A Goddess Plots

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite entered the plaza. Her platinum hair was partially done up leaving some of it to lightly graze her shoulders. Her red gown softly rustled as she walked. She looked very much like the goddess of beauty she was and Aphrodite in her vain nature seldom ever hid her identity. She carried herself like a queen, her head held high as she looked about with her turquoise eyes. Men and women both stopped to observe her as she walked past. Her beauty was so unearthly and surreal, she looked almost out of place.

At one point as he walked by, her eyes shifted to the side. Seeing a young man eying a young woman longingly, she smirked and raised one her hand, a finger pointed to he sky. Making a circular motion, she then pointed to the young man and instantly the young woman looked up to see the young man looking at her and smiled back. Another pairing matched up. Aphrodite kept walking. She was hoping to find someone in particular.

She stopped at one point and looked about. Most who had been watching her suddenly went back about their business, but she was unphased by it. Such was a typical day anymore. She casually glanced at the men about out of mere habit. Once in a great while she took a mortal lover but had not in some time. Seemed the goddess' tastes had changed or maybe it was her loyalties. Maybe it was both. She looked about and wondered to herself how many had put their loyalties solely to Zeus himself. She lingered on the thought as she stood there, lost momentarily in her own plans.

[Matthias]

Matthias had finally left the forest behind, and had no desire to ever go back at this point. Covered in blood and scratches and looking like he had seen better days, he began to cross the plaza. His destination was the tavern. He needed a drink after his ordeal.

The townsfolk occasionally glanced at him, staring at the guy who looked like he had just been through hell, but he did not care. He himself hardly really noticed anyone until he saw her. She was standing alone, looking like some surreal exotic princess.

He had stopped walking and was staring for an amount of time he had lost track of. When he caught himself staring, he looked away. Whomever she was, he tried to tell himself that she was merely another face in the crowd who probably didn't see him anyway and he was content with that. Matthias had no designs to be anything but a loner.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite had come out of her reverie and looked about the square again, seeing him as he just had looked away. A satisfied smile graced her lips. There was always something pleasing to her about finding one of the men staring at her. She rarely minded it and rather delighted in it.

Reaching up she delicately brushed a lock of hair of her shoulders as her turquoise eyes watched the male. She was intrigued by his armor and even more by his battle wounds. What sort of trouble had he found, she had wondered. Not being one to be shy, she began to approach him. She wanted to know more about him.

"I did not know there was a war," she said in a silky and soft voice. "Though it looks as though whomever the enemy is, they got in a good hit." She put on her most flirtatious smile as she watched him from under a pair of long, feminine eyelashes.

[Matthias]

Matthias was about to walk off when she started to approach and part of him had thought he should keep going. Still there was something about her that kept him in place, but he didn't exactly greet her with an enthusiastic smile or a hopeful look. He looked more hesitant than anything as though he wasn't sure talking to her was such a good idea.

He looked back at her as she spoke and shook his head. "There is no war, milady," as he traces the scratch marks with a hand without thinking. "Just a dragon in the forest that took an interest in me until I managed to get it disinterested." He looked at her up close. As beautiful as she was, he almost sensed something inhuman about her.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite sensed his reluctance which only enticed her more. She stepped closer as she examined his wounds. As he mentioned a dragon got him she perked her brow as her turquoise eyes looked back up at him. She almost seemed to have an inner glow as she did, her lips curled delicately into a soft smile.

"Must be that damn hydra," she commented. "That thing is such an ugly thing. At least you got away. Perhaps you shall have to tell me your tale." She ever so gently batted her lashes at him, using her smile and charm to try and enchant him. He couldn't have been just any other soldier. They all seemed to travel in packs. Not to mention he almost reminded her of someone.

[Matthias]

Matthias looked back at her, seeing her smile at him. It wasn't that he never caught smiles from women looking his way but there was something about her that seemed a little unsettling. Then again he realized he could just be paranoid as he rarely trusted anyone anymore. He shook his head as he looked back at her.

"It is flattering that you would be curious to hear my tale," he admitted, "but aside from it being a little violent for a lady's ears, I fear I am not seeking the company." In the back of his mind he saw his wife's face and felt that pang of heartbreak and loneliness before he pushed it aside. "I am just not interested," he said quickly, his tone of voice betraying him with hints of pain.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite smiled and then laughed softly as he spoke of his tale not being suitable for her. She was no stranger to violence. Not by a long shot. It wasn't possible when you sought the company of the god of war and violence. Not to mention, her temper sometimes caused a few violent moments from time to time.

