We all sat down and some herald recounted the accounts of Ares's battle. Least interesting. I straightened up and looked around to see no one except Athena was listening. I saw Poseidon looking at me and he licked his lips when we made eye contact. I ignored him and looked at Apollo. He was busy over some sign language joke with Hermes.
All of a sudden, Athena got up and said, "Well done, brother. The battle was well fought and won, but I see there's room for improvement in terms of generalship. You could have avoided a lot of blood-spilling."
Ares nodded and said, "Thank you, Athena. I'd pick those things up when I train with you."
Zeus said from behind with a fowl, "Ares as the God of war there should be no loopholes in your battles, you need .."
Hera cut him off, "Oh cmon love! My son performed incredibly outstanding for his first. Don't be harsh on him. We have other things to finish today too." She patted Ares's head and he came back to his throne, the empty one beside Apollo.
I noticed a lot of things in those few moments. Ares's cold expression to his father, his sense of love only for Hera, and Hephaestus's vibes of gloominess. I closed my eyes and let it all come in me. As goddess of love, I can sense all kinds of love, parental, romantic, platonic and others at all degrees, and absence of love too, in the case of Ares and Zeus. I looked up and saw Ares diagonal to my right, bumping fists with Hephaestus and laughing with Apollo. Everyone was praising him while Zeus and Hera discussed something. My dove was playing with Athena's owl, which apparently didn't sleep in the morning due to Athena's magic. Artemis leaned to me and said, "Oh that is the dove you picked from the royal garden?"
I gasped, "Yeah! but how do you know? It told you?"
She chuckled, "No! Ares did. He saw you in the gardens in the morning. Me, Athena, Ares, Apollo and Hermes when he's not delivering, we usually hang out together. Trust me that jerk is head over heels over you" I giggled as she continued, "I would have told any other girl not to get involved but it's your department so, good luck!"
Athena joined too and whispered smiling, "Yeah, before court Ares was all like, temme who is the new golden-haired girl. She didn't look like a nymph. She is the prettiest thing I have ever seen, but we didn't tell him."
I laughed and looked up to find Ares looking at me while laughing with Apollo. I smiled and averted my gaze. I opened my senses to him and felt a wild untamed desire from him. It felt like warm honey. I let out my romantic energy towards him and I watched him gulp and breath heavily. It felt like a nice game. I was thinking of licking my lips when Zeus called out my name. The attentive silence again fell over the courtroom. I was kinda nervous if Zeus felt was I was doing.
I got up, "Greetings to His Majesty!"
"Aphrodite we are pleased to inform you that I and Hera, have decided to give you your patron city. Your temple will be soon formed there. You are responsible for overlooking the economy, trade, administration
and welfare of your citizens."
I bowed in courtesy as a nymph came with a tray, covered with a red velvet cloth over, upon which rested a scroll tied with a red ribbon. Zeus continued, "This scroll contains all former information you need for smooth functioning of your city." He looked at me and announced, "I gladly declare Aphrodite, the goddess of love, desires and beauty as the patron of the city, Corinth." He cleared his throat, "but as you're born out of waters of Cyprus, you'll also look over the people of Cyprus."
My happiness had no bounds, I'll have my temple and I can go back to Cyprus. I felt nostalgic thinking of the beautiful beach. I bowed down, "Thank you, Zeus."
Hera got up and smiled. She covered her dislike for me too well, that I must appreciate, but of course, I can sense it from her, "There is more Aphrodite. Your home is ready. You can go there after the court is dismissed. Your attendants will be present to welcome you. You live next to Hestia, near the cherry orchard."
Hestia smiled and said, "Welcome home Aphrodite. Finally, I have someone near me to taste the cakes I make"
I giggled happily. The day cannot be better. "Thank you, Hera. Thank you, Hestia."
I sat back down and my dove flew on my lap. I caressed it as Zeus went on to Ares, "Ares seeing the success of your first battle, I declare you as the patron of the city of Thrace." Ares got up and bowed down, as the nymph bought his scroll too. Zeus went on, "and as Artemis will be out with her hunt for most time of the year, you will also patron over the city of Sparta."
