The Death of Flowers

The Beginning

     The Fates sat in the underworld, Clotho sewing threads of new life together. While Atropos cut a new one every few minutes. "He needs..." said Lachesis.

     "A wife," said Atropos.

     "A queen." Finished Clotho.

     They took Hades thread and joined with the young goddess Persephone's. Now they were entwined, like Aphrodite had suggested.

     Persephone was a very beautiful young goddess; with a fair complexion, luscious dark brown hair, and emerald green eyes. Many people on Olympus admired her beauty, yet she seldom noticed her gentlemen callers. Often she played in the lush green meadows, covered with the most beautiful flowers in existence, which surrounded her home. She was quite a lonely girl, even though she had many friends. She was bored with her quite life –she wanted to explore the outside world.

     One night, when Persephone was young, and supposed to be asleep, she overheard her mother –Demeter- speaking to someone. "I'm very sorry, but you cannot marry her, she is so innocent and young. I will not let you take my sweet Kore!" her mother exclaimed. She grimaced at the name her mother called her, she very much preferred the name Persephone.

     She quickly fixed her attention back to the conversation. Then she heard a young man reply, "But she is so beautiful, I must have her hand in marriage."

     "No, must I tell you again Apollo?" her mother shouted. Persephone sighed, she did not want to marry him. She stood there listening for a reply, but none came. Then she heard her mother close the door, so she returned to her room. Sometimes she was glad for her mother's overprotectiveness. She opened the door to her room, went to the bed, and quickly slipped under the covers.

     Later when Erebus had come out, to obscure Aether's shining daylight, Demeter came to check on Persephone.

     She walked slowly to her little daughter's bed, and sat quietly on the edge. Demeter looked down on her daughter, eyes full of love, and sighed. "What shall I do with you? You are far too lovely and receive too much attention from the gods of Olympus." she said gently pushing a tendril of hair behind the sleeping girl's ear.

     "But they won't take you away from Me." she whispered. "I won't let them."

     As Persephone grew older she was kept in the meadow where she and her mother dwelt; never able to go across the river or to Mount Olympus. She longed for a taste of freedom, but she never dared to disobey her mother.

     Down in the underworld, Hades watched as Persephone grew older. His heart ached to see her in person again, it had been such a long time. He wanted her to love him as much as he loved her. He could no longer stand it, he grabbed his cloak and went to Mount Olympus.