Eros  

  Home is nothing compared to what you read in our history books. What are we depicted as? Artistic gods who hold a calm yet powerful demeanor. We take care of our people as well as ourselves and our fellow gods and goddesses of the Greek millennium. We are irrevocably perfect. Pfft. How utterly deceitful. Let me tell you, as a mischief child like myself, it can’t get any crazier. 

 I just make it to my parent’s palace before any guards can spot me in the skies. Unlike the shiny and out of place marble castles the Romans have, us Greeks like to keep our territory strong and intimidating. Our house is grey, solid brick with bramble and bush growing all across the walls. We have guards everywhere. They dress in black and silver uniforms with their own badges pinned or sewed into their chest, and their swords at the ready strapped to their waists. My house has at least five gardens surrounding it. They are labyrinths that only I and my mother can successfully get passed. They were made for me and my brothers and sister’s amusement when we were younger. My brothers soon gave up after running into at least six dead ends, and my sisters have gone through them a few times, then claimed the labyrinths were boring. I liked it the most out of my whole family. If I couldn’t get away from the palace grounds, I would just let myself get lost in the serene and beautiful gardens of our labyrinths. In fact, I would like to go now.
 I slowly float my way to the ground, landing like a feather. I landed right in front of the gardens green entrance, which was decorated with white lilies. I started to walk inside the entrance, when someone appeared in front of me and I stopped.

 She dressed in a gold and black dress. The corset part of the dress were lined with tiny black pearls and slightly poufy short sleeves. Gold bracelets were clasped to her left arm, and she had a red rose in her hair.
 My mother is probably the most beautiful person you would ever meet. Her lips are very pink. She’s only slightly tan. Her hair reaches only one centimeter past her shoulders. Whilst every goddess has long hair, my mother thought it would be unique if she was the only one who had short hair. It made her even more beautiful. I thought she was the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. That is, until today.
 
 My mother is Aphrodite, the true goddess of love and beauty. Her real name, or mortal name, is Eunjung.
 She looked at me, crossing her arms. “There you are. I thought you were in one of the labyrinths.”

 “I was. You just weren’t looking hard enough.” I said evenly.

 She snickered. “Liar. Flying around for fun again? Minho, I saw you coming in from the clouds. You can’t fool me. I’m your mother.”

 She did know me well. Too well. I already knew I was her favorite child out of the group. I didn’t mind much. I just wish she would actually say ‘I love you’ to me once in a while to prove it. Mother thinks she has better things to do then to actually say the words to her children

 I shrugged. “Well, bonus mom points for you then. I’m hungry. Is there any pork left?” I walked away from her and toward the palace. I hear my mother’s heels clacking behind me.

 “Don’t try and walk away from me like that, Eros. What were you doing out when you are supposed to be with your siblings in swords class?” She hurried beside me and walked the same pace as me.

 I hated classes. I knew everything there is to know to being a god. Why did I have to keep going to those meaningless lessons?

 “I flew in the sky. The end.” I entered into to the halls of the palace. Candelabras hung all over the walls and flames glowed like stars.
 My mother huffed and walked faster with me, trying to keep up with my long strides.

 “You’re such a pain in my when you don’t tell me what you did.”

 My mother likes to curse at everyone, even me. But, she only does it when she’s irritated, which is always mostly with me. I don’t blame her. I kind of irritate everyone. My brothers are the ones who can’t stand me the most. I make up excuses. I don’t always tell the truth. I run away from the palace grounds when I’m not supposed to. My father thinks these are the reasons I don’t have a bride yet. I don’t think so.

 “That’s really rude to say to your eldest, mother. Anything else to say to let out your anger?”
 I am an . I love to irritate the hell out of people, and I don’t regret it.

 The next thing I know, my mom appears right in front of me, her hand out in front of her, and I freeze in my place. I can’t move. My mother just froze me in place. She never uses her powers on me. Maybe once or twice with the siblings, but never with me. Even when I’m being an .

 She slowly puts down her hand, and I have feeling in my body again. I take in a deep breath and look at her directly. “What was that?”

 “Nothing to worry about. But, answer my question: who were you with?”

 My brows knit together. “Huh?”

 “You were probably with someone while you were gone. Who were you accompanying, Eros?”
 Her voice made it sound like an accusation. What’s going on with her?

 “I don’t understand.” I say.

 “Just answer me question!” she yells.
 
 I shake my head slowly. “No?”

