Hades' POV
"And to you too, my lord." The young goddess said, after a graceful curtsy. Her eyes shone with something that could have easily been perceived as excitement and perhaps a touch of giddiness. Impossible, thought Hades, It's merely a refection of light.
He gave a small smile at Persephone, who's lips quirked upwards, before returning to their neutral line when Demeter barged in once again. "Would you stop ogling each other? It's unbecoming of a young lady Persephone." She reprimanded quickly.
Hades rolled his eyes, which earned him another almost-grin from Persephone, before he turned towards his sister. "Why, hello sister dear. I mustn't have noticed you since you weren't interrupting when I arrived." He said, almost too sweetly.
Demeter glared at him. "Don't even get me started Hades. I have had quiet enough of your superior attitude. I cannot believe Zeus would let it get to the point where you were cocky enough to steal my own daughter from me..."
"Mother," Persephone said, laying a sun-kissed hand on Demeter's arm. "We have discussed this at length with Father. I picked the Narcissus flower, and I ate the pomegranate seeds. Willingly, I might add." She looked up imploringly at her mother. "At least try to be nice to my Husband."
Demeter stiffened when her daughter mentioned Hades as her husband, but Persephone's words managed to get the stubborn goddess to back off. "As you wish, child. I can only regret I had taught you more fear of strangers."
Hades watched the exchange with interest. Perhaps the goddess of spring had more back bone than the other gods had given her credit for. Or perhaps they simply, like it would seem, Persephone herself, didn't see her strength. Demeter had actually listened to her. Reluctantly, albeit, but that meddlesome sister of his never backed down to anyone. Ever.
He raised an eyebrow. "You can criticize me on my habits later, sister. At this time, though, I think I have waited long enough to bring my Wife into my realm." He held out his arm to his precious new Persephone. "Shall we?" He asked, though not quiet as a question.
"Of course, my lord." She gave another curtsy, and reached to take his arm, before pulling back suddenly. Hades' face almost broke in his shock. Did she fear him too much to even touch him?
Persephone's POV
Persephone reached to take his arm, before remembering something and pulling back. For less than a moment, but not quiet fast enough to escape her notice. Hades' face seemed to flash with emotion, before returning to it's normal calm mask. Was that motion hurt? Did he think she could't bring herself to touch him? No, of course not. It was probably nothing to concern herself with.
"Do you mined, my lord? Zeus has ordered a nymph to accompany me to your realm, as a reminder of the surface, and to bring me messages from friends and family so as not to bother Hermes. It would seem as though I managed to misplace her due to your arrival. Would it bother you if I were to call for her?" Persephone said, her voice light and smooth.
An invisible tension seemed to leave the lord of the Underworld's face at her words. "Or course not, Wife. I mined not to the personal servants you keep." He seemed more at easy for but a moment. "But where on Gaea has she gotten off too?"
Persephone smiled for the first time since his arrival. "I cannot imagine there are many nymphs in your realm then? I suspect I shall find her in the grasses near that old dying tree..."
The young goddess turn toward the patch of green swaying grass. "Angeliki..." She called as she moved through the long peaceful blades. She spotted the young girl basking in the sun, cheeks turn a healthy green from the light of the sun. "Angeliki, time to go." She said softy, shaking the nymph's shoulder. Angeliki's eyes flew open and she jumped up to bow to the goddess.
"My apologizes, Lady Persephone. The day was so beautiful, and the light from Apollo's chariot so warm, I simply couldn't resist." She shuffled her feet guiltily. Persephone threw her head back with a laugh.
"There is nothing to forgive, little sprig. It is natural for you to wish to enjoy the last day of sunlight you and I will see in quiet some time. But for now, it is time for us to venture somewhere very few have dared go before." She smiled at the little nymph, and rose.
Hades' POV
Hades watched the young goddess interact with the tiny nymph who watched her fearfully, awaiting reprimand. But instead of throwing a fit that the girl had wondered off, she merely laughed at the little nymphs' apparently irrational fear of punishment, and comforted her instead. What a beautiful laugh his goddess had. He had nearly lost himself when she arched her pretty neck, her long brown braid falling over her back, gleaming in the sunlight.
Persephone rose with an effortless elegance that was rarely reached, and took the little girl's hand in her own, and began to walk over to them.
Hades had never seen a tree nymph, as he suspected this one was, before. Water nymphs, yes, as he did in fact visit his brother, Poseidon's realm, but never one that guarded a tree. She seemed to be a rather peculiar green, even more so around her cheeks, but that might have just been normal. He simply didn't have a place to say.
The young spring goddess smiled, a truly show stopping sight. She seemed radiant here, above earth, surrounded by life. For a moment, Hades felt guilty for taking that from her, but the moment passed. She was his, and Persephone had even admitted to her mother that she had come to him willingly. For some, currently unknown to him, reason. He would have to ask about that later.
