The Origin of Marriage for Love

 The beginning of my sophomore year has been strange. we still are amidst a global pandemic so my school consists of all online classes for the meantime. This term we started off with the class Stories which is a humanities course. In the past other classes were able to meet with a story teller, but because of the pandemic we were unable to do this. In this unit of the class I was asked to create and origin story. This story is used to tell the origin of something of my choosing. I chose to tell an imaginary story with factual research included.This story would tell how people went from marrying each other for the purpose of keeping peace between governments, to marrying because of the love that is shared between two people. We read the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by the author Zora Neal Hurston. Some of my inspiration came from this book along with the well-known story of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. I hope you enjoy the story I have written.

 The day was coming to an end. The warmth of the sunshine that had streamed through the window just a couple hours earlier now created a purple-pink sky illuminating the horizon. The time had come. I would sit down with the children after dinner to tell them the story that they would someday pass down to their grandchildren. Today we celebrate Aphrodisia, the day where families come together to honor the goddess of love, Aphrodite. This holiday is important to my family in particular and the reason for this must be known to those within this family. After a day full of festivities, it is now time for the youngins to understand the history of their ancestors. 

“Please go find your cousins and sister,” I tell Callias after we have all finished our dinner. “I need to tell you all an important story.”

“Yes, Grandmother.” said Callias. His little body crept through the room full of people, and he ran to the backyard calling out for the others. 

“Damara, Elaina, Hiero, Deo!” I heard him yell to the others. “Come inside quickly.”

About ten seconds later, I could hear the pounding sound of feet running like a herd of elephants coming to meet me in the living room.

I sat in the wooden chair near the fire pit so that I could see the faces of my five grandchildren who sat on the bench together. By now, it was completely dark out,and the only light was from the glow of the fire. Deo, the oldest of the five, sat on the edge of the bench with Damara, the next oldest, on the opposite end and Elaina, Hiero, and Callias in between. 

“Will you tell us the story about the boy and sheep again Grandmother?” Elaine asked as her brown curls bounced behind her. 

Elaine was the youngest of the children, she had just turned six.

“Ooh, or the one about the bunny who could walk?” Asked Damara.

Damara was now eleven years old. 

“Not this time.” I told them. “Today, I will tell you all a much more important story. This story is about your grandparents from many generations past.”

As I talked, the other party guests started to gather around. Most of them know this story and have heard this story since they were little like the kids who sit in front of me this evening. I remember the first time I heard this story. I had to have been about nine years old or so. It was my grandmother too who told me the story of my ancestors. Now my time has come to carry on the history. I am ready, so I begin at the beginning.

In order to tell you this story, I must first begin with the history. This history takes us back centuries in time. I call this time the loveless period. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, would watch from above and see that mankind had forgotten the purpose of marriage. They had turned a sacred act of showing affection and commitment to one another into a peace treaty or business deal. Aphrodite was unpleased with this development so she decided to create a book. We call this book the Vivlío Agápis, or the βιβλίο αγάπης. The Vivlío Agápis allows those who hold the book to be able to write to one another, even if they are worlds away from each other.

Aphrodite chose two people from completely different places. She placed the first book in the Mycenaean civilization so that Adelphie, the princess and next heir to the throne, would find it. The second book that was placed was to be found by a boy who worked as a blacksmith. This boy’s name was Helios, he worked in Epirus. The two keepers of the Vivlío Agápises were around the same age. Aphrodite felt that they would grow close together through time and eventually fall in love. 

It was a hot summer day. The gleaming sun grasped onto Adelphies skin and held on tight, making her cheeks turn bright red as she walked through the courtyard. This was her home. She used to run around as a little girl through the wall of pillars. They would stand tall above her like big white giants reaching into the sky. The memory brought her joy but that quickly faded once she walked inside. She saw her father standing in the foyer. His rheumy eyes looked at her. She could see that his age was catching up with him; he was almost eighty years old. He smiled at Adelphie, and she returned the gesture along with sad eyes. She walked to give her father an embrace and then walked with him to the bench that sat in between the statues of Apollo and Venus. 

