Plight of Persephone

Ok people, you know the score, I do not own Hercules, Disney does and even though they have not issued plans for a live action redo, give it time. Everything else seems to be getting the treatment so I wouldn't be shocked if it happened. And since Disney aren't entertaining the idea of a remake, I decided I would. Don't worry, you do not need to have read any of my other stories to read this one and the original is NOT going anywhere, it stays here where it belongs.. I do own this version of Persephone and all other original characters and places that come up, permission and advice is always given to those who want to use them but do tell me if you use my characters so I may view and comment on your work.. Just like the original I will be basing this story around Greek myths and twisting them around just like Disney did, I will also be reworking some of the original plot lines.. Please review and let me know your thoughts.. Thank you for your time. Enjoy!


Reviews:

Sharkeygirl: Won't give away what happens but the plot with Theseus will be very different and this time, no Peirithous.


A~N: Dedicated to everyone self isolating, in quarantine or under lockdown. Which, let's face it... Is pretty much most of us!


Chapter Sixteen: A Matrimonial Problem

A shadowy figure skulked down through the dark rocky terrain slowly but surely, scoping every corner of his peripheral vision for any sign of movement, poised to draw his sword at the stightest twitch.

"The trek down to the Underworld was long and arduous but for justice the Grim Avenger was willing to face any peril.." The sound of Theseus' voice echoed upwards around the cavernous heights of the Underworld which was so high that the naked eye couldn't see the top due to the unrelenting blackness above. His eyes darted upwards at a sudden noise. He could hear the faint chittering coming down from what could only be some unknown flying creature but as long as they weren't flying down his sword would remain sheathed.

It almost sounded as if they were laughing at him.

Choosing to ignore it, Theseus sneered then rolled his eyes back to where he was walking and moved forwards, pressing on with his mission to secure the damsel of Demeter who seemed to have become foresaken by Greece's Greatest Hero. For whatever reason Hercules was not interested in retrieving Persephone from Hades' grasp. It was confusing considering how he had already bested the Lord of the Dead once before, but maybe that was the problem. This wasn't a challenge for him.

"Justice must prevail.." The young King of Attica declared in a serious tone before stopping dead at the sight that met him as he came out the other side of the caverns he had come down from Gaia's surface. Whatever he had expected to find, it was not a feild of ghostly pink flowers that seemed to glow eerily in the wide open space, dotted with crooked looking white poplar trees that were sprouting with young looking leaves. It was strange. It looked like it was spring down here but it was actually coming to the end of harvest season, winter was almost upon us.

What was going on down here?

"Ah-ah-ahh! I wouldn't be sniffin' those if I were you.." A soft voice sing-songed brightly as the young king had begun to lower himself to smell one of the unusual flowers before straightening and blinking in further surprise at the pale-skinned nymph with bright leafy green hair with small white flowers wound in it. She was smiling sweetly at him in her simple white dress perched on a nearby rock, though he had no idea where she appeared from or why she was even here.

"There are no nymphs in the Underworld!" He exclaimed before gazing at her suspiciously.

"There's at least one!" The river sprite trilled back, momentarily closing her hazel brown eyes. "But seriously, I wouldn't be smelling anything planted here, they are fed from the waters of Lethe. You don't want to be wandering confused for the next milenia like them, do you?" She kinked a neat brow and guestured to the shades that he hadn't noticed until now, their bemused expressions and dazed actions.

"Why are you here nymph, don't your kind usually hibernate through the winter?" Theseus queried, still looking somewhat cautious as to why a spring and summer time creature would want to be here when she was supposed to be in a deep slumber.

"My name is Minthe, not nymph, ok?" The small nymph scowled momentarily before it vanished and her bright smile returned. "Besides, I'm not much of a sleeper. I come down sometimes because it's much warmer here than on the surface during winter—."

'And to be closer to my beloved Hades.' Minthe inwardly swooned to herself as she continued to smile sweetly to the former hero and carried on regardless. He didn't need to know that she came down here every winter while the rest of her peers slept and tried to integrate herself into Hades' every day life, without much success but things would change soon if Hecate kept to her end of the deal.

"—I've been waiting for the one who is so brave to come and rescue my friend Persephone from the clutches of the Lord of the Dead." She added privately thinking that this guy did not resemble the 'Hercules-guy' the Wolf brothers had said was coming down. Still, a patsy was still a patsy.. The only thing that matter was that someone fell for the witch's scheme and this guy fit the bill. Maybe it was better if it was some unknown guy...

"If you know where she is being kept, why not show her the way out yourself?" Theseus asked curiously.

