Persephone’s Library

“Perhaps Apollo and Themis could assist with getting everyone settled,”Athena raised a finger to her cheek as she spoke. Brilliant, as usual. I produced a map for Themis and the nymphs lost their foolishness altogether. What they wouldn’t give for that map.

“Let me walk with you.” I wanted to ask her opinion of putting my family to work. I could give the Asphodel residents a choice between being tried by judge or jury. I could have her preside over jury trials and have time for other tasks. She said she would sleep on it and I should as well and suggested I summon the muses to assist me with the speech I must give at the opening of the feast, establishing my authority and familiarizing our family with the way of life down here—they were accustomed to being obsequious to Zeus’s face and behaving as they wished. A tour of Tartarus would not be a bad idea.

“Do you think Hermes could bring Prometheus here? You could tell Zeus, if necessary, that we were monitoring him here, what with all the gods absent from the upper world.” I eyed Athena hopefully, my “if necessary” hanging in the air between us like a promise as we entered my library.

Athena gasped when she saw my upgrades to the furnishings and lighting. Before I took my rightful place here, the library was a dark, musty place with only the ancient texts. They’re now in the archives room. Themis was a great help getting the library caught up to the current century. There’s a digital room now as well, accessible through a secret panel, so as not to disturb my aesthetics. I’ve been making upgrade everywhere down here as they occur to me. It’s kind of similar to how home design in the mortal world improved when more women became architects.

Athena and I sank onto the couches, and I explained the problem in Asphodel and how I intended to solve it.

“Ah, now I see why you see a need for juries. Why not of their peers?”

“Absolutely not. It must be divine judgement. And I shall try the first case. Everyone must attend so that precedent may be set. I shall decide which cases I hear and which I defer.

“You’ve grown into your role here well. Your mother should be proud of the woman you’ve become instead of lamenting her loss of the girl you once were.”

I smiled and reluctantly rose to return to my hostess duties. I implored Athena to rest while she could. I knew I would need her assistance managing our divine family.