The Tormented Goddess Sarah Saint-Hilaire
The Tormented Goddess
From the Series:
The Thorns of Life
By: Sarah Saint-Hilaire
Published in 2012
Chapter One
This story begins long ago when people demanded their freedom, but chaos stroke and the oligarchy fell into the hands of the anarchist mass. There lived this devoted old slave; she was wrinkled with as many folds on her face as hairs on her head, owned by the once powerful Singleton family. Gifted or cursed in her eyes to see the future she acted as their oracle, bringing them fortune and richness beyond the reach of the human eyes. With this she earned a place of high standing gaining the affection of the family. When the proximity of a possible freedom was approaching, the very idea to leave her owners as game to the voracious mass gave her remorse, thus she aided them to flee.
Escaping a certain death their fear pushed them to venture to a distant island virgin from the impurity of men. This paradise was Atlantis, abundant with its dense divine fauna and blue waters, filled with endless creatures of the sea they were at last safe. The Singleton ever grateful to have survived bowed in appreciation for their fragment of the heavens on earth, but those hearts who were once blackened with money could never tame their hunger for more. Thus for more they asked. “We would like a daughter from the heavens to share our happiness with us on this mortal paradise.” They praised the old woman. “Then you shall have whatever desire you want, freedom, wealth, anything. You have blessed us with sons but we crave for a daughter.”
This offer seemed fair, thus she begged the heavens for a girl with no match in beauty; Apollo granted her request but in punishment to have brought these dark souls to his enchanted annex on earth punished her by pouring the future into her old head, killing her painfully and lethargically. The only appeasement was writing them down, but such method only lasted a mere year. Condemned to her death bed the Singleton asked for her last will. Breathing her last breath she murmured “Burn the scriptures, burn them all, if you wish to remain with the mortals, listen to me or you will suffer for many dreading centuries as I have with your daughter's birth.” She then died leaving the family in dispute. The daughters’ father loved this woman as his own mother, a twisted affection in his wife’s eyes creating jealousy. With the knowledge of controlling the universe of defeating time she sought out the only possible resolution to her prospect mischief, she was to abscond.
When the full moon pronounced itself in the clear night sky she gathered the manuscript and the infant: gift of the heavens she bore for nine months, a priceless child named after the goddess of beauty Venus. Nestled on to a Scandinavian ship built to withstand all the ill tempers of Neptune, fashioned from the Viking people of the not too distant future, they made their way into the Mediterranean Sea. Fate turned against the traitorous, the storms grew furious, and the invincible ship failed. As the woman attempted to escape the sinking boat with her new born, her ankle slid, thus locking her to sink with the ship. She threw her child aboard a small raft and prayed her safe journey.
Gasping for air the warm salty water rushed down her throat ending her days and triggering the curse. As being the first victim her soul would be enslaved in the underworld as long as the manuscripts are not destroyed. Buried in the cold depths of the sea they would remain. Venuses raft managed to find its way safely after the seas took its prey. She arrived on the old shores of the once great city of Rome as a merchant was passing by, her cries of fright and hunger pushed the pity of the good lonely man to take her as his. As opening the basket the baby appeased her cries and stared with her golden eyes towards her new father observing his features. Wearing a humble tunic his young grey hair shimmered in the morning light bringing laughter to the infant and happiness to the merchant heart. The chain on the child’s fragile neck indicated her name on a silver plate “Venus” he read “and so she must stay.” Keeping her name and carrying the girl with him back to his home he admired the world with a new light, the light of a father. He headed to Gaul with his new daughter, taking her everywhere on the Eurasian continent where he had business. Growing into a stunning young lady, wise and bright, she filled her father’s loneliness.
“Papa” she asked as they reached the peak of a cliff staring into the country “Don’t you find the view beautiful?”
“Ah, but nothing is more beautiful than my Venus.” He gladly stated. “I am growing into an old man and believe it is time for you to find a husband.”
“I will love no man greater than my father, and find myself too young to be wed. Why don’t you find a wife instead of me having to leave you? I could not bear it, that is why I accompany you, so why get rid of me.”
“My dear you are right, I presume I am still young enough for a woman to want me, but one day you shall be wed as well or you shall suffer the same loneliness I have before finding you.”
Settling in the Italian countryside, in a wooden house the Merchant decided to take in a wife as his daughter suggested, but he had the misfortune of choosing a woman with the heart of a snake. The woman green of jealousy of Venus’s beauty and bewitching intelligence wished by all means to get rid of her. With her new husbands advancing age she feared that all his fortune would go to his daughter, furious she decided that her greatest desire must be accomplished, Venus must die! The cold hearted woman burnt their cottage with the young Venus sleeping inside. Happily waiting her rivals death the merchant arrived home unexpectedly seeing the whole scene he tried to rescue his loving daughter but the horrific flames killed him. As he died he cursed his wife that she shall suffer the worst possible death. The night claimed its victim once again.
