Persephone
I gazed at the cherry blossoms above me as I lay on my Mother’s lap.
We spent countless hours together in the lush, vibrant land.
It was a sanctuary where our individual passions intertwined.
My Mother was a perfectionist when it came to her crops of grains and vegetables.
She always took my breath away when a simple touch to a tree would ripen its fruit until the branches strained with the heavy load.
My love for all types of flowering plants flourished alongside my Mother’s creations. The colourful flower beds created a harmonious blend of beauty beside the more practical orchards. My Mother’s cool hand caressed my forehead, causing me to close my eyes.
“We gain more worshippers by the day,” she said with a contented sigh as she rested her head on the tree trunk.
“It is a reward for all your effort, Mother,” I said, opening my eyes to reach up and touching her cheek.
She was the most beautiful Goddess of them all.
Her long hair was the colour of golden wheat mixed with a fiery flash of copper.
Her almond-shaped blue eyes had more shades in them than the ocean.
I wished I were as beautiful as my Mother, but instead, I had mousy brown hair with strange yellow-brown eyes.
My Mother devoted her life to her role as the Goddess of Agriculture and Fertility. We had many devotees, but the mortals should be grateful for all the blessings she had bestowed on them.
“Our effort,” she said insistently, looking down at me with love shining softly in her eyes. “You, my love, renew everything with your bright, youthful touch.”
“I only helped a little and catalogued new species,” I said, blushing from my Mother’s praise before changing the subject. “Do you miss being so far from Mount Olympus?”
It was our main residence, and it was rare that we stayed away for long, but she could transfer us back at any time. We were using this time in the plains of Nysa and the surrounding areas to help cultivate more life.
“Not in the least. I would rather devote my time to both of my loves. You and our work,” she said with a smile. “We will soon return home.”
I returned her smile and stretched out on the softness of the grass, enjoying the mixture of partial shade and sunlight poking through the trees. The combination created the perfect temperature.
“I love you, Mother,” I murmured sleepily before closing my eyes and holding onto her.
My smile broadened when I felt the warmth from her energy seep into me. I didn’t need to open my eyes to see my Mother’s golden energy surrounding us. The bond we shared could never be broken, and our work was the legacy of our love.
◆◆◆
With our work completed in the region, I took a final walk.
The plains of Nysa were a tapestry of vibrant life.
The earth seemed to sing with colour and fragrance.
Under the bright sun, the meadows stretched endlessly, a sea of greenery dotted with blossoms. I was pleased to have aided in its growth.
It would benefit the earth, the animals and mortals alike.
Wildflowers painted the landscape in strokes of gold, crimson, violet and white.
Armed with my basket, I planned to take some clippings back to preserve my memory of my time here. After some time, I came across a very unusual flower. The tall grass of the meadow had parted to showcase the flower. I crouched down to inspect it.
It wasn't blue as I first anticipated, but it had elaborate black outer petals with thick dew drops on it, making it appear blue. The inner petals were turned up and had a dimmer hue. The striking bright golden yellow on each petal drew me in.
“What are you, my precious?” I whispered as I gently touched the tip of the petal and watched the dew trickle down my finger.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and I dropped my hands on the grass to prevent myself from toppling over. When I glanced up, the earth had split open with a deafening roar. Every instinct within me told me to run, and then the chasm appeared, but I remained frozen in fear.
Four black horses appeared, shimmering faintly with a ghostly sheen. Their eyes were nothing but obsidian empty sockets, yet they seemed to flicker flashes of white around the rims. The manes and tails of the beasts flowed like liquid shadows, rippling as though they had a life of their own.
My body moved, and I fell back, trying to scramble away from the giant beasts.
When their hooves struck the ground, a clanging of metal accompanied the beat of their hooves, sending faint tremors through the earth.
Black and gold merged together until I saw the tall, looming presence on the chariot.
His presence was overwhelming—a shadowy figure radiating power and dread, a stark contrast to the vibrant world above.
His hooded black cloak gave me pause until I saw a glimpse of his dark eyes and long beard.
Before I could utter his name, he swept me up into the chariot, leaving me to scream one word before the chariot plunged back into the dark abyss.
“Mother,” I screamed hopelessly as the light of the world faded above me, replaced by the suffocating darkness beneath the earth.
Hades had his arm locked around me, or I would have collapsed on the chariot. My heart raced, and I tried to breathe as reality sank in. Each way I looked, I could only see darkness, a dismal pitch-black canvas.
The thought of not seeing my beautiful mother made tears flow from my eyes.
My heart instantly ached because the earth was sealed, and she wouldn't hear or see me.
The gravity of my situation had not yet sunk in because my mind was desperately trying to comprehend why the God of the Underworld had taken me in such a manner.
