Dionysus' Challenge

Chapter 1 

The throne room was filled and everyone was enjoying the feast.  Music floated through the hall as the Muses kept pace with the mood.  Hestia directed each of the serving girls to deliver the food to the gods and goddesses waiting patiently while enjoying small talk amongst themselves.  Zeus sat back and smiled at the gathering.  So far so good, he thought.  I do hate it when these things turn ugly.  Hera glanced towards her husband, seeing the look on his face.  Listening to the conversations around her, she shook her head subtly.  She knew better than Zeus that this was not going to end well.  They never do. 

As if on cue, Dionysus sauntered into the room.  Wine glass in hand, he smiled and bowed to the others lounging on pillows around the table.  His bow ended up causing him to fall face first onto the marble floor, but thankfully, his cup remained full.  Not a drop spilt.  He giggled and took a sip. 

“How are my favorite gods today?” he hiccupped as he sat down, quite pleased with himself.

Aphrodite yawned, clearly already bored with such antics.  She looked over at Ares smiling, clearly more concerned with him than anyone else, including her own husband.  Hephaistos ignored Aphrodite along with the drunk, talking to Thanatos about the recent events in the Achaian countryside.  Turning away, Artemis rolled her eyes and continued talking to Amphitrite.  Only Poseidon deigned to answer Dionysus.

“We seem quite well, don’t you think?  We have food, beautiful music provided by the Muses and pleasant conversation so far.  Although, you seem to have already started the party hours ago without us,” he responded to Dionysus.

Hermes laughed, “Does that surprise you, Poseidon?  He never waits for the rest of us.  We end up playing catch up to him anytime Zeus invites us up for dinner.”

Hades stared disdainfully at Dionysus, “Have you no self-respect or dignity, Dionysus?  Could you, for once, come up here sober and civilized?”  Hades looked at his brother, “Zeus, how on earth is it that you tolerate such behavior?  I mean, why is he even allowed up here in the first place?  Dionysus is a complete disgrace to all immortals with his antics here and on earth.  I mean, just look at the Thyiades!”

Dionysus looked at Hades and smirked, “A disgrace!  A disgrace!  How dare you call me a disgrace!”  Dionysus hiccupped several times before finishing.  Dionysus staggered to his feet and pointed at Hades.  “At least the women that surround me come to me by choice.”

The hall fell silent as everyone looked at each other uncomfortably.  Persephone looked up from her conversation with her mother, Demeter, and leveled her gaze at Dionysus.  “What, you call drunken women, tripping over themselves trying to get to you, voluntary.  If you ask me, their drive is as much involuntary as my initial arrival into the realm of Hades.  Besides, how many of them stick around?  But continue to tell yourself those tales if it makes you sleep better at night.”

Athena laughed out loud nervously, “Come now Dionysus.  Won’t you wait for us just once?  Would it kill you to get drunk with us and not before us?”

“I am not too drunk to see that you are changing the subject,” he snapped at Athena.  “Besides, I know you are in league with Hades.  How else is he supplied with the residents of his pathetic dark domain?  So stay out this conversation, Goddess of Wisdom, before you get yourself into trouble.”

Athena stared wide-eyed at Dionysus and several of the gods were heard exclaiming to each other under their breaths.  Dionysus stared at them all, enraged and looking for a fight.

“I have been insulted.  Therefore, I issue a challenge,” Dionysus announced to all those seated in the hall.  “I challenge Hades to pick out a human, one soon to be born and grant him a happy life.  Oh God of Misery and Death, do you think that you can manage such a simplistic task?”  Dionysus took a long drought from his wine glass and it filled instantly.  He waves his glass in the air, “I will even say that if you win, I will go without my wine for a long time.  But, that is how much I doubt you will succeed.”

Persephone stood and walked towards Hades.  She stood behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  Smiling he looked up at her and then leveled his gaze at the court idiot and nodded.  “Done, you imbecile.  You have made this too easy.”

