Chapter 01

Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy. Never underestimate that.

- Oliver Stone

 

A huge crowd was slowly starting to form outside the palace gates. Word had gotten out that the princess would go outside the palace some time today. Although nobody knew at what exact time the princess would come out, everybody was willing to wait under the scorching sun. People from all ages and all walks of life had gathered just to gaze and admire her. Princess Ahra was known for her incomparable beauty. Since she was born, people always commented how cute and adorable the princess was, and as she grew in her teens, everyone who saw her was completely captured by her beauty. As she aged, her prominence grew, along with her kindness and compassion.

Suddenly, the gates started creaking open and half a dozen guards walked out. Soon a path cleared as people moved to the sides to make way for the guards and for the princess. Everyone craned their necks and stood on their toes as the guards marched down. Walking last was the princess dressed in a simple white dress. Her long black hair cascading down her back and her hazelnut brown eyes glowing with warmth as she smiled to everyone. The people started cheering and talking all at the same time.

"Princess Ahra is so beautiful!" one of the townspeople exclaimed.

"I know, right? She must be a daughter of Aphrodite... to a mortal!" a woman replied.

"No! I heard she is the second coming of Aphrodite!" another woman interjected.

"Well whatever she is, I doubt Aphrodite herself can compare to the princess. She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen!" a man replied.

No sooner had the princess gone out, the people already started pushing and bumping wanting to get a better glimpse of the princess. Suddenly a little kid was pushed to the very front and stumbled in front of the princess. Upon seeing this, the princess immediately rushed to the boy, and crouched down and helped him up.

"Are you okay?" Ahra asked.

"Y-yes.." the boy stammered, his cheeks turning pink. "Here. This was supposed to be yours."

The boy held out a crumpled flower torn in half.

"Oh no... It's broken," the boy said upon noticing the flower. Small tears started to form at the corner of his eyes.

"No, it's fine," Ahra reassured, smiling. "It's the most beautiful flower anyone has given me."

When the boy heard this, the boy's face lit up and produced a gap-toothed smile. Ahra smiled more widely in return.

•••

Meanwhile, atop Mount Olympus Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was seething in anger as she stood in front of a fountain in her garden. The water in the fountain allowed her to see what the mortals had been up to. Her fists clenched tightly as she kept on watching how the mortals kept on idolizing and worshipping this puny little mortal named Ahra. Aphrodite's two most loyal handmaids, Worry and Sadness, cowered in fear behind one of the bushes in the garden. They knew full well how dangerous and scary the goddess could be when she's mad.

Suddenly, a soft beating of wings could be heard then a little thump as if someone just landed on the ground. They all turned around to see a fair-skinned boy wearing a Greek chiton standing not too far away at the back. He ran his hand through his golden hair trying to smoothen the slightly disheveled mound on his head. His wings, as pure and as white as the clouds on a normal sunny day, slowly folded and clipped in at his back.

"Luhan, you're here," Aphrodite said.

"Good morning, mother," Luhan replied.

Worry and Sadness both swooned as Luhan made his way to the goddess. Being Aphrodite's son, he inherited a massive amount of good looks. Looking at his face, he could easily pass for a sixteen year old but also being a god and being practically immortal no one could tell for sure how old he really was.

"Tell me, Luhan, have you heard of the mortal Ahra?" Aphrodite asked casually.

"I may have heard her name in passing," Luhan answered. He had heard of Ahra's great beauty, but he also knew how wickedly jealous his mother could be.

Luhan looked at his mother's face. Her face was regally beautiful with high cheekbones, large dark eyes, and braided golden hair piled in a fancy Greek hairdo, set with a spiral of diamonds and several other gems. Her expression bespoke of annoyance and hatred.

"She is starting to be a threat," Aphrodite said through gritted teeth. She turned to look at the fountain. "First, they neglect their worship upon me, then they pray to her, and now they make offerings for her?! This is unacceptable!"

Luhan remained quiet while his mother ranted more about Ahra. She was always like that, always caring about how she looks like and always bringing down other people that she deems a threat. He didn't like this side of his mother. On some days she could be tolerable and sweet while on some she was superficial and condescending. Suddenly, Luhan couldn't take it any longer.

"But you can't deny she is beautiful," Luhan blurted out. Actually, he had never seen Ahra but he had heard enough about her. Plus, if his mother was feeling threatened by her then it was enough proof for him that this Ahra woman might be as beautiful as others claimed her to be.

"My dear naïve Luhan," she said in her famous sultry voice. "Humans are meant to worship the gods, not each other."

Aphrodite turned to look at him. She looked like she had just noticed him standing there for the first time. Then suddenly, she smiled. Luhan felt a sudden terrible discomfort, he didn't like how his mother was looking at him.

"Luhan, my son, I have a favor to ask you," then without waiting for an answer she continued, "You are to go to her and shoot her with one of your arrows."

Luhan's bow and arrows were enchanted so that whoever was pricked by them would fall in love with the next person they saw.

"Go down to her, and make Ahra fall in love with the vilest man on earth!" Aphrodite ordered. "I will finally have my revenge."

"But, mother-" Luhan started to say.

"What are you still doing here Luhan?! Go!" Aphrodite asked brusquely. Then she started to walk away while laughing evilly. Her two handmaids in tow who were still glancing and giggling at him.

Luhan merely sighed. He didn't have anything personally against this girl Ahra. He knew his mother was just being unreasonable, blinded by jealousy just because of her competitiveness. However, Luhan didn't have a choice and so with a conflicted mind he flew down to earth.