With a grunt, I tried to push his hand off me, but it didn't budge.
The Underworld was a place of shadows and silence, a realm removed from the warmth and light of the world.
This world was not what I was created for.
It was unnatural for me to be in a place of death.
A sob caught in the back of my throat, and my body went limb as I began to cry.
It was a futile exercise as I sunk deeper into the hollow expanse of the Underworld.
The heart-wrenching pain tore at my insides, overpowering my terror.
I leaned against my abductor, who never loosened his hold on me and for a brief moment, the contact comforted me, which only made me sob harder.
My world had transformed in the blink of an eyelid, and deep within my core, I knew life as I knew it had changed forever.
Without my Mother, I didn't know how I would survive.
The chariot landed with a thud, jolting my fear into place and pushing my grief away.
I twisted and shoved on his arm until he released me, but I fell on my backside.
When I began to topple over, he reached out for me, but I pushed his hand away and fell off the chariot.
In a daze, I looked around at the black rocks surrounding me.
The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the faint, acrid tang of brimstone.
It was a reminder of the realm's fiery depths.
After hearing many accounts and speculation, I couldn't help but study it.
My breath caught in my throat when I saw a black river wind through the landscape.
The water was still and silent with no current.
A ghostly light reflected on it, but when I glanced above it, there was no discernible light source.
“This is the River Styx,” Hades said flatly, making me jump.
“I want to go home,” I whispered, but I scrambled backwards when he stepped off the chariot.
“This is your home,” he said, pulling his hood off as he came to stand beside my bare feet.
He resembled all the other Gods, perfect in their form, but Hades had a similar build to Zeus, tall, and the strength was clear to see in his physique. He wore a short black chiton beneath his cloak. When my eyes made their way to his face, my fear returned.
His long dark hair fell around his face and rested beside his long beard.
Due to the lighting, I couldn't tell if his hair was black or dark brown.
When I reached his eyes, they were as black as two pieces of polished lumps of coal.
There was no emotion in them. They were dull and as dead as his surroundings.
He held his hand out, but I stood up on my own to face him bravely.
“We both know I do not belong here,” I said, proud that my voice didn't waver, although it didn't stop my erratic nerves from tugging on my insides.
When I heard a low growl from behind me, my head snapped back to see black fur; I glanced up and saw a giant three-headed beast. I screamed and ran behind Hades to push him towards the monster. He didn't budge, but if anyone should be eaten down here, it should be him.
“Cerberus,” he crooned to the beast, and I realised that it was the first time his voice had any measure of emotion.
I peered over his shoulder and winced at the sight of the ugly beast. It dawned on me that this was the monstrous guardian of the Underworld.
Three heads rose from his broad build. Each one was a grotesque masterpiece of horror.
Their eyes had been red, but they now glowed in a molten golden colour.
My gaping mouth closed when I saw their jagged teeth, as sharp as broken blades, accompanied by the strands of thick glistening saliva dripping from their jaws. I gasped when a faint sizzling sound occurred as they hit the ground.
Each head bore a mane that seemed to have a life of its own.
As Hades petted his beast, the low guttural growls rumbled deep within the beast's chest. His claws were long and curved like scythes, capable of inflicting damage or death.
My fingers gripped onto Hade's cloak as my irrational fear took over.
The beast wouldn't be able to kill an immortal being, but that didn't mean he couldn't hurt them.
I knew a little about the rules of the Underworld.
When his tails swished in the air, I saw the thick serpentine ended tips. Each tip had a venomous snake on it, their forked tongues flicking out to taste the air, watching and ready to strike. I released Hades and began to back away, only to disturb the ghastly horses behind me.
When faced with the eyeless horses, I finally screamed and began to run down the small path beside the river. My white dress in the backdrop of black would make me an easy target, but I was beyond caring, especially when his giant beast began to bark and growl viciously.
I stumbled but held my hand along the tall, endless rocks that towered the side of the black river. Out of the shadows, Hades appeared before me and blocked my path. I gulped at his dead, soulless eyes and stoic face.
“This is my realm, and there is no escape,” he said before gripping my arm and dragging me into the shadows.
I covered my face and let out a piercing scream, but nothing happened. He was gone when I opened my eyes, and I was in a room. I shivered and rubbed my bare arms. It had been warm beside the river.
Confused, I glanced at the giant black and gold marble columns.
The room, craftsmanship, and luxury reminded me of Mount Olympus; in Olympus, everything was white, ivory, and gold.
I swallowed hard as I looked at the dark cage around me.
The replica of Olympus spooked me, but it confirmed the whispers about Hades.
I was in the infamous House of Hades—the God of the Underworld's palace.