Dionysus clucked his tongue, “Jumping to conclusions already got you into marital trouble.  I wouldn’t be jumping anytime too soon.  The human must have a completely lovely life and die happily.  I can’t imagine how you would accomplish that seeing that your marriage and life isn’t exactly picture perfect.”

Hades smoldered internally and Persephone’s grip on his shoulder tightened.  He placed a hand over hers in a rare act of emotion, showing Dionysus he was in deep trouble.  Hermes looked from the royal couple of the Underworld to Dionysus.  He shook his head and leaned over to speak to Apollon and Artemis.  “Dionysus must truly be more drunk than usual to make them both so angry that he united the king and queen of the Underworld.”

The twins nodded in agreement.  “When they are united, all of earth is in trouble,” Apollon said quietly.

“No, brother, it is not earth that will suffer.  It is the immortals that will be affected the most,” Artemis responded darkly. 

Hades nodded, eyes blazing at the jester, “Challenge accepted.  Be prepared to go without your wine for a very long time.”

Everyone looked at each other awkwardly.  None of the gods had made their presence known on earth for a very long time.  Though they wouldn’t admit it, each of them couldn’t see a happily ever after to this challenge.  The atmosphere suddenly deflated as if Boreas himself had torn through the hall and taken all festiveness with him when he exited.


Calliope and Marcus had waited for so long.  For countless years, it seemed, they had prayed and brought the proper offerings to the temples of Demeter, Zeus, and Hera.  They offered prayers to Eileithyia, pleading for her to have pity on them.  When Calliope realized seven months ago that she could be with child she sought out the best doctor to help her stay healthy in order to carry the child to term.  And tonight, they were expecting the child that they had been hoping for. 

Calliope was in the next room while Marcus paced the floor in the common room.  The midwife’s assistant dashed in and out of the bedroom and he could hear his wife’s crying.  He was told the pain would be bad but he didn’t expect to feel this way.  He almost hated himself for asking her to go through with this, but she wanted the child as much as he.

As the child’s soul traveled to earth, Hades caught wind of it.  He met up with the soul halfway to the child’s house and saw that it was strong.  Though the air he followed the soul, smiling as he was lead to a very fine house.  Hades walked around the house, examining it and nodded approvingly.  This will be satisfactory, he thought as he entered the house.  Hands held behind his back, Hades strolled leisurely through the house, taking note of this detail and that.  He made his way into the room where the woman was about to give birth. 

As the child entered the world, Hades declared to the heavens that he has chosen this soul, this child.  Zeus took note of it, having it written in a scroll, bound by the water of the Styx and put away somewhere neither gods nor man could find it.  Dionysus appeared next to Hades and looked at the miniature human creating a scene by its screaming and crying.  He looked at Hades with a lopsided grin and then disappeared.

An hour after his wife had stopped crying, Marcus was approached by the midwife.  “Calliope is well but extremely tired.  The child is healthy.  The gods smile on you and your son this evening.”

A son!  The gods indeed smile upon us tonight.  “May I go in to see Calliope and my son?”

The midwife smiled and nodded before turning back into the room.  Opening the door slowly, Marcus entered the room quietly and saw that his wife was sleeping soundly.  She looked haggard and worn.  Her appearance brought tears to his eyes and Marcus tried no to think what she went through to bring him a son.  He walked over to her and gently kissed her on the forehead.

He turned to the small bassinet next to her side and saw the small baby that slept under filigreed blankets.  Marcus gazed at the long awaited son and smiled.  May the gods grant you a wonderful life, my son, Coren, he thought.  Hades nodded his head in response, A wonderful life indeed.


Crystal bore the pain as well as she could given her circumstances.  It was her own fault for not being as careful as she should have been.  Why did this have to be, she screamed inwardly.  My other children are out of the house and gone.  This was not part of the plan.  There was no room in this house for a child.  She had sold all of the children’s things years ago since she never anticipated needing them.  And there was no way that she was going to spend all her precious, hard earned money on this whelp of a child.

