Act 2, part 1

"Here mama, let me put it in your hair!" Persephone smiled, weaving the golden pieces of wheat deftly.

"Of course, my darling." Demeter bowed her head, letting Persephone tie it in, then continued. "Kore, I think you should wear your white dress, the Ionic one."

Head tilted, green eyes questioned. "Why?"

"You have debuted, it would be proper." Demeter said shortly, not wanting her daughter to dwell on the change any longer than necessary, or remember that perfectly awful name.

And, to her credit, it would be more proper for Persephone to wear the dress. Gods do not age as humans do, but there was no denying the maiden of spring was beginning to develop a more womanly body. She was still petite, but the Ionic chiton would cover any curves better than her tighter ones. Of course, Demeter would never allow any rowdy or drunk men to attend her personal harvest festival, but it was the principal of the thing.

"The first of our crops, the Lady Hestia!" the head priestess cried as another priest poured oil on a bit of wheat, berries, and herbs. "Let her bless those who eat of this harvest with order in their state, love in their homes, and warmth in their bellies." The woman continues as the bundle was lit with incense.

Another bundle of sacrifices where placed on the alter. "The best of our crops to Lady Demeter, she who brings grain and laws! May the wheat nourish us as milk from a mother's breast and may the next harvest be as sweet!"

Yet another portion. "The sweetest of our crop to she who brings spring and growth! May our children and plants grow strong and beautiful, may our ground be reborn and nourish us!" there was nothing unusual about this part of the prayer, but Demeter found herself growing tense. "The sweetest portion to the kore, Lady Persephone!"

Demeter's eyes widened, and her jaw almost dropped. Where had her priestess heard that name? and how dare she use it? She almost moved to stand, to smite the insolent women, when a movement from her daughter beside her stopped her.

Kore's eyes were sparkling, not from her usually happiness or even mischief- but with flecks of gold. It was usual for gods' when they received sacrifices and prayers, but this was different. Her entire aura was growing stronger, the ichor in her veins flowing a bit thicker. Kore was smiling at the change. Demeter tried to fake one as well.

It seemed now that the fates had decided to give her a new name, prayers and offers to her though it would be stronger. In time, the effects would fade, slow, and Kore would feel them as she had before.

But now there was no denying the name. the mortals in the crown had shifted, but accepted the change. For now at least, but the golden-haired goddess was certain they would wonder at it later, in the safety of their own homes.

But Demeter was no mortal, she was Kore's mother. And she would continue calling her by her proper name, the one she had given the girl. It was simple and sweet, and not what Zeus wanted at all. But if he couldn't be bothered to help raise the girl, why would he get a say in her name, possibly the most important attribute of a god? And if the girl's father didn't even get a say, why should three crotchety old goddesses.

And thus, Demeter fell prey to the most common fallacy of the gods': hubris.

Down, deep down, bellow, Hestia was meeting with her brother. Besides Hermes, Hestia was the only godling to visit Hades' domain, and the only one actually invited.

The goddess appeared in the fireplace in his study, carrying a basket of freshy harvested fruits and warm bread- new gifts from her worshipers all over the world.

"Brother, have you eaten yet?" she asked, stepping into the room, taking note of the bags under his eyes and the small pile of parchment he was hunched over.

Hades jerked upward, icy eyes wide as they followed the sound from the unexpected visitor.

"Lady Hestia!" He smiled a moment later, recognition lighting up his features. He stood to offer her a chair. "Ah, no, I haven't eaten yet, but that's why you brought that."

"You didn't know I was even coming, how could you have expected me for dinner?"

Hades coughed. "Mysterious underworld powers. Is this that rice wine you were talking about?"

Hestia rolled her eyes, but dropped the issue. For now. "Yes. Do you have any glasses?"

"I can get some." He called for a servant, then the two dug in. "So, how have you been?"

"Good. You are coming to the meeting next month, right?"

"I wouldn't miss it for my kingdom." The god rolled his eyes. "because dearest older brothers won't let me anyway."

"A pity. At least you get to see me."

The two godlings laughter sent warm waves out into the hall. Thanos, who heard the echo as he left the river to pick up more souls, heard the echoes and smiled.

After the disaster of a harvest festival, Demeter decided she would simply have to bring Kore to Olympus with her for the biannual meeting at the pantheon. The goddess hated the idea of bringing her daughter back to the dangerous mountaintop city, but she couldn't leave her alone at home when she was still… adjusting to prayers in her name.

Persephone thought she was adjusting just fine, actually, but her mum disagreed and she wasn't going to argue with an unexpected trip to Olympus.

"So will you be staying overnight like last time?" Straia asked as she offered Persephone more berries.

"Not just one night! Sometimes the meetings can last up to a week, though Mama says that is because they argue for 6 of the days."

"Then, lady Persephone, I hope they argue a lot this time!" After the Harvest festival two weeks ago, all the Nymphs had begun to refer to their mistress by her proper name. Straia had itched to ask why Persephone had allowed them to call her Kore for so long, but one look at Demeter's burning eyes shut her mouth on that matter.

"oh, not so long at all!" Lysi cried. "I would hate to have you go so long, my lady!"

"You would hardly know I was gone." Persephone laughed, making the flowers in Lysi's hair turn a deeper purple, before fading back to the lilac.

"Of course I would! I can't change the colors in my bush by myself!" the nymph protested.

"Oh, but you do!" Straia protested.

"How so?"

"They start out white and become purple of the harvest cycle, don't they?"

"That doesn't count, they do that all on their own!"

Vina, the girl who grew out of the olive tree, rustled her leaves. Persephone made eyes contact, and they silently agreed: they are ridiculous!

"Well." Persephone interrupted the argument, "If you truly will miss you so much, then I need not leave something to remember me by."

"Well I didn't say that…" Lysi muttered.

The goddess just smiled as she cupped her hands. She formed a simple daisy, then took a deep breath. Her eyes flashed gold, and slowly the flower bloomed, one petal at a time. She hummed, and the petals change color. The first was a purple so light it was almost white, and she deepened it as she went. The lavender became amethyst became grape became byzantium. Once it was done, she smiled. Giving it a little spin to see how the colors melted together, she then pinned it into Lysi's hair.

"There you go, that should last at least until I come back."

"Oh, Lady Persephone, please make me one!" Straia asked eagerly, and the other nymphs echoed her desires.

"Of course." Persephone smiled, and tried to bury her satisfaction of the power her new name gave her. She had never been able to change a flower so much before.