At the end of each day, Hades would demand a head-count of the dead from Charon. But now, she sat slump on her great black throne, sighing heavily to herself. Charon's report of the arriving souls was evidently ignored. His mistress's mind seemed adrift elsewhere. Since her return from Olympus, Hades was pensive and negligent with her work.
All day, the only task she seemed to partake more frequently that usually was drinking her red wine and sighing. The ferryman dared not interrupt his mistress's stupor though he somehow wondered what had possessed her thoughts.
"Should I continue the day’s report, my lady?" Charon asked.
Upon hearing his voice, the goddess returned to her senses and looked down at her servant.
"No need," she simply said, rubbing her temple with long slender fingers, "Finish it tomorrow. Surely the dead can wait. Ask Minos to herd them off to the Field of Asphodel. I can't stand them twittering like bats around my palace."
"Yes, my lady." Charon bowed and left the throne room.
The palace grounds and the surrounding fields were called Erebus, this was the deepest part of the Underworld. No birds flew there, but the sounds of wings were heard that day, for the three fearsome creatures had returned - Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megaera, the Furies, the Eumenides or Kindly Ones.
They were hags with snarky hair, red-hot eyes, and yellow sharp teeth. They slashed through the air over the Erebus Field towards Hades's palace. They carried with them metal studded whips. If they found a victim, they would whip the flesh from his bones. Their task was to visit earth under Hades’s commands and punish evil-doers, but this time, it was of a different matter.
When they reached the goddess of the dead, they circled low over the sparkling black ceiling, screaming their songs and the latest gossips from the world above.
Hades's mood promptly shifted when she saw her servants wild with the news. It didn’t take long for the Furies' dramatic zeal to irritate the intolerant goddess.
Hades stood up from her throne and bellowed in her powerful sharp voice.
"Get down at once and give me what you were asked to seek!" she cried to the Kindly Ones. At last, the horrible trio came down and bowed before their mistress.
"O Hades, ever the impatient one," Megaera said then hissed at her other two sisters, "Silence, you old hags! She wishes to know the news of the dainty maiden."
Though they knew Hades valued them, the Furies would rather stay away from their mistress's wrath. The hags of hell finally began narrating what they had gathered from the upper realm. Demeter's child, a virgin of such remarkable beauty that she was kept hidden from the eyes of wishful suitors for all of her life. The young lovely goddess spent her days idyllically gathering fragrant flowers in the fields of Nysa, which spread as far as the eye could see. During the long summery hours, Persephone helped her mother gather seeds, to pollinate, and to sow the fertile earth. When Persephone smiled, Demeter's heart swelled with pride and happiness, and the crops grew high and healthy as flowers tumbled and bloomed everywhere.
"She has been shielded away by her doting mother," the Furies said, "carefully kept from dangers that could befall so fair a creature."
"I wonder how she is now," Hades asked more to herself.
"Persephone is fine and fair, and blossoming like the flowers which surround her sanctuary, my lady."
The more the dark goddess heard about the dreamy maiden, the more her heart burned with the hot golden ichor, rushing through her veins. If Hades wasn't a goddess, she could have been sure she was under some powerful curse she hadn't known. Or was it a spell of Aphrodite?
Hades did not realize that her cold nonchalant heart could feel such things until she met the maiden. That night on the bright and vibrant Olympus, Hades felt the sweet confusion. It made her mind grow dizzy with joy and strangeness. She had seen mortals become stupid and gone utterly mad with love. They fought and killed and sacrificed and even died for it.
But now she was a willing victim of the same spell.
None could blame Hades for her great yearning. The Underworld was the realm of darkness, populated by the dead. Persephone's radiance could assuredly enliven her kingdom. There was no one more dazzling than the daughter of the earth goddess. She still remembered how those big innocent eyes, the color of the emerald forest, enraptured her entire being. She relished at the thought of her lips touching that soft beautiful skin. It made her body tingle with strange needs. Persephone had the face of all the beauty in all the world.
