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amaziana · 21 days ago

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A hymn of Demeter retelling.

Demeter walked down the halls of Olympos as the first cold winds of winter swept through it. She could feel the scorn radiating from those she passed.

"A wicked old hag" someone muttered behind her.

"She's such a control freak" another said.

"I would not be surprised if her daughter actually ran away instead of being kidnapped."

Ignoring them, Demeter continued on her way head held high. She knew others had said those and much worse things about her behind her back, but she did not care.

Demeter still remembered the day she had stood in front of zeus' throne. Her chiton dirty and torn and her hair an unbraided mess. Behind her a trail of golden footprints of blood followed. Demeter had walked for so long that the skin of her feet had been stripped off. But even when each step had felt like she was walking upon a thousand needles, she had kept going. For her daughter. For Persephone.

Having found her daughter, Demeter stood in front of the king of the gods tired, but head still held high.

"What do you mean by no?" She asked him voice trembling with rage. Zeus sighed as if he was dealing with a petulant child and not the goddess of harvest.

"I will not make your daughters marriage void." King of the gods said.

"Marriage?" Demeter asked, "you call that abomination a marriage? Hades kidnapped my daughter! Took her against her will and that is what you call a marriage?"

"Just as the other realms, the underworld needs a queen. For too long it has been without a one and as such is falling to a disarray. So no, Demeter, I will not return your daughter to you. In fact I don't see your issue. Your daughter is a queen now. Should you not be happy she has secured such a prestigious marriage?" Zeus answered. Demeter balled her hands into fists.

"Persephone is a queen against her will. She has a husband she did not ask for. How could I be happy that she was stripped of a choice in those matters?" She hissed. At that point Zeus was clearly annoyed.

"The situation is not ideal." He admitted "but it will not change. Persephone will remain Hades' wife and the queen of his realm." Demeter could feel her eyes stinging.

"She is my daughter! My life! I will not allow her to be treated like this!" She screamed.

"Enough!" Zeus bellwoed. Thunder crashed outside the room. "I am the girl's father! It is my right to choose her husband and I have chosen Hades! It is not your or her place to go against my word on this!" Demeter felt the ichor in her veins turn to ice. Zeus had known. All this time he had known. He had told Hades to take Persephone without saying a word about it to the girl herself or her mother.

After the realisation came rage. All consuming rage she had not felt before, not even when the man before her had chased her, ignored all her pleas and cries and taken her against her will.

"You are not her father." Demer whispered. "She has no father. She only has her mother, me. And I will not stand for this. You will bring her back to me. Until you do so, no plant will grow. No fruit will ripen. No harvest shall be reaped. I will keep the earth barren until Persephone is back home." Zeus stared her as if she had lost her mind.

"If you do so you will kill thousands upon thousands of mortals. There will be no one left to worship us and we would fade into nothingness. All that over a girl fulfilling her role in life?" He asked. Demeter raised her chin. Tears were now streaming down her face and blood dripped from her palms where the nails had pierced the skin.

"The girl you talk about is my daughter" ,she said, "I would to anything to protect her and her happiness." After that she had turned away and limped away from Zeus leaving a trail of blood and tears behind her.

The first one to come was Athena. Demeter was not surprised to see her emerge from the shadows the oak trees clad in full armour as always. Despite her attire her face was not warlike but rather sad.

"You come later than I expected." Demeter croaked as Athena approached the giant oak under wich she sat.

"It is because I did not want to." The goddess of wisdom answered.

"But you had no choice." Demeter said. Athena nodded solemnly.

"Zeus is my father and my king. When he commands me, I must do as he says."

"If he commanded you to marry against your will, would you?" Demeter asked her. The other woman shuddered.

"He wouldn't" she answered, "I am too valuable to be given away. But if he would...I would rebel."

"Then you understand why I cannot give up my daughter." Demeter said bitterly. Athena did not argue. She only nodded and said:

"I would not expect you to. But I hope you can forgive me. As you said, I had no choice."

Demeter looked the younger goddess in the eyes.

"As you didn't with medusa." She said quietly. Athena lowered her gaze.

"As I didn't have with medusa." She whispered. Demeter laid back against the oak and closed her eyes.

"Do you know who he will send next?"she asked. Athena shrugged her shoulders.

