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Arrows and Roses - Chapter 6

Erosa and Thanatos talk about love. Will he admit his feelings or keep her in the dark?

By The Water LilyPublished 5 years ago 15 min read
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“What is like to love and be loved?” he elaborated.

Okay… random question. I leant forward and pressed my hand against his forehead.

“Are you feeling okay?” I knew I was frowning. Gods don’t get sick and here was Than acting a little out of character.

He removed my head from his hand and held it gently.

“I’m fine, I just wanted to know what it was like.” He looked down at our hands clasped together. His brows furrowed like he was trying to understand a puzzle.

“Can you show me?” He looked up at me with his dark eyes and I felt like the wind just got knocked out of me. I inhaled deeply before nodding.

“Falling in love is basically in the name itself. You feel like you’re falling. Some feel like they're flying. But you have no control over it whatsoever. Some people are scared of it and I don’t blame them.

When you fall in love, it’s realising nothing else could possible matter except the being in front of you.

It’s scary, confusing and most of the time downright frustrating. Sometimes… even saddening.” I turned around and beat my wings gently. Dust flew off it and before it could disappear, I gathered it so that I could command it to take on a three dimensional form.

“Love has built monuments, empires, and great works of art.” The dust formed many monuments built in the name of love including the Taj Mahal. "The Emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his beloved late wife Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as ‘Mumtāz Mahal" which means ‘Beloved Ornament of the Palace’. She died in childbirth and he made a promise that he would have built the grandest mausoleum for her. It is known as one of the most historical and grandest gestures of love ever recorded," I explained.

I showed more glimpses of the past. An image of Shakespeare appeared, writing his sonnets, some of which were in celebration to a mystery woman whom he admired. "Nobody knows who the Dark Lady was, but Shakespeare described her beauty in his sonnets 127 to 154. Several have tried to track her down and to this day they still wonder."

“But love has also started wars, ended lives, and destroyed kingdoms.” Immediately the dust showed Helen of Troy standing at the wall, overlooking the Greek army. Images of fires ripping through towns and people dying played out in front of us as I continued to speak.

I waved my hand through the dust and it fell to the ground, disappearing from sight. I had another idea and took his hand to lead him over to the frozen pond. I touched the surface and the ice melted, leaving a smooth little puddle of water. Why on earth didn't I think of this before? Oh, yeah, I wanted to be dramatic.

When he looked down he could see more historical moments. More clearly now. Kings kneeling for their queens, kingdoms perishing, Romeo and Juliet dying. I needed him to see how serious love was. It was not something to be trifled with.

“Love has taken lives. But it has also created them,” I continued. I reached for his face and gently tilted it up so he could see the families around us in the park.

Thanatos turned to me, his eyes softening for a moment.

“Have you ever felt it?” Thanatos immediately regretted asking it. He didn’t exactly think it through. But she didn’t seem to mind.

“I’ve experienced it through the eyes of mortals. It’s really beautiful.” She brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Thanatos didn’t know if it was a trick of the mind when he thought he saw her wings drop just a little.

“Have I experience myself personally? Countless times. Unrequited of course.” She pursed her lips before looking at him with a joking smile.

Thanatos smiled back but his heart ached. Being the god of death, he could sense pain, and she had a lot of it. Which was strange, most cupids were filled to the brim with love, no pain, not a drop, but she was different.

Neither of them had realised they were still holding hands.

“Do you think I may have it?” he asked her suddenly.

“I don’t see why not. You may be The God of Death, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely numb. I’ve seen you with Cerberus.” She shrugged.

“How do I know if I have it?” Thanatos turned his body to completely face her. He grabbed her other hand and placed it over his chest where his heart lay. He wanted to know so badly if it was real or just want, that he didn’t even notice the hitch in her breathe at the action.

“Do you feel like you have just yet to run a mile? Nervousness, butterflies, like a spring that’s been wound up so tight its waiting for release.” She looked at him with curiosity.

Thanatos nodded.

“Is that love? I feel quite strange when I’m in the same room as her. My heart aches and it's very uncomfortable. Sometimes the thought of her makes me quite frustrated. How do I know it’s love and not lust.” He frowned. Part of him wanted to know the answer and the other part didn’t want to know. What if he didn’t like the answer or what if there was no answer?

“Well, lust can only be described as a want for something. There is a difference between a want and a need. When you lust for someone, you don’t lust for their being, you lust for their body. You don’t care if they’ve been eating regularly, you don’t care if they're sick. You desire their physical form. You lust for the flesh.” Erosa looked at him, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed.

“You’re not lusting for someone, are you?” she asked.

