Ambrosia (1x1)

The fact that the two of them were comfortable enough to bounce back from a rather pivotal question to be asked in ones life was heavily appreciated. Sure, Persephone could've slapped him and been disgusted, but if she stayed displeased it'd make him feel even worse than a slap would. The fact that she took the question as honestly and with grace was comforting and reassuring that this didn't hinder their relationship and it wouldn't if it ended with either future: married to each other or still friends.

"Certainly not opposed to learning about your secret hideaways. I'm sure you know why, He replied, his anxiety fizzling away. He followed close to Persephone but still respecting her space, casually looking about the gardens as they made their way through it. It seems like they would never escape it while together; every interaction so far as either been entirely in the gardens of Olympus or partially there. It felt sacred, almost. All memories with Persephone being in the beautiful atmosphere, sights and smells of the flourishing gardens of his brother's kingdom.

As they made it to the structure and settled down, he was surprised to have missed this. It wasn't blantantly obvious but it wasn't extremely hidden as well. Though he could understand why Zeus would never show him this on his grandeur tours. It wasn't exactly a structure you would want to show off when all other things were way more impressive, interesting and beautiful than this.

He settled down into his seat, glad to be in the shade for their late breakfast together. "It's nice. It's in the shade so I can't really complain much about it," He joked, a soft smile on his face. If they ate in the heat of the gardens, he'd probably melt in a puddle.

He grabbed a bread roll from the basket, still warm after coming from the oven not long ago. "Do you have any siblings?" He asked, genuinely curious. It felt like Persephone knew more about him than he knew about her.
 
Persephone couldn't help but crack a smile at that, though it wasn't long before it turned slightly mischevious. "Don't get your hopes up too much, I can't be showing you all of them or they won't be a secret any longer. That would kind of ruin the point of them." She teased. Truth be told most of her secret spots were hidden corners and places people had long since stopped visiting in favour of newer more flashier ones. Little mostly unremarkable havens of quiet and peace that she could consider her own even if only just for a short time.

"Like I said earlier, I'd feel terribly if I were the reason you got a sunburn." Persephone teased, scooting her chair a bit closer to the table before taking a seat herself, tucking one leg up underneath her. Having lived in Olympus her entire life people who were and remained as pale skinned as Hades were a rarity, most eventually adopting some sort of tan over the years. However, even with that she found herself unable picture Hades with any semblance of a tan. Not that she thought he would look any more handsome with one, the dark hair light skin combination suited him, not to mention that it was rather striking in her opinion.

"I've got three." She said, counting on her fingers as she continued on to list them. "Two brothers, Plutus and Philomelus and a sister, Despoina. I'm the third out of four. Plutus is a bit of an entrepreneur and Despoina is rather... Hmm, let's just go with she has very different interests from the rest of the family. I don't see either of them much anymore, it's usually just on special occasions. Philomelus though, he's in charge of some of the larger and further out fields so he stops by pretty often. He's a good older brother, always knew how to make me smile." She smiled them, as though recalling a fond memory as she reached into the basket and took the remaining roll of bread, tearing off a small piece and eating it. "What was it like for you, growing up with the eventual High King as your little brother. I have a hard time seeing you getting into the same sorts of hijinks that my brothers got into." She replied.
 
Hades playfully mocked a shocked and hurt expression. "And here I thought we were good friends, and yet you won't even show me all of the good secret spots." He said with a hint of a dramaticly hurt tone. He let out a soft chuckle after that, his feigned expression melting away. "I'll be content with the few I'm shown. It feels terrible cooping myself up in my room at Olympus and I'd rather make it seem I'm doing something productive by being about the castle and cooped up in some hidden corner." He tore off chucks of his bread and ate them after he spoke, being careful not to speak and eat at the same time.

Recalling the first and last time he were sunburned briefly, he was again glad to not have that occur again. He remembers staying indoors, not even moving out of his guest room at Poseidon's castle for fear of burning to a total crisp with how raw his skin was already. He wished he could tan like seemingly everyone else, but his body was just made and used to minimal sun exposure, due to needing to stay inside in the warm and layering up at all times. His pale, easily burnt skin was simply a part of him he didn't like at Olympus, but never gave a second thought at home.

He was surprised to hear about her siblings. He never saw or remembered meeting any of them, only her mother. He briefly had a terrible thought that if he and her were to marry, he'd probably have to gain approval from her siblings, too, not just her mother. He pushed the thought away as forcefully and as quickly as possible, focusing instead on the topic ahead and not the cloudy future.

