Or will it find me? Ah, the sun is blazing. Would I
were swimming in the streams of home!
Heat, dreadful heat!
Heat, humidity, and air that pressed upon the chest - how shall
I escape?
Here, prisoner of love though she were, she knew only
suffering. She glanced at the creature by her side. Pluto gazed
out upon his kingdom deep in thought.
The moans of unremitting misery rose from countless throats, at
times drowned by the screams of horror, the imprecations against
Pluto and all his minions. Persephone cowered at the sounds,
pressed palms to her ears, to no avail.
Pluto sighed, rose slowly. Sad-eyed he gazed upon the woman
child by his side. Why had he brought her here? Though his, she
would never be his. Though loved, she would never love. What a
fool, to have stolen her from Ceres! And yet, he would not exist
without her.
God, ruler of the nether world. Then why the sadness, why the
remorse?
Pluto sighed.
Dunes gave way to wasteland, sand strewn with stones. And this
in time to regions where grew sparse vegetation, small trees.
Soon copses of thorn trees rose. And beyond, shimmering as an
illusion, dark hills faintly seen.
Though his companion strode seemingly without effort through
sand and stone Demo grew ever more weary. And even as the sun
neared the horizon and a light breeze tokened cooler air he
paused, exhausted.
His companion eyed him suspiciously, once more walked in a wide
circle around him.
Pages:
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139