Persephone hurried across the ground, Hermes uncharacteristically quiet by her side. Hecate had been too busy in the Underworld to accompany them this time, and so the pair had travelled far in an awkward silence. Persephone had found it a little unnerving but she was tired of the sunlight, the constant line of fear and respect drawn around her by the mortals and ached for her husband. She bore the silence and wondered at it, but mostly she was just glad to be on her way.
It wasn't until the tinge of grey that marked the divide Zeus's realm and Hades's realm almost completely surrounded the three of them that Persephone plucked up the courage to ask him what was the matter.
Hermes didn't respond for a long moment and the landscape changed to smooth stone around them. The door of the Underworld loomed in the distance; already the River Styx could be heard making steady progress beside them. Home. So very close. But at last Hermes turned with serious eyes towards her and she forced herself to forestall her reunion for her friend.
"I'm not sure I can tell you," Hermes admitted. Persephone was surprised to see a degree of solemnity across her friend's features. Hermes was usually so full of jokes and character. "I'm not sure what I can do anymore."
Persephone stopped short.
"Hermes. You can trust me." She frowned. "Are you upset? Frightened? Can I do anything to help you?"
Hermes sighed and came to a halt close by but he didn't meet her stare. He was looking upwards, towards Mount Olympus and he hid his expression. His hands on his caduceus were restless.
"You and your family…" Persephone almost didn't catch his mumble. Hermes ran a hand through his hair, snapping the caduceus to his thigh.
"If you have something to say about my family, then by all means say it," Persephone demanded, her tone unintentionally harsh with fear. She'd never seen anything like this in Hermes before.
The Messenger God grimaced and turned to her.
"You're pregnant," he stated matter-of-factly. "You're going to bear a son to Hades."
Persephone blinked. She knew that and her mother knew that but how in all the realms had Hermes figured that out? She had hoped to keep it a secret a while longer, to save her husband anxiety over the stupid prophecy. And now this.
"I know. And I know about the prophecy, if that's what you're so uptight about." Her fists clenched.
Hermes clucked in annoyance.
"You have no idea what's going on beyond your realm, do you? The heroes that are lined up to knock on your door? The conflict that rages between Zeus and the others of the pantheon? The risk that your boy will be the end of us all?" Hermes shook his head. "Never mind. Just go on home, love. Stay ignorant. Stay away from Mount Olympus."
"Now hold on a minute…" Persephone began but with a soft brush of wings Hermes shot up into the air and was gone, like a shooting star drifting upwards instead of plummeting to the earth.
Persephone stalked off into the Underworld by herself, trying to bring her frustration under control. It wasn't fair for him to mock her ignorance, her want for peace for herself and her family. It wasn't right for him to take a dig that she was pregnant. But Hermes heard all messages and had more knowledge than most; for him to be so concerned…
But she was distracted by the noise of a crowd huddled just behind Cerberus. Dozens of immortals chattering, laughing, murmuring to each other across the shore of the Styx. Persephone closed the door behind her and stared.
Hades was waiting in his customary place next to his enormous hound. His noble features softened when he saw her and drained most of her tension away. She was finally home and it was hard to stay cross and confused when he was clearly so relieved that she had made it back to him.
The crowd swelled behind him, a motley of people that Persephone was surprised to see. Hecate was there, to be sure, bursting out of the crowd with her arms outreached for a hug, her impressive figure swaying as she ran towards her Queen with that customary grin. Nyx was behind Hecate, her body seemingly consistent of nothing but stars and her eyes all dark pupils, almost unfathomable. Her son Morpheus stood at her shoulder, soft skin gleaming, his hair pure white and so luxuriant down to his waist that Persephone envied it. There were naiads and dryads and other immortal servants swelling around them, laughing and carefree. Clearly there was little productive work being down; most had cups in their hands.
In the middle, moving towards her steadily was a brilliant light, a shining beacon that everyone had gathered around. As it came towards her, Persephone realised that it was a woman glowing as brightly as the lanterns of the Lampades – a woman with a beautiful slight figure, eyes like hers and hair as dark as her husband's…
"Macaria!"
The crowd turned and noticed her entry as Hades had done. But Persephone couldn't hear them or see them clearly – her daughter had transformed into a goddess while she was away and she was wrestling with the strangest combination of elation and sadness that she had ever felt. Her baby was gone but what a replacement! Her eyes drunk in the sight of this dazzling, tall, beautiful, stately woman that was her child.
Macaria was moving but Hecate was faster.