"I'm surprised to hear you have siblings. I don't think I saw any of them at the banquet," He replied, finishing up the last of his bread roll and grabbing another, not really too picky with his food choice right now. Bread was good, and bread is what he shall eat. He paused to swallow his food before continuing to answer her question. "While we were growing up, none of us knew who would replace our father upon the throne and become the High King. I don't think we were really concerned about it. We grew up close together and were more preoccupied with what daring adventure we could think up of going on or who was the best at sparring." He paused to think a little more. Growing up was nice; rarely, if ever, did he and his brothers fight when they were younger. The conflict really only started until.... "When we were teens and nearing adulthood, though, our father finally announced who would be the High King. Naturally it was Zeus -- he had better leading ability than me and Poseidon combined. Back then though, I was furious. I tried so hard to prove myself in my teen years to be good enough to rule the lands and Olympus and it felt like Zeus got it all without trying." He shrugged his shoulders.

"As time passed, and we got comfortable ruling our own lands and learning more and more, I grew less bitter and more accepting and comfortable in my kingdom. I saw that Zeus suits Olympus better than I ever could. I'm too introverted and kind, and for Olympus you need to be a leader with a will only bendable by yourself, and Zeus has that." He went silent for a moment and looked at Persephone in realization. "I probably overkilled your question, but I'm sure I answered it, at least."
 
"You've seen all the best ones so far, the vast majority are rather silly. Imagination is a rather powerful tool when you're young." She replied, looking slightly embarrassed at his interest but not for long.

Persephone shrugged in response. "Most people are." Philomelus and Plutus were both enough years older than her that she'd been mistaken as a daughter on a few occasions when one of them would take her into town when she was little. Even though she had always - and still - looked up to Philomelus, the sibling bond between them had been unusual thanks to the age gap. By the time she had entered her teen years he was already preparing to settle down and start a family of his own. Plutus was a different story altogether, and they'd never developed a real sort of sibling bond past him having to take care of her when she was a child. Despoina had been her only real sibling experience thanks to them only being a year apart in age, and they'd been thick as thieves for a while though their lack of shared interests as they both grew older caused a quiet rift to grow, separating them in a way that neither had realised until it had already happened. "Unless you're better at picking them out in a crowd than I am you likely didn't. I know Philomelus didn't come, he's not fond of actually being at social events and his new baby has been sickly. My mother mentioned that she saw Plutus and Despoina arrive later in the night, but they both have their circles though and little reason to mingle outside of them. Or so they say anyway, Des usually comes to say hi but I guess she was otherwise preoccupied." Either way, she'd gotten to see both of them that morning before she headed back over to Zeus' castle so it was nothing to be upset about.

As she listened to Hades talk Persephone finished off her bread roll, idly dusting the crumbs off of her lap as she pulled her other leg up onto the chair so that she could sit cross-legged, the seat just large enough to allow for it without being uncomfortable. She took a peach from the basket but just held it, occasionally turning it in her hands as she listened with rapt fascination. "No, not at all! It's interesting to hear your point of view, I'd always thought that you all chose your kingdoms not that your father chose for you, though I suppose the latter makes more sense."
 
Hades would probably never understand a lack of bond between his own brothers due to age -- they were each not that far apart in age and although distance and seperate duties kept them apart, there was an unbreakable bond between each of them that kept them close. Perhaps it was mostly the age differences between herself and her siblings that was mostly to blame for Persephone, something he never experienced before. Though, they at least shared contact and could stay close enough in distance to make sure each other were doing just fine. It was nice hearing about Persephone's life like this.

"I'm not sure if your siblings would like me, but I won't be against ever meeting them. I've already met your mother, and she's probably the most frightening of all your family, so meeting anyone else should be a walk in the park. Or at least I hope so," He replied with a simple shrug, finishing the last of his second bread roll. For now, he didn't reach for anything other than that. "Pardon me if this is rude for any reason, but I've never heard about your father." He said after a moment. He did find the lack of mention of him peculiar, and it could be due to several reasons. Thus he hoped he wasn't stepping into dangerous grounds and accidentally ruin her day. "Though, if you don't wish to speak about him for any reason, I understand."

Persephone's interest in his words was a bit surprising. It had been years and years since he spoke of something that personal before. That thought sounded even worse considering the fact that his siblings weren't even that personal of a matter. Goes to show what isolation in the coldest kingdom of the realm does to you. "As far as I know, the parents always chose the roles for the noble children. Should I ever have children, I can chose who will be my heir, who will be sent to Olympus for a different high rank, and so on. Children will always be different and their parents will know what will most likely be best for them,"
 
"I don't see why they wouldn't. My mother is really not that bad, I promise." Persephone had to hold back a laugh at that, though she would readily admit that her mother hadn't exactly been warm and fuzzy at the banquet she had been far from truly intimidating. There was something to be said about the way Demeter handled herself and the cool, assertive demeanour that she had adopted over the years though. It was that demeanour and outlook that had had her rise up from being a measly gardener with a verdantly green thumb to being someone with a high enough standing to evenly deal with the High King when it came to providing crops and other flora after all. "She just thinks things should be a certain way and when they're not she gets a bit off-put. Really stubborn for a grown woman too." She added with a shake of her head, it never went as far as holding a grudge but there were some things even now that Demeter had never let her forget about. "In any case next banquet I'll be sure to introduce you to them, Plutus and Des at least anyway. Philomelus will likely find another excuse not to come."

