Psyche

I was afraid.

Naturally so, being a living soul entering the Underworld. I understood. Even if I had followed through with my plan to throw myself from the tower, even if I had become a soul freed from its body, the Underworld would never be an easy place to enter. 

So complaints or hesitation would be luxuries I couldn’t afford.

My hands trembled and my cheeks grew cold just imagining how angry Lady Aphrodite would be if she discovered I was still alive. 

Compared to Aphrodite’s rage, kneeling before the Queen of the Underworld to make my plea would almost be comforting. I had to believe that. Surely the tower hadn’t offered me its wisdom just to see me cry like a child.

I steeled my resolve. If there was any chance I could hold you, my love, in my arms again with my living body, I would not give up regardless of the trial.

Fortunately, the tower’s trick worked on Charon and Cerberus. I crossed the river safely, traversed the fields, and entered the Underworld ruler’s palace. 

But no deception would work on the Queen of the Underworld. I would need to throw myself to the ground and beg with absolute sincerity. My mouth went dry.

My love, you’ve never been to the Underworld either, have you?

The sky of the Underworld was black, dark beyond the deepest night, without even starlight. The Underworld king’s palace looked like a massive black dragon curled up, making my knees shake just from the sight. 

Cold blue torches were the only source of light on the tall pillars, and oh, how cold it was! 

Having no time to wrap myself in even a single peplos, I shivered violently. My hands and feet turned blue from the cold and fear.

The inside of the palace, which I had entered after evading Cerberus, was completely different from the royal palace where I grew up. There was no bustling crowd, no servants or slaves ready to serve, only silence and coldness. It didn’t resemble the mansion you gifted me either. 

That place was always filled with sunlight, adorned with the fresh scent of flowers and greenery. The servants were always faithful, though invisible. But not in the Underworld palace. I would have been relieved to see even a ghost!

‘Where should I go? How do I find the Queen?’

I thought everything would work out somehow once I entered the Underworld king’s palace, but that wasn’t the case. While wandering in search of the Underworld Queen, I thought of you. 

I recalled the happy days we spent in the mansion on the mountaintop. And how foolish I had been.

“You came looking for me?”

It was a cheerful, vibrant voice. Just like finding the light of a cabin while wandering through a dark forest at night. But for a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. Call me foolish if you will, but I truly couldn’t understand what was happening!

‘This is… a man’s voice?’

What was going on? I was prostrating myself before Despoina of the Underworld, the beautiful Persephone, so why was a young man answering me?

“How did a daughter of humans know about me and come all this way? I truly can’t understand. I have no idea.”

The warm red torchlight swayed, casting dancing shadows, tilting its head in puzzlement. I kept my forehead pressed to the floor, unable to move.

“Hmm, raise your head.”

Gods above!

He was an extremely handsome young man. You would be terribly jealous if you heard this! 

But at that moment, his impression was so powerful. Golden hair framed his white forehead like a wreath, and his blue eyes, matching his cornflower-colored chiton, were larger and more sparkling than the sapphires adorning my father’s crown. 

He sat on a throne placed next to the main throne. It was clearly the Queen’s seat. Moreover, I could see narcissus flowers embroidered in gold thread on his blue collar.

Torches as hot as earthly embers, and golden narcissus!

These were unmistakably the emblems of Persephone, Demeter’s only daughter and Queen of the Underworld.

‘But this person is a man, how can this be?’

I must have failed to hide my surprised expression. The young queen stared at me intently before bursting into laughter.

“Yes, I am the Queen of the Underworld. I’m also Demeter’s only child. So, what business does a living person have in the Underworld?”

“P-Persephone, I…”

I couldn’t afford to offend him with pointless questions or childish shock. I desperately needed what Aphrodite had sent me to retrieve. 

Only then could I have even a chance to see you again… But my startled heart wouldn’t calm down, and my shriveled tongue wouldn’t move properly.

When I stammered, the Queen smiled.

“You can speak slowly. I have plenty of time anyway. My wife, or rather, my husband for now, is too busy to even catch a breath.”

“You mean… Lord Hades?”

“Of course. Who else would be married to Persephone?”

He laughed heartily, finding it an amusing joke. I can’t tell you how bewildered I was.

‘If Persephone is a man, is Hades a goddess? But… that can’t be!’

