The Daughter of Demeter

Based on the characters from Disney’s “Hercules” film & TV show

Chapter 3

It was but a few hours before the Harvest Festival celebrations finally got underway. Arriving at Cloud Nine with her father, Seph showed no signs of nervousness or apprehension now that she would be accepted into the Pantheon of the Gods. The celebration today was not for her, though – but her mother had thought that it’d be the perfect time to introduce her to the gathering of deities that she would soon be working alongside.

That was once her place was clear, when her occupation and purpose as a Goddess had been decided.

Most of the Gods were well on time as the immortal celebrations began. Aphrodite was parading the latest in the line of women’s chitons[?]: bright pink and clasped at the shoulder delicately with a glorious pearl from the depths of Poseidon’s realms. Tri-via found his first ‘victim’ of the evening pretty much as he walked through the gates – Ares, God of War, and the last deity who should be trifled with – and began a long speech on the ethics of Spartan society. It was at least a topic Ares could relate to – but the amount of intricate language that Tri-via used confused him, much to the amusement of his intelligent sister, Athena, who had evaded Tri-via and begun conversation with Hera. Hermes had been there early, along with Demeter, to organise the Cherubs who would be acting as waiters for the festivities, and Bacchus had brought several kegs full of nectar to last well into the night, as well as his infamous limbo pole (all who challenged him should beware).

Persephone, for the first hour or so, hung back, and studied the crowd around her. She watched as her mother did her rounds of the Gods and Goddesses, gloating about her wonderful Harvest, and the punishment of the King of Crete, who had been less than generous with his offerings this year. Seph smirked to herself – her mother sure took pride in the welfare of her corn and her control over the harvest of the mortals. Seph, however, didn’t care much for controlling the seasons or watching the plants grow; she wanted something different for her immortal career. She also felt an uncomfortable, indiscernible rift between her and her future associates, a whiff of a certain condescendence toward her. She was the ‘baby’ of the bunch, the youngest deity of the pack, and she knew it was going to be a challenge to get everyone else in the Pantheon to accept her. She knew what they saw when they gazed upon her – a child.

She began fiddling with her chiton pin before she took a glass of nectar from a passing cherub’s tray and heaved a deep sigh. She was bored already. It was early hours yet, but Seph felt that it was gonna be a long night…

A heinous cry from Hades’ Griffin filled the skies as the Underworld Lord urged it on. He was fashionably late, as per usual.

The clouds split in his path, and he eventually saw Cloud Nine rise up in the distance. Pulling back his hand and lashing his Griffin once more with his whip, he yelled at it to get a move on (in less than polite language) and zoomed into the parking lot around the Cloud’s giant edges. Swerving neatly into a space, and ‘accidentally’ scratching the golden paintwork on Apollo’s sun chariot to the right, Hades leapt out of his carriage, handed his griffin over to a couple of cherub park attendants, and strutted up to the main gathering.

By this time, everyone, with the exception of Morpheus, who was currently busy, seemed to have turned out for the Harvest Festival celebration. It was always a popular get-together, though it was beyond Hades as to why; he found it fairly dreary. Truth be told, he’d never really gotten along with Demeter at all, either.

Hades entered the gate and cautiously scanned the gathering – he hadn’t been out of his Underworld since his little escapade of attempting to overthrow his big brother, Zeus, and he wasn’t expecting much of a warm welcome – another reason why he hadn’t really been enthusiastic about turning up. But if he hadn’t turned up, there would have been more than Hell to pay. Pun.

Hermes whizzed over to Hades, “Well, better late than never, babe…” the Messenger God smiled.

Hades made another one of his fake laughs, baring his sharp little teeth again, “Look, ‘babe’, you keep a good ten metre radius away from me for this entire evening, or I’ll shove your scrawny little face back down your scrawny little neck – you got that, babe!” he growled.

Hermes nodded rigidly though leisurely, “Sure, babe… chill.”

He swiftly whizzed off – good job, too, or Hades would have imminently exploded upon the word ‘babe’. It was Hermes’ conversational tick, and he couldn’t often help it.