That question had Persephone take pause, though it was more of a pause to recall something she'd long since thought about than an offended pause. She looked toward the peach in her hands, turning it slowly and brushing off a few crumbs that had gotten trapped in the small fuzzy hairs on the skin of the fruit. "Plutus and Philomelus have a different father than Des and I, hence the gap in our ages. He was one of Zeus' champions, from Poseidon's kingdom I believe. I never met him. My father though, I didn't know him well. He wasn't anyone of any particular note or standing, just sort of a drifter I think. Mother used to joke that he followed the wind from kingdom to kingdom, arriving just as suddenly as he would leave. He hung around while Des and I were young but eventually we ended up seeing less and less of him until he just stopped coming around. Mother never seemed bothered by it, I suppose she already knew what sort of man he was, and so Des and I never really were either." Persephone sat up straighter, tucking some of her hair back behind an ear. "Probably not the answer you were hoping for but, yeah..." She trailed off. It wasn't uncomfortable or bad to talk about her father, just strange. He had played such a small part in her life that she almost didn't consider him to be her father, rather just the man that had gotten her mother pregnant then been on his way.

"It makes sense but also seems unfair, I don't think I'd be as happy if it were left up to my mother to choose my future. I know she only has my best interests in mind but she has a very different way of looking at things than I do." Persephone replied, finally tiring of just fiddling with the peach she was holding it and taking a bite out of it, chewing slowly while she thought on the question that had popped into her head earlier. Eventually, she swallowed then looked back up to Hades, cocking her head slightly as she asked; "What would you have chosen had you not been the son of the High King and had a path chosen for you?"
 
Persephone was bound to have inhereted her kindness and gentle spirit from somewhere, and if it came from her mother, it was well hidden under the strong exterior he knew and had met at the banquet. Hades couldn't blame her for being as she was. It's never uncommon to seem less agreeable to others or to be more intimidating to others for reasons that were never purposefully being that way. In Demeter's case, he couldn't doubt that her cool exterior was due in part to her need to assert herself in the higher social circles and life in the higher nobility. She wouldn't be able to work under Zeus being aloof and childish. "As long as you are there to make sure I don't make the wrong impression, I think I'll survive meeting them as well."

Hades was glad that when Persephone did speak, it wasn't an offended tone, but rather one of distance. He could hear the lack of connection she shared with her father. But even if she wasn't offended, it made him a bit disheartened to hear that she lacked a father figure. Growing up with only one parent was bound to be tough; both parents have an abundance of knowledge to bestow upon their children, and if one is gone, things get trickier. Though in Persephone's case, she grew up used to his absence, and it didn't mean much to her in the grand scheme of things. If Hades had grown up without his father halfway through his life, he knew things would have been an entire world different. "I wasn't expecting anything specific, just merely curious. I'm sorry you never had a father figure around, but you didn't turn out to be a scorned individual, so perhaps it was for the better." Things always had a way of working out in the end, and that seemed to be the case for Persephone.

"There's obviously less risk for you to chose your own path in life. If Zeus chose what he wanted to do as a childish teenager, this kingdom would probably be in shambles." He joked, laughing softly. "That's a hard question. I already told you that in my youth I strived to be the High King but.. if I could have chosen anything..." He paused, thoughtfully, not really even sure how to answer. His life revolved so heavily around politics and running a kingdom and all that entails, so thinking of doing anything else sounded.... not enough, almost. "...I'm... really not sure. I've been pretty content with my life till now, and growing up in royal nobility had me focused on kingdoms and the like for all my life. It's foreign to even think of what else I could do that doesn't involve the careful actions and the noble standards of being a royal."
 
"I wouldn't trust them not to say or do something embarrassing so there's no need to worry about that." Persephone reaffirmed, "not to mention that if we do get married, or engaged as it would be I suppose, I can imagine they'd be rather inquisitive and I wouldn't leave you to face that alone." She stumbled slightly over the word 'marriage', a sudden wave of nervousness rising up again as she said it though she managed to continue on with the rest of the sentence without fumbling another word. In the short time that she'd had to begin to think it had become abundantly clear that the part of this that she was struggling with the most was the actual marrying and moving away from Olympus part. While the prospect of travelling was exciting, moving brought with it a whole different set of things to consider beforehand.

