Week 3 Story: Cupid and Castor: the modern tale of magic and power

Authors Note: This story is inspired by Cupid and Psyche along with legends of Greek Gods Castor and Pollux. Cupid is female in this story and Psyche is a male named Castor. The general story line is similar to Cupid and Psyche, but condensed and simplified (if you wish to read a synopsis click here, if you wish to read the story click here). Essentially Castor falls in love with Cupid, but breaks Cupid's trust. Cupid, who was protecting Castor and fell in love with him, now must leave Castor to defend for himself. Here is the legend of Castor and Pollux: Castor is a Greek God that has a half brother Pollux. Pollux's father is Zeus and Castor's father was king of Sparta. The brothers were in battle when Castor was wounded and Pollux was attacked. Zeus saved Pollux. After, Pollux asked to share his immortality with Castor (read in greater detail here).

It was February 13th and a young man sat alone on his couch thumbing through Netflix. It was snowing outside his apartment, which squashed any plans of him going out to the bars with his buddies. He was an attractive man, possibly the most attractive man in the world. Even so, his handsome nature did him few favors when it came to woman. No woman had found him as a suitable companion. So there he sat, and after a few moments he fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke, he found himself in a meadow covered by the glimmer of the sun's first light. It was a place he had never been, nor could have ever imagined its beauty. In front of him grew a single white rose. He though it had to be a dream, a rose could not grow that fast. He looked for a thorn on the rose and pricked his finger. If it was a dream he should feel nothing, but the pain was excruciating and he drifted back into a sleep.

(Sea of Flowers: by Creative Commons)

The next time he awoke he was welcomed by blackness. He raised himself from where he laid. Clouds of interstellar dust wrapped around him and drenched him in the finest of clothing and sweetest of scents, and just like that they were gone. Back into the night sky the lovely magic went. He stumbled in the dark to open a door. Outside the door was nothing short of spectacular. It was space, moving around him at the speed of light. Planets spun. Stars twinkled. Constellations came to life, moving and talking to one another as if they contained life. Interstellar dust of every color came and went and then without hesitation one pocket of dust slammed the door on his face.

"You mustn't be stupid Castor, this space is not kind to a mortal, even one who has the potential to return to his seat with the Gods. Keep this door closed and resist temptation to light the room. It is due to your stupidity you must be hidden here, do not allow stupidity to rear its head and end your life forever."

The interstellar dust dissipated but confusion emerged. Before Castor could wrap his mind around the message sent a presence appeared in the room. He could not see it, but his heart longed for whatever it may be.

"After you tricked the almighty Zeus into stealing you brother Pollux from the stars he sentenced you to a new life as a mortal. Within his anger appeared a mistake and you were born with the capabilities that no mortal should possess. As you aged Zeus came to understand the power of his mistake and sent me to be your lover. You are destined to be a captive and to live entirety in a darkness without the light your brother may have brought you."

Fear rushed into Castor, but with the touch of an unknown woman all thoughts were erased and love filled him once again.

When he woke the next day, his lover was gone. Many months of this occurred. Castor and the woman would talk for many hours every night about his longing for the stars, and the woman told him more about his brother trapped within them. One night Castor begged the woman to let him see the stars once more, and breaking the rules of Zeus she opened the door and disappeared before her lover could see her. He begged again the following night, and the night after that. Castor felt a desire to return to his brother, but before he could think of a plan his lover would shut the door and flood his mind with love for her.

One of these nights however a cloud of interstellar dust made its way to the door, hidden within was Pollux. In haste he reminded Castor of the tricks of Zeus and how this woman he loved had veins of ice, powers of pain, and the singular job of insuring that Castor may never return as the God he is. Pollux demanded that Castor open the door the following night and shine the light of a thousand stars upon the monster.

The following night Castor did as he was told. He held his lover in his arms until she drifted off to sleep. Carful to not disturb the monster that lay there, he got up and opened the door. The brightest of lights made its presence in the room. The room was dripping in gold and silks. Castor glanced upon the bed to see the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was dusted by gold and she had the wings of an angel. Beside her was a thin golden arrow. When Castor touched the arrow he was overcome with love once more for his Cupid. He touched her lips with his so light to not wake his lover, but her golden brown eyes snapped open and they pinned him against the wall.

"The trust of love has been broken and your desires to see you brother have overcome the love for me. Zeus will certainly send you to an eternity as a servant of Pluto, but because my love for you was genuine and true I shall save you from Hell and send you back to your mortal land, stripped of all power you possess."

(Goddess of Love: by Dreaming and Sleeping)

Castor tried to reach for his lover but a cloud of interstellar dust wrapped him in darkness.

When Castor woke up he was back in his apartment. He glanced at his phone to see it was the morning of February 15th. He longed for both his brother and his Goddess of love. He could no longer believe it was a dream and he knew that in another year he must go find them both when the portal for love opens once again.



Bibliography:
Cupid and Psyche Part A by Apuleius. Website: Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook