Like every day above the mortal world, the day was warm. The sun was high above them and the rays sent golden beams bouncing off the gilded statues and casting sparkles over the pool. Zeus, great and mighty king he was, sat sideways in his throne with one leg draped over the, the purple cushions askew. He lulled his head back and launched an olive at his brother, Poseidon.

"What was that for?" The god of the sea demanded.

"I'm bored," Zeus whined.

Poseidon sat up from his mountain of cushions and looked over at Aphrodite. The three Olympians sat lounging around the pool in the large reception chamber on mountains of pillows while Hermes floated in a lazy circle.

"What do you want me to do about your boredom, brother?" Poseidon asked falling back against his pillows. "What could we possible do to ease your misery?"

Aphrodite looked between the two gods and smiled wickedly. "How is the youngest of three of you?"

The brothers looked at each other. "Hades?" Poseidon asked. He shrugged. "Haven't seen much of him lately."

"Not that he ever comes up here," Zeus answered. "Now he hardly ever leaves that dreadful Underworld of his."

"I wonder if his pretty new wife has anything to do with that now. I daresay she's taken quite the liking to that dismal place," Aphrodite said absentmindedly, playing with a lock of her golden hair.

"That's right!" Zeus sat up straight in his throne and waved his hand over the pool. "Let's see what the devil's up to. Hermes, get out of the way!"

The pool rippled as Hermes climbed out and a wavy picture of Hades appeared. He was walking along the side of one of his gloomy rivers. He was dressed better than either of his brother had ever seen him, even if it was black and grey, the cloth was of impeccable quality. He was not alone either; a pretty young woman was with him. She had dark hair pulled up and wore a chiton similar to the style and color that Hades wore. She was bedecked his rubies and white sapphires that seemed quite out of place amongst the darkness. The most peculiar sight of all was that Hades, Lord of Decay and Darkness, was smiling.

"Well, well, well," Poseidon whistled. "She's pretty enough isn't she?"

"Quite," Zeus agreed. He eyed the young goddess walking next to his younger brother. "What's her name again?"

"Persephone," Aphrodite answered. "Her mother used to say that she rivaled me in beauty." She wrinkled her nose. "I think she used to be called Kore."

"Yes! I remember her," Zeus answered. "She's always been very pretty, but I don't remember her being so…so…confident."

"She was always hidden behind her mother," Poseidon said. "But I often wondered if she was the one hiding or if her mother was hiding her. No wonder Hades had to steal her."

"They seem to be having an awful lot of fun down there," Aphrodite noted.

"They do," Zeus agreed. "Why should they have all the fun while we have nothing to do up here?"

Poseidon leaned forward to get a better view of the scene reflected in the pool. His smiling little brother and his new queen, but what was that in the water? Something was disturbing the river's surface. "What's that down there? Do you see it?"

Zeus saw it too. "It's a nymph!" he cried. "And a handsome one at that." He looked between his brother and the love goddess. "Are you two thinking what I'm thinking?" he chuckled darkly. "Dite, my beauty, surely you can help us?"

Aphrodite sat back against the pillows and sight. "I'd be delighted to, great king."

The three of them leaned forward and looked into the pool. Hades hugged his wife in the reflection of them and he faced the river. Aphrodite touched the water and a soft pink ripple moved across its surface. The look in Hades' eyes was instantaneous and the three Olympians laughed. His look of lust and longing once reserved for sweet little Persephone was now fixed on the nymph in the river.

"It is done," Aphrodite said. "Now we wait."

Unbeknownst to Persephone that her husband's affection had changed, she was quite surprised when her husband left her standing on the banks of the Wailing River alone. She watched him go, heading back towards their palace on the high mountain. Perhaps he had forgotten a meeting or something important had come up. Either way Persephone did not notice the figure swimming just under the surface away from her and after her husband. Persephone stood on the bank for a moment longer before the ground jumped beneath her feet. Bounding up beside her came the great guardian of souls, Cerberus. His three heads and serpent's tail made him look ferocious, but he was a gentle creature really. Hades didn't seem to like how docile he became since she had taken residence in the Underworld. The beast stopped and flattened himself on the ground before her, his serpent's tail wagging behind him.

"Well, hello there, you great brute." Persephone rubbed the middle nose and the other two heads came around trying to reach her. She patted all of them in turn and kissed the center snout. "I wonder if you know why the great Lord of Darkness ran off so quickly." She turned back towards the palace in the distance and wondered what was happening there. Why had he gone from her so quickly? Turning back to the Hades hound she said, "Take me home," and climbed on his back.

Minthe had to take her chance now before she lost it. She had seen the way he had looked at her, and had not imagined the lustful longing in the King of the Underworld's face. He wanted her. Minthe had waited so long, and now her time had come. Of course he grew tired of his precious little goddess, always talking about springtime and flowers and living things. What could the Ruler of the Dead do with living things?

She swam and jump out of the water following him closely, nearly side by side with him. He watched her and she turned in the water exposing her breasts as she glided beside him with a wickedly sensual smile on her face. When she reached the mouth of the river, she got out and her clothing appeared, though it did little good. The wet veil clung to her outline and Hades saw all that he wanted to see. He grabbed the nymph's hand and pulled her after him, through the court, up the stairs, and to the throne that sat waiting for them. She climbed on top of him and grinded against him. Hades' head fell back and his tongue lulled. He mumbled something that she could not understand and she rolled her hips again. The mighty king jolted beneath her and turned to look at her out of his own control.

