Page 34 of Arrogance
Those sexual routines of ours at least alleviated me a little. But still, who knows what the next four months could hold for me. I had no idea of what was going on in the above world and it made me ache, wondering just when exactly Artemis was going to reveal mine and Apollo’s transgression.
Hopefully Apollo would be able to reason with her, although I’m not sure how much good that would do. Artemis was his twin sister, so she would never want to see her brother punished, right? But then there was the fact that she is the Goddess of chastity and one of purity. Would not holding Apollo and me accountable for our ruthless behavior go against everything she stood for? My mind was spinning, going through all the possible outcomes and what they could potentially mean for me and my fate.
I studied my hands carefully, holding them out, realizing how jittery they truly were. My fretfulness was at an all-time high, and I wish I knew what I could possibly do to distract my worry.
I then thought about Apollo and our last encounter together. A smile crept up on my face, as I closed my eyes and reimagined the scene of us on the shrine. I envisioned the exact image of Apollo’s face, that glimmered from the reflection of the flames that were ablaze all around us on the shrine. Everything about the god was stunning, from his suave looks to his beautifully sculpted body, and even his godly demeanor drove me wild and made him all the more captivating to me.
His touch still lingered on the surface of my skin, even days later. I caressed my arms and shoulders before rubbing them down to my chest, revisiting the very way Apollo used his own hands to appreciate and pleasure my entire body. It was as if my hands had transformed into his. They moved further and further down my abdomen and right to my cock.
I whimpered with pleasure at the very touch of it. But a knock at my bedchamber door instantly ruined the vivid fantasy. A sigh of vexation escaped from my mouth once I realized I was brought back to reality. “Come in!” I shouted.
I turned around to see Persephone entering the room, shutting the door behind her on her way in. She traipsed past my bed and to the opposite side of the room, where I sat in my chaise. Her delicate hand reached to cup my shoulder. “I’m so glad to have you back here,” she shared with me.
Despite these four months of the year being a nuisance with not knowing any of the drama that was occurring in the above world, and unsure of what exactly Apollo and Aphrodite were up to, I had to admit it was not all so bad down here. Persephone was one of the kindest and gentlest goddesses I had ever met in my entire life. And those loving feelings I’ve had for her as I was growing up did not flee. They were still present, but I just did not love her in the same ways I loved Aphrodite and Apollo. This kind of love Persephone and I shared was one of understanding and being altruistic towards one another.
Years ago, when I left the Underworld with Aphrodite, I deeply hurt Persephone. Needless to say, when I returned to the Underworld for the very first time after Zeus demanded I spend a third of the year living here, it was extremely awkward. I had no clue what to expect from Persephone at first. Would she be livid? Would she attempt to give me her own form of punishment? Perhaps she would just be depressed and cry the entire time, begging me to reconsider my choice in selecting Aphrodite over her? But I received none of those grievances. Instead, the Persephone I got was one who was sympathetic and who actually apologized to me, for not taking my feelings into consideration with my desire to explore the upper world and what it had to offer me. We returned to our normal relationship rather quickly thereafter and have gotten along ever since.
“I’m glad to be back,” I replied to her, glancing out my window at the Underworld beneath me as she spoke.
Persephone moved to the front of the chaise to block my view out the window. She sat on the chaise with me, in a small spot on the end of it. Her hand soothingly rubbed up and down my leg in a slow, rhythmic motion.
“You’ve acted differently since you arrived, Adonis,” she led in with.
I raised my brow at her, wondering where she was going with this accusation. “How so?”
“I can’t quite put my finger on it. You’re not quite despondent, but at the same time, you’re not overly anxious, either. It’s a combination of both, actually. So, tell me, what seems to be troubling you?”
Persephone’s suspicions were spot on. She knew me all too well, just as Aphrodite did. The two were similar in that nature, but had not much else in common. I couldn’t believe she was able to pick up on my change in demeanor. Here I thought that I was putting up a solid front, hiding my emotions and fears rather well. But I was obviously wrong.
“Nothing’s troubling me. Everything is completely fine,” I lied, hoping she would believe me and not press on about it any longer.
“You’re hiding something, Adonis. I can sense it. You can confide in me, my love. You know I would never tell a soul anything you disclose.”
This was true. Persephone kept all my secrets to herself. Anything I ever did tell her in confidence stayed between us, at least to my knowledge. So, if I did inform her about my relationship with Apollo and my feelings towards him, I knew it would never leave this room.
“I’ve grown to love someone on the surface beyond Aphrodite,” I revealed.
“Oh? Who exactly?”
“Another god,” I began to explain.
Persephone placed her palm on her forehead and shook it. “Oh Adonis…” she exclaimed with a tone of disappointment in her voice.
“I know. And I have a feeling it's going to rattle Mount Olympus if anyone were to learn of this,” I stated.
“And who is the god?” she asked.
“Apollo.”
Her eyes widened. Persephone was stunned by this revelation. “And he loves you in return?”
I nodded. “More than ever.”
“And you are sure no one knows about this affair between you two?”
“As far as I’m aware,” I replied.
“Well, this is quite the predicament you are in.” Persephone rose from her sedentary position and took several steps towards the window, gazing out at the horizon of the shadowy Underworld. She folded her arms over her chest, just beneath her bosom. I could tell she was deep in thought. “And are you ever going to share with Aphrodite of your love for Apollo?”
