Seed of Darkness (Hades and Persephone)

[Persephone]

Persephone had been sent to the mortal realm for her protection. She was sent away before everything went down so she is a new god who knows her past. She worried for her husband as he never came for her. She wondered if he was even alive. Persy threw herself into her work in bringing harvest to the cities she visited in order to not think of Hades and the hole that was there from missing him.

Yet just like her days on Olympus, her beauty attracted men. She was able to often refuse their advances stating she had lost her husband and still mourning his death. Her beauty though caught the attention of a King. He invited her to her to his castle multiple times. Persy was sure if she just ignored invite after invite or maybe accept one to see what he wanted. So she did the latter and accepted one of the invitations and showed up to the castle for dinner.

No sooner did dinner start and the king asked for Persy's hand in marriage. Persy refused telling him the reason like all the others. Yet the king didn’t accept this reason for turning his advances away. So the king accused her of trying to kill him, guards swarmed her and before she knew it she was being thrown into the dungeon of the castle.

“Please! You have this all wrong. I would never try and harm your king!” she rushed back to the door that slammed on her as she banged on it she felt tears fill her eyes. “How can you do this! It’s cruel.” She said as she moved away from the door and lowered to the ground. She honestly wasn’t sure if it would work but she couldn’t risk losing her head over someone who was trying to force a marriage upon her. 

Taking a deep breath she placed her hands to the ground and raised her hands, one hit, two hits, three hits. She let her eyes search the dark around her for him, when a moment passed and he hadn’t shown up she crumbled her body fully to the ground “Hades please I don’t want to die.” she whimpered to the floor as her head rested to the cold stone below her forehead.

[H A D E S - Council]

He had forgotten what it was like being this close to her or anyone and touch was so far from familiar now that when she was the one resting her hand on his chest he stepped back sub subconsciously. Like he was almost cowering from it because he did not think he was worthy. "I do not want you crushed by the weight of my and my brother's consequences, you have suffered because of us enough. He took a step closer to her when he suddenly realised he had put space between them. He took her hand that was on his chest and brought it to his cheek he stared down at her in silence before kissing her head. 

A faint knock came to the door and made my rage flair but it died down quick since I was so close to her. I sighed "I... Have to go." I looked into her eyes with my own tired ones trying to figure out how to make this work with everything still in shambles and falling apart. "The underworld needs work and I am rarely here to fix it but maybe its Queen can make it ready?" I gave a gentle smile as I headed to the door to head out knowing she was here helping would take some stress away because here I knew she was safe. 

[Persephone]

Persphone watched him take a step back from her touch and she felt the frown take over her lips. She didn’t close the space because what was the point in that moment. Were they just strangers now, could he ever love her again. She wondered in her mind as she let her gaze watch him with sadness in her eyes. “You are carrying a world on your back, a world you didn’t screw up. You deserve someone who wants to carry the weight with you. I have always wanted to be your partner. You used to view me strong enough to stand by your side and help.” She watched him step closer and move her hand from his chest as she had placed it back to his check. She smoothed her fingers along his cheek slowly taking in his tired features. 

When the knock came her heart sank and she frowned as she watched him. “I will take care of our home, but you need to come home soon. You need someone to make you take care of yourself. That will be me. Let me be clear Hades. If you are not home tonight to sleep properly and have dinner. I will pull apart the realm to drag you home.” Her eyes flashed red at him in her threat showing she was serious. Watching him leave was hard but she managed to pull herself together and get to work. Taking inventory of what was wrong or neglected. She took note that she needed to put some love into the gardens that Hades let die fully. 

After the list was put together of the things that needed to be done she got to work. 

[H A D E S - Council]

Hades still viewed her as strong and truth be told she was the strongest person he knew with everything she had been through, which was part of the reason he did not want to share this weight. She had her own he never wanted to add to that, as a man and a husband who was raised on old morals he believed it was his duty to be strong to bear this pain and keep her sage from it. Maybe if this were something that he did not feel so wrongfully guilty of manifesting he would let her share it but why should she suffer for something that had nothing to do with besides how it affected her and all the Eternals. He also broke a rule saving her from the depths of Tartarus so he was paranoid that if she helped somehow fade would right that and he would never have her again because even if she like all the others got their freedom she would not remember anything and so everything he fought so hard to protect when protecting her would for nought. 

