#which makes so happy to realize Hestia is on Persephone side and only wants the best for her

[monstrumpuella]

Control does not equal Love

[percabeth4life]

Not a relationship, but how would you do Percy hosting Kronos and then the Titans winning?

Hmm, okay so to start with this I would actually have Kronos good at manipulation.

Like book one is the sweet spot here. Percy has just learned about the Gods, he doesn't have any real connections to the Godly world and they're screwing him over right then. His life is being threatened for a crime he didn't commit, the camp has basically abandoned him, Hades stole his mom, and Poseidon appears to have only claimed him so he can do his dirty work.

Frankly, if Rick had written Kronos even slightly competent in manipulation then Percy would've been on his side. Like canonically there was basically nothing keeping Percy on the Gods side right then.

So Kronos speaks sweet words and promises, shows Percy how good things to be under his rule, promises to save his mom, talks up how bad the Gods are. He reassures Percy that he doesn't want death, he just wants to replace the Gods with their faulty rule. He goes on and on about all the improvements he'd make (talking animals! Plenty of food for all! No painful deaths! Peaceful afterlives!) and coaxes Percy gently to his side.

Then when Percy returns to camp and is loved, he acts all comforting. He talks about how he's so sorry Percy now has to deal with the people that abandoned him prior. And now they pretend to have been his friends? Oh wow that shroud they made for you... I'm so sorry, you deserve better. You deserve people who care.

Luke is of course assigned to stick close to Percy and be kind and supportive and to subtle talk down the camp and the people.

Then at the end of book 1, he has Luke offer Percy a position by his side instead of the pit scorpion scene. And frankly, with all the manipulation going on prior, Percy is on board.

So then Percy is by their side, and that means things like... the fleece don't work. Percy was the reason that succeeded after all. So maybe the Titan's get the fleece and that speeds up Kronos' recovery. Also Clarisse and Grover may die there (could die there, we could kill them now because how would they escape without Annabeth and Percy? And how would Annabeth get there without Percy gaining the attention he did?), but we'll say that they manage to escape thanks to their own clever skills. It's a close thing though.

And the quest in book three... well honestly they probably wouldn't have caught Thorn taking the kids without Percy so jot that down as another fail. And now two more big three kids are on the Titan's side (we get Kronos scolding Thorn for taking them by force, he was supposed to be kind. Percy is a reassuring presence, just a bit older and more than happy to talk about how things are great here).

And well, maybe the quest still happens in book 3, maybe not. Maybe Artemis decides to go off looking for the cause of whatever monster is stirring (maybe she's noticed, maybe there are rumors, maybe the Ophiotaurus dies in the ocean without Percy to rescue it).

We'll say that Artemis does go, she's wanting proof for the council that they need to mobilize. The Titans ask a girl demigod on their team to hold up the sky just for a few minutes, three at most, then shove Artemis in there and Artemis saves her and takes the sky.

So a quest is sent out, only this time Percy and Bianca aren't there, so it's only three sent on the quest. Or maybe Annabeth goes too. And it goes alright... except it doesn't also. You could say they get defeated in the museum (but we'll say they figure it out). They have no warning for the skeletons but they can see them so they flee. No Bianca means no issue in Hephaestus' junkyard so no death there. They have to walk to the dam which could slow them down. There's no one to catch Mr. Ocean shape shifter so they just have to go to the garden (they never find out what happened to the Ophiotaurus, maybe he died, maybe he's in a lovely tank with the Titan's because they need Percy and Percy wants him to live so he'll live).

And without Percy to hold the sky, Artemis is still trapped.

At this point Kronos has had the fleece for 6 months, and that thing can work miracles. Combine that with the people still joining... well Perhaps he's all ready now.

Perhaps who steps out is not Percy, but Kronos in Percy's body.

So they're facing two Titans, not one. None of them escape.

The Titan's now hold all the possible prophecy children.

And that's the end of it for the Gods. They have a missing Goddess, all the prophecy children missing, the lieutenant of the hunt missing, and Camp's main strategist missing.

They don't realize until the camp is under siege that there's an opening. Camp falls quickly, because there was no Percy and Annabeth to find the Labyrinth. No quest to find out what was going on with their enemies. Daedalus has no second thoughts.

