Disclaimer: I don't own the story of Persephone and Hades...
Author's Note: I owe everyone a sincere apology- school has been out for a week and I spent that week very busy so I didn't get to update. I hope this longer chapter compensates for it somewhat. I'll try to make it up to everyone. Thank you for your patience!
Some more FYI: Caligo- latin for darkness; Alba- relating to whiteness (ie albino)
The Lovely People Who Clicked the Button Last Time (Thank you!):
Ellsie: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!! =)
restlesspirit: Thank you!!
demented-dreamer: You made my week with your comment! =) And thanks for input.
Valiowk : Thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you like this chapter, too.
On to the story!
CHAPTER FIVE: PRICE OF A POMEGRANATE
When she was welcomed at the door with gloomy eyes and a stern face from the same dark servant who had led Hermes to her room, she was not intimidated. Not so with her kittens, however. She was carrying them in the same basket, resting it on her hip and holding them close as they meowed pitifully.
"Shhhh.... it's alright," she whispered soothingly and stroked them gently. For eating those seeds she was bound to this place, she thought. So this was the price of a pomegranate... and I will find out just how high of a price it really is, she thought to herself.
"Whet's wrong wit yer kitties?"
Persephone looked at him distastefully. "They're fine-"
He pulled the hood further over his head, shadowing his eyes. "Must b'the dark. I s'posse they don't like the dark," he said, leading her out of the foyer.
"I can't imagine anyone liking it," Persephone blurted out without thinking and immediately she bit her tongue, looking at the man with his hood pulled fiercely over his face.
"Ye get used to it," he replied tersely began walking up a spiral staircase. When Persephone simply stood at the foot of the steps, still holding the basket with kittens, he motioned her to follow him. So in silence she followed him up the stairs, down long, black marbled corridors and to a room which she thought was the old one she had been in before. However, when he opened the door, she thought she must have been mistaken. The bedding and curtains around the canopy bed were still black paisley but the rest of the furniture- the walls were all bright and colorful.
There was a large oak dresser with four drawers, on which she found her few sentimentally-valued objects that she had kept back at home. The pale lavender of the walls matched the breezy curtains on the large windows through which sunlight streamed. Sunlight? Where did it come from? She was in the underworld... But to her it didn't matter at the moment. Who cared- the room was pretty and she loved pretty things!
The walls left of the large bed were lined with low waist-high bookcases full of large volumes with titles such as "To Experience Life in Nature", "Animals in Forests", and "Remarkable Flowering Plants Found in the Wild"- exactly the types of books she'd have picked.
"I trust ye like it," the man said, noticing her lips turn slightly up into a smile. "He wanted it to be 'specially fer ye."
"I'd like to thank him," Persephone found herself saying stiffly.
"I s'posse ye'll be able to soon enough.." and he turned his back to her and walked out the door into the dark hallway.
"Thank You," she said quietly and closed the door after he left. Leaning against the door, she looked around the new room again. It was as if he had read into her mind and done everything (but the black bed) the way that she would have done it. Then she saw the bouquets of flowers all over the room. WILTED flowers. With one fresh and beautiful orchid in the center of each one. Persephone felt goosebumps on her arms. How would he know about that?
At that moment she absolutely set her mind to hating the room and everything in it. Her stubborn will would not cave in to anything. Secretly, in trains of thought that she would never even admit to herself of having, Persephone wanted to know more about the dark lord of the Underworld, and wanted to embrace the shadows and love the dead. This curiosity of darkness scared her as she thought about it now, glancing around the sun-filled room.
When she heard the meowing of five cats, she remembered reality again and picked up the basket of cats, and setting it down on a small cushioned bench with off-white upholstery at the foot of her bed. She lifted them all out and set them down on her bedspread. She lay on her stomach on the bed and played with them, searching her mind for good names.
The black one she decided to call Caligo, the white one she named Alba and lay on the bed for a long time, pondering names for her two gray kittens as she watched them play with Dinnie. Even as she watched the kittens, she rested her eyes, closing them, and finally fell asleep.
She dreamt that she was flying in the sky with wings made of rainbow-colored grass and wore a beautiful gown of purple flowers. In her hair, was a woven crown of black orchids. As she flew, she found a young man with the same wings, flying around. She felt herself being pulled into something deep into the sky as she held his hand, being pulled into an invisible black hole. He held her hand, trying to pull her out, but her fingers slipped through his hand and she fell through the opening. She heard her voice screaming in the dream, and just as she disappeared through the hole, she woke up with a start and remembered the young man from the forest and recognized him as the same from her dream. Adonis... Adonis... the name echoed in her mind.
