Notes: You know when I first wrote this, I should have made
Akio something entirely different instead of Death. I want him to suffer
and perhaps I can still achieve this, but exactly how will remain to be seen.
I may make him do something that will anger Touga enough to strip him
of being "Death." Hmmm...not such a bad idea.
Another thing, I was only going to make this into three parts, but since I
am in one of those cruel, dark moods I will use the next chapter to give
you Death's ulimate fate...bwhahahahaha!
And yes, I am evil.
For those still expecting "The Mummy" again I am sorry. I am still very
much stuck on the last remaining chapters. I want it to end in a bang and
not a whimper. I have already told myself there will be no sequel to it. I
see no reason for one in the first place, but what to work on next is going
to be the headache since this one is nearly completed. There is always either
"The Claiming of Venus" or "One Stormy Night."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Pluck A Rose
by Utena-chan
























Chapter Nine














The Underworld















Hades was avoiding her, Minthe had long decided as she had only seen him once or twice since her arrival. Even then, it had been a brief passing before one of the guards pulled him away to inspect something or another. And then there had been those whispered rumors throughout the darkened halls of the castle itself. She had not meant to overhear the servants but she couldn't help herself either. They had said that Hades had taken a bride. This was truly impossible as she had not seen nor heard of her and none of them dared give her any information about it. This was all fine. The girl was probably plain or even ugly that she kept from sight.

Minthe could wait. In fact, she held a very good amount of patience and she was truly looking forward to meeting this new queen, if that was the term. She, after all, had Hades' love not the unknown girl and she would prove this before her if she had to. Maybe even then this girl would leave such foolish notions of taking her place in Hades' life.

Minthe smiled a secret smile as a plan formed in her head. Would it not be wonderful to see the look upon this girl's face, having returned, to find them in bed together? Oh such delicious revenge. She would enjoy ever bit of it.

With this plan in mind, Minthe set off to learn the time frame of the girl's arrival back in the Underworld. She was sure her plan would work. After all, none had failed in the past. What could possibly go wrong with this one?












Hades sighed in exasperation. He had tried on numerous of occasions to explain to Minthe that their relationship was over and that he loved Persephone, but always something had come up tearing him away. He was sure the girl would take his rejection of her with a strong heart and find another, but there was something that bothered him. He knew she was possessive, but so perhaps was Persephone. Really he didn't know about Persephone as they had only been married a short time before Hermes had dragged her back to the upper world.

The very thought of Persephone sent the dark lord of the Underworld to want to see his young bride again. Though it was nearly time for her return, he couldn't find to wait much longer. He had become impatient since her departure, always counting down the hours to the seconds and the weeks to the very day he would have her again beside him. He still couldn't believe that after he had abducted her, she grew to love him. He had not expected it to happen. At least, not as fast as it did, but then she was still the same as he remembered her to be as a child.

Lifting a gloved hand, he allowed the image of Persephone to dance before him. She had grown more beautiful than the last he saw her. Yet, there was something in those water-blue eyes that spoke volumes of sadness and grief. Could it be that she was finding it hard to leave the world above?

He had expected this, even anticipated it. Persephone had grown up in the world above. She was not used to being in such a dark place as this, but she did it with duty, he supposed. In this, he wondered if she had truly loved him. The idea of not having her love sent the crimson-haired lord's heart to ache even further. He so wanted some sort of light to shine deep within this dark world and in his own life. She was the only thing he found that shined against the darkness of her surroundings.

The crimson-haired lord sighed again, flickering his wrist and allowing the image of his rose-haired bride to dissapate. Soon, she would be arrive and soon he would ask her her feelings.













Hecate's Cavern










Reaching up a hand, Death drew back the hood of his cloak, allowing strands of lavender to fall about his visage. He was still sure of Minthe being successful. After all, how could this girl even consider failing. She was in love with her dark lord. Perhaps even moreso than Persephone was, but then he didn't want to underestimate the daughter of Demeter. He didn't even dare.

Taking a step back, he allowed his jade green eyes to roam over the shadows of his sister's cave. Odd, how it was so quiet here when usually Hecate was conjuering up something or another. Thinking of his sister, he had not seen her since his arrival. He supposed she was busy, probably off somewhere gathering herbs for a spell or another. She had unseemingly distant herself from him and this had caught him off-guard, but then Hecate had made it quite clear in the beginning that she had no desire to be caught up in his fantasies.

