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I ran and did not stop. If Hades caught me, he would give one look of concern and have me at his side in an instant. That was his power over me, I could never bear to see him hurting. As far as I knew, my husband was still in the throne room, waiting for my return.

I ran in the opposite direction of the room, getting lost in the labyrinth that was the palace of Hades. I knew my way around pretty well, but when I think of nothing else but to get away, my feet don't know where to go. I had to leave. I couldn't hurt my family any more than I already had.

The last time I tried to escape this place was so long ago, but then, I wanted to escape out of fear. I hated this place so much and I hated Hades even more for bringing me here.

I ran down the halls, turning corners and running into dead ends. Finally, I gave up. I sat down in frustration, having ventured to a part of the palace I have rarely been to. A few left over tears from earlier streaked down my face. I had to leave. I just had to.

I decided to start my adventure again. Walking carefully this time. I passed the throne room, overhearing my husband's voice ordering Hecate to find me. He already started to worry. I sped up my pace and began running once again. I finally managed to make it out of the palace.

I ran through the Fields of Asphodel, the souls of many reaching out to me, asking in their ghostly whispers to be set free. I gave a pitying look to those who grabbed onto my dress. The souls of the dead were slowing me down from my escape. They knew me as their queen, but they also knew I was the kinder of the two rulers. My heart nearly stopped when I saw the soul of a young child, barely even seven, reach towards me. I knew better than to breath life back into these souls (not like I could anyway). I slowed into a walk, still hearing the desperate begging of the souls. I reached the end of the fields and escaped the torture of the poor men and women who were too young or too good to have died.

I was almost free. I could make it out without Hades finding out and be back before sunset. Zeus had to be bluffing when he said he would make me mortal if I left. He would't turn his own daughter into a mortal, would he?

I walked slowly towards Cerberus. He wouldn't attack me, but he still made me nervous. As a matter of fact, Cerberus respected me more than he did Hades.

I reached my hand out cautiously as Cerberus stared at me. All three heads were completely still. I put my hand on the middle head and it relaxed under the touch. The head on the right started nudging me, wanting the same attention. As I walked passed Cerberus, I kept my hand on his side, brushing against the surprisingly soft fur of the three-headed dog.

As I walked past, Cerberus's middle head grabbed the hem of my dress with it's teeth. I turned around, my eyes pleading with the dog to release me. But Cerberus wouldn't budge. Before I knew it, Hades devil servants, the furies, showed up and stared at me with evil grins.

"His majesty is looking for you." One said.

"My, what news it will be to him to hear you were running away." Another said with a raspy voice.

"Our lord shall be heart-broken." The third said, grinning wider than the other two.

"Please," I begged, Cerberus still holding onto my dress, "Say nothing to Hades and let me go."

All three furies laughed with their evil cackles. They lunged toward me, attempting to grab my arms to take me to Hades. I quickly ripped my dress away from Cerberus. I ran as fast as I could away from the devil-bats, but they were much faster than I was. I would never make it to the river Styx before they caught me.

Sometimes I hate being right. Two of the furies grabbed my arms and the third flew behind us, making a course to the palace. I don't know if I would be able to handle seeing Hades' heart break right before my eyes.

The furies pushed me violently into the throne room. Hades' eyes grew wide in shock. My hair was probably ruffled, my dress was ripped, my head bowed in shame, and to top it off, the force that was used to get me here was probably all a great shock to my husband. I felt so awful.

"Can you believe it?" the fury holding onto my right arm said with a grin.

"His majesty's faithful wife," the one on my left said.

"Trying to escape." Said the third one that was behind me, the one with the largest evil grin.

"Leave!" Hades dismissed his servants. I didn't dare look into his eyes.

"My dear," He spoke slowly, but his words were filled with hurt.

"Please," I said, "Don't be angry." My voice was a barely audible whisper, but Hades still heard it.

"Why did you want to leave?" He spoke, trying to hide the pain in his voice. "Was I not making you happy?"

A new wave of tears found their way down my cheeks. I could't stand this. I had hurt the man I loved. I try to fix things, but always end up making them worse.

"Persephone," He wanted an answer, but I was unable to speak. I couldn't face him now, not while his heart was still shattering.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I hurt everyone without even meaning to."

"What are you talking about?" Stop pestering me! Stop sounding so hurt! I can't take it! I've put everyone through so much pain, yet his was the only pain I actually saw.

"I just felt so guilty." I didn't know how to explain my feelings to him. Would he even understand if I told him?

