The Archer, by Camilla

Chapter 2 - Alexios

A/N

I know, I know, the dialogues here should sound like Homer's verses, at least in their English translation… but I cannot do it, of course. So I am just keeping the language simple and clean, trying to avoid expressions that are too modern.

Ah, BTW, this story has a beautiful banner and some very nice images. If somebody knows how to make the links to them on my profile, please teach me. Send me a PM and we'll progress from there.

Previously

But, wait a moment … where was the horse's head? As the animal approached, she realized that the rider had no legs either.

Could it be? Oh Gods, it was… it was a centaur.

Ἕροσ δαὖτέ μ᾽ ὀ λυσιμέλεσ δόνει,
γλυκύπικρον ἀμάχανον ὄρπετον.

Now Love, the ineluctable, with bitter sweetness
Fills me, overwhelms me, and shakes my being.

Kallia was religious, but not to the point of believing all the myths surrounding the Gods. A supreme being, call Him Zeus or whatever, yes. His divine brothers and sisters, maybe but, all the plethora of demigods and supernatural beings no, certainly not. She was sure that mankind, with the bards' help, had invented them to explain things that could not be explained. Symbols, that is. How wrong she had been! Because at least one centaur existed, and he was walking toward her. According to myth they were violent, lusty and unpredictable. Was she going to fare even worse than with the soldiers? How could she protect herself? Was it possible to reason with something that was half beast?

His face, however, was not bestial, now that she could see him well. Had he been a man, he would have been considered very handsome. High brow, straight nose, full lips, strong jaw and eyes that were as green as summer leaves. His tangled hair was dark red, almost bronze and, oh Gods, so was his tail. He wore a short tunic that ended below his navel, where the horse commenced. A roan, judging by the color of his coat. In the meanwhile, he had reached her and was towering over her small frame. And he spoke.

"You are hurt."

Slowly her hand went to her cheek. She had forgotten about that, but she could feel the small gash, that had stopped bleeding.

"Don't worry, I can help," he continued, "I am a healer. But there are things we must do first."

Now the whole myth about centaurs was coming clear in her mind.

"You are a healer like Chiron?" She asked.

"Yes, he was my mentor and like a father to me, I owe everything to him."

So, the legends were all true. But, if he had been raised by the wisest of centaurs, he would not hurt her. Surprised by her calm, she was ready for him to tell her what to do. She had no plans left and she owed him her salvation, after all.

Following his instructions she collected her things from the cave while he, completely lowering his torso to reach down, took the dead soldiers one by one and put them inside it. He rolled stones – how strong he was – to the cave's mouth till the entrance was no longer visible. Well concealed but unburied they would tether between the Earth and the Other-world, never at peace. It was a satisfying thought. But Maia must be buried properly. She realized that he had different tools, bags and implements secured to his belt or to the equine part of his body. He fixed a shovel to a handle stick and proceeded to dig a grave, while the princess did her best to arrange her dead nurse's body respectfully. When everything was done they looked at each other, speechless for a while, until she asked his name.

"I am Alexios," he answered, "and you are…?"

"Kallisté, but they call me Kallia. My father was the King of Kleonai. The Eretreans stormed it and… now my people must all be dead or enslaved... and my mother...

And, finally, full realization hit and she cried.

Strong arms raised the princess and sat her on a small rocky outcrop, so that their faces were at the same level.

"Shh, little one, let me take care of your face…" and, so low that she was not sure she had heard him, he added, "You are indeed Kallisté and your beauty should not be marred…"

He took out a small jar from his bag and applied a poultice to her face. It was cool and soothing and she relaxed under his gentle touch.

While the medication took effect, she told him what had befallen her, and how she was trying to reach the town of Kalamitsi on Pallene, to put herself under her uncle's protection. That she was unlikely to get there by herself was obvious and she did not even bother to add it. There was no need, because he said he would take her to Kalamitsi. He took out a sheep fleece and put it on his back, to make a sort of saddle for her and helped her to mount him.

"Hold tight, Kallia," the centaur said and, after she had circled her arms around his muscular torso, he galloped away.

For the first time in days she felt secure. He would protect her from any harm. Relaxing, she realized how tired she was. Almost naturally her head fell against him, where his neck met his shoulders, on the other side of his arrow case, made of leather and metal tassels. His skin, what she was able to see of it, was smooth and lightly tanned and his smell… Yes, he smelled of freshly cut grass and resin and it was delightful.

Mmm, half asleep now, she thought how wonderful would it be if he was just a man, riding his horse with her. Generous, handsome and strong he would be welcomed by her uncle, grateful to the stranger who had saved his niece's life and honor… That of the healer was a dignified profession, and she had no dowry anymore, so no grand marriage had to be arranged for her. Therefore... maybe… maybe….

