"You are ready to claim your love. You have successfully
completed your training," Persephone said, handing Aphrodite a
white and gold braided whip, which had been crafted especially
for the goddess of love and desire.
"Thank you, Mistress," Aphrodite said, raising
her open hands to claim her prize.
"Dress her," Persephone commanded.
Two female slaves busied themselves, gathering Aphrodite's
garments, girdle, crown, and jewelry. All the gold of these items
sparkled despite the darkness of the surroundings.
Turning from the women, she said to Aphrodite,
"Have a safe journey back."
The goddess of the underworld left the room without
speaking another word.
"Here, Mistress," the young slave said, holding
out the golden girdle. The goddess stepped into it. The two slaves
stared at her. They had become mesmerized by the spell of the
magical girdle.
Aphrodite smiled as their desire for her blossomed
in their eyes.
"You may touch."
"Yes, Mistress," the two women said.
Aphrodite relished the soft hands exploring her
body. One woman sucked a pink nipple into her mouth, while she
twirled the other nipple between her fingers like a precious pearl.
The other woman caressed her back, marveling at the creamy flesh.
She outlined the seashell birthmark on Aphrodite's right shoulder.
She kissed the seashell, tracing it with her tongue.
"You taste like the ocean," the woman said.
* * *
Riding on a dolphin's back, Aphrodite penetrated
through the surface of the ocean. As if it were giving birth to
the goddess once again, the waves rippled and foamed. The sun
spotlighted the goddess and caused her golden hair to sparkle
brighter than the gold of her jewelry. The dolphin delivered her
to the shore. Two doves greeted her as she slid off of her companion.
When she planted her feet on the wet sand, it oozed between her
toes like a lover's tongue. She sighed at the ecstasy of having
the sand massage her feet as she walked along the beach.
Aphrodite followed the shore in the direction of
Olympus. The waves lapped at her ankles as they caressed the shore
where she walked. The breeze stroked her hair out of her blue
eyes. When she reached the caverns outside of Olympus, she sighed.
Rocks littered the paths. Animals were frozen in stone. Squirrels,
rabbits, deer, and other animals had become their own gravestones.
"Medusa, are you here?"
No answer returned, except an echo, which bounced
off of the rocks. The goddess continued her search through the
cemetery of stones. A hiss of snakes broke through the silence
of the dead forest. Aphrodite fought the urge to turn toward the
sound.
"Medusa?"
"What are you doing here? You can't see me."
"I know I can't look into your eyes."
"Why did you come? Your love isn't enough to save
you or me."
Handing a cloth behind her, Aphrodite said, "Cover
your eyes. I want to look at you."
After a short time, Medusa said, "It is on."
Her voice fell flat in Aphrodite's ears. Before
she turned around, Aphrodite sighed. Hoping the curse did not
cause Medusa to betray her, she turned slowly in case it had been
a lie. Medusa stood before her with the cloth tied, covering her
eyes. Snakes hissed and squirmed on her head around the cloth.
Aphrodite kissed the tip of her finger and placed it on Medusa's
lips. At the touch, Medusa, trying to get the finger to stroke
her cheek, turned her head. Aphrodite cringed when her finger
touched the woman's scaly face. Medusa moaned.
"I wish I could see you."
"I'm going to fight the curse with my love. I am
going to force it to leave your body. Will you take this journey
with me?"
Medusa nodded her head. The snakes coiled and hissed
in response to the movement. "I'll do anything for you."
She led the blindfolded Medusa to a nearby tree.
She placed her arms around the trunk.
"Hug the tree. Think of it as an extension of me."
Medusa stretched her arms around the tree and held
on tightly. As she imagined holding Aphrodite in her arms again,
she realized how long it had been. She wept for the lost time.
If it had not been for the snakes, Aphrodite would have reached
up and stroked the tears away. Instead she stepped back a few
steps and uncoiled her whip.
"I'm sending you the kisses I have saved for you.
They will be on the tip of my whip," Aphrodite said, cracking
the whip in the air.
Medusa jumped at the sound.
"Since Athena cursed you, we have been parted.
I am going to open you up. I am going to reach into your heart.
The only part of you Athena has not been able to touch. I'm going
to bring you back to me."
Medusa relaxed as if each word spoken was a caress.
The whip careened through the air and struck her fleshy bottom.
Aphrodite watched as a battle began to erupt within Medusa. The
snakes hissed at the whip like it was an intruder. Medusa exhaled
slowly and anticipated the next stroke.
Aphrodite kissed her over and over with the whip.
The kisses journeyed from the back of her thighs, over her bottom,
and to her upper back. Scaly flesh flaked off and exposed human
flesh to the kisses. When Aphrodite saw the human flesh bruising
from the whip, she concentrated her efforts on the areas where
the scaly flesh was tougher. She wanted to break through the animal
layer Athena had cursed upon the once beautiful maiden and wanted
to bring forth the beauty defiled by Athena.
"Bring me back my beautiful, mortal maiden. Erase
the curse of jealousy placed upon my love for being as beautiful
as a goddess," Aphrodite chanted, flinging the whip at the scaly
flesh barrier.
After an intense battle with the tough, scaly flesh,
Medusa's knees buckled. Still hugging the tree, she fell to the
ground. Aphrodite ran to her side and stroked the bruised flesh
on her back. The snakes stretched out their full length to snap
at her. She moved her hand farther down the back. She refused
to let the snakes scare her away from touching the woman she loved.
Aphrodite flaked off scaly flesh, which hung loosely onto the
battleground of Medusa's back. She fingered the tender flesh beneath
the lost scales.
Medusa sobbed.
"I love you, Medusa."
"It feels wonderful to feel your touch again, my
love," Medusa said between sobbing breaths.
Aphrodite stroked her lover's back and flaked off
any loose scales, while Medusa continued to sob. When Medusa's
breathing had settled, Aphrodite helped her off the ground. They
walked to a low stone, which jutted out from the side of a mountain.
"Rest here," Aphrodite said, helping Medusa onto
the flat rock.
"I will return shortly."
"Don't leave me. Please." Medusa reached out for
the goddess. "Please."
"Don't worry. I will return." Aphrodite walked
toward the ocean. She touched the animal stones along her path.
Bits of rock broke off into her hands. She rolled the pebbles
around between her fingers. The rocks were warm to her touch.
When she came to the edge of the forest, she heard the waves crashing
against the shore and smelled the salt in the air. At the sound
of the ocean, she walked faster as if the ocean beckoned to her.
Finally, at the edge of the ocean, she wiggled her toes into the
sand. The gritty soil licked her toes. She watched the waves flow
up to her and circle around her ankles like a hug.
She bent down and wet a cloth with the salty water.
Twirling the material around in the ocean, she thought about the
battle ahead. Interrupting her thoughts, a dolphin swam to the
surface. She smiled at the sight of her companion.
"We will be along soon, my friend. I need to return
to her.
