Chapter 9

Eros watched her from a cloud up high. He had tried to break this habit, but had been unable to. He had not attended his duties in months, he would not see his family. He had gone into a self-imposed solitude, everything in his life had lost meaning, all because of her. She had hurt him worse than anyone ever had. Thinking of the past tore him apart, that night when he woke to find the knife at his throat and the candle hovering over him, it was all too much to think about. Yet as painful as that was, thinking of the joyous times he spend with his wife tormented his soul even further. Why did you have to look Psyche? Why did you have to look? The question echoed through his mind as it had for months.

His mother had tried to comfort him, as did his father, but there was nothing they could do to heal their boy of the wounds that had been ripped open within his soul. He had cut himself off from all contact with the gods, with his family. His grandmother Hera had been trying to contact him for whatever reason, but he did not care what she had to say. So today he did what he did most days now, he laid upon the soft cloud and looked down upon Psyche as she galloped on to Moirae knew where.

Night came and Eros watched Psyche's guards make camp. He did not listen into the words they spoke, no matter how much he longed to hear her voice. He had to let her go, he had to find a way, he would die other wise, this pain was sure to be the death of him any day now. He wondered if Psyche had forgotten him yet, if she could be riding off to find a new husband. Every time he thought her name, it felt as if a million rusty daggers were tearing apart his soul. Just like the knife she held to my throat, he thought in misery.

He eventually fell asleep upon that cloud. He fought off sleep for as long as he dared, knowing that he would only dream of her tears, or her laughter, or something that would torture his soul even further when he woke.

He watched her as she read. Feeling his eyes upon her, Psyche met those eyes she loved so much and such a smile appeared as her features lit with happiness. Eros sat there in wonder, before doing the only thing he could do, leaning in and kissing her smiling lips, treasuring the soft sigh she gave as he continued to kiss her.

These kisses were not frenzied as their kisses could become, no these kisses were the soft kind, the ones that left them both astounded at the sweet pleasure it brought. He took the scroll out of her hand and laid her down, covering her body with his own in the sunshine. His lips left her own, making a trail of soft kisses down her neck and to just between her breasts, where he softly nuzzled and Psyche giggled, another soft moan leaving her lips in a sigh.

"Come here you." She said softly, placing her fingers under his chin and bringing him back to her soft lips that longed to taste his own.

Eros gladly complied with his loves wishes, carefully supporting his weight with one forearm as he kissed her, his hand running down the side of her body, coming to rest on her hip. Her hands ran up his back and pulled him closer, needing to feel the sanctity of his weight upon her form. He complied again, loving how it felt to have her body pressed against his.

Her lips parted and their tongues met, the sweet taste going to their heads as they continued their slow, passionate kisses before Eros broke off their kissing to allow his Psyche some air as he whispered that he loved her and she breathlessly returned the words with all her soul.

He caressed her cheek, traced the shape of her lips, then the shape of her neck, his eyes trailing after his fingers. He then leaned down, resting his forehead to hers, listening to the rapid sound of her breathing and the pounding of her heart that was sacred to him. He looked down upon her as she smiled up to him, her eyes sharing with him her every secret, her cheeks warm with the blush his mere presence created, her lips were red and parted, just begging to be kissed. He felt himself falling towards her lips, his head tilting as their eyes slid shut, their lips a hairs-breadth away from contact...

And that was when Eros woke, her scent still filling his mind, his soul yearning for hers, for that last kiss he woke before they could share. With the force of a title wave, the realization that she was gone hit him, stealing the breath from his body. He found himself shaking as he stared up at the morning sky. The tears came as they did after every dream of her. The worst dreams were the ones where she was with someone else, where he had to watch as another man touched her, kissed her, loved her. In those dreams he could do nothing, he had not the power to speak or to move, he could only watch. And when the deed was done, she would look over at him with hate in her eyes, then say "You sent me away, you made this happen."

"No, no, no, nononononono!" Eros began screaming as he thought of those dreams.

He laid on that cloud a broken god. Psyche was gone, he had sent her away for good. What was left for him in this life? The love of his family, something that had once meant so much to him, now was next to dust in his soul for it was no longer enough. Eros could feel himself fading, losing sense of himself. He lifted his hand and saw it was slowly becoming transparent. I am dying, he realized, but that realization brought him a sense of peace. He had lost his will to live, he had no reason to live if Psyche was not part of his life.

He made up his mind right then and there that he would watch Psyche for a few weeks more, taking in the sight of her, then retire to the home that had been theirs and let the process complete itself. After all, what did he have left to live for? Another would take his place as god of love; his parents had other children, they would survive the loss of just one, in his mind at least. He had never been a father, though he had known children he adored, he knew not the true meaning of that gift.

"Psyche, no matter what you have done, I will always love you." He whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Psyche woke with a start, a horrible fear filling her; fear and a knowledge that deepened that fear. Her hands would not stop shaking as she dressed, fumbling with her clothing. She rushed out of the tent and ran to Heron, who was standing watch as the sun began to rise over the rolling hills. He watched his princess with worry as she ran up to him with frantic eyes.

"How much longer before we reach the mount of the gods?" She asked in a shaky voice.

"Three weeks by the road we travel." He answered her automatically.

"It is too long," She said as she looked away, then she met his eyes again. "There must be a quicker path."

"There is," He admitted hesitantly. "But I would highly advise against it. It is a dangerous land to travel through, your father would not allow it,"

"I DO NOT CARE!" She suddenly screamed. "Eros is dying." She whispered. "Dear princess, the deathless gods cannot die." He assured her.

"You are wrong." She told him with tears in her eyes. "I do not know how I know, but I do, I can feel it."

Heron just looked at Psyche and stayed silent. He hated seeing this young woman in such distress, but he could not bring himself to take her on that road if it could even be called that. It was a dangerous trek through rivers and mountain paths that few knew. Heron knew the perils of that road and those who traveled it, he himself just barely made it out with his life.

"Please." Psyche begged him.

"I cannot." He told her, wishing she would understand. "The four of us may not be enough to protect you, and I will not have you fall into the hands of such monsters."

"I am willing to risk it." She told him. "I will go by alone if you refuse. I will find the path myself." Heron sighed, she always had been stubborn since she was a child. Even as a babe in her nurses and sisters arms, she would only sleep when she wished it, only eat when she felt like it.

Later, Heron would look back on this moment and wonder how she had gotten him to agree when he had witnessed firsthand the dangers that laid ahead. It was her eyes, he would know. Those dark eyes like her mothers, the gentle queen he served for ten years before she died bringing Psyche into this world. It was Psyche's determination, her fear for the one she loved, that touched Heron's heart and made it so he could not say no to her.

Author's Note: I know it is not long, I am hoping to upload another chapter soon, but we will have to see. It has been difficult to focus on my writing as of late. Tonight was the first time I could sit down and feel my writing. I love you all and I hope you happy had wonderful holidays filled with friends and family.

Also, I uploaded this from my iPad, so it most likely will not let thoughts and Eros' dream be in italic.

Love Jasmine