Eros and Psyche

There once was a King and Queen, and they had three beautiful daughters. Although the first two were alluring, the third was the most beautiful anyone had ever seen. The youngest, Psyche was not only beautiful, but also humble and wanted to treat everyone with respect. As she grew older her parents realized her full beauty and pronounced to their kingdom that her beauty was such that it rivaled Aphrodite's. Quickly many suitors rushed to claim her as their bride, but Psyche was hesitant to marry any of them. Contrary to her parents wishes, she wished to marry for love instead of for power or wealth.
Although Psyche wanted nothing to do with all the attention she was getting for being so beautiful, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty was furious about what the people were claiming. The invidious goddess indicted the young princess of going against her, thinking that Psyche was not only enjoying the attention, but also encouraging it. She quickly enlisted the help of her son Eros, asking him to make her fall in love with a hideous beast with his magical bow and arrows. Eros was eager to help his mother and went to Apollo, the god of music and healing, as well as prophecy. Eros convinced Apollo to tell the oracle about the fate Aphrodite wanted for her.
Back on earth, Psyche's parents were starting to become concerned about her inability to take a husband, despite her infinite beauty. They decided to consult the oracle about her fate, hoping to convince her to choose a husband. However when they went to the oracle, instead of the good news they were hoping for, they receive a terrible prophecy. Psyche, according to the oracle, if fated to marry a hideous beast, who will come for her at the top of their tallest mountain, otherwise great misfortune will befall the kingdom. Disheartened, the king and queen went back to the castle to tell the news to Psyche, before pronouncing a dictum describing their daughter's fate.
Psyche, although she was less than pleased with her situation, was very brave and accepted it without a struggle. Her parents tried reasoning with her, but she knew that there was no point going against what the gods had said. She was very careful to enunciate her feelings so that they would understand and eventually, although they were distraught at the situate, they agreed. So, when the day came, she dressed in her wedding dress and stood atop the highest mountain waiting for her new husband to come for her. Just when she was starting to think he wasn't coming, a great wind picked up throwing her off the cliff. She screamed, but quickly noticed that she wasn't falling, merely floating. The god Zephyrus of the west wind had picked her up and was flying her swiftly to an unknown island.
The island was large and beautiful, with a large openaired building. Psyche gasped in infantile wonder at the wonderful sight before her. She momentarily forgot about her predicament with her prophecy and explored the island, finding out everything she could about the island that was now her new home. The island had everything you could ever wish for, from plush beds, to extensive libraries to an all you can eat buffet line in the kitchen. Psyche was having a fantastic time, eating and reading to her heart's content, that was, until the trumpets sounded, signaling the arrival of her husband and captor. A great fear then gripped Psyche's heart as she remembered the reason for being on the island in the first place. When he finally arrived it was dark and difficult to see so Psyche couldn't quite make out his shape. He slowly walked up to her, as if hoping not to scare her and she stood her ground, not wanting to look afraid. The large shape wasn't any easier to distinguish up close than it had been farther away, Psyche's worries for her safety were quickly put to rest. He told her that although they were married, he had no intentions of doing anything without her consent. He explained that he felt a great loneliness and that he hoped that having her their would help ease that. Psyche felt very relieved and soon the two became good friends. The more they got to know each other the more they liked each other until eventually they were married for real. Psyche soon became pregnant and they were truly happy together, however that happiness didn't last long.
Psyche grew worried about her family, not knowing where she was or what had happened to her so she asked her husband if she could invite her two sisters over so she could tell them how she was. The monster tried to convince her otherwise telling her it would only bring her pain, but eventually relented and let her have her way. Her two sisters visited the island and were astonished at the splendor their sister had been living in for the past few years. Psyche told them about how wonderful her life had been and how wonderful her husband was, ignorant to how much jealousy it invoked in them. Because although both her siblings lived in spender as well, they were both married to miserable boring old men. While Psyche was distracted they quickly hatched a plan that would cause her perfect life to crumble. The sisters told Psyche that her husband must be a terrible dragon, they explained that that must be the case because she knew practically nothing about him. She knew not what he looked like and he was very smart, they also told her that dragons can mimic human voices. They said that one night after he went to bed she should take a candle and a dagger, to see what he looked like and, if he really is a dragon to kill him.
