Disclaimer: Retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth... but with LESBIANS
Long ago, in the ages before four seasons, there existed only two periods to mark the passage of time: spring and summer. In spring, everything grew renewed and life abounded, but summer would scorch much of it away to clear the path for more new growth the following spring. Raven, goddess of fertility, of growth and grain, oversaw these changes by charging her daughters with the duty of the season. Vernal, her adopted daughter, brought forth new life during spring, and Yang, her only blood child from Taiyang the sun god, burned it all away with the heat of summer. And so time progressed between two periods: life and death.
One day, while walking among the sunflowers in a field wilting from the intensity of her heat, Yang spotted a strange sight: a huge three headed wolf with white fur and blue eyes. Although she yearned to approach, the deity of summer's heat couldn't get too close, for fear of injuring the animal. Not that the wolf seemed to mind, bounding over to her with all the care of a newborn puppy, too bright eyed and excited by the world to be fettered by such concerns and- much to Yang's surprised- its fur wasn't singed. A cold aura encompassed the beast, shielding it from her heat, and she could pet it from noses to tail without so much as a whimper of concern.
"Hey, little guy," she said, running her fingers through the wolf's thick fur and laughing as one of the heads licked her cheek. "Where'd you come from?"
The wolf's ears perked and it turned, leading the deity through the field and to a cave that lead down, deep into the ground. But it padded along, following a set of stairs down, and Yang followed too, all the way to a river with a single boat and a ghastly ferryman. Rather than enter the boat, the wolf turned, one head nosing beneath her arm while another looked at its back, and she climbed on so the wolf could swim across the river. The further they got from the cave's entrance, the colder it felt, until the wolf's claws gouged into ice to lift them out of the river.
Yang looked around, at the ice and the flurries whipped about on cold wind, amazed that nothing she touched here burned or wilted or shrank from her fire.
"Cerberus, there you are, I've been- oh." Turning, lilac eyes fell on the master of this place, for it could only be the land of the dead she'd entered, and the tall woman facing her, clad in robes of white and blue, could only be Winter, Goddess of the Underworld. "Greetings."
"Hi," she replied, a smile claiming her lips. "I'm Yang, Raven's daughter." Like all the deathless ones, their names were known among each other, but Winter rarely left her domain, even when called by Willow, ruler of them all. "I don't think we've met yet."
"We are… certainly lacking a proper introduction. I'm Winter, Lord of the Dead." The Goddess of the Underworld approached, holding out a hand. "Perhaps you'd like a tour of my domain? Very few have seen it."
"Well, if you're offering." Hesitantly, she took Winter's hand, surprised when the woman didn't wince or pull back. Even her own mother could hardly approach, and when it came time for Vernal to walk the soil of Remnant and bring forth new growth, she hid beneath a mountain, slumbering until her season came again.
Slowly, they meandered through the Underworld, with Cerberus bounding around them. Yang saw firsthand the punishments that awaited those who angered the gods and the bliss of eternal contentment that awaited those who pleased them. The cold that seemed to permeate the Underworld wrapped around her, comforted her, and Yang found herself relaxing further into it the longer she stayed.
They eventually came to a small field, the trees frozen in full bloom with a thin sheen of ice across them, and beautiful pomegranates hanging heavy from the limbs.
"Wait." Winter put a hand on Yang's shoulder as she reached up to pluck one of the low hanging fruit. "Surely, you know the rules; any who eat of the land of the dead become part of it."
"It's not like I can die." She shrugged, holding the fruit, which neither burned nor scorched from her touch. Usually, the only food she could have would be what was sacrificed to her at the alter in Vale, and the smaller shrines dedicated to placating her. They were always charred and blackened, tasting like ash in her mouth, and she yearned for the sweet taste of fruit Vernal spoke of so fondly. "Neither of us can."
"Still, it will bind you here. It's decreed by the Fates." The Goddess of the Underworld frowned, her expression turning grave. "If you eat it, you won't be able to leave. It's… no small thing."
"What about you?" Yang gestured with the fruit. "Can you eat it?"
"Of course. I am master here; I can come and go as I please, no matter what."
"So why don't you? Leave, I mean."
