FLOWERS BLOOMING IN HER LUNGS

As they proceeded to walk into the hall the glamor did not stop but simply grew. It began to grow beyond what Persephone had remembered from the last time she visited. The ceiling was painted with the stories of the Olympian's victory over the Titans. The grand hall leading into the rest of the palace was lined with massive statues of each god. As she walked through the hall it felt as if the statues were watching her. The statues were not put into line randomly, but instead started with the lesser gods at the entry and led to the Six Traitors at the end of the hall. The six traitors; Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus had received this great honor because they were not simply Olympians, they were the original gods and had led the war against their father. Towards the end of the hall were the three king brothers; hades, Zeus, and Poseidon. All standing equal at the end of the hall yet Zeus' statue was two inches taller.

Persephone's statue, although not too close to the front because of her lineage, was still at the beginning of the line. She knew the other gods today would be looking at the difference in her statue and Hades while sneering. They would point out their differences and say it was not natural. She knew they would think a goddess should not jump to such an important position.

She wondered where her statue would sit after the trial was over

They proceeded to make their way into the throne room, where the trial would take place. Trying to ignore the stares from other gods and nymphs as they made their way past. Hades was used to the attention so he did not seem as if he noticed, but Persephone was having a harder time pretending. They had almost made it to the end of the hall when she caught the sight of her mother talking in hushed tones with a group of other goddesses.

She knew this could be her last chance to say the many things needed to. She would first ask her Mother to take back her accusations against Hades. If she still refused it would be her last chance to ask her mother for forgiveness. Either way, she knew it would be the last time she would see her mother before everything happened.

She knew she had to take it.

"Hades, it's my mother, " she whispered to him, pulling him to a halt. He looked to his right to see Demeter whispering down an extending hall. Her mother had not seen them even though Persephone could hear other gods whispering both of their names as they talked about the statues. "I should go talk to her."

"She will not change her mind." He reminded her. Hades was always realistic, but even he could not kill off the hopeful child still inside Persephone.

With a knowing sigh, she replied, "I know, but I need to try one last time." She confessed. He gently kissed her knowing this was something she had to do, not for her mother but herself.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked her.

She remembered the night in the garden, how she had hidden behind Hades, and let him do all of the talking. How afraid she was of her mother's wrath and afraid of her disappointment. Although she was still afraid, she was not the same girl in the garden. The past few days had somehow changed her more than she ever expected them too. And even though she knew her mother had a stronghold on her still, she knew she was strong enough to stand up to her if she ever needed to.

"No, I need to do this, " she told him knowing it would be better if she was alone.

"Very well. I'm going to go talk with Zeus. If you need anything-" he began to offer but she quickly stopped him, not wanting him to worry.

"I will be fine, Hades." She laughed at his protective nature. She kissed goodbye and turned to walk from him and towards her mother.

The sound of her heels clicking against the marble floors made Persephone smile. It was the same sound Aphrodite or Hera made whenever they walked into a room. They did not simply appear in a room as she once did, they owned the room, letting everyone know that a goddess was approaching; get out of their way or be trampled. While she was not yet as powerful as one of the Olympian goddesses she felt relieved she could at least put on the appearance of power.

The memory of flashes of the fury burning in her mother's eyes had haunted her since the night in the garden. Her mother looked so desperate. So cold. So enraged. Persephone had always done anything her mother had asked just so she would never bring that kind of anger to her mother's eyes. Persephone had always been the dutiful daughter, never saying no. No matter what was asked of her.

But not that night. And not now. When it came to Hades Persephone could not allow herself to fall into old habits. For if she allowed herself to, she knew she would do as her mother asked.

Her mother's nymphs were the first to notice her as she approached. They must have told Demeter for she ushered them off then turned towards Persephone as if she was facing a foe and not her daughter. It stung Persephone not to be greeted with a warm smile. But she remembered the last words they shared and found this response appropriate.

