Persephone's Tale

You all think you know my story, but you know nothing. History portrays me as a victim and my love, my dear love, as a heartless captor. He did not trap me, he saved me. It is because of him that I am a queen, my name is known as more than just my mothers' daughter. You may believe that I was seduced by his darkness, but I embraced it willing, I took the hand outstretched to me and I embraced him. I wanted the darkness, almost as much as I wanted him. I happily ate the pomegranate seeds. This is the real story.  

I had never known sadness or fear, in fact looking back at it, I knew very little about anything. My world revolved around my mother or rather I was simply an extension of her world. I learned all I knew at her knee. How the mortals worshipped us, how important her work was. She would call me her precious flower and where does a flower belong? Safely tucked away in a garden.

When I was small, barely a sampling, I learned from my mother and I played with the nymphs. I was sheltered but I did not know it, therefore my happiness knew no bounds. I knew there were others likes us; those with mighty power, but it was a long time until I could put a face to any names. I watched my mother bring life and happiness to the mortals and I waited patiently for the day when I could join her. Words could not express my joy when my mother told me I would be accompanying her to Olympus; the home of the gods.

"Stand up straight, remember you are one of them." My mother told me, and I tried to believe her but that was easier said than done. I was a goddess, yes but by birth only, not power.

I did not have Athena's mind or Aphrodite's beauty, my name did not strike fear in the hearts of those who heard it, if fact my name did not strike anything within anyone who heard it. I was Persephone, daughter of Dementer, a precious flower who was not to be touched, for fear of invoking my mother's wrath.

Olympus was nothing like I imagined, I knew only lush fields and wide-open space. No one ever visited Olympus twice, its corridors and rooms were always changing, like the moods of the gods. If Zeus was angry it would be like the walls were closing in on you, when Hera was happy then the sunshine would fill the palace and the air was sweet. That day everyone was happy, wine was drunk and there was gossip, mostly consisting of who had gotten which mortal pregnant. I believe this was why my mother was so reluctant to let me out of her sight, she did not trust men.

Her believe was that men took advantage of naivety. She could not address my innocence because that was how she wished me to be, so the only option was to keep the men away. Growing up, I obviously knew about men and my mother had taught me how mortals came to be, how a man and woman came together. Sometime the male gods would come to see her, but I would only catch glimpse of them as I would be quickly sent away. From what I had seen we did not look all that different.

As the festivities went on, my mother introduced me to a select few goddesses. They were strong and beautiful, truly worthy of devotion. They were bright flowers in full bloom, and I was a small seedling, barely breaking through the soil. Suddenly, there was a chill in the air and a figure stepped from the shadows. The chatter stropped and then Zeus stepped forward.

"Brother, you are welcome." He clapped his shoulder, which appeared to displease the new guest who seemed to be uncomfortable with the attention.

"I don't see why I have to be here." He scowled.

"It's a celebration." Zeus replied.

"Of what?"

"Does there have to be a reason?" Hera said as she handed the newcomer a goblet of wine. Soon the festivities began again like there was no interruption.

"Who was that?" I asked mother.

"Hades, Lord of the Underworld. No one you need concern yourself with." She replied curtly, before pulling me away.