"I have my duties to consider," she replied, indicating the souls trickling in, directed by Winter's servants to their appropriate places. "I not only watch over the dead but I keep the living from avoiding their end, or the ends of others. Mortals would not be mortal if they didn't die."
"That's a good point." With both hands, she squeezed at the pliant flesh of the fruit and twisted, splitting it in half and offering one side to Winter. "I'm guessing Cerberus isn't affected by it either?"
"No. They are of the Underworld, as I am, and while they're just as capable of acting in my stead on the rare occasions I do leave, I don't think they like it." Accepting her half, the Goddess took a small bite. "You didn't cross the river using the boat, right?"
"No, Cerberus carried me across," she said, turning to offer the other half to the wolf, breaking it into smaller chunks so each head could have a piece. In doing so, however, she picked out a few seeds and slipped them into her pocket, unseen. "I'm guessing that's another rule?"
"Yes; a toll must be paid, and the ferryman's a bit… lenient on what is acceptable payment." She shrugged one shoulder. "It's not proven a problem yet. I just would prefer if a fellow Immortal isn't the first to test what might result from that." An apologetic smile. "I'd understand if you're a bit bored. I'm afraid there's really not much to my realm. It's… perhaps not as bright and warm as the Upperworld."
"Honestly, I'm okay with that." Yang slipped her hand into Winter's again. "Do you have a throne down here? Like Willow does?"
The ruler of the Underworld nodded. "This way."
Together, they went to a sprawling palace, where souls of the dead lingered, though there were only a few and each of them bore some manner of wound that refused to heal. Winter explained that some heroes chose to be put up in the sky while others dined with Willow; still others chose to dwell in the land of the dead, for those whom they treasured most would eventually go there, that they may watch over them even in death.
As they passed through a grand ballroom, with a chandelier made of ice and lit a ghostly blue, Cerberus began to growl, all three heads snarling as their hackles rose.
Yang quirked a brow. "Did a mortal wander down here?"
"No," she replied, raising a hand to preemptively block the rubble sent flying as the wall of the ballroom exploded, Raven stepping through with fury written across her expression. "Cerberus only growls like that at uninvited guests."
"Do not quote etiquette at me, Winter." Red eyes burned with rage, for though she encouraged growth, she, too, was a Goddess of Death in her own way. "Now, return my daughter or face the consequences. When Willow hears you kidnapped her-"
"Mom, I came down here." Putting herself between them, she tried talking her mother down, though unsure how she might fare. When roused, Raven's temper rivaled only her own. "I was just curious; no harm done."
"You say that, but all the while you've been down here, your heat can't be felt in Remnant." She pointed up, towards the world she'd left behind. "It's as if you've gone to sleep and it's not time for spring yet."
Yang's shoulders fell. "I didn't know that."
"Well, now you do." Her eyes narrowed, watching Winter suspiciously. "And I find it difficult to believe you came here of your own will. This place is bleak and dreary, no place fit for a deity- no offense, of course."
"None taken," the Goddess of the Underworld replied coolly, setting a hand on one of Cerberus' heads as the other two continued to growl lowly. "But I must ask you to leave. Only the dead and those with dominion over them may enter here."
Raven's expression pinched into one of anger- for was she not also one who commanded life and death? Such remained a point of contention between the two deities- before she turned, ready to leave the way she'd entered. "Yang, come."
She frowned, looking back at Winter and sighing. "Okay, Mom."
"You shouldn't wander off during your season." As they left the Underworld, she stayed far enough ahead of Yang that only the tips of her hair singed, and it hurt a bit to be ripped away from a place that didn't seem disturbed by her presence. "You know how vital your role is."
"Like you're one to talk about responsibility." She grumbled in response, though she looked away when her mother quickly glanced back her way. They'd didn't agree on most things so it didn't surprise her that she'd landed on Raven's bad side again.
However, before she could reach the bank of the river, where Raven had forged a path of dirt to cross while the ferryman sat in his boat on the other side, Cerberus darted in front of Yang's path. In the next moment, Winter appeared beside her, quickly dipping into her pocket and collecting the seeds she'd hidden there.
"I probably should've mentioned- there are no secrets in death." She spoke softly, that Raven might not notice her daughter's delay.
