Two Meetings with Venus

As Venus made her way across the cracked ground of the red, rocky terrain of the Aries desert, she came back to the phrase she’d tell herself when hopelessness and fatigue would start to take over her mind- “You can do this, you’ve been through worse, and your people need you.”

She had nearly made it to the halfway point, marked by a towering plateau in the center of the Aries basin which could have been a mile high. She was parched, sunburned and weighed down by the heavy iron sword strapped to her back. Every now and then she’d come across a dead soldier, left behind from one of the constant battles that raged through Aries. She assumed they must be fighting over the lack of water. 

She had thanked the heavens when she spotted the splayed soldier with an erect sword driven directly through his heart casting a long shadow like a sundial. She could tell by the smell on the breeze that this particular soldier was in her least favorite stage of decay. With held breath and averted eyes, she stepped one foot onto the fallen soldier’s chest and tugged on the sword of black iron. As it came free, she exhaled with relief. She could use her new sword as protection should she confront any violent eyed warriors. In a quieter part of her mind, she pictured how she’d use it to feed herself if she came across any animals slower than her. Normally, she couldn’t stand the idea of harming one of nature’s creatures, but it wasn’t  herself she needed to stay alive for. The Taurean gardens she was responsible for fed one third of all of Zodiac. If she died of starvation in this ruthless desert, there could be catastrophic results for the world. 

As she lifted and shielded her eyes from the scorching sun, she caught something odd in the periphery of her vision. She squinted toward the north, and as she focused in on what she saw, her heart jumped. Not since she left the cool forests of Pisces had she seen a single cloud. For reasons unknown to her, it gave her hope. As her eyes took one more sweep over the corpse at her feet, they rested on the etched symbol upon the helmet of the fallen soldier. It was the same symbol she’d seen on the breastplate of her companion Mars, who had helped her through the last time life was difficult. The symbol was a V with peaks curled outward. “V for Venus,” she thought with a faint smile. She made her way toward Aries’ towering midpoint as more clouds rolled in.

Most nights in Aries were tolerable for Venus, thanks to the stored warmth in the rocky ground from the blazing daytime sun. She’d sleep under the stars and think of her beautiful gardens in Taurus. Tonight however, there was a chill in the air and the whipping winds were fierce. She searched for shelter. As she scanned the distance, her eyes settled  on a faint orange flicker radiating from a cave beneath a rocky cliff. It could be brutal warriors, crazed from violent battles who might want to hurt her. On the other hand, she had taken a risk when teaming up with Mars who ended up helping her. Her eyes welled up when remembering how warm he’d kept her at night in the frigid Capricorn mountains. Venus had been so lonely since starting her desert journey. She decided to at least get closer to the flickering fire to investigate.

She made it to the edge of the cave, quietly listening for sounds of rowdy soldiers. The cave was quiet, so she drew her sword and peered in. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, they focused on the cave’s inhabitant- a centaur. His equine bottom half lay on the ground, one withered leg splayed at an unnatural angle. His soulful brown eyes gazed into the fire as tears rolled down into his beard. There was no choking back the tears, just solemn acceptance of sadness. The centaur not only seemed harmless, but perhaps in need of companionship as was she.  Sword at her side, she entered the cave.

A flicker of brightness sparked in the centaur’s watery eyes when he spotted Venus’ approach. Although she was sun weathered and gaunt from dehydration, there was a softness about her that was a stark contrast to the hardened warriors trained as killing machines he usually encountered in the desert. He immediately offered her one of the roasted lizards on his skewer and cactus nectar from a heavy iron goblet. Venus abandoned all of her graces and wolfed down the offerings greedily. She had been weakened by hunger and thirst and was instantly grateful to the centaur whose name was Chiron. 

Chiron had been living in the cave for the last four years, doing the work of offering healing and counsel to soldiers damaged by the ravages of war. In exchange for his services, the army kept him fed, hydrated, and protected from violence. As a centaur who couldn’t run and had a severe limp due to a chronically injured leg, he gladly accepted the trade. While Chiron felt his services were truly needed in the war torn desert, the work definitely took its toll on his heart. The men who sought his healing abilities, although trained to kill, were not unaffected by the violence they experienced. They all shared the same gaze- unfocused and filled with horror, unable to cry. 

 Chiron confided in Venus that his healing work had gotten to him. For every soldier who felt lighter upon leaving his cave, Chiron felt a little heavier. His shoulders rounded and stooped under the weight as tears fell. Venus was saddened for this creature. She wished she had more to offer him than her affection. With a full belly, her eyelids became heavy. Chiron accepted her offer of an embrace and they lay by the fire where Venus held the creature and caressed his mane and furrowed brow until it was softened by sleep. 

