Hades and Persephone

Chapter 28

Demeter tapped her foot impatiently. Couldn't they get here any faster? 

"Be calm, Demeter. They'll be here soon." Zeus sat nearby on his throne. A young mortal was perched in his lap, lazily feeding him grapes. The sound of doors slamming open in the palace could be heard from the throne room. "Quickly! Quickly! Hide!" Zeus shoved the poor young man beneath his throne, forcing the mortal to fold themselves almost in half. The doors to the throne room were thrown wide open.

"Hera! My lovely queen!" Demeter snorted. Zeus shot her a look and then turned back to his wife with a smile.

"What's going on Zeus? What have you done this time?" Hera strode right up to her husband, frowning the entire time.

"Um, I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Zeus has finally manned up and is returning my daughter to me," Demeter interjected.

"Our daughter," Zeus said. Hera shot him a withering look. "I mean hers. She's totally hers."

"You think forcing a young goddess to return to her mother is a good idea?" Hera asked. 

"Well, Demeter is making the mortal world wither away to nothing but dust."

"Demeter! How can you be so obtuse?" the queen of gods shrieked. "Those two are happy! Your daughter is finally content with her life and Hades is actually happy living in that cave."

Demeter narrowed her eyes. "You knew?"

Hera sighed. "Of course I knew. I am the goddess of marriage. I see all. I sent them my blessing."

"How could you?? You didn't tell me that my own daughter is married! When did this happen?"

"Just yesterday."

"Then there can still be time," Demeter muttered to herself. "If they haven't consummated the marriage then we can call the whole thing off and no one will be the wiser. And hopefully she hasn't eaten anything while she was down there. She's too smart for that."

Hera snorted. "I think it's a bit late for that. Besides, your daughter is happy. Do you really want to make Persephone hate you for all eternity?"

Demeter frowned at Hera. "My daughter doesn't know what she wants. I do. I love her more than anything. She must know that everything I've done has been for her! Besides, I would never throw my child off of Mount Olympus."

Hera's eyes became wild. "He was an ugly child! You would have done the same thing!"

"All babies are ugly when they're first born you twit."

Hera shrieked and took a step forward.

"Ladies, ladies. Let's just all take a moment -"

A flash of light stopped the trio. 

Hermes, Persephone, and Hades stood in the throne room.

"My child!" Demeter immediately ran toward Persephone, throwing her arms around her daughter.

"Hello mother." Persephone hesitantly placed her arms around her mother.

"Oh my dear! Let me look at you! It's been so long." Demeter held her daughter at arm's length and looked her up and down. "You cut your hair."

"Yes, mother, but I'm afraid that there is something I have to tell you."

Demeter's tone changed. "You're married. So I've heard." She shot a look at Hera. The queen turned away.

"I am." Persephone stepped away from her mother and grasped Hades' hand. "I'm very happy in the Underworld. We've been rather intimate for some time now."