Chapter 3

When Cassandra came to she was surrounded by concerned faces looking down at her. "Oh gee how silly of me!" she said sitting up, "I must have been working so hard at cooking that I blacked out! But I'm super now."

Satisfied with that answer the crowd cleared, mumbling about her odd behavior. Ignoring them, Cassandra picked herself up off the ground and turned back to Hercules. "Now like I was saying…" she continued slightly wobbly, eager to not let anything stop her.

"My darling are you alright?!" interrupted Icarus.

"I'm fine Icky, how nice of you to care." She replied.

"It's only right that I should worry about you my beloved. You, who are my four winds! You, who rival Aphrodite in beauty!" He proclaimed.

At the mention of Aphrodite's name Cassandra could almost see the torch light up in Hercules' head. He gave her a questioning look and mouthed, 'the curse?' Cassandra nodded fervently, the huge smile still on her face.

"Don't worry Cassandra, we'll find someway to get the curse lifted." He promised.

"Golly Hercules that would be swell!" She said. Hurry!

Hercules, Cassandra, and Icarus stood outside the temple of Aphrodite.

"Are you sure this'll work?" asked Icarus, obviously hoping that it wouldn't.

"We have to try." Replied Herc bravely. "Besides Aphrodite's my aunt, she'll have to at least listen to us."

They entered the temple and stood before the giant marble statue of the goddess of love.

"Aunt Dite? Aunt Dite?" Hercules called out to the statue. At first Cassandra had thought he'd gone crazy talking to a hunk of rock, when suddenly they heard the tinkling of bells and Aphrodite replaced the statue on the golden throne before them.

"Hercules?" Aphrodite said blinking at the small figure in front of her. "You haven't beseeched me in years!"

"Aunt Dite I need to ask you a favor."

"What's up?" asked the goddess.

"Well, you kind of put a curse on my friend Cassandra here, and we were wondering if you would lift the curse…please."

"Oh Herc! Ya' know! If I lift her curse then I'm gonna have to start lifting everyone's curses then no one will take me seriously! Just look at your uncle Hephaestus." She said with obvious disappointment.

"Aww come on Aunt Dite! She's miserable!"

"That's the point of a curse honey."

"Please!" he pleaded.

Aphrodite looked at his young face and sighed. "Oh…alright! I can't say no when you do that trembly lip thing I'm just an old softy. But not old!" she quickly added.

"Oh thank you Aunt Dite." said Hercules gratefully.

"Hey, you always were my favorite nephew." She winked.

Hercules brought Cassandra towards the goddess. "It's really super of you to do this." Cassandra said with a huge smile. Hurry my face is going to crack!

"Oh my sweet, are you sure you want to do this?" pleaded Icarus.

"Positive." Cassandra replied.

"Hold on there chickie!" said the goddess with an open palm, "It's not that easy."

"What?"

"You've got to complete a task before I give you your life back. I don't just give stuff away for free you know. Hercules may be family but you're not."

"What do I have to do?" asked Cassandra.

"My festival is tomorrow." declared Aphrodite, "If you can make something really yummy for me then consider yourself un-cursed."

"But I can't cook." said Cassandra.

"Oh. Stinks for you!" And she was gone.