There was a kingdom named Aratheon ruled by King Va'lar and his Queen Io, Va'lar and Io had four offspring, M'thandae, Velkan, Penelope and Europa, Velkan was Va'lar's sole heir and he cared for him so much being his sole successor.

Va'lar was likewise highly defensive of his girls, Penelope because of her goddess-like elegance. He knew someday a great kingdom will seek for her hand in marriage and this will grant his kingdom alliance with other great kingdoms across the land. He considered Penelope to be better of a resource than an offspring.

Penelope, humble and kind unlike her two sisters M'thandae and Europa, M'thandae, jealous of her younger sister Penelope because she captured the awareness of so many handsome princes and even kings but their father found no one of them worthy to have her hand in marriage. M'thandae heard rumours that Erik the prince of Mycenae heard sonnets about Penelope's captivating beauty and for this, he's coming to seek her hand in marriage.

Penelope had a unique hair colour that flows to her bum, people said that it was the colour of the midnight sky, her skin had the smoothness and sheen like that of a porcelain doll and the colour of her lips shamed the red rose, some say she just might be more beautiful than Aphrodite herself.

Aphrodite, the goddess of love, passion and procreation was not pleased by that comparison. She does not like anyone that might want to rival her in terms of her beauty, she's a jealous goddess and because of this, she vowed to punish Penelope.

In the kingdom, Va'lar had an order of eunuchs and their sole responsibility is guarding his daughters and because of their service, every eunuch is castrated, that way they won't be able to have sexual relations with the king's daughters if they were tempted, the eunuchs accompany the princesses everywhere they go, even when they are going for a dip in a stream or river, a eunuch must stand by and watch, they could never take their eyes off them if a strand of hair gets missing from the princess's head or they get their knees bruised, the eunuchs will be held responsible and thus be punished as the king deems fit, a eunuch showing interest or making sexual advances towards the princesses is treason and punishable by death.

There was a particular eunuch named Pavlos. All his life he served the royal family, he committed his entire life in serving the royal house, years passed by and Pavlos grew lonely, he couldn't have a child nor a wife.

One afternoon Pavlos took a walk to the woodlands and from afar he heard a baby's cry. He resisted at first but the cry grew louder and louder; the cry compelled Pavlos to see what was happening to that baby and by the stream; Pavlos saw a naked baby boy all alone; he called out to see if the mother was close by, no one answered.

He carried the baby and immediately it stopped crying, Pavlos has always wanted a child to call his own, like the gods heard his cry, that very moment he adopted the baby and he named it Mathias.

The king took a liking to Pavlos as Pavlos knew him when he was still a prince, Pavlos looked after him and after all these years Pavlos is still serving the royal family and because of this the king trusted him more than the other eunuchs when the king learned Pavlos adopted a baby boy, he didn't object to it but under the condition that Pavlos raises the boy to be a eunuch as well, so Mathias was castrated at infant age and taught the ways of a eunuch.

Mathias grew up to be an Adonis-like they handed him-carved by Zeus himself, he's manly features were too flawless to be a eunuch, he captured the hearts of many.

The maids will often flirt with him or take a peep when he's having a bath just to admire his chiselled physique, even the king will sometimes feel uncomfortable when Mathias is around his daughters but then he remembers even if he has any intention of having his daughters or otherwise, it wouldn't be possible.

Though Mathias had the looks of a woman devourer, his heart was different, he was a loyal eunuch, Pavlos raised him, he was happy dedicating his life serving the royal family but there came a day when his loyalty of severely tested, princess Penelope wanted a swim in the glistening waters as they called it "Ta Labera Nera" it was believed that goddess Hera blessed that river that whoever swims in it shall age slowly and beautifully, so because of this women will go there for a swim as they believed it will make them stay young and beautiful and Penelope believed so too.

This day princess Penelope came for her swim and as usual, she's escorted by eunuchs assigned to her by her father but this time around a certain eunuch that accompanies her was sick and because of this they had to replace him with Mathias, "Who are you? And where is Gorgos" she asked Mathias as she has never seen him before.

"Your highness, Gorgos is ill, I am here to replace him, forgive me your highness if this displeases you" Mathias replied with his head bowed down as it's disrespectful to look at the princess in the eye while speaking to her.

"Very well then! Send my good wishes to Gorgos, I shall not be needing you to go with me." she turned Mathias away.

"Your highness, I was given a strict order by the king to escort you, I must come with you, your grace." Mathias insists that he accompanies her, Penelope reluctantly accepted.

