persephone ✔

zeus... *smacks forehead*

The snow, blizzards and cold had ceased and the mortal were thankful as they recovered from the mini ice-age.

The frozen, brown plants had already begun to develop some colour as the world slowly warmed, Helios working double-time, much to his displeasure.

Demeter stood beside a cave, Zeus standing beside her, an easy grin on his face, while she had the same strict, constipated expression on hers.

The agriculture goddess shuffled impatiently, gradually becoming annoyed at the carefree laughs of her follower nymphs behind her. Zeus continued to wink at any and all of the nymphs that looked his way, the result being their red faces as they giggled to each other.

After around an hour of Demeter progressively getting more frustrated, Persephone made her way out of the cave.

She wore a long-sleeve, chiffon, black dress that trailed the dirt as she walked barefoot, her hair cascading down her back as she walked with her head held high. She looked different, and her aura was different as well, it was darker and reeked of death.

Though the most surprising thing to the two immortal beings was the thin, tall, pitch-black iron spiked crown atop her head, it radiated power and had the nymphs scurrying away from it.

Behind her, Hades soon appeared, wearing an all-black cotton and silk suit. He trailed behind her like a lost puppy.

"Kore," Demeter's face lit up, completely disregarding the spiky crown atop her daughter's head.

Walking into her mother's open arms they hugged.

Zeus looked to his older brother and smirked, slowly nodded and wiggling his eyebrows, Hades merely chuckled silently at his baby brother's antics and shook his head in amusement.

"You're safe now, you don't ever have to go back down to that horrible place again." Demeter sighed as she hugged her daughter closely.

Persephone gently pushed her mother away while shaking her head negatively, "I was always safe, and I will be going back down there," Demeter gaped, "I belong to the Underworld now."

Immediately, Demeter glared at her younger brother, "What did you do to her?"

"Mum! He didn't do anything, I ate the food of the dead." At her words, the older goddess' eyes widened in horror, face contorting.

"He's tricked you! What did he do to you?" Demeter gritted her teeth, her fury turning to Hades.

"He hasn't done anything, he didn't want me to eat the food of the dead, but I did it because I wanted to."

"No," Demeter seethed, "he's tricked you like the monster that he is! His cunning ways has - "

"Stop!" Persephone yelled and her mother froze, the plants around them that were only beginning to live again, died, but Persephone took a deep calming breath and the plants regained colour once more, "He didn't do anything, I did all those things because I wanted to... I love him."

The older goddess clenched her teeth, "Love is just a temporary feeling, it will go away soon, and you will be left regretting the fact that you let your feelings get in the way of your head."

"It may have been a feeling in the beginning, but now, I choose to love him, and I will continue to do so till the end of infinity." Persephone calmly explained to the infuriated woman.

"No! I don't care! You're staying up here with me!" Demeter childishly stomped her sandaled feet.

"I have responsibilities down there mum! I can't just abandon them!"

"You abandoned your responsibility as the goddess of spring for millenniums!" Persephone blanched and her beautiful features twisted into a scowl.

"And whose fault was that?" Her voice was venom, as she spoke lowly and Zeus knew it was time to intervene.

"Alright, we can compromise!" His voice was cheerful and caused him to be the subject of his older sister's glare, "So Persephone has responsibilities in both the land of the sun and the dead. So why doesn't she just spend half a year with her mum and half a year with Hades?"

None of them liked that, and they all began to protest at the same time, but Zeus held a hand up, indicating for silence.

"This is the best option that will make both parties happy, so as King of Olympus, this is my decree and yadda yadda yadda, Persephone will spend 6 months in the Underworld, and 6 months with her mother. Does anyone want to get some kebabs? I'm craving." Zeus smiled and gestured to his brother, "We can pick Poseiden up on the way."

Demeter was still furious, but there was nothing that she could do as Hades held his hand out to Persephone who took it, and together they walked into the shadows and disappeared.

"I guess I'll meet them there then... I should pick Hera up too shouldn't I?" Zeus scratched his head, brown hair tousling.