Frozen Flowers
Hades strolled through the forest calmly making his way to the tree line but just enough to not be seen by the residence. He crouched behind a tree and waited, watching intently on the cottage on the hill. Almost immediately the door of the cottage opens, making Hades duck behind the shadows of the tree line.
"I'll be back once the harvest is over-" said Demeter as she walked out with two baskets on her sides. "Play only in the meadow, Kore, Ya hear? Hermes will be here soon."
Hades raised up his claws and pop his eyes outwards making them binoculars shape. With his vision increased as he zoomed in on the front door and saw a striking image of a young sun-colored mare with a mane the color of pink roses. She had recently hit her eighteenth year and her mane had grown to full length from the first time he saw her as a small filly. She gave her mother one of her famous smiles that made him clutch his chest, suffering from a stab of cuteness.
"of course, Mother...be safe on your trip."
"I'll be back before dawn and make sure your're inside before than-and stay away from the tree line." Demeter warned.
"Of course mother." Kore muttered softly. "You can trust me."
Demeter let out a small smile. "I know Kore...please be safe. I'll see you at dawn." With that Demeter took her leave. Hades pushed his eyes back into his sockets, blinking quickly as he watched Kore's mother walk down the dirt path before disappearing in the distance. He let out a large grin as he turned his complete attention towards the young goddess who quickly ran into the meadow. She jumped happily into the tall grass and wildflowers, enjoying the freedom that was rarely given to her.
Hades straightened as he hid fully behind the tree, a small mirror appeared in front of him.
"All right Hades ol' boy-" he said to his reflection as he stroked at his black mane. "All you have to do is-stroll right in...talk to her...make her love you and everything will be perfect!"
He snapped his fingers making a small cloth appear, making it clean at his horns, shining them up before he makes his move. He licked his thumb and stroked it over his eyes brows.
"Just walk up-" he whispered. "Just walk up and talk to her..."
He stared at his reflection, stroking his beard slightly. He couldn't help but notice how...different he was. Suddenly all the confidence he had was now replaced with uncertainty. He shut his eyes making the mirror and cloth disappear as he looked back to Kore, who was now singing softly to herself. He let out a soft breath as he leaned his head against the bark of the tree as he listened.
She was laying in the grass, avoiding all the colorful flowers that decorated around her. Singing her soft tune as she began to braid baby breath together in a small wreath. Hades let out a frown and turned away.
"Ah-who I'm I kidding...I'm just a weed in her garden." He muttered solemnly.
---
Kore took one last satisfying sip of her third cup of tea. She let out a soft sigh feeling the warmth from the tea escape through her lips. She felt a soft breeze go by watching the tall grass and wild flowers lean off to follow the caressing wind. She looked up as she heard the leaves rustle above her, to find herself face to face with the God of Death.
“What are you doing?” she smiled, chuckling slightly as he hanged upside down by his tail. Something that reminded her of the opossums that lived near her home.
He stretched his arms out putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed position. “Seeing things in a new perspective, my dear-and experiencing dizziness from the blood rushing to my head…” He said making his pupils loop around in his eyes before shaking his head. He snapped his fingers making another pot of tea appear in front of her. “Another...cup?” he asked with a smirk. “maybe with a lump of sugar?”
“No thank you-” she replied politely putting her empty cup down, not noticing the scowl across his lips. He gave out a large smile once she looked back at him.
"Thank you for taking me here-" she began. He blinked, flabbergasted. He stuffed a finger into his ear.
"What was that, my dear? I fear I couldn't hear you-" he said pulling out a long rainbow color cloth. "Did you said that you actually "enjoyed" yourself?"
She let out a small giggle from his trick, hiding her smile behind her hoof. Her laughter died as she felt her hoof being pulled away by his paw. She was surprised by how gently he cupped her hoof, more so when she saw him admiring her.
"You shouldn't hide that smile of yours from me-" he whispered in a dulcet tone. She felt her face heat up immediately and pulled away, more harshly than she meant to because as soon as she did she saw a flash of pain come across his eyes.
"I'm sorry!" She blurted out hiding behind her mane as she rubbed her hoof shyly. "You just....startled me...that's all."
He let out a heavy sigh. "Force of habit." He pulled himself up, flipping back onto his feet. She went to her hooves once he turned his back on her.
"Please don't be mad-" she said softly. He let out a scoff.
"Mad? Why would I be mad? I'll never be mad at you, my flower...it's impossible....why would I be mad if you're always afraid of me?" He said motioning his face.
