Forbidden Love

Chapter 10

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied Vulcan. He didn’t want to admit that Cupid was right. “How could he love someone without even knowing them? As if reading his thoughts, Cupid spoke.

“Love at first sight is a thing V, and it’s a bitch.” Vulcan gave him a quizzical look.

“This coming from the God of Love?” Vulcan asked. Cupid nodded.

“Yes, think about it, V. I didn’t strike you with an arrow, Venus sure wouldn’t make you love Peitho, and I’ve been keeping a close eye on both Eros and Aphrodite. Dite is so pissed about Hephaestus’s loss that it couldn’t have been her. The LAST thing she’d want is for you to end up with her daughter. And Eros definitely didn’t strike you with an arrow, which means one of two things YOU fell in love with her of your own volition or the fates have deemed that you’re meant to be. You know that those women are nothing but trouble as well as I do. If they’ve fated you to Peitho, this will only end in heartbreak. And knowing Jupiter destruction of some sort.”

“Jupiter? You think Jupiters behind this?” Vulcan asked. Cupid stared at him blankly.

“Is this seriously a question? If you didn’t fall for her of your own volition, then yes, I think Jupiter is behind this. He told you not to take a lover once you were engaged to Venus, right? Then you came back at him and said that it would only be a matter of weeks before Venus would be back in HIS bed. Right?” Vulcan laughed; he hadn’t thought of that at the time. He decided not to comment.

“I care about you, Fratello. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t warn you against this. You’re going to do as you wish, as you should. And if I had grown up under the same circumstances as you, then I would go for it too. Hold tightly to it and be careful.” Vulcan smiled at his friend, still unsure of what to say.

“And V?”

“Cupid?” Vulcan answered.

“Be gentle with her. She’s a virgin. I know you won’t push her, but be careful.”

Vulcan nodded, “I haven’t so much as tried to hold someone’s hand since Venus broke my heart when I was younger. I will never be the one to make the first move.” Cupid returned Vulcan’s nod and disappeared without another word.

Vulcan momentarily wondered if he was making a mistake. He put the thought out of his mind as quickly as it had entered. If Jupiter was going to bring him down, then he wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Just once, he wanted to experience love, and he felt with all his heart that this was his chance.

******

The following day Peitho made sure to wake before Apollo made the sunrise. She filled a basket with bread, cheese, wine, fruit, and meat. Once it was packed, she hid the basket in her temple. Peitho would tell her mother that she was going to visit the mortal realm around noon. There was a small inn on the outskirts of Pompeii. She had gone there under cover of the night yesterday and rented a room for today so that she and Vulcan could be in their actual forms when they were alone together. As Peitho stood there, she began worrying about what it would be like to be alone with him. Her mother never let her be alone with a man, or at least not one that she knew to be interested in her. Aphrodite tended to send another of her maidens with Peitho whenever she went to the mortal realm to use her powers. To ensure that Peitho disguised herself or remained unseen while using her powers. Olympus forbid any man found her attractive. Aphrodite wouldn’t stand for the competition, especially from her own daughter. Lucky for Peitho, Aphrodite let her go to the mortal realm alone when she merely wanted to explore.

“Peitho,” she jumped at the sound of the voice she heard behind her. It was one she’d never heard before. She nervously turned around to face the stranger. The tall being in front of her had a dark green cloak with his hood up, making it impossible to see his face. Peitho shifted nervously on her feet, afraid that whoever this was intended to do her harm. Sensing his aura, she knew she was in the presence of a God. The only time mortals came to Olympus was when. A God or Goddess engaged in an affair with one brought them here.

“Who are you?” Asked Peitho. She was so nervous she swore she heard the sound of her own heart beating in her ears. The stranger silently lowered his cloak. Revealing a face that she had seen at the tournament a few days prior, but she didn’t know his name. He was handsome, though. His hair was golden, a deep gold, unlike Apollo, whose hair was light and bright like the sun. He was as tall as Vulcan, which was no easy feat. At best, Peitho would reach just below his chest if she stood nearer to him. His eyes were a blue-green color like that of the sea. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever until he finally spoke.

“I’m Cupid” Peitho gaped at him. Both Aphrodite and Eros’s temples weren’t far from here. Zeus thinking he’s clever, made Olympus such that every God and their female counterpart lived in the same area of Olympus. Given that seduction and persuasion are involved in the ways of love, it made sense that they would be nearby. “Don’t worry; they’re still asleep. I checked,” said Cupid responding to the concerned look on her face. She gave a simple nod before she answered.

“May I ask why it is you’ve come here?”

“To warn you against what you’re doing,” he said matter of factly. Peitho scowled at him, unsure of what he meant by that.

“With Vulcan,” he continued. Peitho’s heart stopped at the sound of Vulcan’s name.

“That is precisely why I’m here,” he said. Peitho realized that being a God himself, he must have felt her energy change at the sound of Vulcan’s name.

“Are you saying I shouldn’t pursue this at all?” She questioned, unable to keep emotion out of her voice.

“No, Cara Mia, I’m saying you should be careful. Don’t hurt him, Peitho, please. He’s never known, love. He’s my best friend, my Fratello. I can’t bear to see him hurt. I can’t speak to whether or not you’ve known romantic love, but given your powers and who your mother is, at the very least, you know what love looks like.” Peitho stared at him blankly with a lump in her throat. It was clear to her that Cupid loved Vulcan a great deal if he had come all this way to warn her against hurting him.

“I won’t hurt him, Cupid, I…” she trailed off, unsure of how to finish that thought.

“You love him, Peitho.” Again she stared at Cupid. How could she love him? She didn’t know him well enough to love him. She felt something for him, but was it, love?

“Yes, Peitho, you love him. And no, you haven’t been struck by one of my or Eros’s arrows. So, I’ll tell you like I’ve told Vulcan. Love, at first sight, is a thing, and it’s a b***h. Either you two fell in love with your own volition on sight, OR the fates in one or both of our Pantheon’s are playing a horrible trick on you. And if that’s the case, then you can bet Jupiter, Zeus, or both are behind it.” Peitho didn’t respond but felt a horrible knot of nervousness growing inside of her.

“Vulcan is building the mountain in the hills overlooking Pompeii but will be waiting for you in the local marketplace. He likes the fruit stand there. He didn’t tell me this; I just know. I’m a Love God,” said Cupid with a slight chuckle. “You’ve seen each other in the mortal realm before but may not have sensed each other since you never met before now. Bear in mind that whatever you do with him, your mother may sense it on you. She may not know it’s Vulcan you’ve been around, but she will sense that you’ve been with someone.”

Peitho nodded; she was well aware of that fact, and try as she might, she had yet to come up with a plan to explain it.

“Good luck,” Cupid said before turning to leave.

“Wait, Cupid, can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” he responded, turning back toward her.

“Have you ever been in love?”

“Yes,”

“Have you had your heart broken?”

“More times than I’d like. Why are you asking?

“Because you’re right. I’ve seen love, but I’ve never experienced it for myself. I just wanted to know if it’s as wonderful as I dream it to be.”

“Oh, it is. That I can promise you, it’s worth the risk of heartbreak,” Cupid said in response to the unasked question he could see in Peitho’s eyes.

“And Heartbreak, what’s that like?” Cupid sighed at the one question he was hoping Peitho wouldn’t think to ask.

“The one I love loves someone else, and it is the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt.” Peitho felt her heart sink into her stomach as she saw the pain in Cupid’s eyes.

“He doesn’t love her if that’s what you’re worried about, Peitho. He did when we were young, but not now. If he could get out of his forced marriage, he would. He only has eyes for you.” When she didn’t respond, he left her standing there.