Hades and Persephone Ch 13 3.docx

Hades and Persephone Ch 13 3.docx

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HadesandPersephoneCh133

Andtheneverythingshattered—goneinaradiantburstasbrilliantasthebirthofthecosmos.Mingledwiththerapturoussongtorninunisonfromtheirthroats,theycouldhearthewomen'svoicesululatingasthoughitwereawedding,adeath,arebirth,ananointing—

ThecoronationofaQueen.

Persephonecollapsedagainsthisshoulder,almostslidingoffofhimagainstfrictionlessperspiration,hisskinburning,hismusclestautandholdinghertohim.Aidon'sfingertipshadleftaradialofquicklyfadingbruisesonherhips.Hisarmscameupandglidedoverherbacktosupporther.Theyheardthejoyfulnoisesoftheirkingdomdiedownandfadebackintowhispers.

Thea...Metra...Pater...Anax...Annessa...Theos...

Shewonderedifhehadheardthatstrangecelebratorycryeverytimehewaswithher.If,intheiroccasionalhaste,whenhehadn'ttimetoremovehisrings...

"No,"Aidoneusfinallybreathed,hoarselyansweringherverythoughts."That'sneverhappenedbefore.Justtheusualwhispers,ifthat.Atleast,I'malmostcertain.I'musually...distracted,"hechortled.

"TheriteyouandHecatespeakof..."shestruggledtospeak,stilloverwhelmed,hertonguethickinhermouth."Wasthatit?

"

"Idon'tthinkso,"hesaidbetweenlaboredbreaths.Aidonallowedthemaelstromofhisthoughtstocollectagain."No;itwasn't.The hierosgamos isperformeddeliberately,steepedinceremony.Therewasnonesuchtonight."

Shecarefullyliftedherselffromhim,andtheyeachfeltamomentarypangoflongingasheslippedfromher.Theybothneededtobreathe,neededtocollapsebesideoneanother.

We'regods.Weneednoceremony.Towhomwouldweswearourselves?

Persephonerememberedhimsayingthosewordsamonthago."Ceremony..."

"Iwantthatforus,"hewhispered."Iwanttowedyouinthesightofall."

"Godshavenonetoswearby..."

"Idon'tcare.We'llswearbytheFates.We'llswearbythecosmositself.AndIwantmorethanthat—somuchmore..."Hesweptherhairawayfromherface."IwanttoperformtheRitewithyou,Persephone.Iwanttobindusasone..."

"Onthefullmoon?

"Shesaid,gleaningfromhisthoughtswhatlittleheknewofit."That'snearlyhere.Tomorrow.We'llneverlearnitintime.AndIstillmustgo..."

"Nottomorrow.Theverynextone,though..."

"Iamnoone'sacolyte,andneverwas.Iknownothing.Tofulfillmyrole—"Shereachedforhiminthedark,thefireplayingagainsthisskin.

"Iwillguideyou.Asyourconsort,Iwilllearn...andIwillguideyou.ItisoneofthelastthingsHecatehaslefttoteachme.Iwillgotoherwhileyouareintheworldabove.Iwanttosealmyselftoyou."

Persephoneranahandoverhisforehead,playingwithoneofhiswaywardcurls,feelingaffectionandahintofimpatiencecoursethroughhim.Shedidn'tneedtohearhimask,andshegavenoanswer.PersephonereachedforAidoneusashemovedoverher,thenwithinher.Shewantedthesamethinghesought—tospendtherestofthenightexploringthisnewconnection,thisnewfoundpleasure,foraslongastheirintertwiningbodieswouldallow.

***

Withthedaybeforethefullmoonuponthem,theTelesterionopeneditsdoorstoallthepeopleofEleusis.ThosewhohadpatientlywaitedfortheirwomenfolktobringbackfoodeachdaycouldnowbaskinthewarmthandsustenanceprovidedbytheCornMother.

Thegardensoutsideyieldedenough,butthesteadyflowofnewarrivalshadnotwavered,andthestoreswerewearingthin.DemetercontemplatedtheideaofextendingfertilitytoAthens'fields,enoughtofeedthepeopletravelinginonthesearoad.Sheclenchedherjaw.Thepatronessofthatcityhadbetrayedher:

AthenahadallbuthandedKoreovertotheDarkOnetocurryfavorwithherfather.ItwoulddothesupposedGoddessofWisdomnogood.DemeterknewfrombitterexperiencethatZeuscarednothingforhisoffspring.Athenswouldgohungry.Itstempleswouldstandempty.Letitspeoplecometoherinstead.

EumolpusandDioclesstoodbelowonthefirststepofthedais,oneholdingabundleofwheat,theotherasickle.Theywatchedoverthemen,womenandchildrenfilingsilentlyforward,eachplacingasheafofmilletorbarleyonthesteps,mutteringtheirblessingswitheyesaverted.Cupsof kykeon werepassedtothecongregantsastheytooktheirseats.

TriptolemussteppedforwardfromhisplacenexttotheQueenoftheEarth,glancingbackatveiledDemeter,whosmiledathimfrombeneaththelinen.Thehallwassilentashepickedupasinglesheafofwheatandraisedashortironknife.Hesplitasinglegrainfromtheendandhelditup.

"Asinglecorn,reapedinsilence,fortheMaiden'sreturnfromthehallsoftheUnseenOne."

