Persephone: A Short Story

'Do you smell that, Lulu? Mama said it's the earth back to work after the rain,’ announced Persephone, her tiny hand holding Leuce's gently swinging back and forth, back and forth. In the other a gold strand pulling a small wooden cart Hades fashioned for her, full of freshly picked flowers; blood red poppies, lilac crocus and glorious white lilies.

'Remember now, Persephone, we don't want to get mother angry by ruining our dresses. We'll play a little then back home it is... with no fuss whatsoever.' Leuce reminds the child as they walk out of the woodland, close by Demeter's earthbound home.

Persephone released Leuce's hand and ran straight into a puddle, splashing the muddy water, on both their dresses Leuce realized with dismay.

'Persephone!'

'Your mother hasn't given you powers to use them so frivolously, Persephone. You are meant to use them with a purpose, to do something with them.' Leuce explained, lifting Persephone from the puddle and straightening out her dress, more drops of muddy water falling on to her dress.

'Mother said, 'Listen carefully Persephone, I am giving you these gifts because you are a Goddess, and Goddesses like us have special skills.' the girl recited the words, in a perfect imitation of her mother.

'You may play around with them as long as you like, use them however you wish. If you want to make mama happy do nice things, good things; be a bad girl and mama will be angry.' that's what she told me,' Persephone finished turning her head proudly upwards.

Leuce laughed a little, catching herself in time not to encourage the girl's impertinent impersonation of Demeter. If only her mother had also encouraged her to be careful, taught her how to restrain her self, and to always listen to her guardian; then Leuce would have had an easier time looking after the child, and keeping her safe. Persephone wasn't especially hard to look after though, which was the whole reason why Leuce had grown to relish her. She was quite obedient and well mannered enough for a child, but she's a Goddess and Gods don't have it in them to take orders from nymphs; its innate in them, in Demeter, in Hades, even Persephone

Leuce could help smile through her sadness, at the innocence and inventiveness of the child, she couldn't remember much of her own child hood, but she was sure to never have been as imaginative as the young Goddess.

'Yes I can make a beard for your doll. It will look even more like you,' she affirmed getting busy on the unnamed doll.

'Please Zeus, please give them life,' she added presenting the doll to the air.

Leuce froze in terror and dread at the mere mention of the child's father.

'What did you just say, Persephone?' Leuce demanded, hoping she has heard wrong, hoping her ears were growing old and had begun to fail her.

'Nothing ... nothing ... I promise .... I was just playing, fooling around.' the child fretted, words that made Leuce's heart sink into the deepest pit of darkness.

Leuce grabed the child's arms, panicked, 'Persephone, where did you hear that name?' She asked knowing neither she , Hades nor Demeter had ever spoken of the God of the heavens in the girl's