Sundown

Chapter 13

Lily watched Demeter and Persephone talking from a distance. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the longer they talked, the more obvious it was that she had misunderstood what she'd seen. As soon as Lily had come back with Demeter and found Hades embracing Persephone, she immediately felt a sinking feeling in her gut. Persephone's confusion reinforced her error even further.

Her worried expression stayed fixed on the mother and daughter. They hugged and looked like they were wrapping up their conversation. Lily's heart raced, wondering who she feared more for this mistake: Demeter, Hades, or Kore. Demeter had been on edge lately and Hades absolutely terrified her, so she chose Kore to plead forgiveness. She had always seen her be nice to nymphs and rarely saw her angry.

"Lady Kore!" Lily ran after Persephone. "Lady Kore, I-" she finally caught up to her and suddenly nerves overcame her. "I'm so sorry I told Demeter, I-I came by, and I thought..."

Persephone felt for the poor girl stammering in front of her. She had only done what she was asked and looked like she was going to burst into tears. She was young, maybe thirteen or fourteen, and had obviously misunderstood what she'd seen.

"It's alright," she assured her with a small smile. "I'm not angry. You did what you thought was right." Before Lily could relax, Hades approached, towering over both of them.

"K-king Hades!" Lily bowed her head, averting her eyes down, afraid to even speak his name. She had heard terrible stories of what he did to people in the Underworld and hoped Persephone would protect her from his wrath; after all, he was the one he had wrongly accused. "I'm so sorry, I d-didn't know and-"

"Please, there is no need," he interrupted, raising a hand to stop her. She flinched, her fear wound so tightly in her body she was shaking. "In fact, I'm glad my wife has such a diligent protector in the world above."

Lily slowly looked up at him with surprise. If anything, Hades was only annoyed that the nymphs referred to him as king but not her as queen. He supposed it was a big change that wouldn't happen all at once.

"You are?" Lily was shocked at Hades' calm, almost friendly demeanor. The way Demeter described him she imagined him a cruel, hot-headed tyrant. He nodded, and she finally relaxed the slightest bit.

"Would you do me a favor?" he asked her. She gave him a confused look. "Six months from now, when my wife returns, will you promise to watch over her then? I might be less likely to worry over her if I know she's protected."

"Okay," Lily agreed, surprised to hear such a doting request.

"We're not angry," Persephone added. "Though I'm sorry if my mother is. I hope we didn't get you in trouble."

"She told me to stay with you to make sure nothing bad happened and I just thought..." her face flushed red with embarrassment, tears in her eyes. "I mean, I didn't know that-"

"It's okay," Persephone, putting a reassuring arm around her shoulder. "My mother didn't tell me anything about sex either." Lily sniffled, relieved she wasn't the only one.

"She didn't? How did you learn?"

"Like you did: one day I came across it. I went running terrified to Demeter too." Lily managed a quiet laugh, her shame subsiding. "Even then, she didn't explain much. I'm sorry you had to see ... what you did." Persephone's gaze flickered briefly over Lily's head to her husband. He gave her a wry half smile.

"I understand why you were scared. But you can ask me anything you want, and I promise I'll answer." Lily hesitated. She had questions, a lot of them, but was too embarrassed to ask them all in front of Hades.

"Doesn't it ... hurt?" she asked meekly. Persephone felt bad that the only sexual act this girl had seen had been by far the roughest encounter between her and her husband.

"It shouldn't, no." She paused, reconsidering. "It might be uncomfortable the first few times. But if it's with a man who's patient and gentle with you, you'll be okay. And then you'll like it just as much as he does."

"What if I don't find a man like that?" Lily hadn't heard many tales of kind men from fellow nymphs and was surprised to hear a woman could enjoy sex as much as a man.

"You will, don't worry," Persephone said, giving her a encouraging squeeze. "You just have to wait for the right one." She looked up at Hades and smiled.

Hades marveled at his luck. When he took Persephone from the field, he hardly knew her. Watching her comfort Lily, he realized he somehow managed to steal away for his wife the kindest woman he had ever met. Since he kidnapped her he felt he didn't deserve it, but now she was beaming up at him like she cared for him just as much as he cared for her.

Persephone had not grown up hearing many stories speaking kindly of men either, especially not on Olympus and especially not from her mother. In her first nights in the Underworld, she feared he would enter her room and demand sex from her, since he'd said she was now is wife.

When that day never came, she finally ventured out and saw he was more than willing to give her space and eager to do anything that made her more comfortable. After spending the days with him being shown around his realm - their realm, he said - going back to her room at night felt lonely. One night he came by her door to tell her goodnight, and she invited him in. Even then, he was cautious just to enter her room and sit on the bed. She stopped him from leaving, not wanting to sleep alone. Hades was beyond delighted she wanted him there, but afraid one wrong move and it would all be over.

The next night she slept even closer to him, becoming more and more liberal with her touch. Kore had never been so close to a man and she liked being with him. He let her explore him, running her hands across his angles: across his shoulders and his narrow waist, fingers through his hair, tracing the shape of his jaw and the flat of his back. She hesitantly pressed her lips to his, afraid of being rejected, but was immediately reassured by his enthusiastic response.

The third night any fear of rejection was long gone. He frantically kissed her mouth, her neck, her ears, her collarbone, anywhere he could reach as if he couldn't get enough of her fast enough. She locked her limbs around him, arching towards him. Still learning her own body and what it meant to be aroused, she wanted more but didn't know how to ask for it. She excused herself for a moment to try to work up the nerve, causing him to worry he had taken things too far.

This time, she quelled his fear by crawling back into the bed and pressing herself against him. He ran his hand down her back, expecting to feel her dress but his only her feeling smooth body. Normally vocal and articulate, Persephone prayed he would understand what she wanted as she was too shy to say the words. She looked up at him with wide, imploring eyes with a look he would never forget: an invitation, a request.

He removed his own clothing and lay next to her, not wanting to move too quickly, not wanting this moment to be over too soon. With nothing between them he slowly, tentatively touched her, this time exploring her curves. Hades often glanced up at her for her permission, waiting for her to nod before continuing. Reverting back to slow, careful touch inflamed her. Anywhere he wanted to touch, anywhere he wanted to kiss, she allowed. She reached for him, her arousal putting her on edge, anxious to be joined with him.

When he finally shifted on top of her - her legs parted, his length at her entrance, and clinging to him with arms around his neck - he looked up at her for guidance again. Persephone gave him a small smile and nodded, but he could tell now that the moment had come, she was nervous. Instead he leaned down to kiss her and continued until he could feel her relax before slowly pushing in.

For every sound and every slight movement she made, Hades paused until he was sure she wanted to continue. By the end she was pulling at him to be closer, wrapping him tight in her embrace. Afterwards he carefully held her to him, like she was still fragile. The whole time she felt she was in control of what happened, how fast, and for how long. He made her feel safe and wanted.

She understood what Lily meant: there may be a lot of cruel, uncaring, selfish men out there she might have to endure before finding a good man. Hers was the first and only man she had ever been with, and he had found her.

Persephone marveled at her luck.