Part of me wanted to know who she was, the other part didn’t want to know. Thanatos had feelings for someone and it wasn’t me. I wanted to cry. I wanted to be frustrated but my job as a cupid required me to suppress those feelings.

Part of our training was to watch someone have unrequited love. We had to learn to let things go. For thousands of years, I have watched people give everything to the one they love, only for them to be turned away. I always hated that part of my job.

Thanatos looked at me in surprise.

“No, I don’t believe I am,” he finally answered.

I felt relief coursing through me.

“But the other feelings, what are they?” he asked me.

“Well, they all sound like the beginnings of love. Who is it? The one who has you all confused?” I squeezed my fist, my nails digging into the palm of my hand.

Thanatos didn’t answer. In fact, he looked away, almost in embarrassment.

“You can tell me. Cupid’s Confidentiality.” My training also requires me to get a name. Sometimes people are fated to be with a certain someone. But most of the time, the matches are made by us. We choose certain people for each other because the love is more successful. But I still needed to check. He was a god after all.

But he remained quiet.

“You want to keep it a secret, that’s okay. Would you like me to help you?” I asked.

Please say no, please say no, please say no.

“Would you?” he looked at me hopeful.

I smiled through the ache and nodded.

“It would be my honour.”

Thanatos graciously took me home and watched me head inside. A gesture I found sweet. When I was sure he had left, I finally caught my breathe.

“Hey, cherub.”

I looked up to see Apollo leaning against the door with a stupid grin on his face.

I ‘could’ throw my heel at him and say it was an accident. Being forbidden from violence has pro’s and con’s. This was a con. I could shoot him, and make him fall in love with a goat, say it was an accident. Like my father did all those years ago to Zeus.

“What did you call me?” I stood up and readied myself. I was in no mood to be messed with today.

“Well that’s what you are!” he held his hands up in a sign of peace.

Ugh.

“I’m going to let this slide just once, because I’m not in the mood to fight.” I took off my coat which I realised was not actually mine. It was one of Thanatos’. I recognised it because this was the coat he was wearing the day before.

I wanted to bang my head against a wall. So I did.

“Oh whoa! Hey… are you okay?”

I heard Apollo approach me cautiously.

“I know this is a stupid question, but have you ever been rejected?” I asked him still banging my head against a wall. He put his hand on the wall and my forehead connected with the palm of his hand.

“Um, you’d be surprised by how many times I’ve been told no. Like, it’s seriously amazing.” He chuckled.

“How do you deal with it?” I looked at him with what seemed like a tired expression. I felt tired. Not sleepy tired, or physically drained tired. Just tired. Like, empty tired.

“I move on, find someone else.” He shrugged.

“I’m amazed at how quickly you bounce from relationship to relationship.” I noted.

“Well that’s expected since you are the goddess of enduring love.” He made a face but he had a point.

“But times are changing, no one wants enduring love anymore. People cheat and lie for greed and it disgusts me and upsets me. For once, why can’t someone just have a happy ending?” I felt the tears spring into my eyes before I could even stop them. I was frustrated at the world. I was frustrated how they treated love. like it was some folly feeling.

“Hey…” Apollo took me in his arms and held me as I finally collapsed. After three thousand years, I finally succumbed to the aching in my heart. I clutched at my chest.

“What’s all this about?” he whispered into my hair.

I was thankful for his company for once.

“I’m tired of unrequited love. I want a love of my own.”

As if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, I finally started to feel better. I looked up at Apollo who nodded in understanding. It was time for me to meet the Fates.

When entering the domain of the Fates, one must not bring anything from the mortal realm, courtesy of one of the demigods. He brought a weapon and it did not go down well.

I made plans with Apollo to meet him by the dock in a couple of days and that was three days ago.

So, now I'm standing here by the river, in nothing but an ancient greek dress in darkness. The only thing keeping me from screaming in panic is the lantern at the end of the dock.

Then I saw the boat. I let out a breath when Charon pulled up.

“Erosa… surprise surprise.” His voice was like gravel and made me uneasy.

I hated being in the underworld. The fates could have lived on Olympus but they preferred darkness. I still don’t understand why. I looked around at my surroundings. The air was thick and stale, the walls were damp with humidity, and the screams of those who were being punished echoed around.

“Charon.” I bowed respectively. Somewhere behind me, something slithered along the ground, to my right, what sounded like hundreds of tiny legs clicked along the rocks and pebbles.

The old ferryman leaned forward and grinned at me, exposing his sharp pointed, rotten teeth.

“It’s a scary place when waiting by yourself.” He offered me a hand which I took, biting back the awful churning in my stomach.

