An Urgent Emergency
Demeter had been outside, tending to the garden behind her cottage. As she worked with weeding and nurturing all the abundant plant life that was growing there, she quietly sang to herself a tune to entertain herself. As she worked and sang, she waited for Persephone to return, knowing very well that she was in the company of Artemis.
The day was nice and beautiful and the forests were quiet and serene.
Until…
"Demeter!" she heard someone – a girl – shouting her name. "Demeter!"
Demeter became alarmed by the voice and emerged out of the garden and made her way to the front door of the cottage, where she heard the voice coming from. Just before the door came into view, she saw an alarming sight.
Artemis and Persephone was approaching the house, with Persephone leaning to the side of Artemis and barely even walking while Artemis, who had both hands wrapped around her, was trying hard to haul her to the cottage. Persephone was sobbing and whimpering, her cheeks tear-stained and her eyes rimmed red with tears.
"What's going on?" Demeter questioned in alarm as she made her way to her daughter. Continuing to haul her half-sister, Artemis answered immediately and urgently, "It's the baby. She's about to give birth."
Taking a gentle hold on one of Persephone's arms, Demeter gasped in shock. "Impossible!" she exclaimed in dismay. "Kore shouldn't be giving birth until another month or so!"
To give birth was indeed a hard and painful task. But to give birth prematurely was dangerous, even for a goddess. There could be complications during the process; both to the mother and the baby. But sometimes, not all the reasons for a premature birth were bad. It could simply mean that the baby had already developed fully before its due time.
Both Demeter and Artemis were holding on to the hope that the baby had already developed, which was why Persephone was giving birth early.
Together, they brought her inside the house and to her room. Demeter laid her down on the bed, hugging her and soothing her, whereas Artemis rushed outside to get help.
But the minute she stepped outside of the house, she heard a familiar voice.
"Sister!"
She turned her head in the direction of the voice and saw Apollo rushing towards her. "Brother, what are you doing here?" she inquired curiously when he finally stood in front of her.
"I saw what happened," Apollo answered.
Instantly, Artemis knew what he was talking about. Being the God of the Sun, Apollo was 'All-seeing', since his sun saw everything that happened in the world. That meant that he must have seen what had happened to Persephone on the hill just a while ago, which was why he was here now.
"I couldn't find Eileithya anywhere, so I came to be of assistance to you," he explained in a rush. "I've sent Hermes to inform Hades," he added. And then, his sky blue eyes darted to the cottage, and he asked, "How is Persephone? Is she alright?"
Just then, a scream emanated in the air from the interior of the small cottage. It was loud, shrill and ear-piercing. It sent frightened birds flying off from where they were perched on the trees and animals scattering away in panic, and it made Apollo and Artemis flinch together.
By the sounds of the scream, it answered Apollo's question; Persephone was not alright, and she was in absolute pain.
"Not so good," Artemis replied in worry before she hurried back into the cottage.
Hades was in the garden of the palace with his daughters, sitting on the iron-wrought chair as he watched the both of them play catch with each other. He had joined them for the first game, but decided to sit out for the rest.
Finally, Macaria and Melinoe were getting tired from running and both of them approached him to be allowed to sit on his lap. With a small smile, he lifted each of them to rest on one of his thighs, holding both of them so that they wouldn't fall.
"Father? Can I ask you something?" Melinoe asked him curiously.
"Of course, my dear," he told her, expecting her to ask some questions about the souls or ask him – again – about when she would be able to see them on her own.
But instead, she asked, "How is Mother?"
At that question, Hades felt his smile disappearing as he looked down in deep thought. Seeing the change in her father, both Macaria and Melinoe began to get concerned and looked at each other – orange eyes meeting black-amber eyes – in worry.
At the same time, they wrapped their arms around him comfortingly. Hades lifted his head up to look at the both of them.
"Father, do you hate Mother?" Macaria asked sadly. "Is that why you're not so close to her anymore?"
Immediately, Hades shook his head in denial. "Of course not, precious. I love your mother with all of my heart." But then, his voice became sad when he said, "It's just that… she and I are going through some problems now. Problems that is very difficult to the both of us."
Melinoe hugged him with more firmness as she asked with a sad frown, "But if the problems don't go away, will you and Mother still be together? I don't like seeing you and Mother so sad. It makes me sad."
Hades' heart throbbed in pain at seeing his daughters so worried about his relationship with their mother. He did not want them to share the burden he felt. His hold on them tightened gently, and he told them reassuringly, "I swear to the both of you that your mother and I will make it through. We'll make it through for the sake of our family."
Hearing that said from their father gave the girls a bit of hope and they both smiled. Hades smiled too, though it was a half-hearted one to disguise the sadness he felt on the inside.
But all of a sudden, their attentions were directed onto two news guests in the garden. It was Thanatos and Hermes, and the both of them had urgent looks on their faces.
"What goes on? Had something happened?" Hades inquired with a frown, putting the girls onto their feet on the grass before he stood up from the chair. Seeing that Hermes himself was here, and he and Thanatos both looked absolutely anxious, Hades knew that something must have happened.
He got his answer when Hermes told him of the shocking news.
Author's Note:
Apollo can't seem to find Eileithyia at all! Can anyone guess what had happened to her?
And by Mount Olympus, Hades had better get to Persephone on the nick of time, or else something bad might happen! (And trust me; something might!)
Tune in on Wednesday for the next chapter!
Muse of Fanfiction