Persephone waved off the apologetic words with an indifferent shrug, she'd heard the same concerns many times over but had never really bothered to pay them any mind because she didn't feel as though they had ever applied. "Truthfully I don't think having him around would have assisted me any so it likely was. He may be my blood related father but he was by no means a proper father, though that might be unfair I was young when he was here and my memories are fuzzy. In any case though, my mother more than covered his portion of raising me and then some, there's very little that I feel I might have missed out on."

Ah, that was right. When- If, she agreed to marry Hades she'd have to make more than a few changes to her laid back and carefree behaviour - in public at least. No more old garden clothes with permanent dirt stains in the knees or walking around barefoot, not to mention that she'd likely have to cut or otherwise do something to make her hair in order to make it more presentable and less wild. Then there was the fashion in the North to consider, she'd have to rely on Hades to help her out there. The little she had seen seemed very different than what was currently or had ever been popular in Olympus, not that she was an expert. "What sort of duties do you have up in the North, I imagine they're much different from the way Zeus handles things here. Fewer parties for sure."
 
It would be near impossible to miss the way Persephone stumbled over the word 'marriage'. Though he couldn't really blame her. There was still an uncertainty, a nervousness and an apprehension toward the entire subject and for several reasons. He felt the same way about it too, a bit awkward and unsure exactly how to approach it besides hesitent bluntness. He didn't comment on her stumble; there was really no need to. "It would be quite cruel for you to leave me to fend for myself when I'm such a fish out of water as is,"

"It's good there was no negative impact to his absence. It's not the norm for a family, but it didn't affect you in any way that really mattered." He shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't imagine having grown up without his father. All the guidance and wisdom he bestowed upon himself and his brothers were priceless, and without it he would've been much worse off growing up. "Your mother has a lot of wisdom and knowledge to be able to do it alone. She's strong and admirable, and it's hard to do a lot of things alone and yet she's done it. Perhaps you were lucky having only her as a parent, she's all you ever needed."

"Fewer parties is an understatement. We have just about no parties," He replied, before taking a moment to think it over. His duties were more simplified and specific, due to his smaller population size and not a lot of profitable natural resources available. "I mostly oversee economics of my kingdom. Trade, imports and exports. We export much of the winter wool that you and people of Poseidon's kingdom use during your colder months. We also do more meat products, but it's not that essential of an export. I just make sure that everyone is doing their part, is able to do it, and is living comfortably doing it." He shrugged his shoulders and rested his hands in his lap. "I value the comfort of my people above all else. If someone finds a new insulative material, everyone is going to have it in their homes and clothing. If there's a new source of food that's sustainable, healthy and pretty easy to collect, it's implemented as soon as possible. With how small the population is, it's easy to micromanage and be more personal with my people."
 
"It's a good thing for you that I have a soft spot for people who will at least entertain an air of interest when I get talking about plants then." Persephone teased in response. Truthfully the thought to leave him with her family had never crossed her mind, when- if, they were to get married she imagined that being together whilst talking about the decision, or anything really, to anyone would be better for the both of them.

Persephone had never thought to look at her lack of a father as something that had been detrimental to her growing up, not to mention that if what she could recall about her father was correct he wasn't exactly a stellar example of, well, anything much really. She'd often time found herself wondering what her mother had seen in him but when all was said and done it didn't really matter. "I think I turned out alright, so it certainly couldn't have been too bad without him. It's not like I could change anything, it's just the way things are and I've accepted it." She replied with a shrug.

"None?" Persephone asked, sounding a bit disheartened but still doing her best to hide it. While she didn't particularly consider herself to be a social butterfly and for the most part was content with being a wallflower, the constant parties held in Olympus were something of a familiar comfort. Always there if she felt the need to socialise and enjoy the more often than not inebriated company of others. "I suppose, as you've said, there are many more important things to do than host celebrations without reason, not to mention the preparation and the cleanup. They can be nice though, a good way to bring people together at the very least." She added, though the longer she considered it the more it made sense that parties and celebrations weren't a common thing in the North. "Aside from your duties is there anything that you, or your people do for fun? Are there games or sports you can play in the snow? It seems an awful shame to have to stay inside all the time just because it's cold. Though I suppose staying inside where it is warm is likely preferable to the alternative." She asked when Hades had finished talking. It was easy to imagine him walking the halls of a castle and attending to business, sitting behind a large wooden desk with a stoic look on his face as he went over ledgers and the such, but during the short time they had spent together over the past few days she'd seen glimpses of something else. Some other side of him that only appeared for moments before disappearing just as quickly as they had surfaced and even before the idea of marriage had been brought to light it had piqued her interest and had her wanting to learn more about the ever cool and collected King of the North.
 
