Subarrhation – Becoming a Queen
Featuring Persephone, Hades, Zeus, Nyx, Hermes, Artemis, Athena, Hecate, Helios and others.
Chapter one: Beguiling Meadow
Persephone:
One fine morning at dawn I, Persephone, awoke to Phoenix Empyreus’ bird calls. My home is at the palace of Olympus with my mother, Demeter daughter of suspended in animation Titan, Cronus, and consultant Titaness Rhea. Later today I am to join my half-sisters, Artemis and Athena, for some frolicsome quality time upon earth. These half-sisters of mine are special and precious to me, thus I anticipate our allotted time for indulged amusement whatever it may be. Artemis is an apt toxophilite huntress and Athena is all round crafty. I adjourn from parthenon to the palace grand hall clad in my recently donned daywear, a snow-white peplos with pomegranate hued linings, a mauve epiblema, an amaranth hued diadem around my several maroon tresses and ankle bound sandals. The interior colours of the entire palace is gold, pearl and silver and excellently illuminated. As I walk alone down a corridor I notice a god conversing with my father, Zeus, one who I have never seen in Olympus in my existence, he is tall, strongly built, incredibly pale and has glossy platinum white locks of hair as impeccable as my own. I have glanced at him just for a moment, but what a gloomy yet sharp exterior he has. He must hail from the chthonic regions of the exotic netherworld of Hades. His eyes show his soul is solemn, oh on, his stare has move from my father, Zeus, to me. Oh, I am so embarrassed, it is not appropriate for a demure maiden to decode a person, nor is wise to scrutinise a stranger through deduction. I suddenly sprint to the great hall to break my fast of ambrosia and nectar. I discover Athena and Artemis already recumbently reclining upon cushion chairs. I sedate myself upon an unoccupied cushion and ritualistically gesture gratitude for the sustenance and their company. I initialise a conversation, “Hullo, my elder sisters, Artemis and Athena, I am curious about something, rather someone. Who is that mysterious god conversing with Zeus our father up the main corridor?” Athena was the first to speak, “Hades, I believe the person of whom you have just spoken about is he, it is a rarity for him to visit Olympus. Hephaestus has visited our palace often than Hades, and you have met him before, thus it only plausible that this person may be him since I know that he is here on business. Hades is father’s eldest brother from the netherworld region below earth and its ruler, as you remember from the history of our reality. Our lyophilic uncle he is, and father says Hades has a very successful kingdom, some may say it rivals father’s. I have read that our cousin, Hecate, her realm is his adjoining neighbour, apart from Tartarus and Erebus. We should visit her someday, she practises some intriguing arts that I wish to further acknowledge. Why do you ask, Persephone, did he speak to you? He rarely speaks with any of our family, indeed he is mysterious.” Artemis finally speaks as she continues the conversation, “I have heard he has a helmet of which can cloak the wearer with invisibility, and I would desire that helmet when hunting. So, Persephone, did he speak to you? How did his voice sound? Suave and mellow, or rough and sombre?” I ignite my courage and speak up, “My sisters, he did not speak to me but his eyes beheld me as I was endeavouring to attach an acknowledged name to his handsome yet formidable frame. I felt a strange sensation as well as embarrassment, thus I took flight to find solace here in this room we now occupy. Thank you, Athena, for your educational input, you too, Artemis. I wonder how he felt when he first saw me.” Artemis jokingly speaks with a manly imitated voice, “She is staring at me, what does she want? Why so curious? Maybe if I dazzle her with my eyes and frown she might leave. One cannot be anywhere without attracting attention. Grrrh!” Persephone laughs and humours Artemis with an amusing response, “Plausible, but more than that, he looked almost pleased to see me. I must be imagining things. Anyway, when shall we depart for earth and who shall be driving the chariot this time?” Artemis enthusiastic to chauffeur shouts, “I shall, and Athena don’t you attempt to deprive me of the glory of wildly driving!” A stoic Athena responds with tranquil perspicacity, “A true warrior knows which battles to engage in, this is not worth fighting over, as I would rather converse with young Persephone here. Father says that Gaia has cultivated a new species of flora of which is in bloom for this short time for us to weave a robe for him.” We three maidens exit the great hall, wave goodbye to father of whom is now alone. We make our way out of the palace to the chariot pad, Artemis sprints ahead of us and leaps into the chariot’s carriage and beholds the winged horses’ reins. My pace commence to slow as my mind is distracted with thoughts Hades arcane qualities. Athena advances to the chariot and clambers into the carriage, behind a standing Artemis she sedates herself upon a couch. Out of nowhere Hades manifests to help me up the stairs of the carriage and gently into it with his smooth, chilled left hand. While all this happens I am tranquilly wooed and in awe of his sudden assistance. Then he speaks, his voice is deep and he exotically pronounces each syllable slowly as if he is subtly conveying a hint to an enigma, “Endeavour not … to accelerate too abruptly, one need not fly … amok. Excitement … is a suicidal thing. Farewell!” Artemis instinctually sounds a command for the horses to gallop. For a moment there is silence in the carriage, then suspicion possesses my sisters sworn to chastity as they speak, “Persephone, you must be wary of his affections. You are far too naïve and idealistic of people. - Remember you made a blood promise.” “Artemis and Athena, I know that I have that proclivity, but what if he truly is different from most gods. We should not be prejudice, I mean what do we know of his behaviour and history? In addition, I was coerced into that binding blood promise by you two.” Artemis speaks a debating tone, “Let us see, both father and Poseidon, his brothers, are pathological licentious seducers, how can Hades not be? Athena and I have taken this vow for the same reason we are no cannibals, we desire not to be stained by these abhorrent crimes against morals. Name one male of whom is different from those two gods aforementioned? Athena, you know of Hades more than Persephone and I, could he suffer the same compulsion to objective the female gender so shamelessly for the sake of philocaly!?” Athena more calm than Artemis during her passionate speech, “The odds are against him, but it seems evident he endeavours to court you, my sister. Persephone, I too wish that there could be a redeeming god amongst them. But one must be scrutinise them entirely first without emotion to influence us in the report of another’s nature. I am sorry that I helped Artemis coerce you into said bond, but at the time there was no plausible subject worthy enough to wed you or either of us, hence my motive was for your own self-reliant good. I shan’t be as harsh as Artemis shall in supporting your endeavour to experiment whether or not Hades is incorrigibly the same as all gods. Even our brother Apollo, righteous as he is, is still flawed to lust for maidens like us, despite how diluted that quality it is. I hope that you may be successful, only then shall I release you from your binding blood promise.” Persephone respects what Athena has expressed as she wisely responds with grace, “Most earnestly do I thank you, Athena. I shall emulate your standard of sanctimonious propriety, taciturn and wisdom at my next encounter with Hades. Are we nigh the meadow off Eleusis, Artemis, my dear!?” Artemis unimpressed with the privilege of freedom I have been loaned speaks with chagrin, “Almost, prepare for landing in the meantime.”
Chapter Two: Capture–bonding
Hades:
Beneath the last layer of earth, within a tunnel I wait. At last I have been signalled by Gaia to collect my prize. For centuries of possessing no companion but Cerberus, my three-headed hound, and the affectionate chthonic nymphs, I finally claim a perfect maiden to be my bride. My nature reminds me it is wrong to abduct her, but the loneliness has made me desperate. My reputation is formidable to maidens, they feel I would defile them on the spot, but they would be incorrect. My brothers, cousins, nephews and uncles share an incorrigible lust for maidens of which has ruined any kind of proof of decency of gods females ideally want and expect from the male gender. Zeus has sold me his youngest daughter and only daughter by Demeter. The mere deed is abhorrent to me, to use maidens as if they were mere objects, and now allowing myself to commit an act against my principles sickens me, but I must convince Persephone I am not a divine monster. I have often felt effeminate, in the sense that I do not share the intent to be selfish as it is a shared trait of those aforementioned gods. I, the eldest son of Cronus, was the trigger of his paranoia of which lead to me and my sisters being swallowed within my first minutes of life. I initially felt responsible for my elder sisters’ undeserved incarceration, hence I guess I wilfully altered my mind-set and endeavoured to be different and not insane as my father and his father before him. I spent the captive time in my father’s stomach brooding, meditating how to be constantly at the same time sane and benign, and consoling my siblings with my philosophy. I still believe this has made me a better person, but this next act of mine is a temptation by definition and I anxiously hope I, the god-king of the netherworld and mineral wealth, can rectify the evil I must now pretend to accomplish.
