"Kore! We're leaving!" Demeter yelled into the cabin, waiting for her daughter to come down.
"Coming, mother! I'm coming!" Kore's voice came before she came bounding down the stairs.
"And I thought you'd be out before I!"
"I'm just so excited! I wanted to be absolutely sure I had everything I needed."
"Well have you got it?"
"Yes yes, mother! Now let's go."
Demeter called her chariot and the goddesses got on, going up to Olympus for the Autumn solstice.
No sooner had the chariot crossed the Golden Gates that Persephone hopped off, vinning her way to Aphrodite's parks. She hadn't spent too long catching up with Eros before Demeter caught up and dragger her to Zeus's court.
Persephone was happily welcomed back and spoiled with gifts from all those who doted on her. Her father gave her the most, things of her greatest desires. Demeter then took her to their tower for rest, but Persephone snuck out to meet her friends. It wasn't until she noticed his absence at dinner that Persephone remembered him.
This time when they returned to their tower, Persephone stayed in. Even though there was a spell on her room, she waited until Demeter was asleep before going to her portal. She made her blue flowers, perfected on her time in Paros, and tossed them into the fire before pushing over the chalice.
Persephone waited for him to step through the portal, rereading his letters as she did. She was so immersed in the letters that she didn't hear Hades come through.
"Welcome back!" He whispered behind her ear and Persephone jumped with a shriek.
"You're the worst!" She scolded him as he laughed.
"Quite literally."
"So, how've you been?" Persephone got up and settled herself on her sofa.
"Oh, as it always is. But you on the other hand.. How is life with the mortals?"
"Well, it got better eventually. At first I thought it was the worst! Mother drag me away from my friends. She was horrid!"
"Mine let my father me."
Persephone was shocked silent.
"Well I guess you win. So anyway, I made new friends. There is Chloris, my best friend. She's been helping me work on my flowers."
So the first night she was back on Olympus Persephone, spent with Hades. At some point, she had fallen asleep and Hades went to his castle outside Olympus. In the morning he visited Hestia, and the two siblings went to the palace together.
The whole place was decorated according to the fall solstice: with harvest symbols and wreaths and autumn fruits. Before dinner, Hermes hosted a competition of the games; foot racing, jumping, throwing things, and even plain old fighting.
After the sporting event was over, the gods main way to the Palace for family dinner. While waiting, Persephone got the opportunity to introduce Cupid to Hades. She dragged her best friend over to the god of the Underworld, and Cupid was losing it before Hades even turned to face them. He found it hilarious.
"Hello, you must be Cupid."
"I-I–It's Eros, Your Lordship."
"'Dite's son. That must be quite a handful."
"It's fun, messing with the mortals."
"I see. And undoubtedly my realm is full of your victims, no?"
"I...I...I..."
Hades laughed.
"I am messing with you! It was nice to meet you, Eros. Say hello to your mother for me."
Persephone burned at the mention of Aphrodite, but for what reason, she couldn't fully understand. Hades bid them a good evening and went to his seat at the big table, while Cupid dragged Persephone to the kids table.
At dinner, the gods came together to share their year's accomplishments, and mostly to quarrel over minute things. Things were said and fights happened, but at the end of the day, everyone went back home happy.
After a day more on Olympus, Demeter and Persephone went back to Paros. The night before, Persephone met with Hades one last time, and he gave her more ghost dolls as a parting gift.
This routine went on for years. Persephone spent most of the time on Paros, writing letters to her friends back on Olympus -and otherwise- while making new friends on her home island. She often found little opportunities to visit back home for reasons other than the big celebrations.
Like when Persephone was 111, Hera made it mandatory for girls to know how to formal dance. Persephone's presence at Olympus was obligatory, where she learn to dance with other goddesses under the teaching of Terpsichore.
Her next birthday was celebrated with the theme of music, and Persephone shared a dance with almost all of the major gods. Even her friends took her to dance for fun, but Persephone was only half interested. From the minute she entered the court, till the party was over, Persephone had an eye out for Hades.
He didn't show.
Persephone sat heartbroken on her bed, halfheartedly unwrapping a gift in her hand. She barely registered her mother coming in to her room.
"Need help unwrapping?" Demeter asked as she found a clean spot on the bed.
"Oh, sure." Persephone coldly replied, nodding to the gift pile.
"Are you alright dear? You look sad, and on your birthday!"
"I'm fine. It's just been along day."
"Are you missing your friends who couldn't come?"
Persephone turned to her mother, silently wishing she could understand.
"Oh darling!" Demeter exclaimed and pressed Persephone's head to her chest.
"How about, we throw you and another party when we return to Paros, hm? For your friends who couldn't make it here."
