Persephone: It’s such a beautiful day, (Looks over at Demeter slyly) it’s such a 
                         shame I can’t go outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Demeter: Persephone, darling, you can enjoy the sunshine sitting right where                                        
                   you are. There is no need to go outside.

Persephone: But I was thinking, maybe, I could go and visit the water nymphs
                         (hurriedly) and pick some flowers because it’s such a nice day .
                         I’m bored and I want to see my friends (under her breath)
                         instead of being stuck here all the time.

Demeter: Persephone you are completely fine here. There is no need for you to
                   go out. The world is too dangerous and you’re still just a little
                   innocent child.

Persephone: I am 18 mother I'm hardly a child, and I can care for myself just
                         trust me.

Demeter: I trust you, but you do not understand the world you wish to visit.

Persephone: This is ridiculous! I’m the daughter of a goddess! Who would 
                        think to hurt me and incur your wrath! They already know how 
protective you are of me!

Demeter: My tender little dove (Moves to hug Persephone she moves
                   away) can’t you see I’m just trying to protect you. You’re my
                   child. My only child. If something was to happen to you. How
                   would I live?

Persephone: Calm down! Stop thinking of the worst and just let me go and
                         do something myself for a change! Nothing is going to happen to me! I
                         just asked to go flower picking?! Why is it so hard for you to just
                         say yes!

Demeter: How dare you! You petulant child! Can’t you see I’m just trying to protect you!
                  

Persephone: And why don’t you see that I’ll be safe! I only want to go and pick
                         flowers stop making a big deal out of it!

Demeter: Don’t use that tone with me! Everything I do is to protect you  
                    stop being so ungrateful!

Persephone: No I’m not safe from your suffocation.

Demeter: Persephone...no means no...You are safe here. Persephone (Try and
                   comfort but is pushed away)

Persephone: Why won’t you let me go?

Demeter: How long will you be?

Persephone: An hour or more

Demeter: I want you back before dark

Persephone: Yes mother

Demeter: You mustn't go past the valley of flowers or the river.

Persephone: Fine mother

Demeter: And for the love of Zeus NO TALKING TO STRANGERS! Do you understand Persephone.

Persephone: Yes mother.

Demeter: And make sure you pick me some nice flowers!

(Persephone already running off)

Demeter: Persephone!?

Persephone: What is it mother?! (Slowly walking back)

Demeter: Come, embrace me my dear child.

(Persephone slowly walks over to Demeter and gives her a hug... Demeter holds on for a while Persephone tries to pull away until Demeter lets go)

Demeter: It’s been so long. And it’s almost dark! What could have
                   happened to my little dove!? Nothing of course she’s only down the
                   road with the river nymphs. Unless the river Nymphs tried to drown her!
                   No that’s ridiculous she’s safe. SHES GOTTEN TRAPPED IN THE
                   BRAMBLES! No that’s even sillier. PERESPHONE WHERE ARE YOU MY
                   CHILD! (Strong posture withers away becomes shrived and weak)

Demeter: (changes from relived to angry) Where have you been? 

Persephone: I’ve only been gone an hour (doesn’t move from where she is standing)

Demeter:(Drags Persephone to middle of stage) It's almost dark! I got so
                   worried. I’m so glad you are home and safe!

Persephone: I had so much fun I can’t wait to see them again

Demeter: Yes that’s nice. I’m just glad you’re home. However it shan't be happening again.

Persephone: What do you mean??

Demeter: Like I said no means no.

Zeus: Hello dear friend, why have you requested this meeting?

 

Hades: My lord I have come to ask you for your daughter's hand in marriage. 

 

Zeus: (Pause) Which one? 

 

Hades: You’re most beautiful daughter, Persephone 

 

Zeus: And why would I do that, you have nothing to offer her but a dank dark 
             life filled with hate and dread?

 

Hades: My lord I have so much more than that to offer her, I have a kingdom in 
                which I am King and she shall be my Queen, do you not want her to be a 
               Queen?

 

Zeus: Even though she will be a Queen she will be Queen of the dead that is not a 
             life I wish for my dearest daughter.

 

Hades: But my lord you have not seen what she has done to my kingdom (pause
               and then slowly and softly) to me? When I was looking up at the world I 
               could see her and everywhere her image shone flowers and light filled the 
               area, she brings life and peace to the dead and hopeless. 

