Flowergirl, Percy Jackson

006. Lions and Men

There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind, but hate each other out and out an through. / Homer, The Iliad

They are in a sunroom, surrounded by reflective glass windows that seem designed to trap light. Yet, there is a distinct lack of sunlight in the Underworld, so the room only shows off how dark the surrounding areas are. There's a faint scent of roses in the air, leading Lila to believe that they aren't too far away from the garden. 

At this revelation, she immediately tries to search for an exit, but there are large skeletal warriors guarding each of the many doors, armed with rifles and baring their teeth. She backs off. 

Persephone waves her hand. "Leave us." They obey. It's disquieting, to see her mother commands legions of the dead with such ease. Even Demeter seems disgusted. This is Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, not Persephone, goddess of spring. Maybe the two are the same. Lila's researched her mother. There's a cyclical quality to her life; when she married Hades, she became the goddess of rebirth, often associated with spring. She was always destined to be Queen of the Underworld, from the moment she was born. 

"Sit with us, child," Demeter commands gently. No matter how nice she may appear, Lila knows that it is a command. She sits, and a bowl of cereal is placed in front of her. "Eat," Demeter says. Lila obeys, because she's hungry, having been awake the whole night. 

Persephone groans. "Really, mother? Cereal, again?"

Demeter raises an eyebrow. "Better than wine." 

Lila's mother has completely ignored the heaped bowl Demeter has placed in front of her, and instead is pouring white wine into a glass. Lila's not well-versed in wine, but she's pretty sure the average glass isn't actually a full glass. Well, Persephone fills it right to the rim, before taking a long gulp. 

"It's seven in the morning," Demeter hisses. "Have some self-respect." 

Lila's not sure how time works in the Underworld, but she doesn't dare ask, as the two goddesses are glaring at each other, looking ready to start blasting unsuspecting witnesses. She carries on eating her cereal, which seems bottomless. 

"It's happy hour somewhere," Persephone rolls her eyes. "Besides, we're in my land now. I can do what I like." 

Honestly, if Hades wasn't ... well, such a jerk, Lila might support this relationship. Persephone seems happier when separated from her mother's controlling strings, and Demeter seems a little overprotective. 

"Pfft," Demeter huffs. "To think that I'd see the age when my daughter calls this dark, disgusting dump her land - of course, you had to marry the King of the Underworld. Couldn't have married someone respectable, someone who could provide you a future somewhere with life- no, my darling daughter had to go find an outcast to court. No thoughts for her poor, loving mother who did all she could to ensure she was happy. Her mother who only tried to make sure she had the best life. Do you even know how much I gave up for you? I could have married Poseidon. I could have married anyone! Do you know how many lovers I could have had - "

"That's disgusting." Persephone complains, refilling her wine glass. 

"Not as disgusting as thinking of you and that foul, cruel, half-dead -" 

"Mother! Don't speak of my husband like that." 

"Funny, you knew exactly who I was speaking of." 

"Who else? I know how much you hate him." Persephone sighs, but she doesn't seem too angry - well, not angry enough to kill something, anyway. She winks at Lila over the bottle of wine. "Want some?"