When Spring Met Shadows

6. The Queens Choice

Hades changed the scenery to make this unexpected meeting more comfortable. The garden turned to a throne room, for he and his Queen, that sat upon three stairs, overlooking the council room. Hermes stood a few feet away, trying not to show his nerves. His face was calm but his knees shook in the presence of darkness himself. Hades sat on his throne proudly with his chest out and spoke.
"What do I owe to Zeus' messenger today?" He stared into Hermes eyes, searching through the fear to find some sort of future deciet. The poor messenger gulped and stuttered through his speech.
"T-the Queen o-of Harvest would like to r-request that you let her d-daughter go." He flinched, thinking that Hades would lash out at him, but the King kept quiet for a few seconds.
"It is up to her if she is to go home or not. I have no rule over her, for she is the Queen here and has every right to make her own decisions." Persephone smiled. Hermes looked to her and pleaded.
"Your Highness," he bowed, "Earth is in despair. Your mother has neglected her duty to the lands and the world has turned brown. I fear without your presence, your mother may refuse to ever bare a harvest again." Her smile faded and was replaced with concern. She felt guilty at the anguish of the lands, but felt that she now belonged in the Underworld. Even though the Earth flowed in her veins, to her surprise she had no true reason to return. Persephone stood and looked down to her husband. His face fell into worry. She thought back on her fathers letter and the reason she was in the Underworld.

A long time ago, when Persephone was a child, a younger Hades had fallen in love with her and asked Zeus for her hand. But, after being banished, he was not allowed to be on earth, so he would sneak to the surface to watch his love play in the gardens each morning. He watched her blossom like a flower into womanhood and finally begged Zeus to give her to him, to which Zeus said, "it must be of her own accord". Hades, relieved, began his plan to win her heart and offer his own.

Persephone hesitated at first then smiled.
"I'm sorry Hermès, I can not go back to earth with you. It is not my place." Hermès was aghast and pleaded once more.
"Persephone, please, the whole world is in danger. All the nymphs, creatures, Demi-Gods, your sister." Her face grew red. Any love she had for her sister was long gone. Hades stood with a fierce hit of his staff to the ground.
"That is enough." He said. "Hermès, leave." Hermès bowed and somberly floated back to the gates.
Hades grabbed his loves hand.
"What made your decision." He smiled.
"You." She said as she hugged him tightly. He placed a kiss on top of her head.
"Will you not regret this?" He asked, scared of what she would say.
"I'm not sure." She said pulling away. "I do miss my home dearly but I do not want to leave you." Hades held her hand and smiled.
"Neither do I."