Perhaps after work, I could use a change of scenery. It had been a long time since I walked above ground. My Helm of Darkness would keep me from having to communicate with anyone from my old world.
Chapter 2
Persephone
I sat on the stool as my mother painstakingly combed and styled my long hair. My work with my mother always brought me joy, but being free to frolic with the nymphs in the meadows or by the river was exhilarating and fun.
“I don't understand why your hair is changing,” she murmured as she tightened the ribbon she weaved over the crown of my hair.
My rich brown hair had begun to form silver and sand-coloured streaks at the sides of my head. I touched my temple and ran my hand toward the braid my mother was finishing off.
“I like it,” I said with a faint smile. I would be delighted if I could have more colours running through my hair.
They gave me the title of Goddess of Spring. It was an honour to work alongside my mother. She was the Goddess of agriculture, harvest, fertility and the sacred law of the earth. She taught the mortals how to sow, cultivate and harvest many crops. My mother encouraged me to use the same life-giving powers to help Mother Earth, Gaia, flourish with abundant natural beauty.
“If you like it, then I love it,” Mother said with a laugh before she kissed the top of my head, indicating the end of my ordeal.
“And I love you, Mother,” I said, jumping up to hug her. “You are the best Goddess in the entire cosmos.”
It was true. Many daughters had conflicts with their mothers, but we shared a love like no other. She was like my best friend and mother all in one. She took me almost everywhere with her. When she smiled at me, I could feel her love for me radiate like the sun's warmth. I tightened my arms around her neck and pecked her on her cheek.
“No need for your pretty words. You can go play with your friends, but don't wander too far,” she said in a huff, but her eyes were full of adoration as she gazed at me and stroked my cheek.
I kissed her cheek one last time before I nodded and gave her a wave as I turned to skip toward the meadows. My hair flowed in the air before I felt it dance around me as I ran through the long grass, trying to avoid stepping on the pretty, fragrant flowers surrounding me.
The meadow unfolded before me like a living, breathing tapestry—the molten gold of the sun. The air hummed with warmth, thick with the scent of the wild grass beneath my feet.
A light breeze stirred the colourful wildflowers around me. The scents of lavender and sweet nectar from the various flowering plants and trees around me made me stop and twirl around. The cool grass beneath my feet was a contrast to the burning sun above me.
I laughed and spun around faster until my head spun from the speed of my movements, but it was always so much fun to feel the dizzy sensations. When I stopped, my feet stumbled, and I toppled over to lay in the grass.
My arms spread out to touch the soft grass against my skin, and I waited for the dizziness to pass before I transferred my energy around me to watch vines appear. They wriggled like snakes and wrapped around my arms. The vibrant violet flowers appeared as the vines worked up the tall grass. I closed my eyes to inhale the musk from the damp, cool earth beneath me.
When I opened my eyes, the birds danced in the air, but their sharp cries made me lift my head to look around. There was nothing but the wind rushing through the long grass, causing it to sway. From a distance, I heard a chorus of crickets chirping close to the stream.
I sat up abruptly as the birds continued to fly in a formation designed to confuse predators. My Mother always warned me about the many dangers on earth. I released the vines and stood up, brushing my hands over the blades of grass. There was no one to be seen in any direction.
Then again, the lionesses hunted in wheat-coloured plains on the heated lands across the ocean. My mother was making me paranoid. I shrugged away the irrational suspicion and skipped towards the stream to see if any of the Naiad nymphs were there since the Leiomnaids of the meadows were absent today.
The large Weeping Willow trees were a welcome sight, and I sprung into the air to swing on the branch. The long trailing branches brushed the stream below me, disrupting the current as it rushed along.
“Kore, you came,” Cyane’s delighted cry filled the air.
I swung harder when I saw my friend before I leapt into the air to land beside her. She grabbed my arms as I stumbled backwards.
“Your Mother would have my head if you landed in the stream,” she scolded me, but the mischievous glint in her eyes belied her words.
“You and I both know my Mother would know who was at fault,” I said, touching the pretty blue flowers woven into her hair. “These are beautiful, just like you.”
“Says my stunning Goddess of Spring,” she said, but her cheeks flushed bright pink. “Do you have time for a swim by the waterfalls?”
I considered my Mother’s words before I nodded. A short swim on a hot day sounded perfect. I took advantage of any freedom given to me since it was a rarity.
Chapter 3
Hades
The heat of the burning sun was horrid compared to the fires of the Underworld. How could I have forgotten my dislike of daylight? Walking under the heat was far different from taking my deadly horses on my chariot when I was required to accept Zeus’s call to Olympus. I tugged at my helmet to shade my eyes as I continued to walk.
