15 Chapter 15: The Young Shepherd

On a rolling plain of green grass, a young shepherd could be seen corralling his sheep, keeping a watchful eye out for stragglers.

Momentarily distracted by a sudden burst of wind, the young shepherd soon regained his focus and turned his attention back to his sheep, only to find one had wandered off.

'Oh fuck.' The shepherd thought.

——

High atop a mountain, just above the entrance to a cave overlooking the currently panicked young shepherd, is Ares and his trusty companion Praeco.

"You sure this will work master? Humans are fickle beings, what stops him from abandoning the sheep and acquiring another?" Praeco asked her master, her voice riddled with uncertainty.

"Ugh!" Ares exhaled dramatically, his hand over his heart. "Is that all the faith you have in your master Praeco? You wound me so!" He finished in a depressed tone, his hand moving from his heart to his head.

"Master." Praeco retorted, currently in her human form, giving Ares a deadpan look.

"Fine." Ares sighed, followed by a challenging smile. He hasn't once made Praeco laugh. Sure she cracks small smiles here and there. But he wants more. 'If it's war you want Praeco! It's war you'll get!' Ares thought.

"Yes, it will work Praeco. This is his, and also his family's lively hood. One sheep to them is like Ambrosia for us." Ares replied, his gaze lingering on the young shepherd, still trying, and failing to catch his runaway sheep.

"It can't be that important." Praeco replied, her gaze following her master's. If she was unsure of her master's plan earlier, she has no confidence in it now.

Seeing Praeco was still apprehensive, Ares continued, "Just tell the sheep to enter the cave." He ordered his companion to which Praeco complied.

Suddenly Ares and Praeco could see the sheep halt its movements and immediately change direction, heading straight for the cave entrance.

"Get back here!" Ares could hear the young shepherd shout toward his sheep.

"See." Ares said, pointing toward the frantic shepherd chasing after his misbehaving sheep, a smug smile on his face.

Seeing this, Praeco rolled her eyes not saying anything, before transforming and settling into her favorite spot. She's used to her master's antics by now.

'Hopefully things go according to myth.' Ares thought to himself, before descending the mountain and entering the cave.

——

Inside of the cave standing mouth agape and eyes wide, the young shepherd and his wandering sheep stand opposite of three women who could only be described as Godly. 'No one could be this beautiful.' The young shepherd thought.

"Close your mouth boy." Said a woman of 6ft3in, standing in the middle of the trio, her long, curly, golden hair falling just below the shoulder strap of her white and silver peplos.

"Yes ma'am." The young shepherd replied involuntarily.

"Fufufu, what's your name boy?" Another women spoke in an alluring tone, standing to the left of the woman in the middle. Her stature is slightly shorter than the previous woman who spoke to the shepherd, standing at a height of 6ft even. She wore a red peplos with intricate golden designs throughout and one strap on her right shoulder going diagonal across her chest, exposing some cleavage. Her hair was longer than the former's, reaching her thighs, having a golden color but instead of curly, this woman wore hers straight.

"P-Paris. My n-name is Paris, my lady." The now named Paris stammered.

'My lady?!' The first woman internally fumed. 'Why is she, "my lady" and I'm a, "ma'am"? What is a ma'am? Why do I feel offended?' The woman in the middle ranted internally.

"Why have I been summoned here?" Paris asked, attempting to put on a brave front; one that was seen through easily by the three Goddesses.

"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves." The woman to the right of the one in the middle spoke. She was different from the other two but still just as beautiful. She was 6ft1in, wearing a golden breast plate with a golden skirt that had white trimmings, and a full faced golden helmet sitting aloft her head holding a tall spear in hand.

"My name is Athena, Goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft. To my left in the middle, is the Queen of Gods, Hera, the Goddess of family, marriage, and women, and to the far left is Aphrodite, Goddess of love, sex, and beauty. We have summoned you here to ask a simple question."

"A question?" Paris asked, his mind screaming danger but his curiosity getting the best of him.

"Ye-"

"Yes boy, a question." Aphrodite replied, cutting off Athena who was about to speak. "Who amongst us is the most beautiful?" She continued, her voice giving no room but to answer.

