The Love of Aphrodite - Book 1

Any Other Brother

After Hermes left that night, I returned to my husband's home.

The house was quiet, and I silently lit a fire to boil some hot water for a bath. I successfully drew myself a hot, steaming bath without Hephaestus hearing and undressed quickly before lowering myself in.

I quickly scrubbed the dirt off my skin and soaked my long hair before I allowed myself to relax. While my eyes were closed, I couldn't help but let myself drift into unconsciousness...

It felt like only a minute later before I was awoken by a loud crash.

I sharply inhaled and sat up abruptly. Looking beside me, I saw Hephaestus glaring down at me, a large pile of smashed vases and plates lying at his feet.

"Husband? What is-" I begin to rise from the tub when he shoves me back down.

"Don't you move...y-you harlot." He stutters, a small angry tear escaping his eye.

My heart pounded immediately. How could he have found out? He always sleeps through the night. Why would he be up now and assume I was sneaking behind his back simply because I was bathing?

"I'm only bathing, husband, I don't know what you're speaking of." I weakly protest.

"Don't you husband me!" He growls, smashing another pot to the ground. "Everything you say is so fake! Can't you just speak genuinely for once? It feels like everything's a lie!"

I jump and shrivel back into the safety of the tub. I had never imagined him reacting this way...though I hadn't accounted for this bottled up anger he must carry with him. There are many reasons for Hephaestus to carry hatred, many not even involving me.

Instead of fighting it more, I simply ask how he knew.

"Oh, just from a gloating father who wanted to throw it in my face that my little, boyish brother could treat you better than I." He fires back.

My face drained of blood. I hadn't thought of Hermes telling his father everything. Nor Zeus using said gossip to mock his own son.

"That was horrid of him..." I simply answer with slight shame showing through my voice.

"Horrid of him? How about horrid of you?" Hephaestus screeches. "And to think that I made you this?" He hollers. He angrily stomps away to pick up a golden belt.

My eyes widen as he held it before me. It was gorgeous to put it lightly. The delicate thing shone incredibly bright, and gemstone after gemstone lined it. Mostly diamonds detailed the outside edge, but the inside was filled with miraculous gems I hadn't even laid eyes on before, likely from the Underworld.

"I didn't know you could make such things." I gasp to myself.

"You don't know much about me, whore..." He grumbles.

The words stung, but I couldn't be ashamed of myself. I was miserable, and that wasn't single-handedly my fault!

"But it doesn't matter now." He concludes sternly. "It wasn't for you, it was for your purpose, so I'll still let you have it. Just know..." He pauses, his eyes filled with sorrow as he stared me down. "...That it wasn't made out of love."

I rose from the tub and slowly reached out for it. "Tell me, what does it do?"

"It is a tool of love." He says. "Just as you needed. It can cause any individual you choose to fall in love using your power. It compels it."

He finally allows me to take it from him. "And is this the same belt I received from Hera?"

"The very same. I changed it though. She's quite outdated." He comments.

"That she is, but I see you have fine taste," I remark with a smirk. I hold it in front of me in admiration.

"You did make this out of love." I slowly comment, examining it carefully. "You love the work that you do, don't you?"

"It would be a miserable life if I didn't. You could say it is the only thing that I love." He replies cold-heartedly.

"No, it isn't." I sigh to myself. "I don't need a husband that doesn't love me, you see, otherwise I'd have a miserable life." I slowly look up to him to see if he understands what I'm insinuating.

He growls in frustration. "And I will not love you, not truly. If you compel me, it will only be fake."

"I'll take what I can get. At least we'll both be happy for a while. Isn't that better than nothing?" I softly smile.

Hephaestus grumbles. "I honestly don't care what you do, Aphrodite. Compel me, make me fall in love with you. Make all the mortals fall in love with each other and live happily ever after, just make sure you're choosing wisely whom they fall in love with. That is your responsibility."

I pull him closer. "Yes, I'll choose wisely for the least amount of pain, but all love is painful now and again Hephaestus. Between you and I though, it is much more painful if we do not love each other one way or another, is it not? Your father won't let us divorce, will he?"

"No, he will not. Not yet, at least." Hephaestus rolls his eyes. He looks down sadly, thinking my words over. "But I feel that loving you would be the worst fate in the world."

His spiteful words filled the air, igniting a fury within me. "Are you kidding me? There are worse fates, Hephaestus. You're being ridiculous!"

"No, I'm really not." He jerks his arm away from me. "So, no, don't use the darn belt on me. I can pretend to love you, and I'll even turn my back when you fool around with any other God. If there is any part of you that actually cares for me, you won't wish that upon me. Nothing could hurt worse than loving a woman that will never love you back, especially one you know is sleeping with others the moment you leave for work in the morning."

I frown, but hold myself back from lashing the belt at him. "Fine, pretend all you want, and I'll keep pretending I don't love you. I'll act as your wife, but during the night, I'm free to go."

"Fine." He mumbles. "I don't care who you spread your legs for, even if it's never me. Just promise me one thing. Please." He begs, eyes genuinely desperate.

"What?" I sigh.

"Just don't lay with Ares. It can be any other, even all my other brothers, but not him."