THE WOODS WERE LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP.

Moss green shadows cast intricate patterns across her divine face, contrasting in shades of ebony and ivory - rendering her so beautiful, so godly, a masterpiece made by the finest artist in the world.

Around us, the Forest was a quiet, cold scenery - faintly humming, a noise that inched itself into the back of your brain and threatened to make you go mad. There was still, heavy richness in the air, the kind that left you light headed and slightly delusional.

I had always loved this place.

Loved its stillness, its quiet. Loved the peace.

Her fingers tightened around mine, her touch a quick flutter - like the beat of a butterfly's wing. Her eyes darted to mine, wide and green and full of wonder.

There was a touch of death upon her, and it made her look even more beautiful than ever.

"I have never seen anything so deathless yet so full of splendour," Persephone whispered, her voice tumbling out of her lips like a sliver of silk.

"Say that to the countless mortals who have nightmares about this forest," I smirked, entwining our hands together. Her lip quirked slightly in a cold smile. A spot of colour bloomed on her high cheekbones.

"Is it true that Hecate lives here?" she turned back to me, her face alight with wonder.

"Well, technically - the Furies own this forest. The three fates," I muttered. I took hold of her wrist, gently turning it over in my palm like a newborn rose. "Although, Hecate built her temples here. The woods are terrifying enough to keep the unwanted distractions away so that she can work in peace."

My fingers directed her to the entrance of a stark white tower that loomed into the storm grey skies above us, disappearing into the fog. The entrance to the imposing, spindly tower was nowhere to be seen, obscured as it was between an orchard laden with luscious fruit flanked by gargoyles of granite.

"That," I whispered softly into Persephone's ear, "is where the Fates live."

The excitement lighting her eyes delighted the devil in me.

"The Erinyes?"

I nodded.

"Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. They who weave the fates of men and mortal alike."

I would never forget the evening those three deities had found me, promising her to me. I would never forget the stark white of their robes shining like a ghost in the dark, the diamonds glowing in their silver hair. I would never forget their cracked lips moving, promising, promising, promising - Destiny, indeed. She is destined to be your Queen, Lord Hades.

"Is the entrance to Tartarus in this forest too?"

"Behind that Tower, a few metres away from Hecate's Temples. The gates are boarded with three metre thick iron, reinforced by my magic and hers. Even if something goes wrong, the Forest is our first line of defence. There is a great deal of evil here to ward the Titans off. To buy us time."

Persephone shivered, very slightly.

"They will not hurt or appear to us. The magic knows who is the master it serves. If you are lucky, you can sometimes hear Lachesis sing as she spins her tapestry on her ancient looms," my voice tumbled into her ear, watching her pupils dilate. "Hold your breath," I whispered.

And sure enough, when the forest was absolutely still, when even the sound of our breathing ceased to reach our ears, I could hear a low pitched, dangerously quiet singing drifting to use through the woods. It was eerie and beautiful at the same time.

"Can we go up?" Persephone whispered back to me, the prospect filling her gaze with fresh delight.

"No," I hissed. Surprised, she looked at me, as I planted my hands on both her shoulders, looking her right in the eye. "No one, not one person who disturbs the Furies in their Tower comes alive."

"Can I see Tartarus?" she whispered.

"No," I cut her sharply. "Never."

She bit her lip, and a bright drop of red welled up.

"Persephone," I warned.

There was something ravenous, something hungry about the way her eyes looked at me. Something wild and primal. Something I knew way too well - it was the bloodthirsty carving for danger, for thrill, for the raw rush of adrenaline that was irresistible and both demanding in nature. And in that moment, that fraction of time, she had never looked so lovely.

"Persephone."

And then that look was gone, wiped clean.

"I've never seen you so delighted," the smiling daughter of spring grinned at me. "Like you had an early birthday."

I rubbed my neck, mildly confused.

"I can't... remember the last time I celebrated my birthday."

Persephone's eyes widened, larger than plates. The pink of her lips formed a perfect, round 'o'.

"What? Really?"

I tucked my hand into my pocket, looking bemusedly at my shoes.

"We've got to celebrate your birthday!"

I folded her fingers into mine, marveling at the silky texture of her skin as it brushed past my fingertips, leaving a trail of electric fire that blazed up my spine.

"You spending this month with me is celebration enough, darling."

She braced a hand on her hip, demand flickering in the depths of her eyes.

"Well then... I suppose I am your gift?"

A ghost of a smirk danced on my lips - I couldn't take my eyes off her. Here in the cavernous depths of the treacherous forest, her hair wild with bits of poison ivy, her eyes shining with something carnal, something forbidden.

"Only if you come wrapped in ribbons that can be untied."

She blushed so beautifully, a gasp rolled off my tongue. And despite herself, she couldn't help but laugh, that sound music to my deprived ears.

"Only if you tell me how old you really are," Persephone retorted.

"Now, now. I'm not that old."

"Old enough to be annoyed whenever I call you Polydegmon," she rolled her eyes. Another laugh broke from me. How come... how was I so happy?

She lingered into the shadows of a towering willow, its trunk a smooth glossy black, its leaves the shade of blood. A lone white rose lay perched akin to a trophy on one of its ancient branches as she picked it up. She sauntered over to me, bearing the lone, beautiful flower like the flag off a conquered fortress.

"I... wait!" I protested, even as she leaned on her tiptoes to reach for the top of my head. And then, she tucked the white rose behind my ear.

"Don't touch!" she chided, flicking my nose as I reached up to feel the flower. Persephone giggled as I snorted.

"I'm the Lord of the Dead. And I have a white rose in my hair," I interjected gloomily.

"That's your birthday gift," she whispered, and then her lips brushed against my cheek, there for a moment, gone the next. "And you look adorable, so don't complain."

I sighed in defeat, but never had I felt so joyful.

"That's your birthday gift. What do I get on my birthday?" she giggled.

"I could kiss all the people you hate."

Only gleeful delight washed over me as she smirked at me.

"I would love that," Persephone chortled, linking her arm in mine. "You know what else I would love, Hades?"

"What?" I looked at her knowingly, and only careful excitement lingered in her gaze.

"For you to kiss something, or someone else."

I arched an eyebrow at her.

"My, my. Flirting now, are we?"

"I learnt from the best," she whispered. And then, she was gone, skipping ahead of me - the breezy chiffon skirts of her crimson robes flying ahead of her.

I sprinted to her, trying not to let this happiness, this exuberance show. I was afraid that if I smiled, my lips would fall off. That I wouldn't be able to stop.

It was in front of Hecate's ivory temples that we finally stopped. The one before us was the largest, the most intricately carved. Made purely of white stone and black marble floors, it rose above us, formidable. The gates were flanked with dragons and chimeras and great serpents etched in pure iron, dreadfully accurate to detail.

Behind the largest one, smaller pantheons littered the lush green forest floor. In the distance, some acolytes went about their daily tasks, hurrying about busily.

"Let us go in," I tugged at Persephone, who was eagerly drinking in the sight of the beautifully detailed gates. They parted at my touch, falling out of the way as I led her in. "Hecate will be expecting us."