The Goddess

Alexarius awoke to sunlight bathing the area where he slept. He sat up and stretched, remembering the previous day's events. The other men around him began to stir and mumble amongst themselves. Alexarius decided to join their conversations. The goddess's consort was destined. Fated by the gods. There was no competition here.

"Do you believe she will administer the tests herself?" asked a man that Alexarius believed was named Demosthenes.

"I doubt it," commented another named Croesus. "She shall sit atop her throne and judge us in all we do!" The other men laughed a little, acknowledging the girl's frosty demeanor from the day before.

"It seems to me that she does not want to take a consort," someone whose name Alexarius didn't remember said.

"A lack of warmth does not mean she is unaware of her duty," Demosthenes noted.

"Aye," Alexarius said. "Perhaps she is a person that needs a bit of warming up. She could be terrified by all of you grown, hairy men." Everyone laughed, but Alexarius was serious. She must have been about 19 or 20 years old. She could have never interacted with a man before. By all accounts the previous goddesses were kept in their proverbial ivory towers during their formative years, their first interactions with the opposite sex arriving with the potential consorts. They all were the physical manifestations of her old way of life being lost forever.

The men chatted more about their lives and other things before the high priestess appeared. She was flanked by the lesser priestesses, who had breakfast.

"Good morning all," she said with a warm smile. "After eating, we will start our day."

Everyone ate quickly, eager to find out what was in store for them. They then gathered in the largest room of the temple, awaiting the goddess's entrance. She arrived, alone and without flourish. She wore a simple white peplos that most women used, and that Athena was known for. Her arms were exposed, and her hair was down, flowing slightly past her shoulders. Alexarius wondered why yesterday she was dressed so regally, and now she was dressed rather plainly. She looked radiant. And yet she still had that detached look on her face. After settling into her throne, the high priestess looked at her a bit sternly. The goddess stood to address the men.

"Good morning. I hope you all slept well and are prepared for the tests that will be administered in the coming days," she announced. She sat back down and set her face to stone once again. Alexarius was captivated. She was an enigma. Sofia was warm with him during introductions, yet generally she was unreachable. He suspected it was because she was scared of the change that they represented, but he also believed it was because she was impossible to impress, something that made him want to impress her tenfold.

"The goddess has chosen a series of tasks that all of you must perform. At different points during this process, if it has been determined that your fate does not lie here, you will be sent home," informed the high priestess. "Today there will only be one task," she glanced at Sofia who flashed her first genuine smile for all the men to see.

"Archery"

Alexarius had dabbled in archery. He was not the best archer one had ever seen but he could hold his own. It didn't surprise him that such a refined sport was to her liking. He began to wonder if she hunted or if she just shot at targets for diversion. He could imagine her shooting at birds and bringing them in to be cleaned and eaten.

The men were directed outside, where they were shown to 7 targets. Bows and arrows were bundled around each one. The goddess took refuge under a tree with the priestesses. Alexarius would've given anything to lounge with her. He would reach under her garment and-

"Archers, ready!" shouted the goddess. The lesser priestesses giggled at her forwardness. "You all will shoot at the targets. Those who impress the goddess and priestesses with his form and accuracy will stay, those who do not will leave," the high priestess said. She took her spot with Sofia on the ground.

Alexarius recognized that they would be outside for quite some time. There were thirty of them. If they were all to shoot seven times, that was over 200 shots. Not to mention time dedicated to watch form. He decided not to complain, figuring this was a test of endurance. He made a mental point to be one of the last to go, that way she would remember his performance.

The first men who went were full of bravado. It was clear to Sofia that they believed she was a prize to be won. They would try whatever they could to show off their physical prowess. That was why they went first. Some were pretty good archers, with the form to boot. Others got lucky in terms of accuracy. After them came the men who were more or less humble. They were only there to perform the task, something Sofia was grateful for.

