Aides (COMPLETED)

Seventy One

Some time later!
Fast foward to the future.

Persephone

"But the beautiful goddess pricked her finger on a blackened rose plaintes by Aides"

"Oh no!!" One small nymph gasped. Her name was Angeliki, and she was always the quiet one of the group.

"And evey 6 months the beautiful goddess was banished to earth to rebuild and restore the land and crops on earth. Although it brings life and color to our world, the goddess saddens because she is away from her love"

"That is why we call it SPRING!" Another small nymph smiles triumphantly, familiar with the tale. Her name was Eleni.

"Good" I nod and smile.

"And during those 6 month when the goddess returns to the underworld, her mother, Demeter, saddens, her heart turns cold and she paints the earth in ice and snow. That is why we call it winter"

The young children frown and some others giggle as I tell the story of my origin. They were the newest class of healers and nymphs. My mother had opened a school to train young goddesses and entities with powers and instead of bossing me around, she bossed them around.

"I hate the devil."Cassia proclaims triumphantly, crossing her arms over her soft cream dress.

"Aides." I correct her.

"He is a devil with evil horns and spiky claws." She jumps up and runs through the crowd of girls, teasing and poking them with her pretend horns.

"Yes! And he tricked the goddess to eternal damnation in his realm. That wasn't nice!" Another young girl with sift rosy cheeks said.

"But Kore wasn't free on earth. How would you feel if someone told you how to eat or when to talk or walk? Or even speak?" I make the girls reflect in the story. There were always two sides to every story.

"I would feel tight!"
"Constricted"
"And not free."

These girls were wise. I was glad my mother had opened our home to train them in skill and the customs of earth.

"Do you think tricking Kore to going to the underworld was bad?"

"He should have asked!!" One girl with tight black curls pouted. Each curl shook free from her loose bun. I smiled and laughed. "I agree Lyra. But do you think Kore would have said yes to a tall, menacing god who was the ruler of the underworld?"

The girls pondered my words as I waited.
"I don't think I would have even stepped in his direction." Lyra shrugged, twirling the ends of her dress.

"Aides is not the devil. There are gods and deities who rule with chaos and destruction and he is not that type. He is kind and caring and loyal. And handsome too. Very handsome."

The girls looked confused as I boasted of his accolades. "How do you know Persephone?" One girl finally found the courage to ask.

"Because I am married to him" I smile innocently.

"Ohhh!! What!!" the girls gasped. I nodded and  chuckled as they looked at me hesitantly. They did not believe my tale.

"I am the goddess in the tale and although I am called Persephone, I was once called Kore" 

"Oh!!!! But Persephone! You are nothing like the goddess! She was young and timid...fearful of everything"

"Time changes young ones. A baby doesn't latch to its mother's breast forever" I remind them. They were still hesitant to believe me