The Colour Of Pomegranates

Chapter 16: winter

They still hadn't talked about the intimate moment they shared a week ago. Everything went on as smoothly as usual. The butterfly kiss had made her nervous in the moment itself, but afterwards she felt weird about it. Not so much because she resented him for it - more because it felt so normal. The feelings of shame or regret or doubt never came. It felt normal to share the small intimate things like feather light kisses and holding hands.

Persephone had been in the Underworld for four months now. She had gotten to know the King of Souls as well as anyone - well, actually not as anyone. She doubted anyone had taken their time to get to know Hades. She knew he liked the saltiness of olives and the warm taste of bread that came freshly out of the oven. He liked taking baths and the smell of eucalyptus. He read 1000-page novels and hated walks without purpose. He didn't like coffee, was not a fan of poetry but he respected Shakespeare.

To be perfectly honest, Persephone hardly ever thought about the world Above now. She was consumed with her own feelings, emotions and thoughts about the Underworld. She had befriended the souls in Asphodel and she said goodbye to the ones that went back up. She didn't feel sorry for them anymore - not when they died or when they left the Underworld for a new adventure. It took her four months to let go of the sadness and embrace the idea of Time as the twisting and curving branches of Reality.

That also meant Persephone didn't really know what was going on Above. The land was cold, hard and barren. Snow covered the earth in multiple layers. People were hungry as their harvests failed and their rivers froze impenetrable. They prayed to Demeter, but the goddess didn't want to hear them. The other gods and goddesses pleaded with her, but she ignored them. The world would feel her wrath before she considered showing mercy.

Hades, on the other hand, was fully aware of what was going on Above. He noticed it through the number of new-comers. He had known Demeter for a long time and he remembered what the world looked like when Zeus didn't want to crown her his bride and queen. She became depressed and more and more souls entered his Kingdom. Then Persephone was born and Spring came again. He had come to love the young goddess - despite himself and despite the prediction of the Fates - and feared she'd go back to her mother. If she did so now, he knew he would never see her again. Demeter would condemn her to house arrest for eternity.

'Someone is in deep thought.' Her fingertips rested on her chin as she studied him. He looked at her, unfased and smiling slowly. 'Do you want to play?' She plunged onto his bed and he got up from his chair in order to sit with her.

'How did it get so far the goddess of Spring asks me for a game?' he chuckled.

'I'm bored.' She rolled onto her stomach and placed her chin in her hands. 'Truth or Dare?'

'Truth.'

'How daring!' she cried out and sat up again. She seemed restless that day, Hades thought, but in an exuberant way. 'Have you ever thought about what would have happened if you were the one to have slain Cronos, instead of your brother?'

'Not really. I am not the killing kind, nor am I particularly heroic. It is better the way it is.'

'I think you would make a better supreme god than my father.'

'I'd be way too gloomy and brooding for that awful Court. I'd hate every single one of them.' She chuckled. 'Your turn. Truth or Dare?'

'Dare.'

'O, we are on a daring tour! I dare you to... summon something bright for my room.' She smiled a little smile, hardly visible.

'I can't', she softly said. 'I have no power here.'

'How did you get that idea in your pretty head?'

'The only exciting thing about me is that flowers bloom in my wake.' She shrugged at her solemn words. 'Ever since I've been down here, I haven't seen a single flower. I can't do anything else.'

'Don't be too sure of that. You bring life, but I know you can also bring death.' She thought about it, remembering her violent outburst toward Apollo. She agreed reluctantly and rolled onto her back, watching him upside down.

'You'd have to make me very angry.' He let out a laugh.

'Now, I wouldn't want to do that - but, please, Persephone. Try it. You don't have to succeed - as long as you try.'

'What did you have in mind?'

'No, you have to think of something yourself.' With her eyes closed, she thought about the things she missed about Above and smiling, she remembered the flower crowns the children made for her. She opened her eyes and looked in the intense blue eyes from her host.

'I can't', she said. 'I don't even know how I did it Above. I just walked around the place and they appeared. I didn't have to do anything in particular.'

'We'll save it for later', he said with a comforting smile. 'Truth or Dare?'

'It is my turn!'

'No, you skipped your turn.'

'Truth, then.' He took a deep breath.

'Would you like to stay here?' She looked at him with a perplexed look on her face.

'Forever, you mean?' He said nothing and she started blushing. He did mean forever. 'I do like it here, to be honest. I might as well. It's not like I'm an indispensable goddess Above. Truth or Dare?'

'Dare.'

'I dare you to kiss me.' She felt her face redden, while the god of riches seemed undisturbed. She felt uneasy in her inexperience. Like a predator he crawled over to her side of the bed.

'Where exactly does the goddess of Spring wishes to be kissed?' he asked in a low voice. She lowered her face timidly and felt how his index finger and thumb got a hold of her chin. He tipped her head back, forcing her to look him in the eye. 'Don't ever look away from me when you hold a Dare against me.' His lips brushed along hers. 'You are a goddess, you better behave as such.' His lips moved along her neck and he felt her heartbeat accelerate. 'Do you have any idea how long I've been wanting to do this?'

'No', she breathed huskily while his lips found a way along her jawline, towards her earlobe.

'Ever since you set foot in my domain I longed to savour your sweet summer taste.' He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her softly but demanding. He pushed his tongue inside her mouth and pulled her closer. He tasted her, all flowers and sweetness. He softly bit her lip and allowed her to search his mouth with her tongue. He put one hand on the back of her neck and the other around her thigh, pulling her onto his lap.

She felt his excitement and hunger for her and relished it. They were all lips, tongues, soft moans and primal needs. She wouldn't pull back, wanting to make his taste as familiar as her own. His kiss was as powerful as his gaze on her at the times she thought he wanted her. It turned out she wasn't wrong about those times either.

Hot and flushed she turned away and touched her swollen lips with her finger tips. He leaned back on his elbow, looking at her intently. She didn't know what she wanted to wish for - for it to never have happened or for it to never have stopped.