus was brought into the night, stars reflecting off of them, Helios coming down from the sky, the moon shining brightly.
"Worse?" she did that thing with her lips that drove him crazy, she pursed them and then shrugged them to the right side, thinking. She stopped and spoke, "Was I very different?"
"Not very," he said leaning against a marble column, the shadows hiding his face, so she did the same, but didn't reach the shadows and sighed, "You're just tame now is all, and it's understandable."
"Tame? I couldn't have been wild!"
"Oh no," she saw him shake his head, "Not wild. Just doing what you felt like I suppose."
"I thought I was quiet," she teased.
"In the beginning, I think its part of some rouse you have going, so you can trick a person into thinking you're not a threat."
"Am I a threat?"
"I've been in the front lines of your anger," he said, "It's a scary place."
"What about you?" she asked, more interested about him in the first place anyway.
"What about me?"
"I don't know much about you is all, but you know so much about me."
He did his deep chesty laugh that made her want to lay her head down against him, "You know quite a lot about me, more than I would wish actually."
"Well okay then, refresh my memory."
"All you need is to ask."
She watched him carefully trying to see his face, "What's it like being King of the Underworld?"
He exhaled, "I like my kingdom."
"But what's it like ruling it?"
"With you it's an adventure."
"You're avoiding my question."
He shifted, "It can be depressing, so it's easier to cut myself off from emotional attachments, but still remain fair. It could be lonely, but that might be my own doing."
"How did you become King there?"
He shrugged, "Things happen."
She was about to question him again when a loud gong went off.
"Dinner," he said in a repulsive tone, "Even more socializing, except now those who aren't drunk will be."
"Even us?" she said in an amused tone, following him to the dining hall.
"That would be ill advised. We're mean drunks."
"Gasp," she said sarcastically, "Never would have thought."
Together they walked back into the lavishly decorated building.