Cupid Collections

2. Eros and Psyche - 1: The Start Part 2

Psyche was ecstatic to visit her family and they were just as happy to receive her. Her mother immediately embraced her and checked her for her health.

“This husband of yours is taking good care of you?”

Psyche nodded. “Of course, Mama. He leaves a feast for me every day and I am waited on by many of his servants.”

Her mother gushed at how a rich of a husband Psyche must have gotten to have servants tend to her every need. Her father agreed that it was wonderful, indeed. Her two sisters stayed to the back of the room and glared at their baby sister. The oldest, with dark chestnut brunette hair, loathed her sister’s perfect physique and luxurious ruby locks. The middle child, with auburn hair and dull grey eyes, loathed her sister’s winning personality and striking green eyes. It didn’t seem fair that she had all the luck and they were stuck with men of inferior status.

“My goodness child, look at how you glow. Your cheeks are quite full as well and you seem to be eating a bit too much,” Psyche’s mother commented.

The sisters exchanged a glance before an evil thought passed between them both.

“I dare say you are offending the poor girl,” her father added.

“Oh never,” her mother covered quickly. “I dare to say that she is with child.”

“Oh no,” Psyche denied quickly placing a hand on her slightly bulging stomach. “No, no. That cannot be true.”

“What a shame,” her mother mumbled. “I cannot wait for grandchildren.”

Her sisters turned away and huffed to themselves. They hated having the attention stolen from them after they had just gotten it back.

“You should come back with me. My husband has prayed to the gods. They always seem to answer his prayers and provide so much help. The God of the West Wind will transport us over to my home. Oh, how I wish so very much for you to see it,” Psyche gushed.

“Oh, my darling, I cannot,” her mother replied sadly. “Your father must work and I shall be here tending to the home. My bones are too old and frail for any godly travel. Perhaps your sisters would be obliged?”

Psyche turned to her two older sisters and sent them an encouraging smile. They glanced between themselves before nodded slowly.

“We would positively love to see where our baby sister’s husband is keeping her,” the oldest said.

“Nothing would please us more,” the younger one agreed.

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“Here are the bedchambers,” Psyche concluded the tour of the extensive temple. Her sisters’ hatred toward her unknowingly grew as they went further into the house.

She lived too lavishly and too extravagantly. The invisible servants made them suspect some higher power was present here. Something seemed too strange and out of sorts.

“What if she is married to a monster? She would have no idea as she has never seen his face,” the middle child whispered to the older.

The oldest shook her head. “What if she is married to a god?”

“No,” denied the other. “Impossible.”

“Not so,” the oldest continued to quietly say. Psyche was explaining some of the details of the room and was completely oblivious to their conversation.

“The oracle claimed Psyche’s beauty wasn’t meant for mortal men,” the oldest continued.

“Why was she destined for so much greatness? Do we get none of the praise or the prizes?”