"Thank you, father." Ares bowed and gave a high-five in the air to Artemis and sat down.
The session continued with Athena asking for some resources for Athens, Apollo telling he needs some more instruments for the music hall as more nymphs are enrolling and Demeter telling Zeus that she will be on earth for some time as the season of harvest is on the onset. I was petting my dove, and I looked up to see Ares watching. I looked at him with a smile and cocked my head to one side rolling my hair around my fingers. Ares cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms showing off his body.
"Ahem ahem! nice show going on!" Artemis rolled her eyes beside me and I looked around to see Hephaestus and Hermes giggling, Apollo giving me that see-i-told-you-so smile and Artemis scowling, "too sugary sweet vibes Aph" she said.
Other's were busy with the discussion of Demeter going. I straightened up as Hephaestus and Apollo joked about Ares., while he blushed and tried to brush it off.
Zeus got up with Hera signalling that the court is dismissed for the day. We stood up as they walked out of the door and then we walked out too, with my dove sleeping in my arms. She was still weak from the wound. Artemis and Athena met me outside the door and said, "Do you think you're free Aphrodite? You can hang out with us if you want."
Athena objected, "she just got her city and home Arty, let her finish that off."
I smiled, "No worries guys! I'd love to join you. My attendants will see to the palace."
Artemis mocked as we walked down the hallway," she just got her home, Arty. Thena, you need to wind down a bit on duties."
Athena shrugged and we were joined by Hermes, he slung an arm over my shoulders, and wished, "Hello goddesses!" with another hand highfying Artemis and winked at Athena.
"So not much duty today?" Athena commented to Hermes as we stepped into a garden. We saw Apollo and Ares throwing pebbles at an apple tree with closed eyes. Athena picked a pebble from the ground and hit at the Apollos just when it was about to touch making it fall. They both turned as Athena removed her helmet laughing.
"Ugh I was just about to win" Apollo grunted and we sat down beneath the tree, with Apollo and Ares coming to us and sitting.
Hermes was sitting with his arm over me and I leaned on him, stretching my legs, he looked at Ares and laughed, "See who we bought here today Ares."
Others joined him while I slapped his arms playfully. Apollo handed me a small random flower and teased, "Nope Ares, Aphrodite's already mine, if you touch her, its a war"
I took the flower, rolling it around my fingers, "As if he won't already win it"
Ares winked at me and chuckled, "good one Aphrodite!"
"I'd have Athena on my side."
Athena shrugged, and Artemis said, "sisters before misters."
"yeah, we stay out of child fights." Athena said, "Aphrodite, let's keep a name for that dove. I call my owl Quinn (the wise guy)."
"Let's keep a nick for Aphrodite," Hermes said as I got up from his arms and looked at my dove.
"I already did it, we call her Aph," Artemis said in a singsong way, then she said with her usual sarcastic tone, " and dare someone object"
"Aph's good! What did you think of this birdie?" Ares looked at me. He was sitting, leaning on the tree trunk with his arms behind his head, and I knew he did it on purpose to show off his physique.
"Well, I'll call her Aiko (little love)."
"Oh that means little loved one in Japanese"
I nodded. "So what's the plan today," Apollo asked, laying on his sister's lap, who in turn was laying on Athena's lap, while she was leaning against a rock, reading a small pocketbook.
I got up to pluck a couple of cherries for Quinn and Aiko, "well, I'd go see to my home, I'll leave cities for tomorrow. Ugh too high!" I mumbled when my hand failed to reach the cherries. Ares got up and all of a sudden raised me in his arms, holding my waist. I looked down at him with blush tinting my cheeks. He winks, "not that high now?"
Apollo rolled his eyes, "oh so romantic!" I took some cherries and Ares kept me down. "Thanks for the lift!" I said as we both sat down with me beside him, as I feed the birds.
"And my girl is stolen" Hermes frowned.
"She ain't a toy, boys! Why don't we help setting Aphrodite's palace? Then we can go out in the evening, show her around Olympus?" Artemis said getting up and pushing Apollo from her.
"Sounds like a plan" I smiled, throwing a cherry to Hermes, who winked and ate it.
