Heya peeps, this short fanfic happens in between P.o.P and D.H.L… it's the same deal as the others, I don't own Hercules (Unfortunately) but I do own Persephone and other original characters and places that pop up during this short story…

I take things from both the film and series and remember, Disney twisted myths to create their storylines so I am tweaking some to make them fit the feel of Hercules…

Little hint: if you haven't read P.o.P you might get confused later on… enjoy and please review..

Godly Wife Insurance

Chapter Three:All this Fuss over One little Nymph

Panic lead Hermes through Persephone's Grove until they arrived at the clearing where the goddess herself was slumped under her usual willow tree looking far from her usual light-hearted self. The moment the Messenger God sat himself down beside her she let out a fresh wave of tears. Panic merely perched by his mistress, he felt sorry for her but had been unable to help her snap out of her misery.

'Oh Hermes..' Persephone wailed as the tears streamed down her face. '-how could he do this to me..' Her face was peachy and blotchy from crying, it was heart-wrenching. How could Hades upset Persephone, all she'd ever done was love him… and oh boy, had she loved him for the past fifty-odd years.. No matter how many times Hermes had tried to warn her off him by saying, 'He's bad candy babe, he'll only hurt ya..', she still loved him. Persephone really had been a teen goddess with a schoolgirl crush on the baddest deity around… and when Hermes had found them entwined together in the Grove of Lethe he was shocked, but as time went on it seemed Hades was as besotted with Persephone as she was with him…

'Ah c'mon Seph..' Hermes sounded wrapping his arms around the Goddess of Life trying to comfort her, Persephone merely clung to him as tears rolled down her cheek. '-I'm sure he didn't mean it, if you went down and talked to him..' The Messenger God spoke soothingly, he had a feeling Hades had meant this as a joke, after all the idea of a back-up wife was just so laughable… and besides, the Lord of the Underworld had such an obscure sense of humour and often was the only one who found his own jokes funny.

Persephone wrenched herself away from Hermes at these words scowling deeply, she looked almost as mad as she had been when she'd found out Adonis had been cheating on her..

'I am not going anywhere!' She screeched offended as her haired flared briefly. 'If anyone's going to do any crawling it's Hades!' The goddess then lent across and picked up a rather stunned Panic, who had been startled by her angry outburst, and began to pet him as though he were a cat. The young goddess' anger melted away as this seemed to soothe her and Panic then settled comfortably into her lap.

'I'm not setting foot back downstairs until he proves he loves me..' The goddess added firmly while scratching Panic in between the horns. The green imp merely rolled his eyes at her words… well that was going to take forever.. but the imp wisely chose not to voice his opinion. It was one thing to upset the boss but it was another thing entirely to upset the boss-lady and he much preferred it when Persephone wasn't annoyed with him.

Hermes sighed heavily but he knew that steely look in her eyes all to well, Persephone's mind was made up. The Messenger God hoped that Hades would come to his senses and apologize soon, before anything else upset the apple cart..

Meanwhile on Olympus Demeter had found her youngest sister Hera lounging in one of her favourite spots, she was near the top of the vast cloud in a small gazebo-type coliseum where the sun shone all day. The Goddess of Marriage was stunned to learn that Hades and Persephone were having marital issues so early on in their union but her surprise quickly turned to annoyance when the Queen of Olympus discovered the details behind the separation…

'Oh I should have guessed a nymph was involved!' Hera fumed thinking of her own husband and how many times in their marriage he'd slept with other women when they'd been going through a 'rough patch', but the Goddess of Marriage had always thought Hades would have more sense… after all he had done the sensible thing and waited for the right woman to come along. But clearly she was wrong, he was just another shallow cad.. it must be required trait of being a son of Cronos..

'Now Hera..' Demeter chided gently, knowing exactly what her little sister was thinking. '-don't you think your taking this just a little too personally?'

The Goddess of Marriage pouted irritably at the Goddess of Nature who was throwing her a typically 'firm big sister' look.

'No..' Hera folded her arms frowning stubbornly at her sister. '-besides this isn't about me it's about your daughter..' Demeter sighed heavily, softening at the thought of her distraught child.

