The Colour Of Pomegranates

Chapter 27

The Divine Daily spent an entire centerpage on Demeter, spilling over her talents and eventful past. Persephone couldn't help but reading it over and over again, looking for something about her present feelings. Nothing.

She threw the paper across the bed and pulled her legs up. With her chin resting on her knees she stared over the lands below the castle. She wanted to do something for Eurydice. She had been Below for days now and she still hadn't forgotten about her life Above. In the meantime she had accepted that she was in fact in the Underworld, but with that acceptance her need to fight for everything Above grew. Her resilience denied her the peace the others had. Persephone wondered about her position in the Underworld. Really, Eurydice hadn't left the heroic impression on the world the others in Elysium had. Therefore, she would be misplaced in the modest copy of the Olympian Court. She had done nothing to deserve condemnation to Tartarus. Did that leave Asphodel Meadows as her only option? Would she ever find peace there?

'Do you feel like coming down?' She startled hearing his voice. He always sounded so calm, warm, composed. As if he knew exactly what he was doing, as if he knew exactly what he was saying at all times. Yet, she knew he was battling more demons in his head than were present in Tartarus at the moment. 

'I'll be right down,' she said, smiling. He turned around and walked away. She wanted to drown his demons out. The ones that could swim would die in the fires she'd release from Hell. She'd take care of him, as he took care of her. 

When they talked about Zeus, he hadn't told her about wanting to marry her. She respected his silence. He did tell her Zeus needed her to go back up, back to her mother. He also told her Zeus was an arrogant prick and he wished someone else entirely had impregnated their sister - who ever possible. She remembered his soft voice and his laughter that made his body shake.

Hades sat on the divan, reading one of his dead writers. He looked up at her with a reassured smile and she plunged down next to him, placing her head on his thigh. He raked his hand through her smooth curls as he finished his page. She knew there were other parts to the Kingdom, places where the restless went, where the not-good-enough-to-be-in-Asphodel rested. Would that be Eurydice's final destination as well? Hades was the only one who could decide her fate. Although she knew that was a fact pressing on his immortal soul, she felt uneasy knowing or guessing it would not end up well for her friend. If she wouldn't find peace, she would be taken out of Asphodel so she couldn't wreak havoc among the rest of them. Also -

'Do you hear that?' she asked, sitting up right so sudden as though hit by lightning. Hades looked up and closed his book. A soft singing voice as that of a god himself was heard vaguely from Above. As the singer fingered the strings of his instrument a divine sound made its way down and Persephone couldn't help but hear its pain. She glanced at Hades and saw he was moved by the music as well.

'Can we go Up and see?' Hesitation. 'Please, Hades,' she pleaded. 'It sounds beautiful and I want to hear better.' He forced a smile and put his book down.

'Come on, then, but only for a while.' As they ascended the path through the cave, Persephone realised it was the first time in over eight months that she was there. The awkward feeling she had then wasn't there now. She felt like she was home and she knew these corridors. She took a deep breath as they reached the upper stairs and glanced over her shoulder, watching Hades. The angelic music was trickling down like water from stalactites and she was so moved by it she needed to resist the urge to cry.

'You can't come in,' she heard Hermes say. Hermes! That was a long time ago as well! She could already see his tall shape. Just a couple more steps.

'Please,' the singer begged. 'I need to get to my wife. We were only married for a day when we were torn apart. A viper got to her!'

'Can't do it,' Hermes said apologetically, 'you are too alive. No living thing enters these parts unless they wish to never come back. Persephone rose from the cave, ignoring Hades tugging on her sleeve. She needed to hear the conservation better.