I rolled in my sleep and felt a gentle touch on my cheeks, "You've been sleeping too late, dear Aphrodite." I woke up surprised and looked around to see Hephaestus. I sighed and smiled, "Well I forgot I was married last night."
"Do you want me to get you breakfast?" Hephaestus lovingly gazed at me.
I felt bad for everything he has to go through. "No, that won't be necessary, Heph." I smiled and noticed him all dressed up."Zeus again called in the court?" I asked looking puzzled.
Hephaestus let out a laugh, "No no! I'm going off to work. Artemis needs new arrows by next season and it's a lot."
"Alright!" I walked out of bed to the bathroom and blew him a kiss.
Since I was a goddess, I didn't have the normal house chores. I met the staff and guided them about washing the clothes and for meal tonight which Hera had already planned. I was bored in the palace alone so I went to my carriage. It was driven by doves with my Aiko in the lead. I patted them all and kissed Akio.
"To Cythera, doves" I commanded as they took off and landed in my temple.
I got off and saw the nymphs, collecting the day's offer of roses and fruits. There were finest silk and jewels. I walked across the hallway to my statue and the nymphs bowed to me. I nodded and sat on the throne in front of my idol."How has Cythera been? Do people need anything?"
The nymphs stood ahead of me. "Cythera's going on smoothly goddess. The trade is fledging and thriving. Only, we need rain to water our fields, the wells are not dried yet but rain would help."
I nodded "and what about the devotees?"
"Most of them were usual ones, eager for their partner. A woman came through, her husband had left her because she got fat and sick after childbirth and he is currently bringing a woman in his home, rubbing in his wife's face. And a merchant gave you these silks and jewels, he likes some rich lady and hopes she falls in love with him as well."
I dismissed them and closed my eyes, watching the woman merchants desire. Indeed she was smart and pretty. I moved my hands and an unnoticeable pink light glowed in the woman's heart only to disappear quickly. Now she would need a piece of new fabric and she would go to that merchant. He would be helping an old man and she would be impressed. This one was simple. Now that shrewd crap of a man. I told a nymph to bring the woman here in front of me.
"I pray to you, gorgeous lady of Cythera and the everlasting epitome of beauty and love. Help me, the man whose son I bore loathes me for what is not in my hands. He replaced me with an evil woman dressed in the beauty of angels. I ask for justice." The woman cried kneeling at my feet. I signaled her to get up. I hold her hand and a mist of light and fragrance covered her. Her hairs got smoother and longer and her waist formed a seductive shape with clear and healthy skin.
"Go back and be happy with your life. Love yourself and love others." I said to her and closed my eyes making the other woman kiss some man in front of this asshole for a husband. Let him realize how it feels to cheat.
Next, I walked to the fields and smiled as the farmers bowed to me. I looked up at the sky and said, "I, Goddess Aphrodite, request the Almighty king of gods and god of the thunder, rain and skies, Zeus to shower his blissful rain upon my lands and help my people."
Gray clouds rolled in the sky and drops of rain fell on me. The farmer assembled around me and cheered, "Hail lady of Cythera! Behold the alluring Aphrodite!" I smiled and went back to my temples. I had nothing to do for the rest of the day so I went back to the Palace. I went to the Royal music hall. There was no one here. The hall had stairs upon which sculptures of muses supported the ceiling. The whole hall was in a baby blue shade with jasmine vines hanging from the ceilings. There were several instruments made of gold and studded with jewels. I took my seat beside the harp and strummed a few strings. The melody was enchanting. My heart filled with ecstasy and I sang a few words. Akio happily flew and chirped in a tune along with me so I sang more...
"So honey now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are..."
(the song is thinking out loud by Ed Sheeran I don't own it.)
I and Aiko finished together and we saw the flowers raining light and fragrance all over the hall. I heard the sound of the claps and turned my head, "Hey Ares!" He was wearing equestrian boots and a uniform. He took off his black helmet and ran his hands through his hair.
"Hey, Aphrodite." He walked towards the seat in front of me. "It's been long since I heard someone in this hall, when I was a child, mother used to come here. She played that piano."
"Hera sang?" I asked. Imagining the short-tempered strict Hera in such a free and sweet nature seemed kinda out of place.
"Haha! She wasn't always this touchy. Anyway, I didn't have an idea you knew music." Ares chuckled.
"Well I didn't know too, certainly not the instruments, but music is seductive so .. maybe I got good vocals," I suggested.
"Seductive, huh?" Ares smirked looking down at my dress. It was a sweet short white dress with my golden girdle holding around the waist.
Suddenly Aiko chirped loudly and flew to my lap. "What happened little one, you look scared?"
"Woof woof!" We heard a sweet bark and saw a small black wolf pup.
"Oh, Fang!" Ares picked it up and patted it. "This is one of the pups I was training for my army. I named it Fang. We were training with birds so he must have attacked Aiko."
"You train pups?" I asked looking at him, moving my hand to touch the pup but he snarled.
"Fang! Aphrodite's my girlfriend. You're not biting her." He giggled and I rolled my eyes."Nope! I don't train them, my soldiers do. But while I was riding I saw this one. He was so fast and quick in the race and so accurate at attacking, even tho he's a pup. So I was petting him and he took a liking, so now he must have followed me here."
"He's so cute! Good thing he came here." I patted him and he ran around my feet, rubbing and playing.
"Hey don't make my hounds one of your love messengers. They meant to be strong and dangerous, now he'll go all soft and cosy" Ares scolded the pup.
"It doesn't matter Mr. war god, you can have other pups. Don't sadden my baby."
"Wanna take a look at the lot?"
I agreed and Ares held my hand taking me through the palace corridors. "How do you even remember the way around here?" I asked holding on to his arm while we walked to his training area.
"Let's just say being born a prince has its an advantage." He shrugged.
