Between love and lust
She was prophesied to become the ultimate Goddess of Love. But how could she ever become that if she was incapable of putting together her very own love life? Follow the tale of Aphrodite, a goddess who became recruited to the magnificent Olympos and who managed to stir the pot quite a bit up there.
A word of warning to sensitive souls – this story will feature a lot of sex. It IS about Aphrodite after all...
The matchmaker
"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" Aphrodite whispered to herself while holding the wedding invitation in her hand. It wasn't so much about attending a wedding, even if that always was fun, but about Lilo and Evander getting married. She - Aphrodite - was the one who had blind dated them less than a year ago, knowing they both needed someone special in their lives and that the other one might be a good match. So she had done her thing, talking first to her colleague Lilo about the exciting new bachelor who had moved in next door to her and then to Evander about the cute girl working at the major's office. It had taken some persuasion of course, Lilo was still mourning her fiancée who had died in the war and Evander seemed like one of these stubborn men who didn't take advice that easily. But Aphrodite was even more stubborn since she knew these two would hit off well.
If you'd ask her how she knew that, she would just shrug and call it a 'gut feeling thing'. And if you'd push her she'd say something about noticing little things, knowing little things which other people might overlook. Things said or done usually revealed bits and pieces about people's personality and who might be their heart's desire. Aphrodite could hear it in voices; see those small but important ticks in faces or movements of hands and shoulders. She understood what people found important in a relation both when it came to the swirls of passion, sensuality and sex and when they were considering life style and family formations. It was her special skill, the things she 'did'.
To cut a long story short - Aphrodite was one of the immortals, although few people knew it. Tired of the realm of the gods she went down to live among the mortals, subtracted 35 years from her age, to 'become' the 22 years old she looked like. When settling in the town of Mycenae, she had got herself a small but adequate flat in the better part of the town and a job as a scribe at the major's place. She made up a story about being a widowed refugee, not exactly uncommon in a Hellas shaken by one war after the other. If anyone asked she'd drop some vague hints before saying that she didn't want to talk about it, something most people respected. A good number did know about the atrocities of war and could understand that Aphrodite didn't want to get into details. For all they knew Aphrodite's past might be too horrible to talk about, too raw to be reminded of.
Dulling her divine appearance made her blend in better with the mortals. Aphrodite turned shorter and more stocky than curvy, her blond hair had lost its lustre and flow and finally her lavender eyes wasn't shining and glittering the way they once had done. All that was appearance of course, she was still stunningly beautiful, even with divine measures, it was just that that she had 'coated' herself to prevent the mortals from noticing. She wanted to be left alone, she hated the divine life. She hated people pulling at her, tearing at her clothes, screaming after her. Closing her eyes she could still remember the bedlam...
Holding the little papyrus ticket in her hand, proclaiming her friends' pending marriage she went into her combined bedroom and office and put down the note on her desk, placing a stone made of glittering granite upon it. Aphrodite loved the round stones found down at the beach. They were so smooth and soft, not like the jagged and sharp ones littering dry land. The small ones were nice to carry in the pocket and toy with when she needed stress relief and the larger ones became great window decorations or paper weights. Then there were the sea shells, and these were even dearer to her. Aphrodite had always loved the shells, her mother used to joke that she had been born with one of them in her hand. Yes, Aphrodite loved the beach, loved to go for long walks down there when time permitted. Loved to let the waves kiss her feet and the breezes play around with her fair hair. Most of all she loved to undress and go swimming, taking long streaks with her arms and plow herself forward among the playful, green waves...
No, this wouldn't do! Aphrodite had just returned home from work and she needed to freshen herself up a bit before she went to have a dinner with her friend Chrysaste. The young woman had showed up with a devastated face during Aphrodite's lunch break, refusing to talk about it, refusing to tell why she was all in tears. Chrysaste's silence didn't surprise Aphrodite the least since the latter was sitting with two of her colleagues, two older ladies, Iphianassa and Laomeda, both of them having allowed their outlook life to become tainted by bitterness. Iphianassa was widowed and Laomeda had never got married and both of them despised the male part of humanity and would probably had said something along the line of 'Could've told you so' if poor Chrysaste had with just a word mentioned what was the matter.
Therefore Aphrodite had promised Chrysaste that she would come over to her later in the day instead, offering to bring some wine and fruit so they could dine together. Her friend had appeared grateful and hadn't her steps even seemed just a slight bit lighter. The disguised goddess smiled mildly at that remembrance. Then she removed the silver clasps that held her crimson tunic together and let it fall to the floor around her feet, kissing the floor tiles with a whisper of silk.
For a while she regarded her body in the illustrious sheen of the bronze mirror and just for fun did she assume her true, divine shape for a few heartbeats, admiring her slender curves, her spotless skin and her flowing honey-blond hair. Met her sparkling look as she smiled with her full, naturally red lips, showing off a perfect row of snow white teeth. Recalling who she really was, what she really looked like. She was a goddess, and one day it would be time for her to remember that more thoroughly. But not today. Instead he returned to her mortal self, the young, professional lady everyone else saw. For now she was fine with being down here in Mycenae and doing her little thing. Finding loved ones for lonely souls. Or just offer advices for the heartbroken. She guessed that was what Chrysaste wanted tonight.
