Aphrodite (aphrogenea) wrote in nevermore_past, @ 2012-07-21 05:06:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | aphrodite, ares |
WHO: Aphrodite & Ares
WHEN: Ancient Greece
WHERE: Troy / Olympus
WHAT: A mother's love and a wife's request
WARNINGS: tbd
Within the walls of the Trojan city Aphrodite hadn't needed to think about her choice: Her allegiance in this brewing war would be to the people of Troy, not only because her sweet Paris was here (the mortal boy who'd chosen her as the fairest and that she'd gifted with Helen), but because her son was here. Her Aeneas, her most beloved child and - being mortal - her most delicate. She stroked his hair as he slept, a fine and beautiful warrior already, and she kissed his brow and worried for his life. She knew already that she would carry out any act, perform any treachery, and risk all things to protect this dear child who filled her heart with love.
But she couldn't do it alone.
Aphrodite was not a warrior. She was beauty and passion and even the pure hate that could only come from love, but she could not raise a sword against her fellow Olympians, nor any of the mortals. But Artemis, the virgin huntress with her bow, and her brother both stood behind Troy alongside Aphrodite. But it wouldn't be enough, not against the others and not to save this city.
So Aphrodite went to the only person that she could ask for help, making her way up Olympus and to the bed chambers of her husband. (Their union was still new, still only decades old, and still sometimes she forgot that they were no longer sneaking around behind the blacksmith's back.)
Aphrodite entered his darkened room and waited for her eyes to adjust before walking quietly to the bed, sitting down and sliding her hand into his. Even in sleep the goddess of beauty loved him, her war god. They could fight each other with ferocity for the smallest reasons, but just the same Aphrodite believed they loved each other just as deeply.
"My love," she whispered, "wake, please."
Even if he was dead tired, after even years of fighting without a moments rest he would still wake at the lightest thing. Aphrodite's touch woke him, her voice reached down to his subconscious and stopped him from reaching for the blade at the side of his bed.
"What?" Aphrodite never called him 'love' unless she either wanted something or was coming on to him. And when he noticed her being dressed he figured it wasn't the latter. Yet anyway. Groggily he sat up, running his hands along his eyes, "what's up?"
Aphrodite watched him in the darkness as he sat up. "I need a favour of you," she asked him, her hand still in his.
He raised an eyebrow, because that woke him up fully. Favors to Aphrodite, love her as he might, never came without strings. "Alright. This should be good. And at least let some light in."
Aphrodite stood, walking over to light a few of the candles and pull open the drapes. The moonlight outside was bright enough to cast a blue glow across Ares and the bed, and when Aphrodite turned her back on the night sky again she lifted the candles. Her expression was uneasy. "Have you chosen a side in the war at Troy?"
Aphrodite was not unaware that this was, in some way, her fault. She had given Helen away. Through her actions she had endangered her own child.
The question earned her a look. "Are you serious? It's night. I was sleeping. This could have waited." but she was here now and wanted and answer. He didn't point out who had started the mess because it didn't matter. War was war, and a chance for bloodlust was one he'd always take.
"I shouldn't have to take sides," and for a while he hadn't, but then Athena and his mother had cornered him. "I stand with Greece." He didn't really care about either army. As long as they let him do his thing he was happy.
"Tell me there's a point to this."
"This could not wait," Aphrodite corrected him. She needed to have him standing with her before this all began. Whatever side Ares was on would rule this battle and with both he and Athena standing on the side of Greece not a stone of Troy would remain at the end.
Aphrodite put the candles by the bed and sat down once again, looking at her husband. "Stand with Troy," Aphrodite told him. "Switch your allegiance."
The question just made him blink and he looked at her like she'd just gone and lost her mind. He'd given both his sister and his mother the same look, and while he'd just said yes to get them off his back he wasn't one to switch at the drop of a hat.
"I've already given my word, Aphrodite. I don't really care about either side. Why?" He leaned forward, closer to her. "Give me a good reason why I should consider siding with Troy."
Aphrodite just kept her eye on him and decided to forgo all deceptions and wiles just for now.
"My son Aeneas lives and fights among the men of Troy," she told Ares. "You know that I care nothing for the wars of gods or men, but I care for that boy above all other things and if I must pick up sword to protect him then I will." She couldn't, she wasn't even capable of picking up a weapon like that, she was sure. It was not within the goddess of beauty to join the fray in a battle. She had not been born from the sea with that skill among her many others.
"Please, Ares," she whispered. "I have no desire to beg you, but for him I will, if that's what it takes."
"You with a sword, that'd be the day." Gods knew he'd tried once, but given up half way through it. Aphrodite was not meant for war. He knew if she was serious about all this, it'd end poorly for her and he'd be distracted with keeping her safe.
Ares may not be a good husband, or even a father but how often had he supported his own mortal children? How often had he stood by their side, even killed for them?
He sighed. Hera was going to be pissed at him. He didn't even want to know what Athena would do. He set his hand on her chin, "you'll owe me for this Aphrodite. I'll stand on the side of Troy and do what I can for the boy."
"Thank you," Aphrodite whispered, relieved, and then she kissed him. "Ask anything of me and it will be yours, I swear to it." She'd cross the oceans of the world and do anything for that sweet mortal child of hers, and anything that Ares could ask of her now as well.
For all their arguments and fighting, he'd do quite a bit for her. Not everything of course, but enough. At least in his mind. "I'll remember it. Now come to bed so I can go back to sleep."
More relaxed now that she had this promise from him, Aphrodite drew off her clothes and slipped into bed beside her husband, his body warm against hers.