Aphrodite's Flame

5. Extinguished

This first light of a divine morning glitters through the curtains. For a god known for aggressive warfare Ares' rooms are particularly light and tidy. Sitting upright I let out a deep sigh. His side of the bed is already cold, so he must have left at least half an hour ago. He's gotten what he wanted and left for war again. What a surprise. Sometimes I think he enjoys his days in the field opposite Pallas Athena more than his lazy mornings with me. Letting out another sigh I get up and whip my hair over my shoulder.

Slowly I make my way through his room, my fingertips gliding across his furniture. There should be something in his wardrobe I can wear. It's not like he left without a word. On the dresser there's a small crystal vase with a single white rose. He left a glass of water with a cake and some fruit. On the note accompanying the lovely gesture he wrote you looked so beautiful sleeping, I didn't want to wake you. I hate it when he does that.

In an angry surge I pick up the vase and fling it against the far wall, where it shatters and spreads tiny diamond shards all over the place. Ares be damned if he dares leave me like that after thirty years!

Grunting I drop down on his bed and lay down on my back when the door opens.

'Are you-' Hermes directs his eyes toward the ceiling. '... absolutely not decent. Could you put some clothes on?' Leaning on my elbows I laugh at him, cocking my head to the side. I am very comfortable in my naked state.

'Why? Can't concentrate with a naked goddess in the room?'

'Not really, no.'

'Oh, come on, you've seen all of this before.'

'Yes, and then some. Every time I have to see you like this it reminds me of that and with that at the back of my mind I can't concentrate.' I keep lying like that for another three seconds before I get up and make my way behind the screen.

'Ares isn't here,' I say while picking one of my old dresses, which he kept after all that time. It's things like these that have my heart melt and that have become back for more. Stupid things like these.

'I know,' Hermes says. 'He was supposed to go down for some silly war against Athena. He was actually heading there yesterday, but he heard you were coming to the celebration and-'

'Stop trying to make me feel better. What are you up to today?'

'I have some businesses to attend to in the mortal realm. Care to join me there?' I poke my head around the screen and raise my eyebrows. I don't particularly like it down there. I hate the weaknesses and fleeting nature of life - but what else is there to do today except create more havoc in Ares' chambers? Besides... Today I have my own businesses to attend there and I can hardly wait.

'You've missed quite the party,' Hermes says on our way down Olympus, 'but I'm guessing you were having your own party.' I snort unladylike.

'Please. Tell me what I missed.' I try to listen to him for a while, but my mind keeps drifting off. I wonder what I could do differently to make Ares desire me more. Not in a physical way, but he always seems satisfied skimming the surface. As the goddess of Love you'd think I'd know how to tie a man to me. Maybe it is that subconsciously I don't want to. Why would I limit myself to one sort of love? Dionysus once told me I am no better than the satyrs in his woods, driven by lust, but I know I am! It is not purely lust on my behalf.

Below, we part our ways. Hermes goes one way to do whatever Zeus asked of him and I begin walking toward the vast woods that cover this part of the Earth. The sun is shining hot today, leaving the grass dry and yellow. Sweat trails down my back. I'm wearing a linen peplos, which leaves most of my back bare. Dappled shade dances with the golden sunrays that shine on my skin. Birds sing beautiful songs and deer peek from behind the trees.

I haven't been around here lately, these are Dionysus' territories. Dionysus is a god of fate - he has certain predicting qualities he loves imposing on others. He may be the god of peace - he is also a bit of an annoying prick. Avoiding all the places I figure he could be hiding, I move through the woods gracefully.

Ares would have liked it. He loves the roughness of nature. But I don't want to think about him at all today. Or tomorrow, or the day after that. I am on my way to meet someone and butterflies erupt in my stomach only hearing the name echo in my head.

I know it's around here somewhere...