She looked around her room again. Where were her kittens?
Word was getting around Olympus, especially with avid gossipers like Hera herself, Echo, and the rest of the goddesses, who couldn't keep themselves from dishing the dirt. All kinds of stories were heard- from Persephone running away from home to be with dark and handsome Hades, to Hades kidnapping the young girl and holding her for ransom so that Zeus might re-divide the kingdoms so each brother would have an equal share.
Zeus himself, however, paid no mind to the stories and ignored whatever he heard. Demeter did not ask him why he did not intercept the stories, for she followed his manner, but after a while she was not there any longer to hear the wild rumors. After several days had passed, Demeter's frequent visits to Olympus did not continue and she was now rarely seen with the other Gods and Goddesses anymore. The goddesses told each other that this was most likely because she did not want to face them and be confronted about it.
The only ones who refused to partake in any of it were Zeus, who disliked hearing the tales about his daughter which became wilder each week; Hermes, who had fetched Persephone herself, and later found himself escorting her back; Demeter, whose face was not common at Olympus anymore; and Hephaestus, the kindest of the gods, who disliked rumor especially since he had had his fair share of the troubles it lead to in his difficult marriage to Aphrodite. The rest of them were rather enjoying the juicy tales, some more than others.
No one really dared to confront Zeus about the truth, however. But the confident, and curious Hera couldn't stand the tension around those who knew what happened any longer and asked.
Setting down her goblet after a sip, she asked with great nonchalance, "We haven't heard anything from Demeter lately- does anyone really know what's going on?
The rest of the gods attending the meal struggled to keep a straight face.
"That's because it's winter," Zeus explained, watching the entertainment.
"Oh?" Hera asked with mock-concern.
"The new seasons, I believe," said Hermes, used to answering questions. "It's snowing right now."
"The seasons don't have anything to do with Demeter or her daughter do they?" Hera asked once again.
"What do you mean?" Zeus turned to face his wife next to him.
"I don't know," she shrugged casually. "It's just that I've heard Perseph-
"That's enough," Zeus cut her off in a very final tone and he turned back to his plate, stabbing at random things with his fork.
Hera looked quite insulted and she sulkily turned around to chat with her neighbor, Aphrodite.
Hephaestus, who was sitted across from his wife spoke up, "Father- you know some of us (he shot a Hera, who was preoccupied, talking to Aphrodite, a dirty look) are actually concerned about Demeter and Persephone. We know nothing about where they are, what happened or why. I am genuinely worried."
When it came to his sons, even the ugly Hephaestus, Zeus always softened. And though he did not show it, he loved the blacksmith, and knew his sincerity.
"Since you all really do seem to care," Zeus started, putting down his utensils, "I'll tell you not to worry. Persephone is perfectly fine." He paused. "Now none this should be talked about. I will explain it once and that will be the end of it, understood?" He eyed his wife. When everyone had nodded their head in some sort of agreement, he continued, "Hades has gone to make her his Queen, but she'll only be there for less than half the year. The other half, you'll definitely see her." He took a sip from his goblet. "As for Demeter, I imagine she is very sad right now. You all know how hard it is to let go of a child so close. I think it would be good if you would take the time to visit her at home every once in a while to keep her some company and comfort her."
And everyone continued on with the meal, and no further questions were asked on the subject. Even the incurably curious Hera didn't dare to ask any more questions.
Persephone had not been able to find them in her room, and despite her reluctance at leaving her bright and sunny room, for the sake of her kittens, she had still ventured out of her room and went exploring in the large house. Of course she had gotten carried away, and simply forgot about the cats, instead looking for seemingly-interesting hallways with chilling paintings and heavy doors with strange markings. She did not even think about being scared or ever finding her way back- she was just too fascinated.
The paintings that lined the walls were all of talented artists- there was no doubt about it, but so unlike any other different kinds of art Persephone had ever seen. They weren't gory or violent but hauntingly dark. She saw two simple silhouettes facing each other- a typical subject, but in the painting one could sense their corruption. Another portrayed an eerie too-innocent-looking girl looking at herself in the mirror and seeing a disfigured face as her reflection that did not seem human.
The last picture was large and very beautiful, she thought. It was a portrait of the Lord Hades himself, looking as sharp and slick as ever. The frame of the painting itself showed signs of age, but the man on the canvas, did not look any older than when she had seen him last. As she studied his face now, she recognized the handsome qualities that had given her shivers before- the lovely indigo eyes, the face that showed so much character. She couldn't help but reach her hand out to touch his cheek as she had when he had visited her room.
