Aidoneus

Homecoming

Life, Persephone thought as she took in a deep breathe of warm Spartan air. She smiled as the sun cascaded on her face. The sounds and smells of the mortal world; green grass, flowers, and children playing were refreshing signs of life. She had been back in Sparta for a few days. Even through she had only been in the Underworld for less than a fortnight, everything felt different at home. Calmer. The Spartan army had finished aiding local villages in repairing the damage from Sisyphus' army and returned home. The once stifled grain supply was restored. Several of her Spartan brothers and sisters applauded her heroics and rejoiced at her return. Some kept their distance from her. Whether it was the betrayal of learning she wasn't a mortal or the revelation of her ties to the underworld, she did not know. There were also a handful of Senators who felt her Father had betrayed and even endangered Sparta by hiding her among them. However the majority of people seemed proud to now boast the Goddess of War as one of their own. 

Her father was overjoyed at her return. She told him of her journey to Tartarus and her role as it's Queen, how they searched for a healer, Acrelous' proclamation of loyalty to her, and Hades waking up. She omitted some of the more...personal events involving the King of the Underworld. 

This morning she joined her Father at the meetings before finding herself wandering the grazing fields. The horses were always a sense of comfort for her and now was no different. Being home was wonderful, but she also felt a weight upon her shoulders. One of the mare's walked over to her hoping for treats. She smiled as she petted her soft muzzle. 

"I swear the horses knew you were gone". A voice behind her made her jump before she turned to see her Father. "I missed them. I missed this" she replied gesturing around her. Her Father smiled as the mare left her and walked over to him in search of treats. "Everything ok, roar?" he asked as his smoothed the horse's wild forelock with his hand. She had been avoiding this conversation since she returned home. She knew it was inevitable but somehow she knew that after it would begin another chapter in her life she wasn't quite ready to start.

She mustered a small smile as she walked towards her Father. "Yes, well...I feel as if there are several paths before me. But I don't know which one is correct." It was the best metaphor she could make. Routkin had always been much more poetic with words. If only he were here...

"Did you notice the new spruce fencing for the horses?" he asked. The sudden topic change confused her but she answered in the affirmative. "It's beautiful. I am glad to hear that the lifting of the Ephyan tariffs have restored prosperity so quickly." Maybe this was just her Father's way of changing the subject. "Actually, it had nothing to do with the Ephyan tariffs" he replied factually. She paused her petting of another horse who had wandered over to consider this.  "Then how did we afford this wood?" She watched a small smile in the corner of her Father's mouth. "It seems that Sparta is sitting on some rare stones" he looked at her as she furrowed her brow. "Rare stones beneath Sparta...I haven't heard of this" she answered still confused. Her father spoke nonchalantly as he continued to pick twigs and grass out of the horse's mane. "Neither did I. But about eight days go we started finding them in the ground. At first we thought someone had dropped it. Perhaps a visiting dignitary. But then some of the children playing the sand pits found over two dozen. Beautiful too. Red, green, blue, purple...even some black." 

She could tell her Father wasn't being forthcoming but noticed how he seemed to pause on mentioning the black stones. She quickly busied herself picking invisible straw from one horse's tail. "Yes, it seemed odd to me as well" her Father said with mirth in his voice. "Then, last night when I was walking the palace grounds after dinner I had a visitor." 

She could feel her heart race but forced a reply, "oh?" Again her father chuckled. "Yes, I was quite surprised to find The God of the Underworld here". Fates...why was Hades here? And talking to her Father no less? Her Father's large hand clapped on her shoulder bringing her back to the moment. "He expressed to me his personal thanks to Sparta for coming to the Underworld's aid and, as the Ruler of Wealth apparently, he promised Sparta prosperity and an ally in the Underworld." She stood dumbstruck. "Wow" was all she could muster out but she was relived that was the extent of Hades' visit.