Camp falls with Kronos waltzing in and taking over. Atlas is by his side. It's quick and brutal (but maybe not fatal for the camp, Kronos wants followers after all, killing them is counterproductive). He puts Atlas in charge there, keep them alive Atlas, and then plans to go on Olympus.

There is no Typhoon this time, no Percy to awaken him. So things are a bit harder, but also easier. Kronos can cause his own distractions afterall, and Poseidon is still trapped in the ocean battling Okeanus.

Kronos is more than capable of mimicking that situation and splitting up the Gods. Hades won't interfere, not without Nico, and Demeter and Persephone are with him. Hestia isn't a warrior. Poseidon is in the ocean. That leaves Hera and Zeus on Olympus to fight as the big six, and then the other Olympians (minus Artemis).

Hermes may go to Luke if Luke calls, how easy would that trap be to set? So Hermes is caught by Luke when Luke lies to him about having second thoughts.

Kronos targets Apollo personally because Apollo is a dangerous God to have out and about. He's put next to his sister (and takes the burden for her but she's exhausted and weakened and they're both caught still).

Before they march on Olympus Kronos is healed enough to take his own form, he leaves Percy (leaves him alive too, Percy has been such a helpful minion after all, he gets rewarded) and takes shape. He marches on Olympus himself, his forces by his side.

Percy and Luke as his right hand men.

And Olympus falls.

[sageandstudies]

Dinner Hosting: Cottage Witch Style!

With how busy life has been lately, I’ve found myself resorting to a lot of low intensity witchcraft. These past two days, however, had me upping my ante quite a bit! A planned dinner at my fiance and I’s new home with their parents was scheduled for last night, and I had to get the house in order–physically and not-so-physically. So, I fell back on what I know best: Cottage witchery. 

My cottage witchery is a mix of household witchery, green witchery, and kitchen witchery–with deity work thrown in since I often dedicate certain aspects of it to my deities. Most of the time it’s simple things: Enchant the laundry detergent, sweep away the bad intentions, make a conflict-busting meal, grind up some fresh dried rosemary I grew myself. (Seriously, if you’ve never done this, do it. It’s so nice to see your work!) 

For hosting guests, however, I tend to build the intensity a bit more. After all, if you’re having guests, why not impress? Here’s what I did to host an incredibly successful dinner: Cottage witch style!

Step One: Appearances

The first step to hosting, with a witchy approach or not, is appearances. You don’t want lots of (bad) clutter hanging around your house while you’re trying to host! For us, this meant finally unpacking the rest of our boxes and cleaning out our entry way. We’d previously been stashing things to go in the attic in our entry way, as well as boxes to be broken down and recycled. We also had lots of normal household clutter to deal with after that–paint supplies left out from projects past, magazines and mail left lying about forgotten, the usual lived in clutter that a house collects over time. 

Clear away all this clutter, and as you do focus on how you’re moving out the stagnant energies and making room for new, brighter energy to flow through. Kick up some dust, let there be less things to cast shadows, and feel how more open your house feels. We noticed it felt like our entry way had doubled in size when we finally cleared it out! This was especially important since our dining room is just to the side of the entry way, and that’s where I was to be concentrating my hosting on. 

You can stop here, or you can go the extra mile! I further added to the overall “appearance” of the house by getting rid of any dirt I could find–including dirty dishes. The only dishes in the sink by the end of the night were the ones I’d used to cook and serve on. The bathroom was tidied up and wiped down, all the glass and windows were cleaned, and decorations were added–a golden table cloth, white ruffled place settings, and three tealights in bright yellow candle holders were added to the table. Our throw blankets on the couch were folded and placed for aesthetics. We even organized the couch and the crafts table in the lounge to assure everything looked put together. 

Then I got to work tantalizing the other senses. 

Step Two: Cleansing

I tied this step in with keeping up appearances, but specifically came at this with a cottage witch’s touch. I went to each room I considered to be a likely place that I’d spend some time in with our guests and set up a corresponding incense and incense holder. The entry way got a brown holder with sage incense, the kitchen got much the same (just a different shade of brown.) Our lounge got my yellow incense holder and some lavender incense. Our bathroom got a green incense holder and a stick of sandalwood incense. 

