The Heart of Love

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Two Thousand Years Ago

Olympus, Greece

Psyche

The sun peeks through the window of the bedroom. It has been two days since he left and my eyes are swollen from all the tears I've shed. Sleep was non existent and I hardly ate. I just kept waiting for him to come home. Even the winds have not returned to see me. This time... I pushed him too far. What do I do now? I need... I need to see him. To explain myself. If he wishes to never see me again, then I will respect it.

Now that I have decided to find him, I have to figure out how. If the winds had come back, I could have asked them. I don't even know where I am in relation to the cities. Getting out of bed, I gather my things before heading to the kitchen. I spent yesterday in the library, brushing up my knowledge of the gods. Perhaps if I go to their temples, pray to them, they would help me speak to Eros.

After gathering my food in the kitchen, I head out from the palace. It takes another few days before I arrive in Athens. My plan was simple. I would first visit the temple of Demeter then work my way down the list. One of them would answer me... right?

Wrong... I was wrong. None of them answered my prayer and now I sit on the stairs outside Athena's temple. The pain in my heart is now numb and I can hardly form a thought. People walk around me as they rush in and out of the temple. A dove lands by my feet, looking up at me. I bury my face into my hands as the thought occurs to me. I was going to have to face her. His mother. The goddess who I assume wants me dead.

Standing up off the steps of Athena's temple, I head down the street to the temple of Aphrodite. I know this is the biggest risk I will ever take but he was worth it. The walk to the temple takes a few hours since it is located just outside the city in Corinth.

Arriving at the temple, I let out a shaky breath. The size of it was intimidating. People from all over Greece came here and wished for Aphrodite to bless them with beauty and love. I guess I was doing the latter. Wishing to speak to the love of my life.

Entering, I look around. Vines twisted around the pillar, beautiful red roses adding colour to the place. Myrtles and conch shells were placed on the altars in the temple. It was quite magnificent. I chew my bottom lip as I step up to the large statue of Aphrodite. Her beauty shines through it. I slowly lower to my knees, tears already stinging my eyes.

"Goddess Aphrodite. If you can hear me. Please help me find your son, Eros. I... I need to apologize. I-" My voice dies as I choke back a sob. I love him.

"So, you're the whore who's broken my son." I hear a voice snarl above me. Looking up, I realize I'm face to face with the goddess. Her statues do not do her justice. Aphrodite is beyond gorgeous and I can't help but stare at her. Her golden hair is curled into ringlets and her eyes. They are blue, just like his.

"Yes." I mumble.

She looks down at me in disgust. Aphrodite grips a chuck of my hair, pulling me up to face her. "I held him when he cried, you know that? How dare you come here."

I wince as her grip tightens on me. A tear rolls down my face. "I want to explain myself to him, please."

She tosses me down and I fall onto my knees hard. "Why should I? You don't deserve him."

Her words sting my heart. "You are right. I do not deserve him. I just want to apologize."

The goddess snarls. "Apologize? For how you broke him? He's never loved someone. And he made the mistake of loving a stupid, worthless slut who spread her legs for him without a thought."

My body slumps over, numbness seeping into my bones. "Please. I will not bother him again. I just want to apologize."

Aphrodite sneers, "Oh apologize? I'll let you apologize to him, provided you complete some takes for me. But if you fail... you forfeit your life to me."

"Deal." I say, no hesitation in my mind. I will do anything to see him again.

She growls and flicks her hand. Servants start walking in from behind the statue, dumping massive sacks of grain in front of me. I look up at her confused.

"You have till the morning to separate all of these." She hisses, turning away from me. The goddess stops at the door. "You'll need the help of Tyche to succeed."

She exits the temple and I look down at the sacks of grain. My hopes of completing her task is diminishing. I get to work quickly, opening the first sack. Thousands of pieces of grain spill from the bag and onto the marble floor. They all look so similar. How was I going to tell them apart?

Quickly, I start to separate the grain into different piles. My heart races as the sun slowly dips under the horizon. It takes two hours for me to separate the first sack and nine more to go. I collapse to my knees, breathing heavily. My eyes begin to sting with the impending tears. I was never going to see him again.

Suddenly, there is a rustle of winds that blow through the temple and a familiar weight settles on my shoulders.

"We are here to help, my lady."

I turn around, seeing nothing but small vortexes of wind and leaves. "E-Eurus?"

One of the wind's swirls towards me, lowering to the ground. I watch as the grain floats to their correct piles. "We are all here."

A few more tears roll down my face, "B-but I hurt him. Don't you hate me?"

The other winds begin to help with the grain and I feel one of them cup their hands on my cheeks, lifting my chin. Zephyrus's form flickers through and a smile tugs at my lips.

"You know who he is now, yes?" He asks.

I nod, blinking away the tears. "I do."

"Never had the god of love been in love himself, but it took only a moment to know that you changed him. That kind of love does not go away no matter the crime." Zephyrus wraps his arms around me into a tight hug. "Now let's get you to him, yes?"

Smiling brightly, I nod. A small flicker of hope dances in my soul. "Yes, let's do that."

The rest of the night is spent in silence as the five of us organize the grain. Sweat drips down my back and I wipe my brow. We finished it with just enough time to spare. I release the breath I am holding. I am going to see him. I am going to be able to apologize. Standing from the floor, I look at the winds.

"We must go, my lady, before the goddess returns," Eurus informs.

"But should you need us-" Notus starts.

"-We will be here," Boreas finishes.

"In a moment," Zephyrus adds.

I nod, blowing each of them a kiss. "Thank you boys. I will find a way to repay you."

They hum before flying out from the temple. Aphrodite comes walking into the temple seconds later and I smile brightly. The goddess' face morphs from a smirk to shock. Her face turns molten red and her breathing is loud.

"I have completed the task, Goddess Aphrodite."

She storms towards me, kicking the grain as she does. "You had help! Didn't you!"

I gulp, looking up at the beautiful goddess. I disliked lying but if I want to see him again, then I must. "I did not."

Aphrodite snarls, coming closer to me. "You may have succeeded with this task but I doubt you will for the next. You will go retrieve me the golden fleece from the sheep beside the river. You have till morning"

She shoves a pair of shears into my hands and storms off. I look down at the item, letting out a shaky breath.

"I can do this. I can do this." I mumble, walking down to the river.