Throughout the entire sporting event, the man who had made her laugh, Alexarius, was stealing glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. His sky-blue gaze ripped through her like a hot iron. A few times she willed herself to stare back, each time feeling wetness pool between her thighs when their eyes met. From the safety of the tree and her wall of priestesses, she was able to shamelessly admire his gorgeous body. He was tall, although everyone was taller than her. He was built of lean muscle: not too big, but not scrawny either. His hair was thick and wavy but cut fairly short. He had a sensual mouth and an aquiline nose. His tanned skin made those eyes of his stand out more. Sofia even admired the sweat that glistened on him in the daylight.

She hoped he was a good archer because if he was not then he would be sent back down the mountain. Sofia was an avid archer, and any man who could not understand the sport was obviously not her consort. She waited as he walked to the front and notched his arrows.

His first shot was not terrible. It didn't hit the mark exactly but was close. However, his form was incredible. Sofia could easily recognize that with more aim he would hit the other targets easily. He stalked to the next target and aimed. She licked her lips in anticipation as she watched his sinewy muscles pull taught to settle into his aim. She admired the hard planes of his back and his shapely calves. All at once she felt extremely flushed and embarrassed by her sexual attraction to this man.

It's because a man has never touched you

, she scolded herself. There was no other reason for it. You go your whole life without ever meeting a man and this one just so happened to be attractive. It didn't mean anything.

Alexarius hit the middle of the second target easily. Sofia casually glanced at the other priestesses, trying to gauge if they were impressed or aware of his attractiveness and skill. The high priestess caught her eye and gave her a wink. Sofia rolled her eyes in response. She was not going to let the older woman know that she was somewhat interested in Alexarius. He moved to the next target and Sofia turned her attention back to him. He shot the third one very quickly, already in a groove. It hit the middle. He went to the fourth, fifth, and sixth targets and produced the same result. The seventh was slightly off. Without fanfare he passed the bow to the next man and walked behind the crowd back to his spot. Sofia felt a pang of adrenaline when he passed, and she looked him right in the eyes. He stared back at her so intensely, she felt herself become wet again. He cocked the side of his mouth upwards in a smirk. It nearly broke her resolve. She looked away, feeling shy and terrified of him.

Later that evening, Alexarius began to feel that he had performed well in his first test for the goddess. He practiced archery in his spare time and was adamant about his form. Although he hit most of the targets perfectly, the only thing that satisfied him was the nonverbal recognition he got from her afterwards. She'd stared at him head on, demonstrating her will, but he saw how she blushed when he smirked at her. Her brown skin could show no color, but he knew what a blush looked like. In that moment she ceased to be an intimidating statue and became the adorable 19-year-old girl that she was. He found it incredibly erotic that she was wise to so many scholarly things and yet completely innocent when it came to the opposite sex. It was as if she didn't know what to do with her body. No one had taught her. He could imagine her, shy and bashful as he stripped her of her garments. She would look at him with those large brown eyes and they would be full of lust and inquisition. He would be gentle with her, worship her. She would melt under his touch.

Her robes tortured him every day. She had a generous bust and a rear that he fantasized about, but they were covered by her loose-fitting clothing. He would give anything to taper what she wore and see the figure she had hiding underneath. This woman drove him insane. Sitting under the tree, lounging with her attendants, she looked regally divine. All her movements were graceful. She inflamed his every desire by simply existing. No one had ever created this feeling in him.

The high priestess appeared before the men to make an announcement, but Alexarius could not focus because she brought Sofia with her. He rolled the girl's name constantly on his tongue and in his mind.

Sofia, Sofia, Sofia

. Only he knew what it was. She looked a little tired, and he wished that he could take her into his bed and erase any stress she may have had. Despite her exhaustion, she was back to wearing her unreadable mask. He wondered if Eros truly struck all men this dumb and began to speculate if the other men in the running were as enamored of Sofia as he was.