Hades may have been over exaggerating when he said there were no parties or celebrations back up North. He and his people were not heartless and didn't know or understand the joys of fun -- it was just that they celebrated and partied in a much different way. In Olympus, it was a social gathering, a time to catch up with others you rarely see or to meet new people of status or of interest. It had a focus on the finer details; the wines, champagne, the foods, and the elaborate and up-to-date fashions at Olympus parties. In the North, there was rarely even time to think of foods more elaborate than warm stews and the occassional pastry.

There were celebrations in the North, but a different kind. They were smaller, quieter, simpler. There was no focus on the elaborate or the superficials of Olympus. Everyone dresses mostly the same because there wasn't much interest in getting specifics in fashion. You could say it was a social gathering, yes, but at the same time it was also a personal time. Most celebrations were for birthdays or for celebrating getting a new job, or learning a new craft. It was very specific, these celebrations, and it focused more on one person often times rather than a large group to be pleasured. Plus, his people weren't necessarily religious -- they had their fair share of beliefs in gods, but it was never the highest priority.

"There are celebrations, but just.. nothing of Olympus standard." He replied simply. It would benefit her understanding more to see one and partake in it, rather than hear his inadequet descriptions of one, so he didn't elaborate further. "Ice skating is the most common past time, and for obvious reasons. There are a few sports, but they often vary in name and style depending on the town. If there's anything unique about the North other than the cold, it's the diversity. Every town has its own set of culture that varies just so, but not so much they're almost an entirely different contry." Hades recalls his first time visiting each town when he became king, watching the children play on the ice and in the snow, not really understanding their games but gaining an appreciation for the unique individuality of each little town. It was alive in spirit he never saw in Olympus, a different kind he only saw in the North. "When you go there and see it, things make more sense. I don't explain things very well."
 
"Ice skating." Persephone echoed, finding herself thinking a bit longer on the idea than she would have thought. She wasn't entirely culture-blind to the different activities that happened in the North and in Poseidon's kingdom and its clusters of archipelagos but it wasn't always the easiest thing to grasp the concept of things she had never done or seen before, especially when said things relied on weather conditions that rarely if ever occurred in Olympus. "That sounds like it would be interesting, different for sure but I think that I would probably enjoy it. You need special shoes for the ice do you not? Metal ones? It seems like that would be uncomfortable but if people do it that often it surely can't be too bad."

While he was talking Persephone couldn't help but note that Hades had said 'when' rather than 'if', as though he was sure that they would be going up north together. She certainly didn't take any offence in it, the idea rather having her heart feeling as though it were skipping every other beat. In truth she had had an answer for Hades not but minutes after he had asked her to marry him, but it was an instinctive emotional answer, not one that had been thought out with all of the consequences and effects looked into. Even as a child she had been that way, trusting her heart over her head and it had gotten her into several sticky situations that she'd sooner not repeat. Logically it was more likely that than not that it was just a slip of the tongue rather than anything that held extensive weight but once her thoughts had turned in that direction it was significantly more difficult to pull them away.
 
It was quite interesting for Hades to speak to someone about his land’s culture and traditions and lifestyle. He never had such person conversations with anyone else in Olympus that wasn’t Zeus or Poseidon. No one ever asked what it was like in the cold North, what they did for fun, what traditions that had in comparison to Olympus. It was always superficial. It was extremely refreshing and freeing to be able to talk to Persephone in a way that didn’t feel forced or one sided. She was genuinely interested. Perhaps that fact is what most kept him close to Persephone. She was someone who genuinely cared about what others had to say, rather that speaking to people only out of formality.

«Yes, special shoes. They’re called ice skates, and they do have a metal blade at the bottom of them. I’m quite surprised you know of them, » He replied, a small smile on his face. He was so happy she knew something other than cold, ice and freezing in relation to the North. « They’re not uncomfortable, just difficult to balance on at first. When I first became king, I made a fool of myself to my people trying to learn to ice skate. They’re gentle people, though, and understand that practice only makes you get better, not instantly being good at things. »

« What else do you know? Have you heard about other activities or traditions from the North? »
 
"Ice skates." Persephone repeated, slowly as if taking the time to picture what shoes would look like with metal blades attached to the bottoms of them. At this rate, she was going to have to make a list of things for Hades to show her when- if they went back to his kingdom in the North together. "I've only ever heard mention of them in books and stories that I was told as a child, ice is said to be slippery so it would only make sense that you'd need special shoes so that you wouldn't fall." She replied. Admittedly most of those stories didn't paint the North in the most flattering light, focusing on ever-dropping temperatures and endless snow but there had been a few that made mention of breathtaking scenery that included completely frozen lakes and waterfalls and the picture that the words had painted of sunlight glittering off the multifaceted surfaces had stayed with her.