"I know he tried to get Artemis to talk to you. However, she refused and has not since talked to him. She is the protector of young women after all." She said. Demeter nodded.

"Well, you can tell him talking to me is useless. I will stop this only after Persephone is free." Athena bowed her head.

"I will." She said.

The next one turned out to be Hermes. He came three moons after Demeter's declaration.

"This has to stop Demeter. Mortals are dying like flies. If you keep this up, we will all perish." He said. Demeter looked at him with disinterest.

"You visit the underworld often, do you not Hermes?" She asked. He nodded.

"I do and thus I see the souls that have perished due to your grief. There are thousands of them Demeter. Do you truly want all this suffering?"

"Tell me Hermes", Demeter continued ignoring him, "have you seen my daughter? Is she happy there?" Hermes hesitated before answering:

"She...is not as sad as she was in the beining. She has taken some interest the affairs of the underworld."

"And when the night comes? Does she seek the company of the man who brought her there? Does she dine with him? Do they converse with each other? Does he make her happy?"

"When the night falls, your daughter locks her door and cries herself to sleep. If Hades comes close she flees. She has no one to talk to but me on the occasions I visit." Hermes admitted. Demeter raised her head to look at him.

"Then I will not relent. I will not have my daughter wither away when she has all the right to flourish."

"Even if costs us all our lives?"

Demeter laughed bitterly. It was a dry, croacking laugh that sounded like more like a crow than a goddess.

"Why should I care about the rest of the gods? I have suffered in the hands of both Zeus and Poseidon. For eons I have slaved away keeping the earth fertile to feed the mortals that worship us. All the while the rest of you have slaughtered them in thousands. I have not said a word of complaint during any of this. I endured it silently, because it was my duty. My only delight was my sweet daughter. I swore to give her a better life than I have and yet I failed to protect her from Hades. I might not be able to undo what has been done but I will condemn my self into Tartarus for the rest of existence before I stop fighting for her happiness. So no. I do not care for the rest of you. I will no longer bow and bend to keep you happy. After all, when have you done the same for me?"

For a moment Hermes looked at her silently. Then he bowed and said:

"I will tell this to the king."

Finally, after six months, Hera finally appeared.

"Sister." The queen of the gods said as she came before Demeter. By now it was hard to tell the goddess of harvest apart from her surroundings. She was all sickly pale skin and bones. Her hair looked like dried twigs and her eyes were dull and tired.

"Sister." She greeted Hera back. By now her voice was barely a whisper.

“You need to end this.” Hera said softly. “You are not helping your daughter. You are just killing us.”

Demeter looked at Hera with her dull, lifeless eyes. She had run out teras to shed long ago but the sadness in her eyes was still clear as ever.

“Tell me,” She asked, “If you could go back in time, would you still mary your husband knowing what you know now?”

Hera sighed heavily. She sat down besides her sister.

“It doesn’t matter what I would or wouldn’t do. Zeus is my husband and nothing can change that. I just have to live with it and make most of my situation. After all, it is not a bad one. I am the queen of gods. I have possibilities and privileges any goddess or mortal queen can only dream of. And I do love my husband.”

“Even after everything he has done?” Hera nodded.

“Yes. Even after everything. It hurts. Sometimes I wish I didn’t, but I can’t help it. And I know that he too loves me no matter what he does.” She answered.

Demeter tilted her head.

“But it makes you angry. Then you kill his lovers and you fight.”

Hera closed her eyes.

“I’m not proud of it. Every time I swear to myself that I won’t do it again, but in my anger I forget it. Every time.”

“So you two are stuck. Doing it over and over again. More and more tears, more and more dead mortals. Is that the future you want for my daughter?”

“This is not up to what I want. This is simply the way things are. That is our lot in life as women. Your daughter is no expectation.” Hera answered. Demeter hummed. She too closed her eyes.

“I don’t care.”

The two women sat in silence. The only sound was the wind swinging the dry, dead branches above them.

After a while Hera said quietly:

“Ares asked me to tell you that he is ready to march into the underworld to get your daughter. You’d only need to ask.”

If Demeter could, she would have smiled.

“That would be pointless. However, I do appreciate it.”

“He is vehemently against his fathers judgement on this. Do you remember Alcippe? He is almost as angry now as he was then.” Hera said.

Demeter raised her brows.

“Is he now?”