How different he was from.....! Who had she been thinking of? A... Ado...Ado... Adon.... Adonis! Why was she forgetting things again? Was she having conflicting feelings? No. Certainly not. She liked Adonis. What feelings were there to conflict with those for Adonis? She didn't feel anything for Hades- and she quickly snatched her hand away and moved on.
She saw a mirror on the wall with a tarnished frame, but the designs were still clear. At the top of the mirror's frame was a carved goblin face. As she passed by it, it began to scream a blood-curdling cry. Persephone nearly knocked it down as she jumped with fright and ran on to the next hallway.
The hallway she had picked this time ended in a dead end, but there were double doors at the very end that seemed to summon her with magnetic forces. She walked towards the double doors. For a moment she leaned her ear against the wood to listen for sounds. Hearing nothing, she put her hand on the knob- but just as she was about to open the door, she heard the mirror screaming. Did that mean someone was coming? Persephone took cover in the shadows and watched for someone. She thought she smelled a breeze that carried what she thought must be his scent. And suddenly, out of nowhere it seemed, he appeared. Persephone withdrew herself further into the shadows.
"You don't need to try to hide," he said quietly, looking directly at her, "I already see you." Persephone didn't answer and he continued, "Please come out of the dark. I'd like to see you when I speak to you."
Persephone came into the dim lights to face him.
"Thank you."
She looked at him blankly, waiting for a continuation.
"Please don't go through that door." His indigo eyes seemed to bore a hole through her, and she felt a burning sensation inside her iris as she looked into his eyes. "You can explore anywhere else you like, but since I gave you privacy in your room, I believe I'm allowed to have privacy as well and going through that door would be invading it."
Automatically it shot out of her mouth, "I'm so sorry."
"I'm asking you not to come back here anymore." He spoke calmly with a deep and rich voice, she nearly wanted him to continue lecturing her just to hear that voice...
"I won't," she said without thinking, and then shamefully looked at her reflection in the spotless black marble floor. She hadn't meant that, had she? She would probably come back, wouldn't she? And the curious Persephone could not help wondering what could be hidden behind a door that he didn't want her to know about. What price did one pay who invaded Lord Hades' privacy?
"Do you need help getting back?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"If you could have your hooded servant show me back, it'd be enough," her hands were growing clammy.
"I'll do it myself," and he reached a large square hand out to take hers and interlaced his fingers with hers. She marveled at how cool his hand felt and she felt goosebumps on her arms once more. "You feel cold," he remarked after a few steps and despite Persephone's assurance that she was fine, he pulled his long black cloak around her small shoulders. She felt some kind of warmness when he wrapped her in the cloak, and suddenly his hand felt warm, too. His face was so close to hers- She could feel motion in his chest either from breathing or his beating heart.
"There's something I don't understand," Persephone said suddenly, holding on to the cloak.
"Nobody can understand everything," he answered simply.
"One can make an effort to," Persephone answered, showing her stubborn streak once more.
"Effort is effort- but in the end it is useless. In the end, the Three Fates decide what happens to you," he said.
"Not gods or goddesses," she said indignantly and he was taken back.
"We're still not in complete control- and this is a good thing."
"Why?" she asked simply.
"Why what?"
Persephone decided to change the direction of the conversation, "Why I am here?" she looked at him intently. He stared at her.
"Why did you bring me here?" They had stopped in front of the door to her room.
He looked pensive for a little while, and then answered, "I think that there was something truly missing here. I can't explain what it is- but I know that you have it," and he squeezed her hand, and looked at her with his sparkling eyes again.
"What about the people I've left behind? I'll only see them half of a year," she said, sounding sadder than she had meant to.
"I would not take something from someone who I thought would need it less than I do," he said, focusing on her clearly. Persephone felt her heart skip a beat- or two or three as she heard him say the words. He untangled his fingers from her and planted a brief kiss on her hand.
"You need me?" she blurted out. She could have bitten her tongue. But no one had ever told her something like that before, besides her mother who she knew loved her.
But he simply began to walk, looking once over his shoulder with what she thought was almost a smile. and after a few more strides he seemed to dissolve into the gloominess. How did he always manage to appear and disappear like that? Maybe because he blended in so well....
She quickly touched her hand where he had kissed it to her cheek. To her lips. What would happen if his lips touched those places? What would happen if he did...? Persephone closed her eyes. She had yet to experience more of it. Though she had never had the "Birds and Bees" talk from anyone, she could feel a quality that she knew no name for that was obviously showing- her sexuality. She did not want to say so, even to herself, but she liked it.. What was Hades doing to her?
