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Artemis' feet hurt, she recalled as she lay on the grass. That day the hunt had been good. Probably the best in a couple of months, dare she say. But to her eyes every day spent running along animals and through the deepest parts of the forest was a day enjoyed at its fullest.
Her fingers traced circles and curled around a long, green leaf as she stared into the night sky and got lost in the beautiful sight of constellations and planets. “If only mortals appreciated this view...”, Artemis thought to herself. It was in nights like this when she missed her brother the most. He would say something funny, or something deep, and immediately afterwards he would bury his face in her neck to find comfort, perhaps also Morpheus.
But he'd been busy crying over his Delphos' temple. As per usual. How could he afford to bring so much suffering upon humans? Cruelty. Utter, profound and pure cruelty.
A white, bright thing caught her eye. She sat up, elbows sinking into the grass bed and an open mouth. Her eyes wavered, peered into the darkness searching for something. For someone. Where was her bow when she needed it the most? Ah, yes, gracefully discarded beside the lake. She remembered now.
Artemis drew in a deep breath and as stealthily as she could, she got up and stood in a crouch. “Who dares interrupt the huntress' sleep?”, her voice echoed around her, too weak to prove the point she was trying to make. A giggle came from the depths of the forest, followed by a sharp sigh. “Don't lie to me, you weren't sleeping”. Artemis suddenly realized she was holding her breath and quickly released all the air inside her lungs.
It was just Aphrodite. Except it was never just Aphrodite.
Her brown face was softly lit by the moonlight, and in her lips a sly smile formed. Her golden hair cascaded over her bare shoulders and long back. It was almost as if she was dressed in liquid ore.
“Aphrodite. What are you doing here?”, she asked. Unsure about wanting to know the truth or willing to believe the lie.
Aphrodite came closer, barely stopped inches across from where Artemis stood. She ran a hand through her curls effortlessly. “Oh, you know. I wanted to take a bath. That's all”.
“If I am not mistaken, you have your own place to bathe in. I explicitly said I wanted to be left alone at all costs”.
Aphrodite clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, the same way a kid denied his favourite toy would. “When are you mistaken, love?”. Artemis knees trembled as those words poured from Aphrodite's lips. “Maybe I simply wanted to see you. Am I wrong for wanting to check on the huntress?”
Artemis swallowed. Hard. Harder than how she would normally swallow, anyway. Then her whole body relaxed, and without really being able to deny the goddess her wish, she started walking towards the lake. “You can bathe here. But I ask one thing of you, and it is that when you're done, you leave this place at once.” For the creatures living in the trees and on the ground feared everyone but her. For the night was fresh and long, and Artemis wanted to dive in it.
Aphrodite smiled, a sweeter one this time. She batted her eyelashes, and Artemis could've sworn the goddess' cheeks turned a bright red under the moonlight. Except it wasn't possible. And she didn't care. “I shall obey, huntress”.
Where was the capricious Aphrodite? Where was the beautiful goddess that started wars and ended men's lives? Where was the seductive being that crawled underneath her lovers' skin until they were overcome by pleasure? Certainly not there. The Aphrodite standing in front of Artemis was a bit smaller than her, wore a white gown and caressed her hair nervously. She was biting her lip, almost ready to say something but regretting it in the last minute.
Artemis decided to stop staring. Because, again, she didn't care. Whatever business brought Aphrodite to her sacred forest, better be over soon.
Without a single emotion showing on her face, Artemis turned to leave Aphrodite to bathe and swim on her own. But a swift hand held on tight to her arm and stopped her right there.
“Will you bathe with me, huntress, for I am afraid of the animals lurking in the dark waters?”
No, Artemis wished to say. Maybe, her heart beating faster pleaded. Yes, her throat burned to scream.
This time, she didn't look away when Aphrodite smiled, when her dress fell to the floor, when her naked body made the moon ashamed of her brightness. Artemis simply nodded. Lost all sense of logic and loneliness her chest usually ached for. She let Aphrodite lead her into the lake. Silence fell upon both of them, and in the shadows Aphrodite searched for comfort in Artemis' arms.
“Can I tell you something, huntress?”, whispered Aphrodite, her breath warm against Artemis skin.
“Yes”.
“I want to be free like you are. My soul longs for freedom. Freedom of choice. Of love”.
“You have a choice. And you certainly have plenty of love to choose from”. Even in the darkness, Artemis could tell that Aphrodite's eyes were fixed on her. She felt a warm thing creeping inside her, making her mouth dry, her eyes watery and her cheeks hot.
“I am married. But you live alone, surrounded by beauty. And I wish to lay on the grass too. To be awaken by the birds singing and the sun shining”.
Something inside the huntress broke. Those words... Did Aphrodite mean them? Was she full of regret? Was she scared of what await for her all eternity? Could a god want another god's reality? Soon her hand was on Aphrodite's hair. Then Artemis took a finger to Aphrodite's chin and lifted her face, only to find that she was crying. Pearlescent tears rolled down her perfect skin, and Artemis didn't refrain the urge to wipe them away.
“My land is yours, goddess of love and all beautiful things. I will send you the best singing birds in this realm to wake you up. I will tell the sun to kiss your skin first. I will sew a bed of the softest grass for you”.
At those promises full of something so clean, so pure, Aphrodite shook in excitement, her chest pressed against Artemis'. Sadness disappeared and was replaced by joy, all coming from Aphrodite's small hands. Instants later, her lips softly brushed against the huntress mouth. And even though Artemis didn't care, she went still. The butterflies churning in her stomach exploded, bursting into a million stars. The forest hummed, just like her heart raced, and the water they were in was swayed by a cool breeze.
Aphrodite's leg curled around Artemis's waist, and her hands found their legitimate place around the other's neck. “Then I'll make you my lover”, the goddess whispered in the huntress' ear.
Their mouths met again, this time yearning for the electricity their touch created around them. Artemis lost her fingers in Aphrodite's hair, and Aphrodite took her time memorizing with her fingertips the huntress' skin. The kissing escalated quickly, faster than any of them anticipated, and they managed to half walk half crawl to the grass bed without missing a beat. And there they lay, a mess of hair and hands and tongues, one in between the other's legs.
When the first ray of sun tore the night apart, Artemis finally hunted her most favourite prey, and Aphrodite found freedom in love.