A Mythical Love: Hades and Persephone's Truth

Chapter Six: Demeter's Destruction

The weeks that followed were filled with happiness for the newly wed couple. Persephone was settling into her new role as queen of the underworld with surprising ease. Hades marveled at her knack for seeing to things around the palace and addressing problems occurring in the Underworld while he was busy judging souls. Some mornings her throne would be beside his at the river Acheron so she could join him for judging that morning. Those were Hades' favorite days, those days he got to spend all of his time with her even if he spent most of it judging, she was still beside him.

They fell more and more in love in those first few weeks than anyone would've ever thought possible. It wasn't until almost a month had passed that Hades finally noticed the amount of souls that now flooded his kingdom. Thousands upon thousands of souls filled the entryway to the underworld waiting for Hades judgment, confused at this sudden influx of souls Hades began to investigate. What he found filled him with anger and sadness, he knew right away that he had to tell Persephone what was going on. She would never forgive him if he didn't. That night in their room, he sat her down and explained what had been going on while they'd been to busy falling even more in love. Persephone sobbed into Hades chest for hours, feeling guilty for what her mother was doing to the poor humans.

"Hades, we must go to Olympus. Tonight. I must stop my mother." Persephone straightened up and looked into Hades eyes, hers filled with rage. She stood and dressed herself in a long black velvet gown and placed her crown on top of her head then turned to her husband. "Tonight my mother shall meet the Queen of the Underworld. She will regret what she has done. She will bow to me, finally." Persephone stated coldly. Hades stood and clasped a deep red cloak around Persephone before walking her out of their room and down the staircase to his chariot. "Just a moment, there's something I need." Persephone turned back to their castle and walked through the outside entrance to the kitchen.

A single pomegranate sat in a bowl on the counter in the far corner, Persephone carefully slipped the pomegranate into the pocket inside of her cloak then walked back out of the kitchen to the chariot where her husband waited for her. He helped her up into the chariot before climbing in after her the ordered the stallions forward.

When they arrived at the steps of the grand hall of Mount Olympus Persephone threw the doors open, anger seeping out of her. "Mother!" she screamed, outraged that she had to come to Olympus and deal with her mother's childish tantrum. All the gods turned to see Persephone marching purposefully towards Demeter. They parted, not wanting to get in the way of such an angry goddess. "How dare you!" Persephone screamed at her mother.

"Persephone! Oh my sweet little Persephone! You've been returned to me." Her mother looked upon her joyfully.

Vines burst up through the marble floor of the grand hall, wrapping around Demeter, holding her in place. "No mother. Your childishness ruined my honeymoon! I've come here to put an end to this stupidity. You cannot do this to the humans, I forbid it!" Persephone was outraged at this point, her face was a bright shade of red as she grew more and more angry with her mother and her actions. The vines tightened around Demeter as Persephone glared at her mother.

Her concentration was broken by her father's booming voice. "Enough Persephone!" He ordered. She faltered for a moment before focusing back on her mother.

"No. I am a child no longer! She will not ruin my happiness, I refuse to let her control me anymore! I love Hades!" Persephone roared. Her father stared at her, unsure of what to do. Until today no one had ever dared to talk back to him, let alone yell at him and disregard his orders.

Persephone pulled the pomegranate from her cloak and broke the forbidden fruit open in front of the other gods. Her mother stared in horror as she realized what her beloved daughter was about to do. "Persephone, don't! I forbid you! Drop that cursed fruit this instant!" Demeter demanded. Persephone quickly popped a handful of the sweet seeds into her mouth then swallowed as she looked into her mother's sorrow filled eyes and smiled. Hades stood behind Persephone, watching the events unfold before him, not knowing what to do. "You!" Demeter yelled, glaring at Hades. "This is all your fault! You poisoned my own daughter against me, you monster!" Demeter was beyond angry, she was blinded by her rage. She broke free from her restraints then brought forth her own monstrous plant, Hades was thrown across the grand hall and pinned to the wall by an enormous tangle of roots.

Persephone screamed as she pulled more vines up through the floor, creating a cage around her mother. "I swear by all the gods I will destroy Olympus before I let you take away my happiness Mother. I will show no mercy, your little girl is no more. I am Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, the Queen of Death, I am Death's bride. I am the spring goddess no more. I no longer belong here, I no longer belong to you!" Persephone thrust her mother's plant made cage into the air. The other gods and goddess moved back against the walls, giving the two angry goddesses room.

Suddenly Zeus stepped in front of Persephone, blocking her view of her mother. Her eyes focused on him as he placed his hand on her shoulder, calming her. Her mother was slowly lowered to the ground and the tree roots that held Hades receded. Persephone fell to her knees and wept as the rage that had consumed her only moments ago was replaced with guilt and sorrow. Hades came to her side instantly and held her against his chest. She sobbed into his robbes as her mother slowly walked towards her.

"I will not lose you Persephone, I cannot bear it." Her mother whispered in a soothing but commanding voice. Persephone looked up at her mother then at Hades and wept even more as she thought of being separated from him.

Her father stepped between them once more. His voice was soft this time, "Persephone, how many seeds did you eat my child?" Persephone looked at him confused then answered.

'Six father. I had six sweet seeds." He nodded and thought for a moment.

"Demeter, you shall have Persephone for six months of the year. She shall come to Olympus to bring spring and summer then shall leave, bringing new seasons, fall and winter. During that time you shall watch over the humans by yourself, creating plants that will grow in the cold to provide nourishment for them and Persephone shall be in the Underworld with her husband, Hades. Seeing as she was just married, it is only right that she spend the first six months with Hades. This is the deal. Should you choose to be ungrateful, Persephone shall be allowed to stay in the Underworld indefinitely." Zeus finished speaking and Persephone rose from the ground.

"Thank you father." Persephone said gratefully. Demeter simply nodded before turning and walking away, tears streaming down her face.

"Go now Persephone, enjoy your six months. We shall see you soon my child. And Hades, you take care of my daughter." Zeus dismissed them and they left.

Hades stopped at the chariot and looked at Persephone, his eyes filled with love as he looked upon her beautiful face. "You, what you did back there. You were breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it before. And you eating the pomegranate seeds, was genius my sweet Flower!" He grabbed her by the waist and spun her as he hoisted her up into the air. "I love you Persephone." He swore.

"I love you too Hades, till the end of time."

They left soon after their loving exchange, returning home to the Underworld for the next six months. Time passed and Persephone soon had to leave for Mount Olympus to see her mother. Hades would visit her in secret as he did when she was a child and would come to her room at night to sleep by her side then leave before her mother came for her each morning. They spent the next few centuries this way, moving Persephone back and forth between homes and lives.

Things eventually changed, but that my dears is another story for another time.