Hades And Persephone: Curse Of The Golden Arrow Read online

  “Orphnaeus loves apples,” he whispered in her ear as though telling her a great secret, nodding his head towards the horse. She leaned closer and let Orphnaeus gently eat the apple from her hand, smiling at his enthusiasm. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Hades, too, was smiling at him and her heart seemed to stutter.

  “And how long will this parade take?” she asked coldly.

  He stepped away and took his place at her side and she felt a moment’s disappointment at the absence of his warmth. Warmth, she scoffed at herself, he was the God of the Dead, not Apollo. Perhaps she truly was losing her mind. Perhaps Jocasta had poisoned her.

  “Just several hours, I presume. And afterwards there will be the dance, of course, and then you may retire for the evening.”

  Persephone had been concentrating on watching his strong pale hands grasp the gleaming reins, but her head jerked up at his words. “A dance!” her voice high pitched. “I was never told anything about a dance! I do not wish to attend.”

  “You will attend, my Queen,” he demanded. “This is not a request.”

  “Then do me the courtesy of delaying it, I am not prepared!”

  He calmly looked down at her “No.” They stared at each other as Persephone felt her body tighten with anger. Just when she thought there was an ounce of kindness in him, he proved again his cruelty. Was nothing to be allowed to her? He smiled as though reading her thoughts, her quiet rage seeming to please him.

  “Does my anger amuse you?” she bit out coolly between her teeth.

  “I must own it is rather refreshing. Few have the courage to express their dislike for me so outright. I find your obvious hatred rather charming,” he said contentedly.

  She turned to face forward, staring at the iron doors ahead. “I am glad I amuse you,” she said indifferently. If she had to look at him, she might attack him, and the price for attacking a God was Tartarus. Charon would toss her in the hell fire and throw away the key, probably with a grin on his macabre face.

  Feeling his eyes on her, she heard Hades ask, “Is everything ready Alessandro?”

  “Yes, your highness!” cried a curly headed young man.

  “Very well, let us proceed.” With a shake of his hand the horses stepped forward suddenly.

  The carriage jolted and Persephone reached out, grabbing Hades’ arm to keep from falling, feeling the solid muscles beneath her grasp. She let go as quickly as possible and grasped tightly to the chariot, her knuckles turning white over the edges. She was unused to standing in chariots, she and her mother had never had cause to be the focus of these lavish parades. The humans that sought them bowed to the land for tribute, not to them.

  “Be careful, my sweet one.” He wrapped her hands more tightly around the handles of the chariot. “Oh, and Persephone?” The stiffening of her back was her only acknowledgement to his inquiry. “There can be no misbehavior today. My subjects cannot know their God is cursed.”

  Her only response was stony silence. As the chariot stopped behind the iron gates, she could feel the tension building on the other side of the doors like a cork that was ready to burst out of a bottle. The horses were becoming uneasy and they shook their manes anxiously.

  Hades looked at her with a wicked smile and said, "Get ready." She furrowed her brows at his words, the Underworld could surely be nothing compared to the opulent decadence of Olympus. Did he think her completely oblivious to the ways of the Gods? He lifted his hand and whispered "Elysium," and as the iron doors unlocked and opened, a blinding light poured through the dark, heavy gates.

  Persephone’s heart beat uncontrollably as she lost her grip on the rapidly moving chariot, her eyes temporarily blinded by the sudden flash of light. Thunderous booms of applause and cheers from the crowd were so loud they sent a wave of sound that pushed her back, and panic overtook her as she felt herself stumble blindly. A strong arm at her back steadied her and she felt his mouth at her ear, “It will pass soon, the light blinds everyone at first. Hold tight.” And once again she felt his hands placing her own firmly on the chariot. As her vision began to clear, Persephone was not prepared for what she saw. It was a sea of thousands upon thousands of people, so many that she could not make out their blurred faces as they raced by. Golden confetti and rose petals rained down on them and Persephone felt her feet slip as the floor of the chariot began to fill. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the scenes passed swiftly by her. She was unaccustomed to such a massive gathering, she was a creature of the forest; the swarm of people caused panic to rise up in her chest. Black dots began to dance across her vision as her breath came rapidly.