“Father, how are you feeling today?” Adelphie asked.

“I am well my child”, replied her father. 

Adelphie could always tell when he was lying by the way his voice lowered at the end of his sentence. She gave him another sad smile. 

“You are not to worry about me, Adelphie. Do not let it bother you. You have more important responsibilities.” 

Adelphie knew exactly what her father was talking about. Now that he was growing older and his life was getting shorter, it was time for Adelphie to marry someone. A man of his choosing. 

“I have found a potential suitor for you my dear. He is a strong leader and has agreed to meet with me tomorrow evening.” Said her father.

“Father, please do not make me marry a man I do not know, much less love. I can lead this community by my own standards. I do not need a man to tell me what is right from wrong.” Adelphie pleaded. 

Her father became angry. 

“Do not be stupid, Adelphie. You ought not to talk of this madness. A woman should not lead, especially if you do not have a man to guide you. You will. This dreadful notion must not be spoken of again. Do you understand me?” 

“I do.” Adelphie replied to her father softly. Her father was rarely angry at her. Tears began to swell in her eyes just as they were too much to keep in Adelphie turned her face away from her father. 

He sighed but then got up with a couple of grunts and walked away from his daughter. He walked down the hall to his bedroom most likely to take his afternoon nap. 

Adelphie sat there for a minute. She wanted to cry but did not want to be seen. She walked to her room and laid down on the bed. Tears began to stream down her face. Adelphie had many thoughts she wanted to escape her world of sorrow. She laid there until her eyes dried. By then she had fallen asleep.

Adelphie woke up to the sound of her mother's voice. 

“Adelphie, wake up now. You missed dinner. Your father has finished talking with the prince, and he has left.” 

Adelphie felt relieved that she missed prince Solon. 

“Are you hungry?” Her mother continued.

“I am not.” said Adelphie. “May I go to the garden to read?”

“Of course my dear.” Replied her mother.

Adelphie lifted herself from the bed and walked to the book shelf. She had dozens of books there that she had read all through at least twice each. There was one book there that she did not recognize. 

“Maybe it was a gift from mother.” She thought as she lifted it from the shelf. 

“Mother?” She asked aloud. “Have you seen this before?” Adelphie turned to show her mother what was in her hands.

Her mother walked over to her with pinched eyebrows. 

“I have not.” Said her mother. 

“How strange.” Adelphie said quietly. “I guess I will read it then.”

“Alright.” Said her mother. “Do not be out too late.”

“I won’t.” Adelphie said as she walked out of the door of her bedroom. 

Adelphie walked to the garden and sat on the stone bench that was placed under a peach tree. She opened up the book and to her surprise the book was empty. She flipped through the pages and there was nothing. She closed the book and read the cover. 

“βιβλίο αγάπης.” She read to herself. “Interesting.” She had never seen a book like this before. She opened the book to the first page to be sure she did not miss anything. She was shocked to see that there were now words. There were now a couple of sentences on the first page. 

Write your own story. Control what you can. Love who you want.

She read the words over again and again. Then, she ran inside to find a pen. She did not know what she would write, but she did not care. So when she got back to the bench made of stone under the peach tree, she began to write. 

The sun was beginning to appear just above the horizon. The air was colder near the water. Helios could taste the salt of the Aegean sea. It was peaceful here. The waters were still with nothing but a whisper of wind. It was a long but successful night. The workers had been catching all night. They had caught about two-hundred fish. It was time to go back to shore. 

Helios walked down the street after they got to shore and unloaded the crates of fish. He strolled up to the bakers shop to purchase a loaf of bread. As he walked, in he noticed the sweet smell of pastries. He went up to the counter. There he met the baker, bought his bread and went on his way home. Helios thought of the things he would do for the rest of his day. His thoughts took control of his mind, he forgot to watch his step and tripped over what felt like a brick. Helios groaned as he caught himself. He looked back to see what debris made him lose his balance. He saw that it was some kind of book. He picked it up and looked inside. He saw nothing in it, but figured someone might want it back. He put it under his arm and walked home. When he got to his home, he went to sit on his bed. The wooden panels of the floor creaked as he walked on them. When he finally got to his bed, he placed the loaf of bread and the mysterious book on the bedside table. He forced his face into the pillow on the bed and soon after fell asleep. 