 My mom raised her chin. “Lying to me?”

 I really have no idea what’s wrong with her. “No. I didn’t see anyone.”
 I may have seen a person I wanted to meet, but it was technically not a lie.

 My mom cocked her head. “Interesting.” She turns in her heels and walks away, calling out, “Next time you go out without permission, I won’t be so nice.” Then, she disappears around the corner.

 That woman is crazy. Why the sudden accusation? I hope my brothers didn’t say anything. Or else, they would have to hear from me. In fact, I’m going to them right now.



 Harmonia, my youngest sibling, was practicing her violin out in the large gardens in the back of the palace. She sat on the white fountain, dressed in her favorite black dress with the sparkles. She doesn’t wear shoes, ever. Not even during swords and horse riding class. Even when we have visitors, she’s never seen with shoes. She says it helps her feel closer to the earth. Not gonna lie, my little sister is adopted. She is a mortal turned goddess. Her calm and harmonic behavior speaks her name. She is the goddess of harmony and concord. Even though my siblings are all pretty much weird and out of the ordinary, Harmonia is the normal one. She’s also very useful to me. She sneaks and finds out any information of the palace and comes straight to me. No dillydallying. She doesn’t even tell the others. Naturally, she’s my favorite.
 Harmonia sees me coming and stops her playing to look up at me. She gives me her dreamiest smile. “Hey, Eros.”

 I smile back at her. “I’m Minho to you. How are you, little sister?” I takes a seat on the fountain next to her.

 “I’m fine. Perfect. Absolutely wonderful,” she says in her high tone voice. As she talks, I put my fingers in the fountain’s cool water. The fountain reminds of the girl. Her messy curls only got messier by getting them wet.
 Voluptas was her name, right? Voluptas, my beautiful goddess.

 I tried to keep the dreamy expression off my face as I asked, “What’s going on, Harmonia?” She knew what I meant when I asked that.

 “Mother thinks you’re seeing someone behind her back. Someone she wouldn’t approve of.” She says this with a concerning look.

 I sigh. “I guess so. She accused me of seeing someone just now.” I turn away from my sister completely and put my feet in the water.

 “Mom says you went past into the Roman territory. Well, she thinks. Did you go near the Romans?” Her eyes turned curious.

 I looked around our surroundings, and then leaned in and whispered conspiratively, “I can’t tell you yet. We need the whole group, right?”

 Harmonia furrowed her brows. “You mean. . .” she gasped. “Adrestia!”

 Our sister stood in the stone entrance of the garden, looking down at us with a stern and suspicious look in her eye. She had on that tight black dress with the pointiest heels you would never believe. Our sister, Adrestia, is the goddess of revenge and balance. Her whole look speaks the name. Adrestia also kept my secrets pretty good, but if you get her mad, there’s no way she’ll keep it for long. She’s the best at swords, archery, and even chest. She beats father five times a day. She’s also part of our secret circle. She doesn’t like it when secrets are being kept from her, so naturally she joins in the secret exchange.
 Adrestia walked toward us, her heels clack, clack, clacking with her.

 “Did something happen, or am I being left out?”

 I sigh. “No. You’re just in time for the gossip.” I kick my feet a little, getting a small splash from the water.

 Adrestia sat right beside me and crossed her arms. “Well? Are you going to tell us or keep us in suspense?”

 I sigh. No need to keep quiet for any longer. Harmonia sets her violin gently on the green grass. My sisters lean in to listen closely. They just love to give me their undivided attention.

 “I was flying, only flying, for who knows how long in the sky,”

 “Two hours,” Adrestia muttered.

 “Right above the mountains,” I continued. “And you know what, the first thing from a distance once I got too far, was a castle. A Roman castle.”
 
 Harmonia gasped. “What did it look like?” She loves to really get into the stories.

 “It was like a star keeping hold on to gravity. It was completely marble and shining like a gem. I was amazed. I have to admit, it’s quite impressive compared to our stone castles.”

 Adrestia snorted. “So what? They chose looks over protection. Our stone walls are unbreakable.”

 “I highly agree with you sister,” I said to her. “Anyways, I decided to explore such impressive walls. There wasn’t anyone on the roof, and I didn’t spot or sense any guards around, so I took the liberty of looking through their windows. I saw a hall with all of their Roman brethren.” I got up from the fountain and stood in front of them. “High pillars. Mass paintings. Even fancy little decorations that just goes with the Roman ambition.” I made dramatic gestures like a story teller talking to a group of children. Harmonia chuckled like a little girl. I saw the slightest twitch from Adrestia’s mouth, but she still kept her straight face.