Once Hermes was far enough away, the Lord of the Underworld skimmed about the edge of the gathering, ignoring the looks of loathing that he was receiving from the other Gods. He found a convenient place to lodge by a pillar at the back, and casually leant upon it, staring at the crowds. He was only told to show up – nothing had said he’d had to enjoy himself.

And he specifically planned to not enjoy himself seeing as it was Demeter’s celebration…

Successfully managing to stand out of the way of the party mainstream had been too good to be true for Persephone – Demeter had caught her daughter’s lonesome self, given her the short lecture on not to be ‘anti-social’ and urged her to ‘mingle’ with the other Gods and Goddesses immediately. The only consolation she had was that her mother wasn’t holding her hand and dragging her round the different parties of Gods personally.

Persephone sighed, looking for a group that she may be able to ‘mingle’ in with – but they all looked very exclusive, as though new entries were unwelcome into their circles. And with the aura of her still being a ‘little girl’ so evidently strong – though almost imperceptible to the majority – her enthusiasm with these prejudice Gods wasn’t extremely high. She should have thought that they’d be expected to come and talk to her, not vice-versa.

She decided that she had nothing to lose either way, and slowly floated about the crowds, giving polite nods here and there, and looking for the cue to slip into someone’s conversation – but it looked unlikely that that cue would come. It looked like she would actually have to put in some effort…

“So, Hades!”

Hades gritted his teeth and cringed as he heard Zeus’ thunderous tone erupt before him. He knew what lines were to follow, and mimed them effortlessly out of his brother’s view:

“You finally made it!” Zeus continued, as Hades mimed along, out of his sight.

Swiftly, Hades then turned to face his big brother, “Yeah, I made it…” he weakly grinned.

Zeus was luckily in high spirits, and Hades’ past feats were slowly beginning to fade into the past – although they’d never be forgotten.

Zeus grinned, his brilliant white teeth shining out from between his lips. They were bright enough to warrant a pair of sunglasses for the protection of one’s eyes; “So, how’s the party?” he continued heartily.

Hades held his weak grin as Zeus slapped him on the shoulder, ‘Someone’s had too much nectar’ he thought, positive that Zeus’ kindness was due more to intoxication than to sheer good spirits.

“Yeah, it’s… er… think, Hades, think…smashing! What the Hell are you saying? Yeah, it’s smashing…” he replied less than earnestly, having a battle with a voice in his head.

‘No one says smashing anymore, jerk!’ the voice tersely reminded him.

Hades thought that Zeus may tag on to the lack of effort in his voice, and realise that he was in fact not impressed by this get-together; one was better off lying to Zeus than telling him a truth he did not want to hear. He’d always liked his own way. However, a combination of Zeus’ slow wits and his current state of intoxication saved him.

“Isn’t it just?” Zeus jovially smiled, slapping his little brother on the back – hard. Hades gasped as all the air escaped from his lungs, his eyes bulging out from their sockets.

Zeus continued, “And have ya seen that Demeter has finally allowed her daughter into our ranks?”

“Yeah?” Hades half-smiled, trying to sound interested, his voice almost silent as he strove to refill his lungs.

“Yeah!” Zeus continued (‘definitely drunk’ Hades noted; Zeus’ voice was so loud, and the King of the Gods was being more rough with him than usual). Zeus sharply turned Hades about, pointing him in the right direction, “There she is, bless her! Over there!”

Hades felt himself almost shoved to look at this ‘little brat’ of Demeter’s – he was confident that the Plant Goddess’ child couldn’t be any better than her mother, and…

Whoah!

Take last thought back!

All of the air rushed back abruptly into Hades’ lungs as he landed his sight on this Goddess who was apparently child of Demeter.

“Ai-chi-baba…” he sighed, looking over the young Goddess slowly with wide eyes, “What a vision…”

Zeus failed to hear him, but continued talking, leaning on his brother’s shoulder (Hades was sure Zeus was using him for a support… how much nectar had he drank…?), “Poor girl has been kept on Sicily for the most of her life! Demeter’s been way over-protective of the child… and even though she’s now allowed to be part of the Pantheon, Zeus hiccupped Demeter still won’t allow her to stay off of lil Sicily long – not until Persephone Hades made a mental note: ‘gorgeous girl’s name Persephone’ has a purpose as a goddess...”