 

Zeus: Even though this may be true I cannot let you have her, her mother would
             be beside herself, plus I could never condemn her to such an existence.

Hades: Her mother already condemns her to a life of solitude

Zeus: That may be so, but at least she is here in my light

Hades: But her purpose lies in the dark (pause) with me.

Zeus: My ruling is final!

Hades: Your ruling is that of an old fool!

Zeus: Do not converse with me like I am some simple mortal Hades!

Hades: Your word will mean nothing as soon as she enters the underworld.
             She will be mine!

Demeter: Persephone I’m not angry at you, show yourself. My little dove all will be
                 forgiven if you just COME OUT OF HIDING! 

Demeter: Nymph... have you seen her... Persephone my daughter. She disobeyed me,
                 ran away from me,  and now I’ve got to find her before it’s too late. 

Demeter:  She’s my beautiful daughter. You couldn’t miss her, she is graceful and – 

Demeter:  A kidnapping...here? You witnessed it. But you did nothing? Why? Why do
                  nothing?!

Demeter: Hades... the lord of the undead. Hades was here? (water nymph nods) Hades
                 stole...Persephone? That can’t be true.  But you saw it didn’t you? (water
                 nymph nods)

I told her this would happen, I told her this world was nothing, but a mire. She disobeyed me and look at the trouble she has put herself in! That I let happen. Oh Persephone why. That wretch, Hades... of all the gods it had to be that abhorrent fiend. There must be something I can do, my power is not to be trifled with!

But what can I do...I am helpless. So the world will be helpless with me...
 
You hear me Zeus, all great and powerful, (pause) or so you claim to be. I am just as formidable. This world that you treasure will not thrive as long as she is not here. This world shall shrivel and perish, a plague upon the Earth, no plants shall bloom and no crops shall grow until Persephone is returned to my side and Hades is grovelling at my feet like his mongrel pup. Hear me Zeus I call to you, listen hard listen well! You're precious world's days are numbered.

Hades: My Love, why are you crying?

Persephone: (dejected) Why do you think? You have taken me from my home, you have ruined my
                         life!

Hades: But my Angel, do you not see the gift I have given you? You are free from your mother, up
              there you had no purpose yet here you can make a difference.

Persephone: How? There is no life down here, no hope, no light

Hades: You may think that but it is not true, (extends hand down) here, let me show you what you
              have done just being here in my domain

They walk through the audience and around the stage, they distract the audience while ‘life’ is added to the stage)

Hades: Before your coming here (Persephone shoots him a glare) you know what I mean, there has
              been light and life returning to my, our, realm. The souls are much happier, they are finding
              peace much more easily, things are growing down here, it is warmer, I am happier… 

Persephone: How can I trust you? You stole me away from my world!

Hades: You need not trust me, trust yourself. Look around you, there is life and brightness that was
               not here before your… Arrival. I promise you, if you become my queen all of this will grow,
               light will defeat the darkness, all of this will be yours, ours. 

Persephone: I did this? But how? I have barley left my room, I have never even seen this part of the
                         realm.

Hades: The light bursts from you, your love can be felt all over the land, it reaches even the most
               distant and dark corners of our domain.

Persephone: I am doing all of this? Just by being here? I hold that much power?

Hades: In this world you have more power than you could ever imagine, I will never stifle your
               abilities or keep you away from what you want, no one can harm you down here, and they
               know that Cerberus has taken a shine to you, they would not dare to cross him.

Persephone: Thank you… I did not think I would ever say this but you have given me a new life here,
                         you have rescued me from my mother, there may be not be much light down here yet
                         but, from what you have shown me I could make a real difference down here, I could 
                         have a life. Happiness.

Demeter: No!

Persephone: But why, why can’t I go out

Demeter: You’ve had your fun. Now stop all this talk of going out. It’s very unbecoming of you

Persephone: Nothing will happen…

Demeter: Persephone. I said no.

Persephone: I just want to leave.

Demeter: You can’t leave. You can’t!

Persephone: (quietly) Get out.

Demeter: I beg your pardon

Persephone: Leave me alone!

Demeter: Persephone I...

Persephone: GET OUT!