The browns were intended to be grounding and homely, inviting that comfort-of-your-own-home feeling into the house. They also are the burners I use most often for Hestia and Persephone, which was important to me since I was asking for their assistance in making my home feel open, welcoming, joy filled and light. The sage incense was intended to help cleanse the area of any leftover stagnant energy from the decluttering and cleaning. 

For the lounge room, I chose Apollo’s incense burner and offered him up a new incense that I personally enjoyed, and hoped he’d enjoy too. I asked for his assistance in bringing joy to the home, and with some help keeping me calm during it all. I also chose lavender knowing if we ended up in the lounge it would be for some relaxation and games, and wanted to bring that energy to the room early. Though we didn’t end up there til after the guest’s left, the calming energies definitely helped us all to wind down. 

For the bathroom, I chose my green incense burner for two reasons: I couldn’t find Aphrodite’s usual one, and I’ve always associated green with freshness. I set it out on our sink to burn some sandalwood incense to cleanse the space and to freshen up it’s energies so that anyone who used it could feel refreshed coming out. 

Along with the incense, I burned candles in the entry way, kitchen and bathroom–one for Persephone, one for Hestia and one for Aphrodite. I offered up the energy from the candles to them in exchange for their assistance, as I often do. (It worked, if you’re curious!) Then I let the candles burn until about thirty minutes before guests were due to arrive. With all the energies in the house, I could tell the difference from before, but I still wasn’t done. 

Step Three: Blessing 

Before I started cooking, I blessed the room we were going to be congregating in. Blessing a room just on its own can transform the energies within, but with all the energies already buzzing through the house I wanted to capitalize even further and really, really impress. 

The blessing I use is from Ellen Dugan’s book Cottage Witchery: Natural Magick for Hearth and Home. It calls upon the four elements to bless what she refers to as “the heart of your home.” For our house, I’d consider this our lounge and our dining room, since most congregating happens in those rooms. It’s a simple blessing, one that uses a dish of salt (for earth and prosperity), a dish of water (for water and love), a stick of incense (for air and knowledge), and a red candle (for fire and courage.) I gathered my items (and my grimoire, where the blessing is written down!) and set myself at the dining room table while my fiance and roommate finished tidying up the kitchen. 

I began in the East, as instructed, moving clockwise around the space, first sprinkling salt in each corner, then wafting incense around the perimeter, following up with sprinkling water about the perimeter. When I finished, I settled in front of the candle and began to visualize the residents of the house (including myself) receiving the blessings of each of the elements: Prosperity, knowledge, love and courage. I meditated on this for a good five to ten minutes (do however long you feel you need!) before continuing with the blessing. “Elements four I call, release now your power, As I bless my home in this magickal hour, No negativity can enter, no spirits shall roam, As I consecrate and protect the heart of my home.” I circled my finger around the candle, spiraling it upward in faster and faster motions, visualizing pulling the energy from the blessing through it before flinging it out into the room. I then closed the blessing: “This home is now blessed by my will and desire, I close this spell by earth, air, water and fire.” 

I blew out the candle, since I’d need it to bless the lounge at a later date, and allowed the incense to burn out on its own before removing it (and brushing away the stray dust from the table–oops!)

Step Four: The Food

This is where my kitchen and green witch focuses came into play! Since I tie them both intrinsically to my cottage witchcraft, I consider them a large part of why this dinner went as well as it did. From choosing the right recipe that everyone can enjoy, to choosing the best ingredients, the main event of your dinner should be the food. 

For our dinner, it was rosemary chicken with roasted red potatoes, roasted broccoli and garlic, and cheddar drop biscuits. While I admit I chose the food largely on taste (and dietary restrictions of guests) alone, when it came time to prep it I realized I had myself a great plethora of magickal possibilities. The rosemary alone was extremely versatile, but all the seasonings together were amazing! 

I picked the rosemary for the dinner myself from our garden, drying what needed to be dried and coarsely chopping what needed to be fresh. As I worked with it, I imbued it with energy, using it to raise the effects of the other ingredients it went with. This would be used in the chicken and the potatoes. The chicken became a rockin’ negativity buster, with garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, pink himalayan salt and black pepper. The potatoes were great for a grounding meal, with a simple palette of fresh rosemary, pink himalayan salt and black pepper. The broccoli was also a nice, simple magickal addition that I used to repel any awkwardness from the table: Garlic, pink himalayan salt and black pepper. Finally I enchanted the biscuits to bring a “fluffy” mood to the table: Happiness galore! 

