Hades and Persephone

Chapter 1

Persephone wandered through the gardens of Olympus. Small buds sprouted from her steps, leaving a trail of white flowers that grew and then returned to the earth in a matter of seconds. She loved this garden especially. Her mother, Demeter had grown it especially for her when she was a child. It was filled with every flower and plant imaginable. Fruit trees were weighed down by flowering vines, flowers and bushes crowded around the trunks of trees, and moss covered every surface. 

She liked to come here every to sit and eat fruit and simply revel in the nature around her. While there were fruit trees of every imaginable, and unimaginable, type, her favourite was the pomegranate. She liked the way she had to work to get the seeds inside, and the way they popped in her mouth as she bit down on them.

She grabbed one now, taking her knife and cutting it in half to reveal the jewels inside. She dug her knife under one of the seeds and pried it out, popping it into her mouth. She sighed. 

The sun was shining brightly. Helios made sure the sun was always bright over Olympus, even if it was grey and rainy down on Earth. 

She heard a stick snap nearby, bringing her back to reality. She could hear bickering. Two voices coming closer to where she sat. She sighed and finished her pomegranate, tossing its remains over her shoulder to be reclaimed by the soil. 

Two men stepped into view. One man was shorter than the other, lean and angular. He face was all angles and his brown curls fell into his eyes. He had a thin beard that covered his face. He hovered ever so slightly off the ground and held a staff in his left hand. The other man was tall and broad-shouldered. He had short, blonde hair that made his piercing blue eyes stand out, but his face was completely clear of any hair. He had a lyre strapped across his back and bulging muscles.

Persephone stood, dusting off her dress. She pasted a smile on her face. "Good afternoon boys, how are you today?"

The shorter man moved toward her slightly and bowed his head, as if in veneration. "Good afternoon, Persephone. How kind of you to ask about little old me!" He had a wicked smile that she hated.

The tall man shoved the other man out of his way. "Lady Persephone, your garden is as beautiful as ever, but not half as beautiful as you." He grabbed her hand and kneeled before her, placing one hand over his chest.

She felt her cheeks grow warm as she gently wiggled her hand out of the man's grasp. "Hermes, Apollo, you are both too sweet. It is so kind of you both to grace me with your presence, despite how many mortal women and goddesses you have both bedded."

Hermes at least pretended to be ashamed as he hid his face behind his free hand. "Oh my dear! Those women are nothing compared to you! Nothing!"

Apollo simply stood up and rolled his shoulders back. "I would think of that as an honour. To be wooed by myself, a god of many very important things, as well as Hermes, the god of winged feet." He waved his hand, essentially dismissing the god who stood next to him.

Hermes frowned at him and hit him over the head with his staff.

"Ow! What was that for?" Apollo rubbed his head.

"I am not the god of winged feet. I am the messenger of the gods! These wings help me to fly faster than you can even imagine."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Sure, Hermes. And I'm the god of the underworld."

Persephone grimaced. This could go on for hours. 

"Oh yeah, as if you could do the job that Hades does!" Hermes shouted.

She decided to take her leave. She quickly made her way through the garden, plants moving themselves out of her way and then falling back to hide her trail.