The crown was heavy as it was placed upon her head. This must be how Atlas felt, with the weight of so much upon his shoulders. Persephone was not tasked with holding up the heavens, but she had a whole host of new responsibilities before her. It had all happened so suddenly; one moment, she was sweet, innocent Kore, curious about all aspects of the cosmos, desperate to learn more, and then she was a woman, a queen. She'd never expected any of this.

She swallowed down her mounting anxiety and turned her head towards her husband. Her husband. She had pledged her life to this man. Her heart hammered inside of her chest as her dark eyes met his pale ones. He didn't smile, but his eyes gleamed with joy, with excitement. She was his now, there was no going back.

He took both of her hands into his own before reaching his hand up to pinch her chin between two fingers. He tilted her head up and it took all of her strength not to look away. Was this truly the life she had chosen? An eternity in the Underworld with this man? Was this what she wanted?

"You are a queen now." His voice was full of pride, as were his eyes. He dropped his hands before kneeling on the ground, an arm placed across his chest with the other behind him. He lowered his gaze out of respect and spoke with a booming, strong voice. "All hail the queen."

"All hail the queen!" The other attendees of the wedding chorused back, each of them kneeling in turn before her. She turned to her new subjects, standing above them all as they welcomed her as their ruler. It made her feel powerful, confident, it felt good.

Persephone had never imagined that power could feel this good, could feel this exhilarating. She was no longer the little girl who frolicked in her mother's gardens in pretty, white dresses. The time of Kore was gone now, replaced completely by Persephone, by Queen Persephone. Her expression was blank, her back stiff as she gazed upon the citizens of her new kingdom. She was fighting back the urge to tremble, to show her intimidation. She cleared her throat and tilted her head up.

"Arise." Her voice did not shake, but instead exuded confidence that she wasn't aware she was capable of. She watched as her subjects rose to their feet, her husband being the last to stand. "I swear to be the best queen I can be." She announced. "Thank you all for welcoming me."

Hades took her hand before addressing his subjects. "The queen and I will retire to our chambers for the rest of the night. We shall not be distrubed."

Someone in the crowd whistled and Persephone felt her cheeks heat up as her husband led her away from the throne room. He pulled her down several halls, following the twists and turns of the castle that he knew so well. He opened the door to his bedchambers and allowed her to walk inside before him. He stepped in after her, closing and locking the door behind himself.

He watched her, his gaze travelling down her body. "My queen." He spoke the word with a smile, one that he never shared with the public. He took a step towards her. "You are now a queen in every meaning of the word. How does it feel?"

How did it feel? That was a loaded question. "I feel," She hesitated, considering for a long moment. "Powerful." She admitted. "And yet, I don't know if I made the right choice."

His lips fell into a frown. "It's too late to go back on it now." He informed her, as if she wasn't well aware. "You are my wife. You are Queen of the Underworld. That is not a title you can denounce."

"I know that." She insisted, keeping her head high. "I have no intention of backing out. I made my choice."

"Good." He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. "You couldn't leave, even if you wanted to. You chose this life and I promise that I will make this new life of yours as comfortable as possible."

It was meant to be comforting, Persephone knew, but it wasn't. Hades' words made her feel even more trapped. She took a step away from him, ignoring the confusion written across his features. "Thank you." She answered out of politeness. "I appreciate you working so hard to make me feel welcome here." This world was never meant for her, no matter how hard Hades tried to pretend otherwise. She was a goddess of fertility, of life, not death. She suddenly felt her heart squeeze inside her chest, she found it more difficult to breathe. "Might I have a moment to myself?" She requested, feeling utterly suffocated.

"A moment alone?" Hades looked taken aback. "It's our wedding night." He moved to retake her in his arms, but she moved away.

"I have requested a moment alone." Her voice grew a sharper edge as she shot a glare at her husband. "You promised me that my demands as queen would be met. Do not make me turn this request into a demand."

He immediately stepped away. "Of course, my queen." He lowered his head and gave a short bow before exiting the room.

Persephone locked the door behind him, pressing her head against the material. She absentmindedly wondered what the door was made from; certainly not wood. It was cool to the touch, cool and smooth. It was probably some sort of metal. She placed her hand against the metal. It was so cold, so lifeless. She closed her eyes and fought back the urge to cry. She slid down to the floor, reminded of how she'd never feel life again. Why had she agreed to this? Why had she chosen it? She took a shuddering breath and hugged her knees to her chest. She reached up to let her hair down from its fancy updo, allowing her curls to flow down her back. She felt a little safer, a little more free, a little more like herself. She slowly rose to her feet, walking towards the full-length mirror that hung against the wall. She stared at her own reflection, kicking off her heels. She looked almost like she did when she was younger, with her wild curls and white dress. Of course, the dresses she had worn in her youth had been much more simple than her extravagant wedding attire.