"I just wanted to plant them." Yang gestured towards the Upperworld. "If they grow, then I could have the fruit, right?"
"The seeds are dead. They can only grow here, where death abounds." Winter frowned, blue eyes darting towards the other Goddess' retreating form. "I'm sorry, truly, but the Underworld is always open to you, if ever you wish to return."
"Thanks."
Offering a small smile, she ran her fingers through the fur on Cerberus' heads before heading across the bridge her mother made, the dirt dissolving behind her every step. The ascent went much quicker than the descent, and Yang found herself standing in the Upperworld once more, where her heat smothered all she surveyed.
As she had done many times before, Yang walked until all had burned away, wilting beneath her might, and clearing the way for Vernal to bring new life to Remnant. With her sister awoken, it came time for Yang to return to the mountain where she waited out the spring months, but she did not return there. Instead, she found the cave and the stairs, descending to the Underworld, so that her presence might not be felt in the lands above.
At the edge of the river, she acknowledged the ferryman and whistled, hoping Cerberus might hear- which they did, bounding to the other side of the river and immediately diving in, excitedly greeting her as soon as they'd shaken the water from their fur.
"Hey, buddy." She chuckled, turning her head as three tongues tried to lick her at once, the weight of the beast quite nearly bowling her over. Somehow, she managed to keep her bearings until Cerberus calmed down, their tail wagging excitedly. "Mind if I catch a lift?"
Politely lowering their shoulder, she climbed onto the wolf's back with ease, and they plunged into the river once more to cross it.
And when they came upon the bank on the other side, the two were greeted by a crowd of ghosts bearing baskets filled with various fruits that looked a bit past their prime and, in a flash of cool blue light, Winter appeared amidst them with a smile on her lips.
"Welcome back," she said, gesturing to the baskets. "These were brought down from Willow's garden. You… should be able to eat them." Yang's brows rose. She'd never been invited to the ruling Goddess' domain; Raven went whenever summoned, and Vernal too, when she was awake, but Yang's heat could be too stifling for comfort, even for an immortal. But she'd heard stories of the celestial fruits and meats offered to her, the ambrosia that bubbled from fountains, and hoped one day she might get to taste it for herself. "I'm afraid being down here subjects them to… well-"
"I'm sure they'll be delicious," Yang replied, sliding off Cerberus' shoulder and grabbing the first one she could, biting into it quickly. The perpetual cold swirling through the Underworld shielded the fruit from her flames and the slight decay beginning to infect it only slightly diminished the sweetness of the juice as it dribbled down her chin. She hummed her appreciation while continuing to eat, unable to stop now that she'd tasted even a shadow of what she'd always dreamed. "What is this?"
"That's a plum." Winter smiled wider, waving over a few of her servants. "Here, there's more to try."
Slowly, she worked her way through the baskets as they walked to the palace, arriving in the dining hall, resplendent with even more baskets from the garden on high. Finally, her curiosity won out again. "How did you get all this?"
"I visited Willow, of course." The Goddess of the Underworld winced slightly. "It was… long overdue, by her estimations, so she was rather generous with fulfilling my requests. Probably as encouragement to return."
"Wait." Yang paused, halfway through the rib of a pig and throwing the remainder to Cerberus, who seemed to enjoy the food just as much as the pomegranate from her last visit. "Did you only go up to see her because of me?"
"Well, Raven did make a scene about the whole fiasco, so I thought it prudent to tell my side of the story." She tapped her fingers against the table, blue eyes looking away briefly. "Though… honestly, I probably wouldn't have bothered if I didn't suspect my mother's garden to be resistant to my domain." A shrug of her shoulders. "If Willow wished to berate me, she'd come down here herself."
She couldn't help the way her lips curled into a small grin, heat coming to her cheeks enough to overpower the cold in the air. "You didn't have to do that."
"Of course I didn't have to." Winter smiled. "I simply wanted to." Then she grabbed a goblet, fashioned after a skull with its mouth open in a never ending scream. "I'm pleased to see my estimations proved correct."
Yang grabbed her own and lifted it in a toast, relishing the sweet ambrosia that slid down her throat as she drank.