The tiny girl entered the world quietly, as if she could already sense that she wasn’t wanted.  The midwife cleaned her up and presented her to Crystal, but the woman turned her head to the side.  After some prodding, Crystal nursed the child and had her laid in the small bed in the corner.  She promptly put in an order for a wet nurse and went to sleep.  The rest of the world awaited her return and she wasn’t going to let this undesired outcome of a few too many drinks at the Lord’s banquet stop her.

Persephone watched as Crystal succeeded at ignoring the newborn.  It broke her heart to see the baby girl alone in the bed without her mother beside her.  The heart break turned into anger as she watched the baby fall asleep, alone, shaking and afraid.  Persephone summoned one of her servants to fetch a blanket to cover the baby.  In a blink of an eye, the servant reappeared with a blanket of linen from her own coffers.  She lightly laid the blanket over the little girl's shivering form and watched as the little one stopped shivering and fell asleep.  Choosing the most comfortable chair, Persephone sat down and watched the room all night. 

Her eyes burned as she watched the mother snore the hours away while the child lay in the bed hungry.  Finally, unable to take it any more, she got up and ran to the baby’s bed in the corner.  Persephone leaned in close to the baby girl and whispered in her ear, “I will watch over you, my sweet.  You will know love.  Somehow, someway, I will make up for what your mother lacks.”
In the morning, Persephone watched as the midwife tried to coax a name out of Crystal.  The wretched woman flung out a name and rolled over, her back facing the child.  Sorrowfully, the trembling midwife walked over and stood over the baby’s bed.  Tears fell from her eyes, knowing the injustice this small baby girl was being given.

“Poor child.  I don’t think this will turn out well for you, if you even survive.  She calls you Zipporah.  For your sake, I hope that she changes her mind about you.  She has half a mind to set you out on the street to see if anyone will pick you up.”  The midwife stroked Zipporah’s cheek and left the room.  Persephone was the only one that ever saw the tears that were shed for this little one.


Chapter 2

A platter emerged from the kitchen, stacked high with birthday treats for Coren.  Trying hard to remain calm, he watched as his nurse set it before him.  His parents stood at his side as several people from the town gathered to watch him choose which treat to eat first. He reached out his hand and grabbed the sugared apple and laughed as he took a bite. The onlookers quietly talked amongst themselves, commenting on Coren’s first choice.

"Good omen. Apples are a picture of purity and health."

"He knew precisely which treat to choose. This one will have strong decision making skills."

"Look how happy he is. The gods favor him still. It's a shame he is an only child though."

Calliope gathered Coren in her arms and nuzzled his head. The sweet scent of his hair brought a smile to her face.  The young boy looked up at his mother and smiled, offering her a bite of his treat. She bit into the apple and Coren laughed as juice ran down her chin.  Savoring the moment, Calliope leaned towards her son and pulled his face close to hers.  Nose to nose she whispered how much she loved him.  He shook his head from side to side, rubbing his nose with hers, giving her a nose kiss. They both giggled, wrapped up in their own little worlds.

"Marcus, it is wonderful to see Calliope so happy," the governor said. "The fact that Coren has survived this long only strengthens his chances in the future."

Marcus watched on, "I know. We have had so many failures before Coren. She still wakes up at night a hundred times to make sure he is still alive. I don't think she will ever be rid of those memories."

The governor slapped Marcus on the back, "He will make a great magistrate one of these days should he follow your footsteps." and walked away.

Hades watched over the entire party, marveling at the fuss the couple made of the child's birthday. He walked over to Calliope and Coren and looked on as they played together. I will never understand humans, he thought and vanished.


Persephone paced Zipporah's room perplexed. There is something wrong, I know it.  Zipporah is not here and it is her birthday. Shouldn't someone be doing something? No matter how much she fumed silently, she knew the answer. It was the same one she saw every year at this time. The little girl was stashed away somewhere, namely the basement or locked in her room, while her mother gave a party on her birthday. Unfortunately, the invitees had no idea that there was a child in the house at all.