"Hello, Mother," Persephone greeted as she arrived in front of the goddess of the harvest. They were not alone, other goddesses and nymphs watched as mother and daughter approached each other. Persephone saw Demeter notice them as well. Suddenly her hard exterior melted and she took two steps closer to Persephone and placed one palm to her cheek in a warm gesture. "Kore! Baby! I've missed you." Persephone knew this too was another act but she still savored her mother's warm touch.

"I missed you too but-" She was quickly cut off before she could finish.

"It will all be over soon, all that's left is the formalities," Demeter told her as she guided them to a more secluded part of the hall.

She shook her head knowing she must be straightforward with her mother, "No mother. That's what I wanted to talk to you about," she said to her mother while stopping and turning to meet her eyes. "I want this all to stop. I want you to call this tribunal off. Please."

Her mother's smile melted off her face as fast as it had come. "Kore honey, you don't know what you're asking. The king of the Underworld isn't just going to let you go because you asked nicely. You don't know him as I do, he is evil and darkness and everything you are not. He will hurt you and you will come running back to me broken. No, he must pay for what he has done."

Her words confused Persephone immediately. She had heard every word but they didn't seem to fit together correctly. Her mother should have known it was Persephone who wanted to be with Hades. He had done nothing that Persephone had not asked him to. Demeter had heard her pleadings in the garden and yet she still seemed to blame Hades for everything. It dawned no Persephone that her mother might have believed everything she had been accusing hades of. She thought Hades was a kidnapper and an evil man who had taken Persephone without her permission. How had her mother been so mistaken? When had she been so lost?

She knew she had to set her mother straight because if only she could make her mother understand then maybe there was a chance Demeter would back down from her accusation. There was a chance this misunderstanding could be forgotten.

Persephone took a studying breath before she spoke. "That's what you don't understand mother, Hades has done nothing. He isn't keeping me against my will, I want to be there with him. He did not steal me away that night, I asked him to take me." She spoke every word as clearly as she could and surprisingly her mother listened to her. At least that was what Persephone hoped.

"Watch what you are saying." Demeter hissed back. She glanced down the hallway making sure no one was close enough to hear their conversation. Persephone knew then that it did not matter what she said or how she fraised her argument. Her mother was never going to listen to her. She would never give up. Persephone felt foolish that she had hoped it was a misunderstanding. A mistake she would not make again.

Swallowing hard she still pushed on knowing there was no other choice, "You say you know him." she started again taking a different approach. "You throw curses at him yet you truly know nothing about him, you've never tried to understand him as I do. If you did you would know he is kind and gentle. I love him and he loves me. I don't want to leave him, mother. I want to stay in the Underworld, with Hades."

"Love?" her mother spit out the word like it was a curse. "You don't know the meaning of the word kore. You're just a child who is more naive than I had previously thought." She knew her mother used her original name in a demeaning way. Almost everyone knew her as Persephone now, Hades had started it as a nickname but it had quickly grown into so much more. It was now who she was. It hurt to be reminded by her mother that she could not choose who she was, she would always be who her mother made her into. Kore.

"Yes I do, mother," She said with anger boiling just under the surface. "He is all my heart speaks of. When he looks at me flowers bloom in my lungs and I cannot breathe. I do not expect you to understand what I feel for him but I expect you to step aside and let me be happy," She told her mother pausing only to calm herself before she continued. She was starting to feel cornered as if she now had no choice but to defend herself. "If you take me away from Hades I will spend the rest of my life hating you, mother," Persephone told her, biting her words.

"I do not require your forgiveness, daughter," Demeter replied without regret. Persephone knew it was true, her mother would feel no guilt for anything. She knew this because Demeter was not here to get her daughter back, she was here for the power Persephone possessed. Hades was right when he said the gods spoke in power, It was all her mother cared about.

The difference between humans and gods was humans favored love and God's favored power. She was raised among the humans on earth, she knew their ways and the things they dreamt of. She knew well how they treasured love among all their riches. But she was also an Olympian raised on nectar and taught by her mother Demeter. Her ancient blood made her favor power above all else. She was also selfish. Selfish enough to want both. Love and power. Sadly enough she was starting to realize they did not come hand and hand.

