(This chapter was uploaded on Thursday 3/April/2025 9:00 PM, timezone GMT+3)
I didn't think I would finish editing this one as well, since I wrote about half of it just minutes ago. But hey, another side story chapter as the possibility stated before.
Please, enjoy.
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Don't shy from commenting on typos and/or inconsistencies. That and/or suggesting a modification to certain things that didn't make sense to you.
I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.
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(Monday, 19/10/1058)
(Aphrodite's PoV)
"Arti! Rise and shine!" I barged into Artemis's tent. I quickly knelt down and shook her shoulders. "Today's the day! We're going to go to Orario today! Arti!"
"A few more minutes..." Arti tried to return to sleep. Well, the sun didn't rise yet. Only some of its light did.
"We're going to go catch up to the Orion you were calling desperately in your sleep!" I whispered in her ear, something I soon regretted. Immediately, as if possessed, which is impossible, Arti bolted up, crashing her forehead into mine.
"Aww! Arti! My heead!" I writhed in pain as I rubbed my forehead.
"Are you okay, Aphrodite?" Arti asked as she gently rubbed both her forehead and mine with her hands.
"I'm fine now!" I replied, feeling something fuzzy in my chest. I never thought I would get this close to Arti over just a month.
"Let's eat breakfast and go!" I slipped her into her clothes and dragged her out while she still rubbed her eyes and yawned.
(During breakfast)
"I forgot to tell you, Arti!" I said excitedly. I was so elated that I clumsily left food on my cheeks. I ignored it in favor of telling Arti about my plan suggestion, making her giggle at me.
"We would go at full speed with a smaller group to go there quickly while the others follow us later, holding onto the majority of our camping supplies!" She wiped the bit of food on my cheeks with a cloth as I said my plan.
"We should be at the gates around 2 weeks later, right?" Arti asked. She knew her travels but the path to Orario wasn't one she crossed. She only went there once decades ago, and that was it.
"We should. To minimize the delay, the only people who will go will be you, me and my familia's vice-captain" I said with a bubbling hope. 'We should have left them just enough room to
Soon, we packed our travelling supplies, a set of clothing or two max per person, and went off.
Or so I thought it would go. Before we started our journey to Orario, a lovely child of my familia wanted to talk to me in private. We went into my tent to talk.
"Be comfortable. You can say what you want, Anna, my lovely child" I said after serving her tea. I usually had them serve me, but I did it this time because I felt I needed to do it for some odd reason.
"Lady Aphrodite... Um... U-" My lovely child, Anna, slapped her cheeks, making me jump towards her to check on her. "Lady Aphrodite?!" She was surprised by the sudden intimacy when I held her cheeks.
"Phew!" I collapsed back into my chair. "No harm to your face!" I was relieved.
"Why did you not invite us to your familia normally, lady Aphrodite?" Anna gathered her courage and said this. She had her hands joined above her chest while her head was lowered in loathing of her situation. I may have not noticed this early, but I do now. Forcing my lovely children to join my familia using my charm may have been the worst option for most of them. But even if I go to the past, I won't have it any other way. I love all of them regardless.
"I'm a selfish woman, Anna. If I want someone right by my side, I will go as far as is needed and more to prove to them how much I value them being by my side" I leaned in closer and put a hand over Anna's cheek and softly rubbed it. I also smiled softly, making her blush a bit but want to reel back. "I love you all, my children" My smile this time was not intended to charm, nor did it have any of my charm in it. I simply smiled for the sake of smiling.
"I am... going to have some time to myself, lady Aphrodite" Anna looked down but did not push me away. I slid my hand off of her face gently. "If you would excuse me, lady Aphrodite" She bowed her head and went out with a conflicted expression.
'I should be a better goddess for them. Their love towards me should become a priority for me starting now' I sighed. 'Why did I not think of making them want to stay beside me, rather than be forced to?' I asked myself with a modicum of self-ridicule. I was an idiot for not caring about their feelings when they were forced to join, and I hope never to be in the future.
(Wednesday, 21/10/1058)
"Arti, don't you feel awkward with me?" I asked out of concern. Even though she is acting like a friend, it feels wrong to expect her to be truly a friend this close just a month in. I don't want to stress her out and lose our budding friendship.
"I... am, actually" Arti said while focusing on the road ahead. We were currently travelling at high speeds, with my familia's vice-captain, a weretiger, carrying me on his back. But even then, I glimpsed her worried eyes through the pressure of the wind trying to close my eyes.
"You can take your time! Let's be friends for real once you are comfortable with it!" I said with my widest smile yet. "By the way! I heard that Hestia descended some time ago!" Arti's eyes went wide. I was truly happy when I saw her faint smile. "Let's meet her together!"
"Let's hurry!" Arti said with a radiant smile as beautiful as moonlight.
"Yeah! Let's hurry! Adonis!" I urged my vice-captain to go faster with a cheerful tone.
'Maybe Orario could be our new start, for both me and my familia members, along with my new friendship with both Arti and Tia' I was hopeful of the near future. I was not disappointed when it came.
(End of Chapter)
Greetings, dear readers
I want to ask for your opinions on Aphrodite and Artemis in this chapter. What do you think of the development between them?
What about Aphrodite and her relationship with Anna?
Since there were no named familia members of Aphrodite's familia, I named two at random. What do you say about Adonis's name? Does it strike a bell?
Be well, ladies and gentlemen.