I was on my island of Ogygia. Others may see it as a paradise out of a holiday brochure (something Hermes told me on one of his visits. Why people would have to choose a place to go on holiday I don't know. If that was me, I would go anywhere immediately). There were palm trees, soft sand and a beautiful meadow. The birds and animals were lively and did not seem to feel trapped. I can not understand their thoughts but I have learnt to interpret their motives and sounds. I suppose if you stay with them for more than one millenia you understand them more than you wish to.
The ocean waves crash along the beach, glistening a sea green. They remind me of him. The colour of his eyes. His parting is too recent for me to think about, but I know I will go through it later. I always do. Why must the Fates be so cruel? Usually I can live peacefully on my island, staring out onto the horizon, desperately searching for non existent land. It is lonely, but I will not go insane and I do receive occasional visitors. Hermes was kind, and usually brought me news of the outside world. He tried to explain to me the new inventions, trends, traditions, slang and some pranks which his children performed. It was nice to reassure myself that there was an outside world out there, and to hang on to his every word to learn new things. Iris was another frequent visitor. She would smile and produce rainbows to cheer me up whenever another h-hero leaves. I can not use her Iris Messages though. Ogygia is out of her sight and I am forbidden to contact anyone else.
What did I do to deserve such a destiny? I simply supported my father during the Titan War more than 5000 years ago. My father was Atlas, the son of Iapetus, the Piercer. He fought against the gods during the Titanomachy where Zeus freed his siblings from their father's stomach and rebelled against him. This started a long war in which the gods eventually won and ended the Titans rule. I was on the Titans side of the war. I supported them because they were family. Very few people have the courage to turn against their own kin, even for a greater cause. Rather die together than be a traitor. Of course, I did not do any fighting. I can not pick up a sword and I am useless with a dagger. I simply showed which side I favoured. During this time, I was training to be a sorceress with Circe. I learnt many types of magic but the one that appealed to me most was healing. I learnt how to make potions and remedies, how to sing Greek hymns and healing songs and in the spare time I would garden. All sorts of rare plants would fill my hut and I would smile in delight when I saw one bloom at that exact moment. I also perfected charmspeak, though I rarely used it. It did not feel right, to control people and hold that much power. I did not desire to be the ultimate ruler like my family.
I was still punished. Out of all the years in my life, I remember the day where my punishment was given most vividly. I was summoned to Mount Olympus. Golden light engulfed me and sent me from Circe's Island to the original Mount Olympus in Greece. I was in a room that was larger than Circe's entire island. Tall columns and a domed roof were decorated intricately of carvings. There were few, as their reign had just begun. In the center of the room, there were three tall thrones. The one in the middle was grey and shimmered with lightning bolts. The one to the left looked like a chair boyss sometimes sat on while fishing, before Circe turned them into pigs. The one of the right was made entirely from skulls. I shuddered. Sitting on them were the Big Three. I knew this from the circulating grapevine (As Hermes described it now. It was simply called gossip back then, as wine was not invented). Zeus, Poseidon, Hades. Poseidon seemed the most lenient. His eyes (like his son's) were a sea green that seemed to be very temperamental. One moment calm, the next ready to deliver a deadly tsunami. Hades seemed to radiate an aura of power that screamed: "stay away from me, or serve me, you will join my cause eventually." Zeus intimidated me the most.
He wore a laurel wreath on his head and an expensive silver toga. He had stormy grey eyes and a neatly trimmed beard. His eyes showed no kindness but a sort of weariness. It was as if he was saying:" We just won the war, and now we have to deal with the aftermath. You have got to be kidding me." I stared at them. I knew they were not going to jump down from their positions and hug me and host a welcome to the club party. I supported my father during the battle, he was their mortal (do we immortals use that term?) enemy. Was I to be punished even though I was peaceful or was I going to be let off with a warning?
Zeus cleared his throat.
"Calypso," he thundered. "We have summoned you here to decide your fate. You supported your father Atlas during this war. The Titans were the root of all evil and we have exterminated them to an extent where they will not reform for some millenia. There essence has been cast into the darkest part of Tartarus." I felt a slight pang in my heart. I knew to some extent that my father did many wrong things. But to be cast into Tartarus? I formed a mental image in my mind of my father: chopped in to a million pieces, hair and ichor and skin and bones floating around in the underworld like tomato soup. My expression must have soured as Zeus opened his mouth again.
"Your father," he continued. "Was the commander of this war, a general if you must. We have provided him with a... special punishment."
I frowned. What was this special punishment he was speaking of? Zeus waved his hand and a fire appeared in front of him. I bathed in the warmth of the flames and immediately begun to feel sleepy.
"Watch!" Zeus commanded, gesturing to the fire. I peered closely. All I could see was a mixture of orange and yellow weaving in and out of each other like a game of cat's cradle. Slowly, images started to appear out of the loom. I saw a warrior in full battle armour crouching down on the ground. He had slick black hair, tanned skin and a very muscular build. My father. His face was contorted in pain as he carried a weight on his shoulders. It was a large swirling mass in the shape of the globe. The globe. I looked at Zeus.
"Yes," he nodded wearily." Your father will bear the weight of the world for all of eternity. Only someone willing to take his weight can free him." He raised an eyebrow. "Are you willing to do this?"
"No lord," I replied immediately. Zeus waved his hands and the fire disappeared.
"You have shown your loyalty in the past and there will be punishment," he thundered. "Do you deny these allegations?" I wanted to protest. I was a baby according to immortal ages. The Titans were the past rulers and I did not want any changes. They were my family. Did I deserve such a punishment? However, Poseidon cast me a look filled with pity. He was silently warning me with his eyes. Say anything more and he will increase your punishment by tenfold. "No my lord," I replied. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the punishment. Was I to hold the weight of something great for eternity? Or maybe burn in an eternal pot of acid.
"I banish you to Ogygia. You will stay there for the rest of eternity. Ogygia is an island of paradise. Consider yourself lucky, daughter of Atlas. You will not be able to leave or have any contact with others. The fates may have more control of your er… fate than I do. They will send a hero that is in need of care and you will both fall in love with each other. He will eventually have to leave. This will happen once every couple of centuries. Loneliness will be your friend and enemy. "
Before I could react, golden light engulfed me again. Once I blinked my eyes, I was on my paradise island. It screamed peace and serenity. From the first day, I saw it for what it was, a prison. I still do.