Persephone was bent with her hands resting on the bed, swaying back and forth, a haunting moan leaving her mouth every other minute. It kept him on edge, ready to fight, though he recognized this wasn’t war.
“Because it sucks,” Persephone groaned, resting her head on her hands.
“I know,” he said, rubbing her back. “I’m just worried.”
“You don’t know,” she said, looking up at him. “You are just worried.”
Hecate chuckled. “I told you she’d tell you exactly how she felt.”
Persephone straightened as much as she could and walked around the room until another contraction overwhelmed her and she paused, now leaning over the chair nearest the fireplace as it shuddered through her.
Hades had never felt so helpless, which was saying a lot, given that he had been trapped in the labyrinth and literally stripped of his powers, but even that did not compare to watching Persephone experience this pain.
“Is there something you can give her?” Hades asked.
“We have a plan, Hades,” Hecate assured. “All will be well.”
“You said you had a plan,” Hades said when an hour later, nothing had happened and Persephone’s pain seemed to be worse. She was lying in the bed, moaning deeply, her fingers wrapped tightly around his. He’d never heard her make these sounds. It tore his chest apart.
“The tonic will kick in shortly,” Hecate said. “Just give it time.”
Hades wondered how she could be so calm when all of this felt so intense.
He placed one hand on Persephone’s belly. He knew he could not heal this, but perhaps he could ease her pain. He thought it might be working when her moan turned into more of a hum.
Her eyes opened into slits, face glistening as she turned her head toward him.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
It eased his guilt just a little.
“It’s time to push!” Hecate announced. “Knees out. Help her, Hades!”
Persephone was slightly reclined, her knees pulled up nearly to her shoulders. Hades latched onto one leg. He was so far out of his depth and a little panicked, though he tried his best not to show it.
“Take a deep breath,” Hecate instructed. “When the next contraction hits, push hard. Go, Persephone.”
Her legs shook with the effort as Hecate counted to ten.
“You’re doing great. Again,” the goddess instructed. “Go, go, go! There we are!”
His eyes darted to Hecate, and then he saw a head of bright blond hair and suddenly, there was a baby in Hecate’s arms.
“We have our boy!” she announced. “Put him on her chest, Hades, and rub his back until he cries.”
That is a baby, he thought as he followed Hecate’s instructions. A small, little life.
Zagreus, his son.
“He’s beautiful,” Persephone said, throat thick with tears.
Just as Zagreus started to cry, Persephone moaned and bore down, and there was a second, loud wail.
Hecate laughed.
“And we have our girl,” she said. “Look at that hair. Just like yours, Hades.”
He looked from Persephone and Zagreus to Hecate and Melinoë. He could not explain the feelings exploding inside him. He was both in awe and deeply afraid, but in just a few short minutes, he suddenly had everything he’d ever wanted.