'Your right..' She nodded in agreement. '-my poor baby has done nothing but mope around her grove ever since she's come up from the Underworld, isn't there any way you could go and talk to her.. I think this little spat with her husband is just a horrible misunderstanding..'

For a moment Hera sat musing on it, perhaps she should talk to Persephone. After all the young Goddess of Life was now her sister-in-law and she had barely spent any time with her since she'd married Hades.. The Goddess of Marriage had always chatted with Amphitrite her other sister-in-law and the two of them got on famously, perhaps it was time to extend that olive branch towards Persephone, if anything for the sake of cosmic unity..

'Of course I will Demeter. after all, it's my job..' She replied sweetly causing her sister to beam gratefully. '-who's with her just now?' Hera then asked knowing Demeter would never leave her daughter alone on Sicily at a time like this...

'Hermes and one of the imps that came up from the Underworld with her..' The Nature Goddess replied, she had been impressed that Hades had the sense to make sure Persephone didn't travel up alone… this didn't seem like the actions of a man having an affair on his wife.

Hera rolled her wide blue eyes in response to this… never leave a Messenger God to do a Marriage Goddess' job..

'Oh, then I better get down there right away..' The Queen of the Gods said resolutely then summoned a small white cloud around her feet then was about to fly off, like her husband usually did when he left to go anywhere, when a chubby green hand enclosed around her wrist.

'Now wait just one moment Hera..' Demeter sounded in a steely tone recognizing the determined look in her little sister's sky blue eyes. '-I know that look now promise me you won't turn this into a vendetta against Hades!' The Goddess of Nature frowned deeply.

'Ow..' Hera winced at the tightness of her sister's grip. 'Deme, your hurting me..' She whinged suddenly sounding like she had when the three sisters were little girls playing in Gaia's garden.

'I mean it Hera… I want you to promise me!' Demeter sounded sternly. 'My family has been through enough pain. I just want you to convince Persephone that this is a misunderstanding and that she should go home and face her husband like an adult!'

'Ok, ok Deme.. I promise!' Hera squealed, caving into Demeter just like when they were kids. The green-skinned goddess smiled, a little smugly, and released her little sister from her tight grip. Hera rubbed her hand and threw Demeter a petulant look, she always won out in the end.

'Well, I guess I better go and see Persephone..' The Queen of the Gods sighed. '-are you coming too?' She asked gently hoping not because her daughter might open up a bit more if she wasn't around..

'No..' sighed Demeter making Hera silently rejoice at this… no big bossy sister to poke her nose into the conversation. '-besides this is really between you and Persephone isn't it?'

'Yes..' Hera sounded in a gentle voice. '-I see you when I get back ok?'

'Of course..' Demeter smiled then watched her little sister leave with a heavy heart. It was no secret that Hera had been through the mill with Zeus… they may be happy at the moment but there had been so many dark points that they had been very lucky to last this long. The green-skinned goddess sighed heavily and prayed to Gaia that her little sister wasn't going to use her own personal experience as a campaign against Hades.

Funny, Demeter may not of approved of Hades when she had first found out her daughter was down in the Underworld with him, but after getting to really know the fiery god on his terms Demeter decided that Hades wasn't so bad and who knows, with some gentle chiding, he could be a great deity…

Hera's cloud touched down in the clearing of Persephone's gloomy little grove on Sicily causing Hermes, who had been running his fingers down Persephone's back in a soothing manner, to swivel and gawp in amazement. Panic too, who had been nestled into his queen's bosom, whipped his head around at the sight of Zeus' wife and stared, unable to speak.

'Hera…?' Hermes finally choked causing a blotchy tear-stained Persephone to jerk her head around in shock at the Goddess of Marriage who was standing smiling with a serene motherly smile at her… Great. More pity, just what she always wanted..

'Uh, if it's not too nutty to ask Hera, but uh… what are ya doin' here babe?' Hera pouted at him, clearly it was 'too nutty' to expect an answer..

