Chapter Text
Hades and Persephone—
Zeus and Demeter had always disagreed about how to raise Persephone.
Persephone was recognized as Demeter’s daughter; often, the fact that her father was the king of the gods was forgotten or ignored. Zeus also did not favor Persephone, as she was neither Athena nor Artemis.
Being raised as premarily Demeter’s daughter had spared her from Hera’s wrath toward Zeus’ illegitimate children. Because Persephone was also Demeter’s daughter, Hera could not hurt her in order to harm Zeus. As if Hera were to hurt Persephone, she would also cause harm to Demeter, with whom she shared a good relationship.
One day, Hades was having a meeting with Zeus, mainly as kings needing to co-align. They talked about borders, oaths, the restless dead, how Ares’ wars caused so much work for both parties. But Zeus noticed something else: his eldest brother was lonely.
A king with no queen, a hearth with no warmth.
When the topic of marriage arose, Hades did not hesitate.
He chose Persephone.
Not because she was beautiful — though she was.
Not because she was young — though she was.
But because she was bright.
Alive in a way the Underworld was not.
A spark in the dark.
Zeus agreed.
Persephone was unmarried, had no vow of chastity, and was not a priestess, and now no long line of suitors. However, in that era, a father did not need the mother’s permission. And if he did, both mother and daughter had no say.
Persephone was gathering flowers when the earth split open. Hades rose in a chariot of obsidian and fire, reaching for the bride he believed had been promised. He, however, had assumed Zeus would inform the flower goddess and harvest goddesses.
It was this moment, the story became a kidnapping — not because Hades intended harm, but because no one had told the girl she was being married off.
Within the underworld, Hades and Persephone had realized something.
Hades realized that Persephone did not consent to the marriage, and therefore, he postponed everything with the wedding and began to court her. Properly. He listened, and a bit awkwardly talked as he was unused to talking to people who were alive.
Persephone had realized that her father gave her away as if she were cattle. Yet, in the Underworld, she found herself growing. Here, she wasn’t a child or simply called a flower.
So, at first, both knew it was more of a political standing, but they grew to genuinely fall in love.
Time passed strangely in the Underworld — months or years, depending on who told the story. Above, Demeter searched the earth with a mother’s fury.
Crops withered.
Mortals starved.
The world dimmed.
Finally, Hecate — who sees what others miss — found the truth and guided Demeter to the Underworld.
Mother and Daughter had reunited in a storm of tears, accusations, explanations, and truths.
Persephone was not the same girl who had been taken. Demeter was not ready to accept that.
Just as Demeter was ready to drag Persephone back to the garden, Persephone did something desperate. She took six pomegranate seeds, “cursing” herself into a cycle of six months in the Underworld and six months as a flower on Olympus.