In the morning, they awakened to the sound of tapping and a familiar scent which filled her with simultaneous longing and relief. As rivulets of water made fractal paths across the floor of the cave it dawned on them what was happening. Rain. The desert hadn’t seen rain in well over a decade, hence the ceaseless wars over water. Venus emerged from Chiron’s cave, arms outstretched, mouth open as she drank in the precious drops. It tasted like home. 

As Venus offered one last embrace to Chiron before her journey onward, he seemed a little lighter. His brow was almost free from worry and he sat taller than he had the night before. Thanking Venus for her generous gift of affection, he sent her on her way with three more roasted lizards and two cactus fruits for the road. She set off with a spring in her step as the falling water rinsed the red dust from her hair and skin.

The rain continued until the soft hills of her homeland came into view. The boundary between lands was almost indistinguishable, now that Aries was a bright green grassland from weeks of rain. What a relief it was to finally reach her home. 

 Venus’ arrival was met with much fanfare. Her people were of sturdy build and glowing complexion. With flutes and flower petals, they presented a chariot, decorated with roses and lilies, blossoms bigger than her head. As she stepped into her chariot, she paused to stick her nose into one of the giant blooms and breathed in deeply. But the intoxicating aroma she expected wasn’t there. The flowers didn’t have much scent at all in fact. She thought it odd, but her attention was quickly drawn to a delectable platter of fruit awaiting her within the coach. She marveled at the grapes as big as plums, plums as big as melons, and blueberries as blue as the sky. She decided to start with a particularly large, almost glowing pink apple. Her eyes closed with anticipation as she took a bite. But for all the flavor the beautiful apple promised, she was disappointed. It was less sweet than she had expected, less juicy too. Never one to be rude, she finished the apple graciously as the landscape of her home passed by through the carriage window.

It was a two week journey to the ivy covered castle Venus called home. The oxen who pulled her carriage were strong but slow. To Venus this was perfect, for her people were gracious hosts. Each night she would stop along the way, and a host would greet her with an herbal bath followed by a massage from one of the region’s gifted body workers. After that, there would be a feast of the very best of what the nearby gardens had to offer. Best of all was the company and conversation. She had many stories to tell of her travels and her admirers hung on her every word. It was even more fulfilling to listen to the words of her dinner companions as they filled her in on all of the happenings since she’d last been home.

The biggest talk of the land was centered around the wild-eyed genius, Uranus. Four years ago, Uranus took up residence in a tower on a hill near Venus’ castle home. He had been looking for a peaceful place to run his experiments, and in Taurus he had found it.  The rambling gardens that covered the land offered the perfect place to test one of his newest inventions, the super seed. Uranus’ super seeds promised to triple the yields harvested by the Taurean gardeners. What the seeds promised was delivered. The gardens produced three times the bushels of fruit and vegetables, bringing in three times the coin for the gardeners as well. Uranus was still working on bringing up the flavor and nutritional value to the level of that found in the unmodified produce.

As Venus made her way through her lush homeland, she noticed that the animals she saw had something peculiar about them. They were all slightly more muscular than what should normally be supported by their frame. Her beloved cows she loved to watch frolic in their pastures were bigger and seemed weighed down by the muscles bulging from their necks. Even the little black rabbits who hopped along the side of the road seemed denser and their hops were shorter and lower than usual. 

It didn’t take long to find out from her nightly social gatherings that Uranus had invented an additive to put in the streams that webbed their way through soft green hills of Taurus. From what she gathered, this additive would increase the muscle mass of any creature who drank from it. Most residents were in favor of the additive, as it made their beasts of burden stronger and cuts of meat bigger.

  Venus began to understand why Mercury had  issued concern over the goings on in Taurus. The reason everything was able to grow so easily in Taurus’ gardens was because life was predictable. The days were mild and sunny, with just enough rain to keep the soil moist. Because of this, it was nearly effortless to grow the sweetest fruit in all the land. The vegetables of Taurus grew plentifully and were always rich in color and nutrients, which gave her people their strength and beauty. It seemed that Uranus, in the name of progress, was interfering with perfection.

As her carriage drew closer to her home, the sky began to darken with heavy clouds. The ground became muddy and her crops were yellowed with moisture. Her castle appeared on the horizon looking dreary and sad instead of the bright welcoming green she expected. A loud crack in the sky drew her attention to Uranus’ tower on the hill. Blinding shards of white lightning struck the tower again and again. She directed her coachman to take her to Uranus at once.

Inside the tower she found Uranus amongst beakers and tubes of fluorescent fluids. Strange creatures with odd numbered limbs and even numbered heads were preserved in chaotically arranged jars. Lightning struck a metal rod outside the single window which Uranus observed excitedly. He was standing at some type of machine with hundreds of switches and knobs.