Robed in my dreadful deep dark hued and styled attire, standing within my glossy black chariot behind my four stallions I commence by donning my helmet of invisibility, clutching my bident in my left hand and within the right the reins. Gaia opens wide the last layer of earth, I whistle a tune meant for an advancing gallop and thus do these horses obey as Helios’ sun composed of the essence of Aether and Hemera shines its brilliance in my unaccustomed thus temporarily blinding my vision. My eyes adapt to the slight delay that was expected to view Artemis and Athena collapsing into a slumber amongst so many poppies plants and an unfinished robe of purple and red poppies. Persephone is a few feet away slightly less somnolent clasping a staff as she stares straight through me, I wait a few seconds for Athena and Artemis become abeyant. I leap from my chariot and sprint towards Persephone’s side and almost effortlessly heave her over my right shoulder, her head in front of mine and legs behind it. I sprint back to the chariot, remove her from my right shoulder and cradle her back with my left arm – her head diagonally facing forward – then remove my helmet and place it in a compartment holder. Some consciousness returns to her, she espies my mien then immediately looks behind as the horses gallop once again trough the mouth of earth and down the tunnel. The mouth commences to close and Persephone shrilly cries out for help from her dormant sisters and her mother, Demeter, far away in Olympus entirely unaware of her daughter’s new adventure.
Persephone shouts in voice sounding as if she were wronged and disappointed in my behaviour, “Hades, you cruel god, how dare you abduct me! I wanted to believe you were different and could redeem your gender and now you do this! Why!?” Regretful of my actions, I attempt to explain what I have done is not what it seems, “I did not know you were willing to neglect my bad reputation and that of the male gender’s proclivities. I was desperate for a companion of love, what I have done is a pretence, I only did it because I assumed you may be influenced by others’ fear of my undeserved reputation to be prejudiced as so many have been indoctrinated by Zeus, your father, over the years. You must understand I received your father’s permission to gain your friendship and love in seclusion. Please try to forgive me, my intentions were good. I acknowledge the method of receiving you was unconventional. Allow me to redeem myself. I just want to show you my kingdom and properly gain your love. Believe me that I shall not harm you.”
Persephone more calm but boldly speaks, “Are you crazy, my mother will be furious that you have abducted me, I am her precious daughter and she is precious to me. You should not have abducted me, there are better ways, such as ‘courting’, have you never ever heard of it, elder goddesses have invented and innovated the concept for the years!?” Mellow, but slightly embarrassed I courageous respond, “I actually have considered it, I was present when the ideal was conceived, but it is a too awkward an experience for me to volitionally suffer. Perhaps a little crazy, I know Demeter will be furious, I will take responsibility for my actions when I meet her again. She might cause a famine for the mortals, but they will survive and it will challenge them of which I believe is necessary, for they have been too privileged for too extended an age.” Confident, calm and morbid does Persephone speak, “Your words are an assurance, but I feel sorry for those about to suffer the fame. Apart from my father, who knows of what has just happened and thus know where I will be?” I enlighten Persephone with remedying insight as I solemnly say, “There is one for certain who knows what happened, Helios the all-seeing watcher, but he will seek out no-one, Demeter will eventually consult him, I am sure. Hence, you have a few days to develop a rapport with me, be amused and learn something from interviewing me. When your mother demands your return to her and if you are not in the least enamoured with me then I shall release you. Is not a reasonable offer?” Persephone is intrigued, also a bit resistant but willing to test her fate, “You better not hold back on wise effort, thus show me how!” …
Chapter Three: Demeter’s fury - earth’s great famine
Demeter:
It is evening and my duties are complete, the mortals’ food for the next day’s consumption shall be ready for harvesting tomorrow morning. I am at peace once again. I wonder how Persephone enjoyed her day of revelry with Artemis and Athena. With the wind I fly around the planet westerly to Eleusis beyond mountains, forests and oceans. As I near the meadow I espy two figures in repose about flowers that appear to be poppies. Immediately I am anxious as I did not authorise any poppies to grow in this meadow nor anywhere in this part of the world and there is one figure less than expected. I recognize their identities, and a fury sparks within as I psychically wither away the poppies as I descend to interrogate my nieces.
I land with momentum upon charred poppies, I traipse over to Athena and Artemis, shake them back into consciousness and demandingly interrogate, “Wake up, you two, give me answers! Where is Persephone and what happened to her?” I impatiently slap them across their faces, “There is no time to sleep! Did the gigantes take her, and who had cast a spell over the flowers here to become potent poppies? Tell me!” Artemis semiconsciously speaks as she apologies, “We do not know what happened, the more we plucked and inhaled the scent of these new flowers we became anaesthetised. I have seen poppies before, but these must have been disguised. Persephone was just ahead of us, I collapsed before I could witness any further.” Athena drowsy but as conscious as Artemis confused speaks, “Aye, that happened, but I could hear galloping horses and the ground was shaking. The last thing I remember was hearing Persephone shrilly crying out for help before I collapsed. Why would the gigantes want to abduct her and neglect to take us with her?” Artemis wonders aloud with guesses, “Perhaps they want to ransom her and both of us conscious would be too strong, burdensome to handle.” Athena continues with advise, “The gigantes reside in the far reaches of the netherworld, perhaps Artemis and I should go on a reconnaissance and rescue mission to the netherworld while you do the same by searching the earth. Demeter, perhaps their mortal associates have her hidden in plain sight or in a cave above ground. Artemis and I will primarily visit cousin Hecate to enquire whether or not she heard or saw anything of Persephone during the time Artemis and I were recumbent.” I accept Athena's advice and bitterly speak vindication, “Let it be so, let us regroup here in one day with a report of our findings. As for the mortals, they shall suffer as I suffer a famine until Persephone is found. Good luck to us all in solving this enigma.”