Not only did the meal come out amazing–if how quickly it disappeared was any indication–but the enchantments definitely worked. Cooking with magickal intent in mind tied to the ingredients–whether the associations be classic or UPG–can add that extra, magickal kick to your dinner that can turn a good time into a great one. And remember: Any meal can be magickal.

Step Five: The Presentation

Break out your best dinnerware and get ready to impress. I knew I wanted things to look cohesive for my dinner, and I chose accordingly. Our plates are easy to match: White with black rims, some black rims with additional olive green detailing. They could go with anything at all. Since I wanted the extra, homely touch I chose to use the dinnerware that my roommate’s aunt made herself. You wouldn’t see them anywhere else, and the handmade touch is something I consider a huge part of cottage witchery. Two jugs held lemonade and iced peach tea respectively, two platters were placed (one for chicken, one for broccoli), a bowl sat in the center of the platters for the potatoes, and in a cute, red tin basket we placed a green and white checkered towel and the biscuits. 

Our guests were impressed with the dinnerware, and the ability to add in the homemade energies to the dinner table went a long way with making everything feel nice, open and comforting. If you want similar, but don’t have anything homemade on hand (because let’s be real, having access to homemade ceramic dinnerware? Kind of expensive to come by if you don’t know someone.) you can go a long way by choosing color and appearance. Tin, wicker, and “hand painted” things can bring a little cottage to your table. You’d be surprised just how even the smallest thing–like a checkered towel in a tin–can make something look that much cuter. 

Don’t like the classic cottage look? One of my favorite things in our house is our cheap plasticware. It’s bright blue and green and so gaudy I adore it. It’s much more modern looking as well. I used them when I want to brighten up dinner time and add a bit of extra happiness. Color magick can go a long way for what you use to serve! Don’t be afraid to get creative with it if traditional isn’t your thing.

Step 6: Enjoy!

The most important thing with this is to be happy with it and enjoy yourself. If something goes wrong, just breathe. You can even joke about it with your guests. We’re all human, and we’ve all made mistakes. If we learn to laugh about them, and not stress, we can spend a lot less time feeling negative. Smile, be open, be grateful for your company and all the hard work you did!

Have a fun conversation, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Pull out a card game when the dinner is over, or a board game! We played Phase 10 when we were all done eating and conversing and we had a blast. I got a call today from my fiance’s mother thanking us again, complimenting the food and letting me know she hopes we can do it again some time. So just remember to smile. Sometimes the thing that makes the biggest difference is you!

[dork-empress]

Life, Love, and Death

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (here), Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8 

Read on A03

Are you ready for some fluff?

Persephone didn’t like unpleasant feelings. She didn’t like when her mother yelled at her, she didn’t like when people died, she didn’t like when people hurt others needlessly, or destroyed beautiful flowers or anything like that.

But at least when those things happened she could pinpoint as to why she didn’t like it. She lived by a code of morals, more so than some Gods, so it’d make sense. Not knowing, not understanding why she was upset was frustrating.

She had always liked her Aunt Hestia. Well, she didn’t know her that well, but when she met they got along. She was easy going and kind.

Not unlike Hades, a voice in her head thought, and that made her frown all the more.

Hades approached her, “So,” he said awkwardly, “How--how are you?”

She hummed idly, still thinking over her unpleasant feelings. Cerberus had rolled over, allowing her to stroke his belly.

“I’m sorry about Hestia. She means well, she just can be...curious, sometimes.”

“Mmhmm,” Persephone said, her mood dipping further, and a question hanging in her mind.

Hades swallowed awkwardly, “She brought something. Well, delivered, I suppose is more accurate, on her way here.”

“Does she come often?” Persephone asked.

Hades frowned, pausing in taking out whatever it was that Hestia delivered. “Every once in a while,” He said, “Why?”

Persephone wasn’t quite sure how to ask her next question, but figured it was best to just blurt it out. “Are you going to marry her?”

