I rolled in my sleep, avoiding the sunlight that fell on my eyes. I heard a knock outside my balcony. I slightly opened my eyes to see a figure behind the curtains. I sat up in my bed, ran my fingers through my hair and pulled up the sheets until my chest and waved my hands in the air, pulling the curtains with magic. The bright light hid me in my face, and I blinked a couple of times to see a fair, radiant man in a golden glowing chariot outside my windows. He wore a purple cloth wrapped around his arms and chest. He wore a crown with spikes glowing yellow.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice rough from sleep.
"Greetings Aphrodite! I am the sun god Helios. I apologize for not being able to attend your welcome last night, being sun I can't come out at night. So, I decided to pay a visit."
I stood up roughly covering myself with sheets and walked up to my balcony and smiled, "Greeting Helios! No wonder the day starts so dazzling, feels like my room was made of light." I said struggling to hold the sheets together; cons of sleeping naked.
Helios laughed at me and said, "you don't need to hide, Aphrodite. Nothing that I haven't seen" he chuckled at my confused expression, "I can see anything that is touched by my light, and you were sleeping when sunlight entered."
"nosy abilities" I giggled, "Would you like to stop by for some breakfast?"
"Nope, can't delay with rising of the Sun." He laughed, "or the world would sleep again." I laughed along.
"Anyway goddess, you are more beautiful than what people told. Thanks for making my day." He added
"Thanks for a bright start. See ya!" He blew me a kiss that burst into more light, making me shield my face and was far gone when I opened my eyes.
I went back into my room, closed the curtains and came to face a Grace. "Good morning, Aglaea," I said rubbing my eyes.
"I'm Thalia, goddess, and don't rub your eyes like that, it gives wrinkles."
I opened my eyes and looked at her properly, "Oh yeah, Thalia, I was kinda jazzed by all the sunshine."
She smiled and took the sheets from me folding them, "Your bath is already ready goddess. My sisters are waiting on you. You have plenty of time before the court starts, in case you wanna do something"
I took my white robe from the bedside and walked out of the room wearing it, "Thank you, Thalia. I would just take a walk to open up those muscles"
I walked down the hallway in the garden. It was beautiful, busy birds, small animals and nymphs, who bowed their head whenever they saw me. I walked across the Garden when I heard a gentle coo of bird. It sounded sad and helpless. I looked behind the bush and saw a white bird. It had pink beaks and claws. Her eyes were half-closed and she was cooing with pain. My heart clenched with sorrow, so I picked it up and saw blood staining the other side of its body. I held her close to my chest, and whispered, "hold on for a little more, little one. I will heal you." I ran over and saw the fountain. I held the bird in my arm and with another hand in dipped it in water. I swirled it and it sparkled with my magic and run my wet fingers over its wound. The cut began filling up gradually and within a few seconds, it was healed completely. I held it close to my bosom and cradled it. I closed my eyes feeling its softness rubbing against my skin, all of a sudden I felt someone watching me, so I turned around to see and saw Aglaea.
She walked up to me and said, "Goddess, we need to get you ready. If we lose more time, you'd be late." She looked at the dove in my arms and smiled as it cooed. I walked with her telling her all about the dove and how I healed it. I went to my room and freed the bird from my window and went into my bath. I closed my eyes as Aglaea washed my hair, and again heard the chirp of the dove. I looked down and saw it hopping near my bathtub.
"Seems like it took a liking to you goddess," Aglaea said, smiling. I leaned out of my tub and gently tapped its head. "I'm glad it did." I looked at it lovingly, "because I guess I like you too little one." It chirped happily flying above my head.
The dove was with me the whole time I got ready. Well, no complaints, it is as quiet as it can be, and it's just adorable. The Graces dressed me in a long, white backless gown with a corset of thin straps. I put on my rose crown given yesterday because, it was apparently, a part of my royal outfit. I wanted to wear the tiara given by the Fates but I set it a showcase. I wore white heeled sandals and the Graces sprayed me with perfume. I hardly needed any makeup so I put on some lip colour and went off, with the dove following behind.
"Well, thanks for the company little one" I pecked her beak.
I arrived before at the court early with only Athena sitting already. I noticed there was one more throne added in the court making it a total of 10 seats, excluding the king and queen of course. Athena patted the one beside her and said, "Good morning aphrodite, come and sit here. It's your place. I just finished planning out the court arrangements." I walked up when Athena's owl screeched loudly and flew to my dove, they both flapped their wings and circled each other playfully. "Seems like someone got a nice friend," I said sitting down.
I chatted with Athena about her royal outfit was the helmet and how she met her owl when Demeter entered and greeted us. We greeted back as two guards led her to her seat at the first in the opposite row. All the gods entered and sat according to Athena's arrangement. My row went like Hestia at first, followed by Athena, me, Artemis and Hermes. The opposite row began with Demeter, then Poseidon, Hephaestus, an empty seat and Apollo. At last, we stood up as Zeus and Hera entered hand in hand. I sighed looking at them like they were lovey teens. They took their seats and the court session began.
Hera announced, getting up from her seat, "Behold courtiers of Olympus, my son and God of war and courage, Ares, who successfully lead his troops in his first battle and won bring laurels to our name."
I took in a deep breath, seeing the man that entered along with victory music. He was tall and muscular with golden-brown skin. A golden helmet covered most of his face leaving just eyes and his lips. He had a broad masculine shoulder and the rest of his body was covered in golden armor. His hands were strong and long, and veins showed up as he held on to his spear. He wore knee and calf pads on his long strong legs. Oh, how I wish to remove all of them off him. I wondered what his face would look like beneath that helmet. He walked with a puffed chest and a confident stride that commanded valor and power. My eyes followed him across the room as he walked to the throne of Zeus and Hera. He took off his helmet and ran a hand through his rough brown hair. He was beautiful, like the addicting kind of beautiful. I couldn't see his face clearly from my seat but he had a sharp chiseled jaw. His brown, messed hair was short and thick. He had no facial hair. He bowed down to his parents and hugged them. I let out a breath I don't know I was holding since when.
