Seeds (13 page)

     “Hades... brother. I have never asked anything of you before. But I ask of you... I know it is a huge favor, but please...”

     “Ask away.” He leaned forward, attentive and concerned amidst his slight aloofness.

     “My love. He just died. He may not even have crossed the Styx. I ask of you, please let him return with me.”

     “Mhm.” His expression was now unreadable. After meeting Kora, he had done a bit of investigating, learning of Iasion and her life in Enna. But unlike the other gods, he had absolutely no interest in causing any trouble, and had never uttered one word of his sister's affairs to anyone. He liked to know things for the sake of knowing them, and welcomed any new worthwhile information about all subjects.

     “I am Lord of the Dead. It pains me to see your grief, but the realm of Dis has its rules. I cannot simply return anybody to life.”

     It was a half-truth. Raising the dead was a complicated task, and not something that could be accomplished with a wave of his hand or a simple command. The magic required for such a task was dark and deep, and not a force that most gods ever understood or were able to tap into. And using it... well, there was a reason why most gods feared the darkness and what they could not understand.

     “You are a mighty god. You have powers that I do not comprehend. Please!” Demeter begged, extending her hands in a plea, something she wouldn't have considered doing for Zeus.

     The Lord of the Underworld let out a soft sigh. He could raise Iasion, but there were always repercussions to such a deed. Mortals were destined to die, and there was nothing changing that.

     “Yes, I am God of this realm, but I do not decide when they die. I simply take custody of them when they come to me. It is Atropos who cut the thread of Iasion's life. I do not command the Fates.” He sat back, steepling his hands. “I understand your grief and what it is that you ask for. But I cannot grant your wish, although I would like to. Atropos has made her decision.” As every living thing was born, his or her thread was measured and then cut before being woven into the mysterious tapestry. Iasion's entire life had been decided for him before he even took his first breath. Demeter might have infused him with vitality and given him strength beyond a mortal man, but destiny was laid out for everyone in the path of the threads the Fates spun and cut.

     “He was so healthy! I had been giving him ambrosia, too. How could he die? Perhaps it was a mistake? Maybe he died before his time?” Her voice was demanding and hopeful. Hades let out a low sigh and strode across the room, kneeling by his sister and placing his hand on her knee.

     “As mighty as I am, I have no control over the Fates. I... truly am sorry for your loss. You deserve happiness. But the laws of this place are different from the ones above.” He was certain that Iasion would end up in Elysium.

     Elysium wasn't reserved for heroes, like the myths said; people who were genuinely good of heart were also admitted into this paradise. Hades was Lord of the Dead, not a dour jailhouse warden to the souls that had been judged as good or simply neutral, sending them to the Asphodel Fields. Iasion would surely be sent to Elysium, provided that he had committed no crime or evil deed in his life.

     Iasion loved Demeter deeply, but unlike any other spouse, he would not have the satisfaction of knowing that his lover would join him sometime within the next century. There was one way for him to go back to the land of the living without the aid of necromancy, but it took considerably longer, and Iasion would not remember who he was. Hades was tempted to mention this but held off, not wishing to feed his sister false hope. If they were meant to be together again, then it would happen in due time. He squeezed his sister's hand.

     Demeter let out a slow breath. Of course. She had stormed down here in her blind grief, and had embarrassed herself in front of her brother.

     “I am sorry... I probably look terrible...” She furiously rubbed her cheeks with the cloak wrapped around her shoulders.

     “You may sit here and rest. I would offer you food, but...”

     “Of course.” Demeter knew the rules of this land. Eating even one bite would bind her here forever, and as kind and understanding as her brother was, she simply could not stand the surroundings, however elegant and beautiful they were. She almost envied Zeus's ability to take lover after lover, never attaching himself too deeply to one, so that when one of them died, he might feel sad for a bit but would quickly move on.

     Is there anything else I could offer you?” he asked as he rose to his feet, placing his hand on her shoulder.

     “I desire but one thing, and I am told that it cannot be granted.”

     “You have my sincerest regrets.”

     Demeter was mollified to see genuine sympathy in her brother's eyes.

o0o

     Kora frowned to herself as her eyes roved along the valley, seeing the sea when her mother led her up the hill. Already she missed home, even though she had said her goodbyes to her grandmother and the rest of her family. She didn't see why they had to move just because her father was dead. After all, there was still the rest of the family, and Mother got along well with them. The villagers worshipped Mother, and the festivals every year were always fun. But what she missed most was her father. On the outside she was numb, appearing unemotional to her mother, but deep within, grief clawed at her heart.

     “This is where I spent a lot of my time after I escaped from Kronos. It was here that I came to my full strength and came to understand my Gift. I kept this entire valley warm and growing through the winter, as if it had always been summer.”

     “Why did you let winter come to Enna, then?”

     “Because the earth has a rhythm. I will use my gift to make things grow when it is necessary, but even the gods should not interfere with Gaea's will. When I was young, I was excited about my gift and kept everything here growing for nearly a decade without any winter.” She shook her head slowly. “But that is not what my Gift was meant for. We have seasons to remind us of change, to reflect on the ways of nature, to tell time, and to let us understand that there are certain times to do different things. Think about it, Kora. What if there was never any harvest time or wintertime? If everything stayed in fruit all year?”

     Kora tapped her chin for several moments, thinking.

     “I guess the mortals would simply sit around, eating whatever they wanted. They would not know how to work. How to harvest and store food, how to keep animals and make the tools they need for different tasks. Also, wintertime gives us time to do other things. Like when Uncle Esthanes isn't helping with the farming, he has more time for his woodwork.”

     Demeter smiled approvingly.

