The mortals spin all sorts of tales about my daughter and her husband. They will tell how he stole her from me, how he ensnared her, how my grief plunged the mortal world into perpetual winter...many of those tales got the names right and little else.
My beautiful Kore was beloved, so well beloved that I had to protect her from the likes of Aries and Apollo, my murderous nephews. She was a blessing to us all, but for a time she was mine. The most wonderful surprise from my baby girl was the impact she had on my powers...she helped me the most when the sacrifices waned and the mortals took me for granted. My goddess of spring helped to bring beauty into the world and for this I was saved. THe mortals desired more of her colorful gifts and so their devotion bloomed, much like my daughter.
I did not know her true power until my brother Hades came to the door bearing deep red Hyacinths. They had appeared in the underworld, something he had no explanation for.
Upon my request, Hades stayed with me for the day, eating and drinking the offerings of our world above. His puppy, Keborus, remained in the underworld, so I sent him on his way with a few femur bones I had received in offering from a recent harvest.
My dear brother was often left wanting for familial companionship and he was dear to me, so I invited him to return at the turn of the seasons; this was our routine for many years, until that fateful harvest moon.
The sky was set aflame with Selene's powerful light and my nymphs danced at the festivals, celebrating another year of plenty. It was on this night, in my daughter's 18th year (by the reckoning of men) that she met Aidoneus. He was polite and she was coy, almost flirtatious. She had met the other gods before, but she trusted Hades beyond all others save for myself.
He began to misit more and more; Kore also began to attend every meal we ate together. He would talk until Helios made his descent and Selene took his place. Kore was full of questions about the underworld and our war with the Titans; Hades answered every one of them and more.
One night Hades could not take up our invitation, so we joined him in the underworld. Even I was not prepared for what we would behold, having never been there myself.
Mortals tell of a dark gloomy cavern, full of dangers, horrors, and discomforts. Their poor eyes could not see what we gods could; even a grey stone was a brilliant explosion of color. Hades took us through the river of purple flames and showed us the dazzling skies of diamonds, the lavender skies of Elysium, the grey peaceful mists of the fields of Asphodel, and the inky crimson of Tartarus, though he did not take us within.
Too soon he had to leave and I noticed how Kore's arms lingered around Hade's neck. This set fire to an idea that had been building in my head for quite some time. This idea became a resolution when my beautiful little girl came to me, sobbing and bleeding ichor.
That DAMNED APOLLO! I would kill him, rip every bone from his body and feed it to the spirit of Typhon! I stormed the gates of Olumpus, thorns and poisoned vines whipping in my wake. Zeus was already in a surly mood, but being fair, he heard my case even as I destroyed his throne room in my fury He heard how Apollo had assaulted my daughter, how he believed that she owed him something, and how I would make his blood into a river to water the flowers on his grave.
"So, that's why he did it…" Zeus replied, understanding dawning in his eyes.
Before I could reply, Zeus held up his hand, "Not Apollo my dear...Hades. Our brother hurt Apollo rather badly; were a minor deity to do this, I would have had them punished, but my elder brother is a different matter entirely."
"What did Hades do to him," I asked, still thirsting for revenge.
"See for yourself," another voice supplied.
"Prometheus," I gasped.
"Hades has given me a reprieve. So long as Kore wishes it, the eagle and her chicks shall devour Apollo. I will carry the sun until such a time as she relents."
I stopped at this and the silence was deafening. Zeus may be the king of the gods but Hades was our eldest brother. If he desired, he could rule the heavens by right and Zeus would relent. And yet, such a one avenged my daughter's cries before the ichor had a chance to dry upon her skin. It was not enough for me, but if it were enough for my daughter I would relent. I returned home to my daughter and pampered the sweet one that night and many nights after.
Hades gifted her one of Keborous' pups to stand guard and he left other tokens to help my child recover. A rose here, a ruby, cool water chilled beneath the ice of Lethe, and a small knife she could wear around her wrist, forged in the river of flames and quenched within tartarus. This soothed her horror, though not the memory.
On the day Persephone decided to drink from the river of memory I knew she was ready to move on. I, however, was not.
With the aid of my daughter, we created the sunflower so that Apollo would always be watched. Once that was done, I asked again for a meeting, this time with Zeus and Hades.
"Brothers, it is time that my daughter find a husband. She is of age and I desire her to be beyond the reach of Apollo the accursed."
"Do you have someone in mind?" Zeus asked. As the father, he could decide my Kore's fate.
"Yes. It is an auspicious match and a harmonious one. Their powers are tied together by Gaia herself. The crops of the earth listen to him as well as her for they originate in his realm and return there as the season withers."
"Thanatos?" Zeus questioned, with more than a hint of revulsion.
"No, Zeus, I desire my daughter to wed our brother Hades."
This was shocking to them to say in the least.
"But Hades is the king of the underworld! That is a position above yours sister. You cannot-"
"And above yours brother," Hades' quiet voice cut in.
"I accept, so long as I am able to court her."
Zeus, still in shock, could do nothing but splutter. Hera, who had been present as this was her realm of expertise, snickered.
So you see, Hades did not steal my daughter away. After a season of courtship, Hades took my daughter to the underworld where they sealed their union with pomegranate, Hades; holy fruit. ON that day I watched him crown my daughter Persephone, queen of the underworld.
This is not to say that there were no problems. See, my powers were tied to Persephone, and without her, I was weak. After all, what is the harvest if there is no growth?
I tried, for a full year I tried, but I could not bring about as abundant a harvest as had been done in the past. These humans, unused to scarcity, withered and died. Apollo was not helping matters for he drew his chariot away from the earth where I walked, making the world cold. He could not spy upon my child so he hid in fear of her husband...the pusillanimous delinquent at least understood his limitations.
Without the abundance, my sacrifices waned, I weakened, and the earth faded.
One morning I awoke to the sweet taste of pomegranate wine on my lips. My precious daughter had returned and the land again had life. Hades' sacrifice was grievous to us all, but my own dear Persephone comforted us both in our sadness.
Her husband was kind, merciful, loyal, and just. He was diligent in his duties; thus Persephone comforted herself with the knowledge that their kingdom would not face a lack with her absence.
Eons passed and so the mortals' faith waned. One by one we gods took our journeys into the underworld and were given our rewards. Now we were all subject to the authority of the gods of the underworld, who had never depended on the faith of the mortals.
I found a husband in Thanatos, for as I had once harvested the world, he harvested the souls. My eternity is spent in bliss with my husband, my son-in-law and my daughter.
So you see, the tales get very little right.