Jessica Draut - Till We Have Faces #2 (Assignment #3)

Orual - I am Eros - Psyche's husband and your judge. Your entire life I have lived on the mountaintop and observed you. You dare accuse me of doing you wrong, of turning Psyche against you, and subsequently being the cause of all your miseries. There is nothing further from the truth. You claim to know these things better than the gods themselves, yet you show a complete lack of understanding.
In going to comfort Psyche, you did not mean to comfort her, but rather to have her comfort you. When she failed to feed into your vanity you gave into that black hole that is your self-pity. When you found her in paradise, you manipulated her love for you to your own selfish ends, and ultimately caused her suffering. You claim that the gods never gave you an answer to your questions, that we never gave you a clear sign. I am amazed that you would even think this when I gave you exactly what you wanted. Have you so easily forgotten that night when I allowed your unbelieving self to see Psyche's palace on the mountain? Was that not sign enough?
You find fault with the myth of Istra and declare it to be false. In trivial fact, you are correct but relaying facts is not the purpose of myth. The details may be different but the sense of the myth and it's meaning are the same. It was your jealousy - yours and Redivals - that ultimately caused her hardships. Redival hated her beauty and popularity - you hated everything she loved and cared for that was not you. Thus, this myth is designed to teach mortals a principle - in this case being what love actually is - for it is not the feigned love you pretend to feel - that is merely a hollow tool and fueled by hate.
Your miseries have been of your own making and so shall your punishment. You shall forever be trapped in the tower you constructed around the well outside your palace, so that you may never escape the haunting sound of Psyche's chains beating against the well as she cries in despair. May you never forget that it was you that caused your own despair, as well as hers.