Cupid and Psyche

"No," Psyche petulantly answered, though her green eyes were heavy-lidded with satisfaction.

Cupid chuckled and left the bed, ruffling his hair. "Sure feels good to have that cock-cage off my head."

Flooded with endorphins after such intense physical pleasure, Psyche giggled before she could stifle it. "You're still not allowed to touch me," she mumbled contentedly, curling up into the bedding with closed eyes.

Cupid's eyebrows shot upwards while pouring himself a wine. "Good luck with that," he mouthed to himself, taking a long sip. He turned to the bed, admiring Psyche, the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile both tender and cynical. "Up you get, lazy. We have work to do."

"Where, now?" Psyche sighed, burrowing deeper into the blankets.

Cupid pulled a face, his tawny eyes uncertain. "The jungle."

***

Psyche had an immediate inkling why Cupid saved this match till last. The heat struck first; a muggy, relentless swelter. Most disconcerting of all, there was no sign of worldly conveniences.

Psyche quickly conjured a very light fabric blue dress. "Can we just-?"

"No," Cupid flatly interrupted, not bothering to cover more than his nudity in the heat. "Not even a tent. We can't afford to leave unusual traces."

Psyche shot him a suspicious look. "What year is it, Cupid?"

"You don't know?" he replied flippantly. "Don't fuss, Psyche. This is one scenario where we can't afford to be caught on CCTV."

"You didn't give me a straight answer before," Psyche accused. "If Hera finds out you went back-"

"Who says I did?" he cheekily countered. "You wouldn't know. You couldn't prove it if you did know, which you don't."

Psyche narrowed her eyes. "I hate you."

"You love me, you can't help it," Cupid aggravatingly reminded her.

"Why did you decide to wreak destruction here of all places?" Psyche complained, swatting at a large, exotic insect buzzing around her head.

"I was angry. I wanted to be alone," Cupid shrugged. "I wasn't expecting to find residents in the area."

"That I can believe," Psyche dryly responded, her eyes nervously darting about the leafy region. "So, you matchmade the wrong antelopes?"

The severity left Cupid's face and he laughed. "Come here, tease."

"No!" Psyche sulked, evading his grasp. "Why is this the most difficult match?"

Cupid drew a deep breath. "Well, say hypothetically there are two warring tribes in this region. To end the conflict, one of the princesses entered an engagement with a prince from the opposing tribe."

"Really, Cupid!" Psyche complained, predicting what was to come.

"Aaaand the Princess might have fallen in love with the Prince's valet and best friend instead..."

"Valet?" Psyche frowned, puzzled.

"Well, sort of his personal manservant. But it's not unusual for them to enter a close friendship."

"Well, that's not important," Psyche declared with a little shake of her head to dispel the detail. "What are the issues here?"

"Well, it's a very tricky situation. This scenario could start a fresh war. it'll be very difficult to get the lovers in a room by themselves in this climate," Cupid informed her. "Also, I can be invisible in an emergency, but you, dear wife, can't be concealed."

"I'm not your wife, and why can't I be concealed?" Psyche exclaimed, hands on hips.

"I can't trust my aim when I'm hidden so I may as well be in the open, too. It's not always the simplest endeavour." Cupid's lips pursed to suppress a smile. "I noticed you never mastered the art in heaven."

"N-No..." Psyche said with slow thoughtfulness. "But I know Zeus can..." she paused when Cupid laughed. "What?"

"The aptitude for invisibility is easier accomplished by deities who have reason to hide. Especially ones who frequent the Earth, like myself." His eyes glowed with cynical humour. "How do you think Zeus snared Hera?"

"I know they had a rocky beginning." Psyche shook her head mysteriously. "No one's ever told me why."

"We don't talk about it," Cupid said frankly. "In short, Zeus was having trouble getting close to her, so he turned into an injured little bird. Hera took the bait, and once Zeus was literally snuggled between her breasts, he changed back and, well...you know. The man doesn't waste time."

"That's horrible!"

"It was a nasty shock for Hera," Cupid admitted. "And back then, women had less options. After Zeus ravished her, she was kind of shamed into marrying him. In time she came to genuinely love him." He tilted his head at Psyche's disturbed countenance.

"Not such a bad deal now, am I?" he teased. "I may stoop low at times, but I have some honour."

"I wouldn't say that, exactly," Psyche said waspishly.

Cupid stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Psyche snapped, glaring with her arms crossed. "So, I can't be invisible. Maybe I'll sit this one out."