"I am merely a river sprite from Elis and the lord and master barely tolerates my presence in his realm as it is. I do not have the power to go against his wishes.." Minthe fluttered her eyes innocently to the young would-be hero, silently pleading him to answer to her friend's plight. Her words were a half truth of course, Hades despised her presence, not that she would ever face the reality of this, her deeply infatuated mind only saw him resisting her charms to save his reputation as the big bad Lord of the Dead. He would succumb to her affections eventually... with a little persuasion from Hecate, naturally.

"I see.." The masked hero said before bowing low and grinning, "Fear not, sweet smelling naiad, for I, the Grim Avenger will see Persephone resorted to the upper realms." Theseus proclaimed boldly with one hand pointing straight up to enthusiastically exaggerate his point.

"Well, in that case you better stick to the path, don't wander off the beaten track and incur the hound's wrath.. When you reach the point where three roads meet, go left passed the Pool of Memory to the Falls of Lethe, in the grove you'll find the goddess you seek." Minthe spoke clearly, reciting this line as if it had been memorised from a script.

"How do you know where she—?"

"They told me.." The small dryad replied poignantly with a mysterious smile.

"Ah, the Fates.." Theseus grinned. "Tis good fortune, if they are smiling upon me.. Thank you, for your assistance. I should be off.." He grabbed his cape and headed off with a flourish, his voice continued to self commentate his every move. "And so, with new information the Grim Avenger continues on his quest with vigour and stealth.."

Minthe's smile vanished into a deadpan look as she frowned somewhat in disbelief.

"You think he's aware he does that?" She asked at seemingly nothing before two winged wolves slinked out from hiding in a nearby bush.

"Who knows, it's a full moon up there. It always brings out the crazies.." Canis grinned as he sat down on one side of the nymph.

"Too true. And what is with the way he talks. Who wrote his material?" Lupus added with a disapproving snort.

"I'm guessing he's not Hercules then." Minthe exhaled, it wasn't a question, she just wanted to confirm her suspicions.

"Pfft, Nah.. This is some other chump." Canis snickered in some amusement.

"Yeh, but he'll do. Hercules woulda been better but the plan was just to stir up some trouble between the gods and this could still work." Lupus added before tapping his brother on the shoulder. "We better report this to Hecate anyway, she'll want to know about this new development."

"Think you can watch him for us until then?" Canis asked Minthe curiously.

"Sure, why not? Hades is nowhere to be see and I got nothing better to do." The green-haired nymph added casually with a shrug watching as the Wolf brothers vanished back into the thicket before disappearing in a teal swirl of green mist.


"Hades.. D-do you have a soft spot for Persephone?" The slightly warm smile with an amused twinkle in those deep sky blues eyes made the Lord of the Dead recoil in horror. Choking on his response as he leaned further away from his biological brother in his cloudy seat. He had only just come to terms with his infatuation for her and there was no way in Tartarus he was going to discuss it with anyone, let alone Zeus..

"What?! No! Chaos, no! Whatta ya, mashuga?" The fiery god threw him a disgusted look, successfully burying the warmth inside him that threatened to make his flames flare white and give the truth away.

"Come now Hades, I saw that new law you had Hermes sneak into the Hall of Records. He-he.. I did the same thing for Hera when we were dating.." Zeus' thick white eyebrows suggestively. Somehow it was like the towering golden god could see through his cover with the look he was giving him now. Curse this guy for actually being perceptive for once!

"Fascinating." The blue flames god exhaled giving in to the conversation a little but determined that it wouldn't work between them. "But you are waaay off. She is too young for me—"

"Nonesense! Persephone was the first born after the Titan War. How do you think she got the surname Protogenous." Zeus exclaimed eyeing his brother in some disbelief, did he really have no idea how old Persephone was? Was he that out of touch with the rest of them?

Seriously?" Hades blinked in shock, stunned by this information also wondering just how off base he was. Although when you were stuck in a realm that never changed the millenniums were bound to slip by unnoticed. Still, that meant that he and Persephone were much closer in age than appearances gave away. This was an interesting development.

"And she still hasn't got a job?" Hades added now looking at the Lord of Olympus with a smirk. "Zeusy, you been slacking bro."

"Hmh. I've been busy! Besides, I figured she would come to me when she found a niche.. The Fates know she's done enough interns by now to figure one out.." The glowing golden tanned god facepalmed, knowing this was getting ridiculous as she must have interned in every realm by now. "Demeter wants her trained to be Goddess of Spring but I won't have it, that's not a real job. She has the nymphs to help with the seasons. I was hoping Persephone would find something away from her mother. The poor girl has been under her thumb long enough.."

