Reversal [by TheSuperSass]

Chapter 8

Demeter stared at the sky, her eyes blank. Any hope she had of saving her son from the Underworld had failed her. She knew she could not take on Hades alone, so she begged every god and goddess to stand with her to get Persephone back. Not only would no one side with her, but some added insult to injury by making a joke of it, suggesting no man would really be unwillfully taken by a woman. She seethed at the cowardice of Olympus; they mocked her son, claiming he was not the victim of something horrible, just to avoid admitting they were afraid to challenge Hades. Zeus and Poseidon would not even see her, though she was not surprised; they would never side against their sister. Demeter left Olympus humiliated and without allies.

While she had left the Earth to petition for help, something strange happened. Not a single thing on in the mortal realm grew, and the air turned cold. Even upon her return, this did not change, and she did not have the strength nor the desire to do anything about it. If she was to be empty, the world would be empty. If her heart was cold, the entire Earth could be cold. If she had nothing to live for, she would give them nothing to live.

--

For over a week Hades guided Persephone through different parts of Underworld each day, hoping to make him more familiar and at ease in the kingdom she wanted him to call home. He seemed to love the rivers the most, his eyes wide as he absorbed everything around him.

She was surprised at how well he handled the first time he saw shades. The sight of mortals after their deaths, no matter how calm or peaceful they may be, unsettled most gods, even though they knew it was their ultimate fate. Most were happy to take offerings from them while they lived and leave their souls to Hades once they died without a second thought. Persephone was unusually quiet, but seemed thoughtful and untroubled by them, especially given his role in the world above revolved around life.

She led him along the Styx until they met Charon, where she took the recently deceased onto her boat upon the shore. Hades introduced him as simply Persephone, not wanting to make him uncomfortable by referring to him as her husband or as king. The whitered, hunched old woman looked between them with a knowing smile. Hades may have long since mastered the art of an emotionless face, but the buzz between them and the way she led him with her fingers laced tightly in his told her all she needed to know.

Persephone opened his mouth to speak to her when he felt a tug on his tunic from behind him. He turned to see nothing, then looked down to see a little girl with green eyes staring up at him.

"A-are you the flower god?" she asked in a small voice.

Hades saw sadness flicker across Persephone's face upon realizing that the girl in front of him had died at such a young age, but he pushed past it with a smile.

"Yes I am," he said as he crouched down to her level. "What's your name?"

"My name is Violet," she answered timidly.

"That's one of my favorite flowers," he told her, and she beamed.

"Are there flowers here?" she asked, this time with more courage.

Persephone looked to Hades; flowers were his domain but he was still too new to the realm.

"Asphodel," Hades answered for him.

Upon hearing her low voice, Violet noticed the goddess of the dead behind him for the first time and gasped, falling back. A woman, presumably the young girl's mother, rushed up to scoop her into her guarding arms.

"It's okay," he reassured the girl as he stood. "This is Hades, the queen. She's very nice."

"She is?" Violet asked, her glance flickering back to Hades doubtfully. Persephone nodded.