The Sanctuary has become a festive place, with the gods and goddesses as they were accompanied by small groups of warriors. Almighty Lord Zeus and Dionysus are fully drunk from many many cups of wine, and started flirting with many maidens at the party which angered Lady Hera and it also made Aphrodite, her daughter Helen, and my Lady Athena chuckle at them. Poseidon and his brother Hades were bickering about their wives and which one of them were better, which got pretty heated fast and it led Demeter and her daughter Persephone to stand in between the two angry men. Hera later lashed at the God of the sea and the God of the underworld as if they were children. They two cowered in fear and as soon as she stormed off to her husband, they looked at each other and said: “Good thing I’m not married to her.” And they let out a wholehearted chuckle.
I was on duty of preparing the mighty feast for the Gods and Goddesses before they had arrived, along several Saints in the Sanctuary. Now, I stood back against the wall, observing the family’s merrymaking - but I began to feel out of place. So, I exited Athena’s temple but Zeus’ mighty and strong voice bellowed throughout the room. “Where are you going, young Saint?”
“M-Mighty Lord Zeus,” I turned to him as Athena’s and everyone’s eyes were stabbing me. “I was just going out for a walk in Sanctuary.” I didn’t make an effort to move; if I did, he’ll kill with little to no effort and without hesitation. “S-Sorry to disturb everyone.”
“Is there something on your mind, young Saint?” He asked curiously as he awaits for an answer.
I shake my head no. “I’m fine; please enjoy your feast.” I quickly stood on my feet and stepped out before he could say anything else.
“Tis a strange young man,” Aphrodite sipped on her cup of wine and then reoriented her dress. “Seems like there’s a lot on his mind that meets the eye.” She excuses herself from the table and heads for the door.
Helen and Artemis followed close behind, which made Athena arise as well; they must believe that Aphrodite is up to something.
I walked towards a nearby stream where a gigantic tree stood on its bank. I then decided to bathe in the small stream to cleanse my mind and body. After taking my clothes off, I gently stepped in the stream, hearing bird harmonies all around me, feeling the sun’s golden rays beaming over an open canopy of the trees. I began washing away impurities from my body followed by a quick rinse. Suddenly a twig snapped in two somewhere in the distance, which alarmed me. “Who’s out there?! Show yourself!”
Aphrodite appeared from the thicket, with a strong sense of drunken seductive charm on her. “Easy, handsome. I’m not here to hurt you,” she then stared me up and down before I covered myself. “Athena wanted me to… ‘check up on you’. ”
She nodded as she stripped her dress from her body and stepped into the water with me. “Of course! Would a beautiful woman like me ever lie to you?” She then winked at me, giving a clear hint that something’s not right about this. “Were you bathing? Do you want me to wash your back?”
I turned away. “No, I’m done bathing here; enjoy your bath. I have to return to the temple.” I said as I hopped out of the water and then put my armor on. “See ya.”
She smiled, “be careful, handsome!” As I was out of her sight she clinched her teeth. “Damn it! He’s a clever man,” her face showed a devilish smirk. “But the goddess of love has a lot of tricks up her sleeve! Don’t think for a second that you have beaten me!”
