Hello everyone out there. This is my first venture into novelhood. This is just a part of a much larger story that I am in the process of writing and intend to publish. Please let me know what you think. Flames accepted, but be constructive please.
Opening Scene:
Pathway to Immortality
CIRCA 1400 BCE GREECE
In a small village near the foot of Mount Olympus, an infant girl rests in her mother's arms. This duo looked fairly normal, but many knew that they were not normal. The mother, Kalliste, was a demigoddess. She was a daughter of one of the Muses and a mortal man. And the girl's father was an immortal god. He was none other than the great god Apollo. He was the god of healing, prophecy, and of the Sun. Kalliste served as a handmaiden to Demeter, the goddess of the corn.
This point in time found Kalliste and her infant daughter gazing at the rising sun. "See that, my little one? Everyday, your father flies his chariot across the sky, bringing the world light from the Sun." She cooed at her in happiness. Apollo knew that the child would have a great destiny ahead of her. It was he who gave her her name. A name that meant: "the power of healing."
Suddenly, an arrow streaked past her. Kalliste knew and froze in shock. Her village was under attack! In the distance, Kalliste could see Ares in his black armor, leading them on with a savage smile. Kalliste shot an evil look at him, and crossed back to her small hut. She carefully laid her daughter in the crib and prepared to defend her village. Her god-like heritage gave her influence over the soldiers.
"Oh Apollo!" she exclaimed softly. "Come protect your daughter."
Suddenly, she felt a white hot pain course through her stomach. She looked down, and saw an arrow stuck in her stomach. "No," she exclaimed softly, dropping to her knees. Apollo. Apollo, hear me my Love. You must protect your daughter. She was steadily growing weaker. She knew that the arrow was poisoned. She didn't have long to live.
In a bright blaze of light, Apollo appeared next to her. "My Kalliste. I heard your summons from Pythia. Oh my love! Who was it that struck you?"
"It was Ares. I think it was by accident. Apollo ...please...help our daughter...she..." Kalliste fell into eternal darkness.
Apollo was enraged. Two of his sisters, Aphrodite and Artemis, appeared at his side. His twin, Artemis, laid a hand on his shoulder. "I feel your pain, brother. Take your revenge. Athena has already flown down to assist you. Aphrodite and I will watch over our niece."
Apollo summoned his bow and arrows and walked into the battle fray. A few minutes later, the soldiers lay bleeding on the ground. And Apollo turned his bow on Ares. Ares, the menacing God of War, quivered in fear at his brother's wrath. Athena watched near her golden chariot, ready to interfere.
"You killed my love!" Apollo shouted arming his gold tipped arrow.
"It was an accident! I swear, that arrow was meant for someone else!" Ares stammered.
"Liar!" He pointed the tip of his arrow at Ares' throat.
"Patience, dear brother," Athena interjected, removing her helmet. "Ares did wrong, but he will atone for his error in judgment. I will see to it personally. Go to your daughter, Apollo. I will tend to Ares," she ended glaring at Ares. He gulped noticeably.
"I trust your judgment, my wise sister," Apollo said, dropping his aim. With one last scathing look at Ares, he took off at a jog towards his daughter. Ares took his cue to flee to the temporary safety of Mount Olympus. Athena boarded her chariot and climbed up to Mount Olympus.
Apollo found his sisters surrounding his daughter with a golden energy field. "The danger had been averted. I must have some time with my daughter."
"I will send Hermes to take Kalliste to the Underworld. I'm sure that Kalliste will enjoy the beauty of Elysian Fields. Come Aphrodite." The two goddesses joined hands and disappeared into thin air. Apollo gently picked up his daughter. "My dear little daughter. I will keep you safe. You will come with me to Olympus." With a mere thought, he teleported them to Olympus.
"So, this is the beautiful daughter of Apollo," Leto said as he appeared in the palace.
"Ay, Mother. I must keep her safe now that Kalliste has joined the Underworld."
"You really loved her, didn't you?"
"Yes, as much as I love my beautiful daughter that she gave me."
"Then, you must take her into the future to protect her," Zeus said coming up beside his son. "She will be safe in the twentieth century, three thousand years from our time."
"I do not want to give her up, but I must content myself to watching her from afar."
"We will watch as well," Athena said coming up to him with Artemis and Aphrodite. "Let us take her now."