I could not tell her about my fear of losing her without her trying to tell me I would not, something she could not promise me, something she did not know. I remained quiet as she spoke licking my lips as I looked and huffed before drawing in a breath to speak with but held it in when her next words hit me. I swallowed the words in my throat a shot a harsh breath from my nose as I stared into her eyes, had we not been married I would not have been so intimidated but she had pulled the realm apart before to drag my ass home just based on a rumour she quickly learned was not true, so I had to take her seriously. "Of course dear wife." I said sharply and low as I ripped myself away from her to see what realm needed me left and why. 

The Earth realm was on fire and it was all Hades' fault since he left that town ablaze after avenging his wife, and It spread from there. He let out a frustrated sigh before disguising himself so he could help without fear or praise from the people but he was at a disadvantage doing things undercover; as a god, he could handle this in a matter of seconds but playing human he was bound by the confines of their ability which was to rely on each other, the power of numbers. Hours burned away until the blaze was at last snuffed out and Hades was among the people covered and soot laughing that they had survived and been successful. He used that as an opportunity to go and return home but he knew he was already late he only hoped Persephone had not started her rampage. He did not even clean up just immediately headed to their room but she was not there, the garden was next, then the throne room. Nothing he could not find her but he was more so worried about that because it meant she thought he was not home yet. He ran around calling for her, the last thing he needed was to have to rebuild the underworld all over again after the war all because his wife thought he had not taken her seriously. He was running so fast, looking around, and calling her he did not expect her to come out of anywhere and appear right in front of him, unable to stop in time he collided with her ending up on top of her with his face in her chest. He looked up at her face slowly and after seeing she was alright he smirked. "Oh well hello." He said in a taunting tone. "For the record, I have been here looking for you so I am not too late..." He spoke softly as he hovered over her before standing up and bringing her up with him.

[Persephone]

Looking at the long list she figured starting with the thing she would hate the most would be the most effective. The garden would have to wait. So she found herself in the room that Hades never wanted her in. The den of lost souls. She started reading through the list of souls that didn’t have the fee to cross over and slowly started giving the coins to them helping the souls cross. Noticing that souls that had the money were trapped also in the den. The underworld had been vastly neglected. Time passed slowly but before she knew it, everything seemed to be running smoothly. One by one the souls crossed the river and Persephone left the room.

Down the halls he found the hall of fortunes, peaking in she was almost hit in the face by the sisters three which made her see that everything was in enough order she didn’t need to overly worry. Next came another room that seemed to be piled high with magical items from the Eternals themselves. She started to separate and label things. Placing them on display is almost like a museum. She stared at some of the items before picking up the four-headed Eleusinian torch that was hers. She stood there twirling it in her hands as flowers grew over it and she sighed. Feeling strength from it. “Yet I will never be strong enough to save him.” Her mind drifted to the visions of his end at her hands that played over and over again.

That was when she looked at Zeus and Poseidon's weapons for a long moment. Maybe she just needed different tools. As she reached out to touch the lightning bolt she heard a whine from the door from one of their many dogs. “He is home?” she asked and when the dog turned and took off she looked at the bolt again. She was out of the door after another moment's thought and moved to find him. 

Her mind was still on the hall of the items of their fellow Eternals when they collided. As she fell back to the ground. Naturally grass grew to make the landing softer as his face was buried in her chest. She blinked a few times before chuckling at him, dropping the seriousness she had on her mind moments ago. “I was busy cleaning, I didn’t even realize the time. I blame the effect of it always being dark here.” She said as she raised from the ground with his help after he hovered over her. “The soul hall has been cleaned up, along with the Eternal artifact hall.” She said as she smoothed out the dress realizing she was covered in dirt. “Seems I am not ready for dinner yet.” She muttered taking a few steps to go to their room.