Chapter Four: Learning to love one’s captor
Persephone:
If it was not for the illumination cast from Hades’ bident, we would have travelled in darkness. The temperature is cool, the tunnels various shades of brown and the texture at different distances smooth and rough as could be expected. I hear the horses whicker similarly as an athlete with great reserves of stamina would sound after many miles of sprinting. The tunnel seems to become more wide as we further traverse. The horses initiate to flap their wings and in a moment we exit the tunnel into a vaulted tomb with its own sky, artificial dim sunlight and hovering in the centre a planet, against the surrounding walls there myriads of insubstantial spirits are attached and hung, like machines mining with thick voluminous folds of garb collecting ores and rough deposits of all kinds of mineral wealth. These spirits are interconnected with the planet and there are rotating conveyer belts transferring what has been mined directly the palace to be stored. There is solid ring of ground before several rivers resembling motes flow duplicated on each side of the geoid planet. There is massive dark brown three-headed hound of which runs all round said ring guarding the interior of Hades’ kingdom, curiously I ask, “Why have you such a dreadful hound guarding the interior?” Content is Hades to enlighten me with an elaborate answer, “The Gigantes beyond my vaulted wall endeavour to reawaken the insentient titans, especially Uranus. Sometimes they try to invade either by themselves or with a few decoy mortals, but Cerberus here is more cunning and indomitable than any of them. You see those luminescent rivers nearer each centre, the maroon river is guarded by the famed Styx in case Cerberus may be too preoccupied, subsequently there is the indigo, silver, scarlet and grey rivers guarded by Acheron, Lethe, Phlegethon and Cocytus. Beyond the rivers are the divided mortal afterlife domes, there are four, and two on each polar opposite side: ‘Fields of Punishment’ (for those associated and minions of the gigantes that expire or perish), ‘Asphodel Meadows’ (for the indifferent, non-spiritual that expire), ‘Elysian Fields’ (for the righteous and worthy of the blessings that inevitably expire) and ‘Isles of the Blessed’ (those reincarnated three times as reward for being righteous and worthy of the blessings that expire and desire to enjoy something better than the Elysian Fields.) At the centre is my palace and beneath it is Tartarus at the very core of my realm. Therein shall we develop our relationship. The palace has many rooms for amusement and that contain artefacts you may admire. You shall slumber in a guest chamber, one previously occupied by Hecate, a neighbour of mine.” For the rest of the flight I commence to acknowledge all the information already mentioned and within moments Hades lands the chariot and its horses on the front grounds of palace. His helpful hand tows me out the chariot carriage and onto the floor near the grand entrance doors. I descry its formation and size that resemble Olympus, however an anti-Olympus with the dark shades of brown, obsidian and silver features. I curiously speak, “The palace almost resembles Olympus, what do you call this palace?” Surprised Hades smiles as he speaks, “No-one before has asked me what the palace is called until today, ‘Chthónios’ is its name.” Hades quickly unlocks the two heavy bolted doors and then we promenade through them. Hades leads me past his throne room through a few corridors and past mysterious rooms yet to experience and finally to an in-door large pool. The interior furnishings’ and wall colours are shades of sheer dark red, brown and blue. There is an illustrious woman already swimming nude in the pool, Hades calls out, “Hullo, Mnemosyne, it is good to see you once again. I wonder if you will allow me to entertain my guest within your magical pool. I acknowledge it is especially for those blessed mortal souls ere they be reincarnated, but I feel my guest and I are need of the soothing mental amplifying qualities one feels from your pool.” Mnemosyne climbs out the pool shamelessly showing her voluptuousness and then materialises clothes with a click her fingers. I, a prude, am not familiar with this nor do I respect such behaviour, but I do admit she has a beautiful body, perhaps better than my own. I am anxious that Hades will expect me to bathe and swim nude as well. Mnemosyne finally speaks, her voice mellow and conceited, “Never have your brought a maiden with you, are you certain she will be so bold as I have been? There is a growing trend of goddesses pledging to remain chaste, I hope you have found a maiden willing to consummate love.” Mnemosyne is making me uncomfortable with such blatant erotic topics. Hades takes a look at me, he notices that I have blushed, thus slightly annoyed he replies to Mnemosyne, “Mnemosyne, she does need hear such things even though such things should be privately acknowledged. Will you amuse yourself elsewhere in the palace, I grant you freedom to experiment.” Mnemosyne smiles like a cat apologetically, “Thank you, I shall be in the library awaiting my return to my pool. Good bye, for now.” Within a few second Mnemosyne has exited, I pussyfoot near the edge of the pool, kneel down, bend over and inhale the steam and dip my hands into the luminescent semi-translucent mauve liquid. Sensations of warm ecstasy pulsates and rushes through my entity as long as I inhale and submerge my hands. I close my eye lids, commence to meditate almost forgetting Hades. Pensively I reflect on my journey, how exciting it is not to be smothered by my mother. In these past few moments now I know how unhealthy the concept of smothering is. The concept of independence seems alluring to me, though the concept had always been vague to me, now I understand how Athena and Artemis, my half-sisters, feel. I consider being queen of the netherworld with Hades, of who seems not to overtly smother or be possessive me, would be a wonderful experiment to pursue who I ought to and could be. I hear Hades moving, unclasping and dropping his attire and robe upon the floor. I become slightly nervous, open my eye lids and espy Hades nude and clambering into the pool, he coolly speaks, “I would like you join me, you can still wear your peplos if you are reluctant to be naked. I recommend you submerge your whole body into the pool, I attest the experience is extraordinary. I assure you there are dry clothes awaiting you in your parthenon suite.” I take his advice, I remove my epiblema, diadem and sandals. I dive into the deep end, the sensation is unlike nothing felt before. Awareness of every bone, organ and nerve endings, the time spent subaqueous is engrossing, so much that I may deny myself new air to breathe. The sensation of my skin chills, then I emerge my bust and above out of the liquid and the heat of the air from outside the water feels ever smooth my skin. I gaze at Hades, his solemn mien more content and amorously simpered. Revelling in comfort of the soothing pool, I, desperate to sound stoic, orgasmically cry out, “This pool is alluring, but I have had enough of despite how my body says what I say is a lie! Subtly seducing is this pool, I commend your effort! Ooh! Mmmh! I will not be that easy to win over, show something else that is better, Hades!” I clamber out the pool soaked and exhilarated, I avert my eyes from Hades as he enrobes himself as if his outdoor robe was a bathe robe. Hades’ simper remains as he in a similar sensation announces, “Allow me to show you to your parthenon, Persephone!” We exit out the vaulted room to a spiral staircase and ascend to the top floor, the affects from the pool seems to slowly fade, but my mind seems renew as if whatever flaws it had once before had been rectified. I feel more confident and my perceptive vision more keen. I leap over steps with enhanced agility instead of leisurely walking as normal person would. Too curious about qualities of the pool I ask Hades without hesitation, “Mnemosyne’s pool, why has it affected in such a way?” Hades cachinnates and sincerely comments, “Mnemosyne’s pool awakens what is already there deep in each one of our hearts, things suppressed or initially too complicated to understand the technical function of but stored away to possibly use someday through osmosis. There is a conceptual name for it: ‘entelechy’, perfect realization of ultimate goal or reason for existence. Elaborately, a particular type of motivation, need for self-determination, and inner strength directing life and growth to become all one is capable of being. It is the need to actualize one’s beliefs. It is having a personal vision and being able to actualize that vision from within. So what do you feel, my love?” “I feel not afraid of you, I believe that this will be a health relationship. That you will allow, give me space and support me in any fervent endeavour. I feel confident that I could one day really love you. I feel I am not wasting my time pursuing something wrong, but rather right for me.” Hades’ simper has reached its ultimate form and then he says, “I appreciate what you have said, I am glad I doing something right. Your parthenon is nigh, just one more floor.” I wrap my right arm around his left and grab his hand. I stare and blink at him and he understands that I want to run up the stairs with him. In a flash we are at the door, this luxurious room’s interior hues are ebony, chrome and shades of cyan. There is a queen-sized bed with patterned duvet, dressing tables and bookcase with arcane books. I release his hand and arm to bounce around the room admiring and scrutinising everything detail. I recall a memory, thus I pause and ponder, subsequently I curiously speak, “Hades, you had mentioned this guest room previously belong to Hecate, why is that?” …
Chapter Five: Visiting Hephaestus
Athena:
Vigour returns to our faculties, thus we are ready to journey to the netherworld. Artemis warms up her body with callisthenics ere initiating an inquisitive conversation, “Athena, how are we going to visit Hecate? Neither of us have been there, why did you say you and I would travel through the netherworld? What do you know that I am not aware of?” Slightly embarrassed, but with courage I speak, “I know of someone in the east who could help us enter the netherworld, but there is a price for all this – I can imagine he would want my permission to court me, here is one man willing to abide to our ideals of love.” Astonished Artemis replies, “Athena, this should not be true! Who is he?” “Hephaestus. I have heard from Hermes that this exiled Hephaestus has designed and built the palace, mining sector and the mortals’ afterlife reward domes with Hades, just like all architecture, and that they are the best of friends. I guess we could start our investigation there en route to Hecate and the realms of the gigantes. You must forgive me for the way I act in his presence, know that what I do is a means to an end to rescue Persephone. Now drive your chariot north east to Mount Etna, Lemnos, and be swift about it, we do not have much time.”