Hades sat back in her great ebony throne and drew in a long deep breath. All of a sudden, the young maiden had become more precious to her than anything on earth or heaven.
"Do you think I should go to Demeter and ask for her daughter’s hand?" the passionate and besotted goddess asked her three servants.
"A waste of time, Hades," Alecto said truthfully, "Demeter has an obsessed love with this child. Surely, she will never oblige to your wish."
Hades was not used to being denied of what she wanted. Though not being regarded as the Olympian, she was still a powerful goddess, ruler of the dark yet wealthy realm, an older daughter of the Titan Cronos and Rhea. Even Zeus would be reluctant to displease her. Nothing could stop the Mistress of Soul from having the maiden of her heart.
Hades leaned herself back and closed her eyes.
She must have Persephone.
~*~
One warm, sun-kissed morning, Persephone lay on the long grasses by the idle stream, which trickled through the paddock at the end of the garden. Bees hummed above the lapping waters, butterflies glided and came to rest beside the serene young maiden. An eager toad jumped at the darting dragonflies. It was a beautiful day of the summer. Persephone's beauty was accentuated by the lush green grass and by the sunshine over her handsome expression. Under the cascade of golden light, she could hear the gentle voices of the Seirenes, singing and laughing in between whispered gossips. They gathered handfuls of purple crocuses, royal blue irises, and sweet-smelling hyacinths to make flower crowns for her.
Persephone had not thought of the night at Olympus since their return. But once in a while, a pair of black brilliant eyes haunted her mind like a shadow. She quickly dismissed that unsettling feeling that seemed to itch in her heart. After being tired of her handmaiden's cheery gossips, Persephone decided to slip away and find a spot where she could be left alone.
The sun shimmered on the waters and the straying brilliance flickered over the deep blue sea. Across a stream, through a grove of trees, to a little glade, the birds sang and flowers danced as Persephone strolled along the path. She carried her paint pot with a smile that embraced her exquisite features. She had seen a stand of tall waxy pale iris and lilies she had decided to stripe. It was her joy to paint their faces with colors, which the goddess thought were best fitted for each kind.
As she went about painting iris, lilies, daisies, asters, and daffodils, she saw a vision of the most enchanting flower blooming on the ground. Persephone knew it was the narcissuses, her favorite ones. She thought of bringing some to her mother to put in her hair and promptly went farther to get them.
But not far away from the flowers was a strange bush with thick, green, glossy leaves, and hung with large red berries that trembled on their stems like drops of blood. She leaned closer to inspect the plant. As Persephone stood, staring curiously at the mysterious bush, she didn't know whether she liked it or not. The maiden who was always particular about plants and flowers found the scrub little to her liking.
At last, Persephone turned away and reached down to pluck a handful of narcissus from their resting ground, but it was toughly rooted and hard to pull. She was used to getting her own way and set herself for a mighty tug. Up came the bunch of beautiful white flowers, their bulky roots dragged out of the ground, leaving a big hole by the bush. She thought nothing of it and turned to go back to where she left her paint pot, but suddenly the earth under her feet began to tremble. She heard a rumbling sound and turned around to see what w
as happening. The noise that grew louder and louder was coming from the hole. To her horror, the ground fell away and seemed to be spreading, opening like a mouth, and then the rumbling grew to a jangling, crashing din.
Out of the gaping crevice in the earth emerged six enormous black horses, dragging behind them a golden chariot. In the chariot stood a tall graceful woman in a flowing black cape. On her head was a glittering black crown. Her long moon shadow-black hair flowed like fine silk over her shoulders. Persephone was frozen by the unexpected presence of the Underworld monarch. She couldn't even think of a word to utter before she was whisked off her feet by a pair of strong arms and onto the golden chariot.
Persephone heard a crack of the whip upon the majestic horses. It brought the maiden back to her senses. As the anarchic beasts pulled the fiery wheels up in the air and back again, the young maiden realized she was about to be taken down into the black depths. The thought of this brought a flaring terror to her heart. Yet when Persephone opened her mouth to cry for help, Hades's cold nectar-sweet lips drank all her screams. They plunged into the hole, and her vision was soon lost within the darkness as they descended into the world below.
