All the eyes were on her.
She was used to it; they had ever been on her, from the moment she had risen from the foam. It was part of her existence, part of her being. She was made to be desired. She was desire.
But one pair of eyes that affixed on her caused a chill to run up her spine.
She slowed, then stopped.
It couldn't be.
She turned to look behind her. The man was limping toward her, leaning on an exquisitely fashioned copper cane. His lame left leg, shorter than his right, foot twisted in, moved stiffly. And his face was slightly lopsided, with his left eye drooping noticeably. He was not a creature who had been made to be desired. And yet despite his clumsy gait, there was a grace in the way he carried his brawny upper body that made it clear he was quite able to take care of himself.
Aphrodite smiled a thin smile as he approached. "Well, well," she said. "If it isn't my husband."
"If it isn't my no-account wife," the man grumbled, pausing to give her a kiss on the cheek. "It's been a long time, my dear."
"Hephaestus, what are you doing here?"
"Well, it's nice to see you, too."
"You know what I mean."
"The same thing you are, constant companion. Looking to stay relevant in a world that's forgotten me. Finding a way to help my people as best I can."
"Your people?"
"My people," he said, giving a lopsided grin. "I do have people, you know."
"Not a lot of smiths around in the 21st century."
"More than you'd think. But I was the god of technology, if you recall, and craftsmen and artisans. And they exist in spades. But are we going to just stand here talking? My leg is hurting something fierce."
"Come on," said Aphrodite. "I know a nice shop around the corner. They serve ouzo."
* * *
"And that," said Hephaestus, "is when I decided that you were right; retirement in Olympus isn't exactly rewarding. Aetna and I did nothing but squabble, and frankly...well, I missed doing something useful. There are only so many gewgaws you can make for Hera before you start to get bored."
"And so you took off to look for your wanton slattern of a wife, to see if she'd take you in?"
"Don't flatter yourself," said the god, staring at the milky white mixture of ouzo and water. "I didn't come down here on your account."
"You know," said Aphrodite, "you may be the only creature in all the universe who could say that and mean it."
"Struck home, huh? Dear, I got over the ache when you were screwing Ares. Don't get me wrong. I love you. You're you, I can't help it. Not a creature in all the universe, mortal or immortal, who doesn't. But I'm not here for you."
"Well then why come find me? I'm a trifle confused."
"Because while I'm not here for you, I need you to settle something in my mind. It's about women."
"Human women? The foolish ones will be repelled by your outward appearance, but the wise will see the man beneath."
"Please. I've had nymphs. I've had Athena, no matter what she says now. I've had you, for Zeus' sake. Seducing humans is not a challenge. No, the trouble with women is that I don't trust them."
"I can't blame you; you married me."
"Well, that's just it. Not a less trustworthy creature in all the universe than you, apple of my eye. And that's presented a problem. Because I'm the god of laborers, and...well, a lot of the laborers today are women."
"So?"
"So I want to help the workers. They need help. The world is ever-against the worker, and artisans could always use a friend.
"But I find myself shying away from helping the women. I don't feel they deserve my help."
"But they do! They work as hard as the men -- harder, in a lot of cases. Just because they have pussies doesn't mean they're worthless."
"I never said I was proud of it, never said it was something I wanted to think. But you're their apotheosis. And you, the ultimate woman, have cheated on me with...let's see...Ares, Butes, Dionysus, Hermes, Anchises...."
"Don't forget Adonis."
"How could I forget the inbred freak?"
"He was the most beautiful man ever born. Until Taye Diggs, that is."
"Is he your doing?"
Aphrodite smiled, and shook her head. "Erzulie Freda gets the credit for him. She was looking for a new initiate."
"That's just it, you see. Women are inconstant, fickle. I was not born beautiful, and so you rejected me for prettier men."
"You were forced upon me, because Zeus thought it would make me keep my legs crossed. Had it gone down another way...but those were the times. Many millions of women were sold to their husbands families to seal a contract, or forge an alliance, or just to get their fathers an extra sheep. Men and women didnt choose each other, and even when women stopped being sold, they were told not to pursue, only to be pursued. Only in the past generation or two of man have women and men been able to choose each other.
