Chapter 8

It amused Hera to have this little girl by her side - a constant reminder of her husband's indiscretions, perhaps - but so were many of them. It amused her to see Demeter squirm every time the child was with her. She knew Demeter feared that she would hurt Persephone but Hera could never do that to this little one. Still, it was fun to watch Demeter fret and worry – a way to get back at their rivalries in the past. If she could get this child to love her and treat her as a mother, then revenge against Demeter would be complete.

Poor, poor Demeter! A busy goddess all alone with a little girl to raise! Hera vented her frustrations with a husband she could not conquer by torturing Demeter's heart. First the father, now the child!

Zeus, on the other hand, was too busy chasing his conquests. Once in a while, he would acknowledge the presence of the little girl but he had other more pleasurable matters to pursue.

Demeter wanted to bring Kore back with her but the mortals kept her busy. They were needy and ignorant. Agriculture was at its infancy still and most mortals were merely hunter-gatherers. They needed her badly.

Sensible nymphs were hard to come by. They were too irresponsible and silly. Ianthe was the only one with a good head on her shoulders so she was charged with the care of Kore as her nurse. Still, Demeter shuddered at the thought of Kore learning and growing under these nymphs. If Hermes was correct and she would be Queen one day, a goddess who thought like a nymph would be disastrous.

And so it came to pass that Kore would stay in Olympus under the care of her half-sisters while Demeter was busy with the crops in the mortal world.

From Artemis, Kore grew swift on foot and skilled with the bow and arrow. From Athena, Kore learned how to make decisions wisely, read and write literature, as she equally grew skilled in the arts.

Aphrodite dressed her up and braided her flowing auburn hair. From Ares, she learned how to handle a sword much to the disapproval of her mother and Aphrodite but with the amusement of her father and Artemis.

She watched her other half-brother, Hephaestus, work long hours in his workshop fashioning all sorts of items as requested by the other deities.

Poseidon would hardly visit but whenever he came, he presented his niece with little treasures from the sea.

Artemis' twin, Apollo, she could not stand. He was constantly teasing. Eros, she could not really comprehend as he was shooting arrows everywhere. It was Hermes she liked the most. He was quick-witted as he was swift of foot. He entertained her with stories of thievery. They were the best of friends.

In time, Kore observed these gods and goddesses, learned about their follies and thought about what she would have done if she had been in their shoes.

Hera learned to genuinely love the child. The girl was a daughter she wanted to steal away from Demeter. Maybe out of spite. Maybe not. She had always blessed Persephone with a good marriage even if Persephone declared that she would grow up to be like her sisters, Athena and Artemis – virgin goddesses - ones that would never marry. Aphrodite hated that and frowned at the thought. Persephone would make an excellent match for her son, Eros, when she grows up.

Over time, Persephone discovered she possessed not only her mother's powers but some of her father's, too. At three, she accidentally singed Eris, the goddess of Discord's hair when the goddess had a spat with Aphrodite. The entire court looked at her sitting at the foot of her father's throne aghast. From her tiny forefinger, a little blue bolt of lightning was dissipating. She was glaring at Auntie Eris for making Aphrodite upset. Zeus had burst into laughter. He was proud of his little daughter's growing power. Hera smirked in approval. Even Eris was amused but Demeter looked sternly at her daughter, disappointed and fearful that she had also inherited her father's terrible temper and irresponsibility.