[H A D E S - Council]

Panic was not a feeling Hades was well acquainted with and before his marriage, it was one emotion he truly did not understand. The moment Persephone came into his gloomy life however it suddenly made perfect sense because he spent every waking second panicking over how he might one day lose her. Naturally, that was not something he would ever tell anyone even Penny herself but it was a truth that haunted day in and day out. This is why is listened when she demanded something of him because at his very core he was terrified of losing her and the most realistic way he could do just that was by her just choosing to leave him one day. Leaving him to believe he was not good enough or maybe she had seen the truth about him that his counterparts and brothers and all the other gods of Olympus were better than a scoundrel like him. 

I smirked as we rose and kept my eyes glued on her as she explained what she had accomplished during my absence. I was listening to her but I do admit watching her laugh and talk about our realm like old times began to intoxicate my mind and I could feel my face soften as I looked down at her and a warmth come to life inside of me I had not felt since the war began. I wonder if it showed on my face the love I was suddenly feeling... Gods I hope it was not. I leaned down closer to her face as she spoke and she did not notice anyone about me because she slipped right by me before I could steal the kiss I aimed to take from her. That was sobering enough to pull me back into the moment fully as I dropped my head and huffed. I rolled my shoulders back as my head rose, my brow pushed together and my jaw clenched as she began to walk away from me. She was barely out of my reach when I took her delicate arm in my hand and spun her around into me, pressing her to me and not giving her any space. "You mean to tell me you demanded that I rush my commitments by way of threats just for not to be ready yourself." I said with a heavy voice, taking her chin in my hand and making her look at me. 

He hummed to himself appearing displeased with the present scenario before he tsked her several times. "I will have to punish you for thinking you can tell the king what he can and not do, wife or not." He spoke firmly but all the while he was trying so hard not to break and show her that he was clearly playing though he highly hinted at it when he called himself the King, a thing he strayed away from unless he was teasing. 

[Persephone]

Seeing the king of brooding face slowly soften caused the Goddess' heart to swell as she smiled towards him lightly as it felt like the old them for a brief moment. Something that had felt like it had been a lifetime since she had had that.  As she stared up to him she reached up to touch his cheek softly, before dancing away from him. Yet she couldn’t make it far as his hand slipped into her arm pulling her to pin her against his larger form. She felt her face fall from smiling and bit down on her lower lips softly. “I got side tracked with fixing the garden you let die.” She shot back as she didn’t fight his grasp.

She rolled her eyes at him as he tsked at her, “The only thing you can do to punish me would be punishing yourself also.” she shot back before noticing the hint of joking. “Are you messing with me Hades?” she questioned before slipping out of his grasp taking off down the hall. “Let me shower and I will get dressed. I will be ready before you know it!” she shot back over her shoulder as her bare feet padded against the halls cold floor reaching their room. 

She was as quick as she could be, moving to the unending water that flowed from a waterfall. Letting it was over her body with a soft moan from her lips before she washed off. Stepping out drying herself before finding a dress she thought would be suitable enough. Not remembering if he was going to cook or if they were going out somewhere. She let the pink dress flow over her body as she moved out of the room holding shoes in hand. “My love?” she called out.

[H A D E S - Council]

That... Was not the response he had expected but seeing as it was what he got he went with it. They had been separated so long that he would take anything she gave him; he watched her jog down the hall. Wondering if she was flirting back or if she missed his. Perhaps he was being a dunce and did not catch on to her cheeky remark? He stood there a moment as his head cocked to the side like one of his dogs until he sighed and told himself she just wanted to bathe alone and share dinner. So with that, he went to another room to wash off but once alone with his thoughts knowing she was back his mind grew dark. He regretted the manner their reunion had happened, he wanted something grander than this and he could not help but tell himself that she was disappointed he let her garden die. 

My thoughts only worsened and soured my mood and an unshakable sense of dread weighed on my shoulders. What if she asked of Elysium? It was fine the last I had checked on it a week or so ago. The realm was entirely self sufficient and those within were happy but was HE still there? Adonis. I was never the jealous type and I was not jealous now, no, I was nervous. I had been such a shit husband maybe now Adonis had a chance. I sank and fumed at the thought that I was sure the flames around the underworld flared violently in response. I forced myself from the water and back to my... Our... room so I could change hearing Peresy call just as I entered. 

