ible journey down into the strange unpleasant world. She remembered flying on the beaten gold chariot across the black rivers and the i

he saw from the black-robed woman, who had taken her against her will, was the same pale mask-like face. And when those sparkling black eyes turned to her,

oned, she was in this g

dful goddess take her down to the Underworld? Her mother would be worried sick and frantic when she did not return home. Persephone now longed for the comfort of her mother's ample bosom. The whole ti

hich burned bright purple flames. Its light only made the room gloomier. It

nd then entered a robust, graceful figure in an impos

beside Persephone. The goddess reached her hand out to touch that tear-stained cheek. Hades fel

delicate thing. The goddess felt her heart quicken inside her chest. The beats were loud and unsettling in her ears. She withdrew her hand fro

n to feel even sadder. She found herself unable to cry despite the

ters of the river Styx, Cocytus, or Acheron. Though they had intriguing beauty, Persephone found them strange and different fro

r pool, which filled with fragrant warm water. Fleecy towels, a jeweled comb, and a flas

icult to please. She would neither eat nor drink. She was also waiting for something to happen, b

came over her. She stirred but did not wake. She heard a lovely voice speaking in h

ld. Beautiful enough to make even the goddess of love grow je

g through her body and she sighed. In the dream-like state, she felt a soft fluttering upon her chest then up her exposed throat and warm cheek. It was like wet cotton or the belly of fat bees pressi

wake. Her hands instinctively pushed the invisible weight off of her and she sat up. Her br

t?" Persep

of her eyes, a radiant face revealed itself, first the elegant narrow jaw then the proud cheekbones and the pair of shimmeri

e dark as she removed the Helm

of the goddess and she quickl

s began to speak, eyes piercing, "has shown

e goddess fearfully. This only led Hades to her own distres

voice softened even more. "You know not the p

when she came charging out of that hole in the ground in her golden chari

here? Take me back n

ing you ever wanted. Now that the gods know of our meeting in this way, I shall take this oppo

ed down her cheeks like sparkling diamonds. "If you don't return me to my beloved mother, I shall starve and die of sorrow and refuse to su

s declaration. Her vermillion lips

dess said. "It torments my heart even more now that you're so stubbo

r hands and cried harder. She could sense, too, that Hades was furi

ddess said in an exasperated voice and stormed out of the room. After the heavy doo

ades spoke to someone outside, "She w

itch tone, "Give her time, good Hades. Soon

his will surely bri

faded into the still air. She curled herself into a ball, and so