Being wed

With Persephone back up Demeter soon came out of her depression, and started to work the nature again, and soon everything was growing and blossoming, summer returning to Earth. Ariadne spent quite some time with Persephone, Auxesia and Karpo, learning everything about growth, fruit, vegetables, berries, herbs and spices. Most of these things she had taken more or less for granted as a mortal were things that has not been around for more than some millennia or less, developed by Demeter and her co-workers.

There were things growing in Demeter's gardens that had been created by the other gods as well. Dionysos had invented wine of course and Athena the olives. Then Zeus had given them strawberries – a gift to Hera originally and Hera in turn had invented the pommegranate. Artemis had created plums because she wanted something that went well with gose.

Still most came from Demeter and her trio of co-workers. There were cloudberries, gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries which Persephone had created, Karpo had created oranges, peaches, lemons, bananas (they had started as a dirty joke first to be honest) and avocados and Auxesia had contributed to the plethora with tomatoes, paprika, onion, garlic, peas, cucumber, (another silly joke) and other goodies. Then there were some gifts from other pantheons, like kiwis, tea, pineapples, coffee-beans, papayas and coconuts. And Ariadne did her one and only try in that area by inventing the cranberry, which Persephone spit out directly, going:
" Do it again, do it right!"

Karpo had supported her on the other hand:
"I think you can learn to like it! Remember the lemons! Those were considered a failure, at first. Before Poseidon used their sauce over fish. And how many did really like your figs? I mean really, I still can't stand them."
"Then I think we're even, Karpo, I still loath the dates", Persephone stated.
"Then there's the carrots," Auxesia made a face. "I still think these ought to have been sent back to the drawing board. "
"Don't tell that to mum," Persephone warned her. "She loves them! Made me eat them all the time when I was a kiddo. "
"You too!" Ariande laughed. "Seems like the divine realm and the mortal world isn't that different after all. "

Demeter was more occupied with the various kinds of crops – things that weren't only the raw material for delicacies but also kept starvation at bay among the mortals. And in her spare time she was experimenting with flowers – roses mostly. She was so different this time of year, happy and joyous, walking around in the gardens and singing. It was amazing how much the presence of her daughter could do.

"It's not only Persephone, I think", Artemis said one day when she came over to discuss cooking. "It's pride."
"Pride?" Ariadne echoed.
"Yeah, pride. Demeter lost the battle against Hades that autumn for so many years ago. And every time Persephone goes down under again she is reminded of her defeat and that makes her depressed. You know, we're a proud and stubborn lot, we Olympians. We hate to lose and it can grate at our mind for a long time. Poseidon's still not over that Athena won the Attica area from him once. "
"Was it ever his?"
"No, but he thinks it was", the goddess of hunt stated frankly.

"But what happens if two gods start to fight over an area?" Ariadne asked. "And none want to give in?"
"Then Zeus usually has to step in and solve the problem. He is one of the few, perhaps the only one all of us respect and are willing to hand over judgement to. "

0000000

Then one of those wonderful, sunny days Ariadne finally got to wed her beloved Dionysos. The waiting had been essential, there were much preparations to do. Invitations had gone out to gods and goddesses all over the world, an abundance of marvellous food had been sampled and prepared, the Garden Arena had been decorated and Apollo and the muses had prepared the nights entertainment.

Everything had been overseen by the skilled Hera, guardian of marriage. Now she was helping Ariadne with the last touch to the latter's bridal outfit. Ariadne's hair had been made with a beautiful tiara with emeralds complimenting her eyes, a gift from the talented Hephaestos. White lilies and pink roses competed with the gemstones, and the feather-light dress Ariadne wore looked like spun mist, shimmering with gems attached like drops of dew.

" It really shows a lot", she pointed out to Hera.
" Don't be shy", the queen smiled. "It's modest enough, in the world of immortals. You have beautiful shapes that should be hinted at trough the glittering fabric. Enough display to make your husband dizzy; enough hide to trigger his fantasies. "
" It's not like he hasn't seen me naked before, Hera. "

" I know that. But the wedding night is still a special one. It rises men more than ever, and the right clothes heightens the experience. Zeus had seen me naked for more than a century before we became wed, but still he could hardly restrain himself from tearing my veils and skirts apart. "

Then Hera got something else in her eyes, like she was looking inside her mind, searching for a memory far far back in time. And Ariadne felt sorry for the queen who's own marriage was betrayed all the time. She could only hope that Dionysos hadn't inherited that trait from his father.