He wore a loose towel around his waist and gave Persephone a light smile. "I will just take a second." He spoke softly without looking at her as he began to move around her and dress. The heavy weight of his dark thoughts still weighing him down and keeping him silent. "You might be happy to know that Elysium is still well." He spoke again and never looked her way, he could not because he could not bare the pain of seeing her light up at the thought of seeing Adonis. That is how far his mind had taken his thoughts "and everyone is still there." He combed his wet hair back as he finished dressing, wearing something simple like her. 

I took in a deep breath as I finally looked at her, she was always stunning to me, I could not hide that from my face. She could be covered in mud and I would still think so. I opened my mouth and dared to ask about Adonis to ease my thoughts and rid me of this darkness but I could not do it. Coward. That is what this war had turned me into. "We should go." I had thought to go out to eat but now I really just wanted her to myself after so long and did not want to deal with anyone else. I should be allowed at least one moment of selfishness. I set the Nymphs in charge while we spent some much-needed time together over dinner and one of her flower nymphs took it upon herself to cook for us which was a nice relief. I pulled her seat out and pushed her in when she sat before sitting across from her. I never thought we would have this awkward silence between us and I could not help but blame myself for it. "We found Erebus." I awkwardly broke the awkward silence but it was foolish for me to bring it up because the poor Eternal was struggling badly. 

[Persephone]

As she came upon her husband standing there with the towel loosely around him she let her eyes scan every inch of his strong body before giving a purse of her lips. “We could have showered together.” she said as she watched him move off to get dressed for their evening together. Moving she sat on the bed to pull her heels on feeling such a strange rush doing so it had been so long since she felt this much like herself. Standing from where she was she twirled in a circle as she felt the flowers growing around her neck and wrist to make jewelry pieces. 

Pausing only when he spoke of Elysium, she felt a squeeze in her chest to know that that realm she wanted created for the good souls was still running smoothly. She shifted to move closer to him as he seemed to be avoiding her gaze. “The souls are doing well then still with the fall of all us gods and goddesses?” She smiled softly before taking hold of his hand after he ran it through his wet hair. “Thank you, I know that you have more than the weight of the realms on your shoulders right now but knowing that you made sure the souls of all the good were safe, just shows how even more wonderful of a husband and leader you are. Weather Boi would have never done such things.” 

Watching his reaction in taking her in she felt the corner of her lips turn up in a quirky smile. “Now that is the look I want to see in your eyes. One of love, not the threat of danger and worry.” She moved closer to rest her hand on his neck softly.  “You are so handsome.” She said to him taking him in before he muttered they needed to go. “I would follow you anywhere.” she said as she laced her fingers with his. As they made their way towards where they would be having dinner she took the seat and felt the glass of wine in her hand with a smile to the Nymph.

The next words that left his mouth shocked her though. She sat the glass down on the table and she arched her eyebrow. “You found Erebus? Does he know who he is? I don’t remember news of random darkness spreading through the world when I was there.” Then she wondered for a moment in silence. “Is he here? Or?” She sighed before picking up the glass once again. “You can’t do this alone anymore Hades, Fill me in on everything that has happened since we have been apart. Please. Let me help. Let us rule together.” she gave a gentle frown on her lips hoping it would push him over the edge.

[H A D E S - Council]

She did not flinch at the mention of Elysium's souls making him want to hope his thoughts of Adonis were just him being paranoid. He knew better than to be hopeful however as it has never been his friend and in fact, was most times his enemy. His thoughts were beating him up and ruining their reunion and they always did that, filling his mind with despair and making him distant from everyone in his life, especially his wife. He sank in his seat ever so slightly as he sipped his wine before mentally cursing because he needed some stronger spirits. He placed his drink down to rub the bridge of his nose and huffed in an attempt to relieve some of his stress but it did not help at all. 

