Scouting (Apollo)

[Aphrodite]

The streets of Athens tended to be busy, and Myrrine was no more conspicuous than any other person who happened to be walking them; so Eros, perched in a tree with his quiver on his back, did not notice her. He was scanning each face intently as it passed him, looking for someone ugly, someone brutish, who Apollo might see if he were struck by one of his arrows. Apollo, on the other hand, was somewhere close by; all Eros had to do was wait.

[Apollo Collective]

What was he doing? Was he daft? Aphrodite's charm was slowly wearing off, and Apollo was appalled to find himself in the middle of Athens with no immediately available means of escape. There were times he would have killed for a pair of winged sandals.

[Aphrodite]

A middle-aged woman with a mustache had pulled back her cape to talk to a passing vendor. Brilliant. Eros lifted his bow, strung the arrow through it and shot it straight through Apollo's heart.

At the same moment that Myrrine, who was leading Pegasus steadily towards the marketplace, was knocked over by a running servant boy.

[Apollo Collective]

Apollo touched his chest in discomfort. As he did so, the girl fell. He bent and offered her a hand.

[Aphrodite]

Her cloak had twisted around her ankles. She pulled them free, muttering to herself, keeping Pegasus' reins in one hand so he wouldn't wander away. The hand offered her was like a gift from the Gods.

"Thank you," she said, and stood.

[Apollo Collective]

His mouth fell open, and at the same time he understood exactly what had happened. He was annoyed; Aphrodite could have stood to be a little more inventive when doling out revenge.

[Aphrodite]

Eros, who had been busy pulling out a lead arrow to match the gold one, looked down to see who Apollo's eyes had seen first. He was distinctly disappointed to see that it was a young girl; moreover, a young girl without any visible deformities. He strung the arrow.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't make her hate him.

Annoyed with this sudden attack of conscience, he hurled the arrow away in disgust. It swiftly disturbed the unity of a passing married couple.

[Apollo Collective]

"Miss, are you all right?"

[Aphrodite]

"I'm fine, thank you." She withdrew her hand, dusted off her skirts and began to lead Pegasus away again. Eros disappeared.

[Apollo Collective]

He caught up with her. "Wait. You...erm...dropped this."

He conjured a coin - it was all he could think of that she wouldn't recognize as not belonging to her - and handed it to her.

[Aphrodite]

She stared at the coin for a moment. She hadn't had a scrap of money in three days. She could have kept it. She could have bought anything with it.

"This isn't mine," she said, and she handed it back to him.

[Apollo Collective]

"Are you quite sure? It was on the ground where you fell."

[Aphrodite]

"I don't... carry coins. I'm sorry."

[Apollo Collective]

"Why don't you take it anyway? It's owner won't claim it, and you look as if you could use a meal."

[Aphrodite]

She frowned. "No, thank you." Pegasus snorted, and she reached up to pet his nose. "Excuse me, I have to get home."