Out in the middle of the sunlit arena Dionysos was waiting for his bride, together with Zeus who was going to wed them. Dion was wearing red, the colour of love, ivy decorated his hair and gold adorned his bare arms. He was more than handsome that day, and Ariadne realized that it wasn't only gods who got aroused by seeing their mate dressed up for true marriage. Ariadne really wanted to sneak-peak beneath that tight-fitting tunic, although she already knew well what it was hiding.

Yet she was also aware of the gods and goddesses in the arena going "Ahh" and "Ohh" as she entered together with her attendance of nymphs. Among those bridesmaids were well known names like Mirba, Lori, Bermessa, Sindra and Noli as well as newcomers, like Rani and Nidi walking first and playing the flutes. All of them were dressed in rainbow coloured dresses, making Ariadne's pristine white stand out like a shining star.

The Arena lacked roof, it was open to the skies, and it's snow-white marble pillars carried nothing but shimmering glass orbs. Upon nine of those orbs, every second that was, the muses were posed. And they soon picked up the rhythm and harmony of Rani and Nidi, echoing back and increasing the richness of the music, making it sounding fuller, more resonant and even more beautiful.

The gods sitting nearest to the procession started to throw rose petals at the bridal procession, or letting loose estelli who began to dace above and around Ariadne, soon picking up the pace of the music. There were even some foreign estelli, tiny ones which unlike the silver estelli of Olympos held all kinds of colours. These soon formed a rainbow spanning over the bride. The estelli were followed by white dowes – the birds of love, courtecy of Aphrodite herself.

I can't believe this is happening, Ariadne thought to herself, as she felt tears of joy and other strong emotions sting her eyes. Less than a year ago she had still been living in the palace of Knossos, knowing almost nothing of the world outside, nothing of Athenian adventurers or desolate coasts. Back then the gods had only been strange and somehow fearsome beings on the border of reality, hardly considered while you went on with your everyday life.

Then she had come here, and after the first weeks of awe she had begun to take this place and its inhibitors for granted. She had started to make friends: Artemis, Athena, Hermes, Herakles, the Muses – even old Silenius with his dirty jokes. And it had felt less and less strange to talk with the King of Gods over a breakfast in the sun on the palace terrace or bumping into some faraway divine visitor with strange skin colour.

Yet now Zeus looked awesome again, dressed in togas whiter than snow and the deepest purple and carrying a crown that looked like it was made out of pure light. The King looked grander and more impressive than Ariadne had ever seen him – the way she knew mortals pictured him. At the same time he was far from frightening, Zeus was radiating love, care and affection. These days Ariadne knew that it was those forces that held Olympos together more than anything else.

When Ariadne entered the golden circle of truth, leavinf the bridesmades kneelig outside, Zeus was the one who took her white hand and placed it in the palm of her beloved.

" I give to thee, Dionysos, Ariadne as a bride", Zeus said, his deep voice booming all over the arena, yet not hurting hers or anyone else's ears. "I give to thee, Ariadne, Dionysos as a groom, the king went on. May you both watch over and take care of each other. May you be lucky in receiving love, trust and compassion. And may you share happiness to double it as well as share sorrow to half it."

" Will you enter this marriage?" Zeus had turned to his son.
" Yes I do!" Dion had answered, his voice ringing loud and clear and almost as strong as Zeus' had done.
" Yes I do!" Ariadne echoed, fearing that her voice would crack by emotions, but it had sounded as clear as the men's. "I come to thee, Dionysos as your wife, to honour and love."
" I come to thee, Ariadne as your husband to honour and love," Dion had replied.
By the power of my office and with the gathered deities as witnesses I declare you wed as wife and husband," Zeus had finished the ceremony.

Then, to the cheering of the crowd, Dionysos had taken her in his arms and kissed her.
" Now you're mine for real Ariadne beloved", he had said when their lips had parted.
" And you're mine, Dion. And nothing will ever tear us apart", she whispered back looking at his lovely face.