The youthful pair reached him, and the little nymph bowed. "Greetings, Lord Hades. I apologize for holding you and Lady Persephone from your return to the Underworld." She held the bow before rising at his command.
"Not an issue in the slightest, provided it does not become a habit." He looked down at her. "And what, exactly, is your name, little nymph?" She looked up at him with large brown doe eyes.
"Angeliki, my lord. I come from a land far from here, on the very edges of Greece. I have no doubts that such behavior with refrain from being habitual." Strange. For such a young girl, she seemed very well versed in etiquette.
Hades held his hand out to Persephone, who took it easily. No aversion to touching him, thankfully. He controlled his emotions so relief would not show upon his face. It bothered him that he cared so much about Persephone's opinions towards him. Which he assured himself he didn't. Except, he did.
With naught but a thought, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving Demeter standing alone in the cross ways.
Except, Demeter wasn't quiet as alone as one would think. Another, more elusive shadow, lurked in the darkness, and had watched the whole exchange.
Persephone's POV
As soon as she took Hades' hand, she was enveloped in darkness. She felt cold, but not unpleasantly so, and she seemed to twist and bend, without actually existing at all. As suddenly as it had begun, it stopped, and she was standing next to Hades, one hand in his, the other holding Angeliki's.
She looked over at Hades, eyes wide. "How, in Hera's name, did you do that?!"
Hades quirked an eyebrow, before replying, "Easily. Can't you?" She shook her head vehemently, and his expression became more puzzled. "Every immortal can do such feats, even some demigods can manage to pull it off from time to time. Has Demeter neglect to teach you how to use your powers?"
"I hadn't the faintest idea that I even had powers, much less than have ones that were quiet so strong." She looked at him in awe. She glanced down after a minute, before staring at the floor in a rather sheepish manner.
"What is it, Persephone? What troubles you so?" He asked, puzzled at her sudden bout of shyness. She felt touched that he picked up on her discomfort, though she had to suppose it was pretty obvious.
"I, I, um, I-I don't suppose you would, um..." Her words caught in her throat, and her voice was soft as she stared intently at the ground beneath her feet. Suddenly, Hades' still-gloved hand came up and took her chin. He gazed into her eves with a rapture that made her heard stutter and pause, just like her words.
"You don't suppose I would what, little one. Come, tell me. My actions should not be a source of fear for you." He said gently, his voice taking on a smooth, soothing quality.
Persephone took a deep breath and said in a rush, "I don't suppose you would have the time to teach me how to use my powers, would you?" She meet his gaze, her own blue eyes shining with nervousness.
Hades' lips quirked up into what Persephone was quickly recognizing as his equivalent of a smile. "Of course little one. I would be pleased to teach you how to use your powers. It will be necessary now that you will be ruling this realm besides me."
With that one sentence, Persephone felt so happy, she could barely contain it. She gave Hades one of her full, dazzling smiles, and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him, just as she would have anyone else.
Hades' POV
Hades stood there, unable to move. After getting blindsided by that dazzling smile, she threw her self at him, and pressed her warm body into his. He was at a loss for words, a rather rare occurrence, and his mind was focused on two things. One, was how wonderfully she felt against him, how perfectly she fit with his body, how intoxicating she smelled. The second, was that he wanted her to smile like that again. He needed her to smile at him like that again.
After a moment, she seemed to check herself, and release her hold on him, dropping an inch or two to the floor. A quick glance behind her showed that the little nymph had turned away from them, and was politely ignoring the pair, gazing at a grim tapestry on the wall. He nearly blushed at the though that she could have been watching the entire exchange.
"I'm sorry my lord, for my over emotional display. I was simply over joyed that I would learn to use my powers, that I did infect, have powers, after going so long without." She looked up at him, eyes glimmering with excitement once more.
"I saw no conflict with it. It is I who must ask you for understanding, as I am less than used to dealing with those whom feel anything greater than deep content. The dead do not react as strongly as the living, and monsters even less so." Hades stopped, catching himself. He was rambling. An old habit that hadn't reared it's head in a long while. To cover it up, he said quickly, "But perhaps not this night. It is already late, and I would have to stop you before we had even begun. Should it please you, I will show you the way to your chambers."
Persephone grinned up at him, and dipped a quick curtsy. "That would please me very much, my lord." His lips quirked up again, and he spun on his heals, as she followed quickly behind. "Come along Angeliki." The young nymph turned and scampered after her mistress and the lord of the realm. Persephone followed a half pace behind him, looking at everything and committing each turn to memory.
