~
Everything broke apart the day that civil war erupted between neighboring clans, and Aphrodite was swept up in the chaos. She attempted for a fortnight or so to continue going to her job, but the strain of her conflicting loyalties, and her constant need to keep secrets, began to leak out into her aura. The other tavern workers began to worry for her sanity, and question her home life.
It quickly became obvious that it was either stay, and reveal all to the tavern owner and hope for mercy.. or allow herself to be seen as mad, and leave quietly and not return.
She chose to leave, despite her heart's yearning for the place she had come to prefer over Olympus.
She began to aid in the war in earnest, working as a spy and a thief of knowledge, cryptically spreading information that harmed neither side, but saved innocents. The local watchmen quickly came to recognize her disguise and give her the joking nickname, 'the Doctor.' For everywhere she went, a life would be saved.. for a price. At first, they were grateful. After time, annoyed.
For she refused to reveal incriminating knowledge on the leaders of either side to the watchmen. Refused to aid in setting traps, refused to come formally work for the law. At this, they grew angry, and suspicious of her motives. Realizing her reputation for madness, they waited for her to call for help after a particularly vicious raid, and seized her from the outskirts of her temple. Tearing a small child she had saved from the crossfire out of her arms, and throwing her in the back of a wagon.
She cried out for the child's safety, and they smiled maliciously at her, making false promises of the child's security, that where she was going was the best for everyone. Aphrodite, realizing what they were doing, deliberately cast aside every bit of her magic into the dolphin pendant she wore round her neck, and with a last flare of mana threw it through the bars of the wagon to be picked up by a passing crow. A last message, to alert Hermes and the rest of her loved ones as to her situation.
~
They brought her before physicians who set upon her with glee, only to be disappointed by what they found. No obvious infirmities, no grand athleticism, no mystic marks to set her apart as who they knew her to be. Her magic had fled her, so there was nothing left to 'prove.' With this, the watchmen and medics grew incredibly angry. They knew her to be of perfect physical health, but mental.. they set upon her reputation, claiming her to have been massively poisoned, and a danger to public safety.
Locked her up in one hospital after another, feeding her lies as to when she could leave. Every day, she prayed for her friends' and family's safety in the war waging outside the confines of her prison. Wishing to whatever higher powers a goddess could possibly believe in for her freedom, to return to the life she had so carefully wrought. She bribed attending physicians and charmed those that brought her her food trays to get small messages back and forth to the outside, which she knew were being watched and tracked. She did not care. What destroyed her heart, however, was..
Rumors of her madness had reached her home, and spread like wildfire across the towns. Almost none of her messages had returning notes, and most of those that did follow scorned her. Those she had spent so much time and care protecting had turned their backs on her.. including Momus.
~
Eventually, the watchmen let her free, with strict instructions to keep to herself for the following months. To not get swept up in the war waging outside, to learn her lesson and find a way to survive with her reputation hanging in tatters around her. They offered to help her regain her life, shelter, with cruel biting smiles. For all her lands, priceless possessions, and chariots had been stolen from her. Her bolt holes raided for all their petty money and papers. Her place of work wouldn't even allow her through the front doors. The tavern owner threatened her with the watchmen if she returned.
And so, she wandered. She walked until her feet bled, head hung low, tears slipping to the Earth. For what life did she have remaining? Olympus had barred its gates to her, as had the Underworld.
Everything broke apart the day that civil war erupted between neighboring clans, and Aphrodite was swept up in the chaos. She attempted for a fortnight or so to continue going to her job, but the strain of her conflicting loyalties, and her constant need to keep secrets, began to leak out into her aura. The other tavern workers began to worry for her sanity, and question her home life.
It quickly became obvious that it was either stay, and reveal all to the tavern owner and hope for mercy.. or allow herself to be seen as mad, and leave quietly and not return.
She chose to leave, despite her heart's yearning for the place she had come to prefer over Olympus.
She began to aid in the war in earnest, working as a spy and a thief of knowledge, cryptically spreading information that harmed neither side, but saved innocents. The local watchmen quickly came to recognize her disguise and give her the joking nickname, 'the Doctor.' For everywhere she went, a life would be saved.. for a price. At first, they were grateful. After time, annoyed.
For she refused to reveal incriminating knowledge on the leaders of either side to the watchmen. Refused to aid in setting traps, refused to come formally work for the law. At this, they grew angry, and suspicious of her motives. Realizing her reputation for madness, they waited for her to call for help after a particularly vicious raid, and seized her from the outskirts of her temple. Tearing a small child she had saved from the crossfire out of her arms, and throwing her in the back of a wagon.
She cried out for the child's safety, and they smiled maliciously at her, making false promises of the child's security, that where she was going was the best for everyone. Aphrodite, realizing what they were doing, deliberately cast aside every bit of her magic into the dolphin pendant she wore round her neck, and with a last flare of mana threw it through the bars of the wagon to be picked up by a passing crow. A last message, to alert Hermes and the rest of her loved ones as to her situation.
~
They brought her before physicians who set upon her with glee, only to be disappointed by what they found. No obvious infirmities, no grand athleticism, no mystic marks to set her apart as who they knew her to be. Her magic had fled her, so there was nothing left to 'prove.' With this, the watchmen and medics grew incredibly angry. They knew her to be of perfect physical health, but mental.. they set upon her reputation, claiming her to have been massively poisoned, and a danger to public safety.
Locked her up in one hospital after another, feeding her lies as to when she could leave. Every day, she prayed for her friends' and family's safety in the war waging outside the confines of her prison. Wishing to whatever higher powers a goddess could possibly believe in for her freedom, to return to the life she had so carefully wrought. She bribed attending physicians and charmed those that brought her her food trays to get small messages back and forth to the outside, which she knew were being watched and tracked. She did not care. What destroyed her heart, however, was..
Rumors of her madness had reached her home, and spread like wildfire across the towns. Almost none of her messages had returning notes, and most of those that did follow scorned her. Those she had spent so much time and care protecting had turned their backs on her.. including Momus.
~
Eventually, the watchmen let her free, with strict instructions to keep to herself for the following months. To not get swept up in the war waging outside, to learn her lesson and find a way to survive with her reputation hanging in tatters around her. They offered to help her regain her life, shelter, with cruel biting smiles. For all her lands, priceless possessions, and chariots had been stolen from her. Her bolt holes raided for all their petty money and papers. Her place of work wouldn't even allow her through the front doors. The tavern owner threatened her with the watchmen if she returned.
And so, she wandered. She walked until her feet bled, head hung low, tears slipping to the Earth. For what life did she have remaining? Olympus had barred its gates to her, as had the Underworld.
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