Chapter Text
The first time I saw her, she was picking flowers. It makes sense when you think of it, goddess of Spring that she was, but at the time I didn’t know. At the time, I had just come up for air, and my life had not yet been turned on its axis; even Lords of The Underworld miss sunlight every once in a while – or at least, this one did. I wandered slowly across one of Demeter’s lush green meadows, my fingertips dragging along the tall grass, the sunlight I had craved warming my body. I felt the beginning of a smile creep across my face, my eyes slowly drifting closed.
Her laughter shattered my silence.
I whirled around, seeking the sound, and that was when I saw her, all golden hair and sun-kissed skin, bright honey eyes flashing with delight as she raced across the meadow, nimble fingers darting out to pluck this or that flower as they caught her eye, nymphs chasing after her with cheerful calls. I stood still as she ran right past me, unseen in my Helmet of Invisibility. The fabric of her gown brushed against my leg, causing her to slow to a stop a few feet away, eyes searching the air around me in confusion as her laughter slowly faded and the tiniest frown marred her brow. For a second, it seemed as though she looked right at me, our eyes locking even though hers remained unfocused and unseeing, and mine desperately tried to take in every line, every detail, and commit it to memory. Her lips parted, as if to say something, and I felt myself leaning toward her, my attention caught. What was she going to say? What was she thinking? What? What?
“Persephone, slow down!” One of the nymphs finally caught up, launching herself into her arms. Persephone laughed again as she caught her, that split-second of possibility gone. I felt my shoulders slump with disappointment, which was ridiculous; I now knew she was Persephone, goddess of Spring, but I didn’t even know her.
“What are you looking at?” Still practically dangling from the goddess’ neck, the nymph looked around, her eyes sweeping over me without so much as a pause. Honey-gold eyes wandered again near where I wasn’t so much hiding as I was unseen, before her features relaxed into an easy smile and she brushed a lock of the nymph’s hair behind her ear with casual affection.
“Nothing, really. Just thought I saw something.” A huff of fond displeasure sounded from her companion, who disentangled herself and pulled the goddess along by the hand “Come on then, the others are waiting, let’s go!” Another laugh and they were taking off across the fields, agile and graceful as deer. I crossed my arms over my chest and felt myself hunch over, inexplicably sad all of a sudden, the absence of their laughter and joy like a gaping hole inside my chest I hadn’t even been aware of until then. With a last look at the departing figures, I turned around and walked away, letting the earth swallow me whole.
I went back, of course. For some reason, I could not seem to stay away from that meadow, with its piercing sunlight, fresh spring grass, and the echo of a joy I could feel like a ghost in my heart, real but not, there but not. Her presence was like me when I donned my helmet, unseen, unnoticed. Was I real, if no one could see me?