 “My latest creation” he explained as she approached. There was always something a bit unsettling about the genius Uranus, his eyes a bit too wide, his white hair unkept and standing on end. Today he had a manic grin as he showed her his new invention- a weather machine. “I’m still perfecting it,” he explained as a worried furrow crossed her brow. This explained her water-logged crops. “I sent a rainstorm to the desert, did you see?” he giggled excitedly. 

Venus asked that Uranus cease his experiments at once, but she was afraid too much damage had already been done. The muscular creatures and flavorless fruit were disturbing. She expressed her fear that the repercussions of altering nature would be irreversible, to which Uranus scoffed. Uranus was unpredictable, so it was hard to say whether he would honor her request or not.

With a sense of urgency, Venus raced down the hill and into her castle. She grabbed a sweet pastry from the table of food that greeted her and raced up the stairs to her secret room. She glanced longingly at the plush, turned down bed waiting for her but there was no time to rest. As she lifted a lever behind one of the books on her bookshelf, a section of the wall opened. Within a hidden room was a wall of small drawers, each labeled with a drawing of a plant. It was her collection of seeds that Mercury had helped her organize years ago. She collected a few of each type of seed into a velvet pouch which she would bring to the fertile fields of Virgo. Clutching her pouch, she hopped back into her carriage and directed her coachman onward. She would do all she could to protect the plants that fed so many. But as she tried to reassure herself, the sinking feeling in her stomach grew.

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.

A Party in Pisces

Five days have passed since our hot blooded warrior, Mars, escaped the confines of Saturn’s prison cell and entered into the lush rainforest of Pisces. The contrast between the shiny, machine-like city of Aquarius and the wild, overgrown tropics of Pisces were stark. In Pisces, everything was alive and moving. The sound of the rain on massive monstera leaves combined with the calls of strange creatures created a haunting melody. Springtime blooms of stargazer lilies and magnolia trees made the air heavy with perfume.

One step into the land of Pisces left Mars completely disoriented. The enchanting atmosphere clouded his usually sharp senses as he tried to find the road which would lead to his Aries homeland. But try as he might, he could find no road. If there had been a road, it had long since been overgrown with vegetation. Mars drew his sword and began to chop through the brush, but as he made his way only a small distance, he felt the need to rest. With every severed branch and stem, Mars experienced a shooting pain in his various limbs. It was as if he felt the pain he was inflicting on the life around him. In fact, the longer he spent in this forest, the more connected he felt to the beings surrounding him. This would prove challenging since he would need to hunt for his next meal soon. Mars found a soft bed of grass and leaves to lay upon and some colorful mushrooms to stave off his appetite. As he drifted to sleep his thoughts wandered to Venus who had left him in Saturn’s cold cell. Perhaps they would cross paths again.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the forested kingdom of Pisces there was a party happening. Jupiter, ruler of the land, had returned after a twelve year journey through all the lands of the zodiac. Shortly after his departure, Neptune moved in and is still there today. With Neptune in charge, things had changed. All roads had disappeared under flowering vines. All that was left were meandering paths left by wandering inhabitants who had perhaps been drinking poppy tea and munching questionable mushrooms for sustenance. Furthermore, the faerie population had quadrupled and the clear air had turned into a sparkling mist that played tricks on the eyes.

The twinkling fog got ever thicker as Jupiter approached his shining palace where Neptune still remained in residence. Jupiter was happy to be home, but wanted to address the state of his kingdom with Neptune. A commanding presence, the rotund and bearded Jupiter, along with his jovial band of travelers, announced their return home. Only his home was almost unrecognizable. The glossy, ornate gold fixtures he remembered were now covered in glittering dust while sheer silk scarves were hung over the chandeliers and fringed velvet tapestries hung from the towering brass banisters that had once gleamed. Faeries chittered in corners and flashed bright in dusty sunbeams.

As if floating, Neptune appeared at the top of the landing and glided down the stairs, a train of pearlescent gossamer silk behind her. Neptune was so covered in the glittery film that her features seemed to change and shift in the shadows. A mesmerizing sight to behold, she greeted Jupiter with a golden goblet of his favorite wine and told him to get ready for the night’s celebration of his return. Grateful for the wine, Jupiter accepted and went to his chambers to get ready for the party.

