It was all going according to plan. Hades believed that Persephone felt nothing for him and Persephone couldn't stand him. Now that Hades was absolutely heartbroken and hopeless, it was time for Aphrodite to "comfort" him. She smiled deviously to herself as she descended into the Underworld.
"Take me to Hades, Charon," she said to the boatman. He faltered for a moment and appeared to be trying to not laugh. Aphrodite sneered at him, impatient to see Hades.
"I'm afraid he's rather, um, 'preoccupied,' my lady," he snickered. "Perhaps if you come back in a few hours he'll be free."
Aphrodite didn't have to ask to know what he meant. What had gone wrong? She had done everything perfectly! It must have been that stupid little girl's fault. In her hatred she tried to come up with a plan. She had to separate the two now. It was the only way. But how?
Then she had another wicked idea. She stormed back up the stairs to the surface and sought out Demeter, who was still frantically searching for her daughter. It didn't take long to find her; all she had to do was listen for her heartbroken cries. Demeter's distress had obviously taken a toll on her; new lines were beginning to form on her face and dark circles had appeared under her eyes. She was frail and her eyes were puffy from her constant crying.
"Demeter, sweetie, there you are!" she said, pulling her into a hug. "Still no sign of little Persephone?"
"I'm afraid not," she wailed. "And the worst part is no one's listening to me!"
"I'm listening, sweetie. I'm actually here to tell you something. I know where your daughter is."
"Where?" Demeter clutched Aphrodite's arms desperately. "Please for the love of the gods tell me."
"I'm afraid it will only upset you more, but you need to know. Your daughter has been kidnapped by the dreadful Hades, and he refuses to give her back!"
At this news Demeter wailed even harder, her cries cutting through the meadow's silence. She fell to the ground, sobbing, before coming up with a plan of her own.
"Until my daughter is returned to me, the mortals will suffer! I'll not let the harvest grow and they will starve. We'll see what Hades says when they die in thousands!"
"Do what you must, dear Demeter," Aphrodite said sweetly. "I'm sure you have her best interest at heart."
Persephone couldn't stop laughing. She had tried to quiet herself, but Hades assured her that there was no one around to hear the two of them. She had been peacefully reading in the library while Hades was working, when she suddenly felt herself lifted out of her chair and carried off toward Hades' bedroom. She protested and squirmed jokingly, but he only stared straight ahead with that crooked smile of his and held her tighter. He kicked the door open and playfully threw her on the bed before crawling slowly to cover her body with his. He leaned forward as if he was about to kiss her, and she closed her eyes. When she didn't feel his lips on hers she tilted her head up but still found nothing. She opened her eyes only to see that he had pulled away from her and was wearing that cocky grin of his.
"Alright, why are you teasing me?" she asked with a pout.
"Oh trust me, love, this isn't teasing…" he whispered slyly.
He lowered his head to her chest and ghosted his lips up her neck, never quite touching her skin but remaining painfully close. His lips reached her ear and she couldn't help but shiver. He was just about to kiss that sweet spot under her ear; he was so close…
And then she shrieked. The supposedly cold and intimidating God of the Underworld was tickling her. Tickling her! She squirmed beneath him and laughed loudly. She tried to push him away but he held firm, that smug smile never leaving his face. His breath was hot on her neck and she squealed as he lightly nipped her skin. He then brought his face up to hers to finally kiss her, but she decided that two could play at this game. At the last moment she turned her head so his lips found her cheek. He tried to capture her lips a second time but she turned away again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his hands fist in the sheets with impatience. He then growled and tried to kiss her with much more determination, but she evaded him once again. She pushed him off playfully and hopped off the bed, but she hadn't taken a single step when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. She squealed again when Hades threw her back on the mattress and gently bit her earlobe in one fluid motion. Now he was eager and impatient, but she still managed to avoid his kisses.
"You know you want me to kiss you, Persephone," he smirked. "Why fight it?"
"And how do you know that?" she raised one eyebrow at his impertinence, but he only responded with his signature cocky grin.
"Trust me, love, I know."
Just as she was about to protest, his lips finally found hers and silenced her argument. His tongue pressed against her lips as he tried to deepen the kiss, but she was resolute and denied him.