Persephone fades away  Hades tries to grab her but fails

He looks around and sees the beauty

Hades: Such beauty, (gazes around the stage in awe) but surely this could not be her? No goddess
              could hold that much power, that much (pause) beauty… One day my angel, you can spread
              your love and light down here for eternity (he trails off in hope)

Demeter: (knocks door) Persephone, Darling, I know you’re angry at me, but may I please come in

Persephone: Yes Mother

Demeter: Oh Persephone I so sorry for the brutish way I acted. I only did this for my tender
                 little dove

Persephone: Do not worry Mother I understand

Demeter: Persephone if you’ll only let me… (Surprised) Wait you do!

Persephone: Yes Mother.

Demeter: Persephone you do not know how relieved I am to hear that. You know that you can
                 never go out into the world again

Persephone: Of course Mother. You only want what best for me I understand now. I’ll never leave
                       again.

Demeter: Well this is absolutely marvellous. Persephone, darling, I am going to make you your
                 favourite ambrosia. I’ll call you when it's ready.

Persephone: Okay Mother

Demeter: Persephone I forgot to ask you what… Persephone where are you. Is this some sort of
                 game? Where are you my little darling – treacherous witch of a daughter? You would
                deceive your own Mother. 

Hades: (Hurried, out of breath and concerned) My Darling, your Mother she, she…

Persephone: (Leaping up, suddenly concerned) What My Darkness, what has she done!?

Hades: She has gone squalling to Zeus and is refusing to let anything grow on Earth until you are
               returned to her, the world is dying.

Persephone: So? I shall not return! We relish in the dead, it is just going to be a hectic for a few
                         months.

Hades: My Sweet, you do not understand, you will feel terrible when the victims of your Mother’s
              rampage begin to descend. I fear if you do not go back to your Mother you will fall into
              despair. 

Persephone: Please, (strong and steadfast) I cannot go back there, she will never let me leave her
                         side again. There must be something you can do (Softly) Please…

Hades: (Reluctantly) There is one thing (Trails off)

Persephone: What is it? Please. I shall do anything

Hades: Have you noticed that even though you have been here for days you have not eaten? You
              have no desire for food? 

Hades: Here, in our domain, we have no need for food, for all intensive purposes we, you and I, are
              dead. Food here is merely a luxury we indulge in whenever we feel the need. Although, once
              any piece of food or a drop of liquid passes your lips, you can never leave, if you do you will
              perish.

Persephone: Is that true? I will never be able to leave?

Hades: Never My Love, please, even though you can please do not do this, I would never want to
              condemn you this. Think of the mortals…

Persephone: Leave me, I cannot comprehend this, I need time to think.

Hades: Are you sure My Love? I do not wish you to feel alone at this heart wrenching time.

Persephone: Please just leave.

Persephone: I cannot believe she would do this, how can she hate me so much that she would tear
                        away my happiness like this. She always does this, every time that she sees that I am
                        happy she has to tear it away from me. 

Persephone: If she were here right now she would most likely rip you from me too… When I was a
                        child I had a puppy who looked a lot like you actually, I was playing with him one day
                        with a stick and as he went to tug it from me he caught my hand with his teeth. Of
                       course he did not mean it but Mother, well she saw and, she took him away, she told me 
                       he was dangerous and that he could no longer be trusted with me. I never saw him
                       again, I know Mother would not have hurt him but I still wonder every day what
                       happened to him… I will never let her control me like that again, never again will she
                       take away something I love dearly.

(Persephone stands up and walks over to where a pomegranate has fallen to the ground, she picks it up and turns it in her hands, she breaks into it and pulls out seven seeds)

Persephone: I can do this, once these seven seeds pass my lips I shall be here… forever. One for my
                        puppy, (she eats a seed) two for the lost days of fun with my friends, (she eats the next
                        seed) three for the friends I was never able to make, (she eats the next seed) four for
                        the days I spent locked in my room unable to play, (she eats the next seed) five for the
                        suffocation I suffered, (she eats the next seed) six for the love I never want to leave (she
                        eats the next seed) and finally, seven for the kingdom I will never give up (she eats the
                        final seed) 

Hades: My Love, what have you done?

Persephone: I am never leaving you, I am taking control of my own life for once

Demeter: Persephone! Come to me at once! I shall not rest until you are returned to me! (improv continues in the background)

Hades: What is that ghastly noise.

Persephone: I know exactly what that is

Persephone storms to the entrance of the underworld

Hades: I've heard foul banshees that were better than this.

Persephone: Mother cease that screaming at once. I command it.