She awoke from her reverie when she heard cats meowing and went in the door to find her cats on the bed again. What was Hades doing to her? Why had she eaten the pomegranate...? And now she would have to stay. She would have to face him. ... She must think of something else....
Where was Adonis right now? She wondered if he had found his way back to the farmer road.
The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky. The shadows on the ground were short and wide as Adonis kicked up small bits of dirt as he walked.
It was early afternoon when he spotted the humble cottage he called home. He had easily found the road he had been on- and several hundred feet later, he even found the hoe he dropped. After shouldering it and walking on, he reached the small village. As he approached the loosely-spaced group of houses, he thought about them warmly- his home, his birthplace.
More sentimental and thoughtful than most, Adonis often thought about what it would be like to raise his own children in this same village one day... Children... which reminded him- where were the sounds of the usual children playing?
He assumed that everyone else in the village was working in the fields, but to him, the town felt strange, eerily quiet and too empty. Children and elders watched the houses, but even their presence could not be felt. The small houses in the village were spaced far apart but usually one could hear the familiar sounds from the neighboring residences. Perhaps everyone was at a gathering? A roast? He was sure he could smell burning. But then again, that could just be the smell of the hearths. Did they usually smell so strongly? Perhaps he was just paranoid. Where the people were was most important. Especially those that mattered to him.
He changed his gait from hurried and long strides to quiet and careful. He didn't know what to expect as he sneaked into the house. His frail aging grandmother should be home, along with his sunny, energetic, three year-old nephew. His brother, sister-in-law, and bachelor uncle should be in the fields. He opened the door, expecting the worst, but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Perhaps this was even worse. His grandmother never left the rocking chair by the fireplace. She wasn't there.
He put the farmer tools he had carried with him in their proper place and hurried outside. That's when he saw it- and saw the culprit of the strange smells. The houses behind his were ablaze! They were burning too much to put out. The number of trips it would take to the well to put out the flames was impossible- especially with him by himself. But where was everyone else?
He hurried through the brush and shrubbery from house to house, looking inside the ones that weren't on fire for people or possible explanations. After hurrying around, he came to what was nearly the center of the village- a pile of corpses. And the smell of burning flesh... He thought he saw a face- his young nephew's face and he his heart skipped a beat. But then he realized that he was hallucinating- the bodies were already too deteriorated to recognize any individual figures. Though he felt his eyes burning with tears he quickly took off in direction of the nearest stable.
He had to sprint to a stable on the edge of the village for horses, for whoever had committed the mass murder had looted the stables as well. He rode bareback in order to save time by not saddling the horse- to chase after whoever it had been. Adonis was good at reading animal tracks and rode after the horse tracks he saw up through flat hills.
He was lucky and less than three-quarters of an hour later, he already saw a group of riders kicking up clouds of dust. They would pay....
He recognized what must be the leader of the group on a dark Arabian, obviously not stolen from the stables. Adonis, athletic and an extremely good rider had caught up to him in very short time, veering in between the other riders skillfully and quickly. He did his best to ride as close as he could to the Arabian. Eyeing the leader carefully while still managing to stay on his horse, he could see that he was a stout large man. This could be to Adonis' advantage for he was not as adept and quick as Adonis.
That thought died in Adonis when he pulled a knife and his followers mimicked him. Adonis had no weapon.
So did the first thing that came to mind- used what he had. The skilled rider, ventured as near his opponent as he dared and used his feet. He managed to throw the leader off balance, especially with the knife he was holding. It was clear that he was not the best of riders, Adonis recognized, by the way he held his reins.
In two quick motions, Adonis had gotten hold of the knife and wasted no time plunging it into his chest. It had been too fast for any of the group to do anything, but as they saw the leader fall, they bared their knives and teeth at the stranger.
At that moment, several thoughts were running through Adonis' head while so much had happened so quickly. The first one was nearly regretting the fact that he had killed a man without the thinking, but the second was rejoicing for he had avenged the people- his family's deaths. Then there was his Aphrodite- the girl from the forest, how brimming with happiness he was at the thought of her and how thankful he was that she was not from his village... The last thought of all was the undeniable fact that he had no chance against the two dozen armed, strong men on horseback.
They would not kill him- he knew so. And he did the only thing he knew he could to get away from them- he let go of his reins and- jumped, his body crushed by the hooves of horses from his own village.
To be continued...
