Discord & Death

Based on the characters from Disney’s “Hercules” film & TV show

Chapter 11

Persephone’sDiary:

3 Months:

Finally, things have started to slow down, and the dust is settling, so to speak. Things still aren’t getting any easier for me. My naturally sickly stomach has been on a full time strike, boycotting as much food as I can feed into it! Not only that, but Hades reckons that I have become terribly restless in my sleep – I apparently hit him several times the other night. Well, I can’t help it!

My abdomen isn't round yet, but it’s still weird to think that a child is growing in there. It hypnotises Hades – he seems to go so soppy whenever our baby is mentioned, and he’ll happily just sit and stroke my belly for time on end, just thinking about the little life inside. Bless him.

I haven’t been craving anything yet, but there’s still plenty of time for that!

Hades has also restricted what I’m allowed to do – his paternal-protective nature’s really come through. Pool Cleaning, Soul-catching, Harpy-quarantining and Cerberus-walking are four of the many forbidden activities.

Actually, I’m becoming quite bored; he’s restricted so many things, and taken on all of the Underworld work himself, so I'm left to entertain myself for most of the day. Despite what he’s said to me, I've decided to start riding Ultor a bit again. What harm will come of it? I’m being very careful, of course – I just have an urge to get better. Hades can’t wrap me up in cotton wool, as much as he wants to.

I’ve also started to think about exactly where to put the baby’s room in the palace. Hades suggested converting the room I had before I started kipping with him into the kid’s room. Not a bad suggestion – it looks out over the Styx, and isn’t too far from my and Hades’ bedchamber. I think, though, for the first time I bring the baby down here, we should have it in our room – it’ll be easier for the baby, and for us. Sleepless nights, ahoy!

4 Months:

Hades seems quite happy with my riding Ultor – the horse is as gentle as anything, it’s almost as if he can sense my condition.

The morning sickness and overall nausea has calmed a little, but my moods are still swinging to-and-fro. It’s irritating. Hades doesn't seem too bothered if I shout at him one minute, then cry the next, though, which is a good job. He can be the most understanding guy when the time calls for it. I just wish my mom could see what he’s like! She’d be in total shock.

Speaking of my mom, Hermes dropped by to give me a letter from her a couple of weeks ago. It was full of the expected over-caring mother stuff, such as what I should and shouldn't eat, what’s good for relaxation and what an expecting goddess shouldn’t wear. I tell you, it’s damn mind-numbing stuff to read. I found myself laughing at the info' more than taking it seriously! I let Hades have a look at it, too… you haven’t seen anyone double over so fast in hysterics before.

And my belly is starting to show now; I’m lucky that most of my togas are worn loosely since they'll probably last me longer. To get over the needing new clothes conundrum, though, I've worked out a new way of putting a toga on. I’m thinking of selling this technique to other expecting mothers: 'The Persephone toga style for pregnant women’.Mind you, it might be useful for overweight men, too! There's my market.

Oh, I must mention Pain and Panic, who have been on my every beck and call. I think I’m supposed to assume they do this kind of thing normally, but I know they’re on orders from their boss. Hades can’t fool me that easily. The Imps are so sensitive over the whole thing, though! When Hades first told them we were having a baby, they (as is customary) burst into tears, saying how ‘lovely’ it was and how ‘wonderful’, and how they ‘never thought it’d happen’. They’re like two fussing old ladies, they really are!

Oh well… life goes on…

5 months:

Life seems a bit weird when you suddenly don’t have periods every month. (I never thought I’d say that.) Well, only women can relate, but I guess having a hefty growing bulk on your abdomen makes up for that. I’m still a bit touchy, and I’m a little worried about the fact that Hades’s Stymphalian swamp worms are starting to look appetising! I’m going to have to try one soon; they’re calling out to me. Hades says they’re delicious, so I guess they can’t be all that bad. Must be a good source of protein, if nothing else.

Ugh, protein; that reminds me – mother sent me another note a week or so ago full of dietary advice for the goddess with child. Again, it was more comic relief than serious reading. I didn’t even show it to Hades in case he exploded with laughter. Him laughing is fine, but when fountains of volatile, blue flame suddenly shoot across your head, it isn’t in the least bit funny. It ruins the upholstery, too.

I swear I’m inflating at twice the normal rate! I’m approximately 5 months pregnant, yet Hades reckons I look further on than that… not that he’s an expert in the field, mind you. I’d be worried if he was. Perhaps we’re just going to get a big baby! Ha, oh that’d make Hades’ day. He’d be a little concerned about the amount of food it’d consume!

I sat down with Pain and Panic at dinnertime yesterday; we started to think about a few names for baby…

Panic went for a few boy’s names: Mezetius, Sulpicius, Cambyses, and Evander.

Pain thought on a girl’s behalf; Acidalia, Hecale, Tisiphone and Semiramis.

I can’t say that any actually appealed to me, but they were fairly decent considering they came from the Imps! I told them all to Hades, but he just scoffed, as per usual, and dealt me a whole list of names he preferred. He insisted that, should I bear a son, however, that it will not be called Dis, Orcus, Polydegmon, Eubeleus or Pluto – and definitely not Hades jr. He really doesn't want his child to be named after him, which is quite curious, really, considering how egotistical he's been in the past. Perhaps he doesn't want our child to have to grow up in his shadow…? (Hades’ ‘lover-come-father’ side is very much like that, actually. Not that he’d want anyone to know that!)

I wouldn’t want to name a child after either of us, to be honest – it needs to be its own person. and he or she will be.

6 months:

OK, I’m getting a bit nervous now, and wondering if I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life. Hades tells me that it’s just my mind playing tricks with me, but I just don't know. I want this baby, I really do, but doubt’s just decided to pop up and tease me a bit, just when I really could be doing without it. I guess everyone goes through it when they make a big decision. (Or in my case, there was no decision. It just happened. Then you either have to like it or lump it - there’s no going back.)

I’ve been constrained to sleeping on my back recently, which is not comfortable. Hades has joked about how I’d rock about like a buoy if I tried to lay on my front, though, which does not conjur the best imagery to mind! Ignoring him, I know that sleeping on my front would not be productive for me or baby, so I’m doing the only thing I can do, and lay on my back.

‘Persephone’s toga style’ has been a success, by the way, and test runs are showing that, with a few extra tweaks here-and-there, it will work for the duration of the pregnancy. Hades has been growing increasingly concerned for my health, too, and has even been helping me do the most basic things. I do find that I get tired easier now, be I immortal or no, so his help is much appreciated. (I do of course like being pampered, as well. So sue me!)

It’s not just baby that’s making me nervous at the moment. I think it’s knowing that I will soon have to return to Mount Olympus and be back among the Pantheon. I know that my mom’s mellowed out a bit, and I know that Hera and dad will be there to support me, but there’s no Hades there. And the concept of childbirth is a little intimidating. I wish I could stay down here, but there’s no chance of that. I ate the pomegranate seeds, and once my six months are up, I have to obey Zeus, and remain to Olympus. I do miss the fresh air a little, as well as the bright sunshine, and the cloud furniture, of course!

Belly has again grown to a nice size. Hades is still proving quite content to run his hand over it for an hour or so without a word. It’s not just relaxing for him, it's relaxing for me, as well. My muscles are beginning to tense up a lot at the moment, just to irritate me. It's making it impossible for me to feel comfortabe.

In a way, I can’t wait till this kid’s born. It’ll be a huge weight off of my abdomen, for a start! But then the parent process really starts! I know I’ll be okay. Hades will make the perfect dad.

To be continued…

Quid dulcius hominum generi a natura datum est quam sui cuique liberi?