“Purpose? Whad’ya mean, bro?” Hades queried, hoping Zeus was still sober enough to understand and answer his question.

Zeus smirked, leaning harder onto Hades’ shoulder. Hades gritted his teeth as he felt the full weight of Zeus on him, “Well, she’s either gotta find summit to be Goddess of, or – hiccup - she’s gotta marry some God and help him with his job!”

Hades remained silent, studying this ‘Persephone’ as she walked amongst the crowds

‘Gees… she looks like a lost sheep…’ he noted in his head – she looked about as happy as he did to be here.

Zeus laughed heartily down Hades’ ear hole suddenly, “But you, Hades – hiccup – you have no chance!” he sneered in child-like spite.

Hades scowled at Zeus, unsure whether:

a) Zeus had truly managed to think of the best way of hurting him at the moment after noticing his sudden adoration of Demeter’s daughter, or…

b) whether the nectar had had its way with his mind, and just randomly – and amazingly – selected the perfect way to abuse him.

Zeus pointed a finger at Hades, and sharply poked him in the chest, “Dare you to go and speak to her!”

‘Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be!’ Hades growled silently in his mind.

His face turned to a scowl, his skin glowing a pale orange, and he knocked Zeus’ hand away, “Fine,” he snapped, accepting the brotherly challenge, “I will!”

He was not willing to chicken out infront of his brother…

Seph had done a couple of circuits of the arena now. She half wished that they were still on Olympus – she may have been able to slip away to her family’s quarters unnoticed, then…

No one, so far, seemed too bothered about talking to her – she was ‘a child’, looked at, not spoken to, seen and not heard – gees, that was nothing like who she was! She wanted to dive in to someone’s conversation and show everyone that she was no shrinking violet – but first impressions were important, and ‘diving’ boisterously into someone’s conversation may make enemies before friends. She didn’t want to make enemies yet. Her mother wouldn’t be pleased at all if the only thing that this little celebration accomplished was a new immortal rivalry concerning her daughter.

Fate had a way of messing things up, though…

Seph was just about to have a go at talking to Athena and Hera, when suddenly some Cherub waiter flew into her! There was a brief clatter as the Cherub’s tray – loaded with nectar-filled glasses – fell, spilling all over the place. Their contents missed Persephone, but fell onto Aphrodite, and her new dress.

Several of the groups of Gods looked around abruptly.

‘Well, there goes my rep.’ Seph noted to herself silently, looking innocently at all the gods. She saw Demeter’s ‘Oh, Persephone!’ look, complete with shake of head.

“Whoops… sorry,” she said, grinning half-heartedly – although the sincerity wasn’t there. She wasn’t being rude, but she found it hard to be too heartfelt- it wasn’t part of her character.

She meant what she had said in her apology – but Aphrodite wouldn’t have her apology.

“You clumsy little, spoiled brat,” she growled, her vanity evident, “Look what you’ve done to my dress!”

The Love Goddess’ pink skin darkened a shade in anger.

“Chill! I said I was sorry!” Seph returned, her voice a little shirty – she felt Aphrodite’s anger uncalled for. But she full well knew that to anger Aphrodite was to ask for trouble – everyone on Olympus knew that.

“It doesn’t lift the stain from my dress!” Aphrodite snapped, taking an angry step toward the younger Goddess. Seph held her ground, frowning at her new and first enemy of the Pantheon. She clutched her fingers tightly into fists – she wasn’t beyond a good fight.

Hades was scooting over just in time to see the little accident that had, in turn, enraged Aphrodite. He rolled his eyes; ‘Typical’, he thought, ‘These kinda things always happen to the newbies…’

“You wanna make something of it, blondey?” Seph loudly asked Aphrodite back, her eyes intense.

Seeing as no one else wanted to step between the two fiery Goddesses before things got ugly, Hades slid into the space between them, “Ladies, please!” he smiled, raising a hand to both, “I see enough fire everyday ‘down under’ – I don’t wanna see any here!”

There was a heavy and conspicuous silence throughout the entire gathering.