After a minute to consider Persephone sat up straighter in her seat. "There was a tale about lonely woodsman with a sled that was pulled by dogs as tall as him, or sometimes it was pulled by a single giant deer with antlers as thick as the trunks of trees." She paused, eyebrows furrowing in thought. It had been a sad story she remembered, though why she remembered it as being sad she couldn't have said. Years had passed since she had heard it and the majority of the details were fuzzy at best - she'd have to ask her mother about it again at some point. "Are there actually such creatures in the North?"

When Persephone left the castle later that day she did so with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. They had continued to talk across a wide variety of topics throughout the afternoon, falling into what was quickly becoming a comfortable and familiar rhythm. At one point their voices had caught the attention of a passing attendant who had stopped and stared for a few moments before moving along, though neither of them noticed or considered it to be worth disrupting the flow of conversation to shoo them off. Eventually, they parted ways with the promise to meet again the next day and pick up where they had left off.

The idea to meet in the old castle by the entrance to the glass tunnel that lead to what had once been a guest tower had been Persephone's, though she could have sworn that she'd caught a momentary expression of intrigue on Hades face when she had mentioned it, but he hadn't said anything to further the point and so neither had she. The tower was in the old part of the castle, originally having been built well over a hundred years prior by parents of the great-grandparents she had never met. Connected by a tunnel of stonework with glass walls that had been warped and turned partially opaque by age it stood an impressively tall five stories tall. Well, it impressive until you compared it to the more recently built towers on the new wings of the castle, each of those stretching up seven stories or better even without counting the sharply angled and decorative points the roofs came to.

As a child, she had played there with stable boys and baker's apprentices, sometimes even the prettily dressed children from higher standing families come to visit the High King. Though the aforementioned noble children had sometimes been the cause of conflict, the majority of the time any sort of identity faded away to leave only knobby kneed kids who had nothing better to do or were looking to avoid chores or other duties. They took turns at playing princes and princesses and monsters - sometimes even combining two of those roles - and scattered at the approaching footsteps of an adult, hiding in shadowed corners and behind the sparse furniture that still occupied the rooms until they were sure it was safe to resume their games. It was a place full of memory, most good but some that were better left undisturbed to gather dust.

"You probably remember more of these towers than I do, the first time I came to the castle with my Mother they were already all but abandoned in favour of the new ones." Persephone picked up as she rounded the corner and started down the tunnel that lead to the old tower, the morning sun warming the pathway considerably and throwing fragments of light across the stone ceiling and floor. "We used to play here with the castle children while the adults were doing 'adult things'. I haven't been to this part of the castle in forever, I wonder if they've finally gotten rid of the old rocking chair on the third floor."
 
As time passed and they continued on with the conversation, side by side, the comfortable rhythm between them now found, Hades talked about anything and everything. He did his best to describe ice skating a bit more, then the scenery of his kingdom better than just "snow" and "white" -- because it was more than that. He kept coming back to the people, his people, and he realized that they were what made his kingdom so unique, not the harsh weather and bitter cold. Their culture, traditions and life styles made who they were, not the world around them. When Persephone mentioned the story of a woodsman with giant dogs or a mythical deer with him, he quickly recalled a popular story from his people.

He told her the entire thing, shortened for simplicity, recited by heart due to how often he interacted with his people. The woodsman was lonely, yes, and while he had his dog to guide him and his deer to pull his sled, he needed no company but his own. He told her the woodsman had both animals, and both were his trusted companions that made the biting, unforgiving cold a land of hope and promise each night and morning. Though the story ends in tragedy -- the woodsman and his companions get lost in a snow storm, and end up in a barren tundra, devoid of wood and any familiarity. Without wood to make fire or any sort of source for food, the woodsman and his dog and deer curled up to sleep one last time, each huddled up together to save warmth they knew they couldn't keep for long. In the end, the story ends in the peaceful death of all three, and it is said that the spirit of the woodsman, dog and deer help travelers find their way back home if ever lost in a snow storm like they were.

The next day, Haes was surprised when Persephone suggested the old castle, seeing as it was so abandoned and unremarkable compared to the rest of the grandeur created by the newer areas of the castle. Hades always thought it had it's own charm though, as there was beauty in age as well as wisdom within the ancient walls. Hades had arrived at the entrance to the tower first, and when he walked up to the spot, he was overcome with a great flood of memories he hadn't looked back upon in many years. He recalled how he and his brothers would always run up and down the stairs for races, giggling and yelling loudly, their high pitched voices bouncing off the old, cold stone walls but staying contained within the tower. As they grew older and began learning to spar and to fight with weapons, they slowly stopped playing in the tower, until it became taken over by other children, Persephone and her friends. A coincidence he was surprised to hear.

