9. Hecate
I stood, brushing off the dirt from my body. The three headed dog was sitting there patiently. I always liked animals despite never owning one. I approached the massive beast. I stuck out my hand for him to sniff which he did. Then tentatively pet one of his heads that was massive compared to my body size. The dog got up and pushed his body into me. “Good Boy.” I spoke. After he started prancing around me, I realized he was not so scary after all, but kind of cute even with his three heads.
I smiled as he seemed to be having a good time. Hades came beside me. He held his hand up and a red ball appeared in it. “Why don’t you throw it for him. He likes fetch.” I took it from him. “Use his name.” Hades urged. “Cerberus.” All three of the heads rose looking at the bright red ball. I threw it far as I could. And since I was a goddess, it went far. The beast ran toward the direction the ball flew. Hades nodded. “He will come back; I was serious he hates almost everyone but me.” “Who else does he like?” “Charon.” I looked at him quizzically. “The ferryman” I asked. “Yeah.”
I nodded and Hades continued our tour. Cerebrus would come back time and time again for me to throw his ball. I saw the River Styx, The Lethe, I thought Elysium was the most peaceful and beautiful place. When we got to the River Phlegethon it was on fire. “Tartarus is past this river, so Persephone never go there, do I make myself clear?” Hades looked so serious. I knew what was in Tartarus, the worst the world had to offer, and I had no desire to be surrounded by those there. Hades led me away from the burning river avoiding a large forest. “Stay clear of there too.” He said pointing to the trees.
When we reached the Asphodel Fields there was a city. A whole city that reminded me of the one Hades had taken me to the previous night. I looked at Hades. “I thought the Asphodel fields were going to just be a bunch of souls roaming around?” “It used to be like that.” I didn’t know what to make of it. “You made all this right? Using your magic?” Hades nodded. I was surprised that he had done this. He was supposed to be cruel. Why had he made it so the souls had something to do after they died.
Hades and I strolled down the streets. There were people bowing and stopping to talk to the two of us. They seemed happy to see their king. They didn’t cower before him like I was told happened in the Underworld. Suddenly the ground shook and I turned to see Cerberus running down the road toward us. His red ball in one of his mouths. The souls around us screamed and ran, I watched as Cerberus sat in front of me and he dropped the ball at my feet. He looked to the side and saw a man. He growled at him, and the man backed away slowly. When the three-headed dog turned toward me his tail started wagging again and his tongues lay out of his mouth.
Hades looked at his pet sternly. “Cerberus you know not to come here go on now. We will play more later.” The dog whined. I went to him. His big heads dipping down to meet mine. “It is okay Cerberus we can play later.” I pet his center head and then he licked me before running the way he came. A voice cut through the air “I will be dammed, someone besides you and your best friend, the beast likes.” I turned to see a woman walking towards us. She was beautiful and had an edgy appearance. Her black hair was chopped into a neck length bob. Her eyes were cat-like, and white.
“Persephone this Hecate.” I stared at the goddess. “So, this is the little Goddess Charon told me you were obsessed with.” I looked from the goddess to Hades. Was he really obsessed with me? Before Hades said anything Hecate continued. “Well, I am for one glad, Hades found you. I don’t mind Hades or Charon’s company, but they like to exclude me from things as they are all buddy buddy with one another. And Furrys do not make the best friends. And don’t get me started with the nymphs who live here.” Hades looked at her “What about the souls, you like them Hecate?” He said earnestly “I do, they are nice for the most part but what good are they as far as gossip they are dead.”
I don’t know why I thought that was funny, but I laughed. Hecate smiled. “Finally, someone here gets me. Hades be a good dear and let me hang out with your goddess.” I looked at her. She had referred to me as his. I spoke. “I am not his goddess.” I said confidently. Hecate smiled at me like she was thinking of something only she knew. “Hades go on now.” Hades turned to me. Was he really going to listen to some other goddess. “Persephone Darling do want to hang out with Hecate?” He was asking me. I looked at the goddess then Hades. I didn’t particularly want to leave him, but at the same time I was intrigued.
I had only met a small number of gods and Hecate was not just a goddess but a titan. I couldn’t help but be curious and I knew that to be my crux. I nodded. “Very well.” He then leaned down and kissed me again, right in front of her. He took the breath from my mouth. He finally stepped back smirking at me. “Bring her back to the palace when you are done having your fun Hecate.” She nodded and Hades disappeared. I stood there on the street with Hecate. The people were starting to resume their dead lives around us.
Hecate came up to me and said, “That was some kiss.” I blushed all over. “So, what do you think of the Underworld so far?” I looked around. “It is nothing like what I expected.” She smiled “Of course it isn’t. I am sure Demeter told you it is a miserable place full of despair and torture.” I nodded. Those were some of the words she had used among others. “Last time she was here it was pretty close to that, but that was a long time ago.” I turned my head. “My mother came here before?” “All the gods have been here before, some still come quite frequently. Dionysus for one loves to steal Hade's wine, that glutton. Then of course Hermes comes too, but he just likes to stir up trouble. I think he is more of a trickster than anything.”
“But anyways, let's go to my home. I want to hear everything about you. Charon told me a little.” Then we transported into a beautiful lounge room, there was so much purple. “This is my sitting room.” I looked around at the lavish furnishing and decor. “Okay so tell me because I am dying to know, what is your gift?” “My gift?” “Yes, what magic do you possess like obviously you know my gift is magic. Zues has the lightning thing, I want to know what you have?”
“I can make things grow. Like I grow flowers a lot. I think that is the extent of it.” Hecate examined me with her eyes, to the point I was getting nervous. “Nonsense, you are much more powerful, and are capable of more than just some flowers popping up where you want them.” I didn’t know what she was referring to. My mother told me that was the extent of what I could do. “Oh, you don’t believe me. I see this is Demeter’s doing, she has always been meddlesome.” I wanted to scream I didn’t like her talking about my mother like that. But there was no way I would scream at a titan. “We can work on that soon enough. So, tell me everything from your viewpoint. Because I only got a secondhand account and there is no way Hades will talk to me about how he feels. He leaves that to his butt buddy Charon.”
“Butt buddy?” I questioned. “Oh yes, those two are the best of friends, I don’t know why I am left out all the time. I mean just because I like gossip doesn’t mean I can’t keep things to myself. So go on tell me everything.” I looked at her not knowing if I should tell her anything. I didn’t know her that well, what if she told someone else about me and my deal with Hades, I figured too many people already knew and my mother was going to find out. “Persephone, I am not loyal to Demeter she will know nothing of what you tell me.” I was sure she was telling the truth, and I was nervous to say no to a titan. So, I started to tell her things.
“Okay Wow! I am going to show you so much, first things first though you need a smart phone, you can access the internet on it, so you can see what is going on in the real world, because it is obvious you are so far out of the loop. How else are you going to know what is going on, not to mention you can text me all the time.” That is what she got out of all of that. I had only told her that going out with Hades was my first time leaving my mother's estate.
“And yeah, like your friend Lola said, you are so into Hades, which is good because he is obsessed with you.” “Hecate, I don’t know what any of that means.” She smiled. “Of course you don’t little goddess. But now you have me, and I am going to teach you it all. Well, not the thing about sex, I am sure Lola your friend can do that, best to learn that from a nymph.” “What?” She smiled. “I will stop by your house tomorrow, but before you say anything, you should know I can go wherever I want and not be seen. I will give you a phone and then I will start to teach you about your real power. You will need to know it. With what is coming.” I looked at her bewildered. “What is coming?”