HADES (Ruby Rose fanfic)

THIRTEEN (Iselen POV)

"Excuse me, who are you?"

I can't help but look at the beautiful middle-aged woman confused, her hair in an elegant updo is blonde like ears of wheat and she wears a fancy tunic, as red as a poppy, while she walks calmly through the small garden below my bedroom terrace. The lady doesn't answer and she leans over some flowerpots, staring at the plants critically and moving away some leaves delicately. I take a look around just in case I'm able to find a shadow that can explain me who this woman is and what she's doing here but we're alone... maybe I should scream calling Hades to inform her there's an intruder in the underworld.

"I can't see greenflies..." she mumbles pensively while checking all the plants slowly.

"I beg you pardon?" My outraged tone of voice echoes through the entire Erebus.

"These're miniature roses, also called 'sweetheart roses,' and they're a symbol of affection... but they're really delicate and greenflies love feasting on them" She points at the pots that are full of colourful flowers.

"I'm fully aware of it, that's why I prepare my own natural repellent made with garlic and onion and an insecticide with macerated nettles... There aren't greenflies on my plants." I cross my arms over my chest angrily while she stares at me, amused by my reaction. "Who are you?"

"I'm Demeter, darling, I thought it was pretty obvious... the goddess of the agriculture whose symbols are the ears of wheat and poppies. Well, don't worry, I wouldn't have recognized you either at first sight... you didn't used to wear plain clothes like that." I look down at my light blue tunic dress embellished with a silver belt and some pleats on the chest. It doesn't look that plain to me actually, more than one maid of honour up there in the human world could kill for the possibility of wearing an elegant dress like this one to attend a wedding. My closet is determined to pick out my clothes despite my plan was to work in the Asphodel Meadows today and this tunic will end up ruined. It seems to me that the words 'jeans' and 'shirt' don't exist in the vocabulary of my wardrobe. At least, I have a pair of gloves to protect my hands this time.

"You are..." I stare at her with my mouth open when my brain decides to work properly finally.

"Your mother? Yes, of course. Well, not of this body..." She waves her hand pointing at me. "I'm the mother of your immortal soul, you're the goddess of the spring after all..."

"I understand... No, the truth is that I don't understand it. This situation is very confusing." I answer shaking my head and looking at her from head to toe, trying to find something in common between this beautiful lady who's smiling warmly at me and the old, drunk hag that has turned my life into a hell since the day my grandparents died.

"It makes sense from the point of view of an Olympian god, believe me..." The woman grabs me by my arm and forces me to sit down with her on a stone bench surrounded by Potentilla bushes, which is really appropriate since the small white flowers mean beloved daughter. "I must admit that you've done a great job here, the Elysian Fields never looked better, this place is a paradise... but you don't have a rose garden, why?"

"Those gardens are too... boring." Demeter stares at me horrified like I've said the worst thing ever. "Everybody likes roses, everybody knows them, it's a flower people enjoy and give as a present without a second thought... they're easy to buy or pick up, they're everywhere. But there're other types of flowers besides roses or daisies, you know, and I'd like people to know them too... I'm fed up of growing roses... and orchids. Those flowers have set off a frenzy and everybody is buying orchids now but they aren't a personalized present that takes into consideration the taste of the person who's going to get it."

"You have a point there, a bouquet designed especially for one person it's a thoughtful present... but you still need a rose garden here... shadows will love it. Tell me, sweetheart, are you happy in hell?" I look at her shocked by her direct question.