Te Amo
Hades Sees Persephone.
She twisted in the air, like a leaf borne aloft on the Northern wind currents. A smile was etched onto her face – a beautiful, truly happy smile – and she danced, eyes closed, as flower petals fell around her, dancing in the wind themselves.
She was beautiful. Lithe, graceful and shining golden, like the sun. I’d never seen anyone like her, mortal or immortal. From the moment I laid eyes on her – with her burnt-toffee hair and cream-coloured skin – I knew I wanted nothing more than to be by her side. She was Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and goddess of spring and vegetation.
As I watched her, hidden in the long grass and trees, I couldn’t help but become acutely aware of my own unattractiveness. Beauty was to Persephone as darkness was to me. Whilst she shone, resplendent in her white dress and the sun’s golden rays, I stood garbed in a heavy black cloak, typically suited to the Ruler of the Underworld. I’d tried wearing colour before, but I’d looked a fool wearing bright colours in the dark. It’s not like what I wore was important either – no one ever saw me but Charon, Thanatos, the Furies, Cerberus and the constant influx of souls that entered the Underworld.
Yet now I wished feverously for something bright – anything to jazz up the dark, dreary, depressing ensemble I was wearing. In hindsight, however, it wouldn’t have done any good – my skin was still pasty white, and I had nasty bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. With the incessant wailing coming from the Fields of Punishment, I barely ever got to sleep.
For years, I’d played the hand I’d been dealt. Zeus, Poseidon and I had split the world into three once we had overthrown our forefathers. We’d split it into the sky, the sea and the underworld, and had drawn lots as to who was allocated what. Zeus got the sky, meaning he became ‘king’ of the gods; Poseidon got the sea, and I was given the underworld. I didn’t complain – someone had to do it, and it also meant that I controlled all the world’s riches – precious stone, gold, silver, and more. So for years, I was content. There were ups and downs, just in any job, but I never resented what I did. I quickly realised what was acceptable for the underworld – dark clothes and an aloof personality were good; loud colours and a bright disposition were generally frowned upon. To rule the souls, one had to act like the souls. And believe me, dead people like to complain. They barely ever find something to be happy about (unless they’re in the Fields of Elysium – they party there almost 24/7).
Then my eyes lit upon Persephone on one of my rare trips above ground, and I realised how easily and quickly I would throw away my life for her. I’d do anything for her to be mine, even if it meant giving up my throne (it’s not like it was important anyway – it wasn’t even one of the 12 on Mount Olympus!) Even after I’d slunk away unnoticed, I couldn’t get her off my mind. The way her hair twisted in the breeze; the way she threw her head back when she laughed; the way her skin seemed to glow in the sun’s rays.
My heart ached, and I twisted a narcissus flower in my hands. I’d plucked it just before disappearing underground – it was a beautiful flower, and reminded me of her. As my clumsy fingers bruised the flower’s petals, and crushed the stem until the flower was a sad lump of broken mush, I told Megaera about how’d I felt when I’d seen Persephone. Being the Fury for jealousy, I thought she may know a thing or two about what I was feeling.
I was stunned when she told me it sounded as though I were in love. I dropped the broken flower, and stared at her. Trust me to fall in love with someone out of my league. Never mind the fact that I was ‘one of the Big Three Gods’, I couldn’t imagine Persephone in a place as dull and dark as the Underworld.
Yet as I paced my throne room, I knew Megaera was telling the truth.
I’d never felt this way before, and my heart physically ached – it felt like someone had put a clamp around it and was tightening it as much as they could. For a moment, everything was silent and all I could hear was the beat of my own aching heart. Then the screams emanating from the Fields of Punishment broke through my thoughts and I sat back in my throne, speechless.
I was in love. I was in love with the beautiful, shining Spring goddess.
Another painful tug at my heart, and I winced. It was true what they said – love was something that you cannot hide. And I’d fallen so far in love so quickly that I was having trouble coming to terms with it.