She did remember the case. Ares’ daughter had been attacked by Poseidon’s son and Ares had killed him. Poseidon had dragged Ares in front of other gods and demanded justice for his son. Zeus had been ready to grant it, but Demeter, Hera, Hestia and other goddesses had spoken against it. In the end, Ares’ had been punished, but only lightly.

Hera smiled, pride in her eyes.

“Ares, Artemis and many others have left Olympos as a protest. Many who stayed would have wanted to follow them, but couldn’t.”

If Demeter had had any tears left, she would have cried. She had not expected sympathy from others, much less that they defy the king of the gods for her and her daughter.

“Thank you Hera, for bringing me these news.” Demeter said. “But you can go back now and tell Zeus that I’m not yielding. The earth will remain barren until Persephone is back home.”

Hera sighed.

“I knew you were going to stand your ground.” she said. “But I had to try.”

For Demeter’s surprise, two weeks later Iris, Hera’s messenger, came to see her.

“I did not expect you.” Demeter said. Iris bowed her head.

“I come bearing a message my lady.” She said. “From the king of the gods.” Demeter raised her eyebrows.

“I thought you served the queen. Shouldn’t Hermes be the one to bring his command to yield?” she asked. Iris shook her head.

“Hermes couldn’t come as he was needed in the underworld. After all, only he can guide our daughter back to the world of the living.”

Demeter's immortal hearth, that had stopped beating a while ago, jumped. For the first time in six months she felt something other than desperate rage or all consuming numbness. A feeling of fearful hope was slowly rising it’s head.

“Is Presephone… is she being freed?” Demeter asked. Iris nodded.

“Yes my lady. The king of the gods has yielded and ordered Persphone be returned to you. I’m here to take you to her.”

A smile made it’s way to Demeter’s face. It was painful and awkward and it made her dry lips bleed, but never before had her smile been as genuine and joyful. She tried to stand up, but her legs, weak from months of not being used, gave up under her.

“Quick!” she rasped at Iris, “Help me up. Take me to see my daughter!”

A little while later Demeter arrived at a cave entrance. Zeus and Hera waited for her there. Zeus looked at her with scorn.

“Are you satisfied now?” he asked. “You have killed thousands and brought us gods to the brink of destruction with your tantrum just to break up a marriage.” Demeter shook her head.

“I’m satisfied when I see Persephone in front of me safe and sound.” she answered.

“Well, you’re about get that.” Zeus grumbled. “And the moment you do, you better let earth bear fruit again.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” Demeter said without paying too much attention to the man scowling at her. Her gaze was fixated on the cave, waiting for the girl she loved more than the whole world and life it self.

They waited silently for a while. Then, as Demeter was getting anxious, a girl stepped into view.

“Mother!” She cried and rushed to Demeter.

“Persephone!” Demeter ran to meet her daughter, all exhaustion forgotten. When Persephone's feet touched the living ground, the yellow dead grass turned green and lively. Flowers, snowdrops, crocuses and irises, burst from the ground with each step.

Mother and daughter met in an embrace. For a while they just hugged each other and cried. The earth around them woke and started blooming.

Then Demeter pulled away and took her daughters face between her hands.

“Let me look at you.” She whispered. Persephone laid her hands on top of her mothers and stood weeping silently, as her mother observed her.

Persephone had changed. She was still young and beautiful, but she wasn’t as full of life as she used to be. Her skin was white, her freckles were gone and she had gotten thinner. But her eyes had new determination in them. Her gaze was harder and her demeanor more self assured. Demeter’s heart broke a little when she realized that her daughter looked more like a woman than a girl now. She had always known that the day would come, but it did not make it any easier to accept that her daughter wasn’t a little girl anymore.

“You’re home.” Demeter whispered, tears falling from her eyes. “Really home.” Persephone smiled and pulled Demeter back into a hug.

The happy reunion was interrupted when somebody cleared their throat. Hermes had emerged from the cave looking worried.

“There is something we need to discuss.” he said avoiding Demetr’s gaze. Demeter felt cold all of a sudden.

“What is it?” She asked.

“While in the underworld, Persephone ate pomegranate seeds. As such she is bound to my realm.” Hades had followed Persephone and Hermes from the cave.

“YOU!” Demeter shrieked and squeezed Persephone closer to herself. “You’re lying!”

