Persephone

PERSEPHONE

Chapter 9

      So sixty years had passed since my being named Queen here in the Underworld, the time had seemed to go by rather quickly to me but that could be a lifetime to a mortal. It was a role I felt that I adapted to very well, and the Underworld had truly became my home. Although I had my husband here and had become good friends with Hecate, I was rather lonely. Of course I would see Hermes when he would have to bring or send messages and I would make him spend longer just for the company. There were few others I could or would spend time with, most of the nymphs here thought of me only as their mistress and would merely agree on anything I said to keep me pleased. It was tiresome.
       “Don’t you ever get lonely here Hecate?” I asked as we sat together in the courtyard. She looked up from her book in which she had been writing, “I don’t, especially since you came”, she smiled, “why do you ask?”. I sighed, Hecate had lived here a long time before i got here, she knew everyone and was friends with several nymphs. But for me, she was the only one i really could consider a friend. “I don’t know really. I guess it would just be good to have more visitors.”
“You wish for visitors?” Hades spoke from behind us, making us both jump.
“Not anymore”, I smiled. “Could you leave us Hecate?”. She smiled and immediately gathered up her things and left. “Where have you been?”, I asked him.
“You missed me?”, he teased. I blushed as he approached me. He pulled me up, planting a kiss on my lips, I threw my arms around neck, pulling myself tighter to prolong the kiss. “I need to tell you something.”, I said, he looked at me and nodded for me to go on, “I’m pregnant” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
      We both stood in silence, me looking at the floor. The silence made me feel sick and I walked away from him, avoiding eye contact. I managed three steps before he said my name. Without turning around I stopped in my track. He came to stand in front of me, took my chin in his hand and tilted my head up to look at him. “You’re sure?”, he asked and I nodded. “You don’t know how long I have waited for this”, he choked out, with the biggest smile on his face. He scooped me up in his arms and spun me around. “I thought you were mad”, I said through tears.
“No my queen, don’t ever think that. This child will be half of you and half of me. The perfect God.” He laughed.

      My pregnancy seemed to have dragged on forever, but the time had finally come. I was in bed lying awake in the dark next to my husband. All day I had had mildly uncomfortable cramps but now my back was beginning to tighten up every few minutes. Contractions. There was no mistaking it. I slipped out of bed quietly as to not wake Hades and left the room. I tip toed down the hallway, heading for Hecate’s abode. Before I got to the front door however, I met Minos, Aeceus and Rhadamanthys, the three judges of the dead. All three bowed for me and Minos stepped forward. “Are you troubled my lady?”, he asked.
“I was just going for Hecate, the time has come.”.
“Then you must rest, I will go for Hecate and bring her to you”. He turned to his brother, “Rhadamanthys, you go for Hermes and bring the Moirae - Clotho should be present for the birth”. I thanked him and left.
      Getting back to my room I tried to sneak quietly into bed unnoticed, but this time Hades sat up. “What’s wrong?”, I looked at his worried face, smiled and rubbed my contracting belly. “It’s time”, I told him. A moment later Hecate came into the room with one of the palace nymphs. When I had been settled and prepared for birth Hades kissed my forehead and whispered, “the next time I see you, you will be a mother”. I smiled through the pain and he left the room.

      My body ached all over, every muscle, every bone and every pore. I looked down to the baby in my arms. So perfect and so tiny. “I shall let your husband in and tell Hermes to take the new to Olympus of your new daughter”, whispered Hecate. I closed my eyes and could feel tears threaten my eyes, Hecate was the best friend anyone could hope for.
      “How are you?”, came Hades voice from the door. Opening my eyes wearily I smiled over to him, “I’ve been better”, I joked. “Come meet your daughter”. He came to the bed, eyes on the baby. When I spoke she opened her big dark eyes and looked straight to me before her eyes flicked to Hades. “She is beautiful Persephone. She has your eyes”. He leaned over and kissed me softly on the head.
      The door knocked and clicked open as Clotho peeked inside. “Is it convenient for me to see the child?”. I nodded and struggled to sit up. “No don’t stress young Persephone. I will not stay long”, she looked over Hades’ shoulder to my baby, “oh she is beautiful, she will make a fine Goddess. Does she have a name?”. The old woman asked. “Macaria, her name is Macaria”, I said glancing over to Hades who was now grinning from ear to ear. “Macaria, Goddess of the Blessed Afterlife”, said Clotho as she placed her wrinkled hand over Macaria’s tiny head, then left the room. I relaxed and looked down to my wonderful baby girl, all to soon she would become an adult Goddess. I cherished that moment and burned the image of her tiny baby face into my memory.