After they had gone, the entrance closed itself again.
CHAPTER three:
The wrath of demeter
While Persephone's cries could not be heard above the ground, the pain in Demeter's chest quickly alerted her. The goddess knew that something was terribly wrong. Unable to stand the unease in her heart, Demeter left her dwelling and climbed onto her chariot, heading towards the fields.
At the edge of the garden, she found the Seirenes scurrying hither and thither like a flock of blind birds. Demeter called upon them. When they heard her voice, the nymphs behaved frantically and looked panic-stricken. As the goddess's chariot approached, they began to huddle together like a herd of frightened fawns.
"It's almost eve. What silly game are you playing?" Demeter asked, eyeing them. "Have you seen my daughter?"
The Seirenes flinched from her question. The Earth Goddess noticed the nymphs' ashen faces and frowned as they all remained silent.
"What happened? Where is Persephone?" she asked again in a stern voice. One of them was shoved forward to answer the goddess. Her body were shaking like a leaf as she began to speak.
"We don't know where the young lady is," the nymph said while the rest of them lowered their gazes to the ground. "We have been looking for her everywhere all noon."
"Are you telling me that Persephone has been missing all this time?"
"I swear to the gods, my lady, she was just there with us, but the next moment she was gone!" They began to sob. "We called for her and looked far and wide yet there's not a trace of where she might have gone astray."
Demeter felt a pang of shock and grief struck her like a lightning, she nearly dropped to her knees. Then her shock was replaced by a gnawing rage from within her chest. Demeter stepped out of her chariot with fury-filled eyes and bellowed.
"I entrusted my child to your care! How dare you deceive me!"
The nymphs fell to the ground by her feet and asked the goddess for her forgiveness.
"My lady, we beg for your mercy," they cried tearfully, all trembling with fear. "Let us redeem our wrong, please. We will help you look for Persephone."
"Then you shall go and find her in a form of bird-like monsters!” Demeter cried fiercely, “Your wings shall carry you across the lands and seas so that all would know of my missing child. It is your punishment. You will be released from it unless someone hears your singing."
As soon as Demeter finished speaking, the Seirenes suddenly saw golden plumage clothing all over their limbs. They now had feathers and feet of birds. Yet to reserve their glorious song, their melodies' enchantment, the goddess let them retain their fair maidens' face and their sweet charming voice. It was both a blessing and curse.
After the nymphs were made flying creatures by the will of Demeter, they wandered away, seeking for their beloved mistress.
Twilight slowly descended upon the world. Demeter went on and sought her daughter from dusk to dawn, from sunrise until sunset, hour by hour without a moment of rest.
She speed here and there, calling for her child.
"Persephone!...Persephone!"
But she heard no answer.
All day and night, Demeter kept looking for her missing daughter. She searched high and low, but it seemed the girl had vanished from the face of the earth. Consumed by worries and depression over her lost child, the goddess soon ceased to remember her worldly duties as Goddess of Grain and Growth. The plants withered and died all around her. The wheat color-haired lady grew sadder as she felt her own hopes began to fade.
She was weary and thirsty for no spring had wet her lips. Then she chanced to see a little cottage thatched with straw, and knocked on its low door. An old lady came out and looked at her, and when she asked if the woman had seen a young maiden, the crone replied with a shake of her gray head.
Sighing, Demeter instead asked her for some water, the woman brought out a sweet barley-flavoured drink. While the goddess drank, a saucy bold-faced boy stood by and laughed at her, calling her greedy. The goddess looked up. He stopped laughing. Demeter in mere irritation poured the unfinished drink with all the grains of barley over him.
Immediately, his cheeks came out in spots, and where his arms had been legs grew. A tail was added to his altered limbs. To keep his mischief small, he shrank until he was tinier than a lizard. The old crone, amazed, in tears, bent down to touch the changeling creature, but it fled to find a hiding-crack.