Argh... -winces- I know how badly I suck at action scenes -sighs- Let me know what you thought, anyway. (and you know I mean that)
-Constructive criticism is ALWAYS appreciated-
Author's Note: I owe everyone a sincere apology- school has been out for a week and I spent that week very busy so I didn't get to update. I hope this longer chapter compensates for it somewhat. I'll try to make it up to everyone. Thank you for your patience!
Some more FYI: Caligo- latin for darkness; Alba- relating to whiteness (ie albino)
The Lovely People Who Clicked the Button Last Time (Thank you!):
Ellsie: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!! =)
restlesspirit: Thank you!!
demented-dreamer: You made my week with your comment! =) And thanks for input.
Valiowk : Thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope you like this chapter, too.
On to the story!
CHAPTER FIVE: PRICE OF A POMEGRANATE
When she was welcomed at the door with gloomy eyes and a stern face from the same dark servant who had led Hermes to her room, she was not intimidated. Not so with her kittens, however. She was carrying them in the same basket, resting it on her hip and holding them close as they meowed pitifully.
"Shhhh.... it's alright," she whispered soothingly and stroked them gently. For eating those seeds she was bound to this place, she thought. So this was the price of a pomegranate... and I will find out just how high of a price it really is, she thought to herself.
"Whet's wrong wit yer kitties?"
Persephone looked at him distastefully. "They're fine-"
He pulled the hood further over his head, shadowing his eyes. "Must b'the dark. I s'posse they don't like the dark," he said, leading her out of the foyer.
"I can't imagine anyone liking it," Persephone blurted out without thinking and immediately she bit her tongue, looking at the man with his hood pulled fiercely over his face.
"Ye get used to it," he replied tersely began walking up a spiral staircase. When Persephone simply stood at the foot of the steps, still holding the basket with kittens, he motioned her to follow him. So in silence she followed him up the stairs, down long, black marbled corridors and to a room which she thought was the old one she had been in before. However, when he opened the door, she thought she must have been mistaken. The bedding and curtains around the canopy bed were still black paisley but the rest of the furniture- the walls were all bright and colorful.
There was a large oak dresser with four drawers, on which she found her few sentimentally-valued objects that she had kept back at home. The pale lavender of the walls matched the breezy curtains on the large windows through which sunlight streamed. Sunlight? Where did it come from? She was in the underworld... But to her it didn't matter at the moment. Who cared- the room was pretty and she loved pretty things!
The walls left of the large bed were lined with low waist-high bookcases full of large volumes with titles such as "To Experience Life in Nature", "Animals in Forests", and "Remarkable Flowering Plants Found in the Wild"- exactly the types of books she'd have picked.
"I trust ye like it," the man said, noticing her lips turn slightly up into a smile. "He wanted it to be 'specially fer ye."
"I'd like to thank him," Persephone found herself saying stiffly.
"I s'posse ye'll be able to soon enough.." and he turned his back to her and walked out the door into the dark hallway.
"Thank You," she said quietly and closed the door after he left. Leaning against the door, she looked around the new room again. It was as if he had read into her mind and done everything (but the black bed) the way that she would have done it. Then she saw the bouquets of flowers all over the room. WILTED flowers. With one fresh and beautiful orchid in the center of each one. Persephone felt goosebumps on her arms. How would he know about that?
At that moment she absolutely set her mind to hating the room and everything in it. Her stubborn will would not cave in to anything. Secretly, in trains of thought that she would never even admit to herself of having, Persephone wanted to know more about the dark lord of the Underworld, and wanted to embrace the shadows and love the dead. This curiosity of darkness scared her as she thought about it now, glancing around the sun-filled room.
When she heard the meowing of five cats, she remembered reality again and picked up the basket of cats, and setting it down on a small cushioned bench with off-white upholstery at the foot of her bed. She lifted them all out and set them down on her bedspread. She lay on her stomach on the bed and played with them, searching her mind for good names.
The black one she decided to call Caligo, the white one she named Alba and lay on the bed for a long time, pondering names for her two gray kittens as she watched them play with Dinnie. Even as she watched the kittens, she rested her eyes, closing them, and finally fell asleep.
She dreamt that she was flying in the sky with wings made of rainbow-colored grass and wore a beautiful gown of purple flowers. In her hair, was a woven crown of black orchids. As she flew, she found a young man with the same wings, flying around. She felt herself being pulled into something deep into the sky as she held his hand, being pulled into an invisible black hole. He held her hand, trying to pull her out, but her fingers slipped through his hand and she fell through the opening. She heard her voice screaming in the dream, and just as she disappeared through the hole, she woke up with a start and remembered the young man from the forest and recognized him as the same from her dream. Adonis... Adonis... the name echoed in her mind.