"Why must you been so stubborn?" he growled. He had intended to tease her tonight, not the other way around! She laughed at his annoyed expression. As a last effort he suddenly rolled over onto his back and pulled her with him. As she gasped he grabbed the back of her neck and finally took the deep kiss he'd been searching for. His other hand gripped her thigh as she moved to straddle him and he continued to kiss her feverishly. Then she made that sound that drove him mad and he abruptly flipped her back over, his lips never leaving hers. He shrugged off his jacket and she ran her hands up his sculpted chest under his shirt to remove it. He deftly undid the small buttons on the front of her dress as they both found it increasingly difficult to breathe or even think straight.
That night was playful and filled with laughter and kisses. They were constantly smiling and teasing, savoring the presence of the other, unaware of the trouble that was yet to come.
Hades had a dreadful headache as he judged souls in his throne room. He had been working for hours but the souls just kept coming. It was past midnight and he was impatient to get back to his room, to get back to her. Every moment with her was absolute perfection. He couldn't help but feel happy and alive when he was with her, and dead when he was not. He hated how his duties kept him from her, and their hours of separation seemed to be increasing everyday. He ended his work for the night even though there were still numerous souls awaiting judgment. The Fates were working as hard as they could, but even they could not keep up with the sudden influx of souls.
His bedroom was dark when Hades entered. Of course Persephone was asleep; the stars had been out for hours already. He admired her sleeping form, smirking when he saw that she was wearing one of his shirts again. He stripped down to his trousers silently and climbed into bed, trying not to wake her. She opened her eyes once she felt the shifting weight though; she hadn't let herself fall completely asleep without him there.
"I'm sorry to wake you, love," Hades said, giving her a lingering kiss.
"It's alright. I don't like sleeping without you anyway," she replied, turning those gorgeous blue eyes up at him. He ran his fingers up and down her arm, still basking in the feeling of having her here. "Still too much work?"
"I'm afraid so, and I wish I knew why. I'm sorry it's been keeping me from you," he leaned down to kiss her again. Persephone could see how tired and stressed he was, and only wanted to help him.
"Lie down and let me help you relax," she said. She pushed his shoulder so he was lying facedown on the bed, and climbed on top of his back.
"Persephone, you really don't have to – " he stopped and moaned when Persephone started massaging his shoulders.
"Oh just be quiet for a minute, won't you?" she smiled to herself as she continued working, trying to relax his always tense muscles. As she massaged his shoulders and back he let out the occasional moan or sigh, and she was delighted when he started to close his eyes and melt at her every touch. She kneaded his arms and the sides of his stiff neck, and trailed her fingers down his spine. She finished her massage by placing light kisses on the back of his neck, and he sighed contentedly.
"You're perfect, you know that?" he said, lifting his head from the pillows and smiling up at her. "But I believe that it's my turn to tend to you now."
Before he had finished speaking Persephone found herself flipped on her back and felt Hades' warm breath on her neck. He lifted one of her hands and lightly kissed her wrist, murmuring, "I love you" into her skin. He slowly worked his way up to the crook of her elbow and then her shoulder, repeating those three sweet words between every kiss. His lips drifted across her collarbone and he continued whispering to her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, loving his sweet attentions to her. He kissed her chin, her cheek, her nose, her forehead, still confessing his love every time his lips left her skin. His fingers ghosted up her legs, agonizingly slow and light. He kissed right above her heart, savoring the sound of its quickening beat. He pressed his weight against her temptingly and put his lips close to her ear.
"I want you," he whispered alluringly.
"You have me," she replied. He lifted his head and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first but quickly adding more pressure. It was impossible to extinguish the heat between the two for long, not that either of them had a problem with that. As he kissed her Hades couldn't help but think about how lucky he was to have her, not just in his bed, but in his life. For so long he had lived alone, never feeling as if he truly belonged with anyone. His previous affairs had been meaningless and fleeting, but his relationship with Persephone felt real. He allowed himself to feel every repressed emotion of his with her, and only thought of how to make her happy. He loved how she was beginning to be this way with him too. Slowly they had rebuilt their trust in each other that had been shattered on that day that now seemed so long ago. Now that Hades had told Persephone that he loved her, he couldn't seem to stop himself from saying it. He had a reputation for being a mostly private person, but with her he left nothing unsaid. He really and truly loved her, in every sense of the word.