"Forget it," Cupid growled. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"You sent me away at the art exhibition!" Psyche smirked.

"But I always knew exactly where you were," Cupid said quietly, his body tense. "Don't argue with me, unless you want to run out of time because I get carried away teaching you a lesson."

Psyche begrudgingly eyed his flexing muscles and kept her mouth shut. Cupid slowly smiled, noting the desire in Psyche's green eyes.

"Maybe you can't be invisible," he mused, stepping closer. "But you'll have to adapt to this environment."

Psyche slightly shrank back, closing her eyes with a gulp when Cupid touched her forehead. Ribbons of strange warmth flowed from his fingertips down her body, curling, spasming, dancing under her skin, building to a burning heat. Just when it began to feel too much, the sensations vanished. Psyche opened her eyes to see Cupid beaming down at her, delighted.

"You look amazing," he remarked, tracing his knuckles down her cheek to her collarbone. "I favour your original form, of course, but your personality shines out of you."

"Be gone!" Psyche slapped at his hand, then froze, staring at her arm; the smooth, dark pigment. "What...?"

"Pleased to meet you, Danla, of the Aruda Tribe," Cupid said, taking her hand to kiss. "The pleasure is all mine."

Psyche spluttered. "W-What am I supposed to do?"

"You are a visiting guest; an envoy, here to represent your tribe and partake in the widespread celebration of the upcoming wedding. And I am your travelling companion and bodyguard."

"I only have one?" Psyche said dubiously, though mostly preoccupied by the long, thick braids running to her waist. "Doesn't seem practical for royalty."

"The Aruda are minimalists and travel light. They take little interest in the other Tribe's goings on, so our unfamiliarity won't be suspicious. Our presence will be a surprise to the others, but this also means we're unlikely to encounter a real envoy from Aruda."

"But it's still possible?" Psyche complained, still busy inspecting the pretty red beads in her hair. She glanced up with alarm when Cupid pressed close in a completely different body.

The man wasn't just muscle; he was a warrior. Swirling black ink patterned up immensely thick biceps, flattering against his dark skin. He looked like a killer; his face was fierce, angular, handsome in a rough way.

There was a light shadow of stubble across his lower jaw, leading up to a fuzzy mass of healthy dark hair. But Psyche recognised the same look in his deep black eyes, the gorgeous smile she would know anywhere.

Psyche laughed disdainfully at Cupid's change, but secretly thought he looked magnificent.

"Bodyguard, huh?" she said flippantly, trailing her nails down the enormously wide chest in front of her, coated in a light sheen of humidity that made his skin glow.

"Trust me, I'm intimidating," Cupid wickedly answered, deepening his voice with comical emphasis. "Gwame, of Aruda, at your service."

"You're enjoying this too much!" Psyche accused, unable to move past the giant male blocking her path, irked that she was incredibly turned on.

"Best part is, I can carry my weapon in plain sight," Cupid stood impossibly tall and jerked his shoulder, across which a leather strap pulled tight to support the weight of the disguised bow on his back.

"Well, we should get going," Psyche muttered, reaching for Cupid's giant hand. It closed around hers, warm, his thumb adjusting to intimately knead her palm.

"What are you waiting for?" she grumbled, when nothing happened.

"We can't just appear on their land," Cupid explained, laughing when Psyche angrily pulled her hand free. "They'll have various guards posted throughout the region; we must be sighted before we enter the royal territory."

"This gets better and better!" Psyche raged, shoving his chest and stamping past. After a few angry strides she turned to scowl at Cupid, who made no move to leave and was watching her with a big, affectionate grin.

"Well?" Psyche snarled. "Which way is it?"

After a couple of hours trekking through forest terrain, exchanging jibes and the occasional argument, Cupid led the way to a clear stream.

Cupping a small amount of fresh water to drink, Psyche froze at the startling surrealness of her reflection. Until then, she'd had little opportunity to see herself, and the woman staring back from the fluid surface was strangely beautiful.

Psyche observed her features, angularly feminine with attractively curved lips and lively black eyes. The thick braids stemming mostly from the top of her head presented a powerful image, with a scattering of glossy red beads matching her skin-tight red dress.

Cupid's shoulder touched hers, and Psyche was stunned by the large man appearing in the water's reflection beside her; so much bigger, fearsomely strong.

"Kinda fun, isn't it?" Cupid smiled, gently directing her chin away from the lake to face him.

