Persephone's Daughter

Chapter 3

Throughout the next days, Ianthe feels as if she is living on the clouds.
She meets Damon each day, but he has always preferred for her to travel towards his house. Her aunt knows little of this mysterious boy, but grows intolerant the more time she spends. She does not let this stall her, though. Damon is teaching her things she hasn't ever known.

He makes her feel- alive.

They lay beside each other in the glorious meadow that spans and twists around the cold trees, a place of dreams among the sheltered forest. It's erupting with an overgrow of beautiful flowers of every shade, and bright, as if they give off their own light. There is almost as many as blades of grass themselves, and so they have to avoid crushing them when they lay down. They're to busy talking to notice the flowers part for Ianthe to sit, smiling.
The sun coats them with a warm yellow glow, making her hair look like honey. Damon can't help but think that her laugh sounds just as sweet.
"Tell me more about the ocean." She pushes, staring intently into his eyes, cold grey against warm brown bursting with gold. He nods, and pops another one of the red berries in his mouth. After Ianthe explained they weren't poisonous, he can't do anything but coat his tongue with their sweetness.
"It's water, as far as your eyes can see, and so many different creatures live there. It is it's own world down there, as much colour as this meadow provides. When you stand on the sandy beach that comes before you enter the water, sometimes, if you're lucky, you can watch the sunset. And it's so beautiful. Your normal pink, purples, blues, oranges, except they are all reflected in the calm water. It carries the shades, makes them... breathtaking. You will never see anything better." He explains, and her eyes seem glazed as she sits, entranced by his talks of what lays beyond the meadow and her woods. She's viewed the sunset from inside her small room, out the hatch. She isn't allowed outside in the dark, but sometimes through the trees she can almost see the source of the colours that reach her house.
She know she shouldn't want to, but the more time she spends with Damon, the more she starts to forget of her promise to him. That she'd never discuss what they speak about to her aunt.
And yet, she has a pulling urge to be... upset with her.
For lying.

For she had been taught lying is not ladylike.

"...There are fish, which are these little creatures with fins and webbed hands sort of, and they scare me but some like them. Sometimes people even eat certain ones-"

Why would she lie? Is Damon right? Is there more then what she's always know?
And what are these parents Damon mentions? He doesn't talk about them very often, but she wonders. He said they are usually, but not always, a man and woman, and that they are the reason I am alive.
Aunt Kirin has only ever said she was my aunt... my mothers sister. She never speaks of my mother. Apparently she is a bad person. But what of my father? She thinks, as Damon recounts, talking to the air.
"Damon."
He stops and looks at her.
"Yes, Ianthe?" He answers, propping his arm under his head, sprawling out.
"Is... your world better then mine?" She asks, sitting up.
His eyes widen, and he doesn't respond for a moment, staring into her glimmering eyes that change shades in the sun as she looks at him.
"Well, what do you think?"
She tilts her head slightly at him as if it's a hard question, but doesn't pause with her answer.
"...Yes."

———

The lady in black scowls. He's filling her head with ideas. If Ianthe gets curious, she cannot prevent the prophecy from happening. Something she has to do.
But it's difficult to think of. She's young, with so much potential. Hiding away such a capable, smart, kind and beautiful girl is a waste.
But Olympus will become its own wasteland unless she prevents it.
With a quick turn, she evaporates into the air, coming back too just as fast.
This time though, she stands behind her sister who freezes at the table where she sits. Her light brown hair is greying, and Kirin's identical hazel eyes pierce her own. She has the same strong features, but in the wrong places, making her look like quite a severe woman.

She is becoming older- something Persephone will never experience.

"What do you want?" Kirin growls, but she doesn't move from the wooden table where she sits, a cup of tea in her hand.
Persephone takes off her hood, and sits in the wooden chair across.
"Nothing, sister. I can't come visit?" She coos lightly, and Kirin scoffs.
"The only times you've ever visited is to tell me how to raise your child that you dropped off, dear 'sister.'" She mocks, and Persephone's pink lips pull into a tight smile.
"You know it was to prevent anything from happening. But... something has." She says quietly, as if the laughing Ianthe away in the meadow could possibly hear her.
"A prophecy?" Kirin says, just as quietly, and her sister manages a small nod.
Kirin face falls, dread passing over her for a split second, but she brushes it off quickly.
"But it's fine. She's safe here. She has no intention to leave." She assures her, and Persephone simply laughs.
"The boy might have something to do about that. Apollo wouldn't have seen it if it wasn't possible, if there wasn't a flaw."
Kirin is silent for a second.
"I've done enough for you, sister. If you have a problem with the boy, rid of him yourself. I'm done doing your dirty work, and I definitely won't have innocent blood on my hands."
Persephone face falls slightly, and her sister notices her eye twitch slightly, but she ignores it. Ever since they were children, she could have killed Kirin. But Kirin has never feared her sister. Persephone is too soft.
"I understand. But you must also think- do you want to lose her?"
And with that Persephone rises, putting her hood back on.
"Maybe I will come by for tea sometime. I miss your company. I am sorry for my past mistakes, Kirin. Truly. I hope you will think of this."
And she's gone.

———

Question of the story: Are they in the wrong for keeping Ianthe in the dark?

Sorry for the short chapter!