Efficiently straight to our destination is our flight over earth and all its formations. At last the volcanic cave mountain is in sight, Artemis assertively speaks, “You must tell him he can court you some other time as recompense, but not now as I cannot further this quest without you as my backup. Hephaestus must understand the perils that we chancing.” Smiling just a little I regard my sister's attachment to me, “I am glad you value my company, albeit I can assure you I have considered what you have mentioned.” Artemis smiles a little as in reply. She manoeuvres the horses with the reins above the caldera hovering for a moment and then descends gently through the atrium. Level by level, within the rock formation there are different kinds of built-in artificial workshops and living facility rooms. All seems abandoned of life until at the base of the volcanic cave ascending out from the basement forge limps a sinewy unkempt god with a long cross-face hammer in his sinistral grasped hand. His voice bellows with hearty reverence, “Welcome to my home, to what do I owe the pleasure of having guests such yourselves?” I courageously perform the role necessary to warrant his aid, I recite the alluring monologue I have prepared for this occasion, “Hullo, exiled son of Zeus and master architect and craftsman, if rumour be veracity then we maidens are in dire need of your service. Is it factual that you have an arcane tunnel to the netherworld?” Hephaestus too content and proud to be evasive or discreetly deny verily replies, “Indeed, it is fact, but how did you come to this information?” Still employing my thespian character, “Well, through deduction, to have designed and built the kingdom the Hades, Zeus and the homes every deity requires one to travel frequently as one cannot be expected focus all one’s time to a single challenge, you should have a map of all your many short-cut routes to each realm. In additional, as the exiled son of Zeus with whom would you be a confidant of, either Hecate or Hades it seems in their chthonic realms.” “How perspicacious of you, Athena. You, indeed, were always my favourite goddess to engage in a conversion with. But should I just allow you to utilize a personal elevator shaft without payment or mentioned purpose? You must understand that the netherworld is well protected and I am also the guardian of this route and not obliged to permit anyone to use it without it being an emergency or for sensible business when Hermes himself is too preoccupied to do the deed of teleportation for clients. What say you?” Exactly as foreseen, I shall acquiesce to his prerequisite stipulation, thus I humour him as I say, “Thank you, it is obviously one my positive traits. Very well, of you know of Persephone, daughter of Demeter? Nevertheless, she has been kidnapped and the current suspects are the gigantes, Artemis and I are here to traverse through a safe passage to the netherworld to consult with Hecate ere peacefully interrogate the gigantes whether or not they had a hand in her abduction, if they resist to return her over to us, Artemis and I will be forced to mercilessly quell every last one of them.” Hephaestus empathises with us and solicitously speaks, “Ah, this makes sense. Very passionate is your willpower. Shall I interest you two in a weapon or two to wield with each you during your adventure, it may be necessary?” Artemis keen to fight speaks impatiently, “So you will allow us to pass?!” “Of course, however, I would dearly appreciate it if you, Athena, could visit me more often to get know one another more in a friendly manner as a fee.” Very subtle, but he wants to court me, I can tell. Confidently I speak as I laud him, “Esteemed Hephaestus, you shall have your reward anon after my mission is complete. At present I shall require a weapon, perhaps an adamantine war scythe and shield, have you any in storage? Artemis, your quiver’s occupants need replacing and you may require a secondary weapon, perchance a sword? Hephaestus, what could you recommend Artemis should wield?” Amused Hephaestus advises us, “How wise of you. Aye, I have a genuine modified replica of the war scythe Cronus wielded to castrate the gigantes’ originator Uranus, how poetic justice of a weapon to quell them with whence they came. Ah, my latest prototype of adamantine shield, you were my inspiration while designing and crafting – it shall suffice, as it can emit an electrical charge to one’s opponent in battle, very convenient to stun. Hmmm… I could update your archer’s bow sword-like spine, I have arrowheads like the shield of which emits a slightly greater force of concussive negative energy. Will these weapons satisfy?” Artemis impressed shakes his callused hand, “I like a man who has an affinity for weapons. I am most grateful for your assistance despite how much disdain I have for your gender’s behavioural agendas.” Haphaetus endeavours to enlighten Artemis as he courageously speaks, “You must not be too harsh on my gender, Artemis, for instance, Hades, of all gods, is the most dignified, how undeserved he suffers wrongful reputation in the heavens. How sombre he feels in his kingdom, lonesome apart from my frequent visits. Anyway, allow me to go retrieve said weaponry.” Hephaestus limps to an elevator shaft and ascends to the sixth floor and within moments he returns with all five items, including the arrows. He ushers to the elevator shaft to the netherworld, he gestures that Artemis and I cross the threshold and subsequently he activates the device. He gestures a fist beaten against his chest and then punches forward into the air as a sign of good luck. A second passes and then gravity suddenly pulls the shaft into an awful descent. A few moments later and the elevator shaft comes to a halted stop at an open tunnel evidently the entrance to Hecate’s realm. A bark, cackle and screech echoes the dark tunnel, then a series of paired torches hung against the top of each wall side are ignited…
Chapter Six: Revelations
Artemis:
I descry two atrous bitches approach us from the other end of the tunnel, the first hound’s mien is grinagog, but still friendly and the second is a combination of scowling and snarling. These two dogs shapeshift into canine/cynoid humanoid maidens, the first speak gently but assertive and other bellicose and truculently castigates, “Never have goddesses visited Hecate our mistress, Hephaestus sent you both here I deduce, but why come without an invitation, may I boldly ask?” “To disrupt Hecate is a crime worthy of suffering, I shall gladly execute the deed whoever you may be? Have you no inkling of how rude and hazardous it is to interrupt one in solemn engrossment of crafting new and innovate magic? Who are you two!?” I acknowledge the both canine maidens, and feel a little embarrassed, for I would expect the same curtsey while hunting, but I shall show this dog how formidable I can be, thus I say and then scoffer, “Listen you here, I, Artemis daughter of Leto Hecate’s maternal aunt, am here to consult with my talented cousin as to help us rescue my and Athena’s abducted half-sister, Persephone, from the suspected gigantes. I comprehend the imposition of our arrival and its possible jeopardy, but time is wasting. In addition, you are not a match to surmount me a goddess, your magic tricks only go so far, and your audacity will be your doom. Now go and do what is necessary to ease Hecate out of her engrossment and find closure. Tell her of Persephone’s crisis.” The calm canine maiden understandably speaks, “Very well, marm, stay here and wait for our return to escort you to Hecate’s realm if it be permissible.” They shift back into bitch form and scurry to their mistress. Athena proudly speaks, “Artemis, I am impressed with how you spoke, that sassy dog provoked you but still kept a rather cool head, I am glad that you could control your hotheadedness. Persephone’s abduction has changed you for your own good. Anyway, with what do you imagine Hecate is preoccupied with?” I crack a smile, but it fades away when I reflect on the reality that Persephone could be mistreated, “I am trying act as Persephone would want me to behave, I mean there is no need to incur Hecate’s wrath after spiflicating one of her servants when the only reason we are here is for her to agree to help us. Hmmm… Your guess is better than mine, she could be inventing some kind of cloud that suffocates another.” Impressed Athena regales and elaborates my idea, “Not a bad idea, that could cause havoc if one loses control of it.” Moments later Hecate personally comes to greet us, like her servants she has a canine traits, from sharp teeth to a husky wagging tail. Her voice is like her servants, a mild to low dark deep yet feminine pitch, “Welcome, friends, Evgenikí and Evéxapti have informed me of Persephone’s abduction. I had intuitively felt disharmony in the above. I glad you interrupted me now and not earlier, magic if not properly wielded can run amok. I venerate magic, but sometimes anxiety can elucidate how one should curb experimentation for one’s own good. I sense that the gigantes may be innocent this time, follow me to my realm, we shall pin point where Persephone is. We would not want to prejudicially incur and reawaken a war based on false motivation.” Hecate levitates on dark clouds through the tunnel, robed in shades of dark teal also clad in a peplos and epiblema of similar shades, her fragrance is smoky and feet bare. Her throat purrs and gently growls as we traverse the tunnel. Sharp and abruptly does Hecate speaks, “Tell me, does Persephone have any enemies with other gods. Would anyone you know be so bold to kidnap her? Tell me about