Once upon a time, the sound of people scurrying around Persphone's bedroom at the crack of dawn would have frightened her. Since marrying Hades, she had become accustomed to servants helping her start the day.
The nymph servants around her room were a welcome sight compared to the ghost servants she encountered after her first night with Hades.
"Hmmhmm"
Persephone turned to find a short nymph with long blonde hair and peach toned skin standing at her bedside.
"Good morning Miss Persephone, my name is Galatea"
"Good morning" Persephone graciously replied. She was taken aback by the term 'Miss'. She never minded the term before but as a queen, she couldn't help but feel disrespected that she wasn't addressed as 'Lady' or 'Your Highness'.
"We laid out your clothes as Lady Demeter instructed"
'But of course' she thought.
The clothing was conservative and pearl white, something she would have worn as the flower maiden. Persephone wanted to arrive on Olympus a queen; She aspired to gain the respect and notoriety she never received as Kore. It was only day two and Persephone had given up on her far fetched dream. It was foolish really, to expect that her issues with Demeter would magically resolve themselves overnight.
"Thank you" she replied.
Persephone hid her disappointment with a well practiced smile and obediently dressed in the clothes her mother chose. Another nymph named Talea draped a white sheet over the chest Hades had sent her. Rather than become upset at the action, Persephone tried to see the bright side.
'At least they haven't thrown the clothes away.'
Although deep down, she knew her mother's decision to not dispose of the clothing stemmed from a fear of Hades rather than a respect for Kore's desires. Breakfast was served downstairs at a small white table that wasn't present the previous day.
"Mother must have brought it" she thought.
The table was filled with berries, nuts and oats. It was a satisfying and lonely breakfast as Kore was deliberately ignored by the nymphs dutifully carrying out her mother's orders. She watched as they carried in bright pink and white furniture pieces that aggressively clashed with the walls.
"I'll change it later...hopefully"
At the tenth hour of the day, the front doors flew open. A beautiful woman with long red hair and an elegant white cloth chiffon strutted in with purpose. At her entrance, the nymphs stopped working and dropped into a deep bow.
"Good morning Lady Iris" they said in unison.
Persephone stood frozen, unsure of what to say and how to address the cold, emotionless woman standing before her. The two were never close, and the previous day's encounter left Persephone on edge.
"Lady Hera demands your presence at her sunroom"
"Demands?" Persephone squeaked.
Although Persephone had never met her step mother, she heard enough stories to know that it was never good when she took an interest in her husband's bastards.
"Yes Kore, demands" Iris stated in an irritated tone "She expects you to be there."
Before Persephone could respond Iris left the residence, slamming the door behind her. "Well I guess I'm meeting the queen."
Deciding what to wear was complicated. Persephone was well aware of the fact that her mother disapproved of her more mature, queen-like clothing. She also knew that she couldn't meet the queen dressed like a flower maiden. Persephone wore a lilac linen chiton with golden pins to create sleeves and a golden belt to accentuate her waist. She added a small gold necklace, wanting to show off her newfound wealth and avoid displeasing Demeter.
Persephone eventually forced herself to stop adjusting her outfit and head towards the main palace. Zeus and Hera's palace was a cold white limestone building with white marble floors and stone furniture. The sunroom was a beautiful glass building located behind the palace. It was surrounded by a white rose garden with carefully trimmed hedges.
From the edge of the small garden, Persephone could see Hera seated inside the sunroom. Her chestnut brown hair clashed with the abundance of white in the surroundings. Persephone was mildly jealous that Hera still looked regal and queenly despite wearing a simple white chiffon with no gold belts or jewelry. It made her subconsciously adjust her necklace and tug at the sleeves.
"Kore, decided to play dress up I see"
Persephone, unsure of how to react to the insult, dutifully nodded. Though part of her longed to
"Well don't just stand there take a seat. " Persephone shuffled into the chair directly across from Hera.
"Well you're an obedient little thing aren't you. No wonder Hades married you."
"He loves me" she whispered prompting Hera to chuckle in response. Persephone nervously squirmed in her chair. Hera sat with impeccable posture, studying her every move while slowly preparing a cup of tea.
"Did your mother dress you today dear?" Hera asked as she delicately poured tea into her small ivory tea cup.
"I… I dressed myself"
"Look at you," Hera responded while focusing her eyes on the three sugar cubes she was dropping into the steaming cup, "dressing yourself. Almost like you're a woman."
"I a-am a woman, I'm an adult" Persephone responded in a tone that indicated that she even questioned her own womanhood. And why wouldn't she. After all, despite being fully grown she had only begun to take charge of her own life within the past year.
"Oh honey, there is more to being a woman than looking like one." And with that, Hera began to sip on her tea.
The remainder of the conversation was tense. With Hera continuously asking seemingly innocent questions and making Persephone feel more and more like an imposter. Like a child dressing up as a queen for fun.