And that makes a difference. Today, couples are made of sterner stuff. They choose each other, love each other, and can bear up under more, because the bonds are internal, not external, and the partners are equals. That makes all the difference."
"I want to believe you. I always want to believe you," said Hephaestus. "But I think women are the same as ever. If a woman found her husband less than he was, she would abandon him for a pretty face."
"And I think you're wrong. But you knew I'd say that; what are you after, Heph?"
"A wager," he said.
"A wager. Right. What are the stakes?"
"If you're right, and women are more faithful, then I learn to overcome my misogyny, and work for all the workers of the world. If you're wrong, I support the men, and work to put the women back in their homes, where they belong."
"That's just the natural outcome of our little experiment. I didn't ask about that. What are the stakes?"
"If I win, you become the wife to me I've wanted you to be."
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "I knew it! You're after me. Heph --"
"And if you win, I grant you a divorce."
Aphrodite stopped short. "A divorce?"
"A divorce. You're free to be a wanton slattern with no guilt. Because I know you do feel guilt for it, my love. I know you better than you think."
Aphrodite looked down. "So what's the plan?"
"Well, I've been looking into your last couple interventions, and they have a theme to them. I'm thinking if a woman found her love reduced, that would be enough. But we'll need the right couple -- one that's fair. And once the die is cast, no interference -- none from me, none from you."
Aphrodite looked distant for a moment, and smiled. "All right, Hephaestus, you're on. If I win, you give me my freedom, if you win, I come with you."
Hephaestus smiled a lopsided grin. "All right. May the best god win."
* * *
It was two weeks before Adam White noticed that something was wrong.
To be fair to Adam, he was busy. He had a wedding to plan for, and work was keeping him busier than he wanted he was traveling nearly every week, and he was kept busy with wining and dining and schmoozing clients from Toronto to San Diego. The signs he might have noticed at first were largely missed, put down to fatigue. God knows, hed been sick working hard enough. No wonder he felt tired, like hed lost a step. It was easy to rationalize it; heck, he wasnt aware enough of it to need to rationalize it..
Had he not gone camping with Stephanie that weekend, who knows when he would have figured it out.
Stephanie had insisted he tell his boss that he was taking a bit of vacation, and wouldnt be flying to Philadelphia until Wednesday. He was glad shed pressured him; it gave him an excuse to tell Rob that his fiancée was angry that he wasnt home enough, and while it did get him chided for being whipped, even before the marriage, Adam didnt really care. Stephanie was smart, funny, a college lacrosse player who still sported an amazing athletic physique. Adam knew damn well that Rob would cut off his left testicle for one night with a woman like Steph, and frankly, so did Rob.
As it was, Adam wasnt really doing anything he didnt want to do; his beautiful, sexy fiancée was ready and willing most all the time more than he was, tell the truth. This made lonely nights in Buffalo or Boise or Spokane all the lonlier. (Steph was good with instant messaging, and she had some good imagination over the phone but it wasnt the same.) Adam was good at his job, but he wasnt excited about spending evenings with potential clients in Jersey City when he could be spending them with the future Mrs. White.
So as he packed his bag, he mused to himself that telling Rob that he wanted to travel less might make him a bit less money. And he said so.
Its a good thing Im not marrying you for your money, said Steph, smirking, as she checked the tent.
You like going out to eat, said Adam, and you like the High Def TV.
Id rather cook for you, she said, sending Adam into a brief fit of laughter.
No, youd rather I cook for you.
Youre a better cook than I am. But Id rather one of us was cooking and I got to see you more than once or twice a month.
Adam sighed. I know, hon, and
well, I would too. But where am I going to make the kind of money Im making at Jenkins McCollister?
Youre not, but its not like Im making pocket change. You could take a less exciting job in town, and I could have you here every night. And we could do things.
You mean we could watch TV? Ive heard good things about Lost.
Steph laughed. Yeah, Adam, thats exactly what I mean.
Adam looked up at his fiancée as he zipped the bag shut. So youd really love me just as much if I didnt have the flashy job?
