Chapter 37

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Chapter 36      Chapter 38

Cydippe’s silly “Suitor Games” were in full swing, and Eros was still struggling to find a fittingly vile suitor for Psyche. 

Admittedly at this point, his efforts were less than half-hearted. He would run into a few candidates now and then, possibilities who could potentially make her miserable. But the desire to make her fall in love with such fools was next to none. 

More and more too, Eros felt convinced that Psyche was pure in her love. As he watched her, he doubted there would be anyone he could pick who wouldn’t be changed by her. She seemed to not only have love for everyone, but would use her love to help inspire some sort of change. 

Take that one fellow — Adonis? He had significantly transformed over the course of Eros’s time in her kingdom. From the first measure of Adonis, he seemed to be the type of man who would look for any shortcut, find any loophole, just to get what he wanted.  

Since his conversation with Psyche and her gift of the necklace, Adonis was different. It could have been the necklace, making life easier and removing the temptation of cutting corners. But it was how he treated people which seemed to have changed the most. Eros got the impression that Psyche’s love and care had done more than the wealth gained by what she had given him.

But he couldn’t be sure. 

Anyway, Cydippe, on the other hand, was beginning to wear on him. His mother clearly favored this sister and was more than generous with her gifts. Cydippe did plenty to earn the goddess’s favor by being a regular at Aphrodite’s temple. As if she needed more suitors lining up at her door. Didn’t she have enough? Cydippe seemed a little too hungry for praise and pleasure. 

Watching Cydippe’s wedding finally take place brought Eros welcomed relief. At least now he wouldn’t have to feel the yearning and desperation from those trying to win her affections. 

He wished Cydippe’s new husband luck. 

He was going to need it.

“Eros!!”

“Mother,” Eros sighed.

She was in her sitting room, leaning against a pile of cushions.

“I know we agreed you’d take your time finding the right match for Psyche’s punishment, but I can’t help but feel you’re intentionally delaying,” Aphrodite said. “No matter. Cydippe is married and now it’s Psyche’s turn. I’ve already begun chilling the hearts of men against her. When I’m done, no mortal man will have even an ounce of desire for her.” 

His mother really was set on punishing Psyche. 

“Now, it’s your turn,” she said, sitting up and looking up at him. “Psyche will find a barren wasteland as she turns her attention to the duty of marriage. She will have no choice but to marry the suitor you pick for her. 

“It’s time.”

“As you wish,” he said, turning to leave.

“Which suitors are you considering?” Aphrodite asked, forcing him to stay and talk.

He thought for a moment. Which ones could he list to make it look like he was trying?

“There’s a lesser noble who is going bald and has a bad habit of cheating,” he said.

Such a low and foul mortal.  

“There’s a palace gardener who is extremely lazy and makes passionate love to all of the women,” he said.

Usually he would have appreciated the homage to his power, but a part of him wished the man would fall into a ditch and go to Hades’s realm.

“There is a merchant who regularly beats the errand boys and makes eyes at the young girls,” he concluded.

This last one, the merchant, made him particularly angry. He was completely worthless — less than worthless — and the thought of Psyche pouring her love all over him made his stomach turn. He’d rather cast the merchant into the sea and let Poseidon deal with him.

And that was it. 

The truth was no one deserved Psyche’s love. It pained him that she gave it so freely, so indiscriminately. If given the chance, she would take even these despicable men and make them better. She’d love away their roughness and inspire them to new heights. 

He could think of nothing they deserved less. 

And plenty they deserved more. 

“Oh, the merchant sounds like a real monster. Perfectly horrid,” Aphrodite said, rising and taking a turn around the room as she schemed. “And he’s high enough not to disappoint the parents too much, but definitely well beneath her station to bring her low.”

“Perhaps,” Eros said. “But I’m not so sure we should be worrying about pleasing her parents. Aren’t they the ones who have allowed this to go so far, for so long? Perhaps the gardener is a better choice.”

“Hmm,” she considered. “I wouldn’t want to harm the reputation of the sisters if the match was too low. Anyway, I know the gardener you’re talking about and he is far too handsome for her.”

“The noble then?” he said.

“That would be unpleasant, but would it make her humble enough?” she said.

Aphrodite sighed.

“Eros, this is your job and you are shirking it. I’ll give you another month to find her husband and make her fall in love. You’ve waited long enough,” she said. 

“Very well,” Eros said and left.

True to her word, the heart of every eligible suitor was turned against Psyche. None of them wanted her. 

He watched everyone scramble to figure out what to do. How to get Psyche married? Her sisters were now called home to make Psyche more desirable. 

Oh, the irony. 

She was leagues beyond her sisters and they were instructing her?

Her sisters pulled and pushed at her. He could see the effort Psyche made to please them and do as they said. But their touch spoiled her natural beauty and left her looking hideous by comparison. 

He wasn’t sure who was suffering more. 

Psyche — or himself.

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