“WHAT?” He asked, showing more confusion and surprise than she’d ever seen. Of course, he may be overacting to sell it, “I...of course not, why would you--”

“Zeus is married to his sister,” Persephone said, absentmindedly still stroking Cerberus, “And my mother and Zeus are siblings and they had me. It would make sense if you wanted to marry your sister as well, someone who was quiet, like you….who wouldn’t get in the way of your duties and such.”

“Persephone...Hestia’s sworn a vow of virginity.”

“Doesn’t mean she can’t marry someone,” Persephone said, “Just couldn’t...consummate, I suppose. And it’s not like you would mind.” He had never shown any interest in the women or men who offered themselves to him.

Hades sighed, “Perhaps not,” he stepped closer to her, “But I have no interest in marrying Hestia. Nor she any interest in marrying me.”

A touch of the unpleasant feelings Persephone felt lifted just slightly. “You don’t?”

“No of course not!” Hades said, still a bit at a loss of his own control, “I want to marry you!”

They both froze, staring at one another, and they both watched as the other processed exactly what Hades had said.

They were only interrupted when Cerberus got confused as to why he was not still being petted and so one head sniffed at Persephone, while another licked Hades with his giant slobbery tongue. “Augh!” he said, backing away, “That,” he started wiping himself off as best he could, “That...really isn’t how I wanted to tell you, I...I mean I didn’t--”

“You want to court me?” Persephone asked, the unpleasant feeling in her stomach evaporating, leaving bubbles and something far warmer behind, “You...you want to MARRY me?” She had to admit, she hadn’t thought of the idea before, but now that it was presented to her...the idea of living by Hades side...being with HIM for the rest of their immortal lives….the thought appealed to her. Even just being closer now appealed to her.

Hades actually blushed. Persephone didn’t know that was possible. “Ev--Eventually, I suppose,” he said, “There are still any number of steps...some form of process of course and….and only with your permission, certainly--”

“Hades,” Persephone said, stepping closer into his space, “I think...some form of process sounds...excellent.”

He smiled, just a small smile, the corners of his mouth twitching upward ever so slightly, but for Hades that may as well have been a full belly laugh. “Um,” he started, “here, I--I had this made for you.” He pulled out a long piece of fabric from behind his back. Unfurling it, Persephone saw the most beautiful gray silk peplos garment she had ever seen, with a himation cloak. “The peplos is lightweight and very sturdy, enough to keep up with your tree-climbing adventures, but the himation is warm to keep you comfortable even down here in these frigid temperatures.

Persephone took it. The fabric flowed like liquid between her fingers. The smile on her face was so wide it began to hurt. She had never particularly cared for clothes before, but the fact that Hades had given it to her, with clearly more than a little thought. “How,” She choked out, tears coming to her eyes, “How very like you,” she managed to say, managing a teasing tone through the butterflies dancing in her stomach, “To give a gift so practical.”

Hades apparently did not read her tone correctly, “If...if you don’t like it I can always--”

“No!” She clutched the garment to her chest before he could take it away. “It’s lovely. It’s perfect! Thank you.”

Hades smiled again. “I...you’re welcome.”

“Here, let me go change and then we can do something.” She said, rushing off to her room.

“Do something…” Hades repeated, unsure, “Certainly we...we can do something.”

Persephone paused, looking back at him, “That is...unless you had other plans--”

“No, no,” he said, “No, we can...we can definitely do….something.”

She looked hesitant, but accepted his words, rushing off again.

Thankfully, she didn’t hear him mutter to himself, “Now to think of something to do….”

By the time Persephone had changed and returned, Hades looked was far more sure and confident in his plans. That all disappeared when he first caught a glimpse of her, though, practically glowing in the dark halls. “You...look lovely,” he said.

She gave the garment a little twirl, “Thanks to you, of course,” She said.

He shook his head, “No, I...I don’t think any garment could make you look as beautiful as you do right now.”

She blushed, and bowed her head, making Hades emotions stir once more. Before he forgot he managed, “I want to show you something.”

“Oh?” Persephone said, stepping closer, and unintentionally making Hades struggle to keep his wits.

He nodded, “A part of the underworld you’ve yet to see. I hope you like it.”

Persephone nodded and held out her hand. It took Hades a moment before he realized she was looking for his arm, which he gladly offered for her to hook her own into. She was always warmer than him, but now her very touch felt like it was burning, somehow with no pain.