"Stop giving such nonsense answers!" Hades started shouting. My eyes grew wide. He's never been so furious with me. "Why would you ever want to leave here? Do you think Zeus' threat is some kind of joke? He will not hesitate to take you away from me! I don't care if you feel guilt or whatever! I can't lose you Persephone! I won't lose you because of your selfish feelings!"

I collapsed to the floor. Sitting in front of a raging Hades, my eyes were wide and full of tears. Was I being selfish? I was being selfish when I came here. Was I also being selfish while trying to leave? He was the one being selfish by trying to confine me. I wanted to leave but his selfishness wouldn't allow me.

"Persephone," His voice softened. I didn't dare look at his face. He knelt down in front of me and put a hand on my shoulder. "I am so sorry." He whispered. He didn't want to yell, but his temper got the best of him.

I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to get away. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and stood up abruptly.

"Think whatever you want." I said in a voice that was soft, yet sharp with venom. "You're the one being selfish by not caring about my feelings. You said you didn't care, so why would you care if I left?"

"Persephone-" Before I let him speak, I ran out of the room, never looking back and never having any second thoughts.

Cerberus paid me no mind as I passed him this time. Both Hecate and Thanatos tried to stop me, but I ran right passed them. It was difficult getting to the River Styx. Part of it was because I was running and having trouble keeping my mind on where I was going, the other part was because of the tears that were blinding my sight.

I stopped at the River Styx, waiting for Charon to show up and catching my breath as I did so. As the ferry arrived with it's ferryman at the front, the dead souls became restless as they saw me at the shore.

"Go straight to judgement." I heard Charon say, "Pay no mind to the queen."

As the boat became empty, many souls begged to me to let them live again, but I had the strength to ignore them.

"My lady," Charon bowed to me, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

I gave a half-hearted smile to the ferryman. "I need to leave." I said plainly.

"Has the king allowed this?" He stared at me questionably.

"Yes." I answered immediately. "Please, sail me across."

He nodded, still not knowing whether he should allow it or not. I climbed aboard the boat quickly. We were half way across the river when I looked back and saw Hades and Hecate standing at the shore, watching quietly as we sailed away. My husband turned around angrily and marched away, Hecate following in a frantic attempt to calm him down.

"My lady," Charon looked over his shoulder at me, "Are you sure you want to leave?"

I nodded. "Yes. Keep going."

At the other side of the river I climbed off the boat. The moment I stepped off, the dead began to climb on. Those poor souls, some were far to young to be on that ferry.

I put it out of mind and walked forward, the cave that lead out was very dark and very long. Finally, I saw light. I ran toward the opening of the cave in delight. Finally! Sunlight!

As I stepped into the sun, I smiled widely. It felt so good to be in real, natural light.

I took in a breath of the fresh air. Suddenly, I felt light-headed. My vision became dark and I collapsed on the warm, grass-covered ground. The last thing I heard before I passed out was a voice calling my name. My mother's voice.

"Persephone!"

I woke up in a flower field, the sunlight warm on my face. I felt like I hadn't seen that sun in the longest time.

"Persephone, dear, are you alright?" A woman's voice called to me. Persephone? She must have been talking to someone else.

"Persephone." The woman sitting next to me nudged my shoulder. "Wake up dear."

I sat up and looked at the woman. I didn't recognize her, yet she spoke to me as if she's known me for years. "Who are you?" I finally managed to speak through the confusion running through my mind.

"I'm your mother, dear. Demeter."

I shook my head. "That's impossible." I said. "My mother died when I was very young. I never knew her. She had a different name, too, but I don't remember…" I trailed off. What was my mother's name? I felt ashamed that I had forgotten.

"Persephone-"

"Why do you keep calling my that?" I stood up abruptly. "My name is not Persephone." I stared at the woman as she stood up as well, exceeding my height by only a few inches.

"My dear, you need your rest." She pushed a strand of my hair behind my ear, but I swatted her hand away.

"I am not Persephone, and I am not your daughter."

The woman didn't seem to believe me. "Then tell me," she spoke softly with a hint of something I recognized as pain, "Who do you think you are."

"My name," I said slowly, "Is Rosa."

Gasp! Persephone became mortal! Thank you all so much to those who have viewed, favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! It makes me so happy to know that people enjoy my writing! If you haven't figured by now, this is the very last chapter of Of Darkness and Daisies. I am currently working on the first chapter of Letters From a Forgotten Friend which is the sequel to this story. If you want to know what happens to Persephone as a mortal and how she remembers her immortal life, I suggest you follow me and/or keep an eye out for my update. Thanks so much for your support! I will see you all soon in my next story and my little mythological poems, if you read those as well. :) Take care and keep posted for updates on my next story!