Abaddon: The Story of Persephone and Hades

Persephone

After the boring meeting on Olympus, I suddenly take notice of how exhausted I am. Playing in a meadow all day wears me out, even though I do it on a daily basis. 

Mother doesn't act like she wants to leave, however. She stands from her throne and walks towards Artemis; she's one of the only Olympians who Mother gets along with. I trudge towards Mother to ask to leave Olympus and go home. My eyes are heavy, and I feel as though I could sleep as I'm standing right in this moment.

"Kore!" a powerful, yet sweet voice calls behind me. I spin around and immediately see Hera walking towards me. She's always intimidated me. "It's been so long since I've last seen you. Oh, you're so beautiful. When will you be turning eighteen?"

"Thank you, Hera. I'll be turning eighteen in a week," I answer quietly, shuffling my feet.

Hera is absolutely breathtaking. Her presence is so powerful, and she is easily comparable to Aphrodite in regard to her physical appearance. She has long, platinum blonde hair and a sapphire blue chiton on with a golden crown upon her head. Everything about her is dominating.

She smiles down at me. "The Olympians are overjoyed that you will be a goddess so soon. Are you prepared for the ceremony?"

I was born among two Olympians, but I age like a mortal because I live among them. If this happens, the soon-to-be god or goddess must be on Olympus on their eighteenth birthday in the presence of every major Olympian and the Fates to officially become a god. Fortunately for me, my time to be a goddess is very soon.

I've been prepared for this ceremony since I learned about it, several years ago. To say I'm excited would be an understatement. Perhaps this is my way to freedom from my mother.
"Yes, I'm prepared," I reply with a small smile. If only the Olympians knew how desperate I am to get away from the confined life I am living.

My eyes widen when I notice Aphrodite making her way over to Hera and me. "Kore, it is so lovely to see you again! And my, you are breathtaking. Do you have any suitors yet?"

Suddenly I feel a firm hand on my shoulder. I glance behind me and realize it's Mother. Her gaze is fixed on Aphrodite—cold and hard. "My daughter will not be getting married. How dare you suggest that she has suitors?"

Aphrodite begins to glare at Mother but thinks better of herself. "Demeter," she forcefully smiles through clenched teeth, "how lovely to see you, as well."

"Mother," I whisper nervously, not wanting any arguments or fights to happen. "Can we go home?"

"Of course, my flower." She ushers me out of Father's palace but turns back to face Hera. "We will return in one week's time for Kore's ceremony," she says coldly. Her grip on my shoulder is firm; my skin is getting a little bit irritated.

On our way out, we pass by a group of gods. One of them is leaning against a pillar, arms crossed over his chest as he observes everything in the room. His dark eyes meet mine, and I realize he's the god who fell asleep during the meeting—Hades, the God of the Underworld.

Those eyes of his seem so deep, like I could jump into an abyss and never reach the end. Hades doesn't break his eyes from mine, just keeps his eyes fixed on me and only me—like I am the only one in the room.

My breath catches in my throat. Gods, he's handsome. With my cheeks burning, I quickly follow Mother out of the palace before I embarrass myself further. Mother is muttering about various things she dislikes about Olympus and other Olympians.

"You do not need to be a goddess. All you'll ever need is at home, in the meadow. It is a complete waste of time," she mutters as she walks as quickly as possible back to the cottage. My skin is burning beneath her hard grip on me. "And how dare Aphrodite mention the idea of suitors?" Luckily Olympus isn't too far from our home.

Once home, Mother tells me to prepare for bed. I oblige, and dream of leaping into a seemingly endless chasm. However, as I near the bottom, I can just barely see something. When I reach it, I awaken.

There's going to be a time skip after this chapter. I hope you enjoyed, though it's a little short compared to the previous two chapters. Thank you for reading and please don't forget to comment and vote!