The great hall around them shuddered with the intensity of Demeter's frenzied cries. Persephone pulled away from Hades' kiss in shock.
"Mother?" she gasped.
"Damn." Hades growled.
The music had stopped and the guests were all looking around confusion or curiosity. Demeter's shrieks continued to rattle the stone walls but she did appear before them. Deities, unless formally invited, did not get to just waltz right into Hades' domain. He had taken extra precautions to guarantee that Demeter could not set a single toe on his side of the River Styx. The worst that she could do is scream herself hoarse.
"It appears we have an uninvited guest knocking on our front door," Hades called out to the crowd. A few brave souls laughed, while a few of the more menacing looking guests looked excited at the prospect of chaos.
"Hades," Persephone chided softly, "Perhaps we should go speak with her. She is my mother after all and she sounds….umm rather upset."
"She is not taking you away from me. Hermes!" Hades snapped at Hermes who looked as if he would rather be anywhere than his current location.
"Kindly go tell Demeter that she can stop that infuriating wailing and we may be inclined to speak to her in a civilized manner. Now Hermes! Or you are Cerberus's new toy."
Hermes cursed Hades with a rather rude name under his breath before he sped out the door, slamming them shut behind him.
Group of women broke apart from the crowd and looked up eagerly at Hades and Persephone. Persephone had never met the notorious harpy sisters before. All the women were tall with warrior built bodies and beauty that was both grotesque and enticing. Each harpy had long flaming red hair and their arms were winged with feathers of red, orange, and gold. Their hands were taloned and their eyes were sharp as eagle's. The tallest of the group stepped forward and gave out a shriek of a war cry.
"My Lord, my Queen, are we to battle today?"
"I do not believe it will come to that, Aello, but if Demeter will not see reason then you and your sisters may go out and play." Persephone could not tell if Hades was joking or if he was serious. The harpies though began to lick their lips in eager anticipation.
"We did warn you, Lord Hades."
Persephone had almost forgotten about the Fates, they had not spoken all throughout the ceremony. They simply watched with their omniscient eyes that were the shade of deep violets. Atropos had been the one to speak.
"All is happening as we have foreseen, Demeter has come to claim the newly crowned Queen."
"I'll be damned if she is claiming anything." Hades stated firmly.
"Surely she will see reason once she sees how happy I am." Persephone spoke hopefully. She was rather taken aback at the intensity of her mother's wails, which had momentarily stopped.
Clotho shook her delicate head slowly. "We fear Demeter has become quite mad with grief and she is inflicting her pain upon the mortal world."
Persephone turned to Hades. "What does she mean? What has my mother done?"
Hades frowned slightly. "I do not know, my love."
He waved a hand through the air and immediately a large mirror appeared in front of their thrones. In its glossy depths it showed them view of the mortal world. Persephone gasped in horror. Fields of crop were dead, vegetation had blackened, livestock withered away to nothing, death and sickness everywhere.
Death. Death. Death.
Persephone felt the pangs of guilt clawing at her stomach. She was the cause of all of this misery. If she had just stayed home and been a good daughter then…..
The gleam of gold caught her eye and silenced her damning thoughts. She looked down at her ring, the ring Hades had placed on her very finger. The ring that named her as Queen. Her self-blame faded into obscurity and was replaced by a sudden course of righteous indignation.
This was not her fault.
Her mother had done this to the world, not her. She was not going to crawl back to her old life like a misbehaved child. She was the wife of Hades; she was a Queen. She was a Goddess.
Hades caused the mirror to vanish right before Hermes flew back through the doors and stopped right in front of them. If it was even possibly, Hermes appeared out of breath.
"Demeter had some….umm….rather colorful phrases but to put it plainly, she wants you to present her daughter to her immediately. If you do not then she will block the entrance to the Underworld and will not allow souls to pass across the river Styxx. She has even threatened to take Charon as a hostage if her demands are not met."
Before Hades could reply, Persephone stood up from her throne with her head held up high. She waved her hand for silence and all sound ceased. Then she spoke in a clear and loud voice.
