Chapter Three: I Meet The Goddess Of Love

''' Chapter 3 '''

''' I Meet The Goddess Of Love '''

I packed my usual equipment for a quest. Felonious and a knife, ambrosia and nectar, toothbrush and paste, drachmas and clothes. At dawn, we hopped into one of the camp’s strawberry trucks, and headed off to Indianapolis.

I drove all the way to Cincinnati, Ohio, before stopping to get gas. My friends all went into the convenience store to buy snacks. As I was filling up the tank, I saw the most beautiful bird ever. A pure white dove soared over my head; I left the gas nozzle in the car and followed it. I was a little queasy about following a bird, especially after the event last summer, but I decided it was harmless. I know it was a dangerous thing to do, but I did it anyway, I just had a good feeling about following the bird; do you know what I mean? Of course you don’t. Anyway, I followed the bird into a clump of trees across the street. The bird landed in the center of a clearing in the trees and sat there. When I got close to it, it started to grow, until it was the size of a grown woman.

She was extremely beautiful, more beautiful than anyone I had ever seen, maybe. Her eyes changed color a lot, as well was her hair, but they always complimented her perfectly. At one point, she looked like Madison, which kind of freaked me out.

I bowed, “Lady Aphrodite,” I said.

“Yes I know, now get up, jeez I hate groveling.” She responded.

I stood up, “But I wasn’t,”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Of course you weren’t dear,” She interrupted, “But that’s beside the point, I came here to talk to you about your little quest.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Well, our camp doesn’t stand a chance against Ouranos’s army, I am going on a trip to get all the half-bloods that we can,” I told her.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“While that might be true,” She said, “I know the real reason you are going on this quest, one that you haven’t told your friends.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">I blushed, “Madison, I promised I would save her from the Underworld.” I said.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Oh! That is so cute!” Aphrodite squealed.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">I was blushing like crazy now. I hated it when people used to tell me that Madison and I would make a cute couple, but this was a goddess, and her mom.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“But, that’s not why, I-I,” I stammered.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Aphrodite said, “You have hidden it long enough, even from yourself. This is so cute! A quest to save your true love from the Underworld!” she said with delight.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Didn’t Orpheus try that and fail?” I asked.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Yes, but he was a weak hero, all he had was a harp,” Aphrodite said, like musical talent didn’t mean much, “You are a much greater hero.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Um, thanks.” I said.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">I could hear my friends calling for me in the background. I looked at Aphrodite as to what I should do; she nodded to me as if to say, “Go”. I turned and left. When my friends saw me, they settled down.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Where were you?” Joe asked.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Yeah dude, we went in, you were here. We come out and you’re gone. Not cool,” said Zack.

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“Yeah man,” stated Janny, “We like looked all over for you dawg.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">“It’s ok,” I said, “Calm down, I only talked to Aphrodite. Come on, let’s go save Jacob from the Lemnian Women.”

<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Tahoma', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 20pt">And with that, we got into the truck. Joe was to drive to Indianapolis; I got in the shotgun seat, and drifted to sleep.”

Chapter Four: Return Of The Lemnian Women