"What's in it for me?" This time when Paris spoke, it wasn't his timid self from minutes ago. This time, Paris spoke firm, his voice resolute.

It doesn't matter if he's speaking to Gods. Paris is a mortal man. Since he's in this situation he could only hope to benefit from it. Tartarus! He was already thinking of all the things he could acquire.

"Tsk. Ares was right, he would ask for something." Athena said distastefully. All she wanted was a simple answer from the mortal man.

She didn't know why Ares picked this particular mortal but when he said to prepare a reward for him upon answering the question, she was adamantly against it.

"No mortal should expect gifts from the Gods!"Athena shouted at Ares when he told the trio his plan.

"Humans are greedy Athena." Ares' voice carried power. "They will use us, race, and any other means to get what they want. He his a shepherd boy. Do you really think he would pass up the opportunity to be given something by the Gods?" Ares' words rang in her head.

Shaking off spontaneous flashback, Athena spoke once more to the mortal man. "For you answering the question, I will give you great wisdom only second to my own. I will make you the most famous warrior to ever grace this world, a being spoken about for millennia to come." Athena finished, standing taller, expecting the mortal an to jump at the prospect.

"I will gift you all the riches of foreign lands. Instead of the most famous warrior, I can make you the most famous conqueror to ever exist." It was Hera who spoke, her posture just as confident as Athena's.

"Fufufu. You don't get it ladies; he's a man. And what do men want?" Aphrodite asked and simultaneously lifted her right hand, in it, a projection of the most beautiful woman Paris has ever seen. "Women." Aphrodite giggled as Paris's eyes were glued to the projection. 'She's gorgeous.' He thought. 'Is she another Goddess?'

"What was the question again?" Paris asked, getting lost in the beauty of the projected woman.

'It seems to be going well.' Ares thought.

He was standing in the corner of the cave, covered by a cloak that allows him and Praeco to go undetected by mortals.

Surprisingly it was gifted to Ares by Athena. The latter claiming it will be a necessary tool going forward.

It's an all black hooded, sleeveless cloak, with red swords, helmets, and spears on the wrists and bottom. According to Athena it's only ability is it's invisibility, which Ares could turn on and off with a thought while wearing it.

"Who amongst us is the most beautiful? Hera repeated the question.

"…." Paris was silent. Reality had set in for the mortal man.

'Forget the choices! Regardless of who I pick I'm going to die. They might look benevolent but I'm sure behind their gorgeous masks they would kill me without remorse nor hesitation! Why did the sheep have to come here?! We were on a plain! Why here?!'

Paris was breaking down internally, his eyes were in a daze, focused on the most beautiful rock on he had ever seen, and only when he heard another voice speak did he collect himself.

"Be at ease handsome. Your choice no matter how much we Goddesses might dislike it will not result in your death." With Aphrodite's sweet voice placating his fears, Paris stood tall with his eyes serious, analyzing each Goddess.

It wasn't really much of a choice in the looks department. As soon as he saw Aphrodite the debate was over. The others are beautiful as well but Aphrodite, to Paris, had a magnetic beauty; he just couldn't look away.

Paris didn't care to be a conqueror of lands nor a warrior talked about through history. He is a shepherd. He lives a humble life of feeding, guarding, and tending to sheep. The only thing he wants is a family to share his humble life with.

To have a beautiful wife would be great. But to have the most beautiful woman in the world as such; what man would pass that up?

"I pick Aphrodite." Paris said triumphantly, pointing toward said woman.

Aphrodite squealed and jumped in excitement before running to a random corner in the cave and began to seemingly hug the air.

While Aphrodite was giggling, jumping up and down hugging, "air ", with Paris gawking at the sight, Athena and Hera were both thinking the same thing, ''How dare this mortal?!" .

While they were thinking of ways to torment this lowly insect, said insect knocked them out of their planning.

"Where is she?" Paris asked Aphrodite, who stopped celebrating, but still held on to the, "air".

"Sparta." She said with disinterest. It seems the, "air", has much more importance to her right now.

'Let the games begin!' Thought Ares, Aphrodite adding to his excitement.