Chapter 30 - Eros

He paced in the forest, barely hidden from view, waiting for night to fall so he could return to Psyche.

He'd known Chara would come. She'd prayed to Hermes for a safe journey to Sikyon. And Hermes had warned Eros. He knew if Chara was returning home so soon after her marriage, it could only be to mourn Psyche. Which meant she's be headed for the cliffs.

Eros did everything he could to try to keep Psyche and her sister from reuniting. He warned Alexa -- made her promise not to let Psyche near the hilltop. Alexa had assured him it wouldn't be a problem; Psyche only stayed in the gardens.

No one had figured Chara could wail so loudly.

Eros had kept watch over Psyche the entire day. He saw Psyche's attention suddenly snap toward the hills. He saw Alexa tugging at Psyche's wrist, pleading with Psyche to go back inside. And he saw Psyche's stubborn will win out as she shrugged free of Alexa and hurried to the base of the hill.

Watching the scene unfold had been tortuous. Eros wanted so badly to intervene. To save Psyche from herself. He knew in his heart that Psyche would demand a visit with Chara. What sister wouldn't under normal circumstances?

But things between Psyche and Chara weren't going to be normal any more. Chara's hatred for Psyche festered in the days following her arranged marriage. Chara was miserable and she blamed Psyche. Her grief on the cliffs was real enough -- Eros could feel that. But she was more mourning the whole relationship they'd had. And sobbing for the misery that had become both their lives in such a short time.

When Chara and Psyche finally turned away from each other, Eros collapsed against the cool stucco of his courtyard wall. Chara was headed home; she wasn't going to try to find a way into their valley. He wiped the sweat of his brow with the back of his hand and huffed. What good was being a god if all you could do was sit idly by and watch? He never wanted to relive another moment like that one.

But he also knew he wasn't entirely out of the woods yet either. Zephyrus had answered truthfully when Psyche asked why he wouldn't carry Chara down -- Eros, or Aris rather, had forbidden it. And for that decision, Eros figured he would likely suffer for awhile under Psyche's anger, disappointment, or grief. At least he hoped it was one of those more benign emotions. Because facing her hatred was something he would never be prepared for.

Chapter end