Hades looked to the two Goddesses with his typical grin; “C’mon, girls… kiss ‘n’ make up,” he smoothly asked.

“Keep out of this, flame boy!” Aphrodite snarled, “I wanna see how tough our latest affiliate is!”

“This is not the way to make friends, Aphrodite!” Hades promptly reminded her, before Persephone could throw an answer in, “Trust me, [pointing to self] as a guy who has very few friends, I know.”

Aphrodite just sighed with irritation, realising that Hades (for some reason) meant to protect this girl. She looked round Hades’ body at Persephone, “You got lucky this time, lil girl,” she barked. She couldn’t be asked to have a slagging match with Demeter’s precious daughter, anyway. But the Lord of the Nether World, on the other hand…

“But you!” Aphrodite screamed at him, poking him in the chest, “You should know better than to interfere with me!” She grasped one of the half-empty containers which had fallen from the cherub’s tray, from off the floor, and chucked the remaining nectar contents of the glass over his head. Hades hissed as his fiery hair extinguished into a puff of smoke.

“And don’t you forget it!” she added sharply, slapping him across his face.

The gathering sniggered. ‘He deserves it’ one person mumbled, and ‘Serves him right’ floated over from somewhere else. Hades decided not to continue the rumpus, and just scowled after the Goddess of Love as she walked away in a huff, followed by her immortal groupies, who congratulated her on her actions and fawned over her stained chiton.

He closed his eyes briefly as he struggled re-ignite his flaming hair. After a couple of false starts, he got there.

There was then a pause before Persephone made her anger to Hades known. “I could’ve taken her!” she glowered, glaring at him.

Hades just smiled softly – he just couldn’t bring himself to get angry with her, he was so overcome with these feelings of love and devotion. He’d never felt quite like this before. There had been lust and crushes, but nothing like this. “Soz, babe…” he apologised, “I hate seein’ girls fight. And me ‘n’ Miss. Pink-n-Pompous have a bit of an eternal tiff going on, anyways...”

“I’m not a girl!” Persephone reminded him, “I’m a woman! Why is everyone treating me like this?”

Hades was a little startled by her mad outburst – something was really getting to her, “Gees, sorry…” he brusquely apologised, feeling rebuked for something unnecessarily.

There was another brief pause as Seph continued to stare at him.

He cast that aside, and offered out his hand in greeting, “Name’s Hades,” he said cordially.

Seph slowly considered her next options, and gradually placed her small hand into Hades’ bony grasp, “Persephone,” she introduced herself, “But call me Seph.”

“Cute,” Hades remarked, grinning once more.

Seph thought for a second, and then tagged on to whom she was talking. She pulled her hand from his grasp; “Wait, now I know who you are!” She smiled in faint reverence. “You're the guy who tried to take over Mount Olympus!”

Hades made a nervous grin – it was not what he wanted to be reminded of at the moment. "Yeah... that..."

“Whoah…” Persephone continued, “Talk about ambition!”

“Don’t remind me.”

Seph noted his tone, and steered away from the topic, “So… you rule the Underworld, right? Cool… what’s it like?”

Hades felt almost insulted and retorted, “Tuts, there’s nuthin’ ‘cool’ [he gestured with his hands wildly] about it!”

“But you have a whole domain to yourself!”

Hades scoffed, his voice rife with sarcasm, “Yeah – dark, dull, and full of dead stiffs and freaky creatures. So cool!”

“Creatures?” Seph queried. The only creatures she knew of were rodents, birds, and everything else that could be counted as sickly-sweet..

He shrugged, “Furies, Harpies, various other beasties… if it’s got fangs and an element of horror about it, hey, we probably have it… plus, the Fates drop by now and then, and –”

“The Fates?” she interrupted with amazement, “You know the Fates?”

It wasn’t often that he could use elements of his job to impress a girl, so he was gonna take advantage whilst he could. He grinned proudly, and folded his arms, “Yup, sure do,” he smirked.

“Isn’t that weird, knowing that they control everyone’s fate… even yours?”

“Well, I suppose,” he considered, then went on, “One of the Fates has the hots for me, though. Ugh.”

“Good pun,” Seph briefly remarked.

