Persephone took a moment alone to catch her breath, she didn't reignite the candle flame or go back inside. She rested with her hands on her lap and her shoulders slouched, the surge of dread she woke up with this morning had vanished and it was replaced with ease. Kore wasn't her enemy, she was her protector.

"Seph," a voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to find her husband dressed only in a pair of dark silk slacks, his strong chest was bare and his hair was rakishly tousled, his eyes were heavy from sleep as he approached her with lazy relaxed strides reminding her of a feline. She loved seeing him like this; it was quite adorable and undeniably sexy.

"Good morning," she said as he joined her on the balcony floor. He sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. "Did I wake you?" She asked.

"No," he said. "But when I reached over for you in bed, you weren't there. What were you doing out here so early?"

Persephone leaned into his embrace. "I prayed to Kore," she told him.

"Oh," he replied groggily. "How'd that go?"

"Better than I thought it would," she admitted. "It was just like you said."

Hades smiled. "I'm never wrong," he boldly praised himself. "Speaking of Kore, do you remember what happened last night?"

Persephone shook her head. "No," she looked at his gleaming eyes as deep as ruby stones, then she recalled the burning red marks on his back. "Is this about your back?" She asked eagerly. "What happened? I don't remember getting that rough with you."

Hades released his arms from around her and leaned back on his hands. "You almost transformed into Kore," he said. "I stopped you but my back got the repercussions of trying to do so."

"Oh no," she grimaced. "I'm sorry, I didn't have any control."

Hades smirked. "I don't mind," he said huskily. "I was more worried about what would happen if I ended up transforming into my devilish form."

"Would you have? Transformed, I mean," she asked.

Hades raked his dark silk hair away from his face. "If you challenged me," he said, "then I definitely would have."

"Oh," Persephone blushed terribly. "We should reframe from taking it to such extremes."

Hades chuckled. "Why, are you embarrassed?" He teased her.

"No," she scoffed. "Imagine what would come of our home if both of us took on our devil forms."

Realization shined across Hades face. "You're probably right," he agreed and then got to his feet, he pulled her up with him. "Did you already take a bath?"

"Yes," she answered and he gave her a sullied pout.

"That's too bad," he said as his eyes darkened over her face. "I thought we'd take it together."

Persephone giggled. "How about you go take a bath alone and I'll get dressed," she offered smartly.

Hades froze in his tracks. "Is there somewhere you need to be?" he asked.

Persephone let out a weary sigh. "I was going to have a word with my mother," she told her husband.

Hades playful face grew stern and cold. "When do we leave?"

-Mount Olympus-

"Demeter," Zeus paced in front of his frustrated and extremely furious wife. "You should not have pulled such an ugly scheme."

"What was I supposed to do?" She snapped. "My daughter is stuck in Hell with that disgusting monster!"

"You're supposed to let her be happy!" bellowed Zeus with fiery rage in his ocean blue eyes that was feared by all. "I've never interfered between you and our daughter before. But after I heard the news that she almost died, and then she killed someone with her bare hands, I couldn't believe what you made our daughter succumb to."

Demeter's wrath boiled like a simmering pot. "This is all because of Hades influence," she professed shrewdly. "She was an innocent girl before and now he's tainted her."

Zeus let out a heavy breath from disbelief. "You'll lose your daughter like this, Demeter."

Demeter's eyes widened and her face grew sour. "Don't say such things," she dropped onto the plush chair. "My daughter would never leave me."

"Don't be so sure," said Zeus. "A bird is bound to leave its cage, and after the stunt you pulled, I'd say that you turned that small canary into a hungry eagle."

Demeter glared at Zeus. "Leave me be," she rubbed her throbbing temples. "I need silence to think."

Zeus placed his hands behind his back, a sharp sting struck behind his own eyes and trailed through his head. This mess with Demeter and his daughter would be the end of him if he didn't do something soon. However, before he could, the confrontation that he avoided at all cost just walked through the door. Hades and Persephone hand-in-hand marched into Demeter's room. And right away, Zeus could tell that his innocent daughter hadn't entered through that door, instead it was the Queen of the Underworld.

"Persephone," Demeter rose from her seat and reached for her daughter.

"Don't," Persephone retreated away from her mother's touch, and that single move shattered the smile on her mother's face. "Don't touch me."

"Why don't we talk about this calmly," offered Zeus.

"No," bit Persephone. "What you did," she looked at her mother accusingly, "was disgusting."

"Persephone," gasped Demeter in horror.

"I never want to see you again," Persephone's face was blank, no emotion hindered her thoughts of what she wanted from now on. "Don't contact me and don't send your guards to my kingdom." Persephone gritted her teeth. "And you will never set foot or attempt to harm my home again. If you do, you will lose all chances to be forgiven."

"You can't do this to your own mother!" yelled Demeter.

Persephone's eyes changed colour to smouldering red. "I can and I will," her voice distorted into a menacing rasp.

"What has happened to you?" Demeter asked from terror upon seeing her daughter's transformation. "It's all because of that man!" she pointed at Hades.

The black smoke around Persephone's feet engulfed her in a massive flame, she had emerged forth as Kore. "Don't you dare accuse him when you've done the sin," sneered Kore.

"Hades," Zeus called out to his brother. "Want to explain what the hell is going on?"

"Don't ask me," shrugged Hades. "This is all Demeter's fault. If she hadn't destroyed my wife's garden and sent a spy, she would have never taken on this devilish form."

"I will warn you once more, Demeter," menaced Kore. "Do not touch my kingdom or my wrath will be the last thing you see when I come for you."

"My daughter," Demeter's face paled and her eyes mirrored her crushed soul. "Don't do this-" she collapsed back on the chair.

"Persephone," Zeus called out but Kore's anger did not perish, it only worsened from distaste.

Hades had no choice, he stepped forth and blocked Kore's vision from the sight of her parents. His fiery hands held onto her fists and controlled her seething anger that was about to rip apart the halls of this palace. "Come back to me," he whispered. "Kore, you protected Seph." Kore's blood red eyes lifted and glared at Hades. But he didn't scare easy. The smoke engulfed her again and the flame brought back the deity dressed in pearl white.

"We're leaving," declared Persephone. "Father, would you walk us out?"

Zeus led them out of Demeter's chambers, which was now cold and disarray even with sunshine beaming through the windows.

"I hope you know that I have no ill will against you, Father," said Persephone.

Zeus put his arm around his daughter's shoulders. "I know," he sighed. "But your mother will be heartbroken after this."

"She needed to hear that," said Persephone. "Otherwise, she never would have learned."

"Are you sure that's what you wanted?" asked Zeus.

"Yes," she answered.

Zeus turned towards Hades. "You take care of my daughter," he laid a heavy hand on Hades shoulder. "Or I swear I will come kill you myself."

Hades rolled his eyes. "I don't need to be threatened in order to do that," he remarked. "I was going to take care of my wife either way."

Zeus approved with a smile. "What did you call your new form?" he asked. "Kore, right?"

"Yes," said Persephone.

"I like it, it suits you," he said. "Very well, go on home, you two," he ushered them towards the portal. "A king and queen shouldn't be away from their kingdom for too long."