Aphrodite.
That is her name.
It was something she knew from the moment she was born. From the moment she emerged from the seas tainted by Ouranos's essence when Kronos castrated him.
She, who emerged from the sea shell that served as her cocoon for so many years after, was born knowing exactly who she was and what she was.
Yet, she did not find any satisfaction in the knowledge she was born with.
How could she? When she knew that her power meant that very few beings could ever become her companion through their own will and not because of her Charm.
This was why she cherished the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons, children of the King of Olympus, so much. For they were some of the few who truly befriended her, not because they wanted her for themselves, but for the sole reason that they saw a newborn goddess and decided to help her out of their kindness.
They, who clothed her in a beautiful white dress, golden crown, earrings, and a golden necklace laced with their divine power that would protect her from the harshness of the seasons, were the first ones that this young goddess would ever call her true friends.
Of course, there was another who knew of her existence. The Goddess of Crossroads and Magic, from whom nothing can be hidden in these realms. Yet, Aphrodite could not truly call her a friend.
Because the goddess knew that she was only curious about the anomaly, nothing more.
Yet, despite this strained situation between them, or maybe because of it, Aphrodite had decided to establish a working relationship with Hecate. She would tell the curious goddess of magic about herself, as much as she knew, and in return, Hecate would tell her about the world and everything else that she was ignorant of due to her self-isolation.
This was an agreement they decided upon so long ago, and was the primary source through which she got all her news about the outside world.
This was how she came to know about the gathering of the gods on Olympus, one which Hecate invited her to attend and make herself known to others.
Yet, Aphrodite refused.
Because she did not feel ready to do something like that, knowing that she had yet to gain full control over her charm.
So, she remained here, on her island that obscured her from the world.
'Well, from most beings anyway.'
She thought with amusement as she looked up at the sky, noticing the purple streak moving about, trying to track her down through his senses.
She felt that familiar thrill as she briefly pulsed her divine power from the other side of the island, a ruse she prepared beforehand with her divine power, making the streak screech to a halt before rushing towards the source.
She grinned as she saw Brolios Asterion, the famed God of Destruction, the bane of Fate, he who even the King of Gods dares not cross, fly towards her decoy, enjoying this game of cat and mouse that had been going on for many centuries at this point.
When she felt his presence on this island for the first time, she was afraid.
Afraid that he would try to claim her as his own, as he fell under the influence of her charm. Just like what the Horae had warned her back then.
That was why she hid herself back then, making sure that he would not discover her by using her domain to obscure the island and make herself disappear from any and all senses of the world.
However, later on, she realized that the reason the god was drawn to her was not because of her charm.
It was her loneliness. Her sense of being lost in this vast world where she was alone.
She learned from the Horae and Hecate that he, who holds the domain of 'The Lost', had sensed her loneliness through his domain and was trying to find her, so that he may take her to his domain and help her heal in any way he could.
If she were being honest, it would be a lie to say that she was not touched by this revelation.
Yet, she knew that she was still not ready to face him. At least, not until she could control her own power.
That is why she continued hiding from him.
However, during the many centuries that passed, she had come to enjoy this little game of theirs.
A game where he would seek, and she would hide, while occasionally teasing him with brief pulses of divinity.
Just like she was doing right now.
Aphrodite giggled as she climbed into her shell, willing it to hide beneath the seas, while she once again left behind a divine imprint on the sands nearby, wishing to distract Brolios while she hid herself again.
She knew that she was risking angering the god by playing this kind of game for so long, but she could not help it.
Because this was her only source of fun in this place. Her only solace in her lonely existence until she learned to control her power completely.
Unfortunately for her, this time, she miscalculated.
----------------------------------------------------
Author Notes: Read 5 chapters ahead on Patreon
Patreon: patreon.com/Ruijard1