It had a name to suit its colored skin - a starry-spotted newt.
When dawn broke another day, Demeter returned to the forest and passed by the glade. There the earth goddess saw the uprooted bush and the trampled grass. Then she saw something that stabbed her heart - Persephone's little paint pot, overturned. Demeter leaped from her chariot. She listened to the flowers and trees and birds. They began to whisper to her of the heedless girl, and the strange bush, and the hole, and the chariot, and the black rider.
Demeter spoke softly, questioning them. They told her enough for her to know who had taken her beloved daughter. She lifted her face to the sky and howled with grief like a she-wolf. The earth rumbled and the birds scared out of the trees. Then the goddess put her face in her hands and wept.
After a moment of intense grief, she mounted her chariot again and flew up to the home of gods. Demeter charged into the throne room where the King of Heaven sat. She began shunning the attention of Zeus as a father.
"Justice!" she cried, "I demand justice! Give her back! Where are the ordinances of the gods, where are the laws of heaven? Your sister has stolen my daughter — our daughter!"
"Peace, Demeter, compose yourself," said Zeus calmly.
"How could you sit there and do naught after my child was taken?" Demeter cried. "You knew that Hades took her away from me, did you not?"
Of course, Zeus did. He learned about it just as soon as the incident happened. Yet he knew how his sister was. Hades could be extremely difficult, unlike any other siblings of Zeus. If the King of Heaven refused to hearken to Hade, she shall throw open Hell and call forth her monsters, who would break Cronus’s old chains and shroud the sun in darkness. The framework of the world shall be loosened and the shining heavens shall mingle with the Underworld’s shades. Who would dare refuse such a marriage with the Goddess Hades? Who would wish to exchange the sun for the caves of Styx?
Zeus let out a heavy sigh.
"Hades's courtship has been a trifle abrupt, perhaps, but after all, she is my sister - our sister. Think again, sweet Demeter. It is highly unlikely for our daughter to look beyond the family protection."
"Family protection? With Hades?" the earth goddess growled. "Never! It must not be! Anyone but Hades!"
"My dear, when your rage cools and your mind clears, you will realize it is fortunate that Persephone will be loved and cared for by the hand of ano
ther goddess."
"No! I will not allow it. Don't you realize this is a spring child, a flower child, a delicate unopened bud? No ray of sunlight has ever reached that dank hole she calls her kingdom. My dear Persephone will wither and die!"
Though Zeus knew that his daughter would not be harmed by Hades, he also felt saddened by the thought of losing her to the world from which no mortal could return. He wavered, reluctant to anger both sisters, but more apprehensive still of the wrath of the dark goddess.
"Persephone is our daughter," Zeus sighed at last, "I fancy she has a talent for survival. Please, think it over, Demeter."
"Once again," the goddess said in a trembling angry voice, "will you restore my daughter to me?"
"Demeter, please go back to earth and be intelligent about it."
"I will go back to earth," said Demeter bitterly, "and while my child is gone, no crops shall grow. No tree will bear, no grass will spring. While she is gone and while I mourn my loss, the earth will grow as dry and shriveled as my heart, and will put forth no green things. And I will not return until all the gods beg for me."
Then the rich-haired goddess turned away and left Olympus.
CHAPTER four:
Confession
In the dark room furnished with splendid tapestries and heavy silk curtains, Persephone lay sobbing forlornly to herself. Her mind still relived the terrible journey down the strange unpleasant world. She remembered flying on the chariot of beaten gold across the black rivers, the innumerable moving shades lingered by a massive gate. She saw a gigantic beast with three bobbing heads, barking in a fit of excitement.
The frightened maiden cried and tried to wriggle herself free, but the strong grip that held her was unshakable. Her pleas and protests went unheard. All she saw from the black-robbed woman, who had taken her against her will, was the same pale mask-like face. And when those sparkling dark eyes turned to her, they pierced through her soul with such intensity, Persephone felt a gripping chill in her body, and everything else passed by in a blur.
Hades: Goddess of the Underworld (Lesbian Version) Page 2