When Hades grew to be older, he found solace in the tower, though. He returned after a hard day of royal duties given by his father to learn to become a monarch, and in the tower he merely sat in that third floor rocking chair, rocking back and fourth, the char squeaking with every other rock. One time, Hades had fallen asleep in the chair and nearly scared the life out of his family, as he ended up missing dinner and no one was able to find him. After that, he stopped coming permanently, finding a place of peace elsewhere that everyone else knew he would be if not anywhere else.

"Remember these towers is an understatement. It was where most of my childhood memories begin. Almost like a marker for my memories," He replied, eyes scanning the aging stone walls with admiration. "I think you and your friends took it over after my brothers and I stopped playing here. Could you imagine how different our lives would be if we had met as children?" He mused, gliding his hand along the stone. Dust collected on his fingertips but he could feel the cool texture. He was overwhelmed with memories.
 
Persephone couldn't help but laugh at the mental image that musing provided though she found herself wondering the same. Would things actually have been different? Most of the kids she'd played with had grown up and disappeared leaving her with only memories of high pitched voices and their more distinct features, a hooked and crooked nose, long braided hair, a dark red winestain birthmark - and that was only to name a few. They were never anything solid enough to be able to be able to recognise the children as adults or pick them out of a crowd with certainty but it made for good memories. "I'm not sure if you would have liked me as a child. I was very outgoing and loud. Though who can say, opposite personalities sometimes work better together than that of those who are too similar." She commented as they reached the end of the tunnel.

With only a little resistance, she managed to get the door to the tower open, the drag of wood against the floor a sound that brought back memories. As children they'd had to work together to get the door open, it had always seemed heavier then though it was no larger or thicker than the average door in the castle. She stepped into the room and looked around, a smile working its way onto her face. It took some effort but if she looked hard enough she could see the imaginary constructs from her childhood in the abandoned boxes that were piled haphazardly throughout the room, it wasn't identical but it was nice all the same. A glance over to Hades provided that he was going through much the same experience as she was, remembering things from when he was younger.

Unanticipated as it was an idea came to her then. She spared one more glance towards Hades and took a few casual steps into the room, it wouldn't do to give away her plan before she could reap the benefits of a head start.

"Race you to the top!" Persephone announced suddenly and made a dash for the stairs, the slap of her sandals against the stones and the trailing sound of her of laughter fading as she reached the second floor and continued to ascend.
 
"I wasn't always a quiet hermit all my life. I doubt that we wouldn't have gotten along. Then again, we can't really go into the past and change everything just to find out, now can we?" He replied back, unsurprised to hear about how she used to be in her youth. Zeus was the same; he was almost too insufferable to deal with in his youth, and compared to now, he's wisened and matured greatly. Though, if anyone could believe that was certainly debateable, but Hades saw it progress throughout his entire life. It was fascinating to see, though he wans't sure if he ended up like that too -- louder and brasher in youth, but matured and wisened and grew softer and quieter.

Seeing the room was like reliving his memories again. He could almost exactly recall the stories he and his brothers created, tales of dragons, of princesses and of heroics, of being honored heavily for selfish acts and bravery and heroism. He could pratically hear the shouts and yells, the grunts and groans, of the fake wooden swords clashing or of the fake noises they all created together. Hades was immediately sucked into a revere, thinking deeply about the past he rarely gave thought to.

Thus when Persephone yelled something he almost didn't even understand due to its suddenness and loud nature, he was scared absolutely shitless. He jumped in place, and his heart immediately began thumping quickly. With a short delay, he finally understood what she said. And almost like second nature, he then bolted, long legs easily catching up to Pesephone and the source of her echoing laughter.

"You're a fool to think you can challenge a king and win!" he teased, laughing along with her. He went up the stairs two steps at a time, graceful and quick, and he felt an excitement he hadn't recalled feeling in so, so long. It felt peculiar to be acting like a child again, but it instantly filled his body and heart with warmth and liquid happiness running through his veins.
 
Persephone had only just started up the stairs on the second floor when she glanced back to see Hades at the top of the stairs down to the first floor, nearly having caught up to her. The sudden announcement she had made had allowed for her to gain a lead but one that was clearly getting smaller by the second, she almost regretted not having given herself a more significant lead but an easy win was never as fun as one well earned. Not wasting any more time she darted up the steps, memory serving her well as she deftly stepped around a loose and crumbling portion of stone that many a child - including her - had stumbled or twisted an ankle on.

There was a comfortable feeling of exertion in her legs by the time Persephone reached the third floor, but with Hades hot on her heels she didn't have the time to spare to slow down and stretch or even to take note of how the room had or hadn't changed. A quick glance around had her mapping out a path to the stairs to the fourth floor but little else - until she caught sight of a teetering tower of boxes, half covered by an off-white sheet, the sunlight streaming in through a window catching the dust that had settled on and around it like a colourless cloud. Another idea came to her then, along with Hades words, called up the stairs behind her in a teasing voice.

