Love's An Invisible Monster
...
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
-A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
...
Prologue
When young sixteen-year-old Hercules went to the ancient temple of Zeus to pray, he didn't mean to offend the gods.
Unfortunately he did.
Kneeling before the ancient statue of Zeus, the boy beseeched the king of the gods. "Oh mighty Zeus, send me a maiden kinder than Hera, more beautiful than Aphrodite, and braver than Athena." He said each of the goddesses' names (Hera, queen of the gods; Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty; and Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle).
The giant statue of Zeus woke with a thunderbolt. "I'm afraid, son, you have offended the gods," the statue spoke. "Most know not to ask for love as it is the most dangerous force. As punishment I must curse you. You will now have a job given by the gods. I will give you wings to fly, and a bow and arrows that make anyone touched by them fall in love with the first person they see. But I will also turn you invisible by the daylight hours until a maiden can fall in love with you by the dark hours or without seeing you at all... To prove that one may fall in love with someone without even knowing what they look like. They say love is blind, after all."
Young Hercules shook in fear. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't what he had asked for at all. His wish had somehow only made things worse for him.
In a sunbeam of light a pair of white bird-like wings appeared on his back, and a bow and quiver of arrows appeared in his outstretched hands. Gifts from the gods. But with a cold rush he suddenly felt himself turn invisible. He looked at his own hands, the light streaming through them. His shadow had disappeared from the temple floor. But at least now he was free to do as he wished, it seemed.
The statue continued speaking, "You will be given the task of shooting invisible arrows at anyone you please which do not harm them but make them fall instantly in love with the first person they see."
A job given by the gods.
"I will do my best to please you, Father," the boy said, bowing his head.
"When you have finally pleased the gods. . . " the statue of Zeus said, sitting back in his throne and going still again with a thunderbolt and the parting words, "then you will be set free."
Herc balled his fists around his bow and arrows and kicked the air, cursing his luck. What was the point of anything now that he was cursed to be invisible? But at least he was free in a way, to fly with wings and do whatever he pleased. He strapped the bow and quiver of arrows over his shoulder, then spread his wings and flew away to cause mischief with his invisible arrows. His chore given to him for offending the gods.