Fate's Arrow

Alma was an olive skinned goddess in the eyes of those who beheld her. Her sea green eyes sparkled with warmth and enchanted those around her. People spoke of her beauty in whispers as if speaking louder would somehow break the spell of her beauty. Alma ignored these compliments now that she was older. For years she had heard how lovely she was, how kind, how delightful yet no one had really shown much interest in her personality. All they saw was her exterior appearance. 1

Alma was walking through the winding roads of Greece her flats padding softly on the white pavement. The sea air was fresh and the sky filled her with a sense of calm serenity. As Alma passed a group of elderly women she overheard them speaking of her beauty. “That Alma is prettier than that woman Doris Deluve,” the woman wearing a pink blouse whispered. Alma’s eyes widened that was a compliment she had not heard whispered among crowds before. Doris was a tall slender blonde with golden skin and lush curves. Her beauty was external only, she was evil and vindictive when her beauty was being matched, and these women had said Alma was prettier. She had best watch her back Doris did not take kindly to competition.2

“Nona, hush. You don’t want to anger the lady, she has a tendency to hear things that we mere mortals do not wish her to hear,” another whispered back mockingly. 3

“I tell you Clo, she is the goddess herself,” Nona grinned. Clo and the other women shook their heads. 4

“You are trouble Nona,” they laughed together.5

Alma shook her head smiling. They may be jesting but Doris was not known for her sense of humor but for her vicious beauty. Alma continued on her way passing shops and restaurants, waving hello to her friends and peers absorbing the day’s delights.6

“That girl is nothing but trouble,” Doris hissed to her son as she sat outside a fabric store waiting for her newest dress to be finished.7

“Mmhmm…” her son nodded not really listening to his mother’s complaining. 8

“Jason!” Doris hissed louder rapping him smartly on his knees with the teaspoon she held in her hand.9

“Mother I don’t know what you want me to do. She is just a girl. With a pretty face like hers she’ll be married off soon and I’m sure she’ll become fat and ugly before the honeymoon is over. You shouldn’t worry too much Mother, you are still the most beautiful woman in Greece,” Jason said barely glancing towards his mother from his appear. 10

“Mrs. Deluve? Your dress is finished would you like to try it on?” The seamstress asked her.11

“No, pack it up. I’ve things to do today,” Doris said standing up and stretching her long legs. “Jason, get up I have a job for you,” Jason groaned. 12

“Yes, Mother. You always seem to have a job for me to do,” he grumbled brushing off his trousers and folding his paper.13

Jason followed his mother to their home and into the basement they had converted into a place where they worshiped the goddess Aphrodite or in his mother’s case where she worshipped herself. “Jason I need you to make me a tea that will influence Alma decision for a husband, perhaps a love potion?” His mother cackled. Jason smiled tightly knowing his mother was almost as crazy as she was beautiful. 14

“Of course,” He said setting down his paper and running his hand through his unruly brown hair. He was rather tall like his mother and attractive. He was tanned with blue eyes and dark hair. He was muscled and when he smiled his mouth quirked up a little more on one side making him look more mischievous than he was. 15

Jason set to work brewing up a love potion that his mother sold to desperate women searching for husbands. Four hours later the tea was ready to be served.16

“I’ve sent an invitation to Alma to come and join us for tea, you will make sure she drinks it I’ve placed an arrow on the cup so that you know which cup she should drink and which one you shouldn’t. Mr. Barmby will also be joining us,” Doris added viciously. 17

“Mr. Barmby? What for?” Jason asked pulling a face. That old goat had been hounding his mother for years. He was always insisting to have her hand in marriage.18

“Yes, I plan to have Alma fall for Mr. Barmby. He will marry her immediately and then as you said she will grow fat and ugly before she returns from her honeymoon. Offer the tea and before she can sip it make sure you initiate a conversation between the two. Her focus must be on him if the potion is to be successful,” Doris said brushing a strand of hair away from her face.19

Alma arrived a few minutes early and Doris led her into their living room and when Mr. Barmby arrived the two sat discussing the weather. “I’m leaving so I do not distract Mr. Barmby,” His mother said kissing him lightly on the cheek, “Do not mess this up,” She warned him narrowing her eyes. He nodded and placed three cups of tea on a tray before walking it out into the living room. 20

“Hello Mr. Barmby, Alma.” He said nodding at each in turn as he set down the tray. His eyes locked on Alma and he was astonished by how gorgeous she actually was. He handed the tea out barely paying attention and watched as the two continued their conversation as if he wasn’t there. He took a long gulp of tea shaking his head but found that before he was swarmed with thoughts of Alma the arrow on his cup seemed to pierce his soul. He was utterly and inconceivable in love. His own love potion had worked against him.21

Jason knew that he could not let his love be married to anyone but him so he bade them both goodbye and ushered them from the house. How in the world could he have believed that he could harm such a delicate creature? 22

Of course when his mother returned and found that their plan had not worked she was furious and set about spinning tales of her broken virtue. The tales were at first said to be nonsense but men took up the cry saying that they knew it was true because they had bedded the beauty. Alma was devastated that her honor was being threatened and so she tried to tell the people what was true, but they didn’t know who to believe. They loved Alma she was beauty and soul wrapped together but Doris was powerful and had sway over many rich men in the city.23