Stephanie pushed the pack to the floor, and tripped her fiancé, causing them both to land on the bed. Id love you if you were unemployed, Adam. I dont love your wallet. I love you.
They got a late start that day, but they didnt really care.
* * *
It was about two hours into their hike that he began to notice it.
They were on their way back to the campground theyd spent their first weekend away together at; they both had a shared love of the outdoors. Steph was a photographer, and a good one, and while she made her living on graduation pictures and weddings, her passion was nature photography. She was good at it and getting better; she had sold a couple of photos in recent months, nothing particularly lucrative, but enough that she thought she might have a future at this.
Adam was raised in a hunting family, which had made his brief flirtation with vegetarianism in college a bit dicey. But while hed put down his gun (even as he picked hamburgers back up), hed maintained his love of the wilderness. He liked going out with Steph, taking pictures of the animals his dad loved to kill; it was all the joy of the pursuit and the communing with nature, but with none of the blood and pain.
And Steph was much better looking than any of his dads hunting buddies, or any of his dads hunting buddies wives, for that matter.
It was just after three in the afternoon. Steph was laying in wait, trying to get a shot of a deer that was quite some distance away. She was muttering to herself, sweating and fussing with her camera, trying not to make any noise that might spook the animal. She was down on one knee, and took photos with a quick click-click-click. Adam smiled to himself; he loved watching her work, the seriousness of her pursuit of joy.
She finally sighed, though it wasnt apparent whether in relief or resignation. Then she tucked her camera back in its pack and stood up, and briefly stretched, showing off her long, toned legs, which disappeared into her short khaki shorts.
Adam looked at her; she smiled at him and he at her, and she turned to head down the trail.
And yet something was off. He told himself that it was the same thing that had made him think his backpack was a bit heavy, or that his shoes didnt seem to fit right. But when she had stood and stretched well, shed stood and stretched a bit too much.
He didnt say anything, though; it would be crazy to say anything. He was a good four inches taller than Stephanie, after all, and while it seemed like shed looked down at him slightly, it had to be an optical illusion. The trail was uneven; maybe she was standing on a rock or he in a ditch. That had to be it.
He put it out of his mind until that evening. They were enjoying dinner by the campfire, talking about the wedding. Just two months out, now, and both were looking forward to getting it over with. Not that they werent looking forward to the ceremony itself, but really, both just wanted to get the is dotted and ts crossed, and make what was already unquestionable into something official. It was a boring conversation, and soon enough, both parties decided that the time had come to do something more entertaining.
Stephanie headed back to the tent, and smiled coquettishly. You coming?
You dont have to ask twice, he said, as he doused the fire with water. He walked over to the tent where she was waiting for him, and threw his arms around her and kissed her.
It didnt feel right.
They kissed for a bit, before they broke, and Steph said, Why are you walking around barefoot out here?
What?
Steph looked at him, and he couldnt help but notice that she was most definitely looking down at him. Not much her eyes were just north of his but enough that he couldnt deny it.
Youre barefoot! I mean, right? she said, as if the situation was obvious.
Adam took a step back. Just a step. He looked down at his feet, as if the obviousness of her statement would make the slightly sick feeling in his gut go away, as if hed look down and see that she was right that she was wearing her boots, and he was barefoot.
But he knew better. They both looked down, and saw his boots, as secure as hers.
You must have grown, he said, wanly, because the other possibility was not possible.
Stephanie, for her part, simply stared down at his shoes.
Adam turned away, and took a few steps. He knew in his gut what was happening, why his shirt sleeves had been just a bit too long, why his boots had felt looser than normal, why the pack was heavier.
He turned back to Steph, who was looking down at him, looking down at him, mouth opened in shock.
It isnt possible, she said, numbly. I
I guess I must have grown.
No, said Adam. You havent. And with that, he fainted.
Giantess World
Story Notes:
This is unusual for me, in that I generally avoid slow shrink stuff; consider this a bit of an experiment.
Author's Chapter Notes:
The chapter title is Greek for Deus ex Machina. Seemed appropriate. :P