Hades grinned momentarily – ‘d’oh, hots’ he thought – then continued, “Yeah, I suppose… but, hey, seriously, it’s a lil creepy to think what she could do, controlling fate and all. Thank Zeus they can’t ‘interfere’ like that into anyone’s fate – t’is against the Fate code - oherwise, well, I’d be in deep do-do, so to speak."

Seph laughed a little in amusement. ‘I made her smile!’ Hades rejoiced, his lip rising into a beaming grin of affection and fondness.

“Well, at least you’ve had something of a life,” she stated.

“Not a good one,” he quietly remarked.

Seph failed to hear him; “I’ve been trapped on Sicily for the most of my life."

“And you’ll be there until you have a ‘purpose’, I’ve heard,” he added. This wasn’t his usual kind of conversation at all – but, hey, who cared?

“Yeah,” Seph sighed with frustration, “Dang, why can’t I just be given a job already?”

Hades made a sympathetic gesture, shrugging once more lightly, “Guess the Fates ain’t decided on your destiny yet.”

Seph nodded slowly in reluctant agreement, “I just wish my mum would let me off that island. She’s so overprotective. How shielding me from the outside world for so long helps, I don’t know…”

“Enjoy the carefree life while ya can – being a full-time God ain’t easy.”

She studied his visage for a few seconds, arms folded, “How long have you been Lord of the Dead?” she quietly asked.

“Since Zeus banished dad…”

“Of course! You're one of Cronus’ sons!”

“Uh-huh,” he nodded, “Though can’t say it’s summit I’m proud of. I kinda got the message that he never liked me - and, well, trying to eat me and my siblings was kinda the last straw.”

Seph’s lip raised in shock and disgust – she was surprised that Hades was telling her all this nasty business so casually.

“Not sure ma mom liked me too much either – oy, Zeus was always her favourite, no question,” Hades continued, “I always remember what she used ta say to me when I was being a mini pain in the rear [he put on his mother’s voice] ‘I had to carry you around for 9 months with a head full of flames, so don’t you give me grief now!’” He made a short laugh, stroking his flaming head smoothly, “Can ya imagine carrying a child with a burning tuft of hair about for several months? I can’t relate – hey, I’m a guy – but, gees, can you even begin to think about how that felt?”

Seph made a wry smile, “Not sure I’d want to.”

“Nah, course ya don’t,” he said confidently, wafting his hand toward her in a dismissive gesture.

“You sure talk a lot,” she grinned.

“Is there a problem with that?” he queried, carrying on speaking before Seph had a chance to answer, “I mean, I’m kinda deprived of intelligent conversation in ‘Club Dead’, so I take advantage of it while I can – you understand me, right?”

She made another short laugh, “I guess so.”

Pause.

Hades felt that Persephone was a little uncomfortable with the way he looked at her. She tried to remedy this by continuing the conversation, “Thanks for coming over and talking to me, by the way…” she said.

“’Thanks’? Why ‘thanks’?” he queried, a look of true bafflement upon his face.

Seph looked at the rest of the gathering around her with derision, “Everyone else seems to be looking down upon me like I’m some sort of little brat…”

“Fancy that,” Hades said with a nervous laugh – it was exactly what he’d labelled her before he’d set eyes on her. He then continued with the un-Hadian like talk, “Jes give ‘em a chance and they’ll come round. I was the youngest once. I know what it’s like.”

“I guess. Why can’t some of ‘em see that I’m not a child anymore?”

“I can see yer not.”

She sighed, “I guess mom’s dream of marrying me off to some ‘nice God’ is out of the window. I haven’t really spoken to anyone properly, I haven’t had the chance to, let alone taken their heart…”

Hades failed to think before his words came out, “You’ve taken mine,” he said softly. By the time he had realised exactly what he had uttered, it was too late.

Seph looked at him hard, unsure of how to react. Hades looked back at her, and made a nervous laugh, “Shouldn’t have said that…” he quietly noted to himself, feeling uncomfortably out of character.

*"Chiton" is pronounced ‘ki-tan’, which you’ll be familiar with if you’ve watched the animated series of Hercules – if you haven’t, why not?