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The door to her room has a golden wheat sheaf on it. She kisses him against the door as she opens it, the closer she gets to him, the more he'll smell ripeness on the air.

Inside the room is simple, full of light wood, fresh flowers and some chilling wine, "Come in."

The flowers bent away from Demeter as she tugged at weeds and muttered to herself in various languages until her daughter stood behind her and said, "Go someplace else. I can hear you in my garden and all the plants are worried."

Demeter sat on her heels to look at Kore, "Fine, I'll go for a walk, but this isn't right. I shouldn't have to change."

"I know and you don't have to but you're going to cause a storm at this rate," Under her daughter's gaze, Demeter stood up, dusted the dirt off her hands and started walking. Kore sighed as she watched her go, this all felt too familiar.

Demeter walked from garden to field to garden until she was sitting beside a fountain in a courtyard in another part of France. The walk had helped but she still hated the situation, she shouldn't have to do anything for Teja who misunderstood and then pronounced judgement and won't consider that he's wrong. He can miss her all he likes.

Demeter opens the front door of the Bar onto her potting shed, which is full of drying herbs.

The shed is a structure that looks like it shouldn't be standing up as bright sunlight slants through the slats in the wood and she turns to grins at them,

"We'll walk through the garden and get you settled. Then I've made some lunch and I have lots of maps so you can explore as much or as little as you'd like."

Demeter leads Teja through the door and they stand on the grounds of the Tuscan house where a sharp wind blows around them.

The door opens onto the kitchen of Demeter and Kore's house in Provence which smells of bread and drying herbs.

Demeter moves through to pull out seats for them as their is breakfast laid for them on the main table, homemade jam, bread and she is ready to make eggs and other things,

"Now, first you should all eat and then I will show you everything."

The ground shakes and trembles as trees and vines cover the factory in green until there are no bricks visible.

Then with a quiet shift that gods have ever been good at, there is nothing but plants as the bricks crumble into the earth.

Demeter stands watching, her eyes potent and not here as she glows briefly and finally can breath again.

When the earth has stopped shifting, she moves to Malcolm and simply hugs him.

Demeter tries to not think to much about her broken heart since her pain always finds her every Fall but seeing Jason slowly destroy himself, calls up memories.

Not far from Eleusis, a hall once stood, no archaeologists have found it yet but Demeter knows where it is.

She finds a stump that's not far from where the hearth fire burned and allows herself time to cry as she remembers the pain of a time when she had no hope.

In time her tears stop and she plants a lily that will bloom with the white of hope and the love she had for the people here who reminded her that she was still alive.

Now she must return to be there to make him laugh and remember to eat and live so that soon he throws off the darkness around him as she once did.

Demeter leads Flynn up to her room with a smile, its a simple and light filled place, most of her plants are at her home in France but this room has her touch, greens and golds. Once they're upstairs she leans into him and kisses him,

"Now tell me all your desires."

What's the worst thing someone could do?
Hurt someone who cannot defend themself.
What's the worst thing someone could do to you?
Hurt my daughter.
What's the worst thing that could happen to you?
Lose all connection with my home and growing thing.
What's the worst thing someone could say about a person?
They don't know how to love.
What's the best thing someone could say about a person?
They help others grow.

Are men and women basically different?
Oh yes.
Which is better, to be a woman or to be a man?
There is no good answer to that for some of us are simply meant to be men or women.
What can men do that women can't do?
Men are tillers and builders and sadly destroyers.
What can women do that men can't do?
We are the growers and nurturers.
Is it possible to change genders?
Yes, so many things can be changed if you simply know how.

How old is old enough to have sex?
When your body is mature.
Is it wrong to have sex if you're unmarried?
Oh dear no.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone other than your spouse if you're married?
Hera would say yes and I would say that it depends on the quality of your marriage.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of the same gender?
Of course not.
Is it wrong to have sex with a person of a different race (or a different intelligent non-human species)?
Dear me no.
Is it wrong to have more than one sexual partner at the same time?
Oh no, sex is about savoring life and you shouldn't restrict yourself for any reason.
Is it wrong to have sex with someone you don't love?
No, but its worrisome if you don't like them at all.

What are the responsibilities of a mother toward a child?
To protect them and keep them safe from the world.
What are the responsibilities of a father toward a child?
To protect them and honor them.
What are the responsibilities of a child toward a parent?
Hopefully to love them and someday care for them.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your child?
Your child.
Which should be more important to you, your parent or your spouse?
Your parent.
Which should be more important to you, your child or your spouse?
Your child.
Is it wrong to have a child if you're unmarried?
Oh no as long as you are able to love them and keep them safe.
Is abortion wrong?
I do not approve of it since I hold life so dear but I can understand how there are times when it is needed.
Is contraception wrong?
Not at all.

Is there one true religion?
*laughter* No.
Does a deity or deities exist?
I should hope so.
How important is it to believe in a deity or deities?
I would hope that it is important for others to believe in me but I'm not sure.
How important is it to actively practice your religion?
I've found that mortals define practicing religion in many ways, if those who worship me simply live and love and cherish their land, I will be happy.
Does magic exist?
Yes.
Is practicing magic wrong?
No, but it can be dangerous.

Is killing always wrong?
No.
Is war always wrong?
No though I do not approve of it.
How old is old enough to fight in a war?
I would say that if you can defend your home, you should though I think far too many children are sent off to war.
Is rape always wrong?
Yes.
Is torture always wrong?
Yes.
Is theft always wrong?
No, not at all.
Is slavery wrong?
Yes.
Is lying wrong?
The truth is really not some sacred thing so no.
Is swearing wrong?
No.

Sleep had come more quickly than usual for Demeter in Milliways. Though her dream strikes vivid and quickly, the scent of Arkadian earth under her feet and the pain of Kore being gone strikes too fast.

She falls to the ground and is a mare among horses, trotting and running, one among many, she won’t be alone. Then she hears her brother stamping, hooves on hard packed ground and a stallion’s whinny turning into words,

“Demeter!”

Horses aren’t made to cry but she can run, words spinning in her head:

Let me be, let me weep. What do you want?

Of course there’s no answer, Poseidon is the ever coming sea, ever faster and suddenly above her, she kicks and fights but this is ever his form.

Finally he moves off her and she falls to the earth, a woman again and turns to see his face which is blurred by pain and anger and he scolds her though she can’t hear the words.

The earth is there, taking her tears as she pours her anger deep and a black river flows behind him and her brother shows fear deep in his blue-black eyes.

Then he’s gone and she’s crying in her bed in Milliways, her nails biting into her palms as she just tries to breathe.