Hades would never lie, so therefore he was grateful Persephone did not ask how he had arrived at his idea for the day’s activities. In hindsight it seemed obvious, perfect even, but he had panicked and ran to Charon when he couldn’t think of anything. Charon was the only other non-dead person around, and, while he had no more romantic experience (or intentions as far as Hades knew) he’d thrown out the suggestion, and Hades took to it.

Which meant now, as Hades lead Persephone onto the ferry of the dead, Charon was smiling smugly. He usually had even less facial expression changes than Hades, so she didn’t really pick up on it, but he felt the smugness all the same.

Hades was happy that the denizens of the underworld seemed to appreciate Persephone almost as much as he did. It was surprising, she was so different from anything that existed in this world, and yet somehow she blended into the environment so seamlessly she had become a part of it. Or perhaps the underworld had become a part of her.

Charon guided them down the river. The air grew warmer as they went, the darkness lightening. “Are we leaving?” Persephone asked.

Hades shook his head, “No,” he said, “There is some of the underworld that remains across the river. Look,” He pointed to the shore before them.

Unlike the cold damp caverns, across this river was a field of golden wheat. There was no sun, and yet the area glimmered in warm sunlight. Through the fields were glorious flowers and the greenest grass, and everything one might need in a sacred space.

The ferry came ashore and Persephone stepped onto the finest, softest sand she’d ever felt, looking around. “What is this place?”

“Elysium,” Hades said, standing by her side and admiring the area. “It’s not technically my domain, though it holds the dead as well. This place is for the heroes, the virtuous, those who’ve done great deeds in their lifetime and have won their way to paradise.”

Persephone walked up to the edge of the field, running a length of wheat through her fingers. “It feels so real,”

“In a way, it is,” Hades said, “This place provides everything that they could want, with enough space to last for centuries. And enough to give us some privacy for a while.”

Persephone closed her eyes, listening, “Oh, the sound of wind going through the plants...how I’ve missed it….and...is that bird song?”

“Bird song with no birds,” Hades said, “Like the light with no sun.”

Persephone nodded. “Still, it’s incredible.” She leaned down to smell one of the flowers, “Oh, how I missed these.”

Hades mood withered as he looked at her in sadness. He had not thought to how she would miss the greens and beauty of life above. Of course she would, despite her appreciation for the underworld, she was still a goddess of life. He doubted his own goals a moment, wondering if he could bear asking her to leave that world behind, when all he had to offer in substitution was himself.

He didn’t have long to pity her, though, as the next moment she took off tumbling through the tall grass, cheering like a child. “Persephone!” Hades cried out, running after her as she tumbled down a hill, still laughing. “Careful!”

“It’s paradise, Hades!” She called back, landing face up, “You’re telling me a GODDESS could hurt herself in PARADISE?”

Hades grumbled. “Well…...no, but--”

“Then stop worrying!” She log-rolled away, giggling madly.

Hades sighed and followed after her. She rolled over to him, looking up from the ground. Swift enough to surprise him, she grabbed his ankle and yanked, knocking him off balance until he fell hard on his back with a yelp that was quite undignified for the King of the Underworld.

Persephone laughed at his dilemma, crawling over to him as he lay there, wondering what he had done to deserve this. Then, she leaned over him, her golden hair haloed in the lights, and her smile brighter than the sun had ever been, and he asked the question of himself again with a far different inflection. “Regretting your decision to court me yet?”

Hades sighed. “You will have to try harder, I’m afraid.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Though I do think knocking the courter over is a bit of an unusual strategy.”

Persephone giggled again, resting her chin on his chest. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been courted before.” She picked a flower from the grass and tucked it into his ear. “Tell me, what does it entail?”

Hades rested his head on his hand to pillow him from the ground. “Well….there are many different ways, really. I have the combined knowledge of every man who has ever courted someone before, so I’m at least familiar with some of the strategies, though for some I feel a bit ill equipped.”

“Oh?” She asked, and started weaving a flower into his beard. “How so?”

Hades sighed, thinking. “Well...if I were a great warrior, like the heroes who come here,” he motioned with his hand to their surrounding environment, “Then I might fight a campaign in your name, swearing my devotion with my sword.”

Persephone chuckled lightly, “What good would a war do me? I have no enemies, and no one I’d wish to see dead.”