Persephone stormed out of the room in search of Zipporah. She raged past servants who dropped items in fright because something that wasn’t there bumped into them. She closed her eyes and saw Zipporah in her mind, picturing her surrounded by darkness.  Persephone shook her head and headed for the western part of the home.  The halls of Hades shook as she yelled about the injustices of where the small girl was locked.  Persephone appeared in the cellar and saw the child crying. It was too much to bear and Persephone did one thing that the gods had decided to never do again. Persephone appeared to Zipporah and sat next to her. She held her in her lap and sang to her one of the song her mother Demeter had sung to her so long ago when she, herself, was a small girl.

Zipporah calmed down enough to look up at the beautiful woman holding her in the dark. She didn't know who this was, but for some comforting reason, her voice was familiar. Zipporah knew instinctively that this woman wasn't going to hurt her, hit her, or call her mean names. Nuzzling the stranger swept the sad lonely thoughts from her head and Zipporah closed her eyes. Soon she drifted off to sleep with pictures of flying ponies in her head.

Persephone held her for hours until the party upstairs was over. Picking Zipporah up, Persephone walked over to the far corner and gently laid her charge down on the dirty old mattress. One day, she thought, one day I will get that woman. And then she disappeared.

________________________________________



Zeus looked down from his throne and saw his dearest brother watching over the young soul that he claimed four years ago. He waved to Hera to get her attention. "It seems that Hades is taking this challenge rather seriously, don't you think?  I mean, it is odd for him to be so consumed by such a thing."

Hera looked from her loom and stared down at Hades, "Yes, it is most unbecoming of him. I would have thought him bored of it by now. But you know him, once he has decided something is really worth his time, he dedicates everything to it. I mean, look at the extent he went through to get Persephone."

"Speaking of Persephone," Zeus began, "Did you know she has claimed one herself?"

"What? A human soul for keeping?" Hera left her seat to stand by her husband. "Show me."

The scene before them shifted to a dark cellar in a large town a few hundred leagues from where Hades stood. They watched as Persephone lovingly comfort and rock the girl to sleep.

"Well, what do you expect? Hades gets the chance to shepherd a soul as a bet and the soul is placed in a well to do family. Persephone has always been soft when it comes to children, especially those that are not so lucky," Hera shook her head, "If only she had been given the chance to have a child of her own."

Hera touched Zeus' shoulder and pointed down towards Hades, "That is not good. Hades seems so well pleased with himself and Dionysus is watching the boy carefully.  Do you think he will do anything yet to ruin Hades plans?"

Zeus shook his head, "Not yet. Dionysus has nothing to mess with. The child is only four years old. I fear, my dear, that Dionysus will let the boy grow up some and have a the beginnings of a great life before he plagues Hades and the boy with his mischief."

Hera looked down at the two souls. Sadly, it looked as if the children will have different futures than they were born in to. Surely, Dionysus has something cruel in store for the boy and Persephone will do everything in her power to give the girl the life every young girl deserves.



Chapter 3

The man chased her around the house for an hour, but still couldn’t get his hands on her.  He let out a string of curses that even made Crystal blush.  After the second time the girl seemingly disappeared in to the walls, the man turned to Crystal and spoke harshly to her.

“If I don’t catch that girl in the next 5 minutes, the deal is off!  You won’t get your gold and you can keep her.”

Crystal fumed and stalked off, I am going to kill her if I don’t catch her soon.  She walked passed the door to the cellar and stopped.  She could hear the girl talking to herself down there.  She is disturbed, that’s it.  That is my excuse for getting rid of her.  Crystal opened the door quietly and stepped in.  As soon as she stepped down the talking stopped.

“You know, Zip, talking to yourself will only get you taken away to a worse place than you are going.  I never wanted you here to begin with, but like my father used to say, accidents do happen occasionally.”  Crystal laughed to herself.  “Running from your new caretakers will only get you several more lashings.  I suggest you come quickly.”

Crystal stepped onto the floor and saw that the girl was looking up at the ceiling and crying.  She looked a little crazy, like she was listening to someone talk to her.  Crystal shuddered and turned her back.  “I suggest that you come quietly and not make a fuss, or I will make sure you receive a just punishment for your behavior.  You have one minute.”