"We have narrowed down our candidates," the high priestess said. "Today, half of you will take your journeys back to your villages." Some of the men began to murmur.

Half?

Alexarius thought to himself. Sending half home meant the process would not be long, or that the remaining men would be subject to much more strenuous tests. Who could have known that a simple archery challenge would have been so significant? Alexarius was pleased. He had done well. There was no way they were going to send him home. He was so focused on watching Sofia that he barely heard his name called. When the high priestess did name him among those who would stay, the goddess briefly glanced his way, catching his eye. He smiled at her, genuinely this time. She smiled back at him and then looked away.

In her chambers, Sofia undressed and lay on her bed. She began to reflect on the day's results and the reality that the time to choose a consort was fast approaching. Eliminating half of the men in one day no doubt sped up the process. Although, she could not dismiss the fact that she thoroughly enjoyed watching them vie for her attention in the archery test. She smirked to herself, thinking about the next challenge that they had ahead of them.

Her mind began to wander to Alexarius. He had exceptional form and was easily the best archer out of all there. However, Sofia was aware that she probably only felt that way because she was attracted to him. What she held for him was nothing but a girlish desire to know the opposite sex. It indicated nothing about how his abilities as a consort would be. What kind of family did he come from? Was he wise? Well-educated? These things were important, as he would be expected to be a tool in prophecy. A man's face told you nothing about what was beneath.

She sighed and rolled over onto her back. She couldn't deny that watching him was a pleasant experience. His body was impeccable. She could still imagine that searing look that he gave her as he passed back to his post. She tried to be tough and look at him right back, but it was so difficult. That stare alone had aroused her. Sofia licked her lips as she imagined those eyes between her brown thighs. Her hands began to make their way down her body. She tweaked her nipples and moaned softly. Pushing her fingers through her soft curls she discovered that she was wet. More thoughts of Alexarius ran through her mind, as she gently circled her clit. She then slightly fingered her slit, imagining the hard planes of his back and his gorgeous ass. She wished that she could run her hands through his soft black hair and press their lips together. His tongue would enter her mouth and he would softly caress her curves.

As her juices began to flow more liberally, Sofia began pinching her left nipple. The cool night air had hardened them to almost painful points. She rubbed her clit in faster circles, arching her back off the bed. She tried not to make loud noises as to alert the other people in the temple.

Alexarius couldn't sleep. His mind was racing with nervous energy about the next day. The high priestess had not announced in advance that they were doing archery. This meant that all the tests were random, and the men would just have to be prepared. Alexarius began to fear that tomorrow it would be something that he wasn't skilled in. He could recognize that that was all part of the process. If someone was not skilled in every test, things that were drawn according to the goddess's own personality, then they were not fit to be her partner. He hoped that he was her partner and couldn't stand to think of any of these men laying with her. He blew out a big sigh. He was jealous and acting completely possessive over a human being, er- goddess. Sounded like infatuation all right.

He rose as quietly as he could and began pacing around the temple. Sofia was gorgeous and delectable, but she was also a formed person. She was slightly intimidating, as she was clearly intelligent. No more than 20 words had been exchanged between them, and he was acting as if he were in love. He resolved to shake his infatuation. It wouldn't be fair to treat her as an object, which was exactly what he had been doing. She was not a prize to be won. He would prove his own equity.

Alexarius stepped over a sleeping man and made his way down the corridor. He wasn't sure where it led but he just needed to get away from the group. How could he show her that he was worthy of being her consort? It seemed to him that anything he had tried with his lovers in the past would not work on her. For one thing she was too far away from him. At all times she was flanked by her priestesses, protected. He couldn't talk to her in an intimate setting. He couldn't get to know her or approach her in the way of his previous women.

