The Underworld

It was difficult to tell in the underworld, whether it was night or day. There was no sky there. It was a space between earth and Tartarus where the dead dwelt in sorrow. Persephone, the cold wife of Hades, lord of the dead, stared out across the grey landscape. The underworld was a parody of earth, cheap and superficial. There were trees and plants but none bore fruit, except for the cursed Pomegranates which had trapped her here in the first place. Yes, Persephone, the immortal goddess, Queen of Hades, living with the dead, she was trapped here too. The underworld was both her kingdom and her prison. 1

The Queen of the Dead watched from the balcony of her foreboding castle, as the souls of the underworld toiled away When souls arrive in the underworld, few of them knew where they were or what had happened. Hades, Lord of the Dead, told them all personally what had happed- he believed greatly in Duty. However, the memories of the dead are short. The first thing they do is drink from the spring of Lethe, whoever drank from it forgot how they were. They began to live their afterlives as though they were still on earth. Persephone knew better than anyone that they were not on earth. Her mother, Demeter, was the goddess of the harvest, protectoress of the earth. The Underworld was not in her mother’s domain. Nothing grew there, except pomegranates; still the souls of the dead farmers plowed the land simply because they had done it every day of their lives. The merchants bartered and sold things that did not exist. The dead moved through the underworld like sleep walkers, unconscious of anything around them.2

Persephone found herself wishing she could do likewise. For as long as had been Hades’s Queen, she could never forget her life on earth. She missed it all; the feeling of sunlight touching her skin, the sound of living animals, the scent of the air. No one else in the entire underworld understood that. Her gloomy husband had no desires beyond the river Styx, the heroes in Elysian Fields were happy to reap the reward for the bravery- an eternity in Paradise- and the common man didn't even know he was dead. The Land of the dead stretched before her, unchanging and uninteresting. Persephone turned away and walked slowed back into her gloomy palace. 3

“My Lady wishes something?” one of her handmaidens asked.4

“Nothing.” Persephone lied, trying to think of the girl’s name. “It’s alright um…”5

“Phillia, Lady.” Phillia curtsied low. The name didn’t ring a bell but that didn’t matter anyway. All of Persephone’s handmaidens were just about the same. Phillia had probably served some noble woman in life, only to be killed when her husband returned from war. All the anger and betrayal that came with such a death, faded within a few weeks of being in the underworld. It had that effect on people.6

“If my Lady wishes anything… “Phillia continued, “She need only command it.”7

"I doubt that." Persephone thought. "What can a dead mortal do that the Queen of the Dead cannot accomplish by herself? You do not have the capabilities to do as I would have you. Not even Zeus has that power."8

“Thank you.” She said blankly. “Leave me.”9

“As you wish, Lady.” The girl bowed again and backed out of the throne room. Persephone watched her go. She must have been pretty when she was alive before the underworld drained the color from her form. That was always the case. Human beings lost more than their energy and interest when they died.10

Persephone walked slowly across the tile to her throne. It was a plain, simple chair- simple for a goddess, no mortal woman ever owned such a chair. It was tall, carved of exactly the same rock as the floor of the throne room and a deep blue gray. It attached directly to the floor and the back rose up high behind her with a small sapphire incased at the top. It was Persephone’s symbol. 11

The Goddess sat in her throne and leaned back. It wasn’t particularly comfortable but Persephone had grown used to it. As she’d grown used to many things in the underworld12

The Queen of the Dead stared up at the ceiling and sighed. Not even Zeus. For an all powerful being, there were a lot of things he couldn’t manage. All because of a pomegranate.13

Persephone wasn’t always the Queen of the Dead. Once she’d been a simple carefree Demigoddess with her Mother Demeter, the Goddess of the Harvest. Persephone was a Goddess. Her father was Zeus. Still, she had managed to lead a fairly normal life on earth. She’d had friends, even a few flings before she turned sixteen. 14

When Hades came into her life. She still remembered the first time she met him.15

***16

It was a celebration on Olympus, the anniversary of The God’s assent to power and the defeat of the Titans. As one of the key players, Hades’s presence was required. The grim God of Death almost never came to Olympus unless it was required. He preferred his dark realm to the world of Sunlight and clouds but Hades could not refuse the command of Zeus. So he came.17