Zipporah looked up at Persephone and shuddered.  “Don’t worry my sweet; I will make sure you are taken care of.  Anything is better than this life.” Persephone said sweetly.

“But, that man is a slave trader.  She is selling me.  What mom sells their children for no reason?” Zipporah burst into tears.

Persephone looked at her thoughtfully, “No worries, I have a plan.  Trust me.”

Zipporah nodded and walked up the stairs to the first floor and submitted to the man who came for her.  He hit her in the back and threatened more if she were to pull any of that running bit again.  Zipporah bit back the tears and looked at the door.  She didn’t look at her mother as she was led from the house.  It was just as well.  She would have seen immense satisfaction on Crystal’s face.

Zipporah was put on a flat that was pulled by a run down horse to the center of town.  There she was cleaned a little by a woman who looked like she had better things to do.  She was then led to an area where other children were penned.  She kept her eyes on Persephone the whole time, not wanting to lose sight of the only friend that she had.  She watched as Persephone changed course and walked into the crowd.  Zipporah swallowed hard to keep herself from panicking as she was shoved into the pen with the other children.

Persephone walked directly to a woman who looked interesting.  As she walked beside her, Persephone saw that the woman was married and her husband was setting his sights on the slave pens.  She watched the woman look at the children sadly.  Persephone smiled and gently prodded the woman’s mind to look into the pen with Zipporah.  The woman stared at the children heart broken and her eyes rested on Zipporah.  Persephone smiled and touched the woman’s heart.  The woman turned to the slave mistress and inquired of Zipporah.

“That one, eh, we just got her.  Given to us by the family.  Apparently she is a bit crazy.  The mother was at her wits end and couldn’t take it any longer.  So we took her off her hands.  The mother says she can clean but don’t let her cook.  Her mind wanders and everything will be burnt.  But she is a pretty little thing.”

The woman nodded her head and walked over to Zipporah.  She looked at Zipporah a few times and then spoke to her.  “What is your name, little girl?

“Zip,” she replied quietly.

“Zip?  What kind of name is that?  Surely that isn’t your whole name,” the woman exclaimed.

Zipporah looked at the woman, “It is what I have been called all my life, ma’am.  My mother said it was what I was worth.  I was called Zipporah by the nurse I had several years ago, so I think that may be my real name.”

The woman looked at her and wanted her.  She didn’t care if the girl was bad in the head, she wanted her.  Persephone smiled at Zipporah and nodded her head.  She then disappeared knowing she had accomplished placing the girl in a good place.

The woman ran to her husband and demanded that he purchase the dark haired girl.  She pleaded with him despite what the slave trader told him.  Finally, he gave in and purchased Zipporah for his wife.  The woman ran to the pen and took custody of Zipporah immediately, “Don’t you worry, Zipporah.  We will take care of you and you won’t have to work much at all.  My son Coren will like you.  He doesn’t have many children his age to play with.  Let’s get you some clothes, Zipporah, since I don’t have any little girls at home.  My name is Calliope and my husband is Marcus, by the way.”

Calliope, Marcus, Zipporah and another slave mounted the wagon and headed for their house.  Zipporah watched as they passed her house, but made no effort to acknowledge it.  When they pulled up to the white washed house, Zipporah couldn’t believe her eyes.  She had never seen anything so large in her small life.

As they pulled up to the house, the other slave jumped out and started to unload the wagon.  Suddenly a young boy about Zipporah’s age burst out of the house and ran towards the couple.  Calliope picks up the boy and squeezes him tightly before kissing his cheek.  Marcus and Calliope fuss over him and laugh together.  She stood back from the family and tried to disappear, feeling very uncomfortable.  Calliope looks up and realizes that they had forgotten about Zipporah.

“Coren, sweetheart, this is Zipporah.  We rescued her from some very bad people and brought her here.  We thought you would like someone to play with.  She will have house duties, but after that she can play with you.”