Far too soon, they reached an elegant black door with a silver Narcissus carved into it. Hades pushed the door open, and gestured for Persephone to enter. They young goddess did, and her companion followed close behind. The goddess' eyes widened as she looked around at the extravagant room.
"I hope you find it suitable. The bath is the door with the waterfall marked on it, and the one with the rose is your dressing room ans closet. The balcony leads down into, well, what I can only describe as the Underworld equivalent of a garden. It is all at your disposal, though, I should advise you to keep the balcony doors shut during the hours of which you wish to rest, as it can, on occasion get a bit noisy. As such, the room is sound-proofed, and if someone happens to knock, it with emit a different note that changes due to whom happens to knock." Hades said, "I must bid you a good evening, as I still have some work to finish up tonight. Tomorrow, a young handmaiden should come with your breakfast, and to fetch you to lead you to the throne room. Tonight she should come with dinner, and to help you and your nymph with whatever else you need. Please, do not let her appearance bother you. It is quiet tame compared to that of others."
Persephone looked at him with shinning eyes. "Thank you my lord, for being such a gracious host. This quarters are beautiful. Good night, my lord."
Hades smiled at her. "Good evening to you too, dear Persephone. Sleep well." He shut the door behind him, and with a thought, appeared in his own quarters, just down the hall from hers.
He tossed his armor off, and his robes soon joined them on the floor. A creaking noise announced the arrival of Cornelius, who hastily picked up the clothing and draped them over a near by chair. "I take it that Lady Persephone took the journey here well, my lord?"
Hades lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. "Very well. There is still hope that she will, at the least, enjoy it here, despite it's stark contrast with her usual home."
"Very good, my lord." Cornelius finished tidying up and left the room, leaving Hades alone in his dark quarters, almost entirely black, with oak and silver furnishings.
Hades could remember the way the way Persephone felt against him, the way she smelled like flowers and earth, and a little bit of something else, he couldn't quiet put his finger on. He could remember the way she smiled, how perfect her petal pink lips looked...
The lord of the dead groaned. It was going to be a long night.
Persephone's POV
Persephone looked all around the room after Hades left, and marveled at it's extravagance. Not a single expense had been spared, although, she thought, when one has all the riches of the earth, they can afford anything. A soft sound, like a baby bird making it's first little cried sounded through the room. Angeliki looked up, said, "I'll get it, shall I mistress?"
The young goddess yawned, suddenly tired. "No, it's okay. I've got it." She walked over to the door, and opened it, and nearly screamed. Before her, stood a little girl, with wispy white hair, and solid black eyes. She was as skinny as a twig, and her skin was a pale gray. Her teeth were perfectly straight and white, her lips a darker shade of grey. She was clothed in a loose, aging tunic, that might have at one time been colorful and vibrant, but now looked bleached of almost all shades, outside of grey. This must have been the handmaiden Hades mentioned.
"May I enter, my lady?" she asked in a hollow voice that seemed both young, and very old at the same time.
Persephone nodded, and moved as the little girl almost glided into the room. The pale figure turned towards Angeliki and Persephone and bowed, before setting down two silver dishes on which a whole array of delicious fruits, vegetables, grains, and even a touch of meat were arranged. She bowed again, and turned back to the door as if to leave, before Persephone cried out, "Wait!" The grey child turned back to face Persephone, her black eyes questioning. "Before you go, please, tell me what you are, and your name, please."
"Of course, my lady." She bowed again before saying, "My name is Demonica. I am one of the forgotten ones. I shall return to you on the morning." She bowed one last time, before leaving the room.
"What a strange little thing, isn't she?" Said Angeliki, before she set on the food. Persephone followed in suit, and was glad she did. It was scrumptious, and prepared perfectly, just the way she liked it. When they finished, the plates disappeared, and Angeliki took her into the dressing room, where there was a vast array of dresses, but Angeliki managed to pull out a pretty silky pink night gown, and dresses her mistress. She unbraided Persephone's hair, and brushed out all the snarls and the flowers. She pulled her sleepy mistress into bed, and Persephone relished the feel of the warm, silky covers. Angeliki went over and curled up on a comfortable cot towards the foot of Persephone's bed.
With her tired mind drifting off to sleep, Persephone wondered what tomorrow would bring, and questioned whether or not it could be any more interesting than today had been. That night, she dreamed of gold flecked eyes, and a strong frame, holding her tight.
A/N: Hey guys! Hope y'all like this new chapter! Please R&R! I kind of like they way these two seem to get along so far, but they've definitely got a ways to go! Tell me what you think! I crave your comments and criticisms! Thanks to MusicHawk5 for helping me with some abysmal spelling! Thank you guys for reading this far in! I bet you can't guess who that creepy shadow stalker is! I'll give you lot a hint, it's an immortal who lives on Olympus! See you guys next weekend! Love ya! :*
~UC