"You forget, my Lord, that as is customary of your station you have to play fair. I have no such hindrances." She replied with a grin and gave the draped fabric a hard yank, sending it and the pile of empty boxes it had been covering crashing down onto the floor at the top of the stairwell. Satisfied by the roadblock she'd created Persephone turned and raced across the room to the next set of steps, once more vanishing to the floor above.
 
Hades was quick to start to feel the exhaustion in his legs. He wasn't unhealthy by any means, but he'll be damned if he hadn't ran up stairs in well over a decade at least. He did his best to maintain a steady breath through his nose to try and not try out his throat, and he did his best to not strain himself too hard. It'd be ridiculous to get medical attention after he hurt himself badly by running up stairs in a race. It'd be fodder for ridicule by Zeus for the rest of his lifetime. At the same time however, his long burnt out flame for competition was rekindled and fuming brightly inside of him, and he'd be furious to loose to Persephone when she unfairly sprung this stupid race upon him.

And now she sent piles of boxes his way! Was this woman absolutely insane? It's like she wanted Hades to imprison her for being so cruel. He'd never legitimetly punish Persephone for this silly antics but he'd be a liar if he said this didn't tick him off and made him hunger for a win. His eyes focused quickly on the stampede of boxes flying down the stairs and dodged all of them to the best of his ability, keeping his pace as steady as he could. Luckily he didn't trip and fall; along the way he managed to pick up the fabric that covered the boxes earlier, hatching a plan in his mind.

With a bit more effort than he though necessary he practically hopped up the stairs even faster, now closer to Persephone. He knew the end was in sight. One more flight of stairs and they'd be at the top of the tower. At this point his legs were burning and straining, but if he stopped he would tumble down the stairs with the boxes. His breathing grew labored and the end drew closer and closer, and he was now just barely a step or two behind Persephone....

The last steps appeared and Hades took his chance. He practically pounced onto Persephone with perhaps one of the dumbest ideas he had in his entire life. He wrapped the dusty old sheet around her and hugged her close before the two of them pretty much flew forward and landed a bit roughly upon the floor. Hades managed to contort himself a little so he took most of the damage, and he held Persephone tightly. As to why he decided to literally pounce Persephone and have both of them tumble onto the floor and both of them tie, Hades wasn't sure, but she sure as hell didn't win.

"Haaah!" Hades heaved out, his body extremely exhausted and burnt out now. His back ached from the impact onto the floor. Persephone laid half on him and half on the floor next to him. "Both of us didn't win. You're a nasty cheater who deserves no win," He continued after a moment. Gosh was he exhausted; he was breathing so damn hard. "You're lucky I have no ill intent upon you to throw you in the dungeon for your ridiculous antics."
 
As she neared the top of the stairs to the fifth floor Persephone shot a quick glance over her shoulder only to let out a surprised yelp as she was engulfed first by the sheet then by Hades' arms as his momentum sent the pair went tumbling forward up the last few steps and onto the top floor. Wrapped up in the sheet and held tight Persephone let out a muffled 'oof' as they hit the floor though it was really only her legs that hit the stone, for the most part the landing had been rather soft.

In her attempts to try and get herself free Persephone found that doing so only managed to wrap the fabric around her tighter, both the sheet and her dress tangling around her legs the more she kicked. Eventually she managed to get an arm free and pull the sheet back from her head and take a big breath of fresh air, the sheet had left her hair staticky and sticking up in every which direction and once she managed to get it out of her face enough to see the reason for her lack of a jarring landing became clear. Very conscious of the way she was leaning on Hades' chest and of the heat rising in her cheeks Persephone did her best to prop herself up with one arm unable to help herself but let out a laugh at the situation - sure she'd pulled a dirty move but she hadn't expected him to get back at her the way he had. Pushing her hair back and out of her face Persephone glanced around the room, realising almost at the same moment he announced it, that Hades had effectively created a tie.

Another moment was all Persephone needed to compose herself and to free most of her other arm, lifting it to her chest in mock offence. "Me? A cheater? I was just taking advantage of my environment. Surely you can't fault me for that." Persephone replied, all the while trying to keep a straight face but eventually breaking out once again into laughter. "You're not much better yourself, I would have won if you hadn't caught me like this." She teased, motioning to the sheet still wrapped around her to prove her point.

Taking note of his heavy breathing Persephone shifted her weight to the hand she'd planted on the floor beside them. "You didn't hurt yourself tripping me up, did you?" She asked, and though the smile remained on her face her eyebrows had knit together slightly, betraying her worry. Not only had he taken the majority of the hard landing but she'd fallen on top of him as well.
 
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