Aphrodite's Choice

Chapter 12 – What Do You Hide?

“Believe what you will. But there is no reason for me to lie,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Hmm…”

“You do know what I am the god of, right? I just make things; emotions are not really in my domain.”

It did make sense, and she could almost believe that he wasn’t using any kind of subterfuge. It wasn’t as if he was the God of Foreknowledge or Wisdom.

“So, you mean, we are actually ‘getting along’? Fatefully?” She asked, with a raised eyebrow.

The Fates were always meddlesome, poking their nose where it didn’t belong! Even gods could not escape the endless thread that they wove. She knew, being the Goddess of Love, that countless lovers wasted away, unable to escape their destinies. So, if Hephaestus believed that Fates had nothing to do with how things were going between them right now, she found it so absurdly funny that she was only able to hold back a peal of insolent laughter by a massive effort.

But Hephaestus froze, and said grimly, “It cannot be.”

“What?”

“I said, it cannot be the Fates.”

Aphrodite was speechless. Another feat that is very rarely achieved.

“This meaningless talk has to cease. Why are you here actually?”

Aphrodite was perplexed and offended. No man or god ever had the gall to tell her to shut up. Any connection she felt to him was replaced by irritation. She had never hated him more than at this moment.

“For this,” She declared coldly, pointing to the Kestos Himas on her waist that he had sent to her as a gift. It was an embroidered belt of very special magic, anybody who wore it could make any man, woman, god, or goddess fall in love with them.

“Hmm…” responded Hephaestus, busy with whatever he was tinkling around with, another of his machines, obviously.

“The gift that you sent me. I am here because of that.”

Hephaestus looked at Aphrodite for a heartbeat, and his gaze fell upon the belt around her waist. She realized, as expected, that the belt had no effect on its creator. The unshakeable, calmly raised eyebrows were proof enough.

“I think it suits you,” said Hephaestus, with his signature apathy.

“I came to thank you, and offer a gift in return,” replied Aphrodite.

“You don’t have to.”

“Why not?”

Hephaestus sighed, exasperated. “Because it is inappropriate for a groom to offer a gift to his would-be bride and expect something in return.”

Aphrodite heaved a sigh, preparing for a rebuttal, but was thrown off guard when she saw him smiling slightly, as though he already had predicted what was in her mind. Perhaps she was wrong about him not being able to gauge the foreseeable future.

“Knowing that you like it, is enough for me,” he muttered.

“But it’s too big a gift to accept,” said Aphrodite, adamantly.

“You accept gifts from other gods without hesitation, so why can’t you do the same for me?”

Aphrodite shook her. She just couldn’t win.

“I didn’t know you were so eloquent.” Aphrodite surrendered in mock defeat.

“I don’t really enjoy talking,” he said.

“Let me guess, you don’t express yourself fully, either.”

“Yes,” Hephaestus answered calmly. She found his simplicity soothing, so different from all the competition and grandeur that always accompanied anyone from Olympus. Well, it was time for her to leave, but curiously, she didn’t want to. She gazed at the man who was soon to be her husband, wanting to know more about this dilemma of a man. She found that she wanted to know all his deepest secrets, wanted to see him flustered and embarrassed, wanted to shake him brutally out of his calmness.

“Hmm. What do you hide, Hephaestus?” she asked.

“I am an open book; I hide nothing. I just don’t reveal too much. There is a difference,” he answered, nonchalantly.

“Then tell me what you are ‘not revealing’,” she continued, undeterred. She thought of an idea to get him to reveal something about himself, but it was a dangerous move. Gods rarely attempted it, but as impulsive as she was, it was worth a shot. And anyway, what is life without a little danger?

“Let’s play a game. Let’s swear on the River Styx to reveal our deepest secret.”

It was never a good idea to swear on the River Styx. It was believed to be absolutely binding, and any deviance from the oath will have to be paid with a terrible price. Even Rhadamtus wasn’t as terrifying. Or Hades, for that matter.

Considering the risk, no god would even attempt it. So, Hephaestus’ uninterested response didn’t surprise her.

“What are you on about?” he asked.

However, Aphrodite wasn’t one to yield. She was determined to see this through and find out any secret that Hephaestus’ had.