In the Cold, I'm Warmest With You

The Final Compromise

The first thing Kayre sensed in her return to the Upperworld was a cold, much colder than in the Underworld. She saw all the ground covered in pure white, and its untouchedness and glistening fascinated her. Some of the trees, without their leaves, were naked, only showing their dark branches topped with the white substance. Some others kept them, and what reminded the Maiden of quartz crystals coated their needle-like leaves finely. One could hardly see Helios traveling through the gray heavens as only a few of his beams peaked out of the clouds. Some bodies of water had frozen over, while others kept flowing. One couldn't see beasts wandering around. Despite Hermon's terrible description of the situation after her disappearance, the Goddess of Verdure saw beauty in the scene before her.

The God of Speed set Kayre down on the soft snow. Her feet jumped at the chill, and in an instant, the snow melted, revealing the green grass underneath. The grey clouds cleared up, exposing the sun, shining its rays down upon every blade of grass, making them shine. All that had wilted prematurely regained their vitality. The trees grew back their leaves, and the flowers bloomed once more. Sensing the change, animals came out to frolic as always. The sight was one to behold, and the mortals rejoiced as the earth they'd nurtured with their blood, sweat, and tears became fertile again.

Thus, the world continued as it had before, but it wasn't for long. A few months later, the harvest came as all crops had matured, ready for consumption. In the revelry of harvest festivals, the Messenger came down to bring the Maiden the biannual invitation to feast in the divine mountain. He didn't see her working in her fields, so he checked inside her cottage. Not only had Hermon received no greeting, but also saw her dead to the world. He knew she rarely took naps and gently shook and patted her, but she didn't wake. It caused him to panic, and he immediately brought her to the King and Queen of the Heavens for help, yet they couldn't figure out the root of her dormancy. They went everywhere to find the cure, yet the Upperworld couldn't help her.

It was then that they could only draw one possible hypothesis. During the nine days Kayre spent in the Underworld, she had eaten the food made there, making her temporarily bound to the realm. The thought that it could be the only way had caused Herana such great distraught that she gave Hermon an earful and immediately summoned Aidamien to the mountain without delay on his end. At his arrival and within proximity to him, the Maiden finally awoke, albeit still tired, to what she perceived as an angry lecture.

"You knew what it meant, and you still fed her?" Herana yelled.

"Ana, calm down! She was probably so hungry that he had no choice!" Loudovikos tried to hold her by the reins.

"Get off me! It's common knowledge, and we don't get as hungry as mortals! He didn't have to and shouldn't have done it!"

Hearing the lack of response from the King of the Underworld, Kayre finally got up, putting herself in the middle.

"Wait!"

Finally, all the tension disappeared momentarily.

"What is it, Kayre?" Herana asked gently.

The Maiden thought about her answer carefully and mustered as much courage as she could in a single deep breath.

"It was me."

"What...?" The Queen of the Gods eyed her, bewildered.

"What do you mean?" Loudovikos asked again in his sister's place.

"Lord Aidamien didn't force me to eat, nor did he trick me into eating the food made in his realm... It was my idea. I ate out of my volition and free will that I have purposefully bound myself to him and his realm for half a year."