Hades hummed. “Probably for the better. I don’t have a sword, and I don’t really like killing people.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “If I kill someone, I just end up being responsible for them, and it’s awkward for everybody.”

She giggled, the laughter rumbling against his chest. “I can imagine.” She worked on weaving another flower.

He looked into her eyes, his smile feeling easy on his face. “If I were a great hunter, I might go into the forest and kill you a wild boar, or a white deer. Something difficult to catch, to honor your table.”

Persephone hummed this time, unimpressed. “I’m vegetarian.”

Hades let out a short chortle, the vibrations of his chest bouncing Persephone just slightly. “That’s for the better as well. Once the food was brought here, you couldn’t eat it.”

She chuckled again. His beard and hair was now covered in plucked flowers, and she had expended the ones in her immediate reach. She stretched for a few flowers a bit further out, but he used his hand to pull her attention back to himself. Hitching his breath, he dared to weave his fingers through her hair. He marveled that, with all the times he’d admired it, he’d never gotten to touch it. It was remarkably soft, just like her, like everything about her. “If I were a poet, or an artist, or a musician...I would work day and night to craft the finest work ever seen or heard to describe your beauty.” She blushed, her smile turning bashful, “But I don’t think any form of art could properly do it justice.”

She ducked her head, resting on him and lining their bodies against each other. “Are you sure you’re not a poet?”

His laughter rumbled low. “Quite,” he said. Slowly, he sat up, pulling her with him. “I am a rich man, though. If you wanted, I could adorn you in enough gold and jewels to make a king weep for jealousy.”

She tilted his head, looking between his eyes. “Do you intend to buy my love, Lord Hades?”

He held her face in his hands. “If I thought it was for sale, then it wouldn’t be worth having.”

“I’m not worth it?” She asked, mock offended.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Thats….that’s not what I meant.” She giggled, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. “So, Lady Persephone,” he said, tilting her chin toward him, “What would you have me do to earn your love?”

She took a deep breath thinking. “I would have you do what you do best. Listen to me, when I have something to say, and talk to me, of course.”

He stroked his fingers through her hair. “Sounds simple.”

She nodded. “Also...you have to only care for me. I may have been born out of wedlock, but I don’t have the patience of my father’s wife.”

Hades, having dignity and respect, did not make the very easy joke of ‘what patience?’ as he knew his sister rather well, and though she certainly had a rough time of it, she was not exactly innocent. “Done,” he said, like he was making deal. It was the easiest deal he ever made.

“And I don’t mind some gifts,” she said, “or pretty words, I mean, should you want to give them. As long as you accept mine in return.”

“Anything you should give me, I will cherish. Even if it is just your time.”

Persephone chuckled lightly in disbelief, shaking her head. “How anyone can say you’re heartless I’ll never understand.”

“Well, in fairness,” Hades said, detangling the knots in her hair, “Most people don’t have the singular talent of bringing out the very best in people like you do.”

That, apparently, was the wrong thing to say. She backed away from his hands, her focus going to her hands. “Not all people,” she said solemnly.

Hades frowned, concerned, but she answered before he could ask. “Do you think my mother’s upset at me?”

Hades thought of Demeter. She was one of the more reasonable Gods, he always thought, relatively speaking. “For what?”

“Running away…” she said, “Not...not telling her where I am. Where I’ve been.”

“You didn’t run,” He said, “You fell. It wasn’t your fault.”

“It was my choice to stay though,” She said, “She just...sometimes I get so mad at her, and I just….I don’t want to deal with her anymore.” She took a deep sigh, “But I still love her, and the longer I stay...the more...the more I feel like I’ve abandoned her.”

He leaned forward, holding her hand and bringing it to his lips. “Your love for your mother is admirable,” he said, “And….it’s not as though you’re a prisoner here. If you feel you should go, you...you should go.”

She frowned, “But…what about what you were saying? I thought you wanted to...to…”

“I do,” He said, allowing her not to have to say it if she didn’t want to, “But you’re not trapped here. You’re my guest. You’re free to leave whenever you’d like, even if it means...even if it means leaving me behind.”

“But that’s the thing,” She said, taking his hand, “I don’t want to leave you behind.”

He turned his hand in hers so that their fingers intertwined. “Then I’ll wait for you.”

