Pomegranates

Sweet Sunshine

ON HIS throne, overseeing the judgment of souls conducted by Aiakos, Minos, and Rhadamanthys, Hades could not help the slight quirk of his lips as he fingered the boutonnière left for him at the pillar where he first met Persephone. The boutonnière was small, only half the size of his palm but crafted with a variety of summer blooms; petals of sunflowers, asters, dahlias, moonshines, and in the middle, a dainty gaura.

He was never much for sentimentality but he could not help the warmth he felt at these small, stolen moments. He was not naïve enough not to notice he had fallen for the young goddess nor was he arrogant enough to dispel the idea of love at first sight for that was what it was, he realized.

            He had fallen for Persephone since she was a babe only that love was a love that made him wished to protect her and care for her, something he had not been given a chance for. Early this summer, he had fallen for her again but this time as a man falling for a beautiful, amazing woman. A maiden she may be in the eyes of others but in his, she was a woman worthy to be called his queen.

As summer was nearly over to make way for autumn, they had exchanged various gifts, each with little notes that later changed into lengthy letters. He smiled remembering her long letters telling of her days blooming flowers, tending to harvests, playing with the nymphs, and venting about her overprotective mother. He acquiesced to his delight at the lattermost part, to be honest, and his mind wrecked for what should he gave her next, what words to fill in his letter.

"Sire?"

            Hades jolted from his absent-mindedness and looked to see the three judges with their eyes on him and Thanatos leaning towards him as he called him for the nth time, he guessed based on the silence of the halls. Straightening his posture, he regarded the son of Nyx; "Yes, Thanatos?"

"Perhaps it would be better if we adjourned the judgment for today so you could settle what occupies you, my lord."

Guilt flashed in his eyes for a mere second for shirking his duty before he masked it with indifference. Ah, the woes of having care much for the chthonic beings under his reign. "Yes, I believe that is wise. Judges; Aiakos, Minos, Rhadamanthys, can I trust thee to continue the judgment with Thanatos overseeing instead of myself?"

The three judges shared a glance before replying with concealed joy over a shard secret that made Hades suspicious; "Yes, my lord."

            Trusting his minister, the personification of death, he summoned a servant to bring out his chariot and within moments, it was prepared. He walked out of his palace and rode on the chariot, heading to the one place where he knew he could ask for directions.

It was rather shameful to admit, him wanting to see Persephone for it made him feel like Zeus during one of his escapades. No, not The Moirai because despite them knowing the lives of all, they could not give her the locations of sweet Persephone as well as he liked and that was the reason why he was upon Gaea, the mother of The Titans' doorstep for his particular quest.

"Well, what brings you here, gloomy one?" Gaea, in all her splendor, greeted him with a motherly, endearing smile.

He sighed at the pet name given to him as he took off his helmet-the Mother Earth would know it was him regardless-and stepped off his chariot as it landed on the doorstep of her Parthenon, in the boundaries of the Underworld and above. "It is good to see you as well, Mother Earth," he drawled.

"Hush now, Hades. Come inside and tell me what I can do for you, dear."

"There's no need. I only wanted to know where Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter is."

A glint entered her eyes which made him weary appeared and she gave him an almost too sugary smile; "Why the pretty little thing is just northwest from here, Hades. Do behave," she cooed.

            With a stiff nod, he bid Gaea farewell as he rode his chariot.

SURROUNDED by her nymphs, Persephone sat as she made a flower crown out of the wildflowers growing near the waterfall. A little secretive smile quirked on her lips as she remembered the latest gift Hades had given her. A single narcissus-shaped pendant, made of diamonds and topaz, majestically realistic craftsmanship of the flower.

She wore the pendant daily, along with the pendant Demeter had given her, a simplistic token. Although she wished she could have worn it all the time, it was not so as Demeter would have thrown it away should she caught the sight of it.

"Kore, look who's here for you!" One of the nymphs squealed and with it came the sound of flapping wings, much to her exasperation.

"Why, hello there ladies, Kore. My, how beautiful all of you are today," said Hermes as he landed next to Persephone. "You most of all, dearest Kore."

Plastering a smile, Persephone looked up from her craft, "Hello there, Hermes. What brings you here, brother dear?"

"Of course, to see you, sweet Kore. Come now, shall we walk together?"

"I'm afraid I am..." Her sentence halted as she saw a glimpse of black retreating from the clearing. "Pardon me, brother, friends," she excused herself as she ran towards the silhouette uncaring of the gaping audience she left behind.

            There, stepping onto his chariot was Hades, his helmet held on his hip, his black cape billowing. "My lord!" She called and her voice stopped Hades though he did not turn. Oblivious to the mind of Hades, Persephone approached the god with a beaming smile. "Of what business brings you here, my lord?"

            Steeling himself, as he found himself rattled due to Hermes's courting of Persephone, Hades turned and regarded her with forced neutralism. "You, Persephone. I came to see you but it seems you are rather occupied with Hermes."

            With a thumping heart, Persephone smiled bashfully, "Truly my lord? Though you should have just called upon me and I shall come to you. Hermes is being his overbearing self and I am sure the nymphs will happily occupy him."

"Persephone, can you not see what he saw of you? I am asking you, Persephone and you shall answer me as Persephone not that of Kore."

Biting her lip, she nodded, "I see, my lord but I do not share his sentiment nor Apollo's and Ares'. I am afraid that sentiment lies elsewhere."

"Where? For if it is not shared with me, I shall understand and let you be."

Eyes wide, Persephone felt her heart stop and she was stunned to silence. It was when Hades turned and resumed his pace that she reacted. She reached for his cloak and it paused him, enough to turn him to her again as she hid her flaming face with his robe. Shyly, she whispered; "Never, never let me be, my lord for it would pain me so as to where those sentiments I lay upon is with you."

Feeling Hades releasing her hold on his cloak, Persephone's heart wept but it rejoiced again as he felt a pair of arms circling her small form. She was by no means small but compared to Hades, she was like a little jewel. The gentleness in which Hades held her surprised her as it was not something she expected of him but she should have known better as it was indeed hinted in his letters and gifts.

Hades held her with such innocence she felt her heart warmed for as she grew, none of the males who cared for her held her that way since. When he distanced her, her hands clenched on his robes. It robbed a chuckle from him that sounded husky and rough yet filled with wonder also unused as if he had not laughed for so long.

"I will not leave you Persephone, I only wish to speak. Will you look at me, little one?" With a nod of agreement, Hades continued; "I am not my brothers or my nephews, Persephone, and when I feel, I feel deeply. Will you be against me should I ask for your hand from Zeus?"

"I will not, my lord. It will give me joy instead."

"Then I shall see him in haste," he said as he released her hold on him and his of hers. "Wait for me, Persephone?"

"Always, my lord."

"Hades. Call me Hades, dearest Persephone, and I shall return with your father's answer." He leaned and pecked her softly on her temple before he rode his chariot and ascended towards Olympus, leaving Persephone smiling lovingly at his retreating figure.