The fumes of the fire blew away by daybreak, but the night forgot a soul for Venus was intact. As the old slave warned long ago on her death bed, all of the manuscripts must be destroyed for the family to remain mortals. After the curse claims its first victim the rest of the Singletons when they meet their death has their soul and body condemned to immortality. Being twenty years of age Venus was forever trapped in the human body’s height of energy, but the remaining members of the family died of natural causes leaving them trapped in their rotting flesh. Growing insane of the horrendous state of their corpse they performed insane rituals in the hope of gaining back their mortality, the insanity of their sect is to grave to speak of.
Awakened to find her fathers blackened by the flames her humanity shattered when it came to dealing with the murderess. The merchant’s wife was convicted for witch craft, and the cruel woman did indeed suffer a death fit for her crime. She was burnt at the stake encountering an equivalent intensified pain as her dead husband had. Venus watched her body obliterate into dust till the very end.
Haunted by her memories, she began to suffer from visions of her past. With the intensification of this sinister event she sought out refuge but when the dark ages of war past by her village her suspicions where only confirmed, for she was immortal. Pushed to depart her decaying home to avoid any suspicion she travelled as the merchant her father was.
The lustful endless style of life gave her the opportunity of becoming the most educated woman roaming the earth. With the money she made in various domains, she schooled herself into the world’s greatest institutions of our past. Excelling in mathematics, medicine, battle tactics, law and a multitude of other domains her favorite of all was humanities. Being lifeless gave her a desire to know everything concerning this mystic event. Her gender never diminished her opportunities even though she lived in an era of inequality between the sexes, with her charm and compassion to knowledge she was irresistible. Since the creation of the University of Oxford she came almost every century, this particular time co
incided with the education of the Charleston’s near the sparking debut of the Edwardian era.
Chapter Two
Frederic Charleston was off to his second year at oxford, as for Edward the second his youngest brother, being the most brilliant student of his elite he managed to get himself a high standing position at the University. Having an ancestry of bankers, their father Edward the first sat on a fortune, which he maliciously tracked down to the very pence. The eldest Daughter Victoria, doted of bleached curls and an over tightened corset, was in line to be married to her father’s associate, being twice her age this arranged marriage was emplaced to avoid suspicion of her becoming an old maid, and as well to save the family honor tarnished by Frederic. Though the engaged couple’s marriage was to be in only months’, she already envisioned herself as the youngest widow of England. The pilling colds within the family did not trouble natures thrive for teasing those you love, an aspect constantly reminded by Victoria’s siblings. The last child of the family was Juliet, little Julie could still count her age on her fingers, her innocence and kindness charmed everyone under the illusion that she was an angle, but they seemed to always forget those literal corns sprouting through her skull, present in every child’s height of youth.
The story begins in the auditorium of the University, with all the students and professors assembled the institute’s director began a new year by barking a few words on the technologies acquired by the establishment. After the non-ending welcoming lectures the students where summed to the gardens, where stood tables gorging of treats, scones and sweet tea. With the women’s suffrage sliming the access to superior education, due to some radical irrational movements which ruined everything for anyone else, Venus could not officially obtain her admittance. Meeting with a professor with the pretext that she was in need of a historical clarification took the opportunity to demonstrate her highly developed cultural knowledge, the professor enchanted by her wits sought no harm in discreetly admitting her into the department.
Venus was walking out of the flower gardens towards the terrace and tea table, where she crossed Edward. Bewitched by her beauty he ran to his brother to inform him on his discovery.
“Frederic, look behind me…” He instructed his brother “…don’t you see that lovely lady beside the tea table.”
“I see” replied Frederic calmly with a smile.
“Well could you get her name for me?”
After a long pause he replied “You’re not being a wimp are you, remember last time with Elisa what happened, she’ll never speak to you again, that was wicked! If you want my advice little brother she’s not of your caliber, more my kind really. If you insist I’ll get her name this instant, see you soon!”
“Fredrick” called Edward to stop him, but when his brother sought out his prey he never looked back. Finishing the content of his Champagne flute he made his way past the clustered freshman’s directly towards the tea table. Bowing courteously he introduced himself gazing directly into her eyes, Venus reciprocated doing the same.
“You must be George’s sister with your exotic name!” Assumed Frederick hoping he could start a conversation.
“You must be mistaking me for someone else; I am let’s say a student here.” replied Venus.
“You’re quite a comedian, for a woman.”
“Indeed I am, but I afraid to disappoint you Mr. Charleston for I am actually a student here in the faculty of humanities, a domain you seem to lack of.”
Venus smiled and left with her cup of tea to sit beneath the shade of an empowering oak. Frederick still shocked from her provoking charisma, couldn’t make up his mind. One thing she was incredibly beautiful, but disliking women of her character made him decided that she was maybe after all not his sort.
Edward spying the scene from under the table jumped out to exclaim with glee that “She must be in my humanities department, than I will most certainly meet her again tomorrow morning when Professor Williams opens his course. What a lovely year!”
