WHO: Demeter & Hera WHEN: Thursday evening WHERE: Hera's apartment WHAT: The Queen of Olympus beckons. WARNINGS: tba, bitchiness?
Had Hera not mentioned that the meeting was concerned with Persephone then Demeter wouldn't have bothered to go at all. But the Olympian Queen had and so Demeter left the comfort and protection that Absinthe's home afforded her and made her way instead to the address she'd been given.
She didn't care about what she looked like to Hera. Demeter felt like death, and her visit from the Keres meant that feeling wasn't far off truth. Let it been seen. Demeter cared not.
She knocked on Hera's door and waited, noting the bones in her wrist, the stretched skin across her hand.
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[info]queenofgods 2011-05-20 03:55 am UTC (link) Track This Had Demeter not come, Hera would have found a way to drag her to her door. She wasn't accustomed to waiting. Demeter was her sister, and needed to be reminded of her place.
It was one of her servants who opened the door, saying nothing, and led Demeter to the living room were Hera sat, petting one of her peacocks. When she saw Demeter she raised an eyebrow. "You look like death sister. Costly price, was it, your temper tantrum?"
She motioned the servant away, "you know, once upon a time I actually admired you. You could have had my seat. Now look at you. A bony, wasted thing, pining after a daughter long grown. Where is she then Demeter, where's Persephone?"
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[info]thesmophoros 2011-05-20 04:14 am UTC (link) Track This "Worth it," Demeter just told her sister, her eyes cold. "They deserved it."
She turned her gaze away at the mention of her daughter and when she spoke there was a sneer in her voice, an undercurrent of leaves curling in on themselves and things that rot. "Hades. He has her still."
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[info]queenofgods 2011-05-20 04:25 am UTC (link) Track This "I wonder if you'll still say that when you visit dear brother Death's realm." With a smile she poured herself a drink. "You ought to grow up."
Odd words from her. "You cling too tightly to one daughter. You had other children. You're a disgrace to yourself and your blood. I had to give my Hebe, my sweet little girl, to my greatest enemy. I never saw her again. You get to hold your daughter every Spring, and you pretend she's not married and given you grandchildren." She shook her head, "I have half a mind to convince Zeus to order you to get your mind straight. Or do it myself."
She gave a cruel smile, "I always left Persephone alone. A courtesy. I told Zeus to just send the Erinyes after you, when you had your tantrum. The fool never listens to my advice." She sighed. "You went over your head. Zeus won't let you just kill villages again, because you still think your child's tied to you. Regardless. I have my confirmation. Hades will be reminded of the vow he made. The balance must be kept. Just remember sweet sister. Persephone is Zeus'. He gave her to Hades."
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[info]thesmophoros 2011-05-20 04:31 am UTC (link) Track This Demeter just stood. There was nothing she could say to Hera on these charges and in truth she barely heard most of what her sister said. Demeter's head was filled with visions of leaping forward, of tearing her throat open and forcing her to beg for her life.
But Demeter was weak and Hera was strong. Demeter knew that much.
At the mention of Persephone belonging to Zeus, Demeter did raise her eyes though and within them rested pure hate. "Persephone belongs to me."
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[info]queenofgods 2011-05-20 04:45 am UTC (link) Track This "No. She doesn't. Your daughter belongs to you just as much as my own belong to me. We can raise them, feed them, and teach them but as Hebe married Heracles Persephone married Hades. With her father's consent." She rose from her seat, stepping closer to Demeter. She was daring her sister. Daring her to hurt her.
If she did, Hera was within full rights to punish her. With Hebe missing, she and Zeus were getting along. Hera could now get away with quite a lot.
"She's a grown woman Demeter. She belongs, foremost, to her father. Then to her husband. Then to herself. Hades couldn't have kept her without consent. He has no chains over her. You cling to a girl that's long gone, and even so while time progresses we do not. Our ways are old, as are our customs. The duaghter of a King is sold to wohever he likes. For politics in our case. The Three Sons of Cronus needed wives. Married to Zeus daughter, even a bastard child, makes Hades behave."
Pausing she smiled, "you know I often wondered why Zeus didn't make you wed. Probably because he wanted you. Still, much better if you'd been sold to our sea king. Gotten you out of the way at least."
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[info]thesmophoros 2011-05-21 02:08 am UTC (link) Track This When Hera came closed to her again there was that desire to grab her sister by the throat, to sneer at her that she only sat on this throne because she was a vile, treacherous whore. Demeter had never cared for that power, she didn't need it to satisfy herself - unlike Hera.
But Demeter did nothing, just stood and listened to Hera's hateful words. The Queen could claim as much as she liked that Persephone belonged to Zeus but when her daughter was with Demeter and they looked into each other's eyes, they knew they belonged to each other. Harvest and Spring.
If Zeus still wanted her then he made no show of it, for which Demeter was grateful. She had no interest in Zeus anymore. But at the comment on Poseidon she visibly bristled. "How unfortunate I am no longer in a position to be married off, 'in your way' as I apparently am." Demeter barely saw Hera or Zeus, so how she was in her sister's way she didn't quite know.
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[info]queenofgods 2011-05-21 02:26 am UTC (link) Track This Demeter was in the way in the same manner that any of Zeus' affairs had been in her way. But she couldn't touch Persephone. Not directly. And cold Hades would remember the slight. Her brother saw too much for her liking. "Never assume Demeter."
Smiling she stepped back, calling her peacocks to her and petting their heads, "Zeus will have a word with Hades. The balance must be kept. We're too old to forget old vows. Still, he'll punish him but he can't kill him. And before you go screeching for his head do remember he's more then your daughter's so called prisoner. He holds the key to black gates, and none of us want to see Cronus again. There's enough stirrings and whispers."
Her sister probably didn't care. Demeter never cared for anyone but herself. Hera cared for power.
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[info]thesmophoros 2011-05-21 02:33 am UTC (link) Track This "I don't call for our brother's head," Demeter said coldly. She understood balances more than Hera did, she was sure. Demeter was part of the very earth and (usually) she followed those cycles with her own spirit.
"Is that all?" Demeter asked her sister.
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[info]queenofgods 2011-05-21 02:40 am UTC (link) Track This "So eager to get away." Smiling she sat down again. "You can go Demeter, but you'll return for the party that's to be held. If it's an incentive, I quite imagine Zeus may wish to embarrass Hades at it. You may not want his head, but you'll enjoy watching him squirm I imagine."
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[info]thesmophoros 2011-05-21 02:45 am UTC (link) Track This At that Demeter's lips curled up into a cruel smirk. "That," Demeter told her sister, "I will gladly see."
She gave Hera a polite tilt of the head, as much of a bow as this queen deserved from her, and then turned and swept out of the room.