Time Lizzy Saint

buildingpalacesoutofparagraphs:

writing-prompt-s:

You declared to the heavens that you would never fall in love. Aphrodite hereslf took it as a challenge.

I hadn’t meant for this to happen.

When I said I would never fall in love, I meant that I would never give another so much control over me that I might lose myself. I need to be whole on my own, I don’t want anyone to complete me.

And the idea of sharing a bed with a man is terrifying, and I’m tired of my parents bringing suitors to me.

So I said those damning words:

“I will never fall in love!”

And my life was fucked forever.

That night, a storm came. I slept peacefully through it, and had a vivid dream. I was under a big willow tree, protected from the storm. A crystal clear voice came from all around me.

“Daughter, why do you scorn love?”

“It is unattainable for me, and it would do nothing for me. I have no need of it, and so I have cast it aside.”

“Everyone needs love, daughter. Even you. Let me show you.”

When I woke up, I was in a cold sweat, and panting heavily, but something else was wrong. I put a hand to my chest, and felt nothing. The rain had cleared, and the smell of petrichor wafted through my open window.

I —— petrichor. I ——. I ——. I can’t say ——, I can’t feel ——.

I raced downstairs, and saw my parents. My mother had a beautiful smile, and my father had a great booming laugh. They ——ed me. And I —— them. Or, at least I did.

When my mother smiles at me, I feel nothing. When my father laughs at our dog, I feel nothing. When my dog tackles me and licks my face, I feel nothing.

It’s horrible. I’m so empty. And I’m completely fucked. I know this is some kind of test that I have to endure, and life is going to suck for quite a while, it seems. I give my parents a half-hearted smile as I leave to go to Aphrodite’s temple. It’s an hour long journey, one way. It’s a beautiful day out, but it feels wrong, just like me.

I finally arrive, and after catching my breath enter. It’s beautiful, worthy of it’s goddess. I kneel and start to pray.

Lady Aphrodite… are you there? Are you testing me? This isn’t what I meant when I said I would never fall in ——. If there’s a test or task I need to complete, I will do it. Tell me, please. I want to —— again.

Nothing.

I stood up slowly, having gone stiff from kneeling on marble. I stroll around the temple, and leave a sizeable offering of food and drink.

“Traveler!” a voice calls out. I turn around, and see a girl, a bit older than me. She has flowers in her hair, and gold on her face. She’s a priestess. “Traveler, forgive my abruptness. Lady Aphrodite has marked you, hasn’t she?”

“I-Excuse me?” I ask. I’m confused, and also she’s really pretty.

“You have her mark.” She takes my hand, and presses on my wrist. “Ah, your trial has already begun.”

“Can you slow down a bit? What mark? And what’s this about a trial? Do you know what’s going on?”

“Come, we can talk outside.” I follow her out to a small courtyard, where a fountain quietly sings. “I am Delia. I’ve been a priestess of Lady Aphrodite for three years. It seems the storm has brought you in. I came in a storm as well. It looks like you’re following in my footsteps, haha. Well, I’m going to tell you what my mentor told me.

“You’ve been chosen by Lady Aphrodite to be special to her. All special ones must go through a trial to prove themselves worthy of her. Once you either fail or succeed, then you may go about your days knowing that you are special to her, and that she is watching over you. I chose to be a priestess.”

“Okay, I need a minute to process all of this. Aph—Lady Aphrodite chose me, just because?”

“She must like you.”

“I thought I pissed her off. I claimed I would never fall in l-o-v-e.”

“Interesting. And your trial began after that?”

“Well, that was yesterday. Last night, I had a dream where a voice told me I needed —— ugh, sorry. I need l-o-v-e hat she would show me. Then I woke up, couldn’t say that word, I have no pulse, and I can’t feel that word, either.”

“Yes, this is your trial. I’m afraid the advice I can give you is limited. But you’re welcome to visit this temple as often as you need to.”

“Thank you, Delia.”

————————

Days became weeks, which became months. I was so tired of not feeling. I convinced my parents that taking a pilgrimage to Aphrodite’s temple was a fantastic idea. Delia and the other priests welcomed me with open arms. We look after the temple, and spread l-o-v-e to the city. I really like it here. And I feel like my trial is close to being over.

The empty ache in my chest seems to grow stronger when I’m around Delia. She has beautiful brown hair and green eyes, and freckles all over her face. Her smile is slightly crooked and her laugh is infectious. She usually has bruises on her arms and legs from falling and/or bumping into things, as she’s quite clumsy.

We’ve become very close these past few months. Very close. She stares at me when she thinks I’m not looking. She always puts us together when she delegates tasks. We laugh into the early hours of the morning.

She’s asked me to braid her hair. She sits on the ground in front of me, with a pile of flowers on her lap. Her hair never tangles, which makes me insanely jealous. I run my fingers through her hair and begin the braid. She starts humming.

Right over and under. Left over and under. Back and forth, back and forth, back and—

Oh. Oh. The persistent ache in my chest intensifies, and I groan at the discomfort.

“Are you alright?”

I faint before I can respond.

———————

I’m back under the willow tree. It’s damp, and smells earthy.

“Well done, daughter. I knew you could do it.”

“Lady Aphrodite!” I kneel, and I can feel her presence in the air. Her voice comes from all directions.

“Your trial is over. You have my blessings upon the rest of your life.”

“Thank you, Lady Aphrodite!”

The void in my chest is filled once more, and the willow tree fades into darkness…

——————

I open my eyes. Delia is kneeling over me, muttering something. There’s a plant on my forehead.

“Delia?”

She gasps. “You’re awake! What happened?!”

I push myself up, so I’m eye level with her. “I love you.”

Her cheeks turn pink. “Y-you do?”

“Yes. My trial is over, and I can feel again. My chest ached so badly around you, and now I know why. I want to be a priestess for Lady Aphrodite, and spend every day with her, in her temple, with you.”

I barely finish my sentence before she leans forward and kisses me.