Theroomstayedsilent,watching.Heplacedthegrainintoakylixofoliveoil.Takingaredhotcoalwithirontongsfromabrazier,hesetitaflame,holdingtheofferingabovehishead.

"FortheMaiden'sreturn!

"hesaidlouderasitblazedbrightlyandproducedaplumeofdarksmoke.

"FortheMaiden'sreturn,"theroomechoedasone,raisingtheircups.

"Totheendofwinter!

"hesaidastheflamescalmed.

"Totheendofwinter,"theyrepeatedanddrankthebarleymead.

Ontheirlastword,Demetersatupstraight.Adistantrumblerolledacrossthehillsoutsideandechoedthroughthetemple.Nooneelsehadhearditthroughthedin.

Oncetheofferingdwindledintoathinwispofdarksmoke,TriptolemushandedtheemptykylixtoDioclesandspoketotheassembly."OurholyMotherrevealedtomethatIamtoteachherMysteriesandwisdomtotheworld,tospreadherworshipandknowledgefarandwideonceherdaughterissafelyreturnedsothatnoman—"Thunderrolledagain,strongerthistime.Hepaused,feelingtheTelesterionvibrate."...Sothatnomanorwoman,slaveorfreeborn,willevergohungryagain."

Demeter'sbreathquickened. Hewouldn'tcomehere...Hewouldn'tdare...

Aboltstruckthefrozenoaktreeoutside,splittingthesolidwoodwithadeafeningcrack.Thecongregantsstartled,theircriesandshrieksmultiplyingwhentheyheardthegroanandcrashofanancientbranchfallingtotheground.Anotherblindingflashoflightframedthedoorsatthebackofthehall.Thehangingcensersshookandrattledontheirchains.Demophonstartedtocry.MetaneiragatheredhiminherarmsandtookhimfromtheroomwithCeleusclosebehindher,theirshoesclackingagainstthestonefloor.

Anervousmurmurspreadthroughthechamber.Inthesecondrow,arust-hairedboypressedhishandsoverhisears,eyessqueezedshut.Agauntwomanhuddledclosertoherhusband.DemeterwatchedtheEleusiniansshiftabout,turningandwhisperingtoeachother.Everyonecouldfeeltheelectricprickleintheair,arcingacrosswoolandskinandseparatinghair. 

Triptolemusswallowedandstartedagain,tryingtostandastallashecouldtoreassureandquietthem."Sh-shehasgiventomeherchar—" 

Thedoorsflewopen,eachsideslammingagainstthewall.Thelittleveiledgirlwiththe koudounia ranbehindacolumnanddroppedhercopperbells.Windwhistledthroughtherafters,sendingadriftofsnowintothehall.Thefiresinthebraziersstutteredandnearlyextinguished.Afewwhowerepostedtoguardtheoutsideraninside,takingrefugefromthesuddenstorm.Attheback,aseveralcongregantsstrainedtopushthedoorsshut,leaninghardagainstthegreatentrytocloseit,thenhoistedaheavywoodbeamtobaritagainstthegale.Noonepaidanyattentiontothefigurewho'dstrolledinamidstthecacophony. 

NoonebutDemeter.

Thewindoutsideceasedandtheroomfellutterlysilent.Shestoodandpulledherveilbackfromherface.ThoseintheaudienceavertedtheireyesfromthefaceoftheMotherandinsteadturnedtheircloakedheadstofollowhergaze.AbroadshoulderedmanstoodinfrontofthesealeddoorsdressedinthesameindigoasDemeter'sotherpetitioners.Buthisfeetweresandaled,instarkcontrastwitheveryoneelse,whoworeleatherwrappedinlinenandwooluptotheirkneestokeeptheirtoesfromfallingoffinthesnow.Hisfacewasstern,andallintheTelesterionstaredathimincuriouswonder.

"IcometospeakwithyourQueenoftheEarth."

Hebrushedthehoodfromhisheadandtookastepforward.Themanproducedabundleofwheatinonehandandabundleofbarleyintheother.Offerings.Heslowlydroppedtoonekneeandkneltwitharmsextended,asherpetitionersoftendid.

Demeterslittedhereyesandtiltedherchinupbeforeshespoke."Youarenotwelcomehere,Loud-Thunderer."

Gaspswentupinthecrowd.Asinglenamewasoneverytongue.Zeus.

Hearoseandtookanotherstepforward.Thecrowdflinchedbackasasinglemass,eyesdartingfromtheSkyFathertotheEarthMother,unsureofwhattodo.Noonewasfoolishenoughtoplacethemselvesinthemiddleofaconfrontationbetweenthetwoimmortals.Afewbegantoslowlymovetowardtheexits,thenothersfollowedcarefully,allthewhilemurmuringtooneanother.Thentheyhurriedtheirsteps,quietlyopeningtheheavydoorsandfilingoutintothecold,givingtheKingoftheGodsawideberth.

Zeusturnedtowatchthemgo,pausingontheroundedflareofabrunettemaiden'shipsandimaginingallthethingshecoulddotoheroncethiswinterwasoverandshegotalittlemoremeatonherbones.Hisfingersitched,clutchingatthebundlesofgrain.Thetwopriestswerethelasttogo,theirhimationsdrawnovertheirheads.Zeuscasuallywatchedthemleave,thenwilledthedoorstoslamshutbehindthem.

"Cometochastiseme?

Pleadwithmeasyourwife'shandmaidenIrisdid?

"

"Neither,mylady."

Demeterstoodcoldasstone,thenbrushedafingeragain