[ A Y E A R A F T E R H I S G O D C O M P L E X ]
Gayle Lovegrove is starting over. The wayward waitress has given up her high-profile life and sure-fire future to become a waitress in a small town far away.
So what happens when she finds a...
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a/n: this is how i imagine persephone but of course you are free to imagine whoever you want
G AY LE
12. greenhouse fever
THE LAST THING I expect to see when the light fades is a greenhouse, yet here I am within these glass walls with different kinds of flowers littered everywhere.
It's the most beautiful greenhouse I've ever seen. There's not one dead or brown flower in sight, and there's a beautiful natural light which makes everything aesthetically pleasing.
There's a black marble path, just like the one in the hallway which splits the room in half. On one side there are many bright flowers with many crazy tropical hues and many different types. There's even flowers I've never seen before, and my mouth is agape with awe at how well-kept this garden in.
On the other side, there's more neutral coloured flowers and it is littered with many shades of greens, whites and nudes. I have to do a double take when I spot a full row of black flowers. My eyes wander to the only black rose, with red tips complementing its rare fine quality. I've never in my life seen a rose like that before, and I doubt that I ever will again.
The entire greenhouse is about the size of a professionally large football field and I close my eyes as my nose collects all the different scents. The maid's nostrils are starting to flare because I keep stopping at every few flowers to collect its sweet aroma.
We're nearing the end of the greenhouse and this is when I spot a woman, crouching down and smelling the flowers. She's admiring a turquoise tulip, but just as her fingers touch it, it turns into a ripe rose, and even changes colour into orange.
She grins to herself. "Ooh, Carmen! I've picked you another flower, dear. Who was at the door?" She says, hopping up at the sounds of our fast approaching footsteps. Then only do I get the full view of the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
I can't seem to take my eyes off of her. She's got long, wild curly black hair that goes on to just beneath her butt. Her hair has tiny colourful flowers spread out through it, and a live butterfly here and there fluttering its wings in her hair as if in its natural habitat. She has dark, smooth chocolate skin and bright brown eyes.
She's dressed in a short, frizzy yellow skirt and a matching small top, with long, flowing sleeves. Her dark brown eyes meet Carmen with a smile on her glossy thick lips, but she pauses when she realises that Carmen has brought in company.
For a second I'm scared she's going to kick us out, but her warm energy comforts me. Her eyes are wide in shock, and the flower she had for Carmen flutters onto the ground.
Her eyes immediately land on Apollo, and she doesn't move for an entire ten seconds. "Apologies, madam. I could not turn them away. They presented me with this," Carmen showcases the danake, which is now tightly within her gasp. A satisfied grin plasters itself onto her face. She's watching it like if she takes her eyes off of it, even for a second it might disappear.
This danake does not amaze her in the way it did Carmen, and her eyes are still pasted on Apollo, like she's expecting him to burst into flames.
There's a small smile on Apollo's lips, and he shrugs. "This is the welcome I get, aunty?" He grins, and the woman's eyes begin to well with tears as she sprints towards him and engulfs him into a suffocating hug. "Oh! Apollo! Oh, my dear Apollo!" She screams, tears racing down her face as she squeezes him harder.
"I thought – I thought I'd never see you again! Oh!" Once she's let him go, she starts to squeeze his face between her fingers. A few of the butterflies in her hair begin to flutter away because of all the movements. She begins to rain sweet kisses all over his cheeks, which turn a darker shade of red as he attempts to push her off.
She finally lets him go and her gaze wanders to the rest of us. "Heracles!" She's about to shower Hercules in love as well, but pauses when she sees the bleeding girl over his shoulder. Her face morphs into that of worry as she helps her down, eyes widening when she examines the wound. "Dear gods," she murmurs to herself, laying Thalia gently onto the ground.
Now that I actually see her face, my worry begins to spike up and I have an uneasy feeling in my chest. "It was the harpies, wasn't it?" She whispers solemnly, as if ashamed to even admit she's aware that they're out there.
We all nod. Her brows furrow in anger, though she doesn't look that intimidating. "I told Hades to remove those damn atrocities from out there! I told him that they would hurt somebody. He told me that was the point." Her frown deepened at her thought of the king.
"He makes me so angry sometimes." She murmurs to herself before a smile forms on her face. "I can fix it." She says, clearing her throat before she kisses her index and middle fingers together, and places them on her wound.
It immediately begins to heal itself, the opening sealing until it's like it was never there. When it's over, there's a daisy on Thalia's leg where the wound used to be.
The woman pulls it out and discards it carelessly. Thalia's eyes flutter open at all of this and her eyes wander around the greenhouse, widening at the beautiful view. She gets up, stepping back when she looks at the woman before her.
"Do not be afraid, Thalia. You are safe now." She smiles a genuine smile at her, which Thalia returns slowly. "I am Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and goddess of the Spring." She grins, and the flowers behind her seem to bloom wider with the showcase of her pearly white teeth.
"Of course, you can call me Seph." She says warmly, eyes returning to Carmen, who seems all too pleased with herself for getting the danake.
"Carmen," her eyes dart up at the sound of her name. "Please alert my husband that we have guests." Carmen nods at her orders and shuffles out of the greenhouse, slamming the door shut behind herself.
At this point, I feel completely out of place. Everybody has been acknowledged but me, and I wish I could just crawl into the flowers and pretend I'm one of them.
It's almost as if Persephone senses this and begins to head towards me. "This must be her." She says softly, though her voice is loud enough for all of us.
I look up, and an amused grin spreads onto her face, her brown eyes are watching me with bewilderment. "My gods... She looks exactly like her." Her gaze falls back to Apollo, who doesn't move, just nods.
"Down to the very last hair follicle! This is phenomenal." Persephone touches my chin, and scans me for any difference to whatever she's comparing me to.
"What are the odds? Ariel's best friend is also Cyrene's doppelgänger! It must be fate!" She squeals excitedly before pulling me into a hug as tight as the one she gave Apollo. She smells of wild flowers and beautiful fragrances.
Although I can feel the life leaving my body, her hug is a little bit comforting. When she let's go, it takes me a moment to return back to myself.
"About that. Where's Hades? I have a few questions... and a few answers."
