Venus in Aries
Behind a tall and jagged red rock sat Venus, grateful for the rare spot of shade in the hot and dry land of Aries. She scanned her surroundings for anything green. For the last four days, she had subsisted on grass shoots and dandelion. While she had not yet found water, she discovered that certain spiny cacti contained a succulent center. Because each fruit was covered in sharp needles, she had not yet figured out how to get to the juicy fruit without making herself bleed. As a result, her hands and wrists were covered in tiny cuts and puncture wounds. As she studied the landscape in hopes of spotting a yellow dandelion blossom that had not yet gone to seed, she thought about how different her life had been just days ago.
Her time in the dewy enchanted forest of Pisces had been such a welcome relief after months of trekking through the cold of Saturn’s domain. She’d had access to endless varieties of strange tree fruit whose vibrant, twisted beauty was only rivaled by their sweetly sensual flavors, making it hard to stop eating, even if she was full. With waterfalls and pools around every twist and turn, she took the opportunity to bathe daily amongst the water lilies. When she came across pools of water still enough to see her reflection, she could see that her skin had become plump with hydration. With each passing day, she felt herself absorb more and more of the beauty surrounding her.
It hadn’t taken long for the elfin inhabitants of Pisces to notice her, as they were attracted to beauty and sweetness like moths to a flame. For faeries, it was a solemn privilege to behold such mystifying beauty, so to honor her they brought gifts while she slept. Each morning, when she awoke, she greeted the forest from within a ring of faerie treasures. She looked so forward to waking up each day when she could leisurely admire the rare orchid and lily blossoms and sparkling crystals and fruit from treetops and caves only faeries could find. They even brought her exquisitely winged butterflies, which would most often become distracted and leave their post before she woke. As she made her way through the forest, her troupe of admirers expanded so that by the time she approached the heart of Jupiter’s kingdom, she had an army size entourage of the magical beings who made it their mission to seek out and produce whatever her heart desired.
Meanwhile, in Jupiter’s palace, finishing touches were being made for the celebration of Venus’ arrival. Each rail, banister and window was strung with fragrant garlands of magnolia, gardenia, rose and fern. Every fountain, tile, and chandelier was polished to perfection and ornate mirrors were hung to multiply the glamour.
The gossip among the palace fairies was that Venus would arrive in just a few days' time, so Neptune decided to leave and meet their honored guest so she could be escorted to the palace. Neptune and Venus, each with her own army of fairies, felt the anticipation of their inevitable meeting grow as the excited elfin chittering crescendoed, creating a sound like crystal raindrops falling on glass.
The fairies became emotionally overwhelmed when Neptune and Venus greeted each other with an embrace. The two most beautiful and bewitching beings they’d ever encountered were together. It was too much to bear, and the faeries cried tears of awe which rained down on the pair like glittering dew. Neptune gathered Venus in her silken cloak and guided her towards Jupiter’s palace and the celebration which awaited her.
Venus was greeted at the palace by a chorus of harps echoing off the marble fountains and pools. The twinkling roar of enamored faeries grew louder as she was guided to her gilded dressing room adorned with tall vases of magenta stargazer lilies and silken velvet cushions of lilac. There, she was presented with 100 of the most beautiful gowns she’d ever seen. They had been sewn by faeries, so not one stitch was big enough to be seen by the human eye.
The dresses were made from the finest floating fabrics dyed from the pigments of exotic plants and shells only accessible to the fae folk. She chose a glimmering gown of palest pear and flickering forest green which changed from one hue to the other, depending on the angle it was observed from. As she dressed, the faeries wrapped fragrant freesia blossoms in her hair, creating a delicate halo of frothy curls that glittered with their dust.
Upon her entrance into the palace courtyard, she was beckoned by the smell of spring fruit blossoms, meticulously imagined delicacies, and sparkling libations made from the fermented fruits of the forest. Venus was welcomed with a giant hug from an overjoyed Jupiter. He motioned to the massive banquet of strange delights and told her to go wild, which she did. The night spun itself into a whirlwind of fizzy wine, poetry, music and dancing. By the end of the night, the party guests had all shed their elaborate clothing and splashed through the pools and fountains of the palace where they danced and embraced. A handful of the most alluring guests were invited to join Venus in the massive bed of blush silk and chartreuse velvet that had been prepared for her.
The next afternoon, she languished between the silken sheets of the softest bed she’d ever laid upon. The last of her lovers from the party had left her to sleep in peace among the ring of faerie treasures. As her eyes scanned the kaleidoscope of gifts, they rested upon a rolled up scroll tied with bright yellow ribbon. As her gaze came into focus, she reached for the small scroll and unrolled it.
Venus instantly recognized the handwriting of her friend Mercury, who had recently spent time in her homeland of Taurus. Uranus, famous for wreaking havoc wherever he landed, had landed in Taurus a few years back and according to Mercury, had been causing upheaval as of late. Taurus held at least half of the gardens which fed a large portion of the zodiac lands. If things went awry there, all of the zodiac could be in peril. She would have to leave the heavenly palace to see for herself what the unpredictable Uranus had been up to in her kingdom.
Now here she sat, in a sliver of shade, munching absently on the stem of a dandelion, thirsty, hot, and frightened by the screeching war cries from bands of warriors whose calls echoed through the canyons of red rock. This land was even more formidable than the icy peaks of Capricorn. But after spending so much time on those mountain trails, she had become resilient and strong. The care she had gotten in the rejuvenating waters of Pisces had lifted her spirits. She would have to go on if she wanted to save her native land from ruin. She got up and kept moving, concerned for the fertile and lush gardens of her homeland, hastening her steps.