She looked around her room again. Where were her kittens?
Word was getting around Olympus, especially with avid gossipers like Hera herself, Echo, and the rest of the goddesses, who couldn't keep themselves from dishing the dirt. All kinds of stories were heard- from Persephone running away from home to be with dark and handsome Hades, to Hades kidnapping the young girl and holding her for ransom so that Zeus might re-divide the kingdoms so each brother would have an equal share.
Zeus himself, however, paid no mind to the stories and ignored whatever he heard. Demeter did not ask him why he did not intercept the stories, for she followed his manner, but after a while she was not there any longer to hear the wild rumors. After several days had passed, Demeter's frequent visits to Olympus did not continue and she was now rarely seen with the other Gods and Goddesses anymore. The goddesses told each other that this was most likely because she did not want to face them and be confronted about it.
The only ones who refused to partake in any of it were Zeus, who disliked hearing the tales about his daughter which became wilder each week; Hermes, who had fetched Persephone herself, and later found himself escorting her back; Demeter, whose face was not common at Olympus anymore; and Hephaestus, the kindest of the gods, who disliked rumor especially since he had had his fair share of the troubles it lead to in his difficult marriage to Aphrodite. The rest of them were rather enjoying the juicy tales, some more than others.
No one really dared to confront Zeus about the truth, however. But the confident, and curious Hera couldn't stand the tension around those who knew what happened any longer and asked.
Setting down her goblet after a sip, she asked with great nonchalance, "We haven't heard anything from Demeter lately- does anyone really know what's going on?
The rest of the gods attending the meal struggled to keep a straight face.
"That's because it's winter," Zeus explained, watching the entertainment.
"Oh?" Hera asked with mock-concern.
"The new seasons, I believe," said Hermes, used to answering questions. "It's snowing right now."
"The seasons don't have anything to do with Demeter or her daughter do they?" Hera asked once again.
"What do you mean?" Zeus turned to face his wife next to him.
"I don't know," she shrugged casually. "It's just that I've heard Perseph-
"That's enough," Zeus cut her off in a very final tone and he turned back to his plate, stabbing at random things with his fork.
Hera looked quite insulted and she sulkily turned around to chat with her neighbor, Aphrodite.
Hephaestus, who was sitted across from his wife spoke up, "Father- you know some of us (he shot a Hera, who was preoccupied, talking to Aphrodite, a dirty look) are actually concerned about Demeter and Persephone. We know nothing about where they are, what happened or why. I am genuinely worried."
When it came to his sons, even the ugly Hephaestus, Zeus always softened. And though he did not show it, he loved the blacksmith, and knew his sincerity.
"Since you all really do seem to care," Zeus started, putting down his utensils, "I'll tell you not to worry. Persephone is perfectly fine." He paused. "Now none this should be talked about. I will explain it once and that will be the end of it, understood?" He eyed his wife. When everyone had nodded their head in some sort of agreement, he continued, "Hades has gone to make her his Queen, but she'll only be there for less than half the year. The other half, you'll definitely see her." He took a sip from his goblet. "As for Demeter, I imagine she is very sad right now. You all know how hard it is to let go of a child so close. I think it would be good if you would take the time to visit her at home every once in a while to keep her some company and comfort her."
And everyone continued on with the meal, and no further questions were asked on the subject. Even the incurably curious Hera didn't dare to ask any more questions.
Persephone had not been able to find them in her room, and despite her reluctance at leaving her bright and sunny room, for the sake of her kittens, she had still ventured out of her room and went exploring in the large house. Of course she had gotten carried away, and simply forgot about the cats, instead looking for seemingly-interesting hallways with chilling paintings and heavy doors with strange markings. She did not even think about being scared or ever finding her way back- she was just too fascinated.
The paintings that lined the walls were all of talented artists- there was no doubt about it, but so unlike any other different kinds of art Persephone had ever seen. They weren't gory or violent but hauntingly dark. She saw two simple silhouettes facing each other- a typical subject, but in the painting one could sense their corruption. Another portrayed an eerie too-innocent-looking girl looking at herself in the mirror and seeing a disfigured face as her reflection that did not seem human.
The last picture was large and very beautiful, she thought. It was a portrait of the Lord Hades himself, looking as sharp and slick as ever. The frame of the painting itself showed signs of age, but the man on the canvas, did not look any older than when she had seen him last. As she studied his face now, she recognized the handsome qualities that had given her shivers before- the lovely indigo eyes, the face that showed so much character. She couldn't help but reach her hand out to touch his cheek as she had when he had visited her room.