Minthe pulled back his peplos and exposed his exposed his awaiting organ. Minthe pulled her own clothing over her head and gasped when his hands found her breasts. She rubbed her wet heat against him and he groaned, arching up to meet her. Hades grabbed her hips and slammed her down on his erection. She did not even have time to scream before he was bucking his hips and entering her over and over again. Her hair stuck to her damp face and perspiration fell from the king's forehead, but his eyes were dark and full of pure wanton lustfulness. How she loved it.

Persephone kissed each of the large noses when they came to her. She sent the guardian on his way and turned to the giant onyx doors that led into the judgment hall. She heard faint noises coming from the chambers above her and moved through the empty hall. Her steps echoed off the stone walls as she moved through the doors behind the empty thrones at the head of the room. Upstairs Persephone opened to the antechamber outside the room where Hades welcomed his brothers and other important guests. There was someone inside with him. Who in the world could be here, and if it was so important, why would he not ask his wife to receive them? Persephone opened the door ready to receive any guest that could possibly be in that room. She was not prepared for the scene the greeted her.

Hades sat in the tall throne at the far end of the room grasping the arms on the chair with his head thrown back in ecstasy. He was moaning loudly and bucking his hips. Between his legs was a…a water nymph! A slimy, miserable, ugly water nymph was pleasuring her husband! Well, nymphs weren't really ugly, but this one was! Persephone saw red as she marched across the floor, her peplos flying out behind her like great wings. As she grew closer, Persephone saw the that the little slug was naked. As soon as she was within arm's length she grabbed a first full of the nymph's silver hair and wrenched her backwards. The chthonic harlot sprawled out before the queen on the floor and Persephone trampled her underfoot. The queen of the realm marched up to its king—still with a dazed sensual look on his face—and slapped him with all the force she could muster.

Hades came out of his trance and looked up at his wife in utter confusion, an angry handprint appearing on his face. He was still exposed and covered himself hastily. He stood up and looked behind Persephone briefly before meeting her gaze.

"Persephone? What is going on?"

"I was hoping you could tell me!" she demanded and pointed to nymph sprawled out on the floor. "Who is she?"

"I-I-I don't know," he answered, his hands up in a gesture of ignorance. "Persephone, I thought she was you."

"You wish she was me, is that what you mean? You're tired of me already?" Persephone began to cry, but the tears were angry, not mournful. "Is she to take my place when I must return to my mother?"

"No!" he cried. "Persephone, my queen, my love, I swear to you, I don't know who this creature is."

"Her mouth was around your cock!" Persephone cried, never using such course language before. "And you don't know who she is?"

The nymph tried to stand up and speak, but Persephone rounded on her. "You will be silent!" Persephone recognized her almost instantly and her rage surged even deeper than it ran a moment ago. "I remember you. You're the slimy little snail that use to work for us here, but I caught you trying to sneak into my husband's rooms. What was your name?" She thought for a moment before it came to her. "Minthe! Yes, Minthe." She turned to her husband. "Do you know who she is now?"

Hades fumbled for words, but Persephone did not allow him to speak. "How dare you offer yourself to the King?" She had rounded on the water nymph again, now seemingly turning into a puddle was water in an effort to escape. "My King! My husband! You worthless eel!"

A sudden surge of Olympic force pulsed through the room. Persephone's eyes glowed and her skin begin to shine. Hades had never seen her radiate such power. Until today Hades had never known his wife could get so angry. His sweet demure Goddess of Spring was now a fierce cyclone of jealously and power. Hades took a step back and watched the nymph on the floor crouch as she was swallowed up the power of a women scorned. He saw the creature begin to shrink and her pale blue skin began to turn green. Limbs vanished, and hair receded until nothing was left of the river nymph, but a small plant with shiny green leaves, and a sweet smell that lingered in the air.

Persephone came back to herself and turned towards her husband. Her eyes were still filled with anger. Hades simply stared in amazement.

"Can someone please tell me what is going on?" he asked.

Persephone's expression changed to puzzlement. "How can you not know? I found you with a nymph between your legs where—" She stopped herself. Dare she say it? She was his wife after all. She decided to speak her mind and see what his reaction would be. "Where I should be."

Hades blinked. "You?" He looked down and smiled sheepishly. "Would you—?"

"I don't know if I will now," she replied hotly. "I am a queen, aren't I? I am above stepping where the rabble have stepped."

"Persephone, I swear to you on my kingdom, on my thrown, on my own existence, that I do not know what has happened." He stopped cautiously and continued slowly. "I thought it was you pleasing me."

"Me?" she asked him.

"I thought it was you who had come and surprised me, and I was quite surprised. I promise you, I only saw you."

"I don't understand." Persephone touched her fingers to Hades' chest and felt a spark of pain. Hades doubled over and a pink cloud hovered above the couple for a few seconds before disappearing. Rage filled Persephone again. "Aphrodite."

"What could she have to do with all of this?"

"You were under her spell! I understand now. Aphrodite gave you lustful feelings for that creature. I should have known." Persephone sighed. "Do they have nothing better to do up there?"

Hades seemed to understand as well. He knew, just as well as his wife did, that the Olympians probably did not have anything better to do than to meddle with the affairs of those below them including Zeus' younger brother and his wife. He sighed and looked back at Persephone. "Do you believe me, though, that I would never do anything like that to you? That I love only you." He took her in his arms. "My queen," he whispered against her hair. "Forgive me?"

Persephone hugged him as tightly as she could. "Yes, I forgive you." She pulled out of his grasp and picked up the little plant that she had created. "I believe I shall share my new creation with the world above. It will come about in the springtime when I must return to it."

"Remind me," Hades said, touching the small shiny leaves. "To never make you angry."

Persephone smiled up at him. "I am your one and only, yes?"

"Of course, my dearest."

"Then I am a happy wife." Persephone kissed Hades' cheek and together set off to offer her gift to the mortals above.