He still couldn't fathom this in her. She was always by his side, willing to do anything he bid. Yet he could only come up that she did not dare bring upon her the wrath of both Zeus and Hades. After all, one does not anger either of those two no matter what. But he was different. Hades had something that been unreachable even to him and what better way than to make the dark God pay. He would use Minthe to his advantage and secure a place in the heart of Persephone, but even this could turn against him. He was always aware of this, but it didn't matter. He always had a back-up plan in mind.















Chapter Ten














Aboveground
The Setting of Fall
Demeter's grief












As the last of the leaf changed its color, Demeter knew all too well what was to come. She would lose her beloved daughter in just a few short hours and though she had tried several times already, she could not get Persephone to change her mind. The girl was set in her resolve to return to the man she had married so many months before.

Demeter had sighed in exasperation and tossed her hands upward looking for some sign of help. Help that would never come from Zeus. He had already made his decision upon this matter and it was up to her to honor it. Even though she hated the thought of losing her daughter, she knew she could not hold her back. Persephone had chosen to eat the fruit of the other side. Yet a part of Demeter wondered of this. She was sure Hades had poured some spell over her beloved her daughter and forced the seeds into her mouth, but even she could not prove or disprove this theory.

Instead, she chose the soil and weather to pour her grief into. What had once been beautiful, warm weather had turned cold and desolate as time neared. Even the mortal realm took note of this even though none knew why this change came. None dared ask either. They were far too afraid to conjuer her wrath as it happened only a few months before.

Persephone was even becoming aware of time shortage left upon the Earth. Her duties grew heavier with each passing day as she was trying to finish all she could before her time ended and she would return to the world below. Though she was still cheery, she also became feared by her Mother's priestess. They did not try to tease or even dare anger her for fear Hades would rise from the ground to pull their souls back down. Instead, they treated her with the utermost respect they gave her Mother. This, however, bothered her. She missed the fun before her abduction, but her world had long since changed. She had grown wiser as she carried the secrets of both life and death within her soul.

Persephone loved her mother, but her desire to return to her husband was strong. If one had asked her to describe such a feeling, she would tell them that it was like a web tightening around her and drawing her back to the source of the pull.

"My beautiful Kore."

The sound of her former name snapped her from her reverie and her head turned towards her Mother standing in the doorway. And though she wanted to answer, the sadness upon her mother's face halted any word to pass from her lips. Instead, she moved to comfort her, drawing the older woman in an embrace.

"Momma," she bgan unsure of what to say or even how to begin to say anything to her.

"Kore, I wish I had been home the day you were taken. If I had, then you would still be here all the time taking your place as you should have, but I had to leave...to attend duties so far away. I failed you."

Persephone shook her head, allowing wisps of rose pink hair to whip around her face. "No Momma," she replied, "you didn't. The Fates would have seen this carried out regardless if you had been there or not. It was their will and Father only gave it a push in the direction needed. He was right, after all. I am a Goddess in my own right and it was time I learned what my lot was. In time, I would have fallen in love be him mortal or God and eventually I would have had to leave you. This was my destiny."

Demeter frowned. It was odd hearing her little girl speak so grown up. She had truly matured. Far more than she had given her daughter credit for.

"I still cannot talk you out of this, can I?" There had been some faint glimmer of hope in Demeter's words as her eyes lifted to view those of her daughter's water-blue ones.

"No," came the answer.

"Then I suppose I should make the most of time left with you," she sighed sadly lowering her head again. "Perhaps I could throw a small feast for you."

Persephone allowed a small smile to tug on the corner of her mouth. "I would like that very much."












Persephone drew the velvet cloak around her and took one last look at her beloved world. The world looked so bleak now that she was leaving, but then she had her Mother to thank for that. Demeter had drained the color from the world and replaced it with dark blues and grays. She had been far too used to the beauty that it had once been that this change seemed so alien to her eyes. She would miss the colors far more as she was returning to the dark world below.

Reaching up a slender hand, she pushed away the strands of rose colored hair from her face and drew the cloak even closer around her. She longed for the warmth of the summer sun to be the last to touch her before her descension into the dark depths instead of the cold, icy fingers that touched her face almost in a lover's touch.

