From within the Dark Castle of the Underworld, I look into my cauldron and watch scenes of Earth play in the liquid. I find myself doing so often now, feeling lonesome in my large, empty home of darkness and riches. Many mortals would love to have such a place, but I, being immortal, no longer feel the rush of enjoyment and pride as I gaze on my belongings. How I wish for a little sunshine in this blackness I call home.

I wave a strong, pale hand over the cauldron, flipping scenes one after another. An ugly woman baking bread for her family. A small group of children playing in the grass. Ceres tending to the corn. Oh? What is this? Was that…? It is! Her daughter, her beautiful Proserpina. The girl’s hair dances with the breeze, and her smile is as bright as gold and silver. I find myself gazing at her, dreaming her into my castle. I can see her skipping into the room, taking my hand and we twirl to imaginary music. I watch as Proserpina’s soft lips speak to her mother. Lost in my daydreams, I ignore the words and watch her. I imagine her speaking so cheerfully to me about her day. I see her skip down the stairs various times, each time in a different dress. Her lovely clothes complimenting her, the skirts twirling around her legs and she spins for me at the base of the steps. The last dress, one of black silk and cotton, with blue to bring out her sparkling eyes, is draped around her smooth curves. A dress fit for a queen of darkness.

I gasp violently, and shake the image from my mind. No, I cannot take such a lovely beauty into this terrible place. But, maybe – maybe she could fix it. Such light could shine upon my world. I watch her as she plays with sea nymphs, far from her mother. Her light touch stroking the fins of fish as she enjoys herself. Eventually, she leaves the nymphs, and waves goodbye before she begins picking flowers. I watch, gasping in fear for her as she nears the forest. Surely beasts would harm her! Not wanting to disturb her joy, I make a trail of flowers in the forest through the safest of paths. I set the trail to end with a special, magic shrub that blooms as beauty gazes upon it. As my love passes through the trails, I keep an eye for beasts that may try to harm her. As a few come near, I send shadows to scare them away. My love takes no notice, and continues to collect the blossoms.

She eventually finds the bush, and I watch her soft face as Proserpina watches it bloom before her. She gets on her hands and knees and begins digging it up. Knowing that the hole will be dug straight into the Underworld, I send for my best horses and chariot of pure gold. Perhaps I can convince her to have a ride with me.

As the hole revealed us, I had my horses leap to the Earth, and before we stood proudly before her. In an instant, I was blinded by the sun’s light, and I rubbed by eyes in hopes I do not look weak to beauty. I do wish to impress her.

Now able to see, my gaze falls upon her. Oh, the beauty was greater in person, but how afraid she looked! I called to her, trying to be cheerful. “Do not be afraid,” I said. “Come! Will you not like to ride a little way with me, in my beautiful chariot?”

The poor girl called for her mother, the woman that was thousands of miles away, but her sweet voice was much too tiny for anyone but my own ears to hear. I swooped down from my chariot, swept her off her feet, and sat her in my chariot before calling to my horses to take us home.

My beauty looked very frightened, so frightened, and I wished to comfort her. “I promise not to do you any harm. What! You have been gathering flowers? Wait till we come to my palace, and I will give you a garden full of prettier flowers than those, all made of pearls, and diamonds, and rubies. Can you guess who I am? They call my name Pluto; and I am the king of diamonds and all other precious stones. The one thing which my palace needs is a merry little maid, to run upstairs and down, and cheer up the rooms with her smile. And this is what you must do for King Pluto."

At the gates of my kingdom, I introduced her to Cerberus, my faithful three-headed dog. Appearing a giant from afar, he shrunk to the size of an earthly dog at my approach. I kept the meeting short, seeing Proserpina fear the dog, and we rode on through the kingdom. They approached the River Lethe. The water flows a crystal grey-blue through the dark soil ground. A tree near it grows almost-black wood and ash-grey leaves, and black-ash grass grows thickly on the ground. They crossed the bridge of black gold, and dismounted the chariot. I lead her to admire the river, and offered her a sip to forget her sorrows. She replied with force and confidence:

“I had a thousand times rather be miserable with remembering my mother, than be happy in forgetting her. That dear, dear mother! I never, never will forget her. I will neither drink that nor anything else. Nor will I taste a morsel of food, even if you keep me forever in your palace."

With that, I bit my lip and swallowed my pride. Trying to not appear weak, I change the subject. “Well, then! Let us explore my castle, shall we?” I held soft shoulders in both hands and looked into those gorgeous, sparkling eyes. “Or shall I say our castle.” I smile at her stunned look as her gaze fell upon the palace. I felt myself swell with pride as she gawked. Oh, my beauty, my queen. She will soon feel at home here.

As time grew on, she refused to eat. Many months passed and I did not eat myself, as my sunshine would be displeased. While she was still the brightest light there was in my castle, as even the candle flames would dim in her presence, she was unhappy. Many days I pondered on releasing her, since she had not tasted food for six months. A part of me wished more for her freedom, her happiness with her mother, and another darker, more selfish part wanted her more. A day came where she ran to me, and put her precious hand in mine.

“I love you a little,” she whispered to me. I felt a pang of sadness and joy all the same.

“Well, I have not deserved it of you, after keeping you a prisoner for so many months, and starving you besides. Are you not terribly hungry? Is there nothing which I can get you to eat?" The darker side of him stirred. If she ate anything, anything at all here in the Underworld, she could never leave me. She could then be fed the finest of meals and drink the most wonderful wines, and she could be satisfied.

"No indeed," said my sunshine Proserpina. "I have no appetite for anything in the world, unless it were a slice of bread, of my mother's own baking, or a little fruit out of her garden."

I called for my servants to search the earth for fruit for my Proserpina. “Go to the earth and scourge the land for the best fruits you can find for my lady. Present it to her as you would me, and in my name make it the best!”

As my servants searched, I was notified of a visitor. It is quite uncommon for me to have visitors besides new souls, so I dressed in a fine suit to see to them. I was greeted with a cloak, winged shoes and cap, and a staff decorated with snakes.

“What is it, my good sir Quicksilver?” I asked the messenger god.

He quickly filled me in with the news of Ceres. Apparently with the disappearance of her daughter, she let the land die and starve. She ignored all those in need and simply held an everlasting torch as she waited on her front steps. I knew what had to be done. I rushed into the dining room, where I knew my Proserpina was the last time I saw her.

I spoke to her with cheer in my heart that I won the battle inside me. "I can see plainly enough, that you think my palace a dusky prison, and me the iron-hearted keeper of it. And an iron heart I should surely have, if I could detain you here any longer, my poor child, when it is now six months since you tasted food. I give you your liberty. Go with Quicksilver. Hurry home to your dear mother."

She dropped the pomegranate she was holding onto the black table, and embraced me before she left with Quicksilver. I watched them run through our castle, the one I have shared with my Proserpina for six months, and felt a little sadness as I watched her leave.

At least she will be happy and well fed now, I thought. My attention wandered to the table. It was a long, black wood table with matching plates, bowls and utensils. It was surrounded by few, immense, black chairs with monsters decorating their tall heads, and blood red cushions. Jewels set in various places sent a rich sparkle to the darkness of the castle, reflecting and distorting the light of the tall yellow candles. My gaze fell to the pomegranate my love had left behind. What is this? I thought, and approached the fruit. A small part of the withered thing was missing some of it. The small area missing was about the shape of a delicate bite made by soft lips. A small smile crept from the side of my mouth.
I will see you again, my beautiful Proserpina. For six months’ time, for six seeds you have taken, I will see you again. Her voice chimed in my head again, as it will for the next six months. I love you a little.