Seeds: Hades and Persephone

Sixteen

Here you go! A long chapter! Roughly 3000 words 😁
Enjoy!

“Okay.” Aphrodite said, looking at Persephone. “I can take the form of anyone I choose. You’ve been grounded for about three months, correct?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “You have access to at least three males in this general vicinity. Demeter’s realm borders two other realms—Ares’ and Hades’. And your man definitely isn’t Ares, which leaves either Hermes or Hades. Now, Hermes stops by a lot, so that was a potential option, but I could sense some darkness inside of you, which meant it couldn’t have been Hermes, because he’s the happiest person I know. So, it had to have been Hades.”

Persephone stared, dumbfounded. “Is that really all it takes? Is it that obvious?”

“Of course not, dear,” Aphrodite said nonchalantly. “You have to be the goddess of love to really be able to see. If you’re worried about your mother figuring out, don’t; my lips are sealed.” She mimed zipping her lips and tossing away the key.

Persephone thanked the gods that Aphrodite was keeping her secret. “Thank you.” She said gratefully. Aphrodite just smirked.

“So, did you see him today?” Aphrodite casually asked.

A smile rose to Persephone’s face. “Yes.” She admitted. A wisp of cloud whisked past her and she felt small pinpoints of water on her face. They had been flying for about five minutes, and Persephone was ready to be done. The carriage kept wobbling and Persephone’s grip was iron on her seat. “I—I sort of kissed his cheek.” She confessed.

Aphrodite’s face lit up. “Girl!!” She shrieked. “How did he react? I need to analyze this immediately. Give me all the details. What did he say? Did he stutter? Did he blush? Was anyone else around? Where was it? Was it equidistant to the eye and the jaw? Or was it more near the ear? Or was it more near the nose?” Aphrodite shot off questions left and right.

Persephone thought back to a couple hours earlier. She tried to recall every detail, but was cut off by the goddess of love letting out another squeal.

“You’re blushing!” She sang.

“I kissed his cheek and said thank you, and he turned red, and told me it wasn’t a problem and that he’d like to do it again sometime. Then Hermes called out, and I left.”

“Did he stutter?” The woman asked, leaning forward.

“What does that even matter?” Persephone protested.

Aphrodite looked at her and spoke again, pausing after each word like she was explaining something to a small child. “Did—he—stutter.”

Persephone sighed. “Yes.” She thought back.  

With this confirmation, Aphrodite leaned back in her seat, her mouth open in silent praise.

“He likes you.” She confirmed.

Persephone looked at her. “No.”

“Yes! If a man stutters while he’s around you, it means he’s incredibly nervous, which is a telltale sign of attraction! Trust me, Persephone.”

“What—what am I supposed to do with this information?” Persephone spluttered.

“I don’t know, marry him?” Aphrodite said suggested.

“I’m not doing that.” Persephone told her firmly.

“You say that now,” Aphrodite drawled.

“I say that forever.” She shot back, and leaned back into her seat, done with the conversation.

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