'Hermes..' She sounded sweetly brushing off her moment of offence. '-it's my job to help married women isn't it?' He nodded and the goddess continued before he could say anything. '-so why don't you go down to the Underworld and find out how Hades is doing and leave me to console Persephone..' For a moment Hermes looked unsurely at the Queen of the Gods… he really didn't want to leave his best friend at a time like this but he was honour-bound to obey her, just as he was to Zeus..

'Well, if your sure Hera..' Hermes sounded gently detaching his arms from Persephone with an apologetic look. '-you gonna be ok hun?' He asked her gently.

Persephone nodded smiling slightly.

'I'll be fine Hermes besides, it'll be nice to talk to someone who understands my kind of hurt..' Hermes dithered, still unsure… yes, Hera did understand her kind of hurt, but Hera had also taken vindictive pleasure in her payback for it, all to teach Zeus a lesson of course…

'Here..' The Goddess of Life suddenly added holding out the green imp from her lap. '-take Panic with you, he can pick up any paperwork I've got plus..' She turned her gaze to the green imp who looked unsure about the whole thing. '-maybe he could spend a little time with Pain, I know he misses him..' Panic's eyes lit up at the mention of seeing his best buddy again.. Ok, so Pain was an idiot and a klutz but he sure missed the chubby pink git..

'Thanks Miss Persephone..' The green imp sounded smiling toothily for the first time since arriving on Sicily.. The young Queen of the Underworld smiled at him before he and Hermes zoomed off in a blue blur to the Underworld to check on Hades and Pain.. Once they were gone Persephone sighed heavily at the thought of retelling the story of her ditching her husband in the Underworld alone.

Hera nestled herself down beside the young goddess and took one of her dainty white hands in her slim lilac fingers. Persephone's wide green eyes suddenly flashed towards her filled with the sort of ache that the Goddess of Marriage recognised all to well… she didn't need to know the details of how it had happened, how many times had she been comforted by Hestia and Demeter when she'd found out that he'd been 'spending time' with other nymphs..

'Oh Persephone..' She sounded gently and quashing the sudden annoyance she felt towards Hades for hurting his wife and her niece. '-my dear, your not the first goddess that this has happened to..'

'But why… why would he do this..?' Persephone's words came out choked and the Goddess of Marriage felt the pity in her heart well up and overflow as she suddenly clutched her sister-in-law closely, the Goddess of Life hugged her back tightly feeling a fresh wave of tears and pain..

'Gods do some really stupid things dear, believe me I know..' Hera sounded darkly running her fingers through Persephone's soft golden hair.

For a moment there was silence, apart from Persephone's soft crying, as the two women sat there hugging each other…

'I still don't get it..' Persephone sounded softly, pulling away from Hera and wiping her tears away.

'-how could he hurt someone who loves him so..' Another single tear rolled down her cheek… she couldn't believe that only after two years Hades had been checking out the nymph talent. Of course 'talent' didn't describe her 'replacement' much… Minthe was nowhere near as pretty as she was, with her dark green hair, pale skin and inky eyes.. she was also very plain and willowy figured compared with Persephone's curvatious glory… why in Tartarus would Hades pick that skinny tramp to be her understudy? It made absolutely no sense at all!

Hera frowned as anger bubbled underneath her skin… Persephone was doing exactly the same thing she had done the first time she'd learnt of Zeus' deception, by crying… and what did crying solve? Nothing… Persephone needed to get proactive…

'Because he's a god, that's why!' Hera sounded firmly causing Persephone to look shocked at the Goddess of Marriage, definitely not what she expected to hear.. 'He hurt you and he'll keep hurting you if you don't lay down the line right now Persephone..' She sounded breathing heavily.

Persephone blinked unsurely, not knowing what to say..

'Listen to me, don't make the mistake I made all those years ago… don't just accept it and try to move on, it doesn't work..' Hera then gripped the Goddess of Life by the shoulders and shook her roughly. '-you need to remind Hades of who you are! You are his wife and Queen of the Underworld and the best way to do that is by eliminating the threat..' Hera was looking at her with an unusually cool gaze. For a long moment Persephone stared with her jaw open.