“Come back to earth little brother” stated Frederick “She is an educated woman, even if you two make the loveliest couple, which I doubt you will, especially with her, Father would not approve. What kind of scandal would that bring to the family?”
“Father and his honour…” Edward mumbled “…though I’m rather sure that that will never be as catastrophic as you, if we jump to conclusion.” A light drizzle invaded the blue sky, as the afternoon drained away.
The Following morning, Edward believingly determined to arrive first for class appeared in the room to find professor Williams and Venus having breakfast together discussing the controversies of the American north and south. At Edwards arrival, Williams began the introductions “Edward, I would like you to meet Miss Venus, Miss this is Edward of Charleston my finest and most intelligent student. You’ll have to excuse me, I must prepare for my lecture.
After the professor left to retrieve his notes for the lesson, Venus said to Edward “Mr. Charleston I believe to have already met your older brother Frederic.”
Edward unease answered “About that Miss Venus, please forgive his attitude; it was most certainly quite disrespectful.”
“Never mind that, it is true that there are not many women of my genre Mr. Charleston that is a fact.”
“Please call me Edward each time you say Mr. Charleston it resembles that you are speaking to my father, besides I am not that old yet!”
“Very well then...” The class begun, the professor open up his course with Plato’s judgement, that man only pains others when they must. A queer introduction, but throughout the opening act Edwards was on another world as his heart pulsated while the sun gracefully shone on the delicate curls of Venus’s hair. When the lecture ended Edward walked with Venus and opened the door for her, and wished her good bye. When he arrived home, he ran to the kitchen and grabbed a red apple to bite into it. The sweet tasting elixir deriving from his fruit made him smile, at that moment his mother peered from the corner and testified that her boy was bewitched.
The night arrived as fast as it left the following day the professor assigned groups of two to perform a research analysis on a chosen event. Since Edward and Venus were already acquainted the professor saw fit that they should form a coalition for this particular assignment. Their task was to make a report on the French revolution as well as presenting to the public their formal report. Walking away from the university towards her hotel Edward followed hurriedly behind Venus in hope of catching up with her. “Miss Venus!” he exclaimed.
“Edward, are you alright?” She asked.
“Yes” Trying to catch his breath he continued “would like a lemonade? So we can discuss further clarifications for our assignment?” Venus agreed.
“Why didn’t you ask me earlier saving you the need to run?”
“The idea only manifested once you left.”
They made their way towards a tea house, sitting near the window with an elusive decoration composed of bright yellow and white roses. Venus began the conversation with “Thank you for the invitation.” She sipped the sweet acidic nectar from her glass and continued to speak saying “For the assignment I would suggest to start with an intensive research on campus, next week I am arranging to go see the palace of Versailles. I know a good historian who would certainly be delighted to educate us further on the subject, if you would accompany me of course. Edward perplexed of the sudden proposal could not figure what to say.
“Certainly, I would be delighted to accept your offer. I will confirm it to you as soon as I…” Edward hid at the speed of light under the table.
“Edward what are you doing?” Venus asked, puzzled by his childish behavior.
“It’s my mother…” he replied in a worried tone. He looked back up, “…and my sister.”
“So?”
“She’ll think I’m with a girl.”
“Oh, aren’t I a female?”
“No, I mean yes, I mean… Ah, she’s here!”
; Edwards mother approached him vividly basically screaming with excitement “Little Eddie, how was day darling? Oh please introduce me to this fine young lady!”
Turning red with humiliation he hurriedly attested “Mother, this is Miss Venus, now we should get going it is beginning to get quite chilly, don’t you think so mama?”
“I think you’re being awfully rude, darling it’s September, come closer, let me see if you do not have a fever.”
Edward embarrassed exclaimed “Mother.”
She replied with “Very well, then young lady would you join us for dinner, I would absolutely adore to get further acquainted with you, please accept.” Venus nodded in a charming fashion. “Well you cannot miss it three streets down the right, number 28, at seven o’clock. Now Eddie we may go home.” The woman walked head high with her daughter following behind. Edward smiled and bowed his head following the two women.
Back home Elian, Edward’s mother rushed to her husband’s library as unpinning her hat stating “I bet Eddie will be first.” Her husband curious of the provenance of his wife’s excitement asked her;
“What are you talking about my dear?”
“I found Edward at the nearby teahouse with a girl, a lovely one to. I always thought Frederic would be first but no it my third one.”
“Don’t make false assumptions, I know my boy very well. If your nonsense is proved true I am certain he found a descent one, not like the Women Frederic tried to get approved. Now my dear will you let me savour more peace till dinner please.”
Elian left the library to do her daily afternoon habits, as for Edward he was in the drawing room with his siblings. Pickering him with questions his youngest sibling Juliet started the interrogation period.
“Is she pretty?”
He replied with the same warmth his little flower “Indeed she is, but not as beautiful as you of course.”
With a smile his older brother added “She might be the most attractive creature roaming the earth, but my dear brother you are forgetting one thing, she is a scholar!”
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