Menthe

In Greek myth she was transformed into mint to be trodden underfoot, after declaring herself more worthy of Hades than his wife Persephone. The mint’s fragrance is attributed to Menthe’s allure, even then.

The mint plant was subsequently said to be a sacred plant of Hades, and indeed was often used in funeral rites.

Menthe’s 6th Age Life

Menthe was a member of minor nobility in the Royal Chthonian Court, the daughter of Lord Cocytus, a legendary channeler who bore single-handed responsibility for guarding the entrance to the prison of Tartarus. She also had an older brother, Pyiphelegthon, who was a gifted and loyal soldier to Hades, himself greatly talented in the weaving of fire. Her family was a fearsome one, known for its strong blood and stronger channelers.

Menthe was renowned for her beauty and melancholia, but spent much of her time alone. She was a channeler herself, but a weak one, unsuited to the duties usually passed down her line, thus was usually forgotten by her father. She spent her time engaged in philosophy and the arts, and was very well educated.

She was never quite sure how she first captured Hades’ attention, but once it was hers, she fell deeply in love. Before then, she had never felt seen in the way she did when she was with him; not just for her beauty, but for her mind.

She was a devoted consort, but one that publicly remained much in the shadows. The court was aware, but it never acknowledged their relationship. Hades had many advisers, yet it was Menthe who soothed like a shadow behind the throne. She was clever and studious, and they were like-minded in much.

So when Hades’ eye turned to the youth and innocence of Persephone, Menthe was quietly devastated. The woman was the very antithesis of everything Menthe was, a thing of Spring and sunshine. Menthe had never asked Hades for more than what he gave willingly, accepting that her status would never make her a queen. But if her heart was bleeding, the intensity of her love never waned. Even now, when he returned to her still, she did not deny him. She lived for the summer months.

Menthe always believed his marriage to Persephone a contract of convenience, and that she herself was Hades’ true soulmate. Perhaps it was the only way she was able to survive the heartbreak.

In the end, it was her undoing.