Persephone remembered well how the other Gods treated him. They kept their distance from him, wary and guarded when they spoke, especially her mother Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. This was only natural. Demeter’s business was life- she made things grow and germinate. Where Hades went, death followed. Persephone’s mother hated to have all of her work undone when Hades came to claim his creatures but Persephone couldn’t understand why the other Gods resented him. Perhaps it was for the same reason. For all of their hard work, Hades would reap the reward. Athena could teach her scholars all the knowledge in heavens but no amount of learning could keep them from Hades. Ares could train the greatest heroes in history but none could ever win a battle with Hades. The sky and the mountains would crumble, the seas would dry and the stars would someday burn into oblivion but Hades would always have a job. Death was the only constant on earth.18

Hades paid almost as little heed to the other Gods as they did him. Zeus was the only one glad to see him. Persephone watched the two brothers conversing and thought how different they were. Her father, Zeus, was loud and boisterous where as Hades was somber, speaking rarely, allowing his brother to control the conversation. Yet, the brothers shared one thing in common, they each seemed perfectly confident in their own position. Zeus’s confidence was louder certainly but Hades’s voice never wavered. It was as if he knew exactly what every other God thought of him and didn’t care.19

Persephone couldn’t help but admire him for that. She watched Hades out of the corner of her eye for most of the celebration but soon realized, to her astonishment, that Hades was watching her as well. His dark eyes followed her movements around the room and Persephone felt both flattered and afraid at the same time. You must be fooling yourself. Persephone remembered thinking. Hades has no interest in you… he’s one of the most powerful Gods in the entire world, second only to Zeus. What could he possibly want with a simple demigoddess like me?20

But still she could have sworn he was watching her. Towards the end of the celebration, he even approached her. 21

“Lord Hades.” She couldn’t help but be taken aback by his grim figure.22

“You are… Demeter’s child?” He asked and, if Persephone hadn’t known better, she might have said he was nervous.23

She nodded and smiled. “Persephone.” She said.24

“Persephone…” Hades whispered the name and watched her carefully. “Persephone… you are… very beautiful.”25

Persephone felt herself blush. “Thank you, Lord.” 26

They stood in silence. Persephone wondered if she ought to speak out but couldn’t find any words. Hades seemed to have the same problem. At that moment, Demeter rushed toward her and put a protective arm around her daughter.27

“Hades.” Demeter didn’t bother adding the honorific to her hated brother’s name. In those days though, before Persephone became Hades’s bride, Demeter had to at least be publicly polite to the Lord of the Dead.28

“Demeter.” Persephone fancied that he didn’t much care for her mother either. “I was just greeting your lovely daughter.”29

“How kind...” Demeter said, raising a counterfeit smile to her face, “but Persephone and I must depart, Brother.”30

Persephone looked at her mother. “Why?” She asked, not remembering an engagement.31

Her mother laughed. “How forgetful the young are! Darling, you must remember the tribute planned at Thebes. We must make an appearance.”32

Persephone nodded. There was no tribute planned in Thebes but it was unlikely that her mother would take no for an answer. 33

“I will not detain you then.” Hades said. “Farewell Sister. Farewell Persephone.”34

Persephone watched him carefully. His was a large, imposing figure with dark hair and solemn eyes. He frightened her but still made her intrigued. “Farewell, Lord Hades.” She said after her mother made her goodbye.35

She could feel his eyes on the back of her head as she and her mother left Mount Olympus. The moment they were back on earth, Persephone turned to her mother.36

“What was that?” She demanded. “There’s no tribute in Thebes! Why did you lie?”37

“I don’t want you talking with Hades.” Demeter said evasively.38

“Why? He’s my…” Persephone wracked her mind, she was related to all of the Gods one way or another, “Uncle, isn’t he?”39

Demeter nodded. “Yes but Persephone- he’s the God of the Underworld. You shouldn’t trust him.”40

“Mother, I cannot die.” Persephone said. “What do I have to fear from the God of Death?”41

“Hades is tricky.” Her mother said. “Remember, Persephone, there are worse things than death.”42

“Fine.” Persephone said, turning away. Her mother was like this with every man she spoke to. Persephone loved her mother but there were times when she wished she would go away. For as long as she could remember, Demeter had dogged her every step. When Persephone played with her mortal friends and her attending nymphs, Demeter was never out of sight. When she was younger, Persephone could remember every moment was spent with her mother’s arms around her, like a ribbon chain, keeping her from escape.43