  “Persephone,” she heard Hades voice distantly. “Persephone,” he said more firmly. He glanced at her. “Look at me.” She looked at him with wide eyes, her dilated pupils making them appear black. His hands were relaxed on the reins as he extended one hand to her hair and tugged gently. “Breathe. I will not let you fall.” He gave her a sideways grin, “Smile and wave. This will be over soon.” She nodded at him, calmed somehow by his composure, and she discreetly wiped at the sweat on her forehead as she pasted a smile on her face. She began to wave to the crowds as they passed, and they exploded with a thrill of excitement at the acknowledgement by their queen. Persephone was astounded as the crowd began to chant Hades’ name, and when he raised his hand the chanting intensified to deafening levels. She would never have believed it, but the people of the Underworld seemed enchanted by their surly God. Persephone glanced over at Hades to see his reaction and caught her breath. Standing next to her was not the cold King of Death she had met the night before, but in his place was a smiling, devastatingly beautiful God looking benignly, even lovingly, on his people. She felt her treacherous heart soften at his smile and when their eyes met, she could not help but return a shy smile of her own. She looked away quickly and noticed a large group of children cheering wildly to her right.

  “Oh, stop the chariot, please!” she cried.

  Hades drew back on the reins. “These are the Orphans of the Underworld - they are still waiting for their parents to join them. You wish to meet them?”

  She nodded eagerly. “Yes, I would very much like that.”

  He laid a hand on her arm preventing her from exiting before him, and he jumped down to assist her. Hades took her hand and led her to the large group of children. The crowd parted before them, his subjects bowing as they passed. The children bowed too as they saw the royal couple stand before

  them and Hades quickly went to his knees. Persephone tried to hide her surprised gasp; she had never seen a God take a knee to a mortal before, certainly not to human children. She would have thought a group of orphans would be below the notice of a God such as he. She could not imagine Zeus showing such compassion. Persephone watched in astonishment as he gently took the hand of a little girl and brought her back to her feet. “You have no need to bow to me, little one. What is your name?”

  “Agnete,” she replied in a quiet, shy voice, a blush infusing her cherubic face.

  “Sacred one. A perfect name for you. You are new here.” The little girl nodded. He stood up, lifting the child in his arms. “I would like for all of you to meet my Queen, Persephone. She especially wanted to meet all of you. Can you tell her hello?”

  A chorus of cheerful greetings rang in her ears and the crowd around them cheered wildly as some of the children broke into animated dances. She caught the eye of several smaller girls staring up at her with awed faces.

  “Hello,” she replied with a smile. “I would very much like for you all to call me Persephone.”

  A girl with small blond ringlets ran to her, hugging her legs tightly and Persephone sunk to her knees returning her hug. Encouraged by the reception of their friend, the children rushed towards Persephone gently touching her dress and hair and taking their turn for hugs.

  “You’re pretty,” a dark-haired girl giggled at her.

  “Thank you,” Persephone smiled back at her. “I had a lot of help today.�
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  The little girl placed her hands on Persephone’s knees and stared earnestly into her face. “Is Kýrios Hades your husband?” At Persephone’s nod they looked at her with wonder. “We think Kýrios Hades is very handsome. Don’t you?” Many small faces looked at her expectantly and she felt her face grow hot as she risked a glance at Hades. Of course, he was listening, a smug smile on his face as he tossed a ball back and forth with Agnete and several little boys.

  “Yes, his majesty is very handsome. But handsome is as handsome does I’m afraid.” She shot him a quick look under her brows, and to her annoyance saw he merely continued to look amused.

  “Oh no, Queen Persepine!” the child exclaimed loudly.

  Persephone hid a smile at the pronunciation of her name, she rather liked it actually. The little girl crawled into Persephone’s lap and gazed up at her with a frown on her little face.

