Aphrodite's Choice

Chapter 14 – Zeus’ Deception

“I beg to differ, but, oh well… I will begin,” said Hephaestus.

“As you wish,” said Aphrodite.

“Why did you accept the marriage?” he asked.

Aphrodite, by now, was used to Hephaestus’ honest nature. So, the formidable question from the very beginning was not really a surprise on her part.

“What?”

“The reason for the acceptance of this marriage.”

“Zeus told me to,” sighed Aphrodite.

Aphrodite tried to play it down in the hopes that the answer would be enough. In any case, it was true. But Hephaestus wasn’t one to buy this explanation so readily. He shook his head, and said in a low voice, “what Zeus wanted from you, technically, was a marriage to a well-matched husband.”

“Yes, and you were designated for it.”

“If you had refused, you would have had other options, other suitors.”

Aphrodite frowned. ‘What did he want to hear, anyway?’ she thought, ‘that I said yes because I liked him, or that he was the best among others presented?’ A sigh fell from her lips. She decided to tell him the full truth.

“You don’t have a choice when Zeus demands something, so I couldn’t say no.”

Aphrodite found that Hephaestus made a curious expression then, not of disappointment but something else, as though he was hesitant and concerned. This day would never stop with the unsolicited surprises.

He was tight-lipped at this point, and silent. That goddamned silence that never seemed to end! Before she could say anything, he blurted out, “Zeus calls himself The Matchmaker.”

“Yea, so?” she replied, confused.

“Well, I wouldn’t claim to be a matchmaker if my sole intention was to force you into marriage with somebody else. He likes his little games, and enjoys his plans being carried out, but hates being challenged on his authority and fairness as the King,” Hephaestus said, looking at her.

Aphrodite was confused, it took a while but his words finally registered. The deception was clear. Zeus had played the matchmaker, indeed, and urged Aphrodite to meet a decent match. Afterwards, Zeus made it seem as though the match had been decided after prolonged consideration, and finally Hephaestus was selected as the groom. It had been a farce, there were never any other suitors, any other matches, there had been only one. That meant…

“I was fooled!” she raged, “Zeus never meant to find anybody else, to consider anyone else!”

Aphrodite felt that it was better to be forced into a marriage than to be deceived into one, though both sounded equally barbaric and hideous to inflict onto somebody. But at the least, to be forced into marriage for the sake of Olympus, to save it from destruction was tremendously better than being cheated into thinking that she has entered into matrimony out of her own volition, better than being in an illusion that she was given a chance to consider other suitors. Oh, what a fool she was!

Aphrodite was enraged, and she intended to express her wrath in a full-blown curse towards Zeus. For all she cared, she would incite an apocalypse, an Armageddon. She would put an end to this whole bloody world! But Hephaestus was talking to her, calling her name.

“Aphrodite, I had an inkling of a guess that you couldn’t have known. I am sorry.” Well, it was her turn to be silent, didn’t it? What in the world could she say to that, anyway?

“The questions still have to continue. So, the first answer: deceived by the King of the Gods. Knowing Zeus, it couldn’t be untrue,” he sighed.

Aphrodite glared at Hephaestus, but she was seething with so much rage that she thought it better to not speak. There was pain on Hephaestus’ face. He didn’t mock her. The way he looked at her, it seemed that, with this confirmation of deception on Zeus’ part, he had been hurt too.

She wanted to rant and rave, and blame him for the whole thing, but that look of hurt made her hesitant. She never consoled anybody, ever. She didn’t even try to console herself. But at that moment she wanted to say something, anything.

“Well, Hephaestus…” She started, but was interrupted by Hephaestus, who was avoiding her gaze.

“Let me ask you the second question,” he said.

“Are you serious?” asked Aphrodite incredulously. She wasn’t even done processing Zeus’ betrayal yet!

“We do have three questions each. I have two left,” he said casually, “and this second question is related to the first.”

The wounded expression that was etched on his face a while ago had disappeared. It was as if it had never existed. He now looked serious and matter of fact, as though everything depended on this question he was preparing to utter.

“Go on,” said Aphrodite, feeling unexpectedly nervous.

“Do you want to break-up the marriage now that you know the truth?” asked Hephaestus, dropping his deadly question as though it was merely a sack of potatoes.

“Wait, what?” asked Aphrodite, disbelievingly.

“I mean, do you want to pretend like the prospect of a marriage between us never happened?” repeated Hephaestus, slowly enunciating every word, as if he was explaining to a five-year-old.

“I know what it means, you monumental nincompoop!” yelled Aphrodite.

“I am glad you do,” added Hephaestus, with a smirk, “You only have to say ‘yes’, and I will break it up willingly, no strings attached.”

She sometimes wished she could smack that smirk and the calm off his face with a well-intended punch. Aphrodite’s stomach filled with heat, she was already feeling pretty nauseous with their playful session; it was not entirely following the course she had intended. She was feeling a bit dizzy, already.