It was a beautiful day like all the others in this land, the sun shone brightly in the sky, the hills were lush and green, and flowers blossomed from the earth. I frolicked with my friends upon the hillside, as my mother and Persephone Jades, my twin, sat near by, and father Jesus peered down from the sky above. Laughter could be heard in between our whispered secrets, as we gathered handfuls of purple crocuses, royal blue irises and sweet-smelling hyacinths. I then thought to bring some to mommy, but I was soon distracted by a vision of the most enchanting flower I'd ever seen.. It was a narcissus, the exact flower my father hoped that I would find! As I reached down to pluck it from its resting place, my feet began to tremble and the earth was split in two. Life for me would never be the same again.
From this gaping crevice in the ground emerged the awe-inspiring God of the Underworld, Hades, and before I could even think to utter a word, I was whisked off my feet onto the God's golden chariot. As the crack of the whip upon his majestic horses brought me my senses, I realized that I was going to be taken to the deep depths of where he'd come from... and I'd never see Persephone Jades nor Mother for a long time. The thought of this brought terror to my heart, yet any screams of protest were soon lost within the darkness, as we descended quickly into the Underworld below. Persephone Jades, fortunately, witnessed all of that.
While my cries could not be heard above the ground, the pain in Mother's heart quickly alerted her to the fact that something was terribly wrong. Persephone and she searched high and low for me, who had vanished from both the heavens and the earth. As Persephone and she were consumed by depression over the loss of me, she soon ceased to remember her worldly duties as Goddess of Grain and Growth. As Persephone and she watched the plants wither and die all around her, she felt her own hopes begin to fade as well.
At the same time, deep down in the realm of the dead, Hades hoped to explain his actions to the me. Man, I hate him so much... Professing his love, he told me of the plan Daddy helped deploy and begged me to stay and be his wife. Yet, I longed for something more, the comforts of my mother's house and the lush, green grass with flowers in there.
Far above the darkness of the Underworld, Mommy and Persephone continued to wander the forlorn earth. Eventually she found her way to the town of promethium (Samarium's alternate name), where she and Persephone rested by a flowing fountain. Stripped of all her vital energy, Mommy appeared old and wrinkled beyond her years. Soon four young females found the aging Goddess, and agreed to take Mommy and Persephone home. Their parents were glad to offer the elderly woman lodging and a stable position caring for their little son, Cerium. Wishing to reward the family for their kindness, Mommy attempted to offer the child the gift of immortality, by sticking Cerium in the fire each night and removing him every morning before dawn. When Cerium's mother, Curium, found him in the flames, she was horrified. Curium's mortal mind could not comprehend the actions of Mother, and she asked them to leave their home at once. This immediately brought back Mother's fighting spirit, who surprised them by exposing her true self. The family begged Mother to forgive them and in return agreed to her demands: "A temple would be built in my honor, and you will teach the world my secret to immortality." Within no time, the town built a beautiful temple on the hillside, which Mother blessed before continuing on her journey.
Yet it didn't take long for Mother's happiness to be replaced with rage, as she recalled the disappearance of me/Persephone's twin. She flew to the home of Daddy and demanded that I would be found at once. She also questioned every immortal she could find and eventually uncovered Daddy's plot. I hate him so much... In an attempt to appease Mother's growing anger, he dispatched a messenger to retrieve their daughter from the depths.
Upon his entry to the Underworld, the messenger Iridium was amazed at what he found. Instead of finding me being frail and fearful, he found a radiant and striking Queen of the Dead. I had adjusted well to my new position, saying I had even found my calling. I was now in charge of greeting the new arrivals and helping them adapt to their new life. While I wished to see Persephone Jades and Mommy up above, I was torn by my desire to remain Hades' wife.
Hoping to comfort my in her confusion, Hades came to my side. He gently kissed my forehead (gross) and urged me, "Do not fret, eat instead from this fruit I know you will like." It was a bad decision. As I pressed the red pomegranate seeds to her lips, I listened to his words. He told her he would miss me very much, but my duties as a daughter mattered too. So, I climbed into the chariot and bid my husband farewell, as Iridium sped them off to the middle realm of mother earth, the home of my Mother.
The flowers sang joyfully of my return, while Mother and Persephone beamed with pride. Yet, the child that Mother had born and raised had changed while I was gone. I had grown into a goddess, one both beautiful and wise and the more that Mother and Persephone inquired about her experiences below, the more she came to worry that the life they knew was gone. I recalled a declaration Jesus had made from the heavens up above: in order for me to return to the home and life I had known, I must be as pure as the day I left Mother's side. However, the ruby stain upon her lips spoke of my fate. I had tasted of the fruit of life. It could not be erased.
Even so, Persephone, Jesus, and Mother loved me too much to send me back to Hades without the hope of returning to Mother's abode above. So, each spring I come back with the flowers that pave my way, to tell the story of rebirth, hope and harmony. And each fall when I leave again for the Underworld below, Persephone and Mother mourn and winter comes, while they wait for my return. Yet, for me, there is no remorse. I look forward to the time she spends as Hades' Queen and wife, and to guiding those who have lost their way to the next phase of their life.
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