"Uh-huh.. And what does your sister-in-law think'a that?" Hades drawled making himself comfortable once more and slouching deep into the cloud recliner.

"I, uh, haven't told her yet.." The guilty look that seeped across that wide grin and the way Zeus sunk down in his seat was enough to prove this was the truth.

"Of course not.." Hades muttered rolling his eyes with a deadpan glance to the reader.

"You remember how overbearing Demeter can be about her children, look at the trouble we've had with Bacchus after he got his purpose." Zeus responded with a warning look and Hades nodded vaguely remembering the objections she had at the time and shivered somewhat. Yikes, what kind of issues would she bring up with Persephone? As if on cue the golden god continued, answering the question. "It could be worse with Persephone, your not the first god to show interest in her daughter, y'know.."

"Excuse me, I do not—" Hades was about to object before he was suddenly hit with the desire to know more about Persephone's past suitors. "Wait, who was interested?"

"Hmm, Ares had to rescue her from Apollo's aggressive pursuit of her over the last few years. Hephaestus had a thing for her back in the day, of course that was before his interest was taken by Aphrodite. And I hear Hermes was the first to have a boy crush on her back in their school days but he's since grown out of that.. Demeter is hoping her daughter will follow in Hestia's footsteps and join her Vestial Virgin programme but I told her she cannot force Persephone to join, it must be her own choice. I know for a fact that her daughter has been fighting her on this point and wanted to help her out, least I could do for her while she is trapped at home." He sighed deeply drumming his hands on the arm of his throne thoughtfully.

"You could grant her access to the Elysian Fields if you want to help her now.." Hades responded with a careless shrug.

"She doesn't need that, if she can access it she's free to roam. I can't even remember the last time I was in there anyway." Zeus said off-handedly, waving his hand casually still trying to think of a way to get Persephone out of the stifling grip of Demeter. His eyes roamed his little brother, who he also needed kept in line as he couldn't allow him to plot another scheme like with the Titan's ever again, the council would certainly unseat him if his brother tried that again. Then it hit him and he grinned in a manner that Hades didn't like. "Hah! I got it.. You can marry her.."

"Wait—What? Whoa.. Where is this coming from.." Hades threw his brother a suspicious look, this conversation had gone from I to XI in a matter of seconds.

"You need someone to keep you in line and she needs someone to keep her mother at bay! She's already in your realm and you've told me she seems to like it down there.. It's perfect! Get hitched, you have my blessing." Zeus declared and Hades grinned awkwardly, trying to hide the sudden terror at this new situation. He was a traditionalist, it was true but he also believed in dating a dame before marrying one, not to mention he liked to be wooed as much as he liked wooing. He wasn't going to marry a goddess, especially one that didn't love him in return.

"Ok.. I can see you've had your head in the clouds too long, it's cutting off the air to your brain. We'll talk again when inchor returns to your faculties. I gotta go, I gotta.. shampoo my hair." He vanished out in a tower of flames but his disembodied voice continued, "Hah! Not likely, ciao.."

Zeus let out an elongated breath, shaking his head.. That hadn't gone particularly well.. He knew Hades would be resistant to the idea of marriage but this was a solid idea. Marriage had tamed both him and Poseidon and perhaps company was really all his gloom from the tomb brother needed. What he needed was Hades to be more open to the idea and admit to himself that he liked the girl. It was obvious to Zeus that he liked her, he could tell simply by the way Hades' pupils dilated at the mention of his infatuation, he'd always had expressive eyes. But how to get him to come around..

It took a moment but the answer hit him like lightning and he craned his head towards cloud thirty-two where the Monthly Mixer was being held.

"HERMES!" Within seconds of his call a streak of neon shot in his direction and the tiny god appeared in a flutter of small feathery wings.

"You bellowed your high and mightiest.." The Messenger God grinned then added casually, "You are missing one swinging shindig my main god. Hestia has out done herself but can we make this fast? Bacchus has an errand for me, gotta deliver his birthday present to his sister downstairs. Heh, the cat is too much, sends a gift six weeks late to her every year. Can you believe it?"

"Yes, yes.. This one you can do while your delivering it. I want you to go to Nyx and arrange a meeting at twilight. Heh, I know she's a nocturnal goddess and you can blame me if you wake her from her slumber. Just tell her it's urgent, I need her advice with something important." Zeus added, he was not going to tell the pint-sized god any more than he needed to know. He was too close to Persephone to know the truth of his intentions.

"Hmm, you haven't asked me to summon The Lady of the Night to you in some time, must be important stuff.." Hermes added suspiciously, clearly fishing for more details.