"This is our realm and we will not be threatened. However, to end this peacefully I shall speak to my mother but I have no intentions of leaving. I am Queen of the Underworld and I intend to rule as such with my husband."
Several voices murmured their approval, warriors banged their fists on tables in a thunderous salute. Hades stood and took her hand into the crook of his arm. His love for her shined in his eyes as he watched her stand firm at the prospect of confronting her mother like a proud warrior Queen. He was so proud of her.
As he escorted her down the dais and toward the doors Hades called out, "This banquet shall continue at another time. For now you are all dismissed."
"I told you! I told you! This was all going to blow up in our faces, but did anyone listen? Oh no!"
Hermes raced beside Hades' black chariot as they made their way to the borders of the Underworld where the waters of the River Styx ran deadly and deep. His words were falling out as fast as he could run.
"Hermes is overacting! Hermes is just being dramatic! Well who's being dramatic now ..wwwachhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Hermes had begun to make wretched sputtering sounds and grabbed hold of his throat. His lips continued to moved but only gagging sounds who come. It was as if something was squeezing his vocal cords tightly. After several silent minutes the gift of speech was returned to Hermes.
"Hades, you evil bastard!" Hermes snapped.
"I didn't do that." Hades answered lightly. He looked over at Persephone who he had one arm wrapped tightly around. Despite her continued look of determinedness her checks had become painted with the pinkish shade of a blush.
"Forgive me, Hermes, but I just needed a few moments of silence to think."
The only sound that followed was the rhythmic thumping of the horses' hooves.
It was not long after that they came within sight of their destination. A great river separated the two shores from one another with currents of crimson. The water turned and splattered yet it made no sound.
"Hades, is the river blood?" Persephone had never seen the River Styx with her own eyes.
"No. It is hate, and detestations. Greed, selfishness, and spite. All things that bring about the death of power and weak men. Men and women who are able to rise up above these things and have lived life with respect, kindness, and dignity will find that they float upon it with Charon as if it is nothing but water."
"And if they have succumbed to these in their lifetime?" Persephone inquired.
"Then they will sink within its depths until it reaches Tartarus."
Persephone pitied the souls that had been dragged down into those dark waters. Her moment of pity however was cut short by the roaring of a colossal black creature. Cerberus stood at the edge of the river, all three of his giant heads were barking and snarling. The object of Cerberus's ferocity could be seen standing on the opposite bank, and was currently hurling balls of fire at the hood's three heads. Cerberus swatted them with a paw as if they were nothing but pesky flies.
Next to the infuriated hound was a small dock where a single boat sat waiting. A hunched figure dressed in a gray cloak and hood leaned against a long wooden oar as they approached. As Hades reigned in the horses to halt he bowed his head respectfully and a whisper of a voice came from the depths of the hood.
"Mmmmy Lord Hadesss, Myyyyy Queen Persephoneeeee."
"Charon." Hades nodded in recognition. "Cerberus! Heel!"
Cerberus immediately obeyed his master and sat back on his hunches. One is his giant heads continued to stare across the river while the other two looked down eagerly at Persephone. It was odd how he could look monstrous and cuddly at the exact same time, even his tail had begun swishing like an eager puppy.
"Dark dayyy. Demeter isssss blocking the soulssssss from crossssingg the river. Noooo passssagee...noooo peaceee."
"Andddddddd again, I told you so!" Hermes humphed annoyed. He leaned himself against one of Cerberus's hunches and folded his arms over his wide chest. Cerberus did not appreciate this and proceeded to whack Hermes with his large black tail.
Persephone closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. "Thank you Hermes but I do not believe that is necessary. Why don't you go on and return to Mount Olympus while we speak with my mother?"
Hermes was gone before the last syllable had even left her lips. He obviously did not want to see what was about to happen.
"Persephone!"
Her name echoed across the red waters. Demeter had finally ceased throwing her balls of fire and realized that they had arrived. Persephone leaned her body in closer to Hades' side, taking courage from his warmth and the strength of his arm around her.
