Aphrodite

So the moon goddess had experienced that elusive connection with her fated. I had known, but at the same time I had my doubts. 

It must be doubly torturous for her, to loose the one she loved, but also the only one she could truly love. Though, Artemis's love for hunter was not strong enough yet. Because she had not only rejected him, but also forgiven the one who had taken his life. All because he had been a mortal human.

“Dite, I will leave you in peace.” Ari said as she moved away from the wall towards me to bid me farewell. She hunched down so our eyes could meet, “Think about what you have just learned today sweetness.” She patted my hand before getting up.

But I grabbed her hand, before she could leave. “Ari do you believe it to be true? That he could be mine?”

Hephaestus? My fated. I silently added. I mean I just knew it to be true. There was no other explanation. But he obviously had not been thrilled.

“It is not important what I believe Aphrodite.” She smiled sadly at that. Sometimes Ari’s faraway expressions had me convinced that she was far more older than she claimed she was. “What you believe and wish to do with it is the most essential. And you do know more about these fated bonds, more than I do Dite.”

“The idea of it seems so romantic. Yet they all seem to end in tragedies Ariadne.” I said quietly.

Apollo and Daphne, Orion and Artemis, Hercules and Megara, Cronos and Rhea, and so many more.

Even the great father sky and the great mother earth.

Uranus and Gaea.

I hated that I was even thinking so pessimistically. Before seeing him, I had been so eager at the thought of meeting my fated soulmate. Of being the one who would have this wonderful love that eluded so many of my arrogant counterparts. And that ugly beast had ruined it all for me.

He hated me. Unlike most males and females who lusted after me at first sight, he truly despised me.

“But you are the mistress of love Aphrodite. I am certain you will achieve what we other gods’ and goddesses’ have not been able to with our marriages.” She replied, but there was an edge to her voice that I did not understand.

“I do not think, I can.” I replied, the defeat in my voice was not hard to miss. If someone as powerful as Hera could not be a mother to Hephaestus. Then how could I find love for that very same being.

“Is it because of the way he looks now?” The question shocked me out of my reverie, spiking my irritation. I almost missed the cold expression on her face. But what hurt most was how she rejected her own homely husband, and she would judge me if I were to do the same. Not that his scarred form was the reason for my reluctance.

“You know that is not true Ari! He hates me!” Embarrassingly my anger came out more like a wailing lament. Why could I not be as strong and cold as the other goddesses.

“So does the King.”

“What?” What did the King have to do with any of my fate. Yes he wanted me to spy on what he considered to be an intruder. But why would Zeus…

“He hates Hera does he not?” Oh that. Yes the King’s and Queen’s marriage was chaotic to put it lightly. But I had no desire to invite such volatileness in my existence, and I let my friend know that.

“But does either one of you have a choice Dite.” Well when she put it like that, I could not help but accept that she was right. Fates could never be denied.

“So I must accept my unfortunate fate then.” I sighed out sadly with resignation. Yet I beseeched my only friend now to somehow show me a solution to this predicament.

“Dite, give this a chance.”

“You do realize that I wanted to be his friend? That I stood up for him against the rest of the Olympians! It is he who rejected me before I could even say hello.”

“Well that was before you had to see him though, Dite.”

Why was Ariadne so keen on insulting me today? No matter how subtly it was done. It was still hurtful.

“His demeanour is far more uglier than his face. He chose to dislike me without even getting to know me. So why is it I who should be giving in? Why are you insulting me like this? How can you even…”

“Hey, hey, hey, Dite. Calm down. It was my not intention to hurt you, not one bit.” She insisted, her palms raised in placating gesture. A look of true remorse on her face. I could only nod my head, as I wiped the tears away from my eyes. Why was I so prone to tears so easily?

“Well there is one good thing to come out from all of this.” She said as a mischievous look came up on her face. While I may have forgiven her, I was still not ready to show it just yet. So I sullenly asked, “What is that?”

“Unlike the rest of the gods, or in my case, goddess, he will not betray you in that way.” Oh, I had not thought that far ahead yet. “Come now Dite, are you being shy at the thought of loving him like that?”

“Well of course. It is all so new.” I said honestly as I cupped my face between my palms, sighing out in confusion and exhaustion. But her words of him not being able to betray me physically gave me some hope. Not many goddesses would want him with the way he looked. Maybe if I could soften his heart and character, all could be well for my future romance.

“It seems you have regained your optimism once more. You truly do not look good with that sad disposition.”

“I blame you for that. Why were you even being so hurtful to me?” I asked her, even if I had forgiven her for it, but I was still curious.