"That's all you need to know. Now go." Zeus stated and the note of stern finality in his voice was all the tiny god needed as he saluted then flashed a cheeky grin.

"Gone babe." Hermes vanished off in a blur of blue to collect the parcel that the God of Parties had summoned him for before the Monthly Mixer, telling him it wasn't urgent and to enjoy the festivities first. Since Zeus' was an urgent envoy he could kill two birds with one stone, like his boss suggested. He had met with everyone at the mixer anyway.


"Special delivery for Persephone Protogenous.." The sound of her best friend's voice made the thick blonde mane of Persephone's head turn away from Cerberus, who she had been fussing in the Grove of Lethe. Her smile widened at the sight of her best friend with a wrapped parcel that was taller than him. The enormous hound that had been slumped down with his grey furred belly exposed for rubs had rolled over and was sitting watching the small god over Persephone's shoulder.

"Hmh, knew that you'd be down here with something soon.." The petite goddess moved towards Hermes with a bright smile inspecting the brown wrapped parcel. "I can't think what it is, was it heavy to bring over from wherever he is?"

"He's in a place called India babe.. Nutty by all accounts, they wear something called 'pants', heh, never catch on." The small blue god chuckled then nudged her playfully. "Go ahead, open it. It wasn't heavy although Baccs thinks you're nuts for comin' down here. He thought you could use this while your here.. That's why he picked it."

"Ooh! Sounds exciting.." Persephone trilled gleefully, ripping at the brown wrap, tearing it off to reveal her present then looking confused. "Urh.. He sent me a throne?" One neat pale brown eyebrow raised as the youthful looking goddess threw her best friend a quizzical look. Sure, the chair was beautiful with its exquisitely carved patterns in the deep rosewood seat and it was upholstered in a blood red material that she couldn't quite recognise but looked invitingly plush.

"Whoa! Hands off the material babe." Hermes suddenly panicked as she had moved her dainty white skinned hand to touch the seat only to find it swooped up, returning her stunned green eyes to him. "If you touch the chair it will make you forget everything you know. Bacchus didn't intend for you to sit in it, rather than use it to protect yourself. He wants you to stay on guard and stay safe."

"It makes you forget? How?" Persephone asked curiously as the blue god released her hand and she used those fingers to curl her unruly hair behind her pixie-like ear.

"I dunno. He never said, just wanted me to make sure that it wasn't you that sat in it.." The Messenger God responded gathering up the brown papyrus wrapping then making it vanish in a blue glow into nothing. "So, you want me to put it somewhere for now?"

"No, no.. It's fine. I can always move it later myself." Persephone waved it off then perched down on a nearby bench patting the space beside her. "You time for nectar and a catch up? It's probably the only thing about the Monthly Mixer I miss." A small sigh escaped her lips. As boring as Olympus was it was always good to spend an afternoon gossiping with her best friend.

"Love to babe but I gottan envoy for Zeus to run so have to be another time." Hermes said looking genuinely apologetic.

"Oh. Alright then.." She looked slightly disappointed but would never hold him from doing his duty. "See ya.."

"Later Seph." The small god then vanished into the darkness leaving the young goddess to gaze forlornly over at her new 'throne' wondering just where she could put this odd looking piece of furniture. It didn't really suit the backdrop of either her temporary bedroom or the grove.. It was at this point that the hulking great mutt that was Cerberus moved over to her and lowered two of it's heads to nuzzle her as the third remained upright. It's ears twitching as it stood as sentry. Persephone smiled at the affection given by the huge beast who's was a gentle soul underneath his imposing exterior.

"Your a good boy.. Yes you are.." She cooed gently, scratching the ears on both heads as the third continued to scan the dark surroundings. It then dipped as the right head lifted to take a shift and allow the other some fuss..


As Hades arrived back onto the main docks of the Styx below the towering stone skull-shaped fortress that was his home and base of operations, his yellow eyes swivelled left then right. Scanning the area for any sign of that green sprig of hair in a ponytail. He couldn't smell the sickly sweet scent that always hung around her and made him want to gag. He knew she was lurking around here somewhere, she was always somewhere close by. Watching him, making his skin crawl.. He didn't even know her name, nor did he want to! When he had found out Persephone was inside his realm, helping him get his numbers back on track and she wanted to stay he had been happy. Perhaps she would scare off his unwanted nymph stalker. To his delight, this worked. For a spell at least while he was getting her up to speed with the day to day running of his realm. Once they separated however the irritating naiad popped up like the bad smell she was.

