She's not sure why- No. She knows exactly why she struck back this time and why. She. kept. On. Striking.
She could take any abuse he threw at her, had taken it for thousands of years without comment.
She had been a good and Loyal wife.
He never should have brought up Dio.
Her Baby.
Persedione had thought the sun god was smarter than that. Thousands of years worth of Marriage and for all he had come close to saying something regrettable in his more wrathful moments, not once had he ever been foolish enough to out right threaten her child.
Until now.
Persedione had been a good and loyal wife, but she was a mother before all else and no one threatened her children.
She isn't sure how long she sits in her temple beside his cooling corpse before someone finds her. It can't be too long, not when the ichor coating her skin and staining her clothes is still wet to the touch.
Sturdy hands grip her shoulders and she flinches away before realising the goddess holding her is Athena.
Persedione crumples into her mothers protective embrace, form shifting to match her emotional state as the goddess bawls her eyes out and cries like she hasn't allowed herself to since Apollo first consummated their marriage.
In that moment she is not a goddess or protector but a daughter seeking the comfort only a mother could provide.
Athena holds her for as long as she is able but not as long as she wishes to.
As much as it pains her, the Wisdom Goddess knows they cannot afford to stall.
It is a miracle Apollo's absence has not already been noticed and with sunrise fast approaching it is only a matter of time before Artemis comes calling.
Her daughter cannot be on Olympus when that happens.
The whimper Persedione lets out as Athena pulls away is heart breaking but she cannot falter, not when her babies freedom is at stake.
It would be one thing if Apollo was just a mortal or even a minor god, Zeus has overlooked far worse in the past and Persedione is his favourite grandchild and mother to his favourite son.
But Apollo is an Olympian and worst still, Zeus Heir.
As the God of Justice and Ruler of Olympus her father will have no choice but to act unless they give him an excuse not to.
The plan is simple, Athena will stall for time and Persedione will head to the Underworld where she will beg Hades for Sanctuary within the Court of Erebus.
Zeus will not risk war over Apollo, not when the worship his least favoured son receives is great enough that the god will not remain dead.
Apollo will reform in no more than a few decades if that.
Unfortunately.
If Poseidon was a half decent father Athena would have directed her daughter to seek out his protection, his wrath when his family is harmed is legendary in the mortals myths. But Myths rarely tell the whole story and the ocean deities lack of action when it comes to their child has left the Wisdom goddess uncertain if he will step up to protect their daughter now when she needs it most.
Poseidon has never cared to in the past, why would it be any different this time?
No, better to risk their luck with Hades whom Athena knows cares for her daughter and holds no love for Apollo given his appalling behaviour to the chthonic gods these past few centuries.
Apollo is banned from the Underworld for a reason.
Persedione hugs her mother tightly, fearful that they might never get to do this again regardless of whether Athena's plotting succeeds or fails (Most Olympians cannot enter Erebus after all), before flashing to the Underworld's entrance.
Charon's delight at seeing the Psychopomp quickly turns to horror once he realises the state she's in and the panic only lessens slightly upon learning that the ichor staining the sweet goddess is not her own.
Were it not for Thanatos sensing Persedione's presence and appearing to offer himself as a guide to the Throne room for an audience, Charon would have readily abandoned his post to see the Goddess often referred to by the dead as 'Gentle One' to wherever she needed to go.
As it is, only his trust in his brother to do right by Loyalty prevents Charon from follow them both down into the realm bellow regardless.
Hade's is waiting for them when they reach the throne room, as is most of the Court. A god had died, violently, and any with Chthonic ties within their pantheon had felt it.
Were it not the height of Spring, Persephone would be sat beside her Husband. As it is, the goddess had bullied her older brother into going in her stead and reporting back.
Hermes isn't sure what he expected when his sister sent him down bellow but when the psychopomp see's Persedione's state from his position within the crowd he panics and tries to leave.
Fortunately, Hekate and Lady Styx notice as he turns to flee and bind him.
No one will ever know what he might have done once he reached the surface once more.
The messenger may be an Olympian but he came to the Underworld in his role as a Psychopomp and he will not leave without the permission of the Ruler of the Dead.
Hades heart breaks at the sight of his niece, his is not the only one to do so.
Persedione is dearly loved within the Underworld.
The entire court listens on in glee as she recounts the sun gods inglorious end and delights when they realise just why Persedione is here.
Hade's pretends to consider for a moment, but there is not a god or titan present that does not know what their Kings answer will be.
The Oceans may be the most infamous for their possessive tendencies but the Underworld is no less covetous of those they consider their own. They have wished to steal Persedione away from the lecherous god of healing for centuries and now he is no longer around to stop them.
better still the delightful goddess came to them willingly.
Hermes tries to reason with those present pointing out that Persedione is tied to both the Olympian and Atlantean courts through ichor and marriage.
Only to have his remarks cut down by Lady Styx who makes it clear that Persedione's oath to Apollo was only until death, meaning their marriage dissolved the moment he choked to death on his own blood. And as for the Ocean dwellers, so long as Persedione is tied to Erebus through a formal Oath before Poseidon has a chance to reclaim her, there is nothing the negligent king can do.
Formal oaths of service to the court can only take place when both the King and Queen are present but there are other ways to tie a goddess to their realm.
Hekate glides forward to stand beside her Lover and the one they both desire. As one, the Titan of Magic and the god of death offer the goddess of Loyalty a Pomegranate.
On the surface they throw apples, but down bellow they offer Pomegranates in honour of their love that blossomed between their beloved king and queen.
Persedione accepts it gladly, a golden flush to her cheeks that complements the ichor staining her chiton.