He woke up a couple hours later. As he sat up, he rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. He looked over to the bread and book he left on his table. He was hungry now and longed for the bread he purchased. He opened the paper bag that the loaf was held in and took a bite. As he ate, he took the book and placed it on his lap. He looked at the cover and saw the words “βιβλίο αγάπης”. He opened it to the first page and read the words on it. 

Write your own story. Control what you can. Love who you want.

Helios was confused, confused because he could have sworn there was no writing on it, confused by what the writing said. He closed it again and placed it back on the table. He took his bread and walked out the front door. He went around his house to his special place at the top of the hill. He sat down and began to think of his parents. They had died not long ago. Some days felt hopeless. He had so many thoughts that he wanted to share with someone, but he had no one. He thought about the book again. He thought about the words he read from them. For some reason, he thought he should keep it. 

He sat on the hill for a couple more minutes. He decided to go back in and take a look at it again. 

“Maybe he would find more writing on it.” Helios thought as he walked down the hill.  

When he got to the bedside table he lifted up the book and opened it. Helios was surprised to see that there was writing in it. It was clearly different handwriting, much less precise. 

He began to read what it said.

My name is Adelphie. I am the princess and future queen of Mycenae. I am engaged to be married to a man I do not know and do not love.

Helios looked away. He felt like he was reading someone's personal thoughts. He thought it was very strange. 

“It must be some kind of supernatural book. There had to be a second book that belonged to this princess.” He said in his thoughts. “I wonder if it could be a gift from the gods.”

He found a pen in the drawer of his side table and began to write. He wrote the word Hello?. He waited a while but eventually he saw the word Hello? appear below his. He was shocked to see this but continued to write. 

My name is Helios. He wrote. Again it took a while but he saw more words begin to appear.

My name is Adelphie. 

I knew that. Helios cringed at what he wrote. 

Oh yes. 

I apologize, that was probably a strange thing to say, or write.

It is alright Helios.

Helios and Adelphie began to write to each other. At first it was a couple of sentences every few days. They would marvel at what they had. Eventually, it turned into a daily conversation that lasted for hours. They never seemed to run out of pages though. They soon became the best of friends. They would talk about all kinds of things. The things that happened in their lives, good and bad. The small things that made them happy or sad or scared. The βιβλίο αγάπης brought two people from two different worlds together. Helios finally found someone he could share his thoughts with. Adelphie had found someone she could share her feelings or inequality within her life with. 

A couple months into writing to one another they brought up the idea of getting together in person. After discussing it for a couple of weeks, they decided they would try it. So they came up with a plan. Helios would ship himself to Mycenae. Adelphie would meet him at the dock and sneak him into the palace at nighttime. If they could pull this off, they felt like their lives would be complete or at least they would be alright. 

One month after they came up with this plan Helios was ready to leave. It would take Helios five days to get to Mycenae. Adelphie was ready to see her dear friend. She had gotten the news that her father had become deathly ill and only had a couple more days to live. Adelphie was devastated to learn this but it also gave her hope. She was to be married to Solon, prince of Cyprus, two days after Helios was expected to arrive. 

The wait became painful for Adelphie. The anticipation of when Helios would arrive, along with her many doubts. 

‘What if this was all in my imagination?” She thought. “Have I fallen in love with a boy I have never seen and have no confirmation that he is even real? What will happen to him if he gets caught in the palace? What would Father and Mother think?” 

It was difficult for Helios and Adelphie to communicate now that Helios was on a boat. Adelphie wrote the word “Hello” and a page of the book, but there was never a response. 

“He must have put the book in some kind of satchel.” She would think. 

Amidst the wait, Adelphie had forgotten that she was to be married to a stranger. The preparations for the ceremony and celebration were being made. The walls of the palace had white flowers arranged on all sides. The sweet aroma of floral presence lined the stone walls.