Coren looked at the girl curiously.  He had never had a true playmate, “Hi, my name is Coren, Zipporah.  I am glad you are here.’  He looks up at his mom.  “I have so many games to teach you.  By the way, how old are you?”

Zipporah looked at Coren and smiled, “I am ten years old.”

“Wow, so am I!” he turned to Calliope, “Wow, someone to play with and she is my age.  Thank you, Mom.  Now it won’t be so lonely around here.”

Coren took Zipporah’s hand and pulled her down from the wagon.  He began to walk away with her until he realized something, “Um, Mom, is it OK if I take Zipporah around and show her everything?”

Calliope smiled and looked at her husband, “Of course, you would be the one to show her properly.”

“I have a feeling that very little work will be accomplished by that young girl,” Marcus said to his wife.

“I never intended for her to be a servant in the fullest definition of the word, dear, but I think it was the best thing we could have brought home for Coren.”  Calliope smiled and walked towards the house.

Marcus shook his head, laughed and followed her in.  Behind the wagon stood a laughing figure no one else saw.  Dionysus rubbed his hands together and laughed harder.  “This will be too easy.”

Chapter 4

Dionysus watched over the years as the friendship between Coren and Zipporah grew. He reveled in the thoughts of what havoc he could create when he saw Coren fall in love with the servant girl. Admittedly, she was very beautiful and he understood exactly why Coren would love her. Dionysus had to personally fight his own desire for her in order to go through with his plan.

Granted, losing a girl to a god wasn't exactly a bad thing. If anything, Coren would have had to realize that he was in love with a girl worthy of a god. But no, Dionysus had better plans. He had plans to make Hades pay for the insult by making a fool of him. Dionysus seethed thinking about the last meeting of the gods.

Dionysus had been on time for once and was enjoying the company of Eros when Hades entered the Hall. Persephone was on his arm and they made their way to their seats. Hera began talking earnestly with Persephone about things on earth while Poseidon and Hades dueled over a sunken ship off of the coast. Everything looked fine until Ares spoke up.

"So, how long has it been, Hades, since that human boy of your’s was born?"

Hades chuckled, "Ah, yes, the boy. He is quite something. I believe sixteen years...yes, I shepherded his soul sixteen years ago. And he is doing wonderfully, though several times things have not gone as planned."

His eyes flickered towards Dionysus briefly before going on. "Things are turning out rather nicely."

"So, Dionysus has not been able to spoil the boy and his life?" Ares snickered.

Quiet laughter could be heard throughout the hall. No one openly laughed at Dionysus, but it didn't matter. Sure, a few of his attempts have been foiled. He was able to prevent Coren's mother from conceiving again, leaving the child alone. But then the mother unexpectedly bought that girl from the slave pens and Coren wasn't alone anymore.

Then there was the horrible accident in the road. He asked Eris to help him out and she was only too happy to. Eris walked her way down the road as Coren and his family was traveling to town. Two herdsmen began bickering over each other's sheep as Eris watched on. As their argument intensified, each forgot to watch his goats. The animals became startled and ran out into the road, causing Coren's family wagon to veer off to the side of the road. As was planned, the ditch the wagon drove into pitched the family out. Calliope was thrown from the wagon and suffered injuries that led to her death. Dionysus had thought that would have been it. What boy wouldn't be heartbroken when his mother died? Dionysus was prepared to begin steering him wrong when Coren turned to that girl.

Over and over, that girl came between me and turning Coren into a failure. And now, now, he has fallen in love with her. There isn't a god in Olympia that would go against Aphrodite and Eros. Even Eris won't tread that path. But Dionysus had a plan. Aside from stealing her for himself, there was but one thing he could do that would ruin the boy's life. One thing...


Coren watched Zipporah as she cleaned the kitchen after breakfast, fascinated by how the morning sunlight danced off of her hair.  The motes in the air swirled around her, framing her in an otherworldly beauty as she did her work.  Coren couldn’t imagine life without his best friend.  He would have never made it this far without her.  Coren frequently wondered which of the gods was responsible for delivering Zipporah to his side.  Whichever was responsible, he was eternally grateful.

