Long ago Hades had a daughter, Zoe, with a mortal woman, as did his brothers, Zeus, who had a son named Dion meaning “of Zeus”, and Poseidon who named his son Archippos- master of horses. But Zoe was truly a gift; her name was the Greek word for “life”. As they grew up the three children grew as friends, while Zoe, Archippos grew closer as lovers. When the day came that the three godly brothers met together to decide who would get what of the Earth: sky, sea, and the after-life, but they didn’t decide, instead they argued, causing a war between the three families.

But Zoe, Dion, and Archippos did not fight, instead they quickly met together to resolve the conflict peacefully. However they too couldn’t come up with a solution, for all of their fathers wanted power. With no use in wasting time left and decided to meet again in a week’s time, but the young lovers planned to meet sooner.

After going their separate ways Zoe returned to her father’s house where her siblings sat waiting for their sister to return with news. But they didn’t suspect that she would return with unmoved news. They dispersed to their activities, but Zoe’s younger sister, Metrodora, staid by her side and Zoe let the cat out of the bag saying that she was meeting with Archippos the next day at a meadow in the forest. But that was a terrible mistake, because Metrodora couldn’t keep a secret. She told her father, who confronted his brother, Poseidon who was talking with Zeus. Zeus knew that his son had feelings for Zoe and told his son, Dion, but Dion didn’t take the news well. He became very angry, and went after Archippos.

Meanwhile, Zoe and Archippos were already at the meadow, full of the white flowers Archippos often gave to Zoe, in the forest, unaware of the news of their meeting spreading around. They fell asleep, at the base of an old oak, as the stars began to show. It took Dion hours to find the white flowered meadow where Zoe and Archippos lay sleeping. He climbed up into the tree and waited for morning.

When dawn approached Dion got restless and shifted on a branch, “SNAP” the branch cracked at its base and Zoe woke up with a silent gasp. She got up and looked around for the source of the noise she saw nothing that looked unusual, just the bushes of white flowers and the trees. So she walked into the trees and went to the river to wash her face.

When Zoe was completely out of sight Dion jumped down from the tree, and approached Archippos with his hand by the hilt of his sword. He stopped right I front of Archippos, moments later Archippos woke with a yell of shock. But Zoe heard Archippos and she worried, so she ran for the big oak tree in the white rose meadow, she yelled “Archippos, paraleipomen!”
“Zoe?” Archippos said he got up and crossed the meadow in four long strides; Dion was quick to follow him.
“No,” Dion said, and he drew for his sword and went for Archippos. Archippos ran for his sword and tried to fight Dion off but he was at a disadvantage, being surprised and by his friend. Dion laughed at Archippos’s struggle to gain the upper hand in the fight, “Relax Archippos, don’t get your toga up in a twist, it will only hurt a little, and I wouldn’t hurt her.” He stopped and laughed, “No, just you!” and he charged again for Archippos.


Just then Zoe got to the clearing, “No!” she whispered, she ran to stop the fight,” No, stop!” She yelled. But they continued to spar on; quickly she drew her two daggers from her waist belt and pointed a blade at each man. “Stop.” She repeated, and they did, “Drop your swords and take a step back,” she said, the two men looked at each other, Archippos dropped his sword and took a step back but Dion did not. Instead he went for Archippos, intending to kill him, but Zoe jumped in front of him at the last moment. Dion’s sword ran right through her chest, and Zoe started falling. Archippos caught her and gently laid her down against a rock, near a white flower bud bush. Archippos went for his sword, but Zoe grabbed his hand, instead he grabbed one of her daggers and threw it at the running Dion. The dagger hit his arm but Dion ran still. Archippos returned to Zoe, her blood started spilling intensely. He picked a white flower and placed it in her hands, they sat there while she died, and as she died her blood spilled under the rose bush. "Keep them safe." she breathe, right before she joined her father's realm. Her blood, sinking into the roots, stained the petals turning their fair white skin to a blood red. To this day the petals remain red, forever stained as the color of Zoe’s blood.