“Don’t be angry, Persephone.” Even though she wasn’t facing her, Persephone knew that tears were welling in Demeter’s eyes. “I-I only want to protect you. I don’t know what I would do if anything were ever to happen to you!”44

“It’s alright, Mother.” Persephone softened and hugged Demeter closely. “I know you only wanted the best.”45

“You must promise to be careful.” Demeter said. “I have a terrible foreboding.”46

Persephone agreed that she would be careful and the matter seemed to be settled. And yet, she could not drive the thought of Hades from her mind; his muscled frame, large imposing shoulders, his calm deep voice speaking her name slowly as though he were trying to make sense of her and the sadness in his deep black eyes. Hades was different from anything she’d ever seen. Persephone found herself thinking of him even when she was surrounded by life. Her friends and Mother told her that she seemed distracted and Persephone had the sneaking feeling that someone was watching her. Later she found out it was Hades, secretly spying on her with his helmet of invisibility. 47

It happened only a few weeks after meeting Hades for the first time. Persephone was in the fields picking flowers. For once, her mother was not there. It was just Persephone and some her attendants who were looking away at the moment the ground split open. Persephone was too frightened to run, too frightened even to scream. There was Hades, grim faced as ever, standing at the reins of a jet black chariot, pulled by black stallions with fire in their eyes. He said nothing but grabbed her and pulled her back into the chariot. It all happened so quickly, Persephone hardly managed to cry out as they raced into the underworld and the earth closed back over them. A few pigs that had been grazing nearby fell down with the chariot. Persephone could remember the terror she felt at their squealing mixed in with her own cries for help. 48

When they reached Hades palace, he set her gently on the floor of the underworld. “I am sorry.” He said. “It had to be this way.”49

“Take me home!” She’d pleaded as soon as she could find her voice again. “Please, take me home!”50

Hades’s shook his head. “I cannot. Persephone… you are my Queen. The only woman I have ever felt anything for. All of this…” He gestured around the desolate realm. “Is yours. This is your home.”51

Persephone was young then. She had not yet learned to control her emotions. She broke down and began to cry. Hades only watched.52

***53

“WHAT?!?!” A scream drove Persephone from her thoughts. She blinked and sat up straight. Screams were commonplace in the underworld, people being punished for their sins on earth but this cry was different. It wasn’t a scream of agony but rather a shout of confusion. These were rarer.54

“What was that?” Persephone asked a nearby handmaiden. It was the same on as before but Persephone had again forgotten her name.55

“It came from the docks, my Lady.” The girl said. “What was it?”56

Persephone rolled her eyes. “I don’t know. Go and find out.”57

The girl nodded and walked slowly out of the throne room. Persephone felt irritated as she watched the girl- Phillia! That’s the name!- left to find the noise. The dead moved much too slowly to ever get anything down. She supposed that when one had an eternity, speed didn’t make a difference though that hardly applied to the Gods. She should have gone herself. The cry reminded her of her own when she first came to the underworld. Once she found her voice, Persephone hadn’t stopped shouting.58

***59

Hades had tried his best, in his clumsy way, to make her feel at home. He’d given her all the considerable gold of the underworld, the jewels, and every cold beautiful thing in his realm to make her want to stay but Persephone had not yet grown cold herself. She hated him them, refused to see him, cursed his name and cursed the underworld and cried a lot. Hades did not try to stop her from hating him. He only prevented her leaving. 60

Months passed and Persephone’s rage began to abate. It wasn’t that she’d lost any of her hatred for Hades; it was simply that she’d cried all of her tears and shouted herself hoarse. She still wouldn’t let the Lord of the Dead into her sight but she knew he was always with her, shrouded by the helmet of invisibility. Slowly, her hatred of him gave way to pity. He was alone here, surrounded only by the dead and his monstrous servants. He seemed… incredibly lonely. That did not mean she forgave him for kidnapping her. Persephone would never forgive him for that. 61

