The Fate of Olympus | Reynabeth [✓]

16. Sappho, Master of Rhyme and Rhythm

Reyna said, "Aphrodite told me that there's no demigod to heal my heart. But you're no half-blood. Maybe you can do it."

The question annoyed Annabeth because she had already given Reyna advice. Then again, nothing wrong with getting a second opinion, especially from a relationship expert. Her annoyance faded to admiration.

"Oh, dear sweet Reyna. I love Aphrodite as much as the next woman, I really do. I don't think you're ready for that. I always tell folks: you need to be happy for yourself before you can be happy for a partner. I can't heal your heart for you. Only you can do it."

"No, I can't," said Reyna miserably. "She said so."

Sappho's gaze was distant. "I met a woman once who looked for joy directly. She looked everywhere for someone who was perfect. Someone handsome and tall and strong and compassionate and hard-working and patient and incredibly wealthy. She believed that she'd randomly bump into someone and just instantly know, like a meet cute. They'd spend the rest of their lives together. She believed you needed to fall in love with someone before even dating. She believed that being in love with another person was a feeling of constant bliss. Do you know what she did?"

"She probably died tragically."

"Actually, she'd created an unreachable ideal. No one she knew was perfect. No one she met outside her circle of friends was perfect. Not even the gods could live up to her ideals. All the while, she berated herself for being lonely."

"What did you tell her?"

"Romantic attraction is not happiness."

"You don't get it. Everyone I know is in a relationship."

"Are they all happier than you?"

"Yeah. I'm going to die alone."

Annabeth was tempted to joke about how she and Reyna would die together on their stupid quest, but she didn't think that it would raise Reyna's spirits.

"Maybe happy people are more likely to end up in relationships because of their personalities," said Annabeth, immediately regretting her words for being too analytical. She was also implying that Reyna had a bad personality.

"It's not that getting into a relationship necessarily makes you happy."

"Wonderful," grumbled Reyna. "I'm not in a relationship because I'm miserable to be around."

"No you're not. I've had a wonderful time on this quest because of you."

Good save, thought Annabeth.

Reyna stared at her ginger ale. The silence grew.

Okay, thought Annabeth. Not such a good save after all.

Sappho sighed. "There's a reason that doves are sacred to Aphrodite. I think of true love like a dove that might land on your shoulder, but never if you beat it away because it's not a good enough bird. Improve your life and find things that spark joy. Open your heart to other people. Give others a chance. The dove will land when you're not looking."

Reyna looked as lost as a butterfly underground. She blinked. Once. Twice.

Sappho moved away to tend to the other girls at the bar. The girls left together. Annabeth noticed that one of the girls had blue hair. Sappho put their money away in the cash register.