Narcissus

Asphodel

MiYoung loves her mother. She is powerful but also generous and humble. She has no interest in ruling any of the realms, even though she could and really should. Instead, she chose to bless humans all year long with bountiful harvests. She is, above all, also wise. She warned MiYoung of the other gods, especially her own father, who never discriminates when it comes to women. So MiYoung grows up sheltered, in the safety cradle of her mother's vegetation. When she isn't with the twins in the forest, she spends her time in the fields and interacts with the many nymphs that dwell there.

 

Today is no different. A short walk away from where the twins have set up their camp for the week, she finds herself in a vast field filled with various flora. She has never gone this far before, but she feels right at home anyway. Tall blades of grass parted to make a way for her. Sunflowers, as wide as the palm of her hand, stand straight like soldiers when she passes by. A carpet made of lush moss covers the entire rock by the river, where she sits down, beckoned by the eager nymphs crowding around her.

 

The lovely river nymphs are as enamored with her as she is with them. Wet fingers comb through her fair hair and leave beads of water along her bare arms. They are telling her stories of mortals who braved the river for a wash and realized that they were not alone. One portly man was so scared that he didn't bother to put back his clothes. He ran away , screaming all the way through the forest. MiYoung giggles. Curious eyes follow the supposed trail of the poor man when she catches the sight of a flower she has never seen before.

 

At least five nymphs echo, "Narcissus." It is said not without sympathy. "He was one of ours."

 

Intrigued, MiYoung excuses herself to inspect the flower. The nymphs let her go with cold kisses on her cheeks, and off she goes, closer to the edge of the forest. The vibrant white and yellow flowers grow in clumps, such a beautiful remnant of vanity. The tips of her fingers graze a petal, and the flower droops. She decides to pluck it, to be shown to her mother later.

 

No amount of running and jumping through the woods while hunting with the twins could have prepared MiYoung to face what comes next: sable-black horses, all four of them, taller than her head, are galloping her way at full speed. She freezes. The lone narcissus slips off her grasp. She snaps back just in time to take a step back, right as the horses swerve to the right. They trample the clumps of narcissus, passing her by a hairbreadth. They are so close that she can feel their heat in the air and she loses her footing. She's falling, straight into the path of the golden chariot drawn by the horses. Its wheel looks menacing, ready to hit her sideways as the chariot drifts through the mud. There is nothing she can do other than clench her eyes shut and accept her fate. An arm catches her before she lands on her . Its owner pulls her away from harm, up into the chariot, and off they go.

 

When MiYoung finally has her wits about her, she screams.

 

The journey ends much faster than she expected. One moment the earth rips open and swallows them whole, and the next the chariot trickles to a halt. The horses huff and neigh, bumping against each other in a playful manner. She knows where she is even before she opens her eyes. It is cold enough to cause her to shiver like mortals would. The air is dry, despite the multiple rivers in the realm. When she does open her eyes, she is surprised to find that it is bright in the Underworld. Although it isn't the sun that shines through the Land of the Dead, but its own golden palace.

 

Her almost-assaulter-turned-abductor still has their arm around her. The hood of their cloak fell off when the chariot dropped through the earth, exposing the surprisingly youthful face. The god is pale, but not terribly so. Their long, dark hair is pulled back in a messy bun; the color matches their eyes. Where MiYoung expected a thick beard, are smooth cheeks and sharp jawlines instead. She has a pretty good idea of who the god is, even though she has never seen her before, and it angers her even more.

 

With another scream, this time an indignant cry of war, she elbows her captor on the ribs, slips out of their hold, and lands a swift kick to the shin to make sure that she won't grab a hold of her again. Her ex-captor yelps, doubling over in pain from the multiple assaults.

 

MiYoung jumps off the chariot's open back with ease. She beat the god of the hunt in their own game before—once, but it was the one (and only) win that matters. She won't go down without a fight, not even when she is up against the dreadful god of the dead. With a displeased huff at the barren land surrounding her, she starts to march across the empty field, heading toward the direction of the palace. Sprouts of green spring up with her every step.

 

She has to get the hell out of, uh, Hell.

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UndefinedCharacter
#1
Chapter 4: Chapter 4: I'm really enjoying this Greek Mythology AU, it's very new to me.
I googled about it a bit, and it's very much interesting and entertaining how you relate the characters to the gods.
Now I'm curious how Miyoung would go back, or of she will... 👀
TYK309 #2
Chapter 4: I love this Greek mythological theme story. I hope they have a happy ending.
Twinjung88
1101 streak #3
I just saw this now and I'll definitely read it later once I got home hehehe
Fawkes12 #4
Chapter 4: I love the chapter! It's great to see that you didn't drop this story :) Tiffany maybe shouldn't have promised something so hastily
Spes17
#5
Chapter 4: oh my God I’m excited now how Tiffany make out of it
Fawkes12 #6
You're so good at writing you could probably write books :) I'm looking forward to more chapters
Fawkes12 #7
Chapter 1: This is amazing :) Your writing is great
sleepingprince
#8
Chapter 3: The kid hug Tiffany and Taeyeon . This is so touching. Such an interesting story :) Lol Sooyoung describe Taeyeon as short 😂
Spes17
#9
Chapter 3: awww that scene with the kids 🥺 and so true with God’s appearance depends on how we perceive them.
sleepingprince
#10
Chapter 2: Oh no I hope they'll be able to make it .