₪ 001: Beginnings – Eros ₪

"Eros!"

He rolled his eyes exasperatedly, jerking out of his reverie, "Yes mother?"

"I want her to fall in love with a hideous monster! How dare they claim she is fairer than I!" She stared furiously down at the mortals below the clouds with blazing crystal eyes.

"Oh honestly mother, not that old trick again. Can't you be the least bit creative?" His brother, Anteros, said, "Like turning her into a spider or something."

"No, no, Athena already did that." Aphrodite ran a slender hand through her lustrous blonde tresses, "Perhaps… no. I want her with a monster. Whether she loves it or not, she will be with it."

Eros sighed and said, "Alright mother. We'll take care of it, don't worry." Aphrodite's face brightened considerably.

"Thank you darlings," she said, "I owe you for this one." She kissed them each on the cheek and floated away.

Anteros sighed. "I have a plan," he said shortly.

Eros raised an eyebrow.

"We send all her suitors away, her parents will go to the oracle and the oracle will tell them—"

"That she will marry no man!" Eros interjects, "She will be married to a horrible… erm…"

"Serpent?" Anteros supplied.

"Yes! Serpent. We don't actually have to find a serpent do we?"

"Oh, we can probably just hide her on an island or something. Give her to Artemis."

Eros laughed, "Perfect. Quite a pair we make, brother of mine."

"We do indeed!" Anteros laughed.

-

₪ 033: Too Much – Psyche ₪

Psyche rolled her eyes.

She was currently being forced to lounge (even though she was all but relaxed) attractively on a velvety sofa and accept gifts from her irritating admirers.

"Beautiful Psyche!" one cried, "May I bestow upon you a gift?"

"Lovely Goddess!" another proclaimed her, "May I, perhaps, sing you a song?"

She longed to turn them away, to bask in the peacefulness and quiet of her own rooms. Oh, to be alone!

But alas, she could not. She had to stay and attend to the hordes of people who came to see her, plastering a fake smile (that was really more of a grimace) to her sore face.

Why was it, she often wondered, that so many admired her? She was not beautiful. Her eyes were but a dullish brown, her hair irritatingly wavy and difficult to curl. Why must they bother her so?

She was fearful too. Just recently, her admirers had begun commenting that she was more beautiful than the Goddess Aphrodite. Psyche was almost certain that the Goddess would be livid with rage and was fearful for her own well being. She began leaving extravagant offerings at Aphrodite's temple each night, since the day she had heard the ridiculous notion.

Along with her many admirers, she also had many suitors asking for her hand. Her parents were stalling in choosing one because they weren't sure which one would bring the most wealth. She was glad of it.

She wanted to marry someone she actually liked, not just the suitor with the most wealth! She knew it was cliché, and it would probably never happen, but she wanted a love story and an adventure. She wanted love.

She turned her back on the crowd for just a moment and swiped at the lone tear that trailed down her face.

It's just too much.