Sound of children came through the window silk, Aphrodite generally left the blinds open in the day, a divine charm deployed to keep both burglars and the worst heat of the day away. She delighted in listening to the little ones. One day she would have children of her own, that she had promised herself. One day when she was ready to return to the world of the gods, since having mortal children who grew old and died in front of her was nothing she cared to envision.
Still naked Aphrodite walked over to the alcove where she kept her commode and a can filled with water. That was something she missed from the world of the divine, the large bathrooms with the pools and tubs. Here she had to do like every other mortal and go down and fetch water by a pump and then use it sparsely. Al right, sometimes she cheated and conjured up more water, yet she kept the occurrences rare so she didn't raise any suspicions. This became one of those times, the water in the can was far from enough to wash herself with and on top of that stale and lukewarm, so Aphrodite retrieved some fresh water from the air, on a humid day like this it went rather quickly. Then she cooled it slightly and used a soft sponge to wash her face, her neck and armpits. Actually, there were divine ways to get rid of grime and dust sans water, but Aphrodite loved the cold wet feeling of the liquid against her velvety soft skin and she prided herself with doing this mortal thing as thoroughly as possible.
After that she dried herself off on a towel lying on the side board next to the commode and returned to the main room to pick up her fallen dress from the floor. That was a work dress, not meant for tonight so she hang it in the closet and retrieved another one. Before she put that one on she brushed her hair and pinned it up. Mortal women were just as picky as goddesses with their hairdos, but to be true, Aphrodite preferred hers hanging lose and flying in full liberty, without any pins or ribbons to tie it with. Still she abided by the fashion edict and tied her hair back with a blue ribbon which was the same colour as her dress. Finally she put on her sandals, grabbed her small purse and was out of the door, on her way to Chrysaste. She was humming slightly while walking down the slightly sloping little cobble-stoned alley, narrow between small houses and slightly winding and uneven – more or less like every other side street in Mycenae.
What Aphrodite didn't notice though was the shadow that blended in with the crowd of people milling around her, the stranger who ducked into an adjacent passage and disappeared like a mirage. The shadow which had stood posted in front of the door where Aphrodite had exited, obviously regarding her.
ooooo
Chrysaste lived just a few blocks away from Aphrodite, on a similar, semi-busy street with little taverns in the corners and people resting on their thresholds while talking to the neighbors as the evening drifted by, the air cooled down, the shadows got longer and the cats woke up and went out hunting. Aphrodite found her friend in the window, tending to the flowers resting in the little straw baskets outside, giving them water and removing dead leaves and petals. Hearing Aphrodite's greeting Chrysaste looked up and beamed. Then she beckoned with her head, so that her long, dark-brown was flying, ginger eyes glittering warmly.
"Come on in, dear! I made soup and I have fresh bread from the newly opened bakery up the street. I also got some of that spicy yoghurt I know you like."
Aphrodite returned her joyful face.
"How lovely, dear! I brought what I told, wine and fruit. So we'll have a great dinner!"
Pushing up the large door she entered her friend's apartment through a narrow hall and ascended a handful of steps, stopping to cuddle with a gray cat along the way. Chrysaste was just laying out small cups and plates when Aphrodite entered and they both halted to embrace each other. Then the hostess continued with bringing forwards a large pot and begun serving steaming hot consommé from it while Aphrodite unpacked her goodies. Finally Chrysaste brought out the bread, which was still slightly warm, and put it on a platter together with a generous bit of cheese.
"Now I hope you'll enjoy!" she grinned at Aphrodite, who was pouring the wine. Then they dug in, saying nothing the first minutes, just savouring their meal. Then followed a few moments of chit-chat, going over gossip and complaining about other colleagues. Finally Chrysaste pushed her plate aside, leaning her elbows on the rough wooden table, breaking apart the last of her bread and afore eating the piece her face turned dead serious.
"Aphrodite?" As her friend put down her spoon and fixed her eyes with her gaze she went on. "There's something I'm going to need your help with."
"What?" the guest enquired.
"I'm... I have - this little dilemma you know. I think you know who I'm referring to."
"Well... no... let me guess. Lykandros. The lad in the city guard."
"Yes... alas... he's been..."
Aphrodite tilted her head, saying nothing but letting her friend taking her time. Chrysaste staggered a bit more before commencing:
"He's been... he'll be engaged next weekend."
"What? Whom? I thought you two were..."
"No, it's this thing you know... His family... they want him to... A business associate with his uncle has a daughter who's..."
"Oh crap!" Aphrodite leaned back in her chair, biting her lip and resting her head against the rough, white-plastered wall. That was one of the hardest things in the mortal world. The tradition of arranged marriages. They could take any strange form imaginable and they often shattered the dreams of young people. Done for business purposes, for power play or for security reasons, they were seldom reflecting any personal desire of those involved, especially not the bride and groom. Aphrodite couldn't even begin to guess how many tears she had seen falling over such events. Probably enough to fill a whole Aegean.
