"Shh," Aphrodite said soothingly, stroking Beroe's hair. "He's not coming for you now." It was an easy promise she made, but she meant to keep it.
To Aphrodite, giving Beroe away hadn't been something she'd really wanted to do. But with both Dionysus and Poseidon desiring her, she'd had to make a choice that would both serve Beroe and keep the peace. It had been arranged that there would be a battle to decide it, a fair challenge so that neither God could say Aphrodite had favoured the other. She'd even made both gods promise that afterwards they would keep their peace with each other and that the loser would not attack the city that bore Beroe's name. Aphrodite knew it was the only way.
Had Dionysus approached on his own, Aphrodite would have handed Beroe over. She'd always liked Dionysus and he was gentler than the Sea King - although Aphrodite had always had an affection for him as well, the two of them equally as tempestuous as each other.
Aphrodite had ever considered ways to turn the fight in favour of Dionysus, but Zeus himself came to break it up and awarded Beroe to Poseidon. And since Zeus' word was law, what was Aphrodite to do but agree to it?
"Your marriage vows no longer hold here, no matter what anyone else might say," Aphrodite said. "If my nephew wants you," she smiled gently, "he'll have to come through me."