She suddenly pulled back from him and put a finger to his lips. He growled, eager to kiss her again. She bit her bottom lip as she looked up at him, as if she knew that it would make him crazy with desire to do the same. He clenched his jaw as he impatiently waited.
"One last thing, Hades," she said. He looked at her intently, wanting her to know that he was listening. "You had better actually stay until morning this time."
He smirked as he took the hand at his lips in his. He pressed his lips to her palm, closing his eyes. He then leaned forward so his forehead was resting on hers.
"I promise," he whispered, before stealing her lips again in another kiss.
Hades could sense when his realm needed him, and now was one of those times. Another sudden flood of souls had arrived, and the Fates were struggling. Their silent request for him reached his mind even through sleep, waking him though the night was still dark. He looked down and saw Persephone curled up against him, his arm around her shoulders and her head against his chest. He groaned, not wanting to leave her again. He pulled her closer and tried to fall back asleep, but the call would not relent. He reluctantly untangled himself from her warm embrace and began to dress himself, dreading her reaction when she would realize –
"Hades?" she called quietly. He winced to himself, wishing that she hadn't woken up. "Is something wrong?"
"No, darling," he said, leaning over the bed and kissing her in the darkness. "There's just been another flood of souls and the Fates need me. I'm so sorry to leave you again." Persephone looked down at the covers and frowned. Hades remembered that he had made a promise to her last night, and groaned when he realized that he was breaking it.
"You said you would stay with me until morning," she said quietly, seeming to think through something. "Keep your promise and take me with you."
"Are you sure?" he asked, stroking her cheek. "I'm warning you, love, it's often not pretty."
"I'll be fine," she said. Hades nodded and helped her out of bed. He silently helped her get dressed, not wanting anyone else to gaze upon her as only he did. He gave her a quick kiss on the back of her neck before taking her hand and leaving her from the room.
He led her to the throne room and up the stairs, but she stood there awkwardly when she saw only one chair. Hades waved his hand and another appeared next to his, a bit smaller but mirroring his in design.
"For you," he smirked, nodding his head toward it. It was a foreign feeling for her, sitting on a throne, but she tried not to show it. She wanted to stay and see Hades work, and didn't want him to think that she was uncomfortable or out of place. He reached over and took her hand, pressing it to his lips.
"If anything frightens you, tell me and I'll take you back straight away," he smiled weakly and didn't release her hand as the huge doors opened.
One of the Fates appeared at his side and handed him an exhaustive list of names. Persephone's eyes widened at how many there were.
"Those are all the people who've died tonight?" she asked, amazed.
"No. These are only the ones who have acted especially virtuously or evilly. The majority have already been sent to Asphodel."
The Fates stood next to each other at the bottom of the stairs as the first soul entered. Lachesis read off the soul's name and why they were not sent to Asphodel.
"This man murdered his neighbors to steal their food and sell to the poor and starving at outrageous prices. When the impoverished could no longer afford it, he gorged himself and died from his own gluttony."
"Do you regret your actions?" Hades asked.
"More than anything, Lord Hades! I only wish I could go back and right my terrible wrongs."
Hades regarded him for a moment before pronouncing his sentence.
"Tartarus," he finally said. A pair of shades appeared and dragged the man off as he screamed and begged for forgiveness. Persephone looked over at Hades and saw his cold expression.
"How could you tell that he was lying? He seemed so earnest."
"I have a talent for knowing when a soul lies. A perk of the job, I suppose," he said darkly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. He looked forward again when the next soul entered.
It felt as if they were at this for hours; the souls just kept on coming. What hurt most was that they were all being sentenced to Tartarus for atrocious crimes. After what must have been the hundredth she grasped Hades' hand tightly; he stroked hers silently in an attempt to comfort her. Throughout the judging she noticed that he became noticeably colder and sterner, seeing why he had such a negative reputation for being unfeeling. Finally he leaned over and whispered that this was the last one. Persephone was heartbroken when a little girl entered the room. She was thin and frail and must not have been older than six or seven. She kept her eyes on the ground, avoiding looking at the intimidating King of the Underworld.