“What are you staring at, Coren?” Zipporah asked as she looked up from her work.  His gaze made her blush and she turned away so he couldn’t look at her.

“When will you be finished?  I have somewhere to be,” he laughed.

Zipporah stopped scrubbing the counter and looked at Coren, “What does it matter to you if I am finished or not?  Me finishing up my work shouldn’t interfere with your morning activities, my lord.”

Coren looked at Zipporah, stood and walked over to Zipporah.  He put his arm around her and pulled her away from the counter.  He looked into her eyes and smiled.  He caressed her face with his free hand and then pulled her closer.  He kissed her lightly and then more passionately.  After several seconds he forced himself to pull away knowing that he wasn’t supposed to show this affection for her in the house.  The feel of her lips lingered on his for a few moments and he savored it. 

“You know very well that I can’t leave until you are done,” he smiled.  He pulled her hand up to his face and turned it over, and kissed it palm up.  He watched the goosebumps form on her skin and smiled.

Zipporah took a deep breath, “Then you will have to wait.”  She pulled away from him and proceeded to walk down the hall towards the common room.  “I have yet one more room before I am free.”

Coren watched her work, hoping that it would make her work faster.  But it had the opposite effect.  She seemed to be going slower, stealing glances at him from time to time, while dusting this or cleaning that.  Finally he couldn’t take it anymore. 

Forget waiting, everything looks fine to me.  He walked over, took her dust rag from her hands and picked her up.  “You are done.  I am second in charge of this household and I say you are done.”

“Your father won’t like this,” she warned.

He looked at her seriously, “Since when has my father ever denied me what I have truly needed before.”

He gently lowered her to the ground and took her hand.  “I have plans for today; plans that will not wait for another day.”  Her hand in his, he left the house and headed for the river located in the back of the estate.

Dionysus watched Coren show such great affection for the servant girl.  He looked around for Hades, but saw nothing that indicated that the god was around.  Heh, probably thinks that since everything is so nice and perfect, he doesn’t need to watch the boy all the time.  This will show him.  As he swept his eyes over the area once more, he swore he saw another god walking around the estate.  He walked around, but hard as he tried, he couldn't find the god again.  He shrugged his shoulders and made his way to the river where a special friend awaited him and the two young people.

Chapter 5

When Dionysus arrived at the tree, he greeted Strife with a nod.  Both gods looked down on the two and smirked in unison.  Coren lay with his head propped against the tree and Zipporah rested her head on his stomach.  Coren traced her face with an anemone flower and spoke softly to her.

“You have no idea how much I have wanted to throw up while standing here waiting for you,” Strife complained.  “This is the most ridiculous display, sweet and soft.  What man takes a woman like this?”

Dionysus shrugged, “A human one.  Ready.”

Strife smiled mysteriously, “A matter of minutes, my friend.”

Coren looked down at Zipporah and breathed in deeply.  He loved her more than anything in the world.  “Zipporah, I have hired another servant for the estate to work around the house.  We need more help.”

She turned and lay facing him.  “What do you mean?  I am perfectly able to do the work myself!”

“I know.  I know,” he said and leaned forward and pulled her to him and kissed her again, this time revealing much more than the kiss in the kitchen.  After their lips parted he whispered, “You aren’t going to do any more work after you marry me.”

Persephone watched from a distance and smiled.  Coran kissed her more purposefully as his arm held her tightly against him.  He traced her body with his hand as he kissed her.  The world around them went quiet.  It was only the two of them and nothing more.  Persephone felt tears fall down her cheeks as she watched the two of them together.  Suddenly her heart stopped as she realized that the two were not alone.  Looking around she saw Dionysus and Strife talking and gesturing towards the Coren and Zipporah.  What were they doing there? she asked herself.

“Ahhh, my friend, the show will begin momentarily,” Strife purred as he indicated with his hand for Dionysus to look in the distance.  Four rough looking men approached the couple.  “Marauders looking for a little recompense after their last failure.”