Penelope was not pleased that Mathias is escorting her to the glistening waters as this time she wouldn't be able to do what she usually does, after her swim, she changes her regal garments into something folksy to disguise herself so the villagers do not recognize who she really is and then runs off to the village to experience what it's like there.

She always wondered what her life will be like if she wasn't royalty, she craved the freedom and happiness of normal people but now that Gorgos is ill she won't be able to go the village today and she was looking forward to it; she bribes Gorgos with gold and livestock in exchange that he lets her run off and do these things for a little while, and Gorgos agrees even if it might be fatal for him.

They got to the glistening waters, and other people were there. The moment they saw the princess, they all vacated the river regarding her royal status.

Penelope got into the river as Mathias stood by to watch and a faint voice whispered to him to look at Penelope and he looked, she wore her hair down, her glowing sun-kissed skin made him question if she was a mere human or an enchanting deity.

He never noticed how beautiful Penelope was until now, her curves were something to behold, Mathias has never felt like this before or looked at anyone with so much lust, her goddess-like beauty made him wish he wasn't a eunuch, he has never lusted for any woman until now.

After her swim, Mathias brought her back to the palace. She was disappointed and somewhat upset but it's out of her hands she will have to bear it till Gorgos is hale and hearty again.

Penelope will often wonder what her husband will be like, of course, she knows he must be royalty, her father will never let her marry a common person. She wanted to marry for love, and she hoped whoever her father chooses for her will be someone she will fall in love with. A particular night she was on the palace veranda with her two sisters.

"Ooh prince Erik, he is so charming, I hope he attends with Velkan's engagement ball," Europa remarked while plucking wildflowers and putting them in her hair.

M'thandae turns to Penelope and perceived she was a little absent-minded.

"Penelope is everything alright?" concerned, M'thandae inquired.

"Silly me, I got lost in thought, I think I should saunter a little around the vineyard, the night is just begging for it," Penelope said.

"I beg to differ, you know father does not like it when we wander outside the palace on our own," M'thandae advised against her suggestion.

"I will be just fine sister, do not worry, I will be back before you know it," Penelope guaranteed.

She took a stroll through the vineyards and she noticed something strange; it was a figure of a lady and it vanishes.

"Who is there?!" she called out, but no one answered. She got scared and turned around to flee from the surrounding area as it looked deserted and eerie.

She hastened her steps and felt someone sneaking behind her, she ran and screamed "Help!!" and then she ran even faster, approaching the palace grounds she accosted a strange lady, she has never seen this lady before "My dear why are you running? Are you alright?" the strange woman asked.

"Something was chasing me, I don't know what or who but ...... there's something there, I have to go," Penelope responded while trying to catch her breath. She was eager to go back to the palace.

"Hold on Penelope, do not be afraid, you are safe, it must have been a critter animal in there," the strange lady said.

"How did you know my name? Who are you?" Penelope interrogated?

"Who doesn't know the most beautiful princess in all of Greece, envied by many, desired by all who meet her, a mere description of you leaves men mesmerized but what they do not know is this beautiful rose has a storm within, craving to be tamed, I know your desires, Penelope, what your heart yearns for and I can make it happen, do not be afraid ......... I am known by many names, Aphros, Pandemos, Peithiō"

Penelope gasped with her eyes wide open "Aphrodite! That's impossible, it can't be".

"Fear not for I shall not harm you, I am here to grant your heart's desires, come with me, let show you something," Aphrodite stretched out her right hand to Penelope.

"Stay away from me I do not believe you, whatever trickery this may be, my father shall have you punished for it," Penelope threatened.

"You do not believe in my existence? Your mother used to tell stories about me to you when you were little, am I wrong?, I shall go now but if you ever change your mind and want to speak to me, come to the Myrtle tree, call on my name and I shall answer, " Aphrodite said and vanished in a blink of an eye. She left Penelope awestricken of what she saw.

"Penelope!!......" her sisters called out for her as they got worried for her, "There she is..... What took you so long, you got us all worried about you," said M'thandae.

"We had to cover up for you to father and come out to look for you.

"what are you doing out here?" Europa added.

"Forgive me..... Once again I got tucked away in my thoughts, I am fine," Penelope pleaded.

"No time for that now, we need to get back to the palace before anyone else notices we are gone, come on now..." M'thandae urged.

Luckily for them, they got to the palace with no one noticing they were gone. They departed to their separate chambers. Penelope being reminiscent of what had occurred that night, she was still amazed and almost could not believe what had transpired or could her eyes be playing tricks on her?.