She came sharply awake again, horrified by the path her wandering thoughts had taken. Not a man, he was not a man but an inhuman creature, only the Gods knew how old, and surely mated with a female of his species. After all, he was a horse when it must come to mating. Kallia was a virgin, but not ignorant of sexual matters, she had seen her father's black stallion mounting their mares, and it had been a primal, almost terrifying spectacle.

No, she would not think about that… and yet she was curious about him, and about centaurs in general, so she was going to question him, as soon as she had a chance.

Once they had gotten quite far from the cave Alexios stopped, helped her to dismount and declared that they should eat something now. Kallia proposed to share with him what she had, namely flat bread, honey, dried figs and a little cheese and he accepted graciously, warning her that he was a great eater, and her provisions would be barely enough for both of them.

"My body is big," he said wryly, "but I can't eat hay or ruminate, and still I have to feed it."

"So, what do centaurs eat?" She asked, understanding that he was somehow ashamed of his greedy nature.

"Basically, we hunt," the centaur answered. "However, I believe that too much meat is what makes my kind so wild, so I try to consume fruit, vegetables and bread too. When I meet people and I am able to convince them that I am not dangerous, I exchange parts of the animals I have hunted with other provisions, and, if my services as a healer are requested, I accept food as payment, that is the only thing poor people have, anyway. They in fact are my best patients. They acknowledge that they don't know much of the universe and completely believe all legends, real for them as their fields are."

"I have not thanked you properly," she felt compelled to say. "You saved my life. I could not accept to be dishonored and then sold into slavery, so… so I would have tried to .."

He winced, his expression pained.

"Then we must thank the Gods that guided me," he said, "I have seldom a reason to thank them, but this time… I had come near the battlefield thinking that my healing skills would be needed, no matter the side of the wounded soldiers but... but I feel honored that I was able to help you." His last words were soft, like a caress, and Kallia blushed, lowering her eyes.

After the repast they resumed their journey directed to the sea, where, Alexios said, surprising her, he kept a small sailboat.

"A boat, how can you...?"

"Small, but sturdy enough to carry me. And I am a good sailor. You'll see when we get there."

They camped in a fisherman hut that looked abandoned, due to the war, probably. The ceiling barely accommodated his stature, but he was able to get in.

After having ignited a fire with his tinderbox the centaur left, coming back later with three hares, which he swiftly gutted, skinned and spitted, putting them to roast on the fire.

They were delicious. Well cared for and relaxed, Kallia wondered what their sleeping arrangement would be – horses sleep standing, don't they? - and this made impossible for her to resist a question:

"Alexios, are you married?" The centaur snorted.

"We don't marry, it wouldn't be seemly. Chiron was married, his wife was different, but she died young... They often die," he said bitterly.

"Not seemly, how?" The princess insisted.

He sighed.

"Female centaurs are not like us males. They are horse above and woman… below."

He seemed unwilling to continue, but Kallia wanted to understand, now.

"How can a human body sustain a horse?" She asked.

"The horse part is relatively small, and the female part is squat and strong. But, they can't speak, they have no hands, they are very… primitive. And unattractive. For this reason I believe our species is cursed."

"So you never married, but… you don't need to be married for..."

Gods, what was she saying, what was she asking? But she needed to know. A compelling need she could not deny.

"No, never." was his curt answer, "never with such a pitiful creature."

"But males of any species have needs…how can you...?" She had overcome all boundaries of property, and yet she was unable to stop, despite being fiery red by now.

"You don't want to know. And now we must rest, it is late." Alexios concluded and, very ashamed by her lack of delicacy, Kallia had to be content with it.

There was a wooden bed frame of sorts in the hut, where he spread his sheep skin for her to lie on. Covered with her mantle she was comfortable, and yet sleep was slow to come. He was awake and standing, watching her. Immobile, only his tail moving from time to time.

During the night she woke and, by the dim light of dying embers, she saw how a centaur slept. He had bent down so he was resting on his knees and, crossing his arms over her bed, had reclined his head on them. In repose his profile was achingly beautiful, long and thick lashes gracing his cheek. She did not see the rest of his body, she only saw a handsome man sleeping near her and had to fight the desire to caress his face. No, she shouldn't…

...***...

A swift breeze swelled the sail, buffeting Kallia's face and filling her nostrils with the invigorating sea smell. The centaur did indeed know how to navigate. The boat bottom had been covered with flat planks on which he knelt, while deftly managing the sail ropes and occasionally the elm. Soon they would reach Pallene and later on she was going to be with her uncle, she reflected. Then, all courtesies observed, Alexios would leave, eventually. She wouldn't see him anymore... Why was her chest constricting so painfully, what was happening to her?

