She came into my life as a Queen would, announced herself, gave me a quest, and danced in my dreams for weeks on end. And in our time together I strived to live up to her grace, beauty, understanding, and strength. I pray I did you justice Goddess.

And in her honor I give you, her story, as it came to me.

----


In a time before civilization, when man was young and all nature spoke and worshiped the Gods. There were no seasons, the earth and man knew only the warm beauty of summer and were indebted to the caring nurturing hands of the beautiful Demeter. At her hands did man know feast or famine. For she was the land and the growth of every harvest. And while every bud and sprout and fruit laden branch brought her pleasure she had but one true joy.

Her daughter Kore.

As bright and beautiful as a sun beam with all the grace and majesty of the wind blow willow. She was a child of the earth and sky. The perfumed laced zephyrs would chase her heels for a chance to brush petaled lips of youth perfected. In her mother's doting eye she was a child untouched. A maid protected from all sorrows and strife. Hey days were spent in sun soaked meadows, dancing with ladybugs and sleeped the innocent slumber under the watchful eye of the moon. The Demeter, great Goddess of the Harvest wished to shield her flowering maiden from all the darkness of the world, the girl-child's beauty could not go unnoticed forever.

On a day much like any other, Kore went in search of fun and laughter, frolicking through meadows with the bouncing cockleshells. In her lyrical wanderings she happened upon a sight she's never seen before. A vast valley, blanketed with the most glorious poppies, bright and brilliant scarlet rippling in the wind. The begged to be danced with, they cried to be coddled, they sung her an ode to make her smile. She obliged them most willingly. The pretty petaled visage that was made was enough to break the heart of any mortal who perchance to view it.

But it was not a mortal who happened on this scene of light and laughter, but the somber God who resides not on Mt. Olympus but deep within the dark of the earth. Hades himself was stunned into stillness by the dancing delight of nubile youth and joy that he would never find in his own kingdom.

Call it chance if you must, the wiser would say Fate, and the more daring yet would see the balancing hand of Chaos. Across that wide divide of blood red flora did the wide expressive eyes of Life collided with pale piercing Death. In the breath of an instant a spark was formed, what else could transpire Life and Death meet? At that exact moment, did Eros line in his sights and let loose the most potent of love's venom. The arrow struck it's mark true, and the spark that barely began to glimmer, ignited into an inferno unstoppable.

There was a deafening roar as the earth cracked wide and the black abyss of below was released, in a tempest of smoke and smoldering heat of ash and thundering hoof was Kore dragged below. Before the earth could seal the chasm a terrified scream, her first, was ripped from her lips. So tremendous was this shriek that all of nature took up it's echo. As the valley mended itself leaving no trace of the upset that had just occurred, save a valley of fallen petals.

Demeter heard the cry but a moment too late, and took flight from where she was in frantic search of her beloved daughter. Round and round the world she searched, under every rock, in every corner of the vast expanse of this earth. But not a trace could be found of the glowing child of earth and sky, not a single strand of glimmering hair, nor faintest echo of her voice.

Grief stricken and foot sore, the great goddess implored the eye of the sky Helios, to tell her what no one else could, where was her daughter? It was with a heavy heart that he told the tale of what had transpired in that valley of hearts blood, and why no matter how hard Demeter searched, no matter how much energy she expelled she would not find the dancing girl-child of spring, for she was below, deep in the earth where Demeter could not go.

Demeter's heart broke, and as the pieces tore into her soul, the earth froze. For it would mourn with her, and know no joy, no warmth, for as long as she did not.

To be continued...