Persephone’s character or should I telepathically read each of your minds, believe me I can.” Athena avers, “Cousin, please respect our privacy and allow me to tell you as I know her best. Persephone is a very innocent, demure maiden of whom desires to evince her idealistic naivety as an alternative to what is real. She has been sheltered from the truth of the horrors of cosmos by Demeter, her smothering mother. Persephone is rather keen like myself, but never has she had issues with anyone as everyone loved her. We think of no one who would want to abduct her, but the gigantes.” Hecate’s face shows that she is employing more deductive focus and empathy in her mind, thus she speculatively says, “Mhmm… This is not an easy mystery. How have her last days in Olympus been spent, anything peculiar?” I scan through my mind everything I had seen and was told by Persephone, I the recall what I seen after breakfast and then I consider for a moment that what happened may have been stranger than labelled before, without restraint I burst out talking, “I have an idea. Hecate, how well do you know Hades?” Surprised that his name was mentioned Athena and Hecate stare at me as Hecate replies, “Very well, he is the most dignified, loving and honest god I know. Better than Hephaestus or Zeus, for a matter of fact. He and I were exclusively in love back a few years ago. I am his estranged agapeistic affiance. You should not suggest that he abducted her.” Could this be true, had Persephone’s intuition been correct, well I shall announce my suspicion, “Well, Hades was the last person to see her off from Olympus and his aid was eerily polite.” Hecate’s countenance shows astonishment, jealousy and want not to believe the plausibility. Hecate chants and gestures her fingers in strange hand signs and then grabs a wrist from Athena and myself in then we emerge from a puff of smoke in what looks like a furnished experimentalist laboratory in a large vaulted dungeon. There in the centre of the room engraved in the floor is a shadowy, fiery circle containing arcane symbol letters. Hecate marches off to the centre, through the fire unharmed. I look at Athena’s face, is shows excitement and awe. I gaze at Hecate combine different arcane hand signs as she levitates over each respective symbol. Her eyes all of sudden glows bright teal as her fingertip rest against each side of her temples. Hecate’s head shows moves in a sudden jolt, her sight is angled to the ground and in a spilt second she sounds a growl and then speaks, “Artemis…, you were correct in your assumption. Hades is guilty. We know the perpetrator, thus now we invade. I should telepathically asseverate Demeter, she must know.”
Chapter Seven: Estranged
Persephone:
Hades’ face shows anxiety, he is silent for a moment. Hades sidles to the bed and sits on the corner pointing in my direction with his hands on his knees and eyes downcast as he speaks, “Persephone, I lived a long existence, thus you are not my first love, however I hope you shall be my last and inveterate one. Hecate was much like you in her younger maidenhood, she was proper, demure and above all things fervent to develop magic and a bastion stay chaste even if she loved another. I have only had three friends of whom visited me here in my netherworld, Hephaestus, Hermes and Hecate, but Hecate was different for I was very fond of how perfect she was and perhaps still is to be Queen of the Netherworld and Chthónios. She would often visit me here at my palace and advise me what she felt was important to consider as king of the netherworld. She and I grow to love each other, but she was never ready to consummate our love, for fear our children may be incorrigible monsters like her titan father and uncles. She and I never married and I became estranged to her. She said she would take her time to meditate if she could reconsider and triumph her convicted fear. It has been many years since our separation. I have recently doubted that she will ever return to me. When I first saw you not too long at my previous visit to Olympus I become desperate to move on to another love. I scrutinised you from afar, and everything about reminded me of Hecate’s qualities, hence you were simply irresistible. When you saw me talking with your father, Zeus, in the corridors of Olympus, I had asked the permission to abduct you. I asseverated to him that I would never harm you through force, and he excogitated that my words were genuine and thus I was tolerated. Thus now you are here and I hope you can love me and accomplish what Hecate could resist. Was my answer satisfactory?” Throughout his reply blushed, I was amazed about what I had learnt and sympathetic for both Hades and Hecate. Curious about something I assertive query, “What if Hecate found out about your abduction of me for the purpose striving to make me love you? I empathetically feel that Hecate would be more furious than my smothering mother! You are either very courageous or stupid, I would like to think you are the first, am I correct, Hades?” An impressive simper manifests as Hades cachinnates and pleasantly speaks, “Half-correct, I may be a bit of both. Nevertheless, I have some security assistance either to hinder or delay those endeavouring to invade and rescue you. So I have you, my pretty, for another day or two. Now dinner will be served anon and the closet has replacement attire for you, I expect you to attend to either to eat or watch me manducate and quaff. I shall knock on this door when dinner is ready to escort you to the dining room. Oh, I shall be preparing picnic meals especially for you this evening, thus I am only using the finest ingredients grown here in the netherworld with ambrosia and nectar from Nyx. Farewell, until we meet again.”
Hades quickly departs from the parthenon and thus I am left to my own devices. I strip naked out of my damp peplos, strophium and perizoma and drop them recumbent on the stone floor, I pussyfoot to the closet and pull out dry replacements of which are all dyed dark teal. At this I deduce Hecate’s favourite is dark teal, or at least it was when she was living here. I meditate in front of a vanity mirror, wondering how much better can this exotic experience can improve and whether or not I am ready for it.
Chapter Eight: Dining in
Hades:
From the parthenon I exit and descend the stairway and speed walk to the kitchen establishment. From many draws I assemble various ingredients, such as ripe pomegranates, melon, watermelon, honey-dew melon, grapes, cucumbers, olives, chick peas, garlic and figs. I assemble a fruit salad with pomegranates, melon, watermelon, honey-dew melon, grapes and figs, and snack bowls of chickpeas with an olive and garlic sauce, and cucumbers. Then skip to the dining room where I quickly set the table for two with a rich deep purple table cloth, grey napkins and silver forks and knifes from the storage room outside the this room in particular. I return to the kitchen to cover the food with metallic dome lids and safely transport the fruit platters and snack bowls on trays to the dining room. I once more return empty handed to collect the jugs full of nectar and settle them on top of the dining room table. There are no accidents and all goes according to plan. I summon a chthonic nymph, called Minthe, to gather some flowers from the palace garden to fill vases with an assortment of flowers and position vase at each corner of the room. There are white narcissus daffodils, purple roses, lilac crocuses, violets, irises and purple hyacinths. I dim the artificial light to make it more rapturously fancy. Content with the ambience and settings I simper satisfaction and depart to highest room in loftiest tower, of which is my bedchamber, for a change of clothes from my dark wardrobe. My bedchamber has also featured a couch, a low rise flat bed, a bookcase and thousands of suspended eerie and tranquil sounding chimes of different notes and tones from the ceiling. I exchange my atrous attire for a chiton toga and robe of shades 0f dark grey and blue and exit. I advance to the parthenon and knock on the door three times. I hear noise of movement, soft fleetfooted steps, sauntering to the door. She opens with her left hand, thus exposing her bust out the threshold to simper a greeting while the right hand rests of the between the doorframe and the wall. I decrying no jewels around her neck so I considerately speak, “Would you like to wear some jewels and other accessories tonight? I believe there are a few in the drawer of the cabinet below the vanity mirror.” Her eyes dilate with curiosity, then she skips to the cabinet and sit on the backless chair as I silently follow. She opens the drawer to discover a platinum necklace with teal emeralds and a ring with a similar jewel stone. I help her re-link the platinum necklace chain behind her nape as she admiringly slips on the emerald and platinum ring through her dextral middle long finger. I place my hands of her shoulders and gaze into the mirror as she also views, and I pleasantly mention, “Dinner is ready and served.” I caress my dextral hand down past her shoulder, elbow and wrist to her right hand, I gently tug as to help lift her erect and then turn her to face me and the open door. I bring up her dextral hand to courteously kiss her betwixt her knuckles and wrist. I lure her to down the stairs taking the short cut to the dining room, I look back at her enthralled eyes. At her chair I behold her right hand still with my dextral hand, and with my sinistral hand I pull back her seat to be sedate ere I smoothly push her front with her. I kiss her hand once more before unveiling the platters and bowls of food.