"What am I to do, dear?" Chrysaste slumped her shoulders and hid her face in her tiny, amber-skinned hands, fighting back the tears.
"Do you know what Lykandros thinks?"
"I... he's going through with it. He's such an obedient boy. Always duty first. And what am I to him really? An older, not very wealthy woman with no family at all sans a kleinsmith brother with a quite unhealthy affection for the amphorae of wine. Why would he take me when he can have Orlinda?"
"Because he loves you!" Aphrodite exclaimed and tilted her chair forward again, slamming her elbows against the wooden table for affection. That would have hurt if she had been mortal and she made sure to make a face against the supposed pain.
"I'm not so sure about that - anymore." Chrysaste said and wiped a tear off her chin.
"That's bull and you know it. Now we need to think of something."
"As in..."
"As in ripping the veils of duty off the lad's eyes and making him see what he'll be missing for the rest of his life if he goes through with this arrangement instead of marrying you."
"How can that be possible?" Chrysaste had an abject look upon her face, eyes red and fingers twiddling with the grey suede ribbons of her dress.
"Where does this Orlinda live?" Aphrodite asked.
"What do you plan to do?" Chrysaste counter-questioned with a worried voice. "I don't..."
"I'm planning to find out what lives within the heart of this young girl. If she too might have a certain young man who she dreams of and who might give her a reason to also resent this arrangement."
"Do you think there might?" A flash of hope dawned in the eyes of the hostess. Then the sparkle went out again and she sighed. "And if it happened to be, what really would it matter?"
"More than you might know, Chrys, more than you might know!"
ooooo
"She did leave the world of the gods willingly, we ought to respect that."
"Why should we? She cannot stay down there forever."
"Why not?"
"Why not? Because she's a goddess, that's why."
"You clearly don't know what happened, right?"
"No, and I do not care"
"You have never cared."
"Correct, that's a luxury I cannot afford. Not with this situation we have now. The years in self-chosen exile for this goddess are hereby over. She has a position chosen for her and it is time she starts getting herself ready for it."
ooooo
In a matter of days Lady Orlinda running away with the salesman Dervandon became the talk of the town. Dervandon was one of those dealers who rode from town to town with his goods. A nomad, never staying more than a month in the same place. Those people were seen with suspicious eyes by most settled people, regarded as thieves and trouble makers as much as honest businessmen. Naturally there were all kinds of stories told, that Orlinda had been pregnant, that Dervandon had abducted her and would demand a ransom for the young girl. Some people claimed that they had seen Orlinda and Dervandon kissing in the shadows of the trees in far off corners of the park. Others could tell that she had bought a love potion from the old witch on the outskirt of the town, and given that to Dervandon for drinking.
But whatever the truth was, Orlinda was gone to never return, and Aphrodite's friend Chrysaste was free to marry her dear Lykandros, something Aphrodite knew would be the best for all in the longest run. These two were soul mates and even if Lykandros had been infatuated by the blue eyes of Orlinda, Chrysaste was and would forever be his other half. So when Lykandros had cried and raged over Dervandon enough including talking about trying to chase the salesman down, he too saw reason and returned to the love of his life.
"Did you have anything to do with all this?" Chrysaste asked at the night of the wedding of Lilo and Evander.
"Well, I blind dated them," Aphrodite nodded at the bridal couple who were swirling around together on the dance floor, oblivious of the rest of the world.
"No, I mean what happened to Orlinda."
"Of course not," Aphrodite lied. "These are things which just happen from time to time. Apparently Orlinda became madly infatuated with this travelling salesman. Or perhaps she was just not interested in marrying Lykandros, feeling lukewarm at best at the notion. I can also imagine her becoming excited by the adventurous life of the travelling salesmen clans and sensing a desire to follow them."
The last thing was true in fact. Orlinda was a bored kind of girl, she longed for adventures and new places and people and she knew she would never have that with a guard of the town. So when Dervandon and his people had appeared, Aphrodite had just needed to push the young lady somewhat in the right direction and Orlinda had fallen all over for Dervandon. And he for her - after all Orlinda was sweet and comely, if not outright beautiful, and she did have a winning smile hard to resist. The rest had taken care of itself, Dervandon charming the wits out of Orlinda and talked her into coming with her. Thrilled by hormones and excitement Orlinda had sneaked away with the clan in the dead of the night, leaving just a letter for her family telling them to not search for her and that she was just following her heart.
ooooo
"She's careless!"
"She's' still young."
"But do you really think she will do? After all our Lord is a picky one. He wants nothing but the best."
"She will do, I know that. Not now of course, she has still much to learn, but in the hands of the right people she will be everything the Great Lord wishes for."
"You think so?"
"Trust me. I've done this before. Plenty of times. It will all be to the best and the Great Lord will be more than pleased with our candidate. He has always loved a challenge after all."