  “Kýrios Hades is the kindest master. We have many visitors and toys and we never want for anything. He told us that we would never be lonely here. We are happy that he has you, and so neither of you will be lonely now!”

  Persephone shifted her eyes from the sweet gaze of the child, turning her head away. If it were only as simple as that, she thought sadly.

  They sat and talked for a while longer until Persephone felt Hades’ hand at her shoulder.

  “We must go, Persepine.” She tilted her head back and looked into the laughing black eyes of her husband and could not help her reluctant smile.

  When she glanced at the sad little faces, she felt her heart contract. “Can we not stay a bit longer?”

  Hades shook his head. “There are many others anxious to meet you. We can return to visit your new friends again soon and better yet, next time we will bring presents!” At that news, the orphans let out several hearty cheers and rushed toward Hades, and Persephone actually giggled as she saw him stumble slightly at the combined weight of all the children.

  Hades finally broke free and strode towards Persephone, gently lifting the little girl off her lap. With a movement of his hand he produced a perfect miniature replica of Orphnaeus, golden bridle and all. The little girl squealed with delight and hugged the toy tightly to her chest.

  “We will see you again soon, Cora.”

  Persephone watched with wonder. Did he truly know all these children?

  “Come again soon, Persepine,” her new friend cried as Hades set her carefully on the ground and took Persephone’s hand in his own while Cora took her other one. The little girl accompanied them all the way to the carriage, and Persephone continued to wave until, looking back, Cora became a small dot in the sea of humans.

  They pressed on and the crowd seemed endless. Persephone focused on smiling at the blurred faces as they passed instead of the tall God standing so closely next to her. She felt hot and flushed and exhausted. Hades confused her, and every moment she spent in his company seemed to contradict everything she had thought about him. Who was he underneath his dark mask? She had heard him mentioned only rarely by the other Gods and always in hushed tones. She had heard whispers of his wickedness, but it was hard to recall the details. If only she had paid more attention to the lurid gossip of Olympus. She had not imagined the trace of fear his name seemed to inspire even amongst the Gods. He had never attended any of the lavish parties at Mount Olympus. Was he unwelcome? Or did he simply hold such contempt for his heavenly counterparts that he could not bear their company. Her mother had certainly never mentioned him. He said he was cursed now, but what did that really mean? The fact remained that he had forced her into a marriage she did not want, but still… she could not continue to believe that there was not a small trace of good within him. But perhaps, the most surprising thing was, he did not seem to know it himself. She broke from her reverie as she noticed little green leaves that were now mixed in with the confetti. Persephone bent to pick up one of the glossy, green leaves and examined it. She was unfamiliar with this type of plant. Hades looked over as she studied the leaf closely. Did she imagine it or did his mouth tighten as she fondled the little leaf in her fingers?

  “What are these leaves?” she asked. “I do not recognize them.”

  “Those are the leaves from the pomegranate tree. It is the tree of the Underworld.”

  “How curious that a plant should only grow here in the Underworld!”

  She watched as Hades shrugged and if she did not know better, would have thought he was anxious to change the subject. “We draw to the end of the parade, now we enter the celebration,” he continued. “Your night of misery will soon be at an end and you can then return to your room to hide from the world.”

  Persephone pinched her lips together. And just like that she was reminded of why it was so easy to dislike him.

  Hades led the horses into a large courtyard and the shouting voices seemed to dim suddenly. Persephone gave a gasp of pleasure as she looked up. The courtyard sky shone brighter than starlight and the lights above twinkled and blinked merrily back at her. How were stars possible in the Underworld? She longed to ask Hades, but after his short dismal of her before, she did not want to give him the satisfaction. She could ask Jocasta later. The chariot drew to a halt and once again Hades leapt down and extended his hand to her, gazing steadily at her. Despite the light all around them, his eyes somehow remained inky black, as though no part of him would ever consent to allow lightness to reach him. A small smile lit his mouth as though reading her thoughts.

