The moment Persephone was taken; she called out for my aid. And yet I did not hear her, for I was within a temple where many often gather to pray and present me with rich sacrifices.

So absorbed was I in receiving worship from the mortals, that I knew nothing of what had taken place until Heleos came to me in great distress.

He told me of Persephone's abduction, of how she called out to me for help when all efforts to reach her mother had proved futile.

It took all of my skill in persuasion to assure the sun god that I would do all in my power to see that the child was restored to her mother's arms.

He could not know that I was bound by a promise given to the lord of the dead long ago, that according to the decree of the Moirae I would allow him to take and make the daughter of gentle Demeter his queen and bride.

I would come to bitterly regret this promise made in haste, regardless of the fact that it was according to what destiny demanded. But I did not know that when I gave my oath, and so gladly I gave my consent to Hades' request for Persephone to become his bride.

Three days by mortal reckoning passed before the first prayers come up before my throne.

Never since I took up the mantle of king have I heard so many petitions from the mortal realm.

They come from the rich and poor, mothers and children, warriors and slaves, all asking for the same blessings. They cry out for the return of warm days and a fruitful harvest, for the lives of their loved ones and the blessing of fields of ripe grain.

They trouble my spirit, giving me no rest day or night, until at last I am forced to part the clouds and gaze down upon the mortal world.

And what I glimpse fills me with anger that Demeter has permitted men to receive no reward for their toil. I gaze upon the emaciated corpses of children and the creatures of the earth, of people weeping and begging for relief from this harsh famine.

And though I feel a brief stirring of pity, it is quickly overcome by the knowledge that unless something is done, I and all of my kin will no longer receive sacrifices from humanity.

My fair sister Demeter is well aware of this truth, and so I content myself with the hope that she will soon relent and bless the earth. But when many weeks have gone by and winter has not loosened its grip, I know that I have no choice.

And so I send to my sister Hermes, Athena and many other members of my court, urging her to lay aside her grief and let nature resume its course. I remind her of the necessity of sacrifice, that without it our power will diminish and we will have difficulty performing our duties and enjoying the honors we deserve.

Still she remains implacable, declaring that she will listen to my commands only when her Persephone is returned. And so at last I consent out of desperation and the desire to quiet the ceaseless petitions of humanity.

Swiftly I order Hermes to go to the realm of death, and tell its lord that I command him to return his bride so that her mother might be assured of her safety. Again I request her presence on Olympus, that I might bestow on her whatever honor she desires.

I do not have long to wait before Hermes returns with Persephone at his side.

Her time beneath the earth has not left her unmarked, for about her now is the traces of darkness she has willingly accepted into her soul.

But beneath that is the taste of trickery, of food given in secret and consumed in preoccupation and the swiftness of one close to knowing starvation.

Unusual for an immortal, and yet I immediately glimpse the truth.

Despite all that Demeter did to keep her daughter from fulfilling her destiny, it has done now and cannot be thwarted.

Though Persephone took nothing while in the realm of Hades, still he tricked her into eating pomegranate seeds while she was distracted by the prospect of returning to her mother's side.

I watch as mother and child are reunited, as Persephone's essence is strengthened by Demeter's power, and they rejoice greatly.

But soon Demeter draws back, eyes full of dawning horror as she realizes what has been done, and demands from Persephone a true accounting of all that happened since she was stolen away.

Persephone answers truthfully, and Demeter reluctantly admits that Hades now has the right to demand his queen's return.

They come to me on Olympus, and before all the gods I decree that Persephone must return to her dread lord for a third of the year, according to the number of seeds she ate. And though Demeter is furious at my part in her daughter's abduction, in the end she submits to my will.

At her daughter's insistence, and moved at last by mortals petitions she descends to earth and teaches humanity how to store away food for the cold months of winter.

It is Eleusis she blesses with her favor, that kingdom where she thought to bless the little heir with the gift of immortality. Perhaps in recompense for her part in the prince's death she teaches men chosen by the king the skills needed to survive, and makes the temple their monarch built at her command the seat of her grace and power.

All this I watch, and approve, grateful that my stubborn sister has found a way to ensure that we will not lack for sacrifices when she is mourning the loss of her daughter.

For without sacrifices our existence would become even more monotonous, and mortals would no longer gift us with their worship but look instead to their own strength to sustain them in times of darkness.

And that is a possibility I hope will never come to pass, for if that day ever comes, I and my brethren will have lost our purpose for existing, and eternity will become a burden few will shoulder with the ease and grace all immortals learn to cultivate.

Even that is a mask, and mortals must never learn how the one thing they desire above any other treasure can become an inescapable curse. How eternity becomes an endless round of desperate pursuits to fill the empty hours, broken only by the pleasure of receiving sacrifices and venturing to the mortal world for brief amusements.

For this reason I commanded the return of Persephone, so that all in the immortal realm might still receive the things which make our existence bearable.

But Demeter does not know this, and I hope will never receive that knowledge. She does not yet know the cost of forever, nor that it was for the sake of all on Olympus that I demanded her obedience.

Oh she can rage against my will, call me hard and implacable, but she dares not question the will of the Moirae. For they long ago wove Persephone's destiny with my dark brother's thread, and not even I can sway them from weaving a pattern which was destined from the dawn of the world.

Note from the authoress: That's it for perspectives on the story of Hades and Persephone.

If anyone thinks that Zeus's thoughts on sacrifices are callous, I took those ideas straight from the Homeric hymn to Demeter, an intriguing and thought provoking read.

I've many one-shots in mind for this series, so keep a lookout for more chapters. It may take me a while, but I'll definitely finish this story.

Also check out my other Greek mythology tales, I could definitely use some constructive comments on writing style, dialogue etc on them.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Thanks for reading.