Argh, Brothers...

"You need to speak to her, Hades. Demeter won't stop complaining to me and I already have the tides of the seven seas to deal with."

"I do not know what urchin has become of your diet, but you must really have eaten a very bad one to think I can pacify Demeter."

"I'm not telling you to pacify her."

"You just told me earlier to go speak to her."

"Her? No, not her. The other Her."

"Other Her?"

"You know, Persephone."

I looked down from the book I was reading. Poseidon had paid me a visit and no it was not out of brotherly affection. How long had it been since I last saw Persephone? I no longer remembered. No god had ever cared to take track of time. It was entirely unnecessary for us immortals. Still, one could not help but ponder on the thought: What if I did take an account of where my hours have gone and went? Would the results satisfy me?

Leone was now with me in the Underworld and I have one less reason to frequent the world above. Poseidon shook me from thoughts. "Shall I take your silence for a yes?"

"I don't understand why you can't do this yourself." I returned to my pages yet my attention was all his. A fact he was all-too very sure of. "She's your favorite niece, is she not?"

"That is the point brother! I love Persephone greatly." To this I could not help but glance at him. I saw nothing but pure concern in his expression. I breathed a deep sigh. "But she's becoming too difficult for me to handle."

"What do you mean? Is she becoming reckless?"

"Oh, my dear brother, you haven't seen her lately, have you?" Had I pursued the movements of the clock since the festival, I would've been able to answer that it had been a thousand and two hundred days since I last saw her. "No—my dear brother, you can breathe—she's not reckless or even anything close. She's grown to a fine young woman, Hades. I'll tell you that. You'd be proud."

Fortunately, I was alone with Poseidon in my private study. Seeing the Lord of the nether realms uncomfortably shift in his seat did not seem to be a proper sight to any underworld resident. Poseidon's last sentence brought a bitter memory; one which ought to be forgotten.

"I seem to have chosen a poor word to describe her. Let's see, she's too adventurous?"

"Athena and Ares are quite the same, why will it be a problem?"

"Let's review the character of our lovely sister, Demeter." Poseidon gave me a sarcastic look. I shuddered.

"I would rather not."

"Exactly. So you're going to talk to her then?" I raised my brow and he laughed heartily. "To Persephone, of course. You can tell her to not worry her mother so much or something."

"You really do think she'll listen to me."

"Brother, everyone listens to you."

"Don't flatter me."

"I'm not." Poseidon said amusedly. "I'm simply stating a fact. Your word is law may it be down here or up there."

"For mortals, perhaps but not for Persephone."

"Either you are humble or doubtful."

"I am neither. I do not want to trouble myself with your affairs."

"She is also your niece, my brother. Do not tell me her well-being doesn't affect you." I looked at him in slight distrust.

"You are manipulating me, Poseidon." I said with warning.

"I am doing no such thing." Poseidon shifted and angled himself defensively. His smile which never left him was enough of a hint that the comment wasn't taken offensively. "I am simply asking you a favor."

"You're obligating me—"

"I am strongly advising you—"

"Advise? Am I not the eldest here?"

"Oh for Atlantis' sake, just go to her. She's going to listen to you, take my word for it."

"You feel so assured."

"I do believe I have the right."

"Persephone and I are not in the best of terms."

"Oh, no one is on the best of terms nowadays. We're good but never better."

"Poseidon."

"Ah. But come, brother. You have too little faith on yourself and Persephone."

"And you Poseidon have far too much."

"Just do it, my dear brother. Are you not her uncle? Is she not your niece? By fate and duty you are bounded together as I with her and you with either Ares or Athena." I looked at him with a brow raised. His eyes were bright and inspired. "Well, given that argument, as her uncle, you must love her, do you not?"

I stared at him blankly.

"You are not going to give up are you?"

"Not a chance, brother."

I shook my head. It would be useless to argue further. I was forced to accede to Poseidon's urges. In the morning, the story would be different. I could already picture myself in the wide fields of the mortal world breathing the scent of live humans that I now fail to remember. Persephone would not be hard to find. She'd be there with the mortal children playing in the meadows or skipping by the riverside. It suited her character well, I personally thought.

Little did I know that I should've kept myself away and continued to how I was before. I should have never fuelled my surge of curiosity and should have never entertained Poseidon's whims. Tomorrow, I would walk in the path of my inevitable fate.

This is a very slow-paced story. Hopefully, you guys are still excited for what's to come...

Love,
Ms. Reen