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Tweak says, "driver picks the music."

Aphrodite (aphrogenea) wrote in nevermore_logs,
@ 2012-09-04 01:51:00

Entry tags:

aphrodite, beroe

WHO: Aphrodite & Beroe
WHEN: 25th of August
WHERE: Aphrodite's apartment
WHAT: Yet another of her babies showing up

Aphrodite had informed the doorman that when Beroe arrived at the building she was to be shown directly up. (All those Aphrodite cared for were quickly acquainted with those who worked the door. Aphrodite wouldn't have them standing outside at a buzzer like some common street folk. There was a reason she lived in such a wealthy building: the lack of riff-raff.)

The last spare bedroom in Aphrodite palatial two-story apartment had now been offered to Beroe - the other two currently taken by Rhode and Anteros - but the goddess of love certainly didn't mind. Having her children close was all that she desired.

And now Beroe was close, her dear nymph daughter, one she hadn't seen for so very long. It felt like all her children were returning to her. She set out drinks on the sideboard and then waited for the elevators to open into her private lobby.

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beroe
2012-09-03 02:18 pm UTC (link)

Although Beroe had fully intended to take in as much of the city as humanly possible before going to see her mother, her plans changed. The moment Poseidon dared to say a word to her was her stopping point. She had been about to hail a cab to fifth avenue just to see all the expensive shops, but instead she gave her mothers address.

Just knowing that Poseidon was there terrified her. It meant he could feel her and that meant Beroe was freaking the hell out and needed to get to the safest possible place as face as her legs (or the cab) could carry her. And that place was Aphrodite. Her mother always knew what to do. She knew how to protect her children. The only mistake Beroe could ever think her mother had made was not just letting Dionysus marry her. She would have been better off and she probably still would have been happy and cheery.

As soon as she reached the address she grabbed her bags and hurried inside, only to be stopped momentarily by the doorman and then escorted up. That was a relief, at least she wouldn't have to wait. When she stepped off that elevator she was hit with such a force that it almost knocked her off her feet. It was her mother. Oh dear gods how she had missed her. Beroe dropped her bags and took no time to rush into Aphrodite's arms. "Mom!" It was visibly obvious she was shaking, due to her horrible EX-husband.

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	aphrogenea 2012-09-04 03:22 am UTC (link)
	"My darling Beroe," Aphrodite breathed as her little nymph came barreling into her. Aphrodite wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her close, face pressed against the top of Beroe's head to take in the scent of her hair. She could feel now that Beroe trembled and asked, "dearheart, what's wrong?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

beroe
2012-09-04 03:31 am UTC (link)

If there was anything in this world that could drive Beroe to fear it was Poseidon. The sheer presence of that monster was enough to send her into a panic. And although she was immensely happy to be with her mother again she couldn't shake the sinking feeling that he was out there and probably looking for her. "What's wrong. What's wrong?" she asked almost hysterically. "Poseidon is here! He knows I'm here and he said something to me so I came right over because knowing him he'll sniff me out and try to have me when I don't even want him." All she wanted to do was cling to her mother and be told everything would be alright, even if it wasn't true.

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aphrogenea
2012-09-04 04:08 am UTC (link)

"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."

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beroe
2012-09-04 12:34 pm UTC (link)

Beroe just stayed there, pressed against her mother as her hair was stroked. It reminded her of when she was just a girl. Long before she ever knew about what should have been love. About men. About gods, specifically Olympian lust. That's all she had ever been to Poseidon, just an object of lust. She had been fortunate when Amphitrite came along because the attention was taken off of her. It meant eventual freedom if she played her cards right, and sure enough the time came when she slipped away with detection.

She would never blame her mother, because she knew everything Aphrodite had ever done for her was out of love. Even if she would have rather a decision be made from the start, she knew in her heart her mother did what she thought was best. The only resentment Beroe felt was for Poseidon.

Even so, she didn't know telling her mother of the countless times she had tried to fight him off but failed. It was something she had had to overcome emotionally. Physically she could put a barrier up, but sometimes she was an emotional wreck even if she didn't show it.

She sighed heavily at those words. "Thank you, mom. I needed to hear that. I've been saying it to myself for years, but I didn't know if it was true or just wishful thinking."

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aphrogenea
2012-09-04 04:53 pm UTC (link)

"He's got his queen now anyway," Aphrodite explained as she held Beroe gently to her, still stroking her hair. "She's pregnant with his child and he loves her, as much as Poseidon is capable of such a thing. Show no fear, dearheart," was Aphrodite's suggestion, and now she pulled Beroe delicately loose from her to take the girl's appearance in with a smile.

"My beauty," Aphrodite enthused. "Come, let me make sure you're fed."

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beroe
2012-09-04 07:00 pm UTC (link)

"So Amphitrite is here?" That news seemed to put her at ease a little. She and the Sea Queen had never had qualms and when she came along Beroe was more than happy to let the other woman have Poseidon. It was probably why Amphitrite had never tried harming her. She honestly didn't care whether the woman was pregnant with a walrus, Beroe was just happy that this would mean less attention on her. She was about to retort with something about how that monster couldn't love anyone, but with Love herself standing right there it was probably better to stay away from such remarks. She let out a heavy, relieved sigh. This helped somewhat.

She smiled slightly. "Come on, mom, I eat. I'm not too skinny or anything."

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aphrogenea
2012-09-07 08:37 am UTC (link)

"That whole little ocean family seems to be here," Aphrodite said, but she was already growing bored with talking about other people that didn't concern her. The rest of the going-ons of the pantheon were so dull while so many of her children were returning.

"Not too skinny, no, just right," Aphrodite assured her, wrapping an arm around Beroe as she led her into the kitchen. "And incredibly beautiful still, just as any daughter of mine should be."

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beroe
2012-09-07 12:29 pm UTC (link)

If there was any credit she could give to them it was that they were very interesting. And at least Triton wasn't anything like his father. Either way, she counted herself lucky to not have anything to do with them anymore. She had absolutely no desire to speak to a single one of the sea clan.

Beroe smiled then, an actual smile. Her mothers approval had always been something sought after, even if it seemed Beroe herself never had to try very hard. She walked with her mother, feeling considerably better. A blush rose on her cheeks. It was a different kind, more of a come on, mom you're embarrassing me sort of blush but when it came to Aphrodite it was always better to agree because she was usually right anyway. Through the years Beroe had forgotten how lovely she actually was. "Do you live here by yourself?" she couldn't imagine her mother not having assistants around at all times in case of hair or makeup emergencies.

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aphrogenea
2012-09-10 06:44 pm UTC (link)

Aphrodite laughed softly at the question. "At the moment? Not even remotely." She ran a hand through Beroe's dark locks. "A have a couple of the Horai working for me and they have quarters upstairs, and Anteros and Rhode are both staying - so I'm afraid it's the smaller guest room for you, my lamb. And Ares has been here most nights the last week as well." Aphrodite absent-intendedly adjusted her earring. "It's rather all a madhouse currently."

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beroe
2012-09-10 07:09 pm UTC (link)

It was amazing that only in a matter of minutes her mother could put her at ease. The power mother had over daughter, even if it was mental, was astounding. She smiled then, feeling far happier than she had in a long time. The reality that she was with her mother again really began to hit and she felt more conversational. The only thing that could make all this even better was if her father was around. "That's fine with me, I don't have too much to unpack as it. I don't need a lot of space. Sounds like you've got your hands full," she said with a grin.

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