For the whole time she was meant to sleep, Yang ate and drank in the Underworld, with Winter running up to her mother's garden to fetch more periodically. Not that she didn't do other things, of course; the two immortals wandered the Land of the Dead, conversing about everything they could think of during their walks. Winter spoke of the ancient histories- how Willow came to be, how she molded other immortals, every deity no matter how small- and Yang regaled her with the things she'd seen while walking the Upperworld- how mortals toiled yet found happiness amid their strife, how lush and lively everything looked in the distance before she arrived, how beautiful the stars looked on a cloudless night.
But time did not stop. Eventually, Vernal returned to slumber and Yang had to leave the Underworld.
When the time came, the Goddess of the Underworld seemed the more reluctant one as they stood at the edge of the river with Cerberus just behind them. "You'll return? At the end of your season?"
"Yeah." She smiled, slipping her hand into Winter's for the little time they still had together. "I'll be back."
"Part of me wishes I could walk beside you." A frown tugged at her lips. "But I would just bring death, and not the sort your sister could reverse come spring."
"It would almost be worth it to see the look on my mom's face though," she said, laughing at the imagine of Raven, thoroughly ticked off at having the debate settled once and for all. But the mortals would suffer for it and Yang had never been a vindictive deity; it wasn't their fault she had these responsibilities, even if they benefited from them. "It's almost time."
"Very well." Winter squeezed her hand briefly, a smile on her face. "I look forward to your return."
Cerberus ferried her across the river and she ascended to the Upperworld with the wolf following close behind, only stopping when she reached the mouth of the cave. There, they sat, whining until she'd pet all three heads and then went on her way.
Several seasons passed. Each spring, Yang would descend to the Underworld, to dine with Winter amongst the dead with fruit, meat, and drink bargained for from Willow's garden, and each summer, she walked Remnant alone.
Finally, she reached a crossroads.
"Is something on your mind?" Winter prodded midway through one spring. "Your thoughts seem heavy."
"I know the rules and what it means to break them," she said, idly tracing a pattern through the fur on one of Cerberus' heads. "But I'm finding less and less reasons to follow them."
The Goddess of the Dead tapped her fingers against the table, lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm guessing this is something your mother might not like."
"She'll be livid." A shrug. "But I don't really care."
"Then… what's holding you back?"
Lilac eyes cast around, at the dreary castle, and the dark and the cold, this place that seemed so at odds with the fire in her soul, yet also the only place she could claim to find peace. A home, as fit as any other. "I'm not sure if you'll approve."
Winter paused, grabbing her goblet and taking a long pull. Then, she sat back in her chair. "Will it make you happy?"
"Yes."
A nod, then something occurred to her- almost an afterthought. "Will it threaten the immortals?"
"No."
"Will it harm mortals?"
"… maybe."
She nodded. "Then I see no reason to object." A shrug. "Suffering is the plight of mortals and Willow's done worse with much less consideration. Whatever you have in mind, you have my support."
"Even if it means fighting my mother?"
"She'll have to get through mine first."
A smile curled her lips. "Alright."
Then she got up, Winter and Cerberus trailing behind, and went to the field of pomegranate trees. She picked one of the fruit and split it in half as she did before, offering one side to the Lord of the Dead and the other to the wolf while keeping a handful of seeds for herself. At that point, it had to be obvious what she planned but Winter made no motion to stop her.
But she did ask. "Are you sure this is what you want? I haven't anything to offer you haven't already seen."
"I'm sure," she replied gathering the seeds into her palm. "All I really want is your company."
"You have that, for a whole season-"
"I want more." Yang felt a little silly saying it. She should be content with her duties, with the sacrifices and walking through Remnant year after year. But she couldn't be, not anymore, not when she knew she could be somewhere with someone who actually enjoyed her presence.
For a moment, Winter watched her. Then, she deliberately dropped down to one knee and bowed her head. "Then all I have is yours. Become my Queen and rule beside me. Let this land become as much yours as it is mine, and I will remain by your side until the end of time."
Without hesitation, she tilted her head back and popped the seeds into her mouth, swallowing them down whole.
In the next moment, Cerberus began to growl and bark, darting in front of Yang even as a familiar presence disturbed the peace of death.
