The Death God and the Flower Maiden

The Search

Meanwhile, back on the surface world. The flower nymphs had heard Persephone's shriek, and were trying to find her.

"LADY PERSEPHONE!!" Called Gladia, the pink gladiolus nymph. "WHERE ARE YOU!?" Daffia, the yellow daffodil nymph, came running to Gladia.

"Have you found her?" Asked Gladia.

"No, all I found was this." Daffia held up Persephone's flower crown. Gladia gasped.

"What do you think happened to her?"

"I don't know," Daffia admitted, "Anemonia and Day are looking around for anything else, but I think we should tell Lady Demeter about this."

"You really want to confront her about something so serious?" Questioned Gladia

"Every second we wait, is every second longer Lady Persephone could be suffering somewhere!"

"You're right, I'll go tell Demeter. Cross my fingers she doesn't incinerate me on the spot."

"That would be too merciful, more likely she'll stop all water from reaching your roots." Daffia admitted.

"I'll try not to think about that."

"WHAT!?" Demeter screamed, jumping up off her throne.

"Ma'am, please, it wasn't our fault, she was just picking flowers and then-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Demeter was practically red in the face from anger. "You lost my one and only daughter, do you know what I'm going to do if she isn't found soon?!"

"Yes, my Lady. Please forgive us. We'll find her! Please spare us!" Demeter walked up to the nymph who was bowing on her hands and knees on the floor.

"Look into my eyes, nymph." Demeter commanded, pushing the nymph's chin up so she could look the goddess in the eyes. "I'll give you one day to find evidence as to my daughter's location and if you don't," an evil glint came over the goddess's face. "Well, you won't want to come back if that's so." Gladia was frozen with fear, eyes wide. Her expression matched that of a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

"Y-yes ma-am." Gladia said shakily. Demeter stood up and glared at her.

"You may leave now." Demeter permitted. The flower nymph scrambled up and ran as fast as she could out of Demeter's castle of trees.

"Those incompetent plants." Grumbled Demeter. "Can't even keep track of a child minded, goddess."

"Gladia! Are you okay? You look as though you've seen a ghost!" Anemonia, a red anemone flower nymph tried to comfort the other frightened nymph.

"Gosh, a ghost would have been better. Lady Demeter is furious! She said that if we didn't have evidence on Lady Persephone's whereabouts by tomorrow, well she didn't tell me what she'd do to us but, by the look on her face..." Gladia trailed off letting Anemonia use her imagination.

"R-right. Well, um, I guess we'd better start looking."

"Hello girls." Said an emotionless voice. The nymphs turned to see who it was. Hecate, the goddess of magic and sorcery stood beside them. Her glowing purple eyes and face were emotionless as always. Her hair was jet black and cut at shoulder length. Her flowing purple robes covered most of her body.

"Hecate! We need your help! Lady Persephone, she-"

"Yes. I know. The other nymphs are the ones who came to get me. They wanted me to see if I could track her."

"Oh! That'd be wonderful! Please!"

"Sure. Do you have anything she's touched in the last few hours? The fresher the better." The nymphs looked at each other then remembered the wreath.