"Let us go speak to her before she starts throwing fire again."
Hades whipped the reigns and the team of horses leapt into the air, soaring high above the River Styx. When they reached the middle of the river the ring that Hades had placed on her finger grew warm and began to glow. She did not know how she knew but the ring has letting her know that they had crossed the border of the Underworld. The horses and chariot came down with a loud crunch of stone and hooves.
"Persephone, oh my beautiful Persephone! I have found you at last!"
Persephone would not have recognized this woman as her mother if she did not know her voice so well. Her beautiful mane of hair was long and unkempt, her gown was stained and ripped in several places. There were also long nail markings on her face and arms as if she had clawed at her own skin.
Demeter's face softened and she held out her arms as if she expected Persephone to run into them. Hades helped Persephone down from the chariot and held tightly to her hand, as if he did not trust Demeter enough to let go of Persephone. The black stallions behaved as if they did not trust Demeter either; they snorted angrily and stomped the ground with their hooves.
Persephone could not help but feel pity for the state that her mother was in; despite everything she did love her mother dearly.
"Mother, what have you done? What have you done to yourself?"
Demeter lowered her arms to her side.
"Oh my sweet child, look at the state I have been brought down too. My own precious child, my heart, my precious flower taken away from me…by THAT EVIL CREATURE!" Demeter pointed an accusing finger at Hades. "I should have known that it was you all along. Slithering like a disgusting snake out of your hole in the ground and take my daughter! I should have killed you too when we slayed Cronus!"
"Persephone came with me willingly." Hades said sternly.
"Liar!" Demeter shrieked.
"It is true mother. I went with him willingly, and I married him willingly. This was my choice."
Demeter stared blankly at her daughter. "No, no, you would not have done that to me. You would not have left me. I am your mother."
"I did not choose to leave you." Persephone replied, trying to keep her voice steady and strong. "I chose to follow another path in life. I love you Mother but I chose Hades. I chose this freedom. I am happy, please believe that."
Demeter's face began to harden once again. "Enough of this foolishness, Persephone come to me now!"
"No Mother." Persephone answered firmly. "I am staying here with my husband."
Once again Demeter turned her eyes toward Hades.
"You have turned her against me. You will not take her from me. Give me back my daughter!"
Suddenly something long shot out of Demeter's palm and wrapped itself around Persephone's wrist. The vine dug painfully into her skin and Persephone was lurched forward out of Hades' grasp. She gasped in shock and pain as she was dragged across the ground toward her mother.
"Hades!" Persephone cried.
"Nooo!" Hades dived for the vine and slashed at it with the dagger Persephone had given him as a wedding present. The vine howled in pain and just as suddenly released Persephone. Hades had climbed back to his feet and had charged at Demeter. Swords abruptly appearing in both of their hands.
"How dare you attack my Queen! My wife! Persephone is never going back to you. Never!"
The world became a blur of sound and color. Persephone could make out the distinct howls of Cerberus, the neighing of the horses, and the clacker of steel up steel. Hades and Demeter were dueling one another with the skills of master warriors; they were fighting with the determination of slaying an enemy. Curses fell from one another's lips as the battle became more frantic. Neither one was gonna stop until the other one was dead.
Persephone scrambled to her feet. "Hades! Mother! Stop this! Stop!"
Persephone raised her arms to call on her own powers when a much stronger voice echoed around them.
"ENOUGH!"
An unseen force sent Demeter and Hades flying in opposite directions. The voice continued to speak to all of them.
"THAT IS ENOUGH. DEMETER, HADES, AND YOU AS WELL PERSEPHONE, I SUMMON YOU ALL TO OLYMPUS NOW. WE WILL FINALLY CLEAR UP THIS MESS ONCE AND FOR ALL."
Demeter and Hades unwillingly got to their feet and released their weapons. Zeus had just summoned them all to Mount Olympus. By primordial law, they had to obey.