If I Had Words

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Chapter 62      Chapter 64

Aphrodite knew the moment Psyche arrived. 

She could feel the shift in energy as the mortal’s imperfect, dying frame entered her realm. 

Pitiful. 

She smiled to herself as she watched Psyche’s chariot land with a jolt. Surely Psyche couldn’t doubt how Aphrodite felt about her. The ugly, simple brown chariot was a perfect match for her guest. 

Aphrodite watched as one of her attendants helped Psyche out of the chariot. The mortal did look rather regal and elegant. She couldn’t blame Eros entirely for being tricked by this girl. 

Aphrodite had already agreed with Eros as to the terms of this meeting and the trial that followed. She greatly disliked it but, an agreement was an agreement. 

Aphrodite would do her part. 

Of course, she would do it her way. 

Psyche followed Aphrodite’s attendants into an empty receiving hall.

The Goddess let her stand alone for a few minutes. 

Nothing worked better to unnerve an enemy than to make her wait. It allowed time for her fears and doubt to grab hold. The suspense would make her lose focus and purpose. 

Psyche stood, admiring Aprhodite’s great hall. 

Aphrodite waited, watching. 

Psyche continued to simply stand there, waiting patiently. 

Aphrodite sighed. It was not quite as satisfying as she had hoped. 

Time for her grand entrance.

With the sound of trumpets and fanfare, great lights and a sudden boom, Psyche jumped as Aphrodite entered with a flowing gown and perfect hair.  

Aphrodite let a breeze blow strategically around her as she took her seat on her throne. It was at an adequately imposing height, so that Psyche had to strain her neck to look up. 

At the sight of the great Goddess, Psyche’s mouth dropped open slightly. 

Aphrodite smiled a little. She’d apparently made a jaw-dropping impression on Psyche already. 

The Goddess noticed Psyche closed her mouth before taking the appropriate posture.

Gracefully and without too much flourish, Psyche knelt before Aphrodite, fully prostrate, arms outstretched, onto the marble floor. 

Good. 

At least now Psyche knew her place before a real goddess. 

Aphrodite looked down at Psyche’s humble form. With her goddess abilities, Aphrodite pried into every shadow and space of Psyche’s soul, searching for the arrogance and pride she knew was hiding somewhere. 

Hmm. 

There was more doubt than pride. 

Doubt could be good. 

Interesting. There was a measure of confidence in there too. 

We’ll see which one of those feelings survives.

“You have sought an audience with me, mortal?” Aphrodite said. “You are permitted to speak.”

“Most holy and merciful Goddess,” Psyche said, still prostrate, “I have come to request permission to be reunited with my husband.”

Psyche felt the strain in her muscles as she struggled to hold her submissive position. She probably could have stood to address the Goddess, but something in Psyche told her to stay. 

Aphrodite looked at her for a moment. 

Psyche did seem to know how to properly show reverence. 

Surely one of her sisters had coached her. 

Still, it wasn’t enough. No amount of bowing and scraping would ever make Psyche worthy of her beloved son. 

“Denied,” the Goddess said, making her voice echo unnaturally through the hall. 

Saying the word made Aphrodite feel so good. 

Psyche instinctively lifted her head, then immediately lowered it again. 

Aphrodite rose from her throne and began descending the steps. 

This was going to be fun, Aphrodite thought. 

“You have proven to be a formidable foe, Psyche,” Aphrodite said as she walked. “You had been foolish enough to try and steal away my followers. You allowed them to build you a shrine. You graced them with your presence and bestowed blessings at your touch. And now? Now you want to steal my son as well.”

Psyche instinctively looked up again and said, “I didn’t steal — “

“Silence!” Aphrodite bellowed.

Psyche immediately lowered her head again.

Aphrodite stopped a few steps away from Psyche and regarded her sprawled figure. 

“What makes you think you are worthy of my son?” Aphrodite seethed. 

It didn’t feel like a question so Psyche remained silent. 

This was not going to be fun, Psyche thought, momentarily letting her forehead rest against the cold stone floor. She lifted her head again to its proper position as she sensed Aphrodite pacing in front of her.

Aphrodite furrowed her perfect brows as she fought to control her anger. 

The brazenness of this mortal. 

Aphrodite stopped pacing and huffed a few minutes more as Psyche wondered how much longer her muscles could handle the strain of maintaining her lowly position.

