Seeds: Hades and Persephone

Nineteen

Here's the beginning and newly edited end of Chapter Nineteen!

"MOTHER!" She cried. "What is Ares doing here?"

"Oh, I invited him for lunch," Demeter said casually.

"How could you?" Persephone gasped. She could feel her heart pumping inside her chest. 

"My darling, I'm just trying to do what's best for you. Now could you let him in? It's quite rude to open the door and then slam it closed."

"It's not even midday yet!" Persephone realized.

Demeter only shrugged. "Better early than late."

She winced as he knocked again. "At least let me get into something more... appropriate!" She cried desperately, lowering her voice so he wouldn't hear her.

"You look fine! Now open the door." Demeter ordered. She faced the door and opened it a crack. She looked up and saw dark brown hair, a scarred face, and piercing eyes, and her throat immediately constricted. All her courage seemed to desert her, and it was as if she was a little girl again, faced with tying her own sandals.

"Hello, Persephone," He said, smiling pleasantly. She swallowed.

"Hello, Ares." She said, looking up at him.

"Yes, hello, Ares!" Her mother called, coming over from the kitchen and wrenching the door handle from Persephone's grasp and opening the door wider, all with a warm smile on her face. "Please, come in! I'm sorry about Persephone's state, she's just woken up from an exciting night."

"Quite alright." He said, smiling with his teeth. He stepped inside, stooping low so his head wouldn't hit the doorframe. Persephone hoped it did.

They stood there, standing in tense silence until Demeter spoke up, "Well, don't just stand there Persephone, give our guest a hug!"

Persephone clenched her jaw and didn't move. Demeter lightly shoved her forward and Persephone stumbled into the open arms of the man she detested. She embraced him but stepped back just as quickly as she had slammed the door.

Persephone knew she couldn't just stand there forever, though she wished she could. She had to entertain him, she had to be a good host.

Unclenching her teeth, she forced a smile. "Would you like a tour?"

He smiled once more. Persephone didn't like that smile. It seemed false, like a knife concealed in an alluringly designed sheath. "I'd love one."

"Great!" Demeter spread her hands. "Ares, your early arrival has caught us off guard!" She laughed. "I don't have lunch quite prepared yet, but it should be done by the time Persephone has finished showing you around."

"Perfect."

She turned and walked down the hall, without inviting him to follow her. He did anyway. She gestured to each room as they passed. "Bedroom, bedroom, bathroom, library, bathroom, that concludes our tour." She sighed.

He looked around, a gleam in his eye that Persephone didn't like. "Where's your room?"

She almost gagged. "Upstairs. But I'm not showing you my room."

"Huh." He said. "I'll see it soon enough."

Her mouth dropped open, disgust written clearly on her face. She stood there, silently fuming before turning and walking back to the kitchen.

"The tour's done!" She exclaimed, plopping down onto the sofa just as Ares came through the door.

"Well, good, because lunch is ready!"