She was beautiful. Lithe, graceful and shining golden, like the sun. I’d never seen anyone like her, mortal or immortal. From the moment I laid eyes on her – with her burnt-toffee hair and cream-coloured skin – I knew I wanted nothing more than to be by her side. She was Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and goddess of spring and vegetation.
As I watched her, hidden in the long grass and trees, I couldn’t help but become acutely aware of my own unattractiveness. Beauty was to Persephone as darkness was to me. Whilst she shone, resplendent in her white dress and the sun’s golden rays, I stood garbed in a heavy black cloak, typically suited to the Ruler of the Underworld. I’d tried wearing colour before, but I’d looked a fool wearing bright colours in the dark. It’s not like what I wore was important either – no one ever saw me but Charon, Thanatos, the Furies, Cerberus and the constant influx of souls that entered the Underworld.
Yet now I wished feverously for something bright – anything to jazz up the dark, dreary, depressing ensemble I was wearing. In hindsight, however, it wouldn’t have done any good – my skin was still pasty white, and I had nasty bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. With the incessant wailing coming from the Fields of Punishment, I barely ever got to sleep.
For years, I’d played the hand I’d been dealt. Zeus, Poseidon and I had split the world into three once we had overthrown our forefathers. We’d split it into the sky, the sea and the underworld, and had drawn lots as to who was allocated what. Zeus got the sky, meaning he became ‘king’ of the gods; Poseidon got the sea, and I was given the underworld. I didn’t complain – someone had to do it, and it also meant that I controlled all the world’s riches – precious stone, gold, silver, and more. So for years, I was content. There were ups and downs, just in any job, but I never resented what I did. I quickly realised what was acceptable for the underworld – dark clothes and an aloof personality were good; loud colours and a bright disposition were generally frowned upon. To rule the souls, one had to act like the souls. And believe me, dead people like to complain. They barely ever find something to be happy about (unless they’re in the Fields of Elysium – they party there almost 24/7).
Then my eyes lit upon Persephone on one of my rare trips above ground, and I realised how easily and quickly I would throw away my life for her. I’d do anything for her to be mine, even if it meant giving up my throne (it’s not like it was important anyway – it wasn’t even one of the 12 on Mount Olympus!) Even after I’d slunk away unnoticed, I couldn’t get her off my mind. The way her hair twisted in the breeze; the way she threw her head back when she laughed; the way her skin seemed to glow in the sun’s rays.
My heart ached, and I twisted a narcissus flower in my hands. I’d plucked it just before disappearing underground – it was a beautiful flower, and reminded me of her. As my clumsy fingers bruised the flower’s petals, and crushed the stem until the flower was a sad lump of broken mush, I told Megaera about how’d I felt when I’d seen Persephone. Being the Fury for jealousy, I thought she may know a thing or two about what I was feeling.
I was stunned when she told me it sounded as though I were in love. I dropped the broken flower, and stared at her. Trust me to fall in love with someone out of my league. Never mind the fact that I was ‘one of the Big Three Gods’, I couldn’t imagine Persephone in a place as dull and dark as the Underworld.
Yet as I paced my throne room, I knew Megaera was telling the truth.
I’d never felt this way before, and my heart physically ached – it felt like someone had put a clamp around it and was tightening it as much as they could. For a moment, everything was silent and all I could hear was the beat of my own aching heart. Then the screams emanating from the Fields of Punishment broke through my thoughts and I sat back in my throne, speechless.
I was in love. I was in love with the beautiful, shining Spring goddess.
Another painful tug at my heart, and I winced. It was true what they said – love was something that you cannot hide. And I’d fallen so far in love so quickly that I was having trouble coming to terms with it.
♠ ♠ ♠
This is so much fun to write - it's definitely going to be more than a one-shot, though I don't know how long it will be exactly. Hades is just too much fun to play around with! Let me know what you think so far!