"YANG!" Raven appeared, furious, red-black energy swirling about her as she stalked across the field. "WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?"
Before she had a chance to respond, Winter stepped up beside her and put up a hand, stopping the angry deity in her tracks. "You will address her in a civil tone or I will throw you out."
"WHO ARE YOU TO GIVE ME ORDERS?"
"Master of this land for one."
"And your new daughter-in-law for another," Yang said, and she'd be lying if she didn't relish the look of pure, unadulterated rage that flashed over her mother's face.
"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-"
"Immortal means you cannot die, Raven; it doesn't protect you from pain." Winter's tone turned ice cold as a wind began to whip through the Underworld, the sound of a hundred thousand voices shrieking echoing from beneath their feet, where the souls of the dead congregated. "And I am well versed in that arena as well. Have you forgotten which of us is charged with delivering unto those who have earned them the punishments Willow hands down?"
"DO YOU THINK I FEEL FEAR?" Though she charged her daughters with the seasons, Raven could call upon the same powers, and from beneath her feet sprung ferns and vines, flowering and bearing fruit even amidst the Underworld's death and decay. "HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHICH OF US CONTROLS BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN?"
Cerberus snapped at the encroaching greenery, pressing close to Yang's side, and she felt a tendril of fear worm its way into her heart. She'd only made the comment about fighting her mother in jest; she honestly didn't expect Winter to do so. But she could hear the muffled, distant sounds of a million soldiers marching, echoing up from the depths of the Underworld to join Winter in battle.
She managed a single step, to try and stand between them, diffuse the situation, but all turned white in that moment.
"What are you idiots bickering over now?" Sat upon a throne of clouds, Willow surveyed them with disdain in her expression and a carafe of wine in her hand. Her gaze flicked between Raven and Winter while the two stared each other down, left diminished in their capabilities now that they stood in Willow's realm. Then her brows drew together. "And why did it suddenly get so much warmer- ah." Her eyes fell on Yang with the weight of a mountain, just as blue as Winter's but somehow sharper. "You. Yang, correct? It's about time you came to this place." Willow glanced at the others. "Do you know what's going on between these two?"
"I… sorta caused it." She admitted with a smile that faltered under the intense gaze directed her way. "I-"
"Wait." And she stood, the ruler of the Immortal Ones, creator of all, her eyes narrowing as she peered and saw the truth. "Last I checked, you brought the heat of summer wherever you went as its patron; since when did you hold any dominion over death?"
"Since about five minutes ago?" Yang scratched at the back of her head, unsure how she might explain herself, but then she caught sight of Winter out of the corner of her eye. Steady, unyielding, and smiling gently- an encouragement and a promise that she would honor her word. Even in the face of one who could strip them of their powers, she would stand beside Yang. So she straightened up, tilted her chin defiantly, and met Willow's gaze without faltering. "I ate the fruit of the Underworld. That's where I belong now."
"Over my dead body!" Raven snapped, obviously prepared to continue her advance but stopped when Willow held up a hand.
"You know the rules the same as I; if she's eaten of the Underworld, she's bound to that place."
"You brought her here!"
"The rules don't apply to me." A careless shrug. "Consider it a perk of being the master of the world. A job you could've easily taken, mind." Ignoring Raven's glare, her gaze returned to Yang. "Did you eat the fruit of the Underworld to shirk your duties?"
"No," she replied.
"Then why did you eat the fruit?"
"Because…" She trailed off, reaching for words, trying to articulate what had passed through her mind while looking around. Finally, it clicked. "It's where I want to belong."
"Meaning?"
"When I bring the heat of summer, I am a nomad of Remnant; I don't belong anywhere. Until I met Winter, any time I didn't spend bringing the fury of my season, I slept beneath a mountain." Without looking, she reached out, calmed by the hand that found hers, fingers lacing between her own in a silent show of support. "After we met, I had a place to belong, a place that felt like home, just like you have this place. But, I've only been a guest, and I didn't want that anymore. I just…" She turned her head to find Winter watching her, pride glinting in her eyes, and something else, something much softer. "I love her. And she makes me feel loved, too. There's nowhere else I feel like that, so why would I want to leave?"