Persephone closed her eyes in defeat. If he hadn't made it to Olympus, she doubted he would show up on Paros. Oh well, at least she got a second party out of it. She stayed up all night opening her gifts, and a day after, she returned to Paros with my mother.
"Happy Birthday, Aurora!" her friends screamed as Persephone walked into her home.
The goddesses were surprised to see the cottage so decked up. There were flowers everywhere for the birthday girl. The whole morning the girls spent celebrating Aurora's birthday with dancing, games, and desserts. Late in the evening, the joy wore off and Persephone went back to resenting Hades for missing her birthday.
"How dare he miss my birthday?! MY birthday! I'd danced with all the men on Olympus, and the one person I actually wanted to dance with since I've learned how, and he doesn't show!"
Persephone picked up her skirt and sat on a tree root. Absentmindedly, she picked up a nearby stick and began drawing randomly in the dirt.
"You know... Once I had a dream about him. He's tall, and handsome and... and so romantic." Her lazy doodling began to take form of a dancing couple.
"Oh, we walk together, and talk together, and just as he takes me in his arms... I wake up!" Frustrated, she threw the stick down, and it slid through the dancing duo.
"It's only in my dreams. But they say if you dream a thing more than once, it's sure to come true! And I've seen him so many times."
While Persephone mourned her lost opportunity, her friends came up with a plan. They gathered their animals: owls, bluebirds, bunnies, and poised them in the shape of a man dressed in a cape made of flowers. One of the birds whistled to catch her attention.
Persephone giggled as she understood what her friends were trying to do.
"Why, it's my dream prince!" She stood up and skipped closer to him.
"Your highness," she fell in a mock curtsey. "May I have this dance?"
She grabbed the edges of the flower cape as hands and began to waltz as she hummed a tune. Persephone sung and danced and twirled with her imaginary prince, unaware that her real one was watching her from not too far away.
"La da da di da. Da da da di da! Mm hm hm hm hmm. Mm hm hm hm the way you did once upon-"
Not watching where they went, the animals under the cape bumped into Hades and the spell broke, causing Persephone to open her eyes as her prince disintegrated.
"Oh!" Persephone took a step away from him and fell back on her feet.
Hades laughed as he went to help her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."
Persephone composed herself as she got to her feet.
"You flatter yourself!" She admonished him and watched her step this time.
"Dancing with your imaginary friend?" Hades folded his hands behind his back as he tried to walk with her.
Persephone spun around wildly.
"All I can do after my real friend misses. My. Birthday!" She smacked his shoulder emphasizing her words. "I danced with almost all the Gods on Olympus, when all I really wanted was you- a dance, with you."
"I am terribly sorry. I had more important things to do."
His words came off as rude as he expected they would sound. Her facial expressions could hardly express the full extent of her shock.
"What could possibly be more important than my birthday?"
"Making sure you have a next one?" He casually referenced a much darker event behind the context.
She took the hint and eased off.
"Oh. And what about my birthday gift? You owe me a birthday gift."
"Birthday gift? Haven't I given you enough presents, Persephone? Actually, I think you might be the only person in existence who gets gifts from me."
"Those aren't birthday gifts! You don't hear me complain when I give you birthday presents."
"Actually, I don't think you've ever given me a birthday present." Hades defended himself.
"Oh really? And what about that day when we all gather to celebrate your..."
"Homecoming. The day when we were all freed from our father. That's not my birthday, Persephone." He revealed.
Persephone was finally silent, the impact of his revelation finally getting to her.
"Oh. Well I'm awfully sorry about that! I shall fix it at once! What gift would you like?"
Hades took a minute to think, then a playful smile crossed his face as an idea came to him.
"How about that dance?"
Persephone covered her spreading blush with a dainty hand.
Hades bowed on one knee, offering his hand.
"May I have this dance?"
Persephone slipped her hand on his and Hades stood up, positioning his hands in a proper waltz stance.
"There's no music!" She complained as they slowly swayed.
"Oh, but there's always music in nature." Hades smiled and strummed his fingers in the air, cueing her nymph friends to play whatever instruments they could make out of nature. They played the tune Persephone was humming before.
Hmm hm hmm
Hm hm hm hm, hmm hm hmm hm hmm
Hmm hm hmm
Hm hm hm hm hmm, hm hm hm hm hm hm
Hm Hmm hm hmm
Hm hmm hmm hm, hm hm hm hm hmm!
Hm hm hmmm, hm hmmm!
Hm hm hm hm hmmm!
Hm hmm hm hm hmm
Hm hm hm hm
Hm hm hmm
Hmm hm!