"No, you require my magic." Persephone dared to say. Demeter immediately looked around them once again, paranoid someone could hear their secret. Yes, Olympus most certainly had ears everywhere. Still, Persephone did not have the time or energy to care. "We both know why you are doing this."

"Do you think me that shallow?" her mother asked, "Have you ever thought that I miss my daughter?"

"You have never loved me as a daughter and you will not miss me when I am gone. Not as I will miss you." Persephone had been ignorant of the signs she had seen. She knew now the only reason her mother kept her was for the power Persephone was blessed with.

If her mother wanted them so badly she could have them. Persephone would give them willingly if she could. She knew Hades would still love her, she had no need for them. Her power and worth did not come from them, while her mother was fixated on her dynasty and respect. Persephone knew she would only miss what Persephone represented.

"Then come back kore, let me make it up to you." Her mother asked her, sounding very close to begging. But Persephone knew her enough to know it was not. Demeter did not beg. "Things can change."

"I belong with Hades now." Persephone shut down any possibility of hope in her mother's eyes. She watched the shift and it scared her deeply.

"And have you thought of the ramifications of this decision?" Demeter asked, crossing her arms. At first, she thought her mother was speaking of the ramifications it would have on Persephone, knowing full well she would take anything if it meant having him. But she quickly corrected herself, knowing she was wrong. "How this will make me look?"

"I can still grow life from down below, if only you would let me. No one would have to know." Persephone negotiated with her.

Her mother scoffed at the idea, "Do not be naive, they will all know when they see the muted colors that come from the absence of your constant power and attention. Without the source i am nothing. I will not stand by and let that happen, You know me better than that." She said in warning. Her words scared Persephone for she did know her mother better than anyone. She knew her words were no bluff.

"Mother, I'm begging you one last time. Let us live together in peace. Do this for me. Please."

"It's a mother's job to stop her child from making mistakes," She replied simply.

"Not when it is the one happiness in their child's life. Do not take this away from me. Do not force me to fight you, mother. I would much rather we be on the same side than fighting against you." Persephone pleaded with her mother even though she knew it was never going to soften her hardened heart.

Her mother looked pointedly at her in a fearsome way, still, she did not let her mother see her panic. "Is that a threat kore?" Demeter asked.

Persephone swallowed hard but met her mother's glare without flinching. "If it has to be."

"I never thought I'd see the day when you would do something like this to your own mother. See what he has done to you? He has changed you already." Demeter said, raising her voice a fraction.

"This is who I have always been, mother. Someone who will fight for the ones I love even if it means destroying you in the process. I'd be lying if I said you didn't ask for it." Persephone said. Her words must have hurt her mother but her last sentence was too much for Demeter.

Persephone knew she should have stopped herself from saying such harsh words but the same part of her that made her snap at the fates told her to keep going. Clearly her mother did not appreciate them and the same fury reignited in her eyes. As fast as they had sparked to life her mother's hand began to swing. Persephone had never been hit before certainly never by her mother. And that was why she did not know she had such reflexes able to catch that same said hand. Her mother and she stood in stunned silence as Persephone held her mother's now still hand.

Persephone shook the shock away, now knowing there was no love left between them, not now. She knew some part of her would always love her mother but their relationship could never recover past this incident. Not when she still held her mother's wrist, keeping her from slipping her.

"This is a battle I'm not going to lose," Persephone told her mother leaning in close. "You may not require forgiveness from me but still maybe someday you will find the will to forgive me," She spoke as her mother yanked her hand out of her gip.

"Princess, go and claim your crown of lies." she spat at her.

"Do you still think being queen is what I care about?" Persephone said in mock laughter. "Now if you'll excuse me, my husband is waiting for me," Persephone told her mother, taking one step, then two, then another and another until it was not so hard. This time her mother did not reach out for her, this time she only watched her go.

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