'You… you want me to get rid off Minthe?' She sounded hesitantly.. 'But… she hasn't really done anything to me..' Persephone added looking slightly confused as to why Hera would want her to just kill the nymph off.

Hera snorted with derision at this and it didn't suit her..

'Oh don't kid yourself Persephone..' She sounded then wiped the tear that was stuck to Persephone's cheek and showed it to her. '-look what that nymph has done! She's already wedged herself between you and Hades, your up here crying because of her!'

The white-skinned goddess' eyebrows raised slightly… yes, that was true but still, the nymph had done nothing directly to upset her, it was Hades and leaving him for a few days to sulk was punishment enough… She was about to voice this when Hermes and Panic suddenly appeared out of a fluttering of winged sandals and blue blur.

'What are you doing here?' Hera hissed irritably glaring at them both. 'Your supposed to be in the Underworld with Hades!'

'Yeh, but we never made it that far..' Hermes replied then he paused and glanced at Panic who was on his shoulder, both beings exchanged a look of trepidation… clearly whatever had distracted them the two goddess' weren't going to like.. Persephone suddenly felt a tightness in her chest almost dreading to ask the question that they all knew was coming… Unfortunately Hera was not so scared of asking it..

'What distracted you?' She asked firmly folding her slim lilac arms across her pink chiton and throwing him a look that clearly said 'this better be good'.

Panic and Hermes exchanged another uneasy look.

'Well..' Panic spoke anxiously as his terrified eyes darted from Persephone to Hera. '-we were passing through Elis on our way to Hades when were heard… we heard..' The imp broke off quivering and unable to continue… he couldn't do it, not to Miss Persephone… he couldn't anger the one being in the cosmos he loved like a surrogate mother..

'You heard what?' Persephone spoke softly, unsure if she really wanted to hear this but she had a feeling that she needed to hear it..

Panic was shaking so hard with fear at what Persephone would do with the news that Hermes was forced to answer for him, but he too was not happy about being the barer of bad news..

'We heard Minthe talking..' Hermes sounded softly and both Hera and Persephone blinked stunned by this… what had the nymph been saying?

'Hermes…' Persephone sounded gently, finding herself clutching Hera's hand for support. '-please tell me what she said..'

'She said…' Hermes started then faltered before sighing heavily and tried again. 'She said now you and Hades have split up it's only a matter of time before he comes up for her..'

Persephone frowned with irritation.. They hadn't split up, she was only staying here until Hades apologized for being an idiot… it was entirely up to him when he decided to come grovelling and she could wait until next harvest if she had to.

'What else did she say?' Hera bristled with annoyance at this stupid nymph, she hated the idea of anybody daring to destroy the sanctity of marriage. Again both Panic and Hermes looked frightened as this time they had two glaring goddess' as an audience.

'-She also reckoned she could make a better Queen of the Dead than Persephone..' Hermes spoke hurriedly as though trying to soften the blow then winced, waiting for his best friend to explode… and Persephone did not disappoint.

The young goddess instantly dropped Hera's hand as her eyes narrowed into slits of loathing towards Minthe… How dare that little tramp think she was better that her! Who was she? Nobody! Persephone's hair suddenly burst into furious flames of sunshine gold.

'She said what?' Her livid voice screamed causing the ground in her grove to quake…

Little Notes:

Hey Everybody… I hope your all still enjoying the story, sorry No Hades in this section but it was pretty important to write this bit as there are two versions of the story of Minthe, one is the more popular version when Hades actually tries to seduce Minthe and Persephone catches them in the act… not the version I'm using because I actually don't give it much credit to be honest, besides doesn't fit in with how I imagine it… the other lesser popular version, which is the one I'm twisting right now.. is how Minthe was heard to be complaining about how Hades could be attracted to Persephone when she was so much better looking than her and got herself smote… lol silly nymph.

I hope you don't mind me messing with Hera a little, she was always so plain in the series of Hercules but I wanted to link her a little more to her own myths and it seemed right to have the Goddess of Marriage play councillor to Persephone as she has experience with what Seph's going through..

Please review…

Take Care…

Love… Ditzy x x