She shivered beneath her cloak as her steps hurried into the mouth of the cavern. The quicker she got to her husband's world, the warmer she would be there.













Minthe stepped into the master bedroom and allowed her dark eyes to feast upon her surroundings. It had been such a long time since she had last been here and things, much to her delight, had not truly changed. Her dark lover still held a passion for blood red silk sheets and very little light. This, she supposed, was his setting for seduction. However, today was going to be far different. The tables would turn upon him and she would be the one seducing. After all, it was far time she resumed her duties again as his mistress.

She took a step forward; her body trembling as her fingers rose to remove the empire waist-styled gown from her body. It fell quickly into a neat pool at her feet and she stepped out. She could almost imagine the shock of her lover's face when he came in. It would be too much for him, but then after his inital shock, he would sweep her into his arms and make passionate love to her. Oh yes, this was definitely going to be delicious to her.















As the boat drew nearer to the shore of souls, Persephone felt an odd thrill rush through her body. Soon, she would be reunited with her love and in this, she found her excitment growing. She had spent far too long apart from him and her mind begun spinning the threads of imagination deep within. She knew he loved her. He had confessed this during and before her removal from his world, but there was a part of Persephone that tore at this. She wanted to believe very much that his love continued growing stronger during her absence as hers did for him, but then she was quickly reminded of her Father and how he had numerous ladies on the sides.

This was not something Persephone wanted in her marriage. She didn't want the heartache Hera went through on a daily basis. She wanted a husband who was unexceptually loyal to her and their marriage.

"You must trust him," she berated herself allowed, drawing the curious stare of the ferryman, Charon.

"Something bothering you, my Queen?" the old ferryman asked rowing as quickly as he could.

Persephone shook her head, pasting a light smile upon her lips. "No," she assured him drawing back the hood of her velvet cloak and allowing strands of pink hair to cascade around her shoulders, "I was simply thinking aloud and nothing more."

The ferryman nodded his aged head as if he bought her words, but he knew that trouble was brewing on the horizon. He had been the one to carry Minthe across the river to the castle gates and knew that in time his Queen would find out. Zeus only knew what would happen next. This very thought caused Charon to give a word of thanks to Zeus as he would not be around to bear witness to any of this and his only hope was that his master had not taken the wench to his bed.

Charon shuddered to think of the consequences if he had. The old man was an excellent judge of character and he used this chance to study the beautiful Goddess before him. She seemed far too innocent for this world, but there was something about her. Something that spoke of wisdom and secrets and perhaps even a bit of a temper. Yes, indeed a short temper if she were pushed too far. He had to pity the fool, be it mortal or God, that crossed this young Goddess.

As the boat docked, Persephone stepped out onto the wooden dock and turned back to the aged ferryman. Reaching into the pockets of her cloak, she removed a small velvet bag and tossed it to Charon, who had the most unusual curious gaze set upon his face.

"It is a bag of gold for you, Charon," she stated with a smile and turned on heels to walk away.

The old boatman couldn't help but believe his luck. His beloved Queen had graced him with a year's worth of gold. He lifted his head to give his thanks to her but she was already gone, hidden from his visage by the growing mist of the Underworld.











A snarl caused Persephone's footing to falter and her head to turn to look towards the shadows from which she was sure it came. She didn't need to know who was there or even what the red glow came from. It was Cerberus, determined to do his job he had been brought up for, but it was her scent that caused the large dog to move out from the shadows.

The three-headed dog whimpered, lowering its heads to nudge its queen into a petting.Persephone chuckled softly, giving in to the demands.

"You miss me, didn't you Cereberus?" She whispered, laying her head on of them. "I missed you too. Tell me, you've been good, ne?"

The dog's tail waged back and forth at her words and this caused Persephone to smile even more.

"Then I shall bring you down a treat later on once I am settled back into the castle," she promised kissing each one of the three-headed dogs' nose. "Now go back to your place and make sure that no soul escapes your notice and I will be back as soon as possible,"

The dog did as his mistress commanded, returning to his place hidden within the shadows of the Underworld and looking forward to the treat that would come his way.

















Chapter Eleven











Minthe drew the silk coverlet around her nude frame and rose from the bed. Hades should have returned by now and this was causing the young woman's patience to deteriorate quickly. She was not used to be stood up. At least not by a God. She was used to having things go her way, but this seemed not to be.