"Oh Persephone! We have all been waiting for you forever. Your girl is all grown up! Look at her… She is the Goddess of Blessed Death, such a treasure to you." Words spilled from Hecate as she enveloped her friend in an enormous embrace. Persephone patted aside Hecate's hair so that her eyes could stay fixated on the luminescent being still moving towards her – her little girl. "You'll never believe it – or maybe you will – but your girl just went to the Fates and asked them what her fate was! She just went! Made Death take her along for the ride and poof! Here she is!"
There was Thanatos behind her daughter, almost invisible in the shadow of her radiance, customarily shy.
Persephone gently extricated herself from Hecate's arms and the goddess didn't protest. Macaria beamed at her mother and held out her hands. Persephone looked at them, took them, felt their softness gone and replaced by the larger and harder hands of a woman. A goddess.
Persephone touched Macaria's cheek and smiled. She shook with emotion. Her little girl was gone forever, for all eternity there was this divine being that she and Hades had created. It had all happened so quickly.
Too fast. Much too fast.
"Welcome home mother," Macaria said, her cheek moving under Persephone's hand as she smiled.
"Macaria…" Persephone swept her up in her arms slowly, cherishing the moment. "You look… I can't believe it…"
Hecate broke the touching moment with a loud pronouncement.
"Macaria - Goddess of Blessed Death, named by the Fates themselves," she yelled at the top of her considerable voice. "Leader of the Lampades and Guardian of the Isle of the Blessed. Warden of Elysium. First child of Hades and princess of the Underworld."
The crowd exploded with celebration but Persephone was too stunned to hear the tumult that erupted at the pronouncement of her daughter's titles.
I went away and she grew up. Just like that.
"Are you alright?" Macaria said into her ear.
"I'm shocked," admitted Persephone. "And so proud of you. So proud, my little girl."
She's gone. Not my little girl anymore – she's changed.
"Sorry for the surprise," Macaria laughed.
"It's a fantastic surprise, it's just…"
I thought we'd have more time.
"I'm so amazed!" Persephone let her daughter go and held her at arm's length to inspect her. She was relieved that Macaria's eyes were the same, the face stripped of baby-fat at last but not that different. The resemblance to Hades was remarkably clear – his cheekbones, his nose. His handsome stare copied onto his daughter and suited her just as well.
Maybe this is what Hermes feels – like a rug has been pulled from under him. Things are moving so quickly, not a comfortable feeling for any immortal.
Then Hades was there, Hades was holding them both, Hades was holding her upright as she recovered at the speed of the events unfolding around her including the new life beginning inside.
"You look like you need rest, mother." Macaria squeezed her parents.
"Enjoy the celebrations," Hades told their daughter. Macaria shrugged in a motion familiar to Persephone – their precocious daughter wanted to get to work.
Persephone drew herself up and addressed the crowd.
"Thank you for the warm welcome and the celebrations," she announced and the listeners grew silent in respect of her words. "But I hope you will acknowledge that I wish to have time with my family." She turned to her daughter. "My child, I am so thrilled to see you fulfil all of your dreams. I have no doubt that you will be our treasure of the Underworld."
They clapped and whistled but dispersed without an issue, obeying her wishes. She was their beloved Queen, no one held a grudge for her will. Hecate huffed once and looked like she might say something but another attendant called her away. Finally only Death, Hades, Macaria and herself remained.
"You're right, I need to rest," Persephone murmured to Macaria and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Go and do your duty, love. I know that's what you want. We will have time to catch up tonight."
"Business as usual," Macaria winked. "We will see you then, mother."
She took Death's hand and they disappeared into the darkness. Persephone didn't miss that. She shook her head.
"So quickly," she murmured to Hades's chest, her voice almost a moan. "She's gone."
Hades laughed, a deep vibration that gently shook her and brought a smile to her face in spite of herself.
"Forgive me. Immortals see the transcendence of their offspring as such a long process but to one raised among mortals, it must be brief. Do not worry yourself." He brushed her hair softly, with comforting hands. "She is the same as ever in character, in deportment, in her own self."
"I know," Persephone sighed. "It's just…"
They walked towards the river and Hades's personal vessel was waiting. He lifted her easily, making her breathless and placed her in her seat by his side. They were silent as they held each other a moment, revelling in her homecoming.
"Something else troubles you," Hades acknowledged after they had left the shore.
The water was soothing. Persephone listened to its steady flow and whisper as it ran across the side of their boat. But Hermes's behaviour had disturbed her and the shock had worn a little from Macaria. She trusted Hades more than anyone, even her mother.
But this was not the right moment. It was too sweet to spoil yet.
"Later," Persephone urged him and kissed him gently. "It's good to be home."
He took her face in his hands and returned her sweetness. They ignored the shades of the dead making their way downstream, they ignored the shadows and the fear for a while longer. Persephone was home and content for now. She let one of her hands steal down to cup her belly which did not show.
Somehow, we will all be safe. Together.