She didn’t smile at him this time, no beaming, no adorable blush. Instead her eyes watered for just the briefest of moments, shining in the light as she stared at him. He was worried he had somehow said the wrong thing and that he’d made her cry, but a moment later she was leaning in closer. “Hades….might I ask a gift of you now?”

“Anything,” he swore, “Anything I have to possess is yours.”

She leaned in further, and he only had a moment to realize what she was doing before her lips were on his, chaste, testing, but still enough to knock the wind completely out of Hades’ chest.

When he was able to breath again, all the air coming into his lungs was her, her, her. Her sweet scent, her warm breath, he could even breath in the soft feeling of her lips. Or, that’s what it felt like to him anyway.

The light feeling faded as he regained some semblance of thought and managed to tilt away just slightly, “I think,” he said, his eyes still not opening, though he didn’t remember closing them to begin with, “that seemed just as much a gift for me as for you.”

“Oh, really?” she asked teasing, “Here, let me take the gift back, then,” and she leaned in once again to kiss him.

Emboldened by her forwardness, he cupped the back of her head, letting his fingers run through her soft hair. Persephone apparently took this as a challenge, pushing back on him until he lost his balance (again) and fell back, her sprawled on top of him.

Hades may have grunted at the surprise of having a woman, no matter how small, land on him, to which Persephone dared to giggle at him for. He allowed a single eye to open, meeting her sparkling blue ones, alive with laughter even as she kissed him deeper.

While Hades would always protest that he did have emotions (He Did) (He DOES, Zeus) never, not once in his entire immortal life had he felt so many bursting within him all at once. If this were any other time, he’d probably analyze his feelings, separating them out just for the fascination of self reflection, but at the moment, he couldn’t care less about anything that wasn’t the woman in his arms.

Except….he was feeling uncharacteristically playful. Taking ahold of her shoulders he turned quickly, rolling over to switch their positions. She gasped as she was pushed into the dirt, a gasp that Hades was eager to eat up, chuckling to himself.

She pushed back, surprisingly strong, and soon enough the both of them were tumbling through the wildflowers, trading laughter and kiss as they got more and more tangled up in one another. Persephone eventually managed to pin him, hair scattered in the winds as she grabbed ahold of Hades’ hands, locking him in. He didn’t fight too hard to free himself.

When he finally relaxed, she rested on top of him. “So,” she said, “What’s the next step in courting?”

Her raised eyebrow suggested something slightly less innocent than what he was thinking, but there was only so much Hades’ heart could handle in one day. “Well….you asked me to listen,” he said, “So talk to me.”

Persephone smiled.

She talked about her favorite types of flowers, mostly, not just that they were pretty, but honest fascination with each species, their differences, their similarities, their uses, their dangers. Her love for them came from respect of what they could do.

As promised, Hades hung onto every word. He even contributed to the conversation a few times, talking about dead gardners he knew of and their experiences. That launched her into telling stories about herself and her mother, handling the flowers. The plants came alive with her words, as though they had their own personalities, their own souls even.

Hades had heard the greatest musicians who had ever died. He’d listened to poetry by the greatest writers, and heard stories that made hardened soldiers weep at their beauty. Nothing fascinated him more than hearing the medicinal uses of laurel leaves.

At some point, Persephone actually drifted off mid sentence, her golden head resting perfectly in the dip of Hades chest.

Hades, tired himself, moved as slowly as he could as to not wake her. Carefully, he dusted himself off as best he could, and carried her down to the shore.

With mystical powers Hades would never know, Charon was back and waiting at just the right time, ready to carry them home back across the river. His face didn’t change in the slightest when he saw Hades carrying Persephone, and Hades wondered if that was because he was unsurprised, or just covering up his true feelings. “You missed a spot,” He said, nodding at Hades face.

Setting Persephone down for just a moment, he realized there was still a flower in his beard that Persephone had twisted into place. He removed it...but instead of tossing it aside he carried it with him.

Once he set Persephone down in her bed he tucked the flower into her own hair. Hesitating for just a moment as he observed the beautiful image before him, he finally allowed the confidence he’d gained that day to carry him through, and he allowed himself to kiss her forehead. “Morpheus, I ask you as a personal favor to bless this woman with pleasant dreams tonight.” With that, he retreated to his own room.