"That is a sweet gesture, I must say," she told him. "Yet I have seen my fair share of unpleasant things." Her smile softened a little when he proclaimed he was not seeking company and the tone of his voice suggested as to why. She tried to reach and touch him if he allowed seeing if she could sense the reason for his pain. Her hand would gently touch his chest, just over the heart if he let her as she would step in closer. "Something disturbs you..." It wasn't a question as she spoke in a low voice.

[Matthias]

Matthias was taken off guard when she stepped closer and put her hand on his chest. He hadn't even expected her to speak to him let alone get so close as to touch him. Looking from his chest back up to her face as she made her statement, he slowly nodded his head. He felt the hole in his heart from his loss all too clearly and as he did, it felt almost like a floodgate threatening to break.

"Y-You could say that," he succeeded in getting out. "I have suffered a great loss..." he began to say before he stopped. It usually was not a subject he was eager to discuss and he cast his eyes away for a short time before looking back and thinking of his deceased wife. As he did, he almost felt ashamed to look at the woman before him, if only innocently admiring her.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite was intrigued all the more to say the least. By watching him, she had her guesses that he had lost loved ones. They must have been special to have wounded a warrior like him in such a way. Leaning in closer, she looked him in the eyes, her own their vibrant turquoise shade and made her guess.

"Who was she?" she asked softly. It had to be a woman. Love was of course her area of expertise. To think of all the warriors she had seen reduced to lovesick boys because of a woman. She watched him intently almost sensing the hole in his heart. "What was her name?"

[Matthias]

Her questions were almost like arrows in him. Memories flooded back and consumed him for a moment, memories of a life now long gone. He had tried not to think about it all for the most part. It was his way of dealing with it all but now he was face to face with it. Try as he may, he couldn't seem to turn away from his memories.

"Her name was Linnea," he said as he looked back at her. "She was my wife, but she was killed by enemy troops." It surprised him that she was able to get this out of him. He seldom told anyone this. "Just who are you, anyway?" he suddenly asked realizing he had no idea who this strange woman was.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite listened to him as he spilled the details, a seemingly soft, sympathetic smile on her lips although she was more so satisfied with the results than anything. She wasn't entirely surprised it was the loss of a wife that made a strong looking warrior like him seem vulnerable. As he went on to ask her identity she felt her vanity flare a bit.

"You do not recognize a goddess when you see one?" she asked him as she took a step back. "Especially one who deals in love?" Her expression became more neutral as she looked at him, curious to his reaction.

[Matthias]

His eyes widened when she spoke and for a second he could only stare. Abruptly he stepped back from her, a look of contempt on his face. He grew angry once more as he looked at the ground before him and considered walking away, turning his back on her. But he didn't. Instead he found himself stepping closer to her this time.

"I have a half mind right now to do whatever it takes to kill you," he growled. "After being abandoned by you and yours when I most needed it. How could you let her die?! How could you let them die?!" His eyes burned with anger. He didn't care if she could strike him down. He had to get it out though.

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite simply stared back at him for a few moments before an amused smile graced her features again. She laughed softly, seeming unable to help herself and knew she probably looked like a complete bitch to him but she also did not care. After her laughter subsided, she looked back.

"Good luck trying to kill any of us," she said, and yet she knew in the back of her mind that the mortals seemed capable of it. It was the reason, after all that her and the other Olympians had outlawed science and technology, but she was not about to tell him that. Him or anyone. She softened her features into a more compassionate expression.

"Yet I would not be one to deny a man such as yourself someone he loves," she told him as she tried to look him in the eyes. "I fear the Fates had merely determined Linnea's thread be cut. But... it is not to say you could never find love again. I could see to that."

[Matthias]

He looked back at her as she spoke, her words almost stinging. His expression turned into a scowl. The idea of such a passive stance from her on the matter just seemed to make it all worse. Were mortals of such little consequence to one such as her?

"It is good to know the ones we are supposed to be able to turn to care so much," he said sarcastically. "As for finding love again, maybe I don't wish to. Maybe all I wish at this point is that the fate Atropos turn her scissors upon your kind."

[Aphrodite]

Aphrodite did not take her eyes off of him. She watched him express hos anger and his hatred for her and the gods but she did not once flinch or even blink. After his declaration of his desire for her death, she gave him a soft look as she tried to caress the side of his face with her soft hands.

"In the end, all mortals fall at my feet begging to be loved," she stated in a soft and wispy voice. "You will too again in time. So very few ever embrace loneliness. I do not control who leaves this realm, but in time you will come before me on your own."