The Cursed Sons of Dionysus

Queen Astarte and the God of Eros

"Shall we go for a walk around the gardens?" Ariadne had asked. "Namjoon looks after it so well it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

You smiled tearfully at the goddess who you perceived to be your guardian angel. Taking your hands she guided you to the garden. You always liked flowers anyway. Even if you hated to admit it you it, you liked Namjoon's and recently Taehyung's habit of arranging the flowers that sprung around you. Long after they had left you, you would enjoy looking at the ornate arrangements, fingering the soft and delicate petals gently. Plus, you needed the fresh air. It was always nice to be outside.

"What's the matter, your highness?" 

That was a good question you thought grimly wishing you had the words to explain your fears of the unknown. Everyone was relying on you but you weren't sure of yourself. You had promised everyone's safety and the pressure was crushing you. They had put their trust in you and you couldn't even bear the idea of disappointing them. You wished you were Ariadne...she always seemed so unbothered by the woes that lingered, she seemed devoid of fear and worry. She caught your eyes, the rippling green that was her's entranced you and held you close. You felt like a fishing boat out in the Strom not disturbed by the imminent disaster but rather at peace with your fate. She tucked her dark waves behind her ears, smiling reassuringly.

"Do you know of the goddess Astarte?" You asked not looking at her anymore but rather looking into the sky searching for the answer to your own question. Without looking you felt a smile split the Enchantress's face. Had you been looking at her you would have also seen the relief dance in her eyes, you're finally remembering properly. You weren't fighting it anymore. For that she was grateful, you had no idea how long she had waited for you to mention that name...

"Yes." She answered barely hiding her excitement.

"Good." You said simply before adding. "You're looking at her."

You both allowed a pause as birds chirped out of sight perhaps also delighted by the news. You felt relieved to be able to tell someone this. You weren't really sure how to drop the bomb on the others. How would you tell Jin, assuming he didn't know? Astra? Astarte? It was staring you in the face the whole time.

"I am the Goddess Astarte, goddess of Peace and War. The Mother of Love, the bringer of the Harvest and the guardian of life and this universe. I rule the four winds and their element. I am the ruling queen of the heavens."

The declaration felt strange on your tongue, but also so exciting like you've found something you had been looking for for a while. You were still uncertain and scared. Scenes of death still plagued your mind but you knew you had this.

Ariadne was rejoicing, but it felt flat and short-lived because the path you would walk even after knowing who you were the journey ahead would destroy you first. This was all too big, the issue of love seemed so petty.

"Have you ever been in love Ariadne?"

Ariadne smiled. Of course, she had. In her stupid youth, she had fallen in love with a young hero favoured by the gods. She remembered her first heartbreak so vividly, the creeping of dawn, and the bitter realisation that although she had loved, she was not loved. For a split second, you swore you saw rage flash in her eyes. Her second and final love was very worth the devastating heartbreak and humiliation. Her lips rose into a dreamy smile as she thought of her husband. 

"I am in love with Dionysus." She told you "there's no one I would ever look at in the same way as him."

You dreamed of the relationship Ariadne had with Dionysus, the relationship you had with Jin was tumultuous, to say the least. You loved him desperately but apparently, he wasn't the first person that you felt that way about. Sensing your insecurities Ariadne cupped your face, placing her forehead on yours in a comforting gesture.