Alma found a gypsy woman who said she would read her palm and cast her cards for Alma. Alma who didn’t know what else to do agreed and followed the woman inside. Clo sat at her table her eyes closed in concentration as she flipped over old and crinkled tarot cards. She said nothing but held out her hand asking for Alma’s. Alma placed her hand in Clo’s and watched the old woman trace the lines of her hand. 24

“You have been marked my dear. A powerful woman has ruined you in order to reclaim her admirers. She has cursed you to remain alone with no husband nor friends to turn to. You will be given to the one who waits for you on the other side of the cliff. Go there and see what your fortune holds,” Clo said pointing to the west. 25

Alma went to the west facing cliffs and sat in the grass awaiting her future. As time went by she slowly dozed off but when she awoke she found herself unharmed at the bottom of the cliff. Looking around herself she saw that spires from an estate peeked over the top of the trees that lay in front of her. Knowing that she had found where she was supposed to be she hurried towards it. Alma walked into the palace not bothering to knock and went about discovering the place.26

As she pushed open a door she heard the most intoxicating voice whisper behind her. A soft hand caressed her shoulder and another was placed over her eyes. “I promise to love you always but you cannot look upon me until I tell you that you may,” The voice of her husband whispered. Alma nodded falling back into his arms.27

Weeks passed and Alma was growing desperate to see his face. Day after day she would ask to see the man who loved her so deeply but every day the answer was the same. No. So one night as they lay together in the dark she asked him if her sisters may visit them. He agreed knowing that this would be their downfall. 28

The next morning Alma invited her sisters to come visit and within a week they were there beside her asking about her life. When she told them of her arrangement with her husband they told her that it was because he was a hideous man riddled with disease. She didn’t’ believe them but they insisted that she wait until he was asleep and then look upon him with a flashlight.29

Her sisters had convinced Alma to ignore her husband’s whishes and that night she took out her flashlight and held it over his face. When she looked down and saw Jason her heart over flowed with the love she felt for him knowing that this was Doris’s son, the one who had ruined her. Yet he loved her still. That evil goddess has made him hide himself from me. She thought her hand loosened on the flashlight and it dropped to the floor startling him awake. His eyes met hers and he fled the room. Alma was heartbroken that he left her and the next day when she answered the door a woman stood there looking somber. “My name is Cornelia. I have come to tell you that maybe Doris could aid you in obtaining your true love back. Go to Doris, and ask her for her aid, I am sure she will help you,” The woman then turned and left without another word. 30

Anxious for her husband to be returned to her Alma went to see Doris. She begged her for help and Doris promised her that she would aid her as long as she completed a difficult task. Alma agreed readily and was shown to a storage room where piles of seed were stored.31

“You are to separate these seeds into separate piles. There are grains, beans and lentils, separate them and I will see what I can do,” Doris said closing the door on Alma. Alma tried to separate the seeds but as the night wore on she realized she would not be able to accomplish this task by morning. Doves flitted above her in golden cages and Alma listened to their sad but beautiful coos.32

“We will aid you Alma. We were sent to help you,” A colony of ants filtered into the room through a crack in the wall and sorted through the seed. Doris returned in the morning only to be angered that Alma had succeeded in accomplishing the task.33

Doris was so angry that she set another task for Alma to attempt. “There is a shepherd who lets his sheep roam the Cliffside all day, you will cross the river and collect me some fleece from the sheep.34

Alma nodded and left. She was crossing the river when an odd looking fisherman waved at her. “I’m Alton, and I warn you that if you cross now those sheep will not behave like sheep. They are a savage lot. Best wait until noon Alma.” Alma nodded grateful for the advice and waited until noon. 35

“Pick the fleece off the bushes and brambles Alma, so as not to irritate the sheep,” Alton said smiling crookedly at her. Alma smiled radiating her beauty and did as she was told. When she returned with the fleece Doris was furious.36

She then made a request that Alma knew was to be the death of her. She was asked to go to the underworld and ask Persephone for some of her beauty. She was to put it in a special box that Doris had given her. Alma agreed knowing that she would never return from the underworld but she had to try. As she stood over the cliff side staring down into the waters that she hoped would lead her to the Underworld a voice familiar yet unknown to her filled her head. It told her the way into the Underworld and how to avoid being trapped there. The voice whispered to her how she was to return and to never open the box once the Queen of the Underworld placed her beauty inside of it. Alma followed all of the voices directions but she couldn’t help but open the box of beauty. She believed that her travel worn self wouldn’t be beautiful enough for Jason and so she intended to take a little bit of the beauty from the box. 37

But as all know godly magic is not for mortals. Once the box was opened Alma was put into a deep sleep. Eros who had been the voice to guide her, had sent the ants and the fisherman to help his beloved wiped her eyes clean of the sleep the god’s magic had unleashed on her.38

When she woke up he kissed her and told her to return to his mother and give her the box. She nodded sad to be parting from him again but he promised to return. Jason went to meet with the high council of the gods, Zeus himself agreed to see him. Removing his glamour Jason revealed himself to be Eros, son of Aphrodite. When he told Zeus what his mother had done and the trials Alma had gone through in order to gain back his love Zeus calmed Aphrodite and gave Eros a cup of ambrosia. This Eros took to Alma and gave her it to drink so that she could become immortal and live together with him forever. She took on the name Psyche, which means Soul. Soul and Love finally joined together for eternity. 39

<3Psyche&Eros<340

<3Forever<341

~The End~