persephone ✔

think of the children

Persephone laughed loudly as she spoke with Aphrodite, who was gesturing animatedly with her hands.

"How's your husband?" Persephone then repeated the question that she normally always asked the goddess of love.

"Neglectful as always, but he seems to be becoming more attentive now that we're separating." Aphrodite's pearl blue eyes rolled, "Too late though, he missed his chance, and Ares has always shown that he loved me, even when I was taken."

Persephone smiled and rubbed her belly, her mind drifting to her own lover who she couldn't wait to get back to.

"Hera and Trite are coming, and I have to see Ares," Aphrodite's face became wistful as she spoke the name of the god of war, "I'll see you later, yeah?" She kissed the top of the younger goddess' head and stood.

"See you, Dite." Persephone waved her off and Hera and Amphitrite arrived, sitting on either side of her.

The two queens kissed their hello's and the trio soon started talking and laughing on the swinging bench.

"Philomelus is going to be pretty hot," Amphitrite brought the queens' attention to the 10-year-old golden-haired god who ploughed the fields, sweat glistening on his muscled back.

Philomelus stood near his brother Plutus, who, unlike his brother, was lanky and skinny, a cornucopia strapped to his back as he kicked aimlessly kicked the dirt.

"Trite," Persephone laughed, "that's my baby brother."

"You got with my baby brother," Hera noted and the trio laughed.

"Mummy!" A sickly pale looking girl ran towards the three, her saffron dress flying behind her as they provided the only colour on her ivory skin.

"Melinoë," Persephone smiled at her daughter and did her best to lean down to kiss the top of the girl's head.

Melinoë's black pupils looked down to her mother's belly as she kissed it, "Hello brother," she then looked back up at Persephone, "mummy, the nymphs were making fun of me again."

Her mother hummed, running her fingers through her daughter's hair - half was pitch black, and the other half, a shocking titanium white - "And did you do what I think you did?"

Melinoë smiled mischievously, "Of course, mummy."

In the distance, far away from them, the nymphs had their hands blocking their ears, their cries ringing through the forest as they ran away from their nightmares that had been brought to life.

"Good, now off you go." Melinoë skipped off again to play with some ghosts that she would summon.

"Any names?" Hera asked and Persephone rubbed her belly again.

"You should name him Amphitritus." The nereid clasped her hands together and the other two laughed.

"I would say Heracles, but my stupid husband named some other woman's son that." Hera scowled.

"No, Hades and I were thinking of Zagreus." The goddesses immediately started praising the name.

"Grandma!" Melinoë smiled broadly as Demeter entered the grove that Melinoë was playing in.

While Demeter despised Hades, she was quite fond of her granddaughter, who enjoyed terrorising her annoying follower nymphs.

"Melon," Demeter approached the girl and gave her a hug, "How is my favourite granddaughter?"

Melinoë's hoarse laugh filled the air, "I'm your only granddaughter Grandma!"

"That doesn't make you any less my favourite." Demeter tapped the girl's button nose playfully.

"You're my favourite too." Melinoë traced the shape of the daffodil in front of her.

Smiling warmly, Demeter gave her one last kiss on the head and left the grove, relishing in the warm sun as she walked towards her daughter.

"Sister," She nodded to Hera, "Kore," she smiled at her daughter and ignored the nereid who rolled her cat-like eyes, "do you need anything?" Demeter asked the goddess of spring who smiled and shook her head.

Demeter left.

"Ugh, Poseidon has been more annoying lately, especially more clingy and obsessed with me than normal." The queen of the sea stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"Try Zeus, he thinks that he can sleep with whatever female he wants and that I'll still welcome him back with open arms." Hera rolled her eyes and sighed, "Seph, you're so lucky, I think you would still live a forever happy marriage regardless of if I blessed you with it at your wedding or not."

Helios was getting further and further away as the sky darkened, Selene, his sister, taking his place in the sky.

Persephone's heart raced as she knew that the 6 months were finally coming to an end, she could go back home.

"Daddy!" The shrill, hoarse voice yelled, notifying everyone of the arrival of the King of the Underworld as a young pale girl ran across the fields.

"Melly!" Hades crouched and braced for the impact of the small girl as she crashed into him, "How is my princess?" he smiled.

"I'm good, Grandma showed me how to make a flower crown, and I got to terrorise a lot of nymphs because they were being mean." Melinoë puffed her chest out proudly.

"Wow! You're getting so good now!" Hades praised, "Last time I saw you, you could only terrorise a couple of people at a time."

"I'm much better now." She nodded.

"You can tell me more about it later, I have to say hello to your mother now." Hades stood, and his daughter nodded her head.

He looked up and his gaze locked with a certain noirette, who's forest-green eyes were already watching him.

He walked towards her, and she pushed herself with much effort to get up until they were standing right in front of each other, separated only by the large bump that had spent 7 months growing.

"My Queen," he breathed out, minty breath fanning her face as he looked down.

"My King," a large smile overtook her face as her arms lifted to hook together behind his neck.

"I missed you." He kissed her forehead, gently as he looked at her adoringly.

"Ditto." He smiled and leant down, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss.

After a while, he pulled away and kneeled in front of her, kissing her belly and hugging her waist, "And how is my prince?"

Persephone laughed gleefully, "He's good and healthy. Let's go home."

He stood once again and held her waist to support her weight, "Sister, Amphitrite." he acknowledged the two queens before he began to walk slowly with Persephone.

They headed to the cave as Melinoë followed them, her sickly hand holding her mother's. Demeter stood outside of the small dirt house, critical green eyes following her daughter and her brother.

Hers and Hades' eyes met and she narrowed her green ones, gritting her teeth. The tension was still as potent as it was 11 years previous.

Philomelus approached his mother, standing beside her and providing comfort. Demeter smiled gratefully as her other son Plutus stood at her other side, placing a hand on her shoulder to show his attempt at comfort.