Christine was returned to her mother. The earth was again prosperous and full of life. Grain cropped up and orchards bloomed. Everywhere Demeter walked, Christine went with her. The girl was not allowed out of her mother's sight. She was allowed to see her friends again, but her mother never left her side.
Despite having her old life back, Christine was much more quiet and subdued than she had ever been before. Her friends worried for her, but she only replied by saying it was not she who needed to be cared for. She would never elaborate.
Demeter soon noticed as well.
"Christine, my lovely daughter, what troubles you so?" She asked.
Christine shook her head sadly.
"I am not the troubled soul and if I am it is only on behalf of one much more troubled than I," she replied.
Demeter frowned.
"Christine. You know I love you more than anything in this world or above it. Tell me what I may do to help you," Demeter pleaded.
Christine's eyes brimmed with tears and her dainty chin trembled.
"I love you more than anything above or on this earth as well mother. I fear to tell you that what I sorrow for is located below it," Christine choked out.
Demeter was shocked to hear this come from her shaking child. She pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Do you mean to tell me you wish to return?" She asked. In that moment, Demeter prayed to Zeus and any other gods that may have power here that she would not confirm her fears.
Christine sobbed into her mother's shoulder.
"I do not know what I wish, mother. I mourn for my home below and for him who was my company there. I long for a place I am forbidden to return to, yet I do not know if I truly wish to return," she cried.
Demeter stroked the golden hair of her only child and let her weep. She knew in her heart that she could not deny her daughter forever, but she was set to not let her return. Her only hope was to keep her from wanting to.
Christine was confused by her own heart. She wanted to live in freedom in the sun. She wanted to stay with her mother and friends, but for some reason she also desperately wished to return to him. She had no heart to sing from her soul without him and she missed his company.
Christine had adopted a habit that was strange to everyone. She would visit the temples of Hades and leave him offerings. No mortals dared worship the god of the dead, but Christine visited his temples often.
She would often leave flowers or fruit for the lonely god. Demeter would wait at the door, not capable of forcing herself to enter any small part of his domain.
From within the temple she could often hear singing. She knew Christine was singing for him. It made her heart ache with the thought that her daughter could love such a being.