The centaur anchored the boat in a tiny cove and they left it. Following a half visible trail they progressed till they found a creek and, following it, came to a place where it formed a pond, before cascading again and continuing its course.

"You may want to, um, refresh yourself," Alexios said, "I am going in the woods, call me when you are ready."

In the bag poor Maia had packed there was a linen cloth that Kallia used for drying after she had washed herself. There was also a spare tunic and a comb to give some semblance of order to her wild dark tresses.

Once finished she called and the centaur trotted back to the pond.

"If you don't mind, I'll bathe too." he said, removing his short tunic, his many implements and getting into the water. When he came out, rivulets running down his sleek flanks, he took his multi purposed handle stick and attached a brush to it, proceeding to groom himself. The princess watched with a fascinated curiosity, uncertain about what was proper. She would never look at a man washing himself, as he would have to be naked for that, but him being half horse … she herself had used the brush many times on her beloved and now lost mare. Her father had wanted her to know everything about caring for her mount.

Alexios' bare chest was not horsey, though, it had a chiseled perfection, like a statue, or better. His muscles flexed as he moved the stick along his body... Realizing she was staring, she averted her eyes, blushing. When she looked again, however, she could not miss the hunger in his eyes. Was it possible that he, too...? The cry of a bird ended their staring and, unwillingly, they resumed their journey.

….***:...

Approaching their destination they both felt that something was wrong: there was too much silence. Soon they could see that the war had not spared Kalamitsi: the city lay in ruins, signs of fire and death everywhere. Abruptly the centaur turned around and galloped away. When he stopped, deep into the woods, Kallia at first was silent, stunned. She knew she had no one left; nobody to love, nobody who loved her. In a handful of days everything was gone. Everything and everyone but him, the creature who protected her, cared for her, and looked at her with fire in his green eyes. But he was not for her, and for this, and for all that she had lost, she cried desperately

"Don't cry, little princess, don't, my beloved..." Alexios murmured, turning around. He picked her up and, cradling her in his strong arms, lowered his face to hers.

Tentatively, almost shyly, his mouth found Kallia's and they were kissing. Chastely, at the beginning, while she marveled at the softness of the full lips molding on hers. But, when they opened, their taste was as sweet as the clover flower and her mouth opened too, to savor him better, then their tongues met and after a while they were dancing together…. Without really noticing it, her hands had tangled themselves in his bronze locks and she was drowning…Now she knew only one thing: she was irrevocably in love with him, whatever he was. Her body tingled all over. Oh gods, it was… she had not felt anything like this before, she was hot, and she was cold… she never wanted the kiss to end...

Endnotes

Well, what do you think? Alexios is not a vampire, but… lovemaking is still impossible for this couple, if you think about their physical realities. Since this story is quite different from my usual ones, please, oh please, tell me what you think.

Edward, the Twilight names website tells me, means "protector" or "wealth protector". Alexios (another version of Alexander) means protector, defender. Apt, isn't it? Maia means nurturer. I did not bother finding a Greek name for Charles and Renee, since they die immediately, poor people. Bella had no uncles that I know of, so I could choose the Greek name Agathon = good, freely.

Chiron was the eldest and wisest of the centaurs. He was a great teacher and healer who mentored many mythological heroes, including Jason, Peleus, Achilles and, particularly, Asclepius who, under his tutelage, discovered medicine and became a demigod later on. Chiron means 'operate by hand', a surgeon, that is; what better, considering Carlisle's profession…? Not much is said about Chiron's wife, Nais, but she was not a centaur or a mortal woman, being a daughter of Apollo. In the non canon mythology I am developing here, I postulate that, albeit she was able to couple with a centaur - being a supernatural being herself - she died in childbirth.

Alexios is right about the centaurs' diet. The Mares of Diomedes, also called the Mares of Thrace, were fed with meat (animal and even human) which made them wild and incontrollable. They belonged to the giant Diomedes until Heracles stole them. In general terms we know that a carnivorous diet is not good for horses (and cows!)

There is nothing about female centaurs in the classical myths and iconography (plenty in modern, though, starting with Disney's Fantasia). In any case, all the famous centaurs seem to have been sired by gods, demigods and nymphs, when one or the other had assumed an equine form. I decided that in my story female centaurs existed, though, and I felt free to follow an idea I found in a book, years ago. I can't remember the name. Sci-Fi probably – if you know of it, please, tell me.