"I'm...it's not how you look-"
"Then what is it?!" He shouted suddenly, making her jump slightly. "It can't be my magic-it can't be my occupation-it can't be anything else but the way I look!" He let out a bitter growl. "I see how everypony acts around me, the mortals and the gods...looking at me with disdain and fear." His arms dropped down to his sides, his robe shrouding him like a shadow. "They think I don't hear them when they whisper about me?" He let out a sigh.
"They judge me before they even know me."
He was startled by a warm hoof resting itself on his lion paw and turned to find her teal-colored eyes looking up to him, her stare alone was enough to make him melt inside. Forgetting all of the anger he had before.
"I'm not afraid-" she said softly. He blinked at her giving her a "really?"expression. "W-well at first I was, when you kidnapped me,"
Hades held back a sharp whistle from escaping from the mention of the "not-so-good" deed.
"But-right now...your not so bad. I think you just need a friend."
"I think you are confusing friend with "eternal companion"." He grinned wolfishly giving her a wink.
"Isn't that what a friend is?" She countered swiftly. He pressed his lips together hiding back a grin.
"Touché..then humor me, my dear-what is it that "frieeeends" do?" He said with a roll of his tongue as if it was a new word.
Kore dug her hoof into the earth in thought. "Well-how about we talk?..."
----------
"Ugh! How much longer?" whined Hermes as she dragged her hooves over her face. The boat rocked gently through the waves of the river Styx as Charon maneuvered the boat at the bow with a large stick in the dark waters.
"Not much longer I hope..." Athena said softly as she stared at the open waters. They have been traveling for hours and they still have not found the threshold of Hades. She sighed heavily as she stared into the dark waters off the edge of the wooden boat.
"I hope Kore is alright.." Hebe started dabbing a hoofkercheif on her forehead. "I hate to imagine what that brute is doing to sweet, little Kore right now."
"If he hurt just one little piece of hair of her mane!-" Hermes growled and put her two hooves up making swift punches in the air. "He's going to answer to me!"
"Quite!" Hebe agreed. "And I'll be cheering you on by the sidelines..."
Ariadne suddenly stood up, shaking the boat and causing Charon to suddenly put out his stick harshly trying to stabilize it.
"I know! Let's play I Spy!"
"Ariadne!" Shouted Athena holding onto the end of the boat trying not to fall into the frigid waters.
"I spy with my little eye-a stalagmite! Or is it stalactite? Wait, which is the one on the ceiling again!?"
"Aridane! Sit down! You're rocking the boat!" Screeched Hermes.
Ariadne let out a sheepish smile as she sat down, stabilizing the boat. "Oops sorry girls-I just wanted to make everything not so gloomy...." She said with a twinge of sadness in her voice.
Athena let out a small empathetic smile to her. "I know Aridane-we're all worried about Kore...."
Hermes let out a small scoff making the three look at her. "I should have been watching her more closely-I mean I am Zeus's go-to messenger pony! The fastest there is! And...and I still couldn't keep up to catch her."
"None of this is your fault, Hermes." Hebe said softly placing a hoof on her shoulder in comfort.
"But I promised her mother, Demeter! Ever since we were young I always protected her and now-I messed up! She probably hates me..."
"Now stop-" Athena spoke loudly. "We all know you did your job as guardian but none of that matters because we are getting Kore back...and hopefully before Demeter comes back."
-----------------
Demeter threw open the door happily as she trotted inside the cottage.
"Kore! The harvest was a success, I managed to fix everything just in time-" Demeter smiled as she placed the baskets down on the table from her trip. "And I got your favorites-peaches!"
Demeter sniffed as she looked around the room. "Umm-Kore!" She called. "Didn't Ya hear me?! Peaches!..."
She scratched her mane slightly and decided to trot upstairs. Considering that the sun was setting she thought her daughter might be asleep in her bed but when she looked in her room, her heart stop.
The room was empty.
She ran downstairs making her way to the meadow. She broke through the tall grass running along it as she tried to locate her only daughter.
"Kore! kore! Where are you?!" She cried, her voice aching with fear not noticing the grass and flowers wilting as she takes a step. Demeter felt herself began to choke in her words as she found no trace of Kore. Her eyes began to gloss over making her blink back the tears. She would not cry, she had to focus on one thing and that was finding Kore. Her attention shifted to the tree line and she took off running.
"Kore!....Kore!...where are you?!" She repeated as she ran through the thick forest, the leaves behind her turning orange and yellow as they fell off their branches. The moment they landed on the ground, they shriveled up before becoming dust.
As Demeter fruitlessly tried to locate her daughter, she failed to notice dark clouds making their way over the land and for the first time, the wind had turned cold. The branches became bare, the animals left their homes and crops refused to grow.
The earth cried out with her as the goddess searched in the wilds that was dearly loved by her daughter.