Psyche, now worried for her safety and the safety of her unborn child did as her sisters suggested. While her husband was sleeping in their bed Psyche crept out and gathered what she needed. She lit a wax candle, and held it in one hand in the other she held a dagger. Her hands shook as she made her way back over to the bed and shined the light over her husband, seeing him for the first time. She gasped as she gazed down upon him and saw how wrong her sisters had been. The figure before her was beautiful, with shoulder length hair and thick eyelashes, also sprouting from his back was a pair of feathered wings. Psyche quickly recognized him for what he really was, the god of love, Eros, and she back away quickly in shock, going to cover her mouth and forgetting about the candle in her hand. As it tipped, some of the hot wax spilled from the candle and fell onto the god who woke up with a quick gasp of pain. When he looked up at her there was hurt and betrayal in his eyes. Psyche quickly tried to explain why she had done what she did, but he renounced them, too hurt to listen and he fled from the island, leaving a very emotional and very pregnant woman behind.
The young woman, by now about 7 month pregnant was devastated by the abandonment of her husband. She knew that he was probably very angry with her, but despite that she knew that she had to at least try and explain her side, whether or not he would forgive her was another matter. After a few weeks she cleaned herself up and prepared a way off the island, from there she made her way to the mainland. She then visited a temple of Aphrodite, Eros' mother, asking her if the goddess could tell her where Eros was. Surprisingly to Psyche the goddess answered and smiled maliciously down at the woman. Now not only was the goddess mad about Psyche's beauty, but also about how she had broken Eros' heart. Aphrodite decided to set a series of ineffably challenging tasks that would almost definitely get her killed. Psyche, desperate beyond all reason, gladly accepted them thinking that by the end Aphrodite would reunite her with Eros.
Luckily for Psyche, Aphrodite's unfair challenges and Psyche's naive acceptance of them provoked some of the other gods to jump in and help her. Her first task was to sort a pile of seeds, which had all been jumbled together, into their own respective sacks by morning. Psyche despaired, knowing that this was the hardest thing she had ever been asked to do, but was quickly saved. The gods, now very aware of her predicament, sent some ants which took the seeds, one by one and put them into their sacks for her. When Aphrodite got back in the morning and saw that her task had been completed she was furious, so she sent Psyche on her next task. Her next two tasks carried on in a similar manner, first Psyche despairing before the gods sent their help. In the second task she was asked to retrieve some golden wool from the rams of the sun. A reed swiftly instructs her on what she is supposed to do. Her third task is to fill a flask with the water of the river Lethe, a task which doesn't sound too bad, except that if you are to touch the water it will make you forget everything. However she is saved again, this time by one of Zues' eagles.
Her last taks, unfortunately goes a little bit differently. Her last task is the most difficult of the four and most mortals given similar tasks die before completing them. Aphrodite sent her down to the underworld to get some of Persephone's balm of youth and beauty. Surprisingly, Psyche managed to get down to the Underworld without much of a problem, and when she got to the palace, she found Persephone and explained to her what she was doing there. The affable goddess took pity on the poor girl, especially in her pregnant state and gave her a box which she said contained the balm. Persephone gave her one condition regarding the box, do not open it, give it straight to Aphrodite. Psyche agreed and thanked Persephone, then made her way out of the Underworld and back into the land of the living. However, while she was on her way back to Aphrodite she paused, and looked down at the small box in her hand. She figured that it couldn't hurt too much if she just took a little bit of the balm for herself so that she would look nice for her reunion with Eros. So, she opened the box, but, instead of a balm, inside the box was a curse which Persephone had meant Psyche to deliver to Aphrodite. The curse put Psyche into a deep sleep likely to last forever.
Eros, this whole time had retreated back to his mother and was in her care. However, now that a little over a month had passed, he was more clear headed and ready to hear Psyche out. He flew back to the island and was greatly startled when he noticed Psyche wasn't there so he dashed back to his mother and asked her where Psyche was. Not knowing he was asking out of concern, Aphrodite cackled and told him about the tasks she had had her commit, hoping that it would make him feel better. Eros was horrified and swiftly went out to look for his wife. He found her soon after, but it was too late, the curse had already been activated and there was nothing he could do about it. While holding his sleeping pregnant wife in his arms he revoked everything negative he had said previously about her and started crying.
When he managed to calm down enough to think clearly he got an idea, he brought Psyche up to Olympus and begged them to save her. The gods were not pleased with what they saw before them, the girl that they had watched over was obviously going to die if nothing was done. So Zeus, using a rare streak of generosity, decided that she had been through enough and decided to grant her godhood, an honor that the gods bestowed upon a few of earth's greatest heroes, such as Heracles and later, Captain America. Zeus then used his power as king of the gods and made her immortal, before making a statement announcing to all the minor gods about the newest member to their ranks, as well as an edict forbidding them from harming her. Psyche then woke from the curse, although she was very disoriented at first, she became overjoyed with what had happened, especially that Eros forgave her. A few weeks later she gave birth to a baby girl named Hedone who would become the goddess of happiness and delight. Eros and Psyche lived together happily from then on, treasuring every moment.