“I was just protecting him, I think…” She must have realized what I was feeling, because she abruptly stopped at the expression I was most likely wearing. I knew of Ariadne’s inclination of taking lovers, but the thought of her trying anything with him, no matter how much of a beast he was, made me aasee red.

“Not like that Dite.” She said in amusement, and I felt stupid for even having had felt that envy. Had we just not discussed how no one would want him, not with his deformities. “I just feel pity for him. That’s all. But it is late now sweetness, rest awhile. Because I have a feeling that tomorrow will be far more entertaining. I do not trust that father of yours.”

“Sleep well Ari.” I said as I bid her goodnight with hug. And while I did make my way towards my sleeping quarters, I knew that Hypnos would not leave his magic behind tonight.

My mind was filled with him.

Hephaestus.

I had been looking to make a friend, and the fates instead had deemed him to be my bond-mate. I had always wanted to meet my fated. But now having seen him, I was most certainly not ready.

For a moment, I had still been in denial at the concept of him being mine. Until Artemis had reminded me the importance of such a bond. Ignoring it would bring grave punishment. Too many things had come to pass in such a short amount of time and it was very difficult to make sense of it all.

Making an enemy of Ares. Essentially taking the Queen’s side against the King. Angering Athena, and even Apollo. Eris’s craziness. And now the King wanted me to spy on my fated.

It was a blessing that the Olympians were unaware of this reality of fated bondings, or how one could recognice it.

Hephaestus was nothing like what I had dreamed him to be. Well at least not in face, and especially in demeanour. But I had to admit, despite the scars, and the noticeable limp, his form was beautiful.

Strong, lean, and tall.

He also had beautiful eyes and a beautiful voice. Even if both held a dangerous coldness to them. It was then that it struck me exactly what Ariadne had asked me.

Is it because of the way he looks now? Now? The question itself implied that she had known him before. Before he was ruined even? That bloody liar. Had he been one of her lovers, before something unfortunate had befallen him.

No. No. I had to calm down. I could not doubt my only friend, not over my own fears and insecurities. But then how long had I really know any of these Olympians and the other deities in their factions anyways?

Apart from Ariadne, I was more or less alone in heavens. Would he prefer someone like Ariadne more than me? She was tall and dark, just like him.

Oh Gaea, I hated how my mind had connected with his, of all the gods and goddesses out there. It had to be him?

It was even more annoying that the Sea King and Queen had not taught me the true intricacies of the mind meeting between soulmates. Again, no one confused me as much as King Poseidon and Queen Amphitrite.

They were obviously bonded by fate. They shockingly even loved each other, deeply. And yet Poseidon competed with his younger brother in the sport of bedding females, especially the mortal kind. And it did not bother Trity, one bit. I could not even bear the thought of it.

Dear Hypnos, please take me away to your world of dark. I quietly begged, but the ancient god would of course not deign to visit me tonight.

I twisted and turned around in my bed. One moment thinking to see beyond Hephe’s form, the next being angry at him for threatening me. I knew male gods could easily betray their fated with different bed partners. But could one truly kill his own fated? By their own hand.

I may not have heard all of his thoughts once he had realized what was happening. But his intentions had been clear.

Somehow while thinking about him, I did manage to fall into a restless sleep. And when I woke, it was to a far more restless day.

“Room-mate?” I was screeching at the top of my lungs as I looked at the group who stood in front of me. A part of me quivered at my daring to glare at Zeus. A larger part of me was hurt at the indifference my so called fated displayed. The rest, I ignored. And the largest part of me was still quite confused.

What in the fates’ world was a room-mate? And if I understood them correctly, they wanted me to stay with him, my fated, as such. Share quarters with him like a common nymph?

I refused.

“Do not worry dear daughter, I have ensured that you will not be harmed.” The King smiled at me placatingly and approvingly, willing to forgive me for my ‘betrayal’ from before. “Undoubtedly, the fire god will be enticed by your beauty. But he has promised me on Styx that he will not lay a finger on you.”

It was my body, and yet these males were making decisions regarding it. How dare they?

“The only male who will be allowed in my domain is my husband, and no on else.” I told the King firmly, trying to make him see the folly in his plan. This was depraved, even for Zeus. To expect me to live with a male who was not my husband, so I could do his bidding. To subtly pressure me into doing so. 

“Is that the only problem dear child? No matter. You have your pick, take a husband, and he will protect you from this terrifying male. That way you can also complete your duty to your King.” Zeus smiled jovially, thinking he had come up with the cleverest solution for it all.

I spoke the words, before I could even think about it. “Then make him my husband.” I said while pointing at my ugly, furious, bond-mate.

His arms shook as if barely containing his rage. And my heart broke before it had even had the chance to fall in love. The silence was deafening, until he quitely gritted out that one word like ice.

“Never.”