"One moment," Aphrodite said, pulling a swan pendant from her robes. She put her name on it and slid it around the little girl's neck. "She will never forget us, though she may only know us through stories and myths."
Athena closed her eyes. "I know exactly where to take her. Come, let us go."
The four deities descended to Earth three thousand years from their time. "This is Corinth. This house here is where she shall be safe. Alexandra and Jason Argos cannot have children. Your daughter, Apollo, will be a blessing to them. They will raise her well."
Apollo looked to the distance and saw a light coming quickly toward them. It was followed by a strange honking sound, like that of a goose. Apollo pushed everybody out of the way. The rider of the strange beast shouted some obscenity at them and continued on with his metallic beast.
"How rude was that! They should have more respect for their gods!" Aphrodite exclaimed, livid with anger.
"Aphrodite, dear, calm down," Artemis replied turning to her. "We must go to the job at hand." Artemis conjured a wooden bassinet from the twigs of a laurel tree. Apollo laid his daughter in the bassinet.
"Grow in health, young one," Athena said kissing the baby's forehead.
"Live well, niece," Artemis toned, caressing her cheek.
"Bloom with beauty, Love," Aphrodite smiled, kissing the baby's cheek.
It was Apollo's turn to say farewell to his daughter. "I shall see you soon, my Love. Fare you well, my little one."
With one final look at the bassinet, the four deities reluctantly returned to Mount Olympus.
Later that night, Alexandra Argos was awakened from her slumber by a soft cry. Careful not to wake her sleeping husband, she slipped out from under the sheets and grabbed her robe. Silently she padded across the bedroom and out the door. She followed the crying sounds to the front door. Cautiously opening the door, she found the source of the noise.
A bassinet made of laurel was sitting on the door step. And snuggled inside was the sweetest little baby girl clinging to the blanket that she was wrapped in.
"My Lord," she exclaimed softly. "Where are your parents, dear child?"
"Alexandra?" Jason Argos called softly.
"Here. You won't believe what I just found!" She exclaimed bringing the bassinet inside.
"A baby?" he said as he entered the room, seeing the girl in the bassinet.
"She was abandoned on the doorstep, Jason. God has finally blessed us with a child to raise."
Jason was skeptical at first, but one look into the girl's baby blue eyes softened his cynical heart. He reached for her hand and saw the pendant. "Her parents must have given her this." He flipped the swan pendant over and saw the name. "Alalthea. Her name is Alalthea."
Alexandra looked at the pendant. "Welcome to our family Alalthea. Alalthea Argos, it has a nice ring to it."
"I agree. Let us get this young one some milk and down to sleep. I will take her down to the hospital in the morning and have her checked out."
Alexandra nodded, lifting the girl out of the bassinet. Alalthea began to cry.
"Don't cry, little one. You're safe now." Alexandra began singing a soft lullaby to her. She stopped suddenly looking to her husband. "We don't have any bottles. How are we going to feed her?"
"I'll think of something, my dear. I am studying to be a pediatrician after all. We'll manage. Now, let's get this little one situated."
Alexandra carried little Alalthea to her room and laid her down on the bed. She whimpered slightly at the loss of contact. "Shh. It's okay."
She calmed slightly and eventually fell asleep.
Jason Argos studied the results of the tests his supervising resident ran on Alalthea. She was a perfectly healthy two month old girl.
"There is no record at all of her birth. If she were born here, we would have a record of her birth. I'll check with the other local hospitals. Until then, you may take her home."
Jason thanked the doctor and took little Alalthea back home.
"She is perfectly healthy," he explained to his wife. "Now all we have to do is wait for the rest of the test results to come in and then we can formally adopt this little girl."
Six months later, the daughter of Apollo and Kalliste was christened Alalthea Argos of Corinth, Greece. Alexandra and Jason Argos welcomed her with open arms into the family.
Athena could not have found a better family to raise Alalthea. That Apollo was very happy about, but saddened because he had to watch his daughter grow up from afar. And watched he did.
Many Earth years passed in the present time while Apollo watched from his domain. He and his three companions alone knew that Alalthea was destined to greatness in the distant time that held her true birthplace—a land where myth and fact roamed together.
Let me know what you think, and feel free to read my other stories while you at it!
Maylee