She slid the dress off, letting it puddle at her feet. She stared at her reflection for a moment before picking up the dress and neatly placing it on a hanger in the large closet. She plucked a different dress from its hanger, pulling it on over her head and allowing it to fall over her body. It was the dress she had been wearing on the day she was taken to the Underworld and was by far the most simple garment she still possessed. She smoothed it out and reexamined herself in the mirror. She looked a little more like that naive girl who had followed the man she had been infatuated with to his kingdom. She was still that naive girl at heart, even with a crown upon her head. She removed the crown and set it aside, allowing herself to refamiliarize herself with her youth.

Even as she gazed upon her reflection and recognized the youth still within her, she knew that Kore was gone and would never return in her entirety. There was no point in looking for her. Instead, Persephone sought out the similarities she shared with her mother. Even if she was to never see her mother again, she could still find her in the aspects they shared. Her skin was a shade lighter than her mother's, but still carried that beautiful glow. Her hands were still calloused from her work in the fields, just as her mother's always were. Her eyes were the same deep, dark shade of brown. She smiled at her reflection, proud to still be able to find signs of her mother within herself. She would never forget her, even if they could no longer be together.

Persephone's stomach growled and she suddenly remembered that she hadn't eaten since the pomegranate. She frowned to herself, placing a hand over her stomach. Things weren't the same in the Underworld as they were in the Overworld; she couldn't pluck fruit from nearby trees to feast upon simply because there weren't many trees that bore fruit. The pomegranate tree that she had fed upon earlier apparently hadn't bloomed since it was first planted. It had been Persephone who had caused it to produce fruit, much to Hades' surprise. She had been hungry and Hades had warned her of the consequences that would come of eating the fruit of the Underworld, but Persephone had done so anyway, solidifying her future as Queen of the Underworld. She'd chosen death over life. She'd chosen Hades over her mother. She couldn't help but wonder if that was a terrible mistake.

She slipped out of the bedroom and crept down the hall, hoping not to come across anyone who would ask too many questions. She still wished to be on her own for now and wasn't ready to face her husband. That being said, she didn't want her subjects to suspect that their queen was having second thoughts about her decision. That would simply create disharmony and doubt in the kingdom. No good could come from that.

The halls were dark, as no sunlight could cast beams through the dusty windows. Everything was so much darker here, so enveloped in shadow. This world was so unfamiliar, so bizzare. The cold tile beneath her feet was so different from the soft grass she would usually step upon. It sent chills up her spine, causing her to shudder suddenly. She wrapped her arms around herself and followed the twisting halls, stepping through doors and hopping down stairs. It didn't take long for her to realize that she was hopelessly lost. She was so unfamiliar with the layout of the castle and hadn't explored it without Hades by her side. She turned around, chewing on her lip, her heart hammering inside of her chest.

"Shit." She muttered, her pace quickening as she turned corner after corner. How were there so many rooms and hallways? Each door seemed to lead to yet another everturning hallway with a million twists and turns. She began to panic, wondering if she'll ever be able to escape. This was a mistake. She should never have come to the Underworld, should never have allowed Hades to seduce her. Now she would be trapped in this castle with no way out for the rest of time. Tears rose to her eyes as she opened door after door. She turned another corner and collided with something solid.

She stumbled back, her eyes wide. She looked in front of herself and realized that the something she had smacked into was in fact, a person. The person in question had fallen to the floor, her dark hair covering her face. "Hey, watch where you're-" She brushed her hair out of her eyes and looked up at Persephone. As soon as her gaze landed on Persephone's face, her eyes went wide and she quickly rose to her feet, bowing her head. "Your majesty. Please accept my apology. I never meant any harm by it."

Persephone quickly shook her head. "No, it's alright. I wasn't watching where I was going. There's no reason to apologize." She assured her.

"No. I should never have spoken out of turn. I humbly beg for your forgiveness." She insisted, her gaze firmly planted on the floor. "It will not happen again. I accept any punishment you see fit to bestow upon me."

Persephone was quite taken aback by the woman's insistence that she had done something unforgivable. She frowned and gave a brief shake of her head. "You already have my forgiveness. There's no need to beg for it." She held her head up high. "You are forgiven without punishment."