Demeter:  Command me? I command you to leave at once I am here to take you home.
                   Away from this venomous serpent.

Hades: Demeter I assure you, your daughter is…

Demeter: Do not fling your sweet words at me demon! You shall not charm me as you did
                    my daughter!

Persephone: Mother, I…

Demeter: I shall unleash worse hell than Tartarus if you do not let her leave.

Persephone: Mother…

Demeter: I shall do whatever it takes to protect my…

Persephone: (furious) Mother!

Persephone: You shall not puppet me as you once did. I am not some play thing.

Demeter: What on Earth are you talking about

Hades: She cannot leave Demeter.

Demeter: But why not. Who are you to defy me. (looks at Persephone) To defy your
                 Mother...again.
Hades: Well you see... (under breath) she ate the fruit of the underworld

Demeter: What?

Hades: (under breath) she ate the fruit of the underworld

Demeter: Speak up you runt!

Hades: She ate the fruit of the Underworld! She leaves she perishes

Demeter: What sweet sorcery did you use to bewitch my daughter. She would not be fool
enough to eat it herself.

Persephone: Well guess what you abhorrent witch I did eat the fruit of the underworld. Willingly.

Demeter: What possessed you to partake in such foolishness.

Persephone: Your evil, manipulative power over me.

Demeter:  I did not cause this all I wanted was to keep you safe

Persephone: Mother I know you want to protect me and coddle me, but look I’m free now, I
                         have a purpose in this world.

Hades: I will protect her you can rest... 

Demeter: Shut up Hades you simple minded fool. I shall never see my darling child again because of you. But I will remain here till the end of time, and then maybe I could hold my daughter again.

                   
Hades: There maybe be a solution.

Demeter: Is this another one of your schemes, trickster!

Hades: No. She will perish if she leaves, but I can use my power to let her roam in the world
              above.

Demeter: What would you gain from this?

Hades: The only prize I want is to keep my beloved happy.

Demeter: (composing herself) Then it’s settled. She shall come and live with me then and
                    with your power I will never lose my darling daughter.

Hades: You are in no position to make demands she shall spend the majority of her time
               here, with me, she may come and visit you whenever she wishes.

Demeter: No! How do I know that you will not just keep her down here forever?

Hades: Because I still have some honor left and I shall keep my word, whenever she wishes
               to see you she shall be granted as long as she likes with you. Once she has tired of
               your persistent shadowing then she will contact me and I shall bring her back.

Persephone: Why are you both still trying to decide my own life! Let me make my own
                         decisions. I know you both love and I know you both need me, so we can make
                         this absolutely fair. I shall spend six months with both of you. I shall be there to
                         care for you mother, but shall return to the underworld to fulfil my duty. Do
                         you understand?

Demeter: Oh my Darling no, you should not be subjected to such a life in this dank, dark
                    hole, six months is too long for me to be away from you, you need much more
                    light than that.

Hades: My Sweet are you sure you want to be with her for six months that is an awfully long
              time to be away from me.

Persephone: Don’t worry, if an urgent matter comes up I will be here quicker than you can
                         say Pandora's opened the box.

Demeter: No! I will not allow it, whilst you are with me you will be with me only, he gets so
                   much of you I need you too…

Persephone: Mother this is not about him and I, this is about my kingdom, which I have a
                        duty to and still must rule no matter your petty squabbles.

Demeter: No I will not allow it

Persephone: You do not get to decide Mother I have made my decision and this is what you
                         need to deal with, I am happy here and I will still get to see you. You should be
                         grateful that Hades is offering to let me see you at all, he and I owe you
                         nothing. Be grateful for what you get, if you had not thrown such a tantrum
                         then I would not be coming to see you at all, here I am a queen, with you I am
                         a child.

Demeter: Please my Darling do not say that, you know I love you and I only want what is
                    best for you. I am so sorry I did not mean for you to feel this way, I love you my
                    Darling.

Persephone: I know you are sorry, and I forgive you. Now I am able to do what I want, I am
                         able to help people and I am able to become the goddess I wanted to be.

Demeter: (looks at hades) If anything should happen to my daughter while she is under your
                    care not even Zeus himself can stop me, understand.

Hades: I understand. Trust me your daughter shall be safe here, she has Cerberus and I too
              keep an eye on her, and besides she has already discovered and understands the
              nature of the underworld, she can protect herself

Demeter: See you soon Persephone.

Hades: You can leave.

