Psyche

Chapter 31

Psyche eventually took Brownie out of her bag and placed the little dog and her feet. Brownie trotted along happily and, despite her sorrow, Psyche was glad for the freedom and glad for the fresh air and blue sky.

She had walked over two hours when the shimmering pink marble Temple of Aphrodite appeared on the horizon. No matter what Psyche thought of the Goddess herself, she couldn't deny that Aphrodite's acolytes had fine taste in temples.

Before entering, she stopped to snack on the remainder of food left in her bag and drink from a fresh brook, and letting Brownie eat and drink before putting the tired little dog in her basket.

Psyche slowly climbed the steps, and she walked through the golden doors. Unlike the Temple of Demeter, this temple appeared pristine and well-cared-for, though there was no sign of any priests or priestesses.

Psyche's feet echoed as she approached the golden statue of the goddess at the altar. Psyche prostrated herself, as she had done to Demeter.

"Aphrodite, blessed goddess," she said, her melodious voice ringing through the temple, "I come to ask for your forgiveness and your help. I have harmed your son, whom I love beyond my ability to express. I seek to atone for my betrayal."

Almost instantly, a strange voice, both sinister and feminine, echoed through the temple.

"Oh, most undutiful and faithless of servants, most unworthy daughter, have you at long last remembered that you owe all that you are to me, your mistress? Or, have you come to see your devastated and sick husband, who still convalesces in my palace, attempting to heal from the wounds you inflicted on his body and heart?"

Psyche did not move or look up.

"I seek to atone. I seek forgiveness," she replied.

"Really? I don't know how you think you deserve such a chance? But then again, I cannot think of why you won my son's heart to begin with, so uninteresting are your gifts."

Psyche inhaled, and she knew better than to even sneak a peek at the goddess. Her eyes would likely burn out of her skull. 

"I seek to atone," she said, "I seek forgiveness."

Aphrodite laughed a vicious laugh, which echoed all around Psyche.

"I saw you impressed Demeter with your housekeeping at her Temple. It must be your diligence and industry that has won my son's affections - as I so no other reasons."

At that moment, Psyche was grateful to be prostrate. Her face, had Aphrodite been able to see it, would have indicated both skepticism and annoyance. Psyche had never been in denial of her beauty and intelligence, and she firmly believed false modesty to be disingenuous. She knew well her gifts, and she also knew she had earned Erik's love. One mistake, for which she needed to atone, did not obliterate this truth.

"All right, Psyche. Since you wish to have your happy home restored. I will test your homemaking abilities. Get up and look around."

Psyche obeyed and gasped at the scene around her. The once pristine and empty temple was littered with grains, barley, corn, and gourds, much as Demeter's temple had been. Only, the amounts were far, far greater. Greater to the point of it being physically impossible for Psyche to do the same task.

Along the ground at the edge of the statue's golden feet were nearly a dozen baskets.

"Separate and organize all the food into the baskets by sundown tomorrow."