Overwhelmed by staring at a stranger who was so familiar at the same time, Psyche allowed him to kiss her. It was an interesting difference, engaging with Cupid in another form, and just as she began to warm to it, Cupid jerked back and began to fiddle with the beads in one of Psyche's more unruly braids.

"Stop," Cupid said sharply, when Psyche's hand moved to stroke his thigh. "We've been sighted. It's time to finish this and go home. Are you ready?"

"What do I do?" she whispered, afraid to move.

Cupid's face was carefully blank, but his tone carried humour. "Treat me as an inferior."

Psyche's eyes lit up. "I like it here."

****

After a period of being secretly observed, they were finally approached by a pair of stone-faced Waroa warriors, who politely inquired about the purpose of their presence in the territory.

"Aruda gave no notice of taking part in our celebration," one said blankly in response to Psyche's explanation.

"I have come to represent my tribe in an event that will be remembered for centuries to come," Psyche replied in a fierce tone that impressed Cupid. "My presence here is a mark of respect to the union."

The Waroa soldier elbowed his companion and gestured to Psyche. "She's a princess," he spoke in local tongue, which the deities understood. "The way their chief ruts about, I'm never surprised by their numbers."

"If they all look like her, it's no wonder," the other soldier replied.

Psyche raised her eyebrows with regal impatience. "Might we be escorted to your village, or is something amiss with my appearance?"

Cupid bristled menacingly.

"No disrespect, Princess Danla," the warriors spoke in unison, their eyes on Cupid towering behind her. "We will escort you."

"Thank you," Psyche said coldly, and proceeded to follow them, completely ignoring Cupid.

More people came to sight as they delved further into Waroa territory. As they neared the village centre, which bustled with activity, most paused their tasks to stare at the newcomers.

After waiting outside a particularly large hut, they were met by a royal official, who wore very little but was identified as superior for the stripe of colour across his leather waistband.

"Welcome, Princess," he greeted them with impatience, his eyes searching for Psyche's royal markings. "We were not expecting Aruda royalty. The Queen is busy, but we can settle you comfortably with the other guests."

He signalled and a soldier approached. "Find them lodgings with the Patkur," he ordered.

"Oh, darn," Cupid silently muttered.

"What?" Psyche whispered from the corner of her mouth.

Cupid didn't respond until they were shown into a very sparsely furnished hut. It was extremely clean, but that was really the only benefit. There were no tables or chairs or any place comfortable to sit. The bed was a woven patch of animal fur no higher than three inches. Next to the bed was a large urn filled with fresh water, and a plate of fruit.

"There will be a place for you at the banquet," the soldier told Psyche.

"Thank you," Psyche nodded, and the man hurried out.

"Keep your voice below hearing level," Cupid warned, obediently standing along the wall of the hut. "All tribes have a universal language, but each also has a local tongue that cannot be shared between tribes. They take this law very seriously, even a marriage must keep it sacred."

"Fine, fine. So how will I know when the banquet is?" Psyche nibbled her lip, considering the strange pattern of hay lining the hut walls.

"Drums," Cupid said dismissively. "Then they'll send someone to notify you."

"And you said the Aruda are minimalists!" Psyche breathed incredulously, walking over to the slab mattress and poking it with her foot. "At least it's softish," she said dubiously, turning back to Cupid. "So, where do you sleep, Gumby?"

"Male servants don't share quarters with royalty. Gwame stands guard outside," Cupid dryly replied. "Which is why we're not staying."

"So, what's wrong with the Patkurs?" Psyche asked, remembering Cupid's automatic dismay.

"They have a little nickname around here," Cupid informed her. "The 'Patkur Perverts'."

Psyche laughed.

"Not funny," Cupid softly chastised. "They're serial peepers. Which means one is probably watching us right now because you are too beautiful to look away from. Remember whenever you speak to me, make sure it's a volume that can't be-"

"Get outside, you incompetent prick!" Psyche loudly commanded, grinning at Cupid's shocked outrage. "If your behaviour fails to improve, I'll tell the entire village that you cried when a splinter pierced your toe! Warrior indeed!"

Cupid paused a moment to glare before wordlessly stalking from the hut, his enormous frame stiff with indignant tension. Psyche's keen ears picked up a smothered chuckle.

"Hmm," she pondered, considering the abode's design and wondering where they were being observed from.

"Mistress." The bulk of Cupid filled the doorway. "Might I suggest a stroll to explore the Waroa village?"

