Hades and Persephone Ch 20 1.docx
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Hades and Persephone Ch 20 1.docx
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HadesandPersephoneCh201
We'renearlythere!
Thischapterwaslatecomingout,butpleaseexpectthefinalchapterofthisstorywithinthenextfewweeks.Ithasbeenapleasuretowriteforyou,andIhopeyouenjoythislatestchapter.Asawarningthereisasceneofattemptedrapeinthischapterandasceneofgraphicviolence.Pleasereadatyourdiscretion.Ihavefinishedwritingthestoryinitsentiretyandamcurrentlyeditingthelastchapter.Thankyousomuchforfollowingalong,aswellasallofyourcommentsandmessagesofencouragement.
Nowwithoutfurtherado,HadesandPersephone,Chapter20:
Reaping...
~s
***
Triptolemus,Diocles,andEumolpusstoodwaiting,alongoakboxbeforethem.WhenthefirstlightofdawntouchedtheTelesterion,eachsteppedforwardandplacedanobjectinthebox:
afullbladeofwheat,aneggshell,acrocusbulb,andfinallyaclayphallus.TotheinitiatesoftheEleusinianMysteries,thissignaledthebeginningofwinter,andthepromisethatspringandfertilitywouldreturnagain.
PersephonegotafinallookatthecrowdbeforeEumolpusdrapedalongsaffronveiloverherfaceanddowntoherwaist,thenplacedacrownofasphodelandcrocusonherhead.Shewasgladthatthegatheredmassescouldnolongerseeher.Herdrawnandtiredexpressionhadbeenmistakenbythetownsfolkforreticence—theysuspectedshedidnotwanttoreturntotheUnderworldandherlordhusband.Persephonefearedthatherpuffyred-rimmedeyeshadtaintedeverythingshe'daccomplishedsincereturningtotheworldabove.EvenloyalEumolpuslookedatherruefully.SheneededtospeakwithAidoneustoconfirmwiththemanwhohadswornontheStyxtoalwaystellherthetruthwhetherornottheywouldbeabletohavechildren...andwhetherornothe'dknownallalongthattheanswertothatquestionwas'no'.
MostoftheEleusinianpriesthooddressedinfuneraryindigo,butEumolpus'followersdiscreetlyworenuptialsaffronchitonsunderneaththeirdarkrobes.Theironydidn'tescapePersephone.Sheheldaheavybouquetofpoppies,crocus,asphodel,echinacea,andnarcissussobroadthatshecouldbarelyseeherfeet.CeleusandMetanieraguidedherfromtheTelesteriontothePlutonion.Theylookedghostlythroughthethickveil,liketheshadestheywouldonedaybecome.A koudounia rangbehindher,carriedbyalittlegirlcloakedinindigo.Afuneral.Awedding.
Dioclesspokebetweentheshakingsofthebells."Isingoflovely-hairedDemeter,greatgoddess,ofherandofherslender-ankledKorewhomZeus,all-seeingandloud-thundering,gavetotheReceiverofManytowed..."
Persephonehalf-listenedtothehymnthatDiocleshadbusiedhimselfwritingoverthelastfewweeks.Thoughshefearedshewouldtripoverherownfeet,shewasthankfulforthecovering.Alleyeswerefocusedonheratatimeshewouldmuchratherspendalone,reflectingonherimpendingjourney.TheprocessionarrivedatthedoorofthePlutonion,nowstandingfullyenclosedbymarbleblocks.Offeringswerepiledagainsttheoutsidewallsnearlythreepacesdeep.Therewasbarelyenoughroomforhertowalktotheentrance.Theprocessionandmusicstopped.
Eumolpussteppedforwardandraisedhishoodoverhishead,theassembledacolytesdoingthesame.Hewaited,listeningtothewindandseabirdsbeforehespoke."Noman,oncetheearthhascoveredhimandhehasdescendedintodarkness,thehomeofPersephone,hasthepleasureoflisteningtothelureofthepiperorofraisingwinetohislips.SotoowehaveforgonewineasoursacrificeandhavefilledthehomeofPlouton,theRichOne,theReceiverofMany,withthefreshbountyandfruitsofourlaborstomarkthereturnofhischerishedbride."Heclearedhisthroatandunrolledascroll."TheArchonofAthenssendstwoscoreamphoraeofoiltothankKarpophoros,thebringeroffruit,forthebounteouscropsofolive.ToAidoneusandPersephone,thebeekeepersofKekropisgivehoneyedkykeon.ThegreathouseofCeryces,longtheservantsoftheMotherandtheMaiden,offerpomegranates,thefruitthatboundtheMaidenforevertotheworldbelowandtoherhusband'sside.ThehouseofAntiochisoffersfigs,thefirstfruitstoappear.ThehouseofPandionisoffersdatesandpomegranates..."
PersephonesighedasEumolpuslistedeveryofferingfromeveryillustriousfamilyandtribeinAttica.
"Iwishyouwouldreconsider,"Demetersaidquietlyasthelistofofferingsdronedon.
"TakingMinthewithme?
"
"Daughter,youareaqueen.Allqueenshaveservants."
"Wedon'thaveorneedservants."
"WhataboutMerope?
"
"Shewasafriendandmyguest."
"...Whoattendedtoyou.AsallthenymphslivingalongtheriversoftheUnderworldshould."
"Theyaretheirowncreatures.Iwouldfeelsillyorderingthemabout."
"Nonsense,"shesaidunderherbreath."YouareineverywayequaltoHera,andshouldactthepart.Evenherhumblestservantsaregoddessesintheirownright.Woulditbesoterribletotakeamerenymphunderyourwing?