She wandered the underworld hating him. Of all the places she’d been, the underworld was the quietest. If she wandered toward Tartarus, she could hear the titans raging in their prison. If Persephone went to the Elysian Fields, she could hear the heroes laughing and praising their deeds on earth. She could hear the screams of sinners, tortured by the Erinyes but these were only small corners of the vast underworld. The rest was silent. The souls of ordinary people who’d done neither great good nor great evil in their lives wandered silently. Every so often, a breeze from above made the trees quiver and drop their leaves. Only one tree, the Pomegranate, gave fruit. Hades had a little gardener to tend to it. The sinister son of a nymph who rarely bathed named D’Aulaires. He was the only one who dared to speak to Persephone.62

“Try a pomegranate, lady.” He smiled greasily. “They’re sweet enough to please the Gods.”63

Persephone tried never to answer him. She knew that once she ate the food of the dead, she would be trapped in the underworld forever. Even after the months had gone by, Persephone still harbored hope that she would be rescued. Still D’Aulaires pressed her. She was overjoyed when Hermes arrived. Persephone was in the throne room when her prayers were answered.64

“Where is Hades?” The messenger god, perpetually seventeen, seemed uncomfortable even being there. He worked with Hades, leading the souls of the dead to the underworld, and was one of the few Gods who could pass through the underworld without harm.65

“I don’t know.” Persephone was certain he was in the room with them. Of course, her husband would never embarrass himself by letting Hermes know he was spying on his own wife. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Hades entered from another room and stood waiting.66

“Hades.” Hermes said. “I bring orders directly from Zeus.”67

“I know.” Hades said darkly.68

“Oh.” Hermes faltered but continued. “Zeus decrees that you must return Persephone to her mother, the Goddess Demeter.”69

“Does my esteemed brother give a reason for this dictate?” Hades asked.70

“Demeter refuses to tend the earth until her daughter is returned.” Hermes told him. “Nothing will grow, the people starve and they have no sacrifices.”71

Hades nodded. Persephone felt her heart began to beat faster. She listened with rapt attention to Hermes describing the mortals’s plight. It was just like her mother to pull something dramatic like that. Entire nations had to starve because of the loss of a daughter. Demeter was turning the earth her daughter loved into an underworld. The only thing that grew there was the pomegranates. Without thinking, Persephone slipped a few into her mouth. She hadn’t eaten anything since Hades abducted her. Although, as Goddess, she didn’t need to eat, Persephone had loved the fruits and vegetables of earth. She missed their taste.72

Persephone realized with horror what she had done! She choked on the seeds and tried to spit them back up but it was too late!73

Hades smiled and turned to Hermes. “I cannot refuse the command of Zeus…” he said, “but Persephone will return to me.”74

“What?” Hermes stared at him.75

Hades pointed to his wife. “She’s eaten the food of the dead. How many seeds, my Lady?”76

“Six.” Persephone was so ashamed she had forgotten she was not speaking to him. Hermes’s jaw dropped but he quickly recovered himself.77

“Six months of the year then.” He said glaring at Hades. “She’ll stay here six months of the year and the mortals will starve. You’ll have that on your conscious, Hades.”78

“That’s Demeter’s business, is it not?” Hades said haughtily. “Besides, I did not force the seeds down her throat. Persephone ate the fruit of her own free will, whether she was conscious of it or not.” He turned to look at her. “Perhaps she wishes to be here more than she knows.”79

Persephone gritted her teeth and wished she could express the anger and despair that welled up inside her breast. She had been so close! She had been so close to freedom only to shackle herself in the underworld in the final moments.80

“She’s coming back now.” Hermes said. “You’ll have her in six months. Come Persephone.”81

Persephone went gladly. As Hermes led her from the underworld, she looked over her shoulder and glared back at Hades. “I hate you.” She whispered, those being the only words she could think of to express how she felt. Hades said nothing but watched her go, his smile faded. It had been replaced with the same solemn expression he always wore.82

***
“My lady?” Phillia had returned quicker than Persephone expected. Perhaps the girl was good for something.83

“Yes?” Persephone said, not bothering to look up.84

“I found out what the noise was.”85

“The scream.” Persephone said. “What caused it?”86

“It was a young boy, recently come to our land.”87

Recently died. Persephone thought. None of the dead souls realized they were in the underworld. Except those who were fresh of the boat. Reason enough for anyone to scream.88

“What was he yelling about?”89

“The sky.” Phillia answered.90

“We have no sky.” Persephone said.91

Phillia nodded. “That’s why he was screaming. Lord Hades said that the boy was mad. He flew too close to the sun.”92

“What?”