Small Twists of Fate

Chapter Twenty Three

Persephone smiled as her daughter cooed in her lap, the slight bouncing of her knee keeping Malinoë calm. Persephone only wished she could be kept calm so easily especially when dealing with hard headed Gods.

"I don't see why we need to revisit the deal," Zeus said, shaking his head.

"Because, as has been stated multiple times, there is a child in the mix," Persephone said firmly. "And I am not going to leave my infant alone in Auradon for six months, Zeus! How irresponsible do you think I am?!"

"But the deal—."

"The deal originally impacted only myself and Hades. Now it impacts my daughter."

Grimsby nervously cleared his throat in the corner of the room, acting as the regent de jour as Eric and Ariel were once again by their daughter's side. Persephone couldn't necessarily fault them for that but at the same time, this was a conversation where she wished they were present for.

"Now, I'm sure we can come up with something that suits everyone—." Grimsby started to say.

"Yes, we can," Persephone nodded. "My daughter comes back and forth with me."

"And what's to stop you from taking someone else off the Isle and just never returning?" Zeus asked and then paused as a cold blast of wind hit him right in the face.

"Ah mother, I see you've arrived," Persephone smiled as she turned to the door.

"Did you really think you'd have a conversation about the deal that takes my daughter from me for six months and I wouldn't be involved?" Demeter asked as she walked in. "But don't worry Persephone, I won't butt in too much. I figured you would want some assistance in looking after Malinoë during the meeting."

"Mother, did you just want to hold your adorable granddaughter?" Persephone asked with a small chuckle as Malinoë cooed and gave what could be charitably called a wave to her grandmother.

If your first word sounds anything like 'grandmother', I think my mother would invent a new season and find a way to name it after you, Persephone thought with a small mental chuckle as Demeter smiled at her granddaughter.

"I mean...if it's not too much trouble," Demeter said and Persephone shook her head, still clearly amused by her mother's not so subtle hints of wanting to hold her granddaughter. She stood up and gently placed Malinoë into Demeter's waiting arms.

"Mind her head..."

"Persephone, believe it or not I know how to hold an infant," Demeter said though her voice was light from amusement. "I promise, Malinoë is in perfectly safe hands with me."

"I know, I know," Persephone said though there was a small part of her that was loathed to give up her daughter even to her mother. Yes she knew that her mother wouldn't let anything happen to Malinoë but...

Demeter gave her daughter an understanding smile as she went off to the corner, Malinoë in her arms cooing happily. She wasn't offended by Persephone not wanting to be separated from her daughter; she understood that want completely.

Hell, she was the Goddess who created a season because her daughter was taken from her.

"Now then," Persephone said as she turned back to Zeus. "I'm going to explain this one more time. I am never going to be separated from my daughter. I don't care what the original agreement said, as long as Hades and I are having kids they will come with me to Auradon when I leave the Isle for Spring and they will come back with me when I go to the Isle for Fall. My child will know her father. Is. That. Understood?"