“Elysium?” he asked me.

“No, I’m here to see the Fates.” I took a steady breath.

“Ahh. I see. Well, I wish you luck.”

“Thank you.”

And so began the hour long ride in absolute silence.

Thanatos was in his study when one of the servants knocked.

“Yes?” He didn’t look up to see who it was, thinking it was of no importance he continued his work until the servants delivered a message.

“My lord, spirits report that a daughter of Cupid was spotted getting on a ferry to the Fates,” they whispered.

Thanatos felt his mouth go dry at the thought of Erosa in such a place.

“Which daughter?” he demanded.

Please not Erosa, he pleaded silently.

“Erosa, the second eldest child of Eros, son of Aphrodite.” they hissed.

Thanatos wasted no time. He left the office in a rush. He grabbed his Reaper's cloak and hastily put it on along the way. Panic stricken over what she was thinking that she needed to see the Fates. The Underworld was no place for a cupid. All kinds of monsters resided in the darkness.

Charon helped me off the boat and I was faced with the entrance to the dark cavern in which they resided in.

I took the lantern Charon offered me and I slowly moved forward into the darkness.

The room I entered was full of thread, three women sat in the very centre, snipping string. I watched as the pieces of string that were cut, disappeared into nothing, and I felt the soul pass on, making me shiver.

The Fates had a strange effect on those around them. They rarely interacted with the outside world. They didn’t present themselves at reunions or summits. They preferred the confines of their home.

“Who goes there?” they hissed. I held the lantern up to my face so they could see.

“It is I, Lady Erosa, second eldest of Lord Eros, the God of love and son of Lady Aphrodite.” I announced.

“Child of Aphrodite…” they whispered amongst themselves. They turned to look at me and I bowed in respect. Instead of rising, I remained kneeling on the ground.

“What is the daughter of love doing here?” one of them stepped towards me and I felt her fingers brush against my hair. I tried not to flinch at the contact but her hands skimmed my shoulders, and where she touched, it felt like ice had taken to my skin.

“I want to know something. If you can answer my question,” I said. I refused to meet their eyes. The Fates were powerful, they knew the lifespan of every mortal being. They knew every birth and every death. They knew everyone’s destiny, when they would rise, and when they would fall.

“Ask away child,” another said.

Taking a deep breath I looked up into three faces of three very old women. One with black hair, one with white hair, and one with brown hair.

“I want to know if I'm destined to be alone for the rest of eternity,” I asked.

All three women cackled, their laughter bouncing off the walls. They snipped another thread and I shivered.

“A child of love? Alone?” they howled with laughter. I should’ve felt embarrassed but the darkness made me more frightened.

“A child of love is not destined for loneliness,” said the one with brown hair.

“A child of love is destined for love.” said the one with white hair.

“But is the child of love ready to pursue the one they are destined for?” the one with black hair looked at me keenly.

“I have waited for thousands of years. Am I not ready?” I asked. Confusion clouded my mind.

I thought I was ready. Maybe I was just impatient.

The one with white hair took my chin in her hands and forced me to look at her. Her face was covered in warts and she had a large slash across her cheek.

“You are impatient. Little cupid. The one you seek is one you have already met. He has been waiting for you,” she whispered. She released my chin and walked away. Her sisters went with her.

“He knows who I am to him?” I felt queasy. This information was both alarming and relieving.

“He knows and he waits.”

“But what about me?” I stood up and looked at each of them. Almost begging for more to their answer.

“How much longer do I need to wait?!” I pleaded, my fists gripping my dress.

The three women moved back to get a proper look before answering in unison. Something in the back of the cave growled.

“You don’t need to wait any longer if you are ready. For the one you seek is already near.”

The three sisters left me alone, going back to their snipping. Whatever was waiting was coming closer. I could hear the sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor. I didn’t dare turn when something scuttled across the wall near me. The growling got closer and I ran out of there as fast as my legs would carry me. Spotting the lantern by the dock I sprinted, the panic increasing with every second I spent down here. I tripped over a rock, my sandal coming off, but I didn’t care, I felt something reach out and grab me, I ripped free, tearing my dress in the process. I could hear it behind me, I let out a whimper, running faster now, I was closer to the dock now. Then, I ran into something solid. I looked up and saw a hooded figure, shadows dripped off it like a cloak. I saw a skeleton where the face should’ve been and it reached out for me with bony fingers. Thinking the worst, I screamed out for Thanatos before the thing could eat me and then... darkness.

fantasy
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About the Creator

The Water Lily

I was given a prompt and now I give you another side to our world.

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