Persephone’s eyes are lit with surprise, ambivalent for what this surprise connotes I inquisitively inquire, “Is something wrong, my dear?” Persephone’s mien is apologetic as she explains, “I am just surprised that these fruits and vegetables appear slightly different from the ones my mother grows on earth. How did you grow them?” Keen to elaborate my success I boastfully speak, “Through science, I replicated all the necessary prerequisite environmental conditions that plants need to optimally grow in with artificial light, controlled heat and minerally rich soil and irrigation. So are you impressed?” Persephone simpers mellow radiance with gleeful respect with the top of her window’s peak head leaning to the left and her dimpled cheeks and chin pointing to the right, and coolly speaks, “You are a god of prolific talents and traits, it makes you more handsome.” With my vision I gape at her heart-shaped face, wondering how lucky I am to have found someone so perfect for me. I return my attention the food and mirthfully ask, “Shall we share the bowls of savoury snacks first and conclude with the salad as we drink nectar throughout dinner?” Persephone adjusts her vision from my face to the food and beverage and back to my eyes as she says, “Certainly. From experience I have noticed that the food of which the men of earth eat has more crunch that ambrosia, which I truly appreciate.” I acknowledge her opinion and initiate a ritual as I gallantly speak, “Persephone, let us say grace” She nods with approval and Persephone echo each other’s words as we chant, “‘Dear wise mother of all, Nyx, we thank you and honour you most of all beings; for if it were not for you we all be incorrigible, undoing savages were it not for your invention of divine nourishment. Whatever blessings we can give to you we sacrifice to now. Verily we orison.’”
I watch Persephone commence nibbling chickpeas and olives, and sip from a goblet of nectar. Her glowing aura becomes more dull like mine, of which I am glad.
Minutes turn into an hour, and Persephone and I are finishing our second and final course of salad. Her face pigment seems more purple and this makes me glad. Inquisitively I ask her, “How do you feel? How were the flavours of each meal you have had this evening?” Her face and voice looks and sounds slightly maudlin, “I have never had such a euphoric meal! Hades, you stimulating god, I thank you, for such an exhilarating day despite unorthodoxly abducting me to accomplish such feats!” Her eyes start to cry tears as she gloriously laughs before abruptly passing into unconsciousness and slouches. I walk over to her, with my dextral I grip my fingers around both her wrists and pull her to rest her head and arms on and around my right shoulder, at the same time with my sinistral hand I lift her limp legs from under her knees. I carry her out the dining room, through a corridor, up the stairway and through the threshold of her parthenon and lastly release her onto the bed. I undress her into her underwear with prude effort all while hearing her moan in her slumber. I fling the peplos to a chair and pull the duvet and sheets from under her and tuck her in. I lean in to remove her diadem and beneath her left ear kiss her and whisper, “Persephone, may you learn to further love me in your dreams.” I step back, still staring her as I reflect on how many minor gods have helped make this day possible.
Chapter Nine: Awe
Demeter:
Missing for almost a day and I have not found my daughter. I have consulted with the humans associated with gigantes and no evidence of the crime has been exercised committed by them. They have already begun to stave as the food they touch decays, they complain that they do not deserve this hunger. At midnight, at a cross path, an astral projection manifests to me in the moonlight, and I recognise the identity to be Hecate daughter of Perses and Asteria. Eerily polite and deep voiced she speaks, “Demeter, mother of Persephone, I, Hecate, have found where your daughter is held captive. She is in the netherworld with Hades, your eldest brother. If you do not believe me, consult Helios the watcher of all for confirmation. I shall await you for your assistance to rescue Persephone. Have you any questions?” My fury is progressively amplified as I come acknowledge the plausibility of her statement. I start to have disdain for myself not consulting Helios sooner. I shake the thought of pang out of my consciousness and into the unconsciousness to later deal with. The idea is too incredible to believe, thus I will return to the heavens where it is day there and here night. I, with composure, reply with advice, “I shall be with you at dawn, may you strategize invasion tactics while I am not with you, Athena and Artemis below.”
Thus exits Hecate and I am alone once again. I bitterly look up into the sky, through the clouds and see a glimpse of Olympus. I whistle for my horses and chariot and hastily it is by my side. I hop into it, gather the reins and whip the winged horses into a fierce flight. The flight takes three minutes to ascend before penetrating the border past the Selene and her moon. As I arise through the veil a great brilliance is seen and to its source I boldly travel. I commence to anoint my chariot and horses with blessing that may allow them to endure and not up to burn up instantly, as for myself I shall survive. Momentarily do I take to arrive next-to Helios’ chariot of which pushes the levitating sun that allows him to fly in the first place. I can feel the dry heat, almost overwhelming is it and uncomfortable it may be. Struggling to speak as I usually, I hoarsely speak, “Cousin Helios, how are you? I am here to employ your talent of descrying all living happenings on earth or in the heavens. My daughter has been abducted from my custody, the suspect is Hades. Enlighten me if he has done this cruel deed?” Helios’ build is strong and he is clad in armour golden in colour but made from a metal so resistant to melt I am not privy to that information. His voice is deep, neutrally altruistic and keen, thus he replies, “Olympian cousin Demeter, I recall the last time you lost the maiden Persephone and it turned out that her father, Zeus, had, without permission, taken her to visit the vast earthly subaqueous realm of Poseidon. Ever since you have smothered and coddled her. Allow me to focus on the last time I saw her. …” Within a few seconds his eyelids open after being closed and his fingertips from his sinistral hand being placed against his left temple and affirmatively speaks, “I recall Hecate told you of her vision earlier this hour. She was and is correct, though I deduce that Hades utilised his helmet of invisibility to veil himself and that which he touched, his chariot and horses. Albeit he left his horses and chariot for only a moment to collect her, that is when I saw his iconic chariot and horses I had seen him descend from the heavens before donning his helmet to covertly travel just after Persephone and her half-sisters had departed early yesterday. Since I visibly saw his helmet and it made him invisible before the crime and that there was an invisible perpetrator of whom carried Persephone off to his chariot and descend through visible a gaping hole, I can deduce and assert from the evidence that Hades is truly the abductor. Do you wish to travel to Olympus to tell Zeus of your adventures, he deserves to know, does he not?” Impatient do I feel, but Zeus does deserve to know about where his three daughters are and what journeys there are each taking. Convinced I respectfully reply, “You are correct, Zeus knows nothing of what has become of his daughters, for he knows they are spending two days of leisure with me.” I sense the anointment is beginning to wane, thus for safety of my horses I commence to disembark from flanking a lofty Helios, thus in gratitude to say good bye, “Helios, you have been a miracle to me, thus I thank you. Farewell in your endeavours!” I manoeuvre the horses to target the parking of Mount Olympus.