He felt a gentle breeze and noticed that the corridor was partly open on one side, giving him a view of the beautiful garden on the other side. Alexarius could see that through the garden there were rooms side by side. He was sure that the old priestesses were sleeping in there. He made a note not to turn the corner to reach the other side. As he ambled down the hall admiring the garden, he heard a soft moan. He stopped in his tracks, wondering if someone was following him. He whipped around to check and there was no one. He then heard another sigh. He walked further down the hall and noticed there was a room. The entrance was covered by a gauzy sheet that was billowing in the breeze. Alexarius slightly pulled back the sheet to see Sofia in the throes of passion.

Stepping back from the entrance to her room, he pressed himself up against the wall. He was so shocked to have seen what was there. The moans were coming from her! Who even knew she knew how to touch herself? He lifted the side of the sheet to peek into the room again. This time he could admire her. Her breasts were jutting towards the ceiling as she slightly arched her back. The covers were off, so he could see her entire figure in the moonlight. However, he could not notice any details due to the darkness, just her shape. She was so well-formed. Seeing her little hand moving between her thighs made him groan, as he noticed that he was fully erect.

Before, he'd stopped short of touching himself in a temple. But seeing as the goddess was pleasuring herself in a holy place, he couldn't stop. Opening his garment slightly he grabbed ahold of his member and began to stroke. He knew he wouldn't be long. It had been a while since he touched himself, and the sight of her was just too tantalizing for him to keep control. Her moans got a bit more pronounced, and her hand started moving faster. Alexarius could tell she was close. The thought that he was going to witness her orgasm without her knowledge pushed him over the edge. He spent his release on the wall next to him just as she shuddered and softly climaxed. He wished that he could make her climax harder. Alexarius watched her breathing deeply, recovering from her session and had to stop himself from joining her in bed. After wiping the wall clean with his clothes, he stole back to where the men were sleeping.

Sofia awoke the next morning ready for the day's test. She was certain that what she had planned would eliminate if not all, then the majority of the candidates. If things went well, then perhaps she would consider being more open about the prospect of a consort. The high priestess walked in to check if she was ready. The two of them walked out together to approach the men.

Alexarius was sitting cross-legged on his assigned sleeping spot. Sofia's breath caught when she saw him. He gave her a crooked smile that she would most certainly use in her fantasies later. Although some other men were pleasing to look on, he was the only one who had intrigued her so far. She didn't know if it was because he was so nice in his introduction or because he had performed so well in the archery test or if the high priestess had just gotten into her head. Most of their communication thus far had been nonverbal. She willed herself to give a small smile back, not wanting to betray her interests to the other men.

"Good morning!" the high priestess said warmly. Sofia smiled internally as she thought about what awaited them. "Today and tomorrow you all will have one task," the high priestess continued. "As we have access to religious and secular literature here, each one of you will prepare spoken poetry to be recited for the goddess."

A few of the men looked stunned. They clearly had not expected something as rigorous as this. Sofia was delighted. Recital made perfect sense. If a man was educated, he must have done it at some point, meaning that he could read as well. Giving the men access to the library was simply a means to refresh. Everyone remembered the first grand work they did by rote. If none of the men could read or recite, they would all go home.

Alexarius looked at her in that moment. She was sure then that he was prepared for this challenge. The thought of how he would recite made her tingle with anticipation. "If you do not have anything you can remember right now then you may read and study to do so. If you cannot read then you must take your leave now," the high priestess remarked. Two men immediately stood up to leave.

Alexarius already knew what he was going to perform and needed very little time to prepare for it. Aristophanes' speech from Plato's

Symposium

would be perfect. It was about the creation of sexuality, as well as a beautiful spoken piece. The majority of his preparation would be focusing on his performance. Doing it for a professor or amongst people he met in markets in other towns would be different than for her. It was mainly funny, but he could turn and make it sensual for her.

Before they could leave, he approached the goddess and the high priestess. "Might you have any works of Plato in store?" he inquired. If Sofia was impressed by his mention of Plato, she did not show it.

"We have a few. Which do you need?" the high priestess asked.