𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 ➤ 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆

xvii. that lavender haze

Hades spent the rest of the day sitting in a garden. Well, it was no ordinary garden.

Apparently, during the first few weeks of Persephone's arrival, she created a garden in a secluded area of the palace's outer grounds while he was working.

It was the most lovely and peaceful-looking place anyone could imagine. The elevated walls that encircled it were draped with leafless stems of climbing roses that were so thick that they matted together.

The once-stone ground was now covered in a wintry brown grass, from which grew clusters of bushes — rose bushes to be precise.

There were several other flowers like violets, lilies, hyacinths, dandelions, and tulips which had so spread their branches that they were like little trees.

There were other trees in the garden, and one of the things that made the place look strangest and loveliest was that climbing honeysuckle had run all over them and swung down long tendrils which made light swaying curtains.

And here and there, they had caught on to each other or a far-reaching branch, crept from one tree to another, and built stunning bridges for themselves.

When he was young, he wasn't an avid fan of flower picking, but after he met Persephone, he could now confidently say that he was beginning to love flowers and the activity as well.

Eventually, Persephone finished picking flowers after several minutes of making him wait, with her basket in her hand.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting," she said.

"Don't be, I quite enjoy the peacefulness," he mumbled.

"Oh, so you liked it when I was away?" she said playfully, grinning.

"Wha – no, no, that's not what I meant!" he
said defensively.

"Fooled you!"

"Oh, you ...."

In a fraction of time that could not be measured, Hades had stood up. "I'll make you pay for that."
Trusting her instincts, she fled as he pursued her.

A squeal escaped from her mouth as finally caught her and the two of them tumbled down together on the grass, him lying on top of her.

"Nice view," he remarked.

Persephone stared at him intently for a while before breaking into uncontrollable laughter. He did his best to stay serious until he couldn't resist. Even as they finally stood up, they couldn't stop laughing.

"I made something for you," she said, breathing heavily, her hands holding a flower crown. "A crown, made of flowers."

Hades' cheeks quickly turned a vivid red. "Oh, you didn't have to."

She didn't listen and put it on his head anyway.

He looked quite exasperated, which worried her for a few moments until he chuckled, "I'll keep this forever," he said, fixing the crown on his head. "Tell me, how do I look?"

"More handsome than ever, your Majesty."

Hades blushed before lying perfectly still on the grass and closing his eyes.

Persephone immediately lied back as he did, unwilling to take her eyes off him. The moist wind was gentle; it tangled her hair and ruffled the grass that swayed around his motionless form.

The garden, so spectacular to her at first, paled next to his magnificence.

She reached out one finger and stroked the back of his shimmering hand, where it lay within her reach. To her surprise, he readily accepted it.