Safely on ground I gesture for a few anonymous servant nymphs to pamper my exhausted horses in the nearby stables. I march up the steps of the parking, through the grand doors of Olympus, through the hall passage and corridors to the throne room, there I find Zeus languishing. Feeling cruel but with decorum I speak unto to Zeus, “Lord of the Heavens, younger brother and father of my only child, I have come to you now explain my absence and the famine I have cursed the earth and its inhabitants with. Persephone has been abducted and I have fiercely searching for her, and your other heroic daughters have consulted with Hecate, the eminent sorceress you have given great favour to influence the sky, waters and earth through her magic because of her much appreciative aid during the war with the titans years ago, and discovered rather than the gigantes abducting Persephone yesterday Hades our eldest brother has and Helios has confirmed to me. Helios mentioned that Hades descended from Olympus, a place he does not often travel to and from. Have you any hand in this, did you spur him on to accomplish this wrong feat. You must have heard from the cries of the mortal men that they complain because Persephone has been abducted and I have cursed them with a famine to share with me, yet I find you hear doing nothing to help your daughter or me find her. Evidently you must have given Hades your permission to take her. Since Helios has told me I have thought with clarity and it all has been making sense to me, but why have you forsaken my input of authority? She is precious to him and you flout my rules in places for her! I will never forgive you if you do not redeem yourself to me this instance!” Zeus’ mien changes from being mellow, self-absorbed and pensive to show indignance, dominance and hotheadedness as he bellows, “It is my prerogative, that is why, and that Persephone needs to be set free for your overbearing ways to be queenly self-reliant and assert her latent authority!” I step my right foot back in awe, my hands cover my eyes as I cry tears of shame down my face as I realise how wrong of a mother I have behaved by keeping Persephone all to myself. His statements make sense to me, thus histrionically convey my reply, “Oh, how blind I have been! I was stifling her unaware that she needs to live and experience life as it should be. But what if I never see her again, because she perhaps realises how much better her life is to have a partner as absolutely dignified as Hades, our brother – an unique blessing to the world – and does not want me in her presence anymore. I just wanted her to be innocent and safe all her existence, but my perception was waywardly wrong. I forgive you, Zeus. Please could I have a consoling embrace?” Repentant I hug Zeus, warm and soothing is the action, then I remember Hecate is about to invade the netherworld and I dread Persephone’s return as I feel I do not deserve her.
Chapter Ten: Rescue
Hecate:
It is dawn and Demeter is late, what is keeping her? Perhaps she will arrive when we have penetrated his security to claim Persephone at the end, either why I do not care. Hades is mine, and mine alone. He cannot move on if I do not! Jealous rage permeates my soul and mind, it feels incorrigible, and I would rather quell Persephone than allow her to revel as his queen and consort. I open my downcast eyes, leap from my teal throne and shoot a beam of magic damaging the wall. Acknowledging I have harmed my throne room I quickly mend the wall with my magic. I telepathically review the vision of how their day concluded and shake my head as if rabid angst compels me. I angrily march with heavy steps to meet Athena and Artemis in my laboratory. I compose my voice pretentiously and speak with shrewdness, “Athena, report how we shall invade the netherworld? You have read my description of the realm from that journal of mine, how should we accomplish this?” Athena’s tone is serious and confident as she reports back, “My lady, I have perused it well, but there is an easy route. We demand Hephaestus, Hades’ best friend, to lower his elevator to bypass Cerberus and the five river gods and their nymphs. Hades, will be think Hephaestus is coming to visit him and since Hephaestus is exiled and has more allegiance to Hades, Hades will never suspected that kind of invasion. Hephaestus is in love with me, he will do anything to facilitate me.” Impressed I am by Athena’s wiliness as I behold her chin with my left hand and say, “I am proud of your perspicacity, you see better and more quick than most people.” I release her face and gaze at Artemis, and expecting something just as helpful I enquire, “Artemis, what can you tell me, will you fetter Hades so I can reprimand his fall from grace? Multiple arrows shot at once can probably send an attached strong net over and onto him as Athena and yourself threaten to pierce Hades with her war-scythe and you with either side of your sharp archer’s bow frame pales. What say you!?” Artemis grins a bit and excitedly speaks, “Well, that will work, I am eager to use my new archer’s bow and arrow, but I have neither a net with me nor stronger enough materials to hold down Hades.” Unfazed I offer a solution, “Never fret, Artemis, I can craft a magic net strong enough to anchor him into submission.” In front of her I materialise a levitating folded teal thick resilient net of which I drop into her hands. I continue to confidently speak, “If we are ready we should go, I shall force the elevator to lower us to down the shaft to the netherworld. Demeter will probably join us later. So are we ready!?” Athena and Artemis each nod and wait for me lead them to the exit of my realm whence I first found them. I lead them with a fast paced march, we eventually step into elevator and I scrutinise the mechanics and how it functions. I place my fingertips to my temples and focus on those parts initiate a semi-silent descent, at first we move slowly and ultimately when I more familiar with the process we descend at full speed. Exotically awe-inspiring at all the gloomy colours of the various items. We visually scan the palace grounds for any enforcers or minions, but there are none at the core of the netherworld planet. Within moments we touch down on the grounds of the palace without being observed. We approach the entrance doorway and push the doors open silently, we espy no servants present, thus covertly march with an air of indomitable stealth. I stop for a moment and think where in the palace Hades would house Persephone. The sudden inkling that he may keep her in my old guest room feels likely, thus march until we discover the spiral stairway I lucidly recall. We continue to fleetfootedly march with adrenaline our ascent, we arrive at my erstwhile parthenon and thus whisper, “Athena, you go instead the room and convince Persephone to be mutely rescued. Artemis stay with me outside here. Hades should be in the dining room cleaning up after their dinner. We shall avert the proximity off the dining room like before. Hades shall intend to visit the parthenon at the hour of sunrise to wake her up, but with any hope Persephone will gone with you as I remain her to take her stead, as I firmly believe that Persephone was my replacement and I now want Hades more than ever. Thus Hades should forget about the time he spent with her and accept me. As much as I dislike my fate of no longer being chaste, it must be done to be his desired queen. Do you both understand me!? Now let us have a clean retrieval. I shall endeavour to escort the two of you and Persephone to the elevator. It is obvious what you must do from then on, return Persephone to Demeter and the mission will be complete. Everyone will have their just desserts, especially me.”
Athena opens the door ajar and sneaks inside…
Athena:
Hecate’s speech was intense, so selfless yet the part of her wants to be with him. I walk in darkness to the lantern lamp next-to the right side of the bed and ignite a flame to permeate the room with its luminance. I grab Persephone’s bare shoulders and shake her into consciousness, she is groggy but aware that I am with her as she pronounces, “A-Athena, how did you get here!?” I put my sinistral palm over her warm moist lips and shush her, “Persephone, Artemis and Hecate are outside, we are here to rescue you. Your mother distraught, she needs you. Now help me dress you, we must not waste time!” For a moment Persephone obeys, but once more conscious she hesitates and the speaks, “But I do not want to leave, I may love him already and I want to be his queen. Hecate had her chance, now I will not abandon this kind god like she did!” Astonished I reply, “Persephone, Hecate is here to sacrifice her chastity to take back what she neglected so as to save you from this fate opposite from that one chosen for you by your mother. You must not think of yourself, mortals shall die because of you.” Persephone is astonished by Hecate’s endeavour as she says, “But I have had the taste of a new life, I am no longer the same person I once was, and I will not allow myself to be coddled and stifled by my mother. I am aware of too much, and I know that may be pertinacious but I must follow my heart. I will rival Hecate for the privilege to marry Hades!” Persephone finishes clothing herself and indomitably sprints to the door, opens it wide and shouts,...