"
"Itwouldn'tbe terrible,but—"
"ItwouldbelikesendingMinthehome."
"Idon'tknowifMinthewouldcallitthat.Shewasconceivedabove.Shewasbornabove."
"Herentirefamilyisbelow.Andsheoftentoldmeshewouldliketoseeherauntsandcousinsoneday."
"Whathaspreventedherfromdoingso?
"
Demeterlookedatherfeet,hervoicelow."Itwasmyfault.Iforbadeher."
Persephonenodded.Demeterwastrying.Shewastryingsoveryhard,andPersephonewassurprisedthathermotherhadn'tbrokendowncrying.Threemonthsago,Persephonehaddreadedthisday,fearingthatDemeterwouldscreamhystericallyanddragherbodilyawayfromthedoorofthePlutonion.SheturnedhergazetoMinthe,whoseemedtobetheonlycongregantwhowasn'tfidgetingoryawningwhilewaitingforEumolpustostoptalking.Onthecontrary,heheldtheprettynaiad'sraptattention.
"Forsixmonths,then,"Persephonemuttered.
"You'lltryhavingaservant?
"
"Isupposeitcouldwork.She'dbebackamongthemortalsforhalftheyear."
"Idoubtitshe'devenmissthem."
"Iwouldbegtodiffer,"shesaid,noddingherheadatEumolpus.
"ThepriesthoodinDionhasletitbeknownthattheLoud-Thunderer,fatheroftheMaiden,haspromisedtheislandofSikeliatoherasaweddinggift..."hesaidtothecrowd.
ThecornerofDemeter'smouthturnedup."Weshallsee."
Persephonesmiled.Shewouldn'treduceMinthetowaitingonher.Thegirlwouldwanderfreely.Thoughnot too freely,sheworried,imaginingwhatcouldhappentoMintheifsheventuredtooclosetotheLethe.Butsurelyherfamilywouldwelcomeandcareforher.
Whenthepriesthadfinishedlistingofferings,DemetergaveEumolpusacurtnod.
Hisshouldersslumpedandhedrewinalongbreath."Andfinally,thegreatLadyoftheHarvest,DemeterAnesidora,commitsMinthe,daughteroftherivergodKokytos,intotheserviceofherdaughter,toattendtothegreatQueenBeneaththeEarth,Soteira,saviorofmankind.Knowthis,allwhohearthesewords!
Thosewhojourneybelow,returntotheworldabove,justasthatwhichisplantedwillbereapedandtheseedsresown."
Eumolpusproducedacrocusbulbfromhisrobesandrestedonhishaunches,diggingupahandfulofearthandburyingthebulbinfrontofthePlutonion.Hestoodandoneofhisstudentspouredgoat'smilkfromawidekylixoverthenewlyplantedbulb.
"FortheMaiden'sreturn!
"
"FortheMaiden'sreturn,"answeredtheEleusinians.
Persephonelookedathermother,hereyeswatering.ShedroppedthebouquetandwrappedherarmstightlyaroundDemeter,whoheldherandshuddered,tryingnottocry.TheGoddessoftheHarvestbitherlipstogetherandsteppedback,thenloweredanindigoveiloverherfacesotheEleusinianswouldn'tseeherweep.
AhandstretchedforthfromthedoorwayofthePlutonion.PersephoneflinchedbeforerealizingthatitwasHermes.Shegazedonelasttimeatthecrowdofmortals,thennoddedtoMinthe,whopickedupherskirtsandtrudgedafterher,hereyescasttotheground.Thecongregantsstoodsilent,waiting.PersephonetooktheGodofTravel'sprofferedhandandsteppedoveralargepileofpomegranatesjustinsidethethreshold.
Onceinside,shelethereyesadjusttothedarkness.SunlightfilteredintothePlutonionfromahighclerestoryattheroofofthecave,andsmalllampslitthewalls,illuminatingthestatuesofherandherhusband.Theirimageswerecrownedwithlaurelsandpoplar,pomegranateleavesandasphodel.Mintheshutthedoorbehindthem.
"Godsabove;ishegoingtodroneonlikethateveryyear?
"Hermeswhispered,ahalfsmileonhisface."AndthistempletoyouandHades!
BestoneI'veseensofar.Notsurprising,ofcourse.Youwouldn'tbelieve—"
"Wherewereyouthreedaysago?
"Persephoneaskedangrily,tearingoffthecumbersomeveilandtheflowercrownwithit.
"What?
"
"WhenIwasatOlympus.Yousaidyou'dmeetmethereandkeepmesafe.You promisedme!
"
"Listen,I'msorry."
"DohaveanyideawhatApollosaidtome?
"Sheballeduptheveilandthrewittothefloor.Persephonelookedaroundtheroom.Everycornerwaspiledwithamphoraeandpithosofallsizes,leaningagainstoneanother,fruits,wheat,oil,coins,clayandstrawfigurines,flowers...Itwasalmostimpossibletomove.
"Bynow, everyone knowswhatApollosaidtoyou...andhowyourebuffedhim.IhearAphroditetookalikingtoyou!
"
"Whatwassoimportantthatyouletmebefedtothewolves?
Whatdoyouthinkmyhusbandwouldsayif—"
"Itwasanerrandforyourhusbandthatdelayedme."Hermessaid,hisbrowknitting.
Persephonecalmed,hershoulderssinking."I'msorry."
Hermesgaveherahalf-smile."Don'tbe.I
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