"I see." Willow drank from her carafe and sighed, leaning back in her gilded chair. "And if I were to pull the seeds from you, revoke that which binds you there-"
"You would have to kill me first," Winter said, stepping up and meeting her mother's gaze with a cold fire, words edged with razor sharp intent.
"Then the feelings are reciprocated."
"She is my Queen." Resolute, she nodded. "I'll take her to wife, if she'll have me."
"Marriage. Such a charming mortal convention." Willow sighed, massaging her temple. "But, an elegant solution, I must admit."
"What possible solution could a marriage offer?" Raven snapped, all the fury of a spring storm gathering around her, lightning crackling along her hair.
"As Queen of the Underworld, Yang will be able to come and go as she pleases, since she'd be afforded the same dominion over the Underworld as Winter." She made a vague gesture. "That would return us to the status quo, of course, but for getting me involved, you both will be punished."
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR INTERFERENCE!" Yang winced, both at her mom's shouting and at agreeing with her, for once.
"It's too late to argue; I've already decided on your punishment." Blue eyes bounced between the two. "Wait, we're missing someone. Where's that other whelp of yours?" With a snap of her fingers, she pulled Vernal from wherever she'd been to stand before her. "There. Now, with Winter and Yang marrying, that means our families are joined, which I'm not exactly thrilled about." Willow shot a hard look at Raven. "However, they seemed pleased with the arrangement, so we'll proceed accordingly. I do not tolerate laziness, which means all of you will have to attend to your duties accordingly. Henceforth, there will be four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter- and guess which one you're going to have." Her gaze moved to Winter at the ending line. "For three months, each of you will bring your season to Remnant. Spring, then summer, then fall- that's you, Raven- and then winter, before the cycle begins again. That's fair."
A frown touched Yang's lips. For half of every year, she wouldn't be able to even see Winter? How did that constitute fairness?
She almost said as much before the hand still holding hers gave her a light squeeze, reassuring her.
"Fine," Raven said through gritted teeth, apparently mollified by the idea that Winter had additional responsibilities- and perhaps by the implication that her daughter would reap little benefit from the whole situation. "But nothing will grow in Winter."
Willow smirked, then, that famous little curl of her lips that told mortal and immortal alike that they couldn't see what she could. "We'll see about that."
With a snap of her fingers, Willow's domain fell away, replaced by the comforting chill of the Underworld, Cerberus immediately pouncing upon Yang and whining, tail wagging viciously as two heads tried to lick her face.
"Easy, easy, down!" She laughed, noting the third head trying to bury in Winter's chest, and they both managed to get the wolf to calm enough that they returned to all fours while running around them. "Winter, are you sure about this?"
"As certain as death," she replied, gently cupping her cheek and drawing her into a soft, smooth kiss that soothed her worries. "Mother gave me more duties, yes, but she didn't take away any of my power." Then, she knelt down, calling her faithful hound to her. "Cerberus. You know what Mother has charged me with, correct?" All three heads nodded. "Will you walk Remnant in my stead and bring the winter with you?"
Three ground shaking barks answered her, and both of them began petting the wolf as thanks.
"Raven will be furious when she finds out," Yang said, softly, as if her mom might be able to overhear.
"How will she?" Winter raised a brow. "She now bears a season, too. She won't be able to walk on Remnant during a season other than hers and I'll know if she sets foot in the Underworld, the same as you. There are many places to hide in death."
A surprised laugh left her lips. She hadn't considered it before but oh how delicious an irony it was.
And so it fell that Remnant had four seasons instead of two and that the Underworld had two rulers rather than one. True to her word, Winter imbued Yang will all her powers over the dominion of death and decay, and held her above all others in her heart. After a few years of enjoying their time together, uninterrupted save for her three month forays to bring summer to Remnant, Yang began to think not of just which duties she'd been given but what other strengths she may possess. She carried the heat of her father; it stood to reason her mother had to give her something aside from responsibilities she didn't want, right?
In time, they proved Willow's wisdom sage, and proved there could be growth in Winter.
One of the many benefits, Yang found, to being the daughter of a fertility goddess.
Author's Note: Why? Because I can.