When she was born, there had been no beauty more beautiful; no purity more pure. You couldn't think a babe so divine had been born of an illegitimate affair. When Zeus saw his newborn daughter, the king of Gods fell in love. He had lain with many a woman, fathered many children, but this was the first time he felt a true love for his child. All the gods of mythical beauty pried away to catch a glimpse of the baby.

If Zeus was king, then surely this new baby girl was the princess. Fittingly, Zeus held a ceremony where all who could hear him were invited to lay eyes on the baby and bring her gifts. The invitation went from the depths of the ocean to the most hidden gardens, and even all the way to the underworld. The child's mother, resentful at her brother who had taken her without consent, vowed to keep her daughter, her Kore, protected from any of the ills of men, even the necessary ones. Demeter didn't want ANYone to look upon her precious flower, least of all the king of the underworld, but not even Hera herself could deny Zeus, who was she to?

Helios brought about the next day with the brightest lights; the biggest sun. Apollo strung beautiful melodies through the air, making it purely magical. The celebration was second by a narrow margin to the day that celebrated the homecoming of the original six Gods. A mortal king couldn't hold a more splendid celebration for his first born son as Zeus did for his nth born daughter. There was food that not all of the gods could identify; there was wine and ambrosia of the sweetest fruit which Poseidon let flow in streams. Nymphs of nature decorated the palace on Mount Olympus with veils and vines of the prettiest and most fragrant flowers. Aphrodite led a couple of them to make the most beautiful bassinet for the most beautiful babe ever born.

Hera though, sat sourly in her rooms, excluding herself from the preparatory activities. But even she could not hold the girl responsible for what was no fault of her own. So dejectedly, she took her time to prepare herself for what would come to be called a christening. In other rooms of the palace was Hera's sister, doting on her day old babe as she prepared the girl for presentation. Her nymphs had made for the girl an oversized gown of the softest cottons and silk, dyeing it so that all the shades of pink in the world shone through in the proper light. As mother of the newborn girl, Demeter too dressed herself in a gown that was some shade of pink. When Demeter finally took Kore out of her room and onto the great hall, she came to find that all the Goddesses had chosen to honor the birth of the new girl by adorning themselves with the color pink. Yet all of the pink decorations and adornments fell pale in contrast to the bright pink hue of the newborn babe's skin.

The great hall was occupied full; the Gods sitting in their appointed thrones while their younger children danced around Demeter, trying to catch a sight of their new cousin or half sister. Kore's bassinet, for which Demeter nodded a gratuitous nod to Aphrodite, was placed in the middle in front of Zeus's throne. As ever, Hera's throne was to his right, but on his left was Demeter's chair, placed there only for the occasion. Demeter placed the sleeping child in the bassinet and went up to her throne escorted by Zeus. Now the only seat that remained empty was that of the oldest brother, Hades.

The procession was initiated by a sort of welcoming speech by Zeus, who doted on his day old daughter. His praise of her ignited envy in the hearts of his other children, but the innocence of their half sister won them over. Again, Zeus was first to bless the girl, as the goddess of spring, similar to her mother. Spring became the theme of all her gifts, such as Poseidon granting her the ability to grow flowers in bodies of water. Aphrodite blessed her with eternal beauty, second only to her own of course. Apollo gifted her light wherever she went and his twin Artemis granted the girl power with animals.

The absence of Hades soon became the elephant in the room, and Demeter wished the king of underworld would stay in his realm, even if it earned him the wrath of Zeus. But dutifully, even if at the last moment, Hades arrived in his ceremonial robes and ethereal blue fire, demanding more respect than Zeus by appearance alone. Children ran to their mothers and the goddesses suppressed swoons as the other gods stood in respect to their oldest brother or cousin or uncle.

"Fashionably late as always, I see brother!" Zeus stood with a booming voice and welcomed him.

Hades contained a scoff.

"I do not have every second spare to welcome another one of your children, little brother."

Zeus dismayed the comment with a laugh, but Hades's disinterest burned in Demeter's mind.

"This one is well above the rest, Hades. Come see for yourself." Zeus led the older God to the bassinet in which lay the day old girl now with her eyes open.

Even the God of the Underworld was not immune to the babe's charm. His breath left him when he saw the innocent lass laying in her flower bed, looking around the room till her golden eyes saw his blue aura. The next second marked the first time anyone had heard the girl coo, which did not miss her mother's ears. Zeus made a victorious laugh and even Hades managed a smile. His hand involuntarily left to graze the soft skin of the child, and she evidently was very allured by his big hand, extending her two tiny ones to hold one of his. But the king of Darkness regained his senses; felt himself at complete contrast with the innocent girl, and dared not touch her, drawing his hand away to which the babe did not respond happily. She let out a cry upon being denied her grasp, and Demeter ran down to comfort her daughter, scooping her away from Hades.

She knew why her daughter had cried; if it had been her, she would have done the same. The dangers about Hades was not that he was cruel and unkind and inhumane; the dangers of Hades was that he was beautiful. The most beautiful God of the original six (and maybe even the rest) which all his brothers, especially Zeus, were jealous of. His beauty had more allure than of Aphrodite, and all that kept the goddesses from jumping his bones was his title. Nobody wanted to lay with the God of the Underworld, but everyone, including Demeter, wanted to be in Hades's bed. That was something Demeter did not want for her daughter, her Kore. The mother vowed to keep her daughter away from all men, and Hades was at the top of that line.

When Demeter pried her child away, Hades chuckled and said, unknown to himself:

"Persephone."

"Persephone," Zeus said a loud.

"The Goddess of Spring! Little Persephone!" Zeus announced to the cheer of the hall.

Amidst, the commotion, Hades made to leave. But Zeus stopped him.

"You have yet to gift her, Hades."

Hades turned his torso toward Persephone, smiling gently at her.

"She shall have the gift of life. The darkness will do her no harm."

With that bidding, he vanished in a puff of blue smoke, leaving baby Persephone giggling in his wake.