Demeter: I'm not doing anything I can wait here.

Persephone: Goodbye Mother. (to Hades) Don't worry she'll leave as soon as she sees Cerberus

Hades: Are you okay my love?

Persephone: My Lord I have never felt better. I finally feel as if I am carving my own path in
                         life. My decisions are law and no one can control me. Are you okay? 

Hades: My sunshine, as long as I am with you. My cold heart feels just that bit warmer.

Demeter: Zeus, you impudent fool!

Zeus: Demeter, baby, it’s been so long. It looks like you’ve been dragged through Tartarus
            by your toes.

Demeter: You know why I’m here.

 Zeus: I don’t know what you are talking about

Demeter: You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Zeus: If I knew what you were howling on about I assure you I would have done something,
            but I am clueless to the matter. 

Demeter: You let that… that thing take my daughter!

 Zeus: I had no part in that foul business

 Demeter: if you didn’t have a part you could help now

 Zeus: I could but my power holds no sway over the underworld you know this Demeter. 

 Demeter: But you are the king of gods, surely you must be able to do something anything
                   with your unlimited power

 Zeus: I am afraid I have nothing to offer you

Demeter: You should have come to me when you knew that sniveling dog was taking a liking
                   to my daughter. I would have dealt with it there and then

Zeus: Hear reason Demeter it is out of our control. 

 Demeter begins to scream

Zeus: But there may be another option

Demeter: What other option?

Zeus: We call for an arrangement with Hades and see if we can convince him to free her.
            Your daughter is smarter than you think. She will not have eaten the fruits of the
            underworld

Demeter: When can you call this meeting? How can you be sure that he will be convinced?

Zeus: Demeter I will call the meeting as soon as possible. And there are many ways he can
            be convinced. I just need to work out what they are. 

Demeter: Zeus... if he does not agree I will tear the devil’s eyes out myself. 

 Zeus: Do not jump to conclusions violence is not the way forth. I will get Persephone back to
            you it just will not be simple to do but rest easy now Demeter your daughter will be
            with you again soon.

 Demeter: Call it now! Bring me the ignorant fool who stole my daughter away from me!
 
Zeus: Now, now let us not be too hasty maybe if we just have Hades here so that he could
           let us explain to him calmly and rationally, without all the screaming. 

Demeter: I suppose we could do that… if it will work

 Zeus: It will, now stand back (the screen behind them goes black and an image of the
           underworld appears Hades appears on the screen) My Brother, I beseech you, please
           grant me your presence here in Olympus.

Hades: My Lord, why have you called me here?

 Zeus: The good lady Demeter demands her daughter is returned to her forth width, without her daughter by her side she is refusing to let anything on Earth grow, they are dying without nourishment. You must let her daughter return to her.

 Hades: I am afraid My Lord it is no longer up to me, Persephone roams freely around her
              new kingdom, I do not command her, we rule together, as equals. If she wanted to
              leave then she could.

 Demeter: No! I do not believe it! You will not hear the end of this, mark my words demon
                   spawn you will burn!

Hades: What is that ghastly noise?

Persephone: I know exactly what that is

Persephone storms to the entrance of the underworld

Hades: I've heard foul banshees that were better than this.

Persephone: Mother cease that screaming at once. I command it.

Demeter:  Command me? I command you to leave at once I am here to take you home.
                    Away from this venomous serpent.

Hades: Demeter I assure you, your daughter is…

Demeter: Do not fling your sweet words at me demon! You shall not charm me as you did
                     my daughter!

Persephone: Mother, I…

Demeter: I shall unleash worse hell than Tartarus if you do not let her leave.

Persephone: Mother…

Demeter: I shall do whatever it takes to protect my…

Persephone: (furious) Mother!

Persephone: You shall not puppet me as you once did. I am not some play thing. I will remain here
                        for as long as Helios pulls the sun across the sky.

Demeter: What in Zeus’ name are you talking about, (turns to Hades) what have you done to my
                   precious daughter? What trickery have you used to turn her away from me?

Persephone: He has done nothing it was…

Demeter: Well Hades what do you have to say for yourself

Persephone: Mother will you just listen to me! I am the one you should be asking for I am the one
                        that ate the forbidden fruits of the underworld.

Demeter: What?! What on Zeus’ earth are you saying?

Persephone: I ate a pomegranate from our garden of death and now you will never tear me away
                        from my kingdom, my love.