“He’s not mother.” Persephone whispered. “I ate six seeds. One every month. I was so hungry.” New tears filled Persephone's eyes and her shoulders started shaking as sobs made their way up her throat.

Demeter stroked her hair soothingly while staring at Hades with burning rage.

“You will NOT have my daughter.” She declared. “You have no right to her. I will destroy the world before I let you touch her again against her will.”

“Demeter!” Zeus said. “You already have gone far enough! There are rules even us gods cannot break!”

“And I will go even further!” Demeter hissed. “I wont let anyone hurt my daughter ever again!”

“But by the law of the cosmos she, like anyone, is bound to the underworld after consuming it’s food!” Zeus roared.

“I don’t give a damn about the cosmos or it’s rules!” Demeter shouted back. “If you force my daughter to go back, I will starve the world to death.”

Demeter and Zeus glared at each other. The skies turned dark and the rumbling of thunder could be heard. The atmosphere grew colder and thorny bushes started to emerge from the grounds. Then, Hermes stepped forward.

“If I may, I might have a solution.” he said. All the gods turned to look at him.

“Persephone ate six seeds. If she stays six months in the underworld and six months in the land of the living, the law of the cosmos will not be broken and Demeter gets to have her daughter back.” Zeus seemed thoughtful for a moment.

“It could work.” he said.

“No.” Demeter said. “I will not subject my daughter to any more misery.” Zeus sighed.

“Don’t you see? This is the only way to keep everyone happy!”

“Is it?” Demeter hissed. “Do you really think…” Persephone interrupted her.

“Mother.” she whispered. “I will do it. I want to do it.”

Demeter looked at her daughter shocked.

“Are you sure?” Persephone nodded.

“As long as I can come home.” she said. “While I was…down there, I learned a lot. There are so many dead who are lost and I could help them. I want to keep helping them.” she explained.

“Are you sure?” Demeter asked. Persephone nodded.

“It’s just…I don’t want him to… to…”

Demeter kissed her daughters hair.

“I will make sure he will leave you alone.” she whispered. Then she turned to look at Hades.

“Persephone will be the queen of the underworld.” Demeter declared. “But she will not be your queen, Hades. She will rule in her own right, be her own mistress and won’t be subject to your whims or wants. You will make the decisions concerning your kingdom together with her, for it will be as much hers as it is yours. You will not take her to bed, touch her or even speak to her without her permission. You will not be unfaithful to her or make her cry. You will respect and honour her and hold anyone entering your realm to the same standards. When the six months of her time with you are up, you will not try to hinder her departure. If I hear even a whisper of you breaking these conditions, I will freeze the earth and flood your kingdom with dead mortals until you drown yourself in the river of misery. This I swear on the river styx.”

“Don’t be crazy!” Zeus shouted, but Demeter hadn’t finished.

“And as a reminder to you and all the other gods, for those six months Persephone spends ruling the underworld, I will forbid anything from growing. Only when my daughter returns will I let the earth to bear fruit again.”

Persephone smiled.

“Thank you mother.” She whispered. Demeter stroked her hair and kissed it again.

“I would to anything for you, my daughter. Now, shall we go home?”

It had been almost two millennials since Persephone had become the queen of the underworld in her own right. Since then, a respect had grown between her and Hades. Persephone had confided in her mother and told her, that she wasn’t sure if she loved her husband, but that they got along with each other well enough. She no longer feared him, due to the reassurance her mother had given her.

Their relationship was so good, that some, who hadn’t lived during the time of the abduction, had started to doubt wether Persephone had truly ever been kidnapped. They had started seeing Demeter as a hag of a mother, who had smothered her daughter until she had ran away and Hades as a liberator, who had given Persephone her freedom. Demeter knew that Zeus, still bitter from having to yield in front of her rage, liked to feed these rumors.

But Demeter didn’t care. The way younger gods, nymphs and spirits saw her didn’t matter. Not when Persephone was safe, free and happy.

When Demeter now looked at her daughter, she felt tears filling her eyes. She was incredibly proud if the woman and queen her daughter had become, but could not help missing the girl she had been. But at the end of the day, Persephone was happy and that was all that mattered to Demeter.

So others could talk and glare at her all they wanted. Demeter would let the world freeze over a thousand times for her daughter and not regret it for a moment.

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