 I continued with my story teller act. “I looked in a few more windows, just to see how overly decorated it was. When suddenly, I heard someone was coming.” Harmonia gasped and Adrestia’s expression turned surly.
 “I did what I have to do to make sure I wasn’t seen. I flew friskily to the brush of green and hid behind a tree and glimmered my wings. I heard someone coming near the two fountains behind me and the bushes. I couldn’t help it. I looked to see who it was. I could see the figure through the brush, and I stopped. My fellow sisters, curse me now. It was a woman. And may I say, it was the beautiful and gorgeous woman I have ever seen. She had to be Roman, but she looked just like an Egyptian goddess. Wild curls rolled down her back. Sun kissed skin was perfectly smooth. Even one of those dresses you would see an Egyptian goddess wear. The sight took my breath away. I wanted to go and introduce myself, despite the possibility of being arrested. But just when I was about to go, a maid called her inside. Voluptas was her name. A name meaning pleasure.”
 As I talked, Harmonia’s expression became dreamier, while Adrestia’s face became cloudy and uncertain. Even so, I continue to talk about my beauty.

 “Don’t try and turn me away now girls. I have sinned. I think I have fallen for the bodacious beauty.”
 I stop. I know someone wanted to say something, and as expected, Adrestia said it first. “What kind of nonsense are you speaking, Eros?”

 I kept a slight smile on my face. “Do I need to spell it out for you?”

 Adrestia stood from the fountain, and slowly walked towards me. She looked at my face for a moment, and then took my face in her hand and slightly tilted my head up. She narrowed her eyes. “Are you drunk?”

 “What? No.” I pushed her hand away. “Is falling in love so abnormal for the goddess of revenge?”

 “Falling for a Roman? Whose palace were you at?” She asked me with fire in her eyes. Why did I have to tell this sister? I should have just sent her away. I could do that. It just took a little bit of pushing.

 “I honestly don’t know. Which gods have a princess named Voluptas?” I was really curious about this. Which Roman gods would be angry when they find out a Greek god is trying to see their daughter?
 Adrestia turned to Harmonia, expected an answer from her. She just shrugged.
 Oh well. I’ll know eventually.

 Adrestia turned back to me. “Do you know the consequences of this?”

 “Only if I get caught. And if my beauty, Voluptas, doesn’t want to see me. I’m going to try and see her again tonight. Will you protect me?”
 I had already made the decision to see her again very soon while I was flying back home. I want to know everything about that Roman beauty.

 “No way. I won’t tell anyone about this nonsense, but there is no way I’m letting you spy on that girl again. Why would you even fall for a Roman?”

 I smirked. “The god of love knows no boundarys.”
 I truly, truly don’t.

 Adrestia rolled her eyes and tried to walk away from me, but I shot out my hand and clasped on tightly to her wrist. She looked angrily at my hand then at me.

 “Protect me.” I said simply.

 “Why? So you can risk your life?”

 “No. Because your brother has probably finally found his soul mate. Can’t you do this for me? I’ve protected you many times before, for things just as bad as this. Why can’t you do this for me?”

 This girl gets in trouble for worst things. Once, a mortal on earth smite our vengeful sister in a way that could embarrass for her for life. So, she sent five poisonous snakes upon him while he slept. He was found dead the next morning. She may be a goddess, but Adrestia has no order to murder an innocent mortal. Our mother almost found out, until I stepped and said I was avenging my sister. I was punished on the spot. I would do it again if I could for my sisters. Even my annoying brothers.
 Adrestia’s surly expression softens, and she only looked at the grass. For a moment, I was starting to think she would just go against me again. But then she surprised me by saying, “If you get caught, I’m not pleading your case.”

 I let go of her arm and she goes without another word. I’m glad. Her expression even intimidates me.

 I turn to Harmonia, who sat and stared at us with an innocent and wide-eyed look.

 “Do you promise also?” I asked her.

 She says what I expected her say. “I always do.”

 I nodded. “Good. Less to worry about.”

 I turned slowly to my right and stopped, seeing a shadow appear at the corner of my eye. I hear Harmonia gasp.
 I turn to find one of brothers staring down at me from the air, and holding up his sword, ready to strike me.