Psyche narrowed her eyes, having strolled enough in the last few hours to happily sit for a decade. "Very well," she said loftily, swanning past him when he stood aside for her exit.

"They're all talking about you; the Patkurs," Cupid murmured. "They want to find out if the Aruda chief has arranged your marriage. If we stay long enough, you might cause a fresh conflict."

Psyche rolled her eyes. "Don't these tribes have multiple Royals?"

"Not ones that look like you," Cupid said shortly. "I shouldn't have made you so striking," he irritably lamented.

"You didn't hold back on yourself," Psyche mused, noticing several women and even a few men lustfully admiring Cupid's impressive build.

"Wanting to have sex and getting married is completely different," Cupid said brusquely. "I can defend myself. But if the Arudas receive enquiries about the marital status of one of their Princesses attending the Waroa and Patkur union..."

"Oh, crap." Psyche sighed heavily as they turned a corner. "I have no idea where I'm going?"

"Straight ahead. To pay your respects to the Waroa Prince. Well, the one getting married."

"Will that anger the Queen?"

"No. You're presenting your wedding present to bless the union on behalf of the Aruda."

"You're the slave. You should present it," Psyche said crossly.

"I'm your servant and I will present it," Cupid answered through his teeth. "But you have to do the talking. And after that, you have to hold his attention by whatever means necessary."

"Oh?" Psyche said interestedly, stopping to peek up at him. "What happened to sticking together?"

"I'll be quick," Cupid said flatly. "If you go too far, I'll punish you later."

"Big talk," Psyche said smugly, as they entered a narrow passage between huts.

Cupid glanced around and seized Psyche's upper elbow. "It is big, and I won't go easy," he wickedly promised, and quickly released her.

Startled and slightly breathless remembering the sight of Cupid's thick, pulsing shaft stretching her soft flesh, Psyche took a moment to pull herself together in time to face three startled Waroa warriors.

"State your business, Arudan!" one said sharply.

"Princess Danla wishes to congratulate the Prince and present a gift from the Aruda tribe," Psyche answered icily.

The warriors sheepishly relaxed, their eyes on Psyche's markings. "Apologies, Princess, your presence was not announced to us. His Highness is scheduled to spend time with his intended before the banquet."

"Tell them you'll leave the moment she arrives," Cupid quietly directed Psyche.

"Then I shall leave the moment she arrives," Psyche said confidently. "This is not a gift to be postponed," she added, feeling a rush of relief when Cupid slightly nodded.

After a moment of uncertainty, a warrior disappeared into the enormous hut, leaving his two companions gawking at Psyche.

"I thought she was a pleasure worker," one quietly commented in Waroan. "I've not seen such beauty. Such a waste that she's Arudan. No doubt the Patkurs are climbing over each other to find a way between her wet thighs."

"I wouldn't touch her with the bad end of my spear," the other carelessly shrugged. "They're such a nasty, backward culture. No wonder they sit out of the wars. Cowards, all of them."

"They appear to have sent their only capable warrior to escort the Princess," the first remarked. "Look at the size of him! I bet she begs him to split her with his cock when they're alone. It'll be better than anything she'll find in that chaotic mess of imbeciles at her home tribe."

Psyche heard every stinging remark and was insulted on behalf of the race she represented. "Or perhaps you grunts are too busy brawling to know Arudans are a superior race?" she said sweetly, in flawless Waroan.

The soldiers' mouths fell open.

"H-How do you know our sacred tongue?" one stuttered.

"Treason," the other whispered.

"Psyche, you idiot!" Cupid cursed under his breath.

Fortunately, the first soldier returned to break the moment. "The Prince will grant you a brief audience."

Psyche hurried past, Cupid right behind her, hearing the soldiers urgently whispering in their wake. Passing another two warriors silently standing guard, they made their way down a long, carved path up to a small concrete throne.

"For the record," Cupid hissed for Psyche's ears alone, "Arudans are a cowardly, primitive, unpleasant people."

Psyche glared ahead and didn't answer.

"Princess Danla of Aruda," the man on the throne respectfully acknowledged her. "I'd heard rumours that an Arudan of unmatched beauty wandered the Patkur camp. I perceive they did not exaggerate."

"Thank you, your highness, for your hospitality," Psyche smiled graciously. "I understand you are meeting your intended, so I will be brief. I have brought a gift from my people to honour the upcoming nuptials."