How different he was from.....! Who had she been thinking of? A... Ado...Ado... Adon.... Adonis! Why was she forgetting things again? Was she having conflicting feelings? No. Certainly not. She liked Adonis. What feelings were there to conflict with those for Adonis? She didn't feel anything for Hades- and she quickly snatched her hand away and moved on.
She saw a mirror on the wall with a tarnished frame, but the designs were still clear. At the top of the mirror's frame was a carved goblin face. As she passed by it, it began to scream a blood-curdling cry. Persephone nearly knocked it down as she jumped with fright and ran on to the next hallway.
The hallway she had picked this time ended in a dead end, but there were double doors at the very end that seemed to summon her with magnetic forces. She walked towards the double doors. For a moment she leaned her ear against the wood to listen for sounds. Hearing nothing, she put her hand on the knob- but just as she was about to open the door, she heard the mirror screaming. Did that mean someone was coming? Persephone took cover in the shadows and watched for someone. She thought she smelled a breeze that carried what she thought must be his scent. And suddenly, out of nowhere it seemed, he appeared. Persephone withdrew herself further into the shadows.
"You don't need to try to hide," he said quietly, looking directly at her, "I already see you." Persephone didn't answer and he continued, "Please come out of the dark. I'd like to see you when I speak to you."
Persephone came into the dim lights to face him.
"Thank you."
She looked at him blankly, waiting for a continuation.
"Please don't go through that door." His indigo eyes seemed to bore a hole through her, and she felt a burning sensation inside her iris as she looked into his eyes. "You can explore anywhere else you like, but since I gave you privacy in your room, I believe I'm allowed to have privacy as well and going through that door would be invading it."
Automatically it shot out of her mouth, "I'm so sorry."
"I'm asking you not to come back here anymore." He spoke calmly with a deep and rich voice, she nearly wanted him to continue lecturing her just to hear that voice...
"I won't," she said without thinking, and then shamefully looked at her reflection in the spotless black marble floor. She hadn't meant that, had she? She would probably come back, wouldn't she? And the curious Persephone could not help wondering what could be hidden behind a door that he didn't want her to know about. What price did one pay who invaded Lord Hades' privacy?
"Do you need help getting back?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"If you could have your hooded servant show me back, it'd be enough," her hands were growing clammy.
"I'll do it myself," and he reached a large square hand out to take hers and interlaced his fingers with hers. She marveled at how cool his hand felt and she felt goosebumps on her arms once more. "You feel cold," he remarked after a few steps and despite Persephone's assurance that she was fine, he pulled his long black cloak around her small shoulders. She felt some kind of warmness when he wrapped her in the cloak, and suddenly his hand felt warm, too. His face was so close to hers- She could feel motion in his chest either from breathing or his beating heart.
"There's something I don't understand," Persephone said suddenly, holding on to the cloak.
"Nobody can understand everything," he answered simply.
"One can make an effort to," Persephone answered, showing her stubborn streak once more.
"Effort is effort- but in the end it is useless. In the end, the Three Fates decide what happens to you," he said.
"Not gods or goddesses," she said indignantly and he was taken back.
"We're still not in complete control- and this is a good thing."
"Why?" she asked simply.
"Why what?"
Persephone decided to change the direction of the conversation, "Why I am here?" she looked at him intently. He stared at her.
"Why did you bring me here?" They had stopped in front of the door to her room.
He looked pensive for a little while, and then answered, "I think that there was something truly missing here. I can't explain what it is- but I know that you have it," and he squeezed her hand, and looked at her with his sparkling eyes again.
"What about the people I've left behind? I'll only see them half of a year," she said, sounding sadder than she had meant to.
"I would not take something from someone who I thought would need it less than I do," he said, focusing on her clearly. Persephone felt her heart skip a beat- or two or three as she heard him say the words. He untangled his fingers from her and planted a brief kiss on her hand.
"You need me?" she blurted out. She could have bitten her tongue. But no one had ever told her something like that before, besides her mother who she knew loved her.
But he simply began to walk, looking once over his shoulder with what she thought was almost a smile. and after a few more strides he seemed to dissolve into the gloominess. How did he always manage to appear and disappear like that? Maybe because he blended in so well....
She quickly touched her hand where he had kissed it to her cheek. To her lips. What would happen if his lips touched those places? What would happen if he did...? Persephone closed her eyes. She had yet to experience more of it. Though she had never had the "Birds and Bees" talk from anyone, she could feel a quality that she knew no name for that was obviously showing- her sexuality. She did not want to say so, even to herself, but she liked it.. What was Hades doing to her?
