Tangled Temptations [Hades & Persephone Retelling]

Chapter 3

Persephone

An unfamiliar feeling stirred in the young goddess' chest the moment her sage green eyes met his own navy blue ones. A soft blush rose to her cheeks, feeling slightly uneasy with the way his icy gaze seemed to pierce through her. However, the feeling was quickly forgotten as a pleasant smile graced her lips.

Hades nodded stiffly and briefly at her in return before he turned around and left, leaving the young goddess to stare after him blankly. It was like he could sense her presence and wanted to keep as far away from her as possible. She frowned when he made eye contact with her, noticing the way he was watching her. But before she could question it further, the door opened once again, allowing a group of people to enter. Her father, Zeus, entered the grand hall alongside his wife, Hera.

She looked around at her surroundings once again in order to spot her family as soon as possible. As expected, Apollo was standing right beside her father. Next to him was Poseidon, who was sporting a suit just like everyone else, although his suit was much more vibrant than the others. Then there was Hermes, Apollo's best friend, and the newest addition to their little group; Dionysus. The three of them were like peas in a pod — always unbreakable.

Then, there are the ladies whose bonds are the strongest, perhaps except for Hera, knowing she was the most jealous type to ever exist. Sometimes, she was often seen with Hestia, the sister she was the closest to.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the presence of every god in the grand hall, Persephone sneaked out. To where? She had no clue. The atmosphere immediately changed the moment she stepped out of the hall. Loud chatters and laughter turned into deafening silence with a couple of mortals wandering about by themselves. The goddess' footsteps were silent as she walked around aimlessly. She could only hope that her mother wasn't looking for her the moment she was out of sight. Heck, she didn't even know this place that well, either.

Her mind was occupied with the thoughts of other matters while trying to avoid Hades, however, her mind was brought back to reality as she found herself bumping into someone. She flinched and lifted her head slowly; she looked up and realized she accidentally bumped straight into a familiar face, the man she recognized immediately.

"I apologize," Persephone apologized as she lifted her head up from his shoulder to look at him, "I'm afraid I was preoccupied with my thoughts and completely lost track of my surroundings. My name is Persephone."

The young goddess looked directly into Hades' navy blue eyes for a few moments, waiting to hear his reply. The first thing that came to her mind was how handsome he was. His eyes had a certain look to them, and she almost found herself drawn to him. His pale face was covered with light stubble and his black hair fell just above his shoulders, brushing against the edge of his jacket in the process.

"It seems I've bumped into a princess once again," Hades remarked dryly.

Persephone blinked slowly and tilted her head to the side slightly, confusion and slight embarrassment forming on her face, "You seem to find this encounter quite amusing, don't you?"

Hades shrugged nonchalantly, not saying anything for a few moments, before responding with a small nod of his head.

Persephone's cheeks burned brightly as she lowered her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. For some reason, the fact that he was making her embarrassed felt oddly comfortable. The tension that had built up between them before was now replaced by a strange calmness that surrounded both of them.

"So, Persephone, was it?" Hades questioned, breaking the silence between them. He folded his arms across his chest as he eyed her with interest. "And what brings a goddess such as yourself to a place like this? Surely you were born here."

"No." Persephone shook her head, "This was my home until a very long time ago."

Hades raised an eyebrow, "Indeed? And what happened then, princess?"

"My mother moved out of Olympus... just to stay away from my father. At least that's what I believed," The young goddess replied with a subtle sigh. She looked back at Hades and smiled slightly, "... and you?"

"I was banished." Hades answered quietly.

A frown settled itself onto Persephone's face as she watched as he shifted uncomfortably under the piercing gaze of the goddess, "For what?"

His brow furrowed momentarily before clearing his throat, "It's complicated," Hades said as he stared off into space with an air of indifference and frustration, his voice laced with bitterness, "Things aren't always what they seem, Persephone."

Persephone gave him a questioning look, but before she could ask what he meant, he continued speaking again, "I should probably get going..."

"Wait," The goddess interjected with pleading, hopeful eyes, "Why do you wish to leave so soon?"

Her dark eyebrows drew closer together as she looked up expectantly into his eyes. He sighed deeply before gazing away from her and running a hand through his raven locks.

"I have no intention of staying any longer than I have already done. Besides, I have other matters to attend to that I cannot ignore."

"Oh," Persephone breathed out dejectedly, not able to hide the disappointment in her tone.

The corners of Hades' lips slightly lifted upwards as he gazed upon the young goddess, "Maybe we will meet again someday, Persephone."

When he began to walk away towards the exit, the goddess watched helplessly as his back receded into the distance and disappeared from her line of sight.