Everything, tell her everything? Could I do that? Where would I begin? Because telling her everything would mean going back to the beginning and that would reveal my part in this war. An ugly truth I did not want her to know lest she starts to look at me differently; even sitting here and now thinking of it made my heart palpitate and ache in such a way I needed to clear my throat and shift in my spot. "As of now, Erey is in an infirmary with no recollection of who he is.  I shall get him out tomorrow and ease him into his truth." I gently say looking down at the plate the flower nymph placed before me. Everything, that thought will not leave my mind and maybe it is due to the fact I truly can not do what she asked of me. Her frown... I... I did not see that before as I was not looking at her until just now and my already aching heart fell deep into the pit of my belly. Was she disappointed in me? I failed. I look away again as my brow nits together and my jaw tightens. Maybe... My father was right about me all along.

Hades for a while sat in silence without eating, speaking or drinking, once more lost in the abyss of his mind somewhere. Wallowing in his guilt and shame all while he should be overjoyed to have his wife back and he was! He thus far was just doing a terrible job at showing her he was or that without her he would have given up on all of these realms and responsibilities already to just focus on the underworld alone. Alone, ahh the new thought entered his mind to haunt him instead of everything now. He had done this to himself and their relationship all on his own, alone. Alone was he when every eternal fell and alone was he now in his feelings and thoughts sitting across from his love.

"What do you know of Eternals from other cultures?" I broke the silence with a serious tone as I began to eat without ever looking her way. "The secret garden you built here years ago, the one with the fence to keep the dogs, and everyone and things out is currently housing a chaos goddess, from Egypt." I said matter of factly as I looked at her and ate, I had decided that since I could not tell her everything I would distract her with this. "She is called Hathor, or at least she would be if her counterpart Sekhmet was not in control as of now. She is... Tied up and bound within your garden being kept weakened and tamed by whatever you had growing in there." I spoke as I tried to make out her expression because while this was to avoid telling her everything it was also giving her an important job. "I can not figure out how to make her dormant outside of your garden, as it is we crash landed in there by accident and it helped me win the fight with her at the moment but the second she escapes the battle is back on and Gaia help us all." I huffed because that escape was the last thing I needed as I was tired and getting weaker while losing sleep to fix the world.

[Persephone]

Persephone was one to notice subtle changes especially when it comes to Hades. Being his wife she learned his mood swings were not what everyone else made them out to be. “For someone being reunited with his wife, you are very much in the throes of despair.” She called him out as she picked up her wine and moved to sip from it slowly. “Maybe it was too much to bring me back? I am just another burden upon them all.” She said softly as she watched him rub his nose and seemed to be more stressed than before. She stared at him and his silence for a moment before feeling all appetite drain from her. She was only making his life and duty harder.

When he finally broke the silence on Erey she gave a nod of her head towards him. “If you want me there let me know. If not, I will wait where you wish.” She looked away from him deep in her own thoughts at that moment. All she had ever wanted was to be his partner and help him through the pains of the world they had both shared. Yet it seemed she got there all she was doing was making his jobs harder. Was it selfish of her to want to be there with him? Was it selfish of her to keep her memory. She sighed as she looked to the plate feeling the pain in her chest of realizing all she really was, was a burden.

More Silence. Everything about silence drove her mad. She felt like she couldn’t do anything but hurt him. The tears were starting to swell in her eyes and she was about to ask what he thought would be best? If she returned without her memory so he could not have to worry about her being a burden anymore or for her to recuse herself to Elysium but he broke the silence first. She leaned her head up to blink back the tears and hoped that her voice wasn’t too shaky so she spoke softly. “Not much. I know mentions of them from my mother as I grew up but past that nothing.” She answered honestly as she watched them.

“Egyptian goddess in the garden?” She said confused before raising a brow towards her husband and what he was talking about. “Right.” She fully understood then in that moment what Hades needed from her, what she had to provide in order to be useful and not a burden to his life now. “I will go visit with Hathor who has a counterpart named Sekhmet ruling her. Maybe I could figure out how to help. I am sure if I find the right plant it will be the key.” She said as she picked up a piece of the food and ate it. “It will help me get out of your way. After I help, I can go back and leave you in peace.” She said softly as she didn’t look at him.