Chapter Eleven: Discovering one’s hidden talent
Persephone:
“Hecate, if you want him you have to first defeat me; because I love him and will not abandon him!” Hecate’s face becomes livid as she recognises her formal apparel worn by one of whom has just challenged her. Movement echoes from down stairs in the dining room. I expect Hades to come find my rescuers. Everyone reacts and silently looks down the spiral stairway in curiosity that Hades may intervene. As expected he shows up in a flash at the bottom of the stairs by the floor staring up at those looking down on him. Hades roars initially and then calmly addresses, “Intruders in my palace! … Welcome, I have been expecting you. How did you invade without me being alerted? Ah, I see Athena, you must have found a way in, which one did you take? And Hecate, how nice to see you again, you must be jealous of Persephone my bride-to-be.” I appreciatively simper and giggle at this and blow him a kiss. Hecate zealously replies instead of Athena, “She chose Hephaestus’ elevator shaft of which they used to travel to me and beyond.” Feeling keen to fight I have doubts within myself and but then have an epiphany, I realise that I have no physical or magical combat experience, but something makes me want to try. Out of all the gods I never discovered my talent. In my mind I commence to prayer to Nyx as all sound and time becomes inaudible and slow-motioned, “Mother of all, Nyx, I am in need of a talent to help me defeat Hecate, my rival in love with Hades. Activate my latent talent and may it be conveniently a miracle!” A motherly voice speaks to me through my mind, “Your rival uses magic. You, my descendant, require to use it against her, though you may not be experienced thus I grant you the prowess more ingenious than your antagonist. May you wisely use it!” Her voice disappears as everything become audible again and I open my eye lids to see everyone gaping at me as suddenly my aura sparks and flares up with purple energy, it pulsates out and snaps back into me. I can psychically sense from those minds around me that I am a formidable foe to Hecate as my tresses wildly levitate and the tips zap the air each with a static shock. I pose into an elegant battle stance and beckon her to fight me. An epic battle ensues as both of us take flight and engage in physical combat, from throwing forceful blows with elbows and fists to pulling each other’s hair. Hecate having enough of physical combat gears into magical. She commences by shooting a concussive blast in my direction of which I evade with a zigzag, and use my momentum to shot out a similar blast of destructive energy straight at her. The force pushes Hecate into a wall of which rubble falls with gravity. Hecate glares back at me with want of vengeance, thus she screams as her aura becomes more bold and dashes at with flight so fierce that her speed induces awe. She grabs my throat with dextral hand and her sinistral charges up lethal energy to pierce me with. At this moment I am desperate thus I grab her right wrist for support and force stay where it is, and ready my legs for one to calcitrate her left arm into a different direction and the other charged with concussive force to strike a kick against her solar plexus. After she is hit and going nowhere I charge up right hand lean front slap her across her face and also with a back hand. I take a moment to observe how I have hurt my rival, she seems to in pain and struggling to breathe as easily as before the impact and her concentration seems to have been dazzled. I almost feel sympathetic for but I wish to deliver one final blow, thus I let go of her and she falls down the middle of the spiral stairway room, I give her a head start and I fly down to collide my left elbow in to her chest. As I perform this technique I am so amazed at my ferocity and how far I have developed into an assertive maiden. In a flash impact with Hecate and there is a loud resonated boom. I stand over Hecate victorious as everyone runs down the stairs to take a closer look and she regains consciousness to struggle to say, “I concede, you win the privilege of marrying Hades. I admit there was some part of me that still refused to barter away my chastity, thus I guess I went easy on you and to feel physical pain is new to me, though strangely satisfying to lose to such a fighter. Your magic needs improvements, I can help you with that if you are willing to become my apprentice. What say you, friend!?” All my competitiveness mellows into willingness to learn from the best, thus I acquiesce, “I would like that, though I hope you can mend you wounds soon, because I eager to be ready to be Queen of Netherworld in a few weeks at the most.”
Suddenly my parents appear from a transportation portal from the other side of the room with Hermes, wear his iconic talaria. My mother runs up to me with concern as Zeus, my father, does the same as Hecate, my mother’s voice sounds different as she asks, “Persephone, what has happened to you? Why are your and Hecate’s clothes torn? You are bruised, and so is she! Have you been…” Zeus rolls his eyes and annoyed with reaction he says, “Get a hold of yourself, woman, you daughter has just fought against Hecate here, if you remember her history with Hades you can easily deduce that they were fighting over Hades and it seems Persephone won, unexpectedly since who knew Persephone’s talents until now were sorcery like Hecate’s. [To Hecate] Hecate, I am sorry you lost, but I am proud Persephone asserted herself in such a magnificent manner. Do you need medical attention or will your magic heal you in your own time?” I break away from my mother’s embrace and impulsively hug my father in thanks for his comment. Hecate pushes her torso up with her arms and with effort she spunkily replies, “I could use some nectar to frequently drink, in a day or so I will be fully healed. [To me] Persephone did you eat the fruit and vegetables grown here in the netherworld, if you did the exclusive law dictates you must continue to live here, so did you?” Glad hear of this news I jovially reply, “Yes, I did. I did not know there was such a law. Well, that is great news, because I want to stay here.” Hecate struggles to laugh and reveals something to me, “Hades did the same with me, why else is my realm so close his, I could not leave else I would wither away. You know how any god and goddess can eat and drink ambrosia and nectar and go anywhere, well with food grown from the earth or here is different. One must continue to always eat from either place, yes one can still travel to other realms, but one can just visit and not relocate.” My mother emotionally speaks, “I heard you want to stay here in his realm forever, but you must still visit me or else I won’t lift the famine from the mortals. To give you more incentive, I assure you I have changed my personality, your father has finally helped me understand that I must give you space to enact your own will without me being obliviously overbearing. I promise you I will be a better mother to you and support your decisions most mothers do.” I smile, leap onto my mother and embrace her as she swings me around. My father inquisitively speaks, “But how long do you wish to wish to visit us for every year, my dear?” I conceive an idea and courageously share it with them, “How about half of each year, six months I can spend with my mother and you all and the rest I can spend with my husband-to-be. I am certain if Hades harvests enough food for six month visit to the surface of earth and Mount Olympus all will be fine.” Athena breaks her silence to pleasantly broadcast her question, “But can you be separated for so long away from Hades, you do love him, do you not?” Hecate interrupts the conversation to offer a solution, “I can teach you to astral project yourself to Hades, there by spending time with him and taking advantage of the opportunity to tell him of your future adventures.” My mother placidly speaks, “My daughter in your honour I have conceived the idea of periods during the year of which fertility and vigour are shared and withheld enough on earth to commemorate and display how I feel in your absence. I name these periods ‘seasons’, there shall be four of three months each: Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer, and for each region on earth they will each differ in temperatures, weather and plants that grow, become harvestable and wither in certain seasons. Autumn shall start today as you stay here in the netherworld and the absolute famine I cursed the earth shall be broken as vitality returns to the land. I have learned my lesson and now allow you to commence an engagement with Hades, though I wish it may be a lengthy one as I would appreciate if you could have the wedding here at the palace just before the commencement of Spring, when you shall visit us all above the netherworld. Is my arrangement sensible?” I ponder the arrangement, evaluating the possibilities. I come to a decision and confidently say, “I feel my heart may grow fonder from the absence and distance of Hades, hence I shall promote this scheme.”
Chapter Twelve: The long engagement
Persephone:
In a few days Hecate is as expected healed and ready to put me through training. In the first week I begin with theory and practical sessions of astral projecting and the basics, such as igniting a torch, producing significant heat from my palms without burning myself, levitating objects and willing plantlife to develop faster than the time usually taken. Hades continues to never cease to make my stay with him extraordinary and fun as he takes me on tours with witty explanations for the purpose for everything, from the hibernating titans in Tartarus to Hades' vaults of mineral wealth of which he supplies Hephaestus with every day. I come to know and have rapport with each of the nymphs and the river gods and goddesses of the netherworld of which are my noble servants and subjects. In my free time I plan my wedding, pedantically dictating how elegant the day should come to be experienced. I feel I am not in a hurry to marry Hades, although every day that passes I learn to love him more. I occasionally see mortal shades ambling in queues for their deserved resting places while taking my leisurely walks about the netherworld, and I have developed my telepathy enough to view replays of their lives. I now see that there is more to life, understanding many perspectives helps me see the depth of the bigger picture of things. I acknowledge the cosmos is still in its dawn and that when I am queen there will much time for more peculiar and extraordinary things to happen in the netherworld, but I can admit one thing…, I am courageously ready to experience them!
To be continued …