Angered by another set back, she resigned herself to the knowledge that Hades was perhaps busy within Tartarus. It was perhaps the cruelest of all realms he ruled over and the deepest and harshest punishments were set there. She had never visited the place nor had she any desire to in the future. It was not something a young woman dared go into. Yet, she wondered if his new bride had even set foot there. She couldn't imagine this at all. The girl was probably too delicate and too gragile to even dare view such a horrid place.

Still, she didn't understand Hades' obsession, if that was what it was, to such a girl. She still knew little of the girl except for what the servants gossiped about but even they did not know she had been there listening. Her name was Kore and had been named Persephone by Hades. She was the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest and the Lady of the Grain, and Zeus, King of the Gods. She had rose-colored hair and water-blue eyes that were filled with compassion for the souls that entered the realm of the dead. To Minthe, it seemed even the servants were impressed and in love with their new queen, but she wouldn't not reserve judgement until she saw this girl face-to-face and she was sure she would have the upperhand.

Something outside the door snapped her from her thoughts and her heart began to pound rapidly in her chest. Her only thoughts were that Hades had returned and he knew she was waiting for him. A thrill washed over her body and all previous thoughts of Persephone were gone. She had little worry about the girl now.











Hades had spent a good part of the morning in the throne room, hearing and passing judgement upon the newly arrived souls. Though he left most of the sentencing to his three Judges, the last word always went to him and the those newly arrived souls often feared this. Yet, his mind really wasn't on any of the judgements. Rather, more on the arrival of his wife. He couldn't wait to see her and his quick arrival to their apartments to change and perhaps out to Charon's docks to await her arrival.

He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms again and smell the sweet fragance of spring roses waft from her body. His steps quickened to the bedroom door and his gloved hand reached for the gold knob, twisting it. Yet, what he found before him was not something he had expected nor the woman there either.

"Minthe," he acknowledged as he stiffened.

"Aren't you at all glad to see me, my dark lover?" Minthe purred moving towards Hades with a seductive sway of her hips.

"Once I would have been," he bit out narrowing his dark blue eyes at her, "but that had been years ago before my marriage. Now, if you will kindly dress yourself and leave this room before I toss you out as you are dressed. I am quite sure my men would find that quite appealing."

Minthe glared at Hades, angry that he had turned her down. She was sure that this new bride of his had cast some sort of witchery spell over him.

"Go, Minthe, before Persephone sees you like this," Hades warned. "Though I have never seen my wife angry nor do I wish to, I suggest you hurry yourself quickly."

Minthe didn't move. She wanted Persephone to walk through that door and see her as she was. She wanted the girl to think the worse. It would be her ultimate revenge against Hades. She didn't give a damn what he did to her.






Persephone rushed through the dimly lit hallway, passing by servants who were thrilled to have her return. Though she longed to stop and chat with them, she had other important matters to attend to. She wanted to see Hades moreso than anything in this world. He was the reason why she was here now, racing like a child to find him. Already she had tried the throne room and had almost considered entering Tartarus. That had been the thought before one of the guards came upon her and directed her towards the castle.

Persephone's cheeks were flushed pink and her eyes were sparkling with excitment. She couldn't wait. She was going to throw herself into her husband's arms and kiss him senseless.

As the bedroom came into view and Persephone continued her hurried steps towards it, the image of a young woman halted them. She was draped in the red silk sheets that she knew had been on the bed and the worse came to mind.

Tears sprung down her face as a slender hand clasped itself firmly over her mouth to stifle a shocked gasp from her lips. She couldn't believe. More tried to deny it had even happened. She wanted to believe her husband was innocent of the crime but the evidence was there before.

Rage quickly replaced all other emotion sending Persephone storming into the room. Her water-blue eyes darkened like storms from the sea. She didn't dare acknowledge her husband who stood there expressionless but the woman still half-naked.

"You dare think to take my place, nymph?" She demanded coldly lifting a hand out and a finger to point itself in accusation at Minthe. "For punishment, I curse you to live your life as a plant."

With those words said, Minthe's form was transformed into a green plant.

"Persephone," Hades whispered her name shocked by what his wife had done. Yet, there was a hint of amusement swimming within the depths of his dark blue eyes.

"Don't you ever bring another woman to our room, Hades," she warned and turned on heels to leave him there alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Soon:
Persephone kidnapped again...?
Death takes a seat