  Taking a step closer, he murmured, “Are you ready my queen, to dance with the damned?”

  Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in his. Hades felt his heart swell as he looked at his beautiful wife and he resisted putting a hand to his aching chest. Looking at her seemed to make the blood from his wound run more freely, and her perceptive eyes saw far too much. As she placed her delicate hand in his own, he felt a thrill of pleasure all the way to his groin at that small, innocent touch and though his heart soared, his mind was deeply troubled. He needed no more reason to long for his queen, but this arrow seemed to have driven an obsession into his very soul that he could not fight. He felt it growing with every breath he took. With every pump of his heart the infatuation grew and it flowed through his veins like a sickness -- until he could think of nothing but her, consumed with the very thought of her. If she knew what he was thinking she would throw herself into Tartarus and never look back, he mused with a grim smile.

  As he led her closer to the large dancing chamber the sound of voices increased, and he felt her hand clasp tightly on his own. His wife did not enjoy crowds. She was not acknowledging him at the moment which was a blessed relief. When she smiled at him, he thought his heart might burst through his chest all together. She was foolish to let her guard down so quickly. Far too trusting, even of him, who had just forced her into marriage. Her mother had done her no good by sheltering her so fiercely. He needed to try to keep her at a distance until he found a way to get some control over his urges. There must be some way to delay the curse of that damned arrow! But right now, all he could think about was ripping that golden gown off of her pale skin and devouring her, crowded ballroom or not. The thought of what lay beneath that thin fabric made him painfully hard and Hades let out a dark curse letting her hand fall. He felt her gaze on him and he determinedly looked away from her.

  “You may proceed me into the chamber. They are waiting for you after all,” he stated coldly.

  He glanced at her and saw a look of trepidation cross her face, her large eyes luminous in the lighted garden. She thought he was cruel. So be it -- that was better than her seeing the crazed, lust-filled beast that seemed to lurk too close to the surface, shouting at him to take what was his. He quickly looked away from her lovely, innocent face.

  “Very well,” she replied, failing to hide the slight tremor in her voice.

  Head held high, she turned on her heel and headed for the lighted doorway, her long dress trailing after her, leaving him alone with his unwanted carnal thoughts. He
watched her rigid back for a moment and then hurried after her like a lovesick youth.

  “They will adore you,” he leaned to whisper close to her and she gave a small jump.

  “Stop doing that!” she hissed at him.

  He gave a small smile at her scowl, pleased to see the fear on her face replaced with annoyance. He never wanted her to be afraid. As they approached the door, two servants opened it wide and the music poured from the room. Hades pressed his hand to her narrow back, his hand tingling at the touch of her skin.

  “In you go,” he murmured and gave her a gentle push.

  The large dancing chamber was filled with more of his citizens and as a servant announced their arrival, Hades grasped Persephone’s hand and brought her swiftly to the center of the floor. She looked around, distracted by the cheers that echoed too loudly in her ears. She hated this. She hated the noise and the press of bodies too tightly against one another. It reminded her too much of Olympus. But no, that was not right, she thought as she glanced around more carefully. The people here smiled with genuine pleasure, and as far as she could see, there were no orgies ongoing in the crowds. Just smiling happy faces -- pleased to see their King. So, maybe not like Olympus after all. She just missed the solitude of her forests, she thought sadly.

  Hades gave a nod of his head to one of his servants and it must have been a signal because the guests quickly began to organize and form a line of procession. The line seemed to stretch endlessly and one of the servants announced each citizen’s name loudly as they took their turns bowing to their King and Queen. A maiden, a soldier, a fisherman, a craftsman, so many she could not remember them all, but Persephone watched them closely as they greeted her and saw no trace of fear or misery in their faces. Why were they so content here, she wondered? As they offered their wishes for their jubilant union she nodded and made polite remarks, a smile firmly on her face even as her head began to ache fiercely. Finally, the last of the crowd approached them, and as they stepped away the lights dimmed, and Hades and Persephone were left alone on the center floor.