She awoke from her reverie when she heard cats meowing and went in the door to find her cats on the bed again. What was Hades doing to her? Why had she eaten the pomegranate...? And now she would have to stay. She would have to face him. ... She must think of something else....
Where was Adonis right now? She wondered if he had found his way back to the farmer road.
The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky. The shadows on the ground were short and wide as Adonis kicked up small bits of dirt as he walked.
It was early afternoon when he spotted the humble cottage he called home. He had easily found the road he had been on- and several hundred feet later, he even found the hoe he dropped. After shouldering it and walking on, he reached the small village. As he approached the loosely-spaced group of houses, he thought about them warmly- his home, his birthplace.
More sentimental and thoughtful than most, Adonis often thought about what it would be like to raise his own children in this same village one day... Children... which reminded him- where were the sounds of the usual children playing?
He assumed that everyone else in the village was working in the fields, but to him, the town felt strange, eerily quiet and too empty. Children and elders watched the houses, but even their presence could not be felt. The small houses in the village were spaced far apart but usually one could hear the familiar sounds from the neighboring residences. Perhaps everyone was at a gathering? A roast? He was sure he could smell burning. But then again, that could just be the smell of the hearths. Did they usually smell so strongly? Perhaps he was just paranoid. Where the people were was most important. Especially those that mattered to him.
He changed his gait from hurried and long strides to quiet and careful. He didn't know what to expect as he sneaked into the house. His frail aging grandmother should be home, along with his sunny, energetic, three year-old nephew. His brother, sister-in-law, and bachelor uncle should be in the fields. He opened the door, expecting the worst, but there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Perhaps this was even worse. His grandmother never left the rocking chair by the fireplace. She wasn't there.
He put the farmer tools he had carried with him in their proper place and hurried outside. That's when he saw it- and saw the culprit of the strange smells. The houses behind his were ablaze! They were burning too much to put out. The number of trips it would take to the well to put out the flames was impossible- especially with him by himself. But where was everyone else?
He hurried through the brush and shrubbery from house to house, looking inside the ones that weren't on fire for people or possible explanations. After hurrying around, he came to what was nearly the center of the village- a pile of corpses. And the smell of burning flesh... He thought he saw a face- his young nephew's face and he his heart skipped a beat. But then he realized that he was hallucinating- the bodies were already too deteriorated to recognize any individual figures. Though he felt his eyes burning with tears he quickly took off in direction of the nearest stable.
He had to sprint to a stable on the edge of the village for horses, for whoever had committed the mass murder had looted the stables as well. He rode bareback in order to save time by not saddling the horse- to chase after whoever it had been. Adonis was good at reading animal tracks and rode after the horse tracks he saw up through flat hills.
He was lucky and less than three-quarters of an hour later, he already saw a group of riders kicking up clouds of dust. They would pay....
He recognized what must be the leader of the group on a dark Arabian, obviously not stolen from the stables. Adonis, athletic and an extremely good rider had caught up to him in very short time, veering in between the other riders skillfully and quickly. He did his best to ride as close as he could to the Arabian. Eyeing the leader carefully while still managing to stay on his horse, he could see that he was a stout large man. This could be to Adonis' advantage for he was not as adept and quick as Adonis.
That thought died in Adonis when he pulled a knife and his followers mimicked him. Adonis had no weapon.
So did the first thing that came to mind- used what he had. The skilled rider, ventured as near his opponent as he dared and used his feet. He managed to throw the leader off balance, especially with the knife he was holding. It was clear that he was not the best of riders, Adonis recognized, by the way he held his reins.
In two quick motions, Adonis had gotten hold of the knife and wasted no time plunging it into his chest. It had been too fast for any of the group to do anything, but as they saw the leader fall, they bared their knives and teeth at the stranger.
At that moment, several thoughts were running through Adonis' head while so much had happened so quickly. The first one was nearly regretting the fact that he had killed a man without the thinking, but the second was rejoicing for he had avenged the people- his family's deaths. Then there was his Aphrodite- the girl from the forest, how brimming with happiness he was at the thought of her and how thankful he was that she was not from his village... The last thought of all was the undeniable fact that he had no chance against the two dozen armed, strong men on horseback.
They would not kill him- he knew so. And he did the only thing he knew he could to get away from them- he let go of his reins and- jumped, his body crushed by the hooves of horses from his own village.
To be continued...
Argh... -winces- I know how badly I suck at action scenes -sighs- Let me know what you thought, anyway. (and you know I mean that)
-Constructive criticism is ALWAYS appreciated-