It is Written that We Go (Aphrodite)

[Deleted]

Beowulf hated that he was the only Viking here at this ridiculous school. If there were other Vikings then perhaps he would have someone to share a sacrificial feast to Odin with. But there was no one. And there weren’t any places he could sacrifice an animals to the gods either, which was frustrating. Did no one fear or respect the gods? Did no one believe in the gods? Disgraceful. It was all disgraceful.

And there was no proper place of worship here. The best they could come up with was this absurd little chapel, which was hardly worth the effort, but Beowulf was here anyway. He had bothered to come here and he hoped that his gods would not mind that he was in some other God’s places of worship. And that in itself was absurd. How could one God do anything at all? It was absurd.

Beowulf knelt in the front of the little chapel, feeling quite absurd about this and desperately hoping he had not offended any of the gods. That would not work well in his favor at all. Though if they were horribly offended they would strike him down where he stood. But perhaps they were merely waiting to hear what he would say first and then decide whether or not to strike him down or not. So he bowed his head and prayed to the gods.

[aphrodite]

Aphrodite found herself in this odd little temple not terribly long afterward. Peculiar looking thing it was. Nowhere near large or grand enough, not even space to make a proper sacrifice. It was pitiful, really. These folk who evolved from the Romans had such strange beliefs. It was an affront enough to her vanity that she and her kin should be set aside so easily. But she had always known that things would be restored to their proper order. Yet, here they were, thousands of years later, and still this one small God remained! She'd yet to see him accomplish anything of great importance, and he took such little interest in the mortals below. Really, they were such fun to play with. Enticing Paris to settle that argument between herself, her mother, and her sister had been the most fun she'd had in quite some time. These silly little creatures got so bent out of shape so very easily.

Sprawling herself across one of the little benches, she twirled her hair around her finger, waiting a few moments to give this boy time enough to speak with the Gods before catching his attention. "Dismal place, isn't it?" she asked, glancing around. "Not even room enough for a proper festival. I don't understand how exactly it's useful. Seems more of a decoration than anything else." Aphrodite could determine from his body language that he was just as displeased with this inadequate temple as she was. And really, who could blame him? It wasn't much of anything, just a stone room with some benches and a too-small altar. She'd have to come one day when it was full, just to see how things were done here.

[Deleted]

Beowulf was rather caught up praying to his gods that he didn’t hear her. He hadn’t properly prayed to the gods in a long while. This place was getting to him and he certainly did not appreciate that. He wished he had a goat to sacrifice. A sacrificial goat would probably do him a world of good when it came to the gods and would probably put him back in their favor. Of course he assumed that he had fallen out of favor because he kept feeling things that he didn’t want to feel and one could only assume that someone was messing with him because he hadn’t paid the proper tribute to the gods. Or it was Loki just messing around with human lives because that was what he did. Needless to say, the young Viking was not terribly fond of Loki.

The voice startled him though and he turned to the woman. He did not appreciate the way she was sprawled out on the bench thing like that, but she did have a point to what she was saying. Funny, she seemed to be the only one who shared his sentiment and yet she didn’t look Norse at all. She didn’t have blonde hair, light colored eyes or pale skin that was common in Norseman in general. Beowulf was an oddity among his people what with his dark hair, but his father, a prince by his own right, had not married a Norse woman. Hence Beowulf’s dark hair.

But this woman was certainly not Norse by any means and it was curious that she would share similar sentiments with a Norseman. “No place for a sacrifice,” he commented, glaring darkly about the place. If all these benches were removed then perhaps there would be room for a sacrificial alter. Sacrifices were important, after all.

[aphrodite]

Needless to say, Aphrodite was quite used to being stared at disapprovingly. It pretty much came with the territory, and the wrath of jilted lovers and wives she was used to. However, it completely shocked her to find some level of disapproval coming from this boy. What on earth was she doing to put him off? Obviously something wasn't right here. Or her preferred men. Either way, something needed to be done to turn this around. Sitting up, she swung around to face him properly and crossed one leg over the other, crossing her arms gently over her stomach.

"None at all," she agreed, nodding her head. "Simply ridiculous. How do they expect to appease their gods if they do not make the proper sacrifices? It's absurd." These silly little mortals. Thinking they had everything figured out and that no matter what they did, the gods were pleased. Just because you were spared a plague or a drought didn't necessarily mean you held high favor. The proper steps must be observed. And this little place disregarded them entirely. She should round up her family and torment them. More than she already planned to, anyhow. She'd think about it. "Anyhow, what brings you here, then?"

[Deleted]

Beowulf honestly did not know what to make of this woman. She looked and acted like one of these modern women, but her sentiments on religion were similar to his own. And yet it was clear that she was not a Viking. And she clearly was not one of these Christians with one god. “These Christians,” he told her, the disdain very clear in his voice, “have but one God. They do not have sacrifices.” It was all absurd really. How could one god do anything? How could one god get everything done? It was just plain absurd, not to mention stupid. These Christians didn’t know anything. But what could expect of heathens, after all?

“I am here to pray to my gods. It was the only place I could find.” And Beowulf dearly hoped the gods did not take too much offense for his prayers here in this heathen place. He was trying to be a good Viking the way he was taught, but sometimes it was difficult in this place that was so very different than his beloved Geatland.