[H A D E S - Council]

She took the bait he laid before her but was it a mistake? The words that followed were more painful to him than any war, battle or torture that he had lived through prior and the pain spurred on his anger. He stopped eating "leave?" he said and all the flames throughout the whole realm blew out in the blink of an eye. Not a candle was left alight, the flower nymph that was serving them trembled and made herself scarce while in the distance the soft whimpers of all their dogs could be heard. It was pitch black but you could hear him place his knife and fork down on his plate with restraint and in that darkness, his eyes lit like blue fire becoming the only visible thing in the room. "Now, why would you leave?" he said sounding nothing like himself as his bass filled voice dripped with fury. 

I took a calming breath which caused the candles that once lit the room to simmer at a low.  Providing just enough light for us to see one another. I stared at her in wrathful silence "I said nothing of leaving."  I sneered at the very thought and in truth, I always had. I never wanted her to leave the first time around but for her safety as The Underworld was invaded and attacked her mother's garden was the last safe place for her to be then. "I have been....  Distant since you returned." I admitted trying to cool my quiet vexation. I swallowed hard. "You were gone a long time..." I opened my mouth to spew words of anger her way but they were just that. Meant to hurt her without any weight behind but that is not what I wanted.  So my mouth shut again and I sighed and rubbed my eyes before loosening my tie and sitting back in my seat. 

The fire in his eyes went out but the candles burn stayed low while all the rest of the realm remained in utter darkness. "You want to know everything but for just returned there is far too much to tell, too much to do and little time even for us Eternals." he, at last, said something heartfelt and not harsh, but the features on his face hardened. "But I fear if you leave we will never get back to where we once were as husband and wife and so, therefore we will never get better." he rose after speaking having lost his appetite.  "I have always made it clear that I never wanted to leave all those years ago but there was no other choice. IF I wanted you gone now I would have said so myself and I would not have brought you back here in the first place. So leaving is entirely your choice. But you can NEVER come back if you make that choice." he took one last harsh breath after his words, stared deep into his wife's eyes and then left. 

[Persephone]

✧ Seed of Darkness✧

Persephone at this point was just pushing the food around on her plate. Feeling unwelcomed by him hurt more than any stranger. He seemed to be pushing her for some kind of answer, yet she couldn’t read what that answer was. As all of the lights in the castle went out, she just kept her gaze on him. This had never affected her, she didn’t fear him like the others had. Watching the blue fire dance in his eyes showed that he didn’t want her gone, yet was he even sure of what he wanted. “You seem to be pushing for some kind of answers or something out of me, and all I can say is since you saved me yet again you seem to be unhappy with my presence here.” She finally spoke the words aloud. “I feel like an inconvenience and not your wife.” No fury in her words but only hurt.

When the candles once again lit up in the room her eyes still held his but the pain was there. They had been through so much, why did it feel like this was what was going to break the pair. When he admitted that he had been distant she poked at the food. “Yes you had been, though I guess I had fantasized about our reunion so much, maybe I was the only one.” She muttered at the end of it. She would be the first to admit she hadn’t a clue of what he had been going through alone, yet that wasn’t overly her fault either as he seemed to refuse to share. “I was gone a long time but not by choice you and my mother wouldn’t let me stay.” The fights they had over that before she was sent away, she was surprised he wanted to open that can of worms with his anger.

She watched him soften then harden, “You act as if I don’t know what has been going on, as if I am claiming this was all so easy for you. All those years I didn’t call you as I was on my own. Attacked, claimed to be a witch, R/aped.” she choked out knowing the man who had done it was a new god who somehow managed to out power and take advantage of her. “If it wasn’t for the fact the man was after me again hunting me down I couldn’t have called you to make your job so much easier.” She stood up picking up the plates. Tears flowed silently as she scrapped the plates into Cerberus bowls and she washed the plates.

“I don’t want to leave. This is my home. I want to be your wife and forget the horrors outside the hall. Please Hades.” She felt the tears rolling down her face as she kept her back to him. “I need you to show me you still love me. I don’t feel like an Eternal, I don’t feel like your wife, I don’t feel like anything, I just hoped coming home, you would remind me. I thought.” She sniffled as she turned, pressing her back into the slab of granite that was there, finally letting her eyes rest on him. Her cheeks tear stained knowing that the news of all she had been through would probably turn him from her. She was no longer his pure goddess, she was tainted by another, and by the world.