Psyche's Fate

When the king entered Psyche's chambers the following morning, he saw her standing at a window, looking down at the crowds waiting eagerly for her to make an appearance. He could see the stiff stillness of apprehension in her body.

"What have I done to you?" he asked quietly.

Psyche turned around.

The king saw tears in her eyes. "I have put the wants and needs of others above yours."

"You are the king," Psyche responded. "The needs of your subjects must take precedence over your own needs and even those of your family."

The king nodded. "But am I required to sacrifice the well-being and happiness of my youngest daughter?"

Psyche smiled weakly. "The king's youngest hopes not."

"So does the king. I am off to the shrine of Apollo. Are you prepared to obey the god's decree?"

"How can I know until I've heard the decree?"

"What the god decrees, we must obey."

"And if I refuse?"

"The god will mete out punishment on us all."

"Am I never to have a choice? Is my life always to be governed by what my father or a god deems best?"

The king had never seen anger on the face of his daughter or heard rebellion in her voice. He wondered if he really knew this child of his. Ashamed, he realized he had never sat and talked with her about what she wanted her life to be. She was a princess, the daughter of the king and queen. She was born to carry out the duties of her station. But what if she did not want to? What then?
Not knowing what to say, the king muttered, "I must go. I will return after sunset to tell you of the god's decree. I hope his words will gladden your heart."

"I, too, Father. I, too."

Psyche was convinced it was the longest day that had ever been. The sun seemed to take a week to climb to the top of the sky, only to stay there another week before beginning its slide downward to the bed of night.

Finally, evening came. Psyche heard, or thought she did, the hoofbeats of the king's horse and those of his counselors. She waited anxiously for her father to come and reveal her fate as Apollo had decreed it.

But the king did not come that night.

From Olympus, Cupid had seen the king return, his head slumped to his chest as if he were grieving. Something was wrong! "What in Juno's name did Apollo tell him?" Cupid wondered aloud. Obviously it was not what Cupid had asked him to say.

Cupid flew quickly down to the palace and to the roof above Psyche's chambers. He waited eagerly for the king to come and tell Psyche what Apollo had said. But the hours passed without any sign of the king.

Wondering what was wrong, Cupid flew around the palace until he saw the king and queen sitting alone before the large fireplace in the Great Hall. They were staring into the low-burning fire as if someone had died.

Had Apollo decreed Psyche's death? If he had, Cupid would have Apollo reciting love poetry to his toenails with all the gods and goddesses for an audience!

Another day passed, and still the king did not come to Psyche. After yet another day went by without a visit from the king, Psyche knew Apollo had decreed what she feared most, that she belonged to all those who needed her beauty. She would spare her father the pain of telling her that which he knew would lead her to take her life.

She opened the doors to the balcony and walked to the railing. From the roof above, Cupid watched, horrified, as she sat on the railing, then pulled her legs over. She was going to kill herself! He was just about to spread his wings and fly down to catch her as she fell, but just then the door of her chamber opened.

"Psyche!" the king called out. "Psyche!"

She turned around. "Father?"

"Psyche, please come inside. It is not as you feared."

"It isn't?"

"No. Please. Come inside."

Psyche swung her legs around and went back into the room. Outside, Cupid breathed a sigh of relief. Then he alighted quietly on the balcony, hid next to the doors, and listened.

"What did Apollo say?" Psyche asked eagerly.

"The god said that I am to take you to the highest mountain, where your husband—." The king faltered and stopped.

"My husband? Please, Father. Go on. What about my husband?"

"Your husband," the king continued in a broken voice, "an evil and destructive monster, will take you for his wife."

Father and daughter were silent for a moment. Then Psyche started crying softly.

"I am sorry I did not come to you at once and tell you," the king apologized. "But I was devastated and could scarcely speak."

He put his arms around her and they both wept.

Outside, Cupid fumed. "An evil and destructive monster. Is that what you think I am, Apollo? I'll show you what evil and destruction are!" But he stopped when he realized that Apollo had merely put his own little twist on what Cupid had asked him to say. It did not matter how Apollo described him as long as Psyche was going to be his and his alone!

Immediately, Cupid flew from the palace. He had a lot to do.

Chapter end