Two days before Helios was expected, Adelphie was forced into a gown fitting. As she looked in the mirror, she saw a tall and skinny woman looking back. This woman had long brown hair  cascading down her back. Her face is narrow, but pretty. The dress she wore was all white with a low back. Adelphie could hardly recognize herself. 

“You look stunning, Adelphie.” Her mother told her as she walked in. She had a sad look on her face, clearly upset about Adelphies father.

Adelphie smiled. She did not often feel that was true, but she believed her mother now. She was beautiful. In a small place in her mind she hoped Helios would see her the same way.

The next day was a sad one. Her father passed away in the night. His cold body was taken away by the guards that morning. Adelphie felt sad, sad for her mother as well, but she also felt a weight lifted from her chest. In three days she would be married, unless she could convince her mother to let her rule on her own. She knew she could not convince her while she was grieving. She hoped by tomorrow she would have some luck.

The next day, she walked down to the docks. She was nervous but excited. She did not know who to look for. All she knew was that he was around her age. Then, she saw a boy. He was a tall, brown haired boy. He looked to be 18 years old, like Adelphie. He looked up and he saw her as well. They locked eyes and walked to each other. They both began to smile. 

“Hello.” They both said at the same time, and then began to laugh. 

“Can I hug you?” Helios asked.

“Yes.” Adelphie replied with a smile.

They stood there for a while, they hugged for a while. They both felt at peace. They walked back to the palace together. The guard did not question her, or her guest, when they arrived. They walked quietly to her bedroom careful not to disturb others. 

When they got there they were surprised to find Adelphies mother there, sitting on the bed. She turned around with a look of shock on her face when she saw the boy Delphie was with.

“Mother?” Adelphie asked. “What are you doing here?” 

“Who is that?” Her mother asked while staring at Helios. “How did you get in here?”

“This is my friend, Mother. I brought him here.” Adelphie answered. 

Helios stood there next to Adelphie awkwardly. 

“You should not be running around with a boy two days before your wedding.” Adelphie’s mother replied. 

“But Mother, I do not want to marry that man. Please, let me rule this great land on my own.” Adelphie pleaded.

“You know you cannot rule on your own, it is the law. You must be a married woman.” Her mother said.

“Then let me marry your daughter.” Helios stepped in. 

Adelphie’s mother stood there unexpectedly quietly.

“Your father would disapprove.” Her mother said under her breath. 

“Father is gone now. You can approve of this.” Adelphie said. “Let me marry the man I love, and he will lead with me.” Adelphie thought for a moment. She had never used that word to describe someone. She looked to Helios who was smiling at her.

“I too love your daughter.” Helios said while keeping his eyes on Adelphie. 

What happened next shocked both Adelphie and Helios.

“You both have confessed your wish to marry one another through the love you have.” Adelphie’s mother told the two. “I may now show you my real identity.”

Adelphie was very confused, as was Helios. 

“Adelphie, I am your mother but that is not only who I am.” She continued. “My real name is Aphrodite. I am the goddess of love. I am the one who gave you both the βιβλίο αγάπης. I saw how men would treat marriage and I was disappointed. My hope was that the two of you would find each other and change this, and you have. Now you must teach others to act in the same way.”

Helios and Adelphie were in shock. Adelphie’s heart was pounding like a drum from the excitement of it all. 

Two days later Adelphie was married to Helios. They truly had fallen in love, and now they would teach others the purpose of marriage. 

The story was over. Elaine had fallen asleep, but the others were still alert. 

“Now you know our family's history that you will someday tell your grandchildren.” I said. “I want you each to go to bed now, and in the morning you will tell me the story.”

I have been raised with this story and it makes me happy that i was able to share it with others. I want them to pass it along to their children with the same detail that I am able to.

K.H. (2020)

This action project has been one of my favorites to create. I enjoyed telling a story through multiple prospectives. I would like to continue editing this story because I think there were some things that I could have improved on if I had more time. My hope is that others who read this will understand it fully and think about some of the issues I have touched on, like inequality. Thank you for reading my origin story! Please leave a comment below and share some of your thoughts with me.