     “Mortals would become idle and lazy, and never invent things to advance them as a race. They would demand constant blessings from the gods.” She nodded. “But hard work is important. It helps us appreciate the good times more.”

     “That is why you work in the field, even if you are a goddess,” Kora replied. Her mother patted her on the head and nodded again. This island was a good place for her daughter and herself. With Iasion dead, Demeter saw no reason to stay in Enna. The curse was lifted, so as long as the valley's residents worked hard and honored their goddess, their crops would remain bountiful.

     Kora had a rather different opinion about that. Of course, Grandmother begged Mother to leave her behind since she was Iasion's daughter and she was happy with them. And oh gods, Kora wanted to stay! She joined in the begging, for she was closer to her father than mother. She had always found it easier to talk to her father. She knew that her grandmother and uncles would welcome her to live with them.

     Despite her daughter's wants, Demeter would not be moved. Even though Zeus had sired Kora, Demeter had pushed that to the deep recesses of her mind, almost believing herself that Kora was the daughter of her mortal lover. The love in Iasion's eyes for his daughter was undeniable, and they had formed a bond that Zeus would never have with the young Goddess of Spring. Together, the three of them had been a happy family, knowing contentment that most other gods never knew. She would not let go of Kora, of this physical embodiment of that happy time.

     And here, where no mortals resided, Kora would be safe from male eyes. The only other beings that resided here were nymphs, and they would serve Demeter. Kora would have suitable female companions to be with, and be guarded. The older goddess glanced at her daughter's lithe frame, the slight flare of her hips, the subtle sharpening of her jaw, and the barely-started swelling of her breasts. It was already apparent that Kora would be a beauty, even when she had just passed her thirteenth birthday. She remembered the Fate's prophecy and shook her head.

     The young goddess's deep red hair hung in loose curls and waves, fiercely glinting ruby-tinted copper wherever the sun hit it. Demeter reached out to grab a lock, idly twirling it between her fingers. Zeus said that Kora would not remain a little girl forever, but what the hell did he know? Just as Demeter could keep things growing, she could halt that very same progress. Her daughter was just fine the way she was now, as a young maiden. What need was there for her to lose her child?

o0o

     Unaware of her mother's plans for her future, Kora stood there as she looked down at the sea and the waves crashing lazily upon the sands. Never before had she seen the ocean, and the vastness astonished her. All her life she had known only the valley. Mother had never taken her outside of it aside from that one trip to Olympus. Her heart pounded as she gazed at the horizon, questions flooding through her head. She had known there was a life outside of the valley, since her mother went there... wherever there was. And she knew that this place wasn't 'there'. There were other villages with even more mortals, and even towns and mighty city-states like Sparta, Athens, or Thebes.

     “Are there mortals on this island?” Kora asked as she glanced up at her mother. Demeter frowned and shook her head.

     “No, it is just us and the nymphs.”

     “Nymphs?” There had been none in Enna. Because of Ouranos's curse, the magical minor goddesses of the forests and rivers had avoided this place ever since they had abandoned it, frightened by the malevolent energies that spread when Ouranos's brain fell into Enna. A few nymphs who had been too strongly tied to their trees or streams were unable to leave, and were eventually drained dry by the ancient god's evil hunger. Because Ouranos had been there for so long, the nymphs hadn't come back yet – either they didn't know that Enna was a safe place again, or they were happy in their new homes – so Kora was both curious and apprehensive.

     “Yes. They will be suitable companions and supervise you.”

     “... Supervise?” Kora asked with an encroaching sense of dread. She wasn't a baby; she helped to mind Ptheia's children, and she could take care of herself! She could do just about any kind of chore around the farm, even cleaning up after the animals or doing laundry, and Grandmother and Auntie both praised her, telling her what a smart and mature girl she was, and how she would make a wonderful wife and mother one day. She enjoyed watching her uncle Esthanes at his woodwork, and was also interested in watching the potters make their wares and paint them. It was like Hades had told her before; watching the world around her was interesting when one really paid attention.

     And now she was to be penned here with nymphs, to be minded like she was a little girl! Without anything to do or people to observe! Oh gods, the boredom that she knew would come frustrated her.

     “Mother, I am not a child. I most certainly need not be watched over,” Kora stated with a petulant tone. Demeter shot her a glare, something that Kora very rarely received in her life. She stared back silently, her heart pounding, but she remained outwardly calm.

     “Have I not been a good daughter? I did all my chores and minded the other children and stayed out of trouble...” Unless one counted the minor mischief she did once in a while with her cousins and the other children, but then, she didn't get into any more trouble than any other child ever did.

     “Kora, I am your mother. Do not question me.” Demeter's voice was firm, and Kora was shocked. She hadn't been sassing back or trying to be disrespectful, but her mother seemed to be offended.

     “I am sorry, I did not mean to be disrespectful, Mother.” She looked down, looking sufficiently penitent to satisfy her mother for the time being.

     “This is not because I think you are irresponsible or mischievous. I do this to keep you safe. I have seen this world and its evils.” Demeter's eyes narrowed as she thought of her lover's death. “This is your new home now, where you will be safe. Come, let us meet some nymphs and see where we will be living,” she said, knowing that the nymphs had already made preparations for her and her daughter.

o0o

     Hades leaned against a tree with one hand, watching as Demeter convened with her daughter, unaware that she was being watched. His helmet of invisibility was secured over his head, and his eyes roved along the younger goddess's body as she stood there, gazing up at her mother. He saw her frown before she looked down, and he stroked his chin. He had never forgotten Kora. She was an unshakeable presence in his thoughts, haunting his dreams and teasing him with a fierce desire he had never known before, even with former lovers. For over two years now he had been fighting with these feelings.