Title: Petitions (2/3)

Author: Artemis Luna Diana

Email: artemislunadiana@yahoo.com

Rating: PG-13 (references to sex)

Fandom: Xena/Herc.

Pairing: Cupid/Strife Cupid/Psyche

Disclaimer: I own not a thing.

Warning: reference to character death

Summary: Strife is allowed to return to Olympus.

Status: Complete

Archive: AJCS, all others please ask.

Website: and

Notes:  Thanks to BlackUmbridge for the excellent beta.

// - designates flashback

* - designates communication through thoughts

***

She watched as her husband chased their son around the garden, their laughter echoing up to her perch in the window.  Her expression was not one of joy or of amusement.  Instead her features were tight with worry and uncertainty.  The decision she had once made, once more had the opportunity to be implemented.  Her terror had not receded with the passage of time, but her guilt had continued to increase.  She could not live the lie anymore.

Psyche, Goddess of the Mind, carefully stood as the summons came for the day's petitions.  With a muted flash, she disappeared from her home and reappeared in the main hall of Olympus.  Her husband appeared a few moments later, having dropped their son off with a babysitter. 

She watched as Eris, Goddess of Discord, approached the King and Queen of the Gods.  Her petition was finally being granted.  Strife, her son and the God of Mischief, was being returned to Olympus.  Psyche tensed as Eris formally spoke her request, afraid that Zeus, the bastard that he was, had changed his mind.  When the request was granted, her tension increased.  Her heart pounded, and she struggled to control her breathing.

By the time Hades had summoned Strife's shade and returned it to life, she was trembling.  It was all she could do to stay standing.  Eris crying over her son did not affect her.  She could see her fellow Olympians either cringing at the realization that the God of Mischief had returned or smiling that one of their own had come back.  She glanced at her husband, the God of Love.

Cupid's face was lit by a small smile, but his brow was pinched slightly in confusion.  Psyche bit her lip as her guilt and fear threatened to overwhelm her.  Slowly she stepped forward, approaching the throne.  She could sense the surprise and the confusion of her peers and struggled to conceal her fear.  She looked down where Eris huddled clutching Strife, still weak from his return.  One look into those accusing eyes and her calm returned.  This was the right thing to do.

She stared straight at her King and Queen and spoke her petition.  "I, Psyche, Goddess of the Mind, ask that you sever the bonds of marriage between myself and my husband, Cupid, God of Love."

Cries of shock and surprise echoed through the hall, her husband's among them.  "Why do you ask this?" Hera demanded.

"Because I have committed a crime against my husband," Psyche replied.  Before anyone could label her an adulteress, she continued.  "I have erased over three decades worth of memories from his mind."

The hall fell silent for a moment, before the angry voices began.  She clearly heard Aphrodite, Goddess of Love's voice among them.  "Return my son's memories at once!"

"I will only return those memories…" she spoke, and the hall fell silent again.  "…if you grant the divorce.  If you do not, I will take the memories of this event from every single one of you."

The hall remained silent, after all what kind of response could you make to such a statement?  Hera slowly stood.  "You have broken your vows to your husband, Psyche, Goddess of the Mind.  Your marriage to Cupid, God of Love, is now void.  Return his memories to him."

Psyche closed her eyes briefly, in both relief and sadness.  She turned to her former husband, his look of betrayal agony for her.  Her eyes flashed with power, and Cupid staggered as she removed the blocks on his memory.  Aphrodite rushed to her son, trying to steady him.  They both fell to the ground.  The silence of the hall continued, anxiously watching Cupid.  Psyche's trembling returned.

"Why?" his voice heavy with suppressed tears.  "Why did you take them from me?"

Psyche struggled not to cry, and she heard Hera step forward.  "The rest should be continued in private."

"No!" Psyche snapped.  "I'd rather do this here, then to have you all gossiping behind our backs!"  Her eyes focused on her ex-husband.  "I was pregnant and terrified.  There is no other reason.  I discovered them while you were helping me learn to use my godhood.  As the affects of the arrow began to wear off and my fear increased, I decided to hide them from you."

She paused to draw a ragged breath.  "A few months after Bliss was born, I decided to tell you and remove the blocks, but then…" she hesitated then quickly decided "it" was not hers to reveal.  "…'it' happened.  I figured that it was best to leave things as they were.  But now 'it' doesn't matter anymore, and I can't stand the thought that I am the reason why you aren't happy.  You weren't happy being married to me, and I knew that, even if you didn't.  I do love you, Cupid, but you don't love me, and you never will."

"You took away the memories of a lover!" Ares snarled.

"Considering she took away over thirty years worth, I'd say it was more than just a lover," Aphrodite snapped, glaring at her ex-daughter-in-law.

"Well, who was it?" Apollo asked impatiently.

"That is not my place to say," Psyche said calmly.  She saw the careful looks that Cupid and Strife gave each other as they realized she was leaving the rest up to them. 

***

TBC…