Hades the lord of the dead and ruler of the nether world watched over Persephone for many months before he decided to steal her away from her mother, which happens to be Demeter, the goddess of the harvest. Just so he could see and cause his sister Demeter’s pain he waited for the right moment. He rose from earth with his golden chariot led by four of the blackest of black horses and he grabbed Persephone, throwing her over his shoulder. Hades then turned back around and plunged once again into the underworld.

These were the words he whispered in her ears, “Welcome home, my love. Your new kingdom, Tartarus.” He then placed her on a throne of ivory and jewels. “What do you think?” He asked her. “I hate it." She whispered. "I am never speaking to you, as long as I live."

"Then you shan’t be speaking to anyone for a very long time, my beautiful." Hades stood, wrapping his cloak around himself, his black eyes staring down on her. "Get used to it, my darling Persephone. You will not be leaving any time soon." He then left her there and walked among the dead. He thought with time she will come to adapt to her new home and maybe even come to love him. He was patient and he would make her the happiest woman in the entire world.

The marriage ceremony had taken place in a sacred place in Tartarus. Hades lips were not warm when he sealed their marriage with a kiss. When the ceremony was over, he led her by the arm to their thrones where he had only left her side to conduct his rounds of the kingdom. He draped her with jewels and gowns of silver and gold. He watched her with admiration of her beauty, but he missed her voice.

One day in the morning he made his move to get her to speak to him again. He took her hand from where he sat on his throne, and raised it to his lips, kissing her pale skin.

"My darling Persephone… It has been so long since I heard your voice…Surely you wish to speak to me…to someone?"
Persephone looked at him from the dark pools that were her eyes. "Only my mother."

Hades stood and rage and jealousy filled his body. "You will never see your mother again."

"Then I shall never speak again." Persephone said her final words.

On earth Demeter went to Zeus, the king of Gods and told him what happened, how her daughter was stolen by that evil Hades.

This is what Zeus told her. "Demeter…You may have your daughter back only if she has not eaten anything while in Tartarus. If she has eaten the food of the dead, by the Law of the Gods she cannot be returned."

Persephone however was tricked by an evil gardener of Hades to eat half of a ripe pomegranate. And before she could stop herself or realize what she did, in hunger Persephone ate six of the red berries just as Hermes, the messenger of the gods, swept down to take her back to her mother.

"NO!" He cried…but it was too late, Hermes knelt before the queen of the dead. "My sweet Persephone, you have eaten the food of the dead…" Persephone gasped, and looked at her berry stained hands and fell to her knees and cried. "Do not worry, sweet Persephone. The king of the Gods shall hear about this traitorous deed."

Hades was called to a meeting in the Olympus. Demeter and Zeus was there waiting for him.

"You have done a terrible thing, Hades." Zeus said.

"Is it my fault I found my wife to be most desirable? I knew I must have her, Zeus. And anyway, what was done is done." Hades answered.

"Hades, Persephone must be returned to her mother. The people of earth are dying in this frozen tundra they are forsaken to." Zeus spoke.

"I can’t return her, she ate the food of the dead. She is mine forever." Hades smirked.

Zeus sat in silent and thought for a moment. He then came to an answer to his solution. "Persephone will be returned to her mother for six months, before returning to you for the remaining six. Half of the year with her mother, the other half of the year with you in your kingdom."

"Fine." Hades nodded. "I agree."

Several hours later, he found himself alone in his kingdom with only the dead and the music of the harpies wings as company. Six months he was expected to spend alone…six months without his beautiful wife.

Maybe she would realize she missed him? He knew now that he had to wait.
Six months passed slowly for Hades, and quickly for Persephone. Her last night with her mother, she painted the leaves in reds and yellows, and oranges on the oak trees, and slept beneath the stars.

She was delivered back to her husband and her heart was torn once more, but this time it was different. Persephone came to love and even miss Hades when she went to her mothers. When she returned to Hades she threw her arms around him and told him that she was home.