A Wayward Arrow

Chapter Ten: The Temple of Demeter

The next morning, Psyche wasted no time getting ready to leave. Throwing on her traveling gown and cloaks and said her goodbyes to her mother and father. She knew where she needed to go and she would see her sisters along the way to tell them of what had happened. Because it was their fault she had betrayed them. The Temple of Demeter was in the Kingdom Priscilla stayed in and Maricela was just on the way, so it was almost perfect.

Psyche took no assistance from her parents beyond some provisions for the walk. She knew the pilgrimage wasn't a long one. About a day's walk to her sister Maricela's and then she would stay the night there before continuing on her way for another day's walk to Priscilla's. If everything went right, then within two days' time she would hopefully be speaking to the goddess Demeter and would be seeing her husband in no time and getting all of this sorted out.

As she walked she tried to think of what she would say to the goddess. What she would say to Eros when she finally spoke to him. How she would apologize for all her transgressions and do whatever he wanted as long as it meant that everything would go back to the way it was before. He had said she could not look upon his face, but she had and she seemed fine, so she knew he had lied to her and yet she was willing to let his lie fall aside if he was willing to forgive her betrayal.

By the time day was turning to night she had made it to see Maricela, who was just as surprised to see her as her parents had been. No one had suspected to ever see Psyche again once she had been taken by Eros but now she was making her rounds and as Maricela welcomed her into her Kingdom, she'd look over her to see only the healing wound of the arrow tip on her arm and the questioning look started to come across her features.

"What happened, Dear sister? Did you see your husband? Did he attack you?"

"I want to tell you, Maricela, but I fear if I do I will mess things up even more."

"What do you mean? Surely you can tell your sister what happened."

"I betrayed him because of my dear sisters. That is all you need to know. I must go to the temple of Demeter and, hopefully, I can get him back."

"You'll blame me but you won't tell me what happened. Please let me go with you at least. You shouldn't be traveling by yourself in your condition."

Psyche had tried to tell her sister no, but the woman wouldn't take the answer, so the next morning Psyche would be accompanied by her sister. They'd make the journey with as much haste as possible and arrived before sundown. Priscilla would welcome her two sisters with both puzzlement but happiness and brought them into her home and towards the dining hall as supper was being brought out for them to feast on for the guests of Priscilla had arrived in the kingdom. As she questioned why her sisters had come to visit, the round of answers that Psyche gave had left them with even more questions.

"Demeter? Why must you go to the temple?" Priscilla asked with a hand on her hip as her sisters settled down at the table.

"I need her to help me find my husband. I betrayed him because of what you two talked me into doing. I looked upon his face and in the process I hurt him. I attacked him and he left me alone in the palace. I haven't seen or heard from him since that night."

"Oh, then, dear sister, you saw him. Tell us who he was." Priscilla was sitting down now, leaning forward with baited breath.

"She won't tell. I already tried last night." Maricela chimed in, grabbing a goblet of wine.

"I'm afraid if I tell then I will ruin everything all over again. If you two hadn't poisoned my mind into thinking I had such a right, then I would still have my husband right now. I would be in the enchanted palace right now and he would be holding me. I wouldn't be sitting here, pregnant and alone."