"Why not me?" Persephone asked herself every day as she watched Uliana and her gang, the VKs-but not Mal. This was back when Hades, Hook, Maleficent, and the others were young. Before Auradon Prep, it was known as Merlin Academy, with Merlin himself...
Persephone sat in her modest Auradon apartment, absentmindedly stroking her Maine Coon cat, Hunter. Unlike the others, she hadn't been cast onto the Isle with the rest of them, but the aftermath of their freedom was still fresh. The latest buzz? Someone had let it slip that Mal's father was none other than Hades.
As she flipped through channels, the news caught her attention. A photo flashed on the screen: one of Hades in his younger days, next to another of Mal.
*News Reporter*: "In breaking news, it's been confirmed that Mal, daughter of Maleficent and future Queen of Auradon, is also the child of Hades."
Persephone scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Great, the two ugly birds actually had a brat," she muttered under her breath, just as her other cat, Storm, leapt onto the coffee table.
It wasn't that she didn't care... in fact, it was quite the opposite. Beneath her nonchalant attitude, jealousy brewed in her chest. A part of her still had lingering feelings for Hades, a crush she'd harbored since their days at Merlin Academy, long before Auradon even existed. But that was years ago-ancient history. She had moved on... or so she told herself.
Still, when Hades' face appeared on the TV, she couldn't ignore the familiar flutter in her stomach. Some things, it seemed, never really faded.
Persephone shook her head, trying to shake off the thoughts. "Get a grip," she whispered to herself, leaning back into the cushions of her couch. The truth was, it wasn't just the old crush on Hades that was stirring up her emotions. The news about Mal hit her harder than she cared to admit.
Storm circled her feet, purring as if trying to distract her from her own mind. "Yeah, yeah, I know... it's ridiculous," she said, reaching down to scratch between the cat's ears.
She wondered what it must have been like for Mal, growing up on the Isle with no idea about her father's identity. Persephone hadn't spoken to Hades in years, not since the Academy days, but she remembered how fiercely independent and wild he was back then. It was hard to imagine him as a father. Hard to imagine him with anyone, really-especially Maleficent.
But that's what stung the most. There was a time when she thought maybe, just maybe, she could have been the one in Maleficent's place. She remembered the late nights spent with Hades at the Academy, their long talks by the enchanted bonfire, their shared laughter echoing through the dark halls. He had been the one person who truly got her, the one who saw past her tough exterior to the soft heart she kept hidden.
Then Maleficent happened. The queen of evil herself had swooped in, taking Hades like it was the most natural thing in the world, leaving Persephone behind like she was nothing more than a passing thought.
She let out a bitter laugh, realizing how foolish it all seemed now. "He probably doesn't even remember me," she muttered. But as she glanced at the screen again, watching the news continue to cover Mal's royal future, a tiny, irrational part of her wondered if he did.
And then came the thought she had been trying to bury since the news broke: Should she go see him?
Persephone's fingers froze mid-pet as her heart raced at the mere idea. Hades was free now, no longer trapped on the Isle. If she wanted to see him, she could. She could get answers-closure, maybe. Or she could just open up a wound that never fully healed.
Storm nudged her hand, reminding her that she had more important things to do than entertain old feelings. But no matter how hard she tried to push it away, the thought lingered.
Persephone sighed, staring out the window at the glittering city of Auradon. Maybe it was time to finally face her past.
Also this is Storm
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