“Rise,” Aphrodite finally said. 

Psyche closed her eyes in relief, letting her body rest against the floor for a moment before slowly rising to her feet.

As she stood, Psyche slowly lifted her eyes to meet the Goddess’s gaze. 

It was hard to look directly at her. She was so brilliant! So beautiful!

So terrifying! 

Psyche reminded herself that she had been forgiven. Eros was not upset with her. He had faith in her. He believed she could hold her own. 

Psyche just needed to have faith in herself.

She could face his mother.

“If you wish to remain married to my son,” Aphrodite said. “A marriage which I certainly do not acknowledge, you must first prove your worth. It is not just any common mortal who can marry the God of Desire.”

Aphrodite let the weight of Eros’s title settle on Psyche. He was the most desirable of the Gods. He could have anyone he wished. 

“Therefore, you must complete three tasks of my choosing,” the Goddess said. “Each task will commence at the rising of the sun and must be completed before the rising of the sun the following day.”

Aphrodite glared at Psyche.

“If you are unable to complete my tasks, which is very likely,” Aphrodite said, “you shall relinquish your claim on my son and live the rest of your life in exile. Once you put off your mortal frame and journey to the Underworld, you will be Hades’s problem.”

She glanced at Psyche to see her reaction.

Psyche stood processing the information. 

“Should you happen to succeed, however,” Aphrodite added hurriedly, “You shall be allowed to return to Eros. It will then be up to him to do with you as he will.” 

Psyche took heart. If she succeeded they could be together. 

“Do you accept my terms?” Aphrodite said. 

Of course Psyche accepted the terms. She doubted they were negotiable. The question was whether she should say something.

Psyche decided it was worth the risk. 

“Powerful Goddess,” Psyche said. “I accept your terms, but you must know I am not your enemy. I have no desire to challenge you and recognize my complete and total inferiority. 

“I have never wished for a shrine of my own, never wanted the migration of worshippers from your hallowed halls to my simple pile of rocks. 

“I am here because I love your son and –” 

“You know nothing of love,” Aphrodite said, interrupting and taking an imposing step forward. “Nothing. You dare to speak of love to its mistress? It is I who commands love, bends it to my will. 

“You are nothing.” 

Psyche lowered her eyes. 

Aphrodite looked at Psyche a moment more. A part of her wanted to end it all here and now, turn her into that hideous creature. 

But she had made an agreement and she would keep to it. 

“Your first task begins immediately,” Aphrodite said suddenly and without ceremony. “It’s still morning, I think, and so you wouldn’t have lost much time. Follow me.” 

Aphrodite took a few steps and disappeared. 

Psyche took a few steps and paused at the Goddess’s disappearance, not sure what to do. 

Aphrodite reappeared again. 

“Mortals,” she said with an exasperated sigh. 

Aphrodite impatiently walked towards the outer buildings of the palace. 

Psyche fought to keep up as Aphrodite seemed to almost float along the ground.

At last the two arrived at a large granary. 

“This is where I keep some of my five-century supply of grain. Wouldn’t want to be at the whims and emotional instability of Demeter,” Aphrodite said wryly as they walked in. 

There were rows and rows and rows of neatly stacked bins. 

“This is just some of the wheat and the barley,” Aphrodite said casually.

Without warning, there was a loud crashing sound. Psyche instinctively covered her head. The single crash was followed by more as a torrent of movement and shaking made its way through the bins. Each took turns toppling over, spilling the contents with a great roaring sound. Grain sprayed and burst into every part of the storage room. The grain flowed and mixed into tall piles and pools of mess. 

Psyche stood coughing through the dust.

“These need sorting,” Aphrodite said with a light shrug. “You have until sunup.”

Aphrodite turned from the chaos and started making her way out of the room. It would have been easier to simply disappear, but Aphrodite wanted to relish the moment a bit longer. Psyche’s reaction so far was quite satisfying. 

Psyche stared in disbelief at the jumble and magnitude of the scattered grain. 

“How can I possibly — ?” Psyche started to say, following Aphrodite a few steps.

“Time is wasting,” Aphrodite said, hardly masking her delight with pretend encouragement. “Wouldn’t want you to fail your first task.” 

Psyche turned back to the grain, bewildered. She surveyed the sprawl and wondered where she could even begin.

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