Hades taking a male queen, or Hades actually being a goddess. Which would be more plausible and more shocking? 

I couldn’t decide. As you know, calculations aren’t exactly my strong suit. And either way, I was already exhausted from surprise and confusion.

“Oh saving deity of the world, goddess, or rather, god, I am Psyche, Eros’s wife…”

My voice was truly terrible. So bad that I’m glad you weren’t there to hear it.

“My mother-in-law, Aphrodite, sent me on an errand to retrieve the beauty entrusted to the Queen of the Underworld. Please be merciful and allow me to complete my task. I beg you…!”

I bowed my head deeply again, trembling. Oh, I was so afraid!

Aphrodite had ordered me to go to the Underworld and receive beauty from the Underworld Queen. Since the journey to the Underworld was impossible for a living person, I had decided to end my life. 

If that could atone even slightly for the wrong I had done to you, how could I back out now? 

Fortunately, the tower helped me, and oh, I was so happy then, nearly fainting from belated fear. Death! I had almost reached a state where I could never hold your hand again or kiss those rosy lips.

But now I fear Aphrodite more than death. I’m sorry, my love. I know she’s your mother and a revered goddess, but at this moment, nothing terrifies me more than Aphrodite.

Look at the Underworld Queen! Persephone, the Soteira and Despoina!

He is clearly a perfect male, certainly not someone who would have received beauty from Aphrodite for safekeeping. Aphrodite had given me an impossible mission. 

Realizing this in the Great Hall of the Underworld king made my blood freeze. What if the tower hadn’t helped me and I had jumped to my death? What if I had learned this fact after arriving in the Underworld as a spirit? 

I would have lost both my life and you forever, becoming a wandering ghost. Oh, what could I do?

“What are you talking about?”

My prediction was correct.

“What did she entrust to me? That’s impossible. I’ve never even met Aphrodite!”

I closed my eyes. Just not crying was incredibly difficult. My whole body trembled.

“This has become strange. Asking me to return something I never received.”

I heard the Queen sigh. I thought everything was over.

‘Perhaps it would be better to die here. How could I return empty-handed? I’ll never see him again anyway!’

If you could read my mind, you would surely be angry, wouldn’t you, my love?

Perhaps feeling sorry for me prostrated on the cold floor, the Queen continued.

“I think I understand the situation. Gods can be surprisingly cruel sometimes. If even your birth mother is like that, a mother-in-law would be worse, not better. Anyway, don’t worry. I won’t send you back immediately.”

It was such a kind voice. The title “saving deity of the world” seemed truly fitting, gender aside.

Only then did I raise my head again. The Underworld Queen frowned upon seeing my face. I must have been a pitiful sight, filled with fear and sorrow.

“Just cry. Nothing will improve if you stay like that.”

Did I tell you how handsome he was?

Don’t be jealous, my love. My story isn’t about his appearance.

You know, don’t you? 

I was the most beautiful woman in my father’s country. Since even you fell for me, I should be allowed some pride. Like you, all men blushed when they saw me and praised my beauty, viewing me like a work of art. 

This had been happening since I was very young. But the Underworld Queen didn’t. He looked at me like I was a girl herding cows, or an ordinary maiden gathering grain in a wheat field with bare feet.

Don’t misunderstand! I don’t mean he thought I was insignificant. How should I put this? It’s really difficult. 

He pitied me and showed excessive mercy to a human suffering from the cruel games of gods, but he never gave me special treatment because of my beauty. 

It seemed that none of my beauty or charm was visible to him. Would it be arrogant of me to believe that even if Aphrodite herself had descended instead of me, the Queen’s eyes wouldn’t have flickered?

I couldn’t help but become curious.

What kind of person was Hades?

The young Persephone certainly didn’t look like someone who would marry an unwanted partner. The story of the Underworld king’s abduction marriage that I had known instantly lost all credibility. 

Moreover, he looked extremely happy! In the all-dark and cold Underworld! That would be impossible without a good relationship with Hades. 

I know the face of someone who is loved. My face was once like that. There’s a genuine radiance that sparkles on warm cheeks that cannot be hidden or pretended. Just like Persephone.

“Anyway, this is probably too difficult for me to resolve alone. I need to ask for help.”

And my curiosity was soon satisfied.

The Underworld king readily appeared at the Queen’s request.