Dionysus watched happily as the couple was unaware of the danger so close at hand.  In the middle of a kiss, one of the marauders violently yanked Zipporah up from Coren’s embrace. He rose to challenge the man and stopped when he felt the cold steel of a sword on his throat.  He glanced sideways at a dirty, but very large man.

"That would be a grave mistake, young man.  You see, we have just come from a mightily frustrating job and could use a little help.”  He looked over at Zipporah.  “She’ll do just fine, I think.  Just fine indeed.”

Strife and Dionysus walked around the little drama playing out satisfied.  “My, my, Strife.  You clever boy.  This is wonderful.  This will do exactly what I want it too.”

Strife smiled, pleased with himself, “Well, then, I will be off.  I have other people to hurt and torture.  Let me know the details later.”  Strife winked at Dionysus and disappeared.

Persephone watched in horror as Zipporah was passed from man to man for inspection.  She watched Zipporah put on a brave face, refusing to whimper and cry when they handled her roughly.  Persephone saw the satisfaction that passed over each man’s face and felt her stomach tighten. 

“Leave her alone,” Coren said authoritatively.  “I will give you anything you want; anything you ask for it is yours, just leave her alone.”

The leader smiled, “What if what we want is her?”  The four men laughed at Coren.  “Take her boys.  We will be able to say that the day was somewhat victorious.” 

Zipporah fought as hard as she could to get free as they dragged her from Coren, but she was no match for any of the men in the group.  Coren kicked the man with the sword hard in the leg, causing him to drop his guard.  Coren sprinted towards Zipporah, dagger in hand.  Coren fought the men desperately, but it was no use.  They were bigger and more skilled at fighting than him.  The leader punched Coren hard in the face, knocking him backwards.  As Coren regained his balance, the leader plunged his dagger into Coren’s side.  Coren dropped to the ground and watched as they dragged Zipporah into the woods bordering his estate.

Persephone tried to intervene but something prevented her from it.  Right before Zipporah disappeared into the woods, their eyes met for the first time that day.  Persephone apologized for not being able to help.  Dionysus, looking at Zipporah’s face, realized she was looking at someone other than Coren.  He followed her gaze until his eyes rested on a very familiar face.  His eyes bulged as he saw Persephone’s furious glare fixed on his face. 

In the background, Zipporah’s screams were heard above everything else.  Birds flew frantically from the canopy of the forest to get away from what was going on.  Her screams alerted the estate’s workers and they ran to Coren.  He pointed towards to woods before he blacked out.  Two of the workers carried him home so that his wound could be treated.  The other went into the woods which had suddenly become very quiet.  The worker ran out of the woods and dropped to his knees, stomach sick from what he saw.  He threw up, shaking and sweating.  How was he supposed to tell Coren…

Dionysus looked at Persephone and towards the woods and he realized that it was her fault that he had never succeeded.  She was responsible for Zipporah’s soul.  He had been working against her and Hades the whole time.  Wait, he thought and smiled, does Hades know that his perfect little boy fell in love with his wife’s favorite little girl?  I bet he doesn’t.  He looked at Persephone and laughed loudly.  This was going to be perfect.  He nodded at Persephone and disappeared.  As he reappeared before the Fates, he pondered how he was going to ask this favor of them…

A scream pierced the air as Hades sat on his throne watching over the Underworld.  A scream that was very familiar to him, pained and sorrowful.  Coren.  He dropped his goblet of wine and the goblet shattered into hundreds of fragments on the ground.  Hades stood and appeared in Coren’s house.  He watched Coren bleeding on the table, but he knew it was not yet Coren’s time.  He watched as Coren sobbed in desperation about Zipporah.  From the fevered crying, he gathered that Zipporah was dead.  Hades saw Dionysus watching from outside, smiling.  He had won.

Hades returned to the Underworld and asked that Charon report to him when she approached him for the ferry journey across the Styx.  Hades waited and waited, but Charon never sent word…