persephone ✔

no words... just oof

Mortals were dropping like flies from the cold, blizzards raging in even the hottest of deserts. They pled to their gods for mercy, but they would receive no such thing, they would remain in the cold until Demeter's daughter was returned.

The goddess herself had large bags under her eyes as she continued to search for her daughter in the freezing cold.

"Demeter, you need to stop this!" Zeus boomed, as he followed after her.

"When I find my daughter, I will." Demeter scowled at him and continued to walk.

"You're killing people!" Zeus grasped her shoulder firmly.

"They're just mortals!" She glared at the hand on her shoulder.

"They worship us, without them we are nothing!" He kept his hand on her shoulder.

"Without my daughter, I am nothing." Shrugging off his hand, she continued to walk.

"I'll tell you where she is." Zeus decided and the goddess froze, "But remember, that she has grown, she is no longer a child. She no longer needs her mother as much in her life - "

"She was kidnapped!" Demeter interrupted, with a scream.

Zeus sighed in resignation, "She's with Hades."

"Tell Aidoneus to bring her back, or all of your precious worshippers will die." 

---

The blond god flew into the Underworld with his winged sandals, shoulder-length hair flapping wildly around him as he finally stumbled to a stop in front of the entrance to the castle.

Loud growling sent shivers of fear don his spine, but he didn't stop walking to and through the gates, staying stiff as he saw the familiar monstrosity before him.

The three-headed dog was easily 11 feet - and he wasn't even at his full height - as he stood on all fours, hackles raised as the three heads bared their pearly white teeth, capable of snapping a man in two. Their black fur allowed them to blend in with the shadows, so all that could really be seen were three pairs of glowing eyes.

Hermes walked faster.

Reaching the castle doors, he breathed out a sigh of relief and made his way to the throne room. The cold chill of the air was an odd combination with the sweat that coated his body out of fear of what his uncle might do upon hearing the news.

Stepping into the throne room nervously, Hades raised an eyebrow, normally his nephew was always so upbeat, annoyingly so.

"Hermes," Hades acknowledged the young god.

"Uncle, my father has sent me down here," Hades had been expecting this but it didn't make him any happier, "the mortals are dying, and Demeter's only request is to have her daughter back. She's angry that you kidnapped her daughter and brought her somewhere that is not well suited."

Hades rubbed his temples and opened his mouth to speak, but another voice rang through the throne room, "I wasn't kidnapped." Persephone waltzed in, humming as she stared at the dead flower crown that she was braiding in her hands.

"Perse." Herme perked up at seeing his sister for the first time in a few millenniums.

"Brother," Persephone smiled, going on her tippy toes and placing the flower crown on his blond mane, "as I was saying, I was not kidnapped, I came of my own free will."

The short goddess then proceeded to turn away from him and step up onto the platform with the throne, she then sat on Hades' lap and Hermes stared in surprise as she did it so nonchalantly.

The throne being on a platform showed that the King was higher than his subjects, he ruled over them and was higher in status as them, and should be treated as such. For someone to sit upon the King's lap as he sat upon his throne meant that the person was higher in status than the King himself and everyone, including the King, would follow her commands and orders.

While Hades was fully aware of it, Persephone remained blissfully oblivious of the fact.

"Regardless, you must come back up, more mortals are dying because of your mother, as I'm sure you've noticed. She's furious and wants you back up... and away from Lord Hades." Hermes scratched the back of his head as Hades gritted his teeth.

Persephone only hummed and stood, walking out of the throne room without another word, her black train trailing after her. The two men watched her leave in confusion.

It was silent for a while before Hades shot up with a panicked expression, beginning to run out of the room, with Hermes following closely behind.

The large fruits were a vibrant cherry red - which is funny because it was a pomegranate - and Persephone plucked one off of the tree, breaking it into half and watching the juice trail to her fingers and drip onto the dirt floor.

The juice stayed in droplets on the dirt.

She looked up with a small smile as Hades once again burst into the little area, banging the glass door.

"My love, what are you doing?" Hades eyed the red fruit that seemed too big in her hands.

"How? You're so old!" Hermes caught up and wheezed, his hands on his thighs as he hunched over, breathing deeply as he fake coughed.

Hades shot him a deadly glare before turning back to Persephone, "My Flower, whatever you're thinking, don't do it," he began to slowly approach her, but she merely grinned.

"Do you love me?" She tilted her head.

"More than words can describe, but - " He began.

"Do you think that Minthe would be a better queen than I would?" Persephone interrupted, keeping her gaze on the halved fruit in her hands as her smile left her face.

"She was never an option, my love, but what you're thinking of doing, don't, I don't want that for you."

"I know what I'm doing. I want to be your queen." Was her reply as she smiled and brought the fruit to her lips and bit into it.

The bitter taste invaded her senses, the crimson juice falling onto her hands and dripping off of her chin as she smiled widely.

She felt no different but she knew that she was connected to the Underworld now, she was connected to Hades, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

"Persephone," Hermes breathed out a whisper, watching the blood-red juice drip from her chin onto the ground.