Aphrodite's Curse
Book 4
Hera strikes back
Queen Daisybead's eyes fluttered as the first rays of breaking dawn flooded into her bedchamber. When she lifted her lids, and woke, she sighed as she deeply inhaled. Infectious joy flooded her veins as the delectable perfume of fresh roses wafted in through the open door to her veranda. Yes..., another Solstice has come!
She yawned and stretched as the last remnants of her sleep retreated into the purple skies of morning. Today was the highlight of the entire year. It was Grand Summer Ceremony to the Eternal Mother of the Universe, the Great Goddess Gaia, and the would require much attention to her duties as Queen and High Priestess. It would be very busy day, and long; in fact, the longest. She swung her long silky legs over the side of her bed of equally silky green moss, got up and walked across her bedroom to the veranda. The doors were already open and she stepped out onto the balcony.
The view was stunning, and the weather beautiful, just like it was every day. Always 72 degrees, and with a light westerly breeze, rain was limited to nighttime, and then, only in a warm gentle showers. The soft winds blowing off of the Atlantic Oceans kept the island pleasant year round, and the gentle roar of the surf mixed happily with the ambient sounds of songbirds flying in great abundance in the air.
The island was a riot of color and life. Thick overgrown forests of Palm and Fruit trees covered the interior, and the animals living there coexisted in total peace. From the brightly colored birds in the air to the meek deer grazing on the plain to the sleek panthers slumbering on low hanging banyan trees in the jungles, violence and fear was unknown. It was a complete Edenic paradise. Death had no dominion here, and had not for over a million years. Well..., until today.
The Queen's palace was as spectacular as the landscape it overlooked. It was beautiful and spacious, definitely befitting a royal, but was no ordinary dwelling. This palace was not made by human hands, but was an enormous twisted and aged oak tree, rising hundreds of feet into the sky. The tree grew directly out of the rich black earth and had been planted and cared for by the Great Mother Goddess herself. At the base of the gigantic tree, huge roots reaching thirty feet into the air formed the gates of the palace. Each room in the thousand-room palace was completely engulfed in warm wood and branches of ivy and flowers. Hanging gardens of rose bushes, hyacinth and jasmine perfumed everything and hung from hundreds of balconies overlooking the sea.
Her bedroom, a verdant paradise of green, was situated at the pinnacle of center trunk-tower of her living castle, and had the most stellar view in all of Atlantis. To her right, the Queen gazed down and saw her acolytes already at work in the Temple to the great Mother Goddess Gaia. They were busy making preparations for the afternoon ceremonies and were a frenetic lot today. There was so much to do: the ceremony of choosing, the great battle of seed givers, the ritual of planting; the celebration and ceremonies would last well into the night.
Queen Daisybead sighed, already tired thinking about all that must be done. It would be a hectic day. She smiled as she felt the soft kisses of the summer solstice sun on her beautiful, flawless face. Just a few moments more before her duties would commence. After all, Atlantis was most beautiful at dawn.
How many Solstice mornings had she witnessed? Who knew? There were far too many to count. Now over ten-thousand years old, she was as stunning now as she was as a "youth". Tall and regal, her long flowing dark hair; flecked with shocks of silver, cascaded down her back and tickled the top of her still perfect ass. Her gorgeous full womanly breasts, and achingly stunning pussy drank in the pink light of dawn that caressed her body of pure feminine perfection. Her skin, like shimmering carved alabaster, was flawless. Her flesh had never known the feel of clothing. Such things were unknown here, as she, like all residents of Atlantis, were perpetually sky-clad.
When she heard rustling behind her inside her bedroom, she sighed and turned and went inside Her one private moment of the day was done. Duty called. Seeing that it was her most favorite servant, she grinned.
"Windypearl, has my bath been drawn yet?" the Queen said.
"Yes, your majesty," Windypearl answered.
"Wonderful," the Queen said, "and..., in honor of such a special day, I think I shall bathe in Jasmine water this morning."
"Excellent choice, your Majesty," Windypearl answered, her brow uncharacteristically furrowed. "I shall inform your—"
"—Windypearl, just a moment," the Queen asked as she raised her eyebrow. "You seem troubled. Are you not excited about the ceremony today? I know when I was your age, I could barely contain my excitement on the morning of the Solstice. For weeks ahead of time my nether regions tingled in anticipation of not only the ceremony of choosing, but even more, the battle of the seed givers! Such a display of the masculine arts, all erupting at once, got my juices flowing like the tides. In fact," she added, "it still does."
"Yes, I am excited," Windypearl answered, but not convincingly.
"You know, girl, you have a good chance at being chosen as the one to receive the sacred seed this year in the ritual of planting," the Queen said. She winked and added, "I have a good feeling about it. I think it is your time."
"Oh, that would be something...," Windypearl answered. "But..., I-I, I am filled with great worry, your Majesty. I know I should be focused on the Great Goddess Gaia, blessed be her name, and the ceremony; but..., my soul is filled with nothing but dread."
"Dread? What on earth about, child?" the Queen answered. "Why, the Mother Goddess Gaia protects us all, does she not?"
"She does."
"And she has for more years than there are grains of sand on the beach!"
"Yes..., but—"
"—And she tends to our every need, dose she not? Her glorious hands tended the soil that grew this palace. Her majestic feet trample out the grapes that became wine in our never emptying cellars. Her stupendous and life-giving breasts feed us all with cheese and manna each day! Do not such divine blessings and maternal care fill you with joy?"
"They do, of course," Windypearl answered, "but..., I fear this golden age is coming to an end."
"Coming to an end!" the Queen exclaimed. "Oh, Windypearl, such thoughts should never enter your head. We are the most blessed people to ever have lived on the earth. We inhabit a world without tears or toil, all our needs provided from our great Sky-Mother for our use and enjoyment." She reached out and lifted Windypearl's blonde bangs from her eyes, and added, "It is not right, girl. You are far too young to be fill your pretty little head with such dark thoughts. How old are you now anyway?"
"On my next birthday, I will be 872."
"Why, you are but a child!" Queen Daisybead said with a laugh. "You will see in time that your Queen is right. I had twinges of angst when I was young too, but they passed. And anyway, what could possibly put such dark thoughts into your mind on this glorious morning of the Solstice? Today, of all days especially, your mind should be filled with nothing but joy!"
"Well..., the omen, from last week. It was so strange," Windypearl said, "I have dark fears and my dreams have haunted me since. Does it not worry you, your Majesty?"