Demeter: You heinous beast what have you done to my daughter, your shark like words have turned
                  her away from me and now I can never hold my daughter again. You monster you did this,
                  so you can fix it! 

Persephone: No Mother, this cannot be fixed I will be down here with my love forever. But
                        remember, he did not do this to me, you did, you are the reason I am down here and
                        you will never again get to puppet me as you once did.

Demeter: I did this? How dare you? Everything I have ever done was for you. Even when you were
                 young I foresaw that you would never be able to take care of yourself. Don't interrupt me.
                 I am your mother and you will listen to what I have to say.  From day one only I could take
                 care of you. If anyone else were to hold you, you would scream, a terrible scream that
                 pierced my soul. And it was then that I knew that you needed no other love but mine. As
                 the goddess of fertility and the harvest I am the true goddess of life. I rule over the natural
                 world, I am the reason for Zeus' realm, without me that world is nothing, as are you
                 Persephone. In the animal kingdom there are mothers that would have abandoned you
                 before you took your first breath, mothers that would have left you to face the dangers of
                 the world alone and mothers that would even have eaten you to save their own lives. I am
                 the first and only mother and you are my first and only child. A mother octopus protects
                 the eggs containing her young for 40 days and nights. She eats her own arm when the
                 hunger becomes too much bear. A lone sentry who never strays from her post. I am better
                 than that mother. I would wage war against Olympus for you, I would relinquish my
                 almighty powers for you, I would tear myself limb from limb if I thought that would save
                 you. I have taken up the post as your protector and I will not desert that post until the end
                 of time itself. 
                 And look where you have ended up. You stand before me in this abyss where my light
                 cannot reach and you are surrounded by the horrors that Hades calls his home. Those
                 pomegranate seeds will take root inside of you and corrupt your very being. You have
                 taken the decision to cross from the light into the dark and I am left to grieve for you and
                 what you could have become. Without my daughter I can no longer be the mother of
                 mothers. And if am not a mother then no one shall be. Zeus shall see his world become
                 hollow, it will wither and fade to a lifeless shell, as will I whilst I mourn the death of my
                 daughter. 

Persephone: Mother you cannot do this, I have not perished, you still have all of the children of the
                        world to care for you cannot abandon them just because I have abandoned you.

Demeter: How can I be a Mother to all of those children if I cannot even be a Mother to my own
                  child? If I have failed you then surely I will also fail them?

Persephone: You have not failed me Mother, I fear I am the one who has failed you… I did not see
                       that what you were trying to do was protect me, I just felt suffocated by you, you gave
                       me no chance to grow and become the goddess I was born to be. Although, now I fear I
                       will not be a goddess much longer if you are going to allow the world above to perish, I
                       am the one who makes the lost souls feel at home here, what will I do when there are
                       no more souls to help transition?

Demeter: I am sorry I cannot allow others to thrive when I myself am not

Persephone: Please Mother, see reason

Hades: Maybe I can help? I cannot reverse the effects of the fruit entirely but I can allow her to visit
              you, using my powers she shall be able to come and go as often as she wishes.

Persephone: Is this true my love, will I be able to visit her, in the light? 

Hades: Of course my sweet Angel 

Demeter: A visit? For how long? When? How often? 

Hades: For as long as she wishes, whenever she wishes

Demeter: That is not good enough! I must have guarantees how do I know that as soon as I leave
                   you will not just lock her up and I will never see her again? 

Persephone: I will split my days equally, I will spend six months of the year with you Mother only
                       returning to my kingdom when there is dire need and six months of the year down
                       here, with my love. 

Demeter: That is so long to be away from me, are you sure you want to spend so many months in
                  this hole? 

Hades: My Angel are you sure you can spend that many months with her suffocation?

Persephone: Yes, I will split my time equally between my most beloved people and that is final.

Demeter: So my Dove, what would you like for dinner?

Persephone: Nothing Mother for I will not be returning with you now, I will be with you in six
                       months

Demeter: Six months? How I am I supposed to spread light and love when you are still here. The
                 world will fade away.

Persephone: Stop being so overdramatic mother. Just because I am not with you does not mean that
                        you cannot still spread light and fertility I am not the source of that power.

Demeter: You do not understand my Darling, you are the source of my light, without you the world
                  will be plunged into six months of dark and cold to reflect my saddened heart.