Women of Greek Mythology

Morning came and Eros could tell right away that things were not going well.  Psyche lay sleeping inside a cave.

Eros watched as Psyche’s procession made its way to the top of the hill. It had all the look of a funeral march. Even the bride was so shrouded in layers, she gave the appearance of a ghost. 

“Mother!” Eros said, appearing before her and startling her a little. “Prepare the bride.” Aphrodite frowned.  “You’ve found someone?” she said, somewhat suspicious.

Eros itched in his billowy robes. And his flabby skin.  Playing the part of Apollo’s oracle was probably Eros’s worst idea yet.

Eros watched as the kingdom transformed in preparation for the Festival of Psyche.  Whose idea was that anyway??

The days dragged on as the kingdom scrambled to find a husband for Psyche. Eros did his best to put off sealing Psyche’s fate, trying to figure out some other way. 

Cydippe’s silly “Suitor Games” were in full swing, and Eros was still struggling to find a fittingly vile suitor for Psyche. 

Now that Eros had bought himself some time, he found himself relaxing a little. He played around with different characters as he mingled among the villagers. Just as often, though, he found himself assuming invisibility and simply watching Psyche. She was still proving to be a perplexing case. 

“Mother,” Eros said, appearing beside Aphrodite at the top of her temple. “Isn’t this a splendid night?” she said. Aphrodite looked glorious in the starlight.

Aglaura’s wedding was spectacular by mortal standards. Plenty of gold and splendor to blind the weaker eyes. And they’d picked his mother’s temple to perform the ceremony. His mother would be pleased by that. 

Eros set out to find this Psyche who had been foolish enough to invoke the wrath of the Goddess. 

Eros couldn’t ignore the two forest nymphs arguing any longer.  It had been such a peaceful morning.

Aphrodite loved her work.  She found absolute pleasure in bringing love and beauty into the world. It had been so dull and boring before she’d arrived.  Well, maybe not completely dull. Gaia, the great Mother, had created many beautiful things.

Psyche lay awake, listening to her husband breathe.  Tonight she would light the lamp.

“How did you enjoy your sisters’ visit?” he asked. Psyche gave a start. He was back!

Her sisters would be gone in the morning. It was a tearful goodbye as they went to sleep that night.

The next few days passed and the sisters began to really enjoy their time together. There were still a few tense moments as more feelings were expressed and some old habits were hard to break.

Psyche lay awake in the darkness, struggling to sleep.

The morning passed by somewhat less pleasantly than Psyche had hoped. Still, Psyche had managed to push aside her tangled feelings after listening to what her sisters really thought about her and her exile.

Psyche could barely contain her excitement.  She paced the hallway between her sisters’ rooms, trying to decide what to do next.

Psyche had been waiting several days as her husband went to check on her sisters. She wasn’t sure when he would return and as the days passed, she found herself feeling more and more idle and aimless. The palace changed each morning, reflecting how she felt. 

Psyche found herself pacing, impatient for the sun to set. Her husband had been bringing her news from the village the last few nights.

Psyche shifted her waking hours to night so that she and her husband could spend more time together.  He didn’t mind listening to her stories of the villagers. He seemed quite familiar with most of them anyway.

Psyche woke the next morning, blinking at the rising sun.  She sat up and instinctively gasped. Before her was a vast and beautiful landscape. Everything that Gaia had to offer was on display all at once.

The cottage was a bit nicer the next morning. It added some flower designs on the walls and a prettier bouquet for the table.  Everything felt cheery, even if it was simple.