So here he was once more. Ducking his obligations and putting more unnecessary work on the shoulders of his underlings just to avoid the amorous advances of some stupid nymph. It was ridiculous, he was a god, a powerful one at that but he couldn't bring himself to smite a lousy stinkin' nymph. He gave a low exhale hoping that the coast was clear but as he stepped out into the open he was greeted by that high-pitched annoyingly breathy voice.

"Heya honey-flames, where have you been hiding?"

"Argh!" He yelled out in shock when he found the small naiad with bright leaf-green hair tied up in a high pony tail, dressed in a modest white dress with matching flowers in her hair. Her hazel eyes gazing at him in an adoring fashion. His surprised expression narrowed into a deadpan look.

"Oh. It's you." His voice was dripping with disdain as a snarl curled his lip. He was hardly delighted to see her. "Don't you sleep like a regular nymph?"

"Of course not silly. Then I wouldn't be here to spend time with you." Minthe trilled happy to be having a conversation with him.p, even if he was unnecessarily grumpy with her. She just figured he had had a long day,

"Uh. Yeh.. That's the point.." Hades drawled thinking that she was dense for not getting this. Why did he attract the crazies? He just wanted someone sane, who understood him and he could have a meaningful conversation without them back-stabbing him later. The nymph only giggled dumbly in response before following his quick steps around the docks. He was heading towards the Grove of Lethe to get away from her and hopefully run into Persephone in the process. Unfortunately she was following.

"Hey, how about we go for a picnic together? Just you and me.. Be romantic." The green haired nymph trilled and his yellow eyes widened in shock. Oh no, he did not want to be alone with her anywhere. Period.

"Alright. That's it! I can't take this anymore.." Hades growled in annoyance, he was not in the mood right now. "I have tried to be nice about this but that's it Mr Nice-Guy is gone!" He snarled whipping around with orange flames of badly repressed fury. He then spoke slowly and firmly so that she wouldn't miss anything this time. "There is no we! I don't like you, in fact, I've never liked you! Now get out of my sight before I set my underlings on you. Comprende vous?"

For a long moment the tiny maid stood there in shock at his words, merely staring watery eyed at his angry glare.

"But—" She started before another voice just ahead sounded along with the sound of the deep booming barking of Cerberus.

"Hades?" Persephone's voice was drowned out slightly by the barking of Cerberus who now bounced out of the Grove of Lethe and charged snarling at the nymph who squealed in shock and vanished into a green mist before the huge hound could get to her. The huge three-headed dog skidded to a stop, all the huge noses when down and began sniffing as if trying to track where the sprite that had been annoying his master went. He lifted his heads and gave a confused whine, not understanding why he couldn't track the offender.

"Is everything ok out here?" Persephone's blonde head poked out from the cypress trees that were growing either side of her garden grove around the Pool of Lethe. Her green eyes looked curiously to the Lord of the Dead with an inflection of concern. Hades smiled wearily at her, his eyes only glanced back at Cerberus who had started growling at the sound of something moving in the dull blue grass on the opposite bank of the Styx.

"Eh, it's nothin' my sweet. Just been a long day, that's all." The Lord of the Dead responded as a loud splash indicated that Cerberus had dived into the Styx and was dog paddling across to investigate the rustling.

"You want me to pour you a spiced nectar and we can talk about it?" The white skinned goddess offered kindly with a sweet girly smile that immediately calmed his orange flames to blue. She was still leaning on the tree trunk smiling sweetly at him, looking every bit the macabre beauty she had always been in the dim phosphorus Underworld light.

"Sounds great babe.. You will not believe the day I have had." Hades responded in a tired voice, inwardly glad that Persephone was nowhere near is irritating as his nuisance stalker, not that he wanted to think about her.

"Well, mine's been pretty eventful too. Wait 'til you see what my brother just sent me. I think your gonna love it." The youthful looking goddess replied giddily, beckoning him to follow her and he did so, gladly..

Little Notes:

Hey guys, I know things are a little crazy right now with the pandemic and I just want to reassure you my heading note in the last chapter was in no way fishing for reviews, in fact I'm happy to just have one. Any feedback I get is greatly appreciated but not necessary. I'm also grateful for those of you that follow and alert my story. As long as you follow I will continue to write, reviews are just a bonus. I just love hearing what you think and do take your criticism on board.. I care about my followers and I just hope you are all safe in these uncertain times..

Anyway, back to the story. Again, we have more shaping and myth buffs will be rejoicing because there are lots of little nods to myths in this chapters. This is chapter that is morse so setting up the scene for the next chapter which will see Theseus attempting to 'rescue' Persephone..

Stay tuned for more very soon..

A~Teal