Welcome to a re-telling of the greek mythology inspired tale of Persephone.
I appreciate you taking a moment to read this & hope you gain enjoyment from it.
Thanks very much. And thanks to my wife for helping me make it (along w/the cover)
The custom content is various and many places such as Mod the Sims 2, Parsimonious, All About Style, The Sims 2 Resource, XMSims, Maxis and other places.

Disclaimer: I don't believe in mythology, just using it for entertainment purposes only. Pronounce Persephone's name as per-sef-uh-nee

The storm outside raged with a fury announcing the beginning of the fall season. As I practiced my demi-plies, I jumped at the sound of a particularly loud crash of thunder just beyond my bedroom window.

It was raining pretty steadily, pelting loudly against the pane, drawing my attention yet again. I had a recital in a few days, so really should not have let it distract me so. Still, I could not help but stare out into the darkness. I did this for a few moments until a face began to take shape just beyond the window's crosshatched pane.

There! I saw the face again, more pronounced this time. There was someone out there! As I tore out of my room and into the living room, I tried to tell my parents this fact, but they shrugged it off.
"There, there, Penny, it was probably just shadows." My father smiled warmly at me, but looked a little nervous himself.

Since they didn't seem to be too concerned, I tried to relax. I sat with my father and made small talk about our day while my mother spoke on the phone with a friend. Until the power went out and the phones died...

It only took my mother a few minutes to locate the large decorative candle and light it, granting us a little brightness in the eerie dark that surrounded what seemed to be my entire world. My father patted my knee reassuringly, knowing I was already spooked. And as we parted for the night, I was able to keep the candle with me after they had retired to their rooms.

But once placed on my tiny desk, the light that illuminated the small room was not enough to quell the rush of fear and trepidation that I felt. I wrung my hands together. What if I saw the face in the window again?

Hearing a noise behind me, I felt as if I were no longer alone and spun to face the same person that I had seen outside of my window. Only this time, he was inside of my room - with me!

So startled I was at first that I could not do anything except stand there, panting in fear, breath taken away. He was obviously male and he said four words to me: "It is time, Persephone." I shut my eyes and began to scream in absolute terror. I did not see the lights flicker back on.

My mother and father charged into the room where I looked around to see that I was alone. But I had not imagined the man there with me! He had been real! Hadn't he?
"Penny? What's wrong?" My father queried, eyes wide in alarm at my scream. I explained about the man and the words he had said.
"How did he know my name?"
My father's face turned pale and he motioned for me to sit in the chair at my desk.

As I sat, legs still rubbery from the encounter, my father took a deep breath and said, "Penny, your full name is Persephone. We are your foster parents. This is going to be a little hard to take in, but it's all truth that I will share with you now as I tell you about your mother and father." I stared in shock and disbelief. All these years, and they weren't my real parents??

"Come." My father pulled me to my feet and over to the four paintings that hung on my wall.
"These are your birthright pictures, given to you by your mother before she sent you to us so many years ago. They represent the four seasons, of which you will have a large hand in aiding. The presence of the man in your room can mean only one thing -your mother has died." He sat me on my bed and began the story of my heritage.

"You see, long ago, there was a young woman named Persephone, your mother. She was carefree and beautiful and loved nature. Along with her mother, Demeter, they kept the earth green and alive."

"One afternoon as Persephone was lounging by a pond, a stranger approached her. He was Haides, ruler of the underworld. He was the father of death and so Persephone was both curious and afraid at his presence. Was it her time so soon?"

"But Haides wasn't there to take her soul with him. No, he had watched Persephone from afar and wanted her as his own wife. So he approached her with one thought in mind - kidnapping her and stealing her away to the underworld."

"Persephone tried to refuse and fought, struggling with Haides, but he was too strong, too powerful and overcame her, stealing her away from her mother. He made her his bride."

"Demeter was angry and upset when she had learned of her daughter's kidnapping. But she did not know whom had taken her, so she visited Zeus, father of many of the god and goddesses, for help."

"At first he refused to help, as Haides was strong and powerful, but when Demeter refused to let any green plants grow, and people started to starve, he took pity and agreed that she could have her daughter back as long as she had not eaten any food there."

"But Haides knew of this and so he had convinced Persephone to eat a couple of pomegranate seeds. This bonded her to him. She was not allowed to leave permanently. Instead, she could stay only six months out of the year. She returned to her mother mid-march, bringing in the first green days of spring. That's why she was known as the goddess of spring"

"When they had a child, a daughter, they were overjoyed, but also troubled. The creatures of the underworld grew jealous and it was dangerous for the little one. So they enlisted the aid of two human mortals. Your mother and I. We were given the task to raise you until it was time for you to take Persephone (your mother)'s place. I can only assume that the man you saw in your room was your guardian. He would take up the place of Haides and protect you for six months out of the year as you lose your mortality and release the earth from the bountiful grip of spring and summer."

"If my mother is dead, where is her body? Will I never see her?" It made me sad to think that I would never see the woman who gave birth to me.
"Just look up in the sky, to the east you will see a constellation at the dawn of the morning. That's where your mother will be."

When my foster mother started crying, I felt terrible. I had to leave them? It was fall, which meant that I would have to take my true mother's place now. But could I leave them - the people who had given me love and a home for so long? I didn't think I had a choice. I pulled my foster mother into a warm hug and told her she would always be my mother.

I slowly stepped outside of the backdoor and made my way to the yard where I expected the man to be waiting for me. But instead, I heard a loud grinding as if stones were being moved and stared in shock and awe as a large hole opened up in the ground. Terrified, I ran back inside. I would try again tomorrow when it was light outside.

As soon as the sun lit the sky the next morning, I bundled up, bid my parents one last farewell, and went to explore the large hole. It was still there so I crept close to the edge, staring downward. A large gust of wind blew against me, pushing me forward and it almost felt as if I had been pushed by two hands. Down I went, but it was over in minutes.

I blinked to find myself in a large room, the pale man from before standing beside me. In front of me was a bed and I knew somehow that this would be my new home.