"Thank you, my Queen. Thank you." The woman bowed shortly. "I am in your debt." She moved to hurry past the queen, but Persephone stopped her.

"Actually, you can repay me right now." She said, a hand on the woman's arm. "First of all, what's your name?"

The woman looked up at her, swallowing nervously. "Orphne, my Queen." She introduced herself. "At your service."

"Orphne." Persephone repeated. "A truly beautiful name." She complimented, struggling to maintain her queenly perception. "Orphne, are you familiar with the layout of this castle?"

"Yes, my Queen." Orphne nodded, her hands placed firmly at her sides.

"Would you mind showing me to the kitchen, then?" Persephone requested, trying not to blush in embarrassment. She couldn't imagine how foolish she must seem; a queen who didn't know her way around her own castle.

Orphne fixed her with a confused glance before quickly lowering her eyes once again. "Of course, my Queen." She nodded and stepped past her, leading the way. Persephone followed her down a hallway, through a door, down some stairs, and through another hall. Orphne stopped in front of a plain looking door, a door that looked the same as every other door in this damned castle. Would it kill Hades to have a little differentiation? "Here we are, my Queen."

"Thank you." Persephone said politely, nodding in Orphne's direction. "There's no need to continuously call me "Queen". Just Persephone is fine." She assured her. "But thank you."

"Of course, my Que- Persephone." Orphne bowed shortly before walking off.

Persephone sighed and pushed open the door, stepping into the kitchen. The kitchen was plain, practical, nothing more than walls, cabinets, and a few of Hephaestus' cooking contraptions. It was worlds different from the kitchen Persephone had shared with her mother. Her kitchen in the Overworld had been quite small, with barely enough space for two people to stand in, but it had carried a homely feeling within it. There were flowers in the windowsills, which were always open to allow in a cool breeze and sunlight to flow in. Persephone and her mother had prepared many meals in that tiny kitchen, usually laughing or singing all the while. That kitchen was full of memories. And Persephone would never see it again.

The kitchen in the Underworld was large and spacious, with room enough for a full family to stand comfortably. It held all sorts of contraptions of Hephaestus' creation, meant to help speed along the process of cooking. Persephone reached out her hand to touch the top of the oven. It was cold to the touch, just like everything else in this damned place. It was impersonal, professional, no life at all within it. There was a hollowness that should never exist in a kitchen.

She dropped her hand to her side and let out a soft sigh before moving to the cabinets in search of something to satisfy her hunger. She found bottles of ambrosia, the food of the gods, but no fruit, honey, or anything she was used to consuming back in the Overworld. She searched the cabinets, but found nothing that she desired. She found her appetite diminished as she stepped away from the shelves. It appeared that the Underworld wasn't so different from the stuffy Olympus that her mother had despised. She sank to the ground and hugged her knees, feeling very much like a lost and afraid little girl in need of her mother. But her mother wasn't coming and never would again. Persephone had seen to that. She buried her face in her knees and she began to cry.

She didn't know how long she remained there. It could have been hours. It could have been years. It could have been mere seconds. Time passed differently in the Underworld and Persephone still hadn't gotten used to it. She sniffled and dried her eyes when she heard the door open and someone step inside. She lifted her head to see who it was, fearing what someone would say if they saw their queen like this. To her surprise, she saw Hades, his face a mask of unreadable emotion.

"Oh, Hades, I-" She began, but he cut her off before she could finish.

"We need to go. There's someone to see you." His voice was firm and steady, but Persephone could sense his doubt. She swallowed and said nothing as she watched him turn and exit from the door from whence he came. She followed after him, not wanting to become lost again. They walked in silence, the only sounds being of their footsteps echoing across the walls. Hades was upset. Persephone could feel it, but she didn't know why. Was something wrong?

After walking for what may have been a millennium, Hades pushed open a door and stood aside to allow Persephone to enter. She stepped cautiously into the room, her eyes widening when she saw who was awaiting her there.

"Hekate!" She exclaimed, running to her mother's old friend and enveloping her in a hug. Hekate returned the hug in kind, wrapping her arms around the younger goddess.

"Kore. It's good to see you." She stroked Persephone's hair a moment before pulling away. "Don't you fret about a thing, child. Everything's gonna be okay soon." She wiped away a tear that had yet to dry on Persephone's cheek.

Persephone tilted her head. "What do you mean?" She questioned. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"I've come to take you home."