"This girl died fighting off robbers at her home," Lachesis read. "The gang attacked her family scavenging for food, and she distracted them long enough for her parents and little brother to escape. The criminals set the house on fire and she perished in the flames."
"Elysium!" Persephone shouted out immediately. Hades turned to look at her and she faced him. "I know it's not my place to judge, but she deserves Elysium."
Hades nodded, and the girl was escorted out. She turned at the last moment and gave Persephone a small smile, which she returned. Done for the night, Hades led Persephone back to his bedroom. He closed the door softly and began undressing, but stopped when he saw Persephone shaking as she tried to hold back her tears. He immediately went to her and wrapped her in his arms. It was only then that she let herself cry. He rested his chin on top of her head and stroked her hair softly, keeping her close. He cupped her face in his hands and stared into her eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded and he kissed her on the forehead softly before taking her hand and helping her into bed. She snuggled up to his chest, wiping some tears from her face, and he embraced her, stroking her back lovingly as he always did when she needed comfort.
"Do you regret coming?" he asked softly.
"No," she answered. "It's just all those people…"
"I know. I'll find out what's happening on the surface," he had a slight suspicion, but he knew it would upset her. He would find out the truth first.
Persephone's nightmares had vanished once she started spending the night with Hades, but tonight they returned even though she was safely wrapped in his arms. Visions of starving mortals filled her mind. They were all mad with hunger and had resorted to robbery and murder for food. The fields were dry and barren and the livestock were dying. Graveyards were filled with parents mourning their children and orphans who had no idea how to fend for themselves. Houses and barns were ablaze and the heat was unbearable. But what truly scared Persephone was the face of her mother. She saw Demeter watching from the mountains, and was relieved that she was about to help them. But instead an angry look crossed her face and she spread the flames and drought, unfeeling to the mortals' pain and suffering. Persephone couldn't understand; her mother loved the mortals! As Demeter watched the chaos she started murmuring something to herself, starting quietly but then building to a horrible shriek. Persephone shuddered when she realized that it was her name her mother was screaming.
She shot up in bed, breaking through Hades' strong grip. The Underworld's blue sun was only just starting to rise. Hades rubbed his eyes tiredly, but shot up himself when he saw Persephone's wide eyes and look of absolute fear. He cupped her chin in his hand and turned her to face him.
"What's wrong? Have your nightmares returned?" he asked. Did she still see him as a monster? His mind started racing as he thought of what he could have done wrong, how she could still think that he didn't love her –
"It's my mother," she said, her eyes glassy as she was deep in thought. "It's all my mother. The reason all the mortals are dying, it's a famine and she's the one who caused it. It's because of…it's because of me."
Hades sighed and closed his eyes. He had desperately hoped that he was wrong, but his suspicions turned out true.
"I'll go to the surface and speak to Demeter," he said, trying to hide the absolute hatred he felt for her in that moment. "She may not listen to me, but it's our only chance to try to fix this."
"She'll listen to me! Take me with you and I'll –" she stopped when she saw Hades' expression. She had forgotten what had happened the last time she tried to leave the Underworld. She had forgotten that she was trapped. In her happiness with Hades the thought of leaving the Underworld was no longer on her mind; all she wanted was to be with him. But the surface needed her now. Her mother needed her.
She asked vainly if there was any way around the rule, but Hades only shook his head solemnly. He got up from bed and started dressing silently, deciding that sooner he could find Demeter the better. Persephone knew that her mother wouldn't listen to a word Hades said. He'd be lucky if she didn't try to strangle him for taking her daughter the second she saw his face.
"Wait, I have an idea," she exclaimed suddenly. She too left the bed and went to the small desk in Hades' room. She wrote a letter that she hoped would explain everything. Perhaps it would work. "Give this to my mother when you find her."
Hades nodded as he fastened the last button of his coat and tucked her letter in his pocket. He gave her a sad, lingering kiss before stroking her cheek and turning to leave. He paused at the door and turned back to look at her.
"I'll come back to you the second I can," he said. He smiled weakly. "That's a promise I intend to keep."
And then Persephone was left alone, feeling more hopeless and powerless than ever.