This is a short story, of only one chapter. I will not add to it, nor delete it.
Aphrodite sat on her thrown on Olympus, thinking of all the words she heard about herself.
Was she a slut? A whore? No.
Despite her appearance, Aphrodite was one of the smartest people on the council, even smarter than Athena in some ways. She knew people. She knew their feelings, what they fought for, what they longed for. This was the nature of the goddess. She herself longed for true love, something she had never felt. Sure, she truly loved some people in here family, but not as lovers.
The Goddess of Love was lonely.
Lonelier than she questioned herself about. Long ago, she had gave love to Paris triggering the start of the Trojan War. Love was a tool, a powerful tool. In some cases, it was evil, others beautiful. It was a matter of who shared it.
And so, Aphrodite sat on her thrown deep in thought when Apollo, of all people, noticed how she was...
"Excuse me for interrupting, but Aphrodite are you okay?" He asked.
"I... I was just thinking..." She cautiously replied. Apollo, yes the playboy of Olympus, was good friends with Aphrodite.
Zeus bellowed out in his glory, "Then what were we just talking about?! Can you repeat anything that was said today on the meeting?"
Aphrodite's face fell. She was always the odd one out. She was truly a titan, born of Oceanus. And she was always treated as such. She was tempted to reply like nothing bothered her, that she was indeed listening to the "mighty king of the gods" babble on about some Harpy attack at Camp Half-Blood. She grew angry. She became spiteful and merciless. She was enraged.
With a fire burning in her eyes she stood up, finally letting out the stream of emotions she felt ever since she came form the sea. She roared, a roar so frightful that even the unemotional started to whimper in fear.
Zeus quickly gazed worriedly at the oldest of the Olympians, wondering how a goddess of love was so powerful.
She caused the god and goddess of war to become scared.
No one did that. No one. Except for Aphrodite.
"You know I really sometimes question the existence of everything if love is not genuine.
I, the goddess of love, feel lonely. That's right, you heard me say it.
I am depressed, lonely, and scared. Scared because of what others will think of me.
Depressed because of how I want to picture myself will never happen.
And lonely above all else, because I am the oldest on this council. I am a Titan of Love, born of Oceanus.
I'm not an Olympian. I never was nor shall. And yet, despite all of that, I am still stuck up on this temple squabbling about how a "Harpy attack" matters...
In truth I've thought about leaving the council several times, due to the fact I am treated unequally to others.
I don't get respect. I don't have many followers. I don't matter to some sitting next to me..."
"Aphrodite..." Zeus said calmly
"You know what... Forget I said anything, I'm leaving."
At this all the gods stared wide eyed at Aphrodite. For she never once did this. Ever.
Lady Aphrodite was not one you wanted to be on bad terms with. She could make you lose your heart, your soul, and sometimes your mind.
She had power over everything loved and loving, meaning a very huge portion of things.
You love art, she'd make you blind.
You love music, she'd make you deaf.
You love apples, she'd make it so you could not see or eat them ever again.
Love is a strange yet necessary item in the world of the gods. It was stronger than any chain or metal made, and at the same time can be shaped like clay. Without it, the world would fall to nothingness. There would be no reason for anything. She was in truth the most powerful being, only seconded to the primordial gods. And yet, she was an Olympian. Probably the most frowned upon.
Do you deserve to be frowned upon because of your heritage, your history, and your façade? Do you believe in true love? Or is it just a myth? Why does love exist?
Those answers cannot be answered, as love is just... there.
It's impossible to think Love is not powerful, as some of the most powerful weapons were made in spite of it. Americans created atom bombs because they loved their country, and needed to protect it. The Trojan war was that of a love story of Helen of Troy and Paris the prince.
And yet, it caused pain and suffering, the exact opposite of love. Hatred boiled, and bubbled, always follows the smooth lightweight helium that humans feel when they are in love. It burns, it hurts, and most of all, it changes.
It churns and churns of many different emotions such as envy, jealousy, and pain.
Hate and Love.
Love and Hate.
Good and Bad
But which is which?
It's this very thing that pains people beyond belief.
Yin and Yang. Twins spiraling throughout the universe, causing equal hate and love for all.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So why can't love?
Aphrodite sat in her favorite temple, thinking about this...
And she thought until she got an answer she never expected.
Love and Hate NEED each other. Without one, the universe would stay the same. Without both, there would be no universe.
And with that, she smiled. She laughed and giggled for she had figured it out.
And somewhere in the palace, a shadow of a woman smiled too...
For she was glad it was finally figured out...