Persephone's Passion

Demeter's Time

    The young lady kneeled at the stream, staring at the moon reflecting itself inside of the dark water. "Persephone. Remember, Apollo is coming tonight. You will dirty your dress," Demeter said from above her.

     "Why does he have to come and all of a sudden my dress matters? He is only my cousin," Persephone retorted.

     "Your cousin who is a god. Persephone, I will not tolerate this. Get up," Demeter let the leaves fall from a tree above just so it would smudge the image of the moon.

     "Well I am your daughter, a goddess through and through, and I do not believe Apollo is that interested in my image."

     "Why are you making this hard? It is not as if I sentenced you to exile."

    "And it is not as though you are leaving me either," Persephone stood and turned, looking up at her mother defiantly. Demeter melted, hugging her daughter.

    "Oh, dear Persephone. I would never truly leave you the way you think. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, to leave you would make me mortal."

    "And yet, that is exactly what you are doing," Persephone pulled away.

     "It is a call from Zeus, what am I to do?" Demeter asked helplessly.

     "Bring your most honored daughter with you," Persephone said.

     "And risk Zeus's anger and your safety? No Persephone, I will not do that," Demeter put her arm around the young goddess, slowly walking towards her home, "When you came into this world Persephone, I created this safe haven so you would be protected from dangerous man and god. To let you leave would be ridiculous!"

      Persephone looked away from her mother. "I understand," she said coldly. There was no changing her mother's mind. Demeter looked down on her daughter with sympathy.

      "Oh, do not be cross. Sometime you will thank me, a goddess does as she must to protect her own," the two goddesses made it to the balcony, made of white marble that shined in the moonlight. "I love you Persephone," Demeter said as her daughter walked up the steps.   Persephone looked back at her mother, who was making invisible walls around the castle-like-home with the wave of her hands.

      "I love you too mother," Persephone sighed the words out. Her mother pretended nothing was wrong. Persephone closed her eyes, walking up the rest of the steps and going into the warm house.

     Why did Demeter have to be so controlling? Persephone asked herself with anger. So what if yet another god came to give her mother luck and advice? In the end she would still be in her "safe haven." Her mother could not see how choking her hold was, how infuriating. Persephone ran up the stairs to her room. Is this how she would spend her immortality? Locked away in some kind of heaven? Away from the fun, the adventure, the splendor? She had already spent enough time where her mother could keep her eye on her. It was high time Persephone had a taste of her own freedom.

       At least she had someone besides the nymphs to talk to, but that is her mother. The very goddess who created this jail. Persephone closed her bedroom door, angry thoughts turning over in her head. Persephone strided over to her vanity, sitting on the chair. Nothing can be done, is the final truth. She is trapped in her mothers lovely cage. Persephone thought about Apollo's arrival, perhaps he could give her a telling of her future, maybe even help her get out of this place. She would have to do it without her mother knowing of course, maybe as he leaves. Should she really trust a god though? Demeter must have a reason for her protectiveness surely. No, her mother is just over protective from the past millennia. Times have changed now, and Apollo should be a trustworthy god. Especially since her mother was allowing him into her sacred home. Yes, she would ask Apollo tonight. Persephone nodded at herself in the mirror with a satisfied smile.