After a refreshing bath, Jupiter made his entrance to the ballroom ready to express to Neptune his concern over the roads, faeries, and general state of things in Pisces since his absence. But before he could gather his thoughts, someone put a sparkling beverage in his hand and the swirling smoke distracted him from his thoughts as he felt a giant grin appear on his face. The table was laden with strange fruit and odd mushrooms instead of the hearty meats he was used to. Jupiter had much to say about Neptune’s ways, but when he finally approached her, he couldn’t remember why he cared so much. The atmosphere was strange, but seductive and Jupiter was never one to say no to a party or a beverage or another strange mushroom.

Days later when Jupiter awoke, he could not remember much about the party other than he had been in a swirling trance of pleasure and emotion for days in a row. He would be on the road again soon and Neptune would remain behind. For now they would prepare for another party to welcome Venus who was worshiped in the land of Pisces. Jupiter would restore his glistening palace to its former glory in honor of Venus’ visit in about two weeks’ time.

Venus in Pisces

Exactly five months ago today, gentle and sensitive Venus began her travels through the rugged terrains of the lands of Saturn. For over a month, she wandered through the cold, steep craggy mountains of Capricorn, moving slowly through the difficult landscape.

In the second week of December, as the lower lands of Aquarius were in sight, she encountered the ominous, powerful presence of Pluto, lord of the underworld who took her down to his subterranean palace. After days of obsessive interrogation inside Pluto’s disturbing and decadent lair, she escaped back into the cold. Disoriented and frightened, she kept going, not realizing until February, she had been going the wrong way.

With little hope left, she sat and pondered what to do. After two months of navigating the merciless mountains of the goat god Capricorn, she was weathered and weary. The ceaseless crags had been a ruthless teacher. Although exhausted, she now knew the Capricorn lands backward and forward. She longed for the warm, Piscean waters just beyond the city of Aquarius. She decided to keep going, back through Capricorn one last time- wiser, tougher and more determined than before.

Along the way Venus became aware that she was being followed by a warrior on a horse whose crimson cape stood out among the snowy peaks. The warrior was Mars, who quickly caught up to a bedraggled Venus. She didn’t trust the cocky soldier who had a brash way about him, but she was cold, tired and lonely. She also knew Pluto was up ahead somewhere and did not want to encounter him alone. She decided to go along with him and was able to pick up speed, now on horseback.

By early March, they were well on their way toward Aquarius, which meant they’d cross paths with Pluto, which they did. Lord Pluto promised he’d let them pass if they’d only have dinner with him, which they agreed to do. All night, they were asked invasive questions and forced to talk about their darkest thoughts and deepest shame. This left them uncomfortable and embarrassed but as promised, they were then sent on their way.

After being exposed by Pluto at the deepest level possible, they were changed. They continued on in silence, horrified by what they had learned about themselves and each other. But a bond had formed. It was the kind of bond that’s formed after truly seeing another and being seen by them in return. A few days later, when they reached the border of Aquarius they paused, held hands, and after a long, solemn gaze behind them, stepped into Aquarius, leaving the ancient, brutal mountains of Capricorn for the strange, new shining metropolis.

The sky-high towers of the modern city gleamed. Systems of transportation zoomed along elevated rails with only a whisper. The streets were clean and well kept and the people were considerate of each other. In this city, no one was poor and no one was rich. Everyone had the right to life under one condition- one must never break any rules. This would have been doable had Venus been on her own. Even if it seemed a bit boring, she could easily assimilate and do whatever it took to get along. Mars however, was a different story. He was hot tempered, violent and liked to break rules for fun. Truthfully, Mars did not care for, nor even consider the comfort of others and this is where they differed.

As Venus distanced herself from Mars, he grew more aggressive and ruthless and soon drew the attention of Saturn, lord of the land. Saturn had them arrested and imprisoned for Mars’ crimes. For days, she sat in a frigid, stark cell waiting to know her fate. She’d call out to anyone who could hear that she was innocent. Although she had been through so much with Mars, she was starting to regret ever meeting him. Yes, he had helped her, but in this new place he was a hindrance. Saturn, a stern, yet fair ruler decided he’d let her make her case.

This was all Venus needed. She mustered every bit of charm she could and lavished Saturn with praise for his well-run city. She empathized with his need for rules, understanding that they are needed for a successful social system. Saturn was not glamoured by Venus’ charms. He was old, wise and had seen every trick in the book. However, he believed she was sincere. Saturn believed she had not committed crimes with Mars and sent her on her way.

Without looking back, Venus headed straight for the lush gardens of Pisces where she arrived today. She was greeted by beautiful beings draped in shimmering sheer cloth. She stepped out of her ragged clothes and into a hot spring, lush with ferns under a dense canopy of fragrant flowering trees. Finally Venus can rest. Here she will recharge before going any further. The pink will come back to her cheeks and the contours of her body will once again soften. She will be in top form by the end of her stay in May when she will find herself in the homeland of her old friend Mars.