Remembrance of Days Past
Part 3 of 3: Finding Peace
It was late evening when the vessel to which Vidia's balloon carrier was moored arrived at the Port of Piraeus. She had not slept well during the trip and was beginning to feel the effects of it. However, getting this close to her goal gave her the strength and energy to continue. The fast flyer dusted the cotton balls of the carrier one more time and then cast off, setting sail for the city of Athens, the center of which was just a few miles away and was visible from her vantage point. To avoid detection by the humans below, Vidia took her balloon carrier high enough so that the pixie dust trails left by her airship would look like twinkling star to the naked human eye.
~O~
Tinker Bell, Terence and Blaze cast off from the American warship during the daylight hours and turned towards the nation of Greece. Terence took care to dust the carrier before leaving the safety of the human ship behind.
The country of Greece was quite large, particularly to a fairy; this begged a very logical question.
"Where do we go once we are there?" Terence asked her.
"I don't know? Dewey said that the story she told him was the story of Hercules so we should probably go someplace where she could find a temple or a statue."
"A museum maybe?" he suggested.
"Now that's not a bad idea," Tinker Bell replied. The two fairies opened the sails again and captured the favorable tailwinds. This time they were prepared for the sudden acceleration. The little airship moved forward at a good clip once again and soon the trio passed over land and found a major road. They followed it hoping it would lead them to their destination. It turned out that road went through many towns and cities, including one called Megara, the name of Hercules' first wife. The one which some accounts say he killed when he went mad. During the flight over land, Tink and Terence tried to spot Vidia's airship with spyglasses made from wrapped leaves and water droplets as magnifying lenses. However, with vast tracts of land and airspace they had to search, the glasses were not terribly useful.
"Okay, Blaze," Tinker Bell instructed the little firefly. "I need you to run reconnaissance for me. Fly out in all directions and see if you can spot Vidia's balloon carrier. Don't go so far that you get lost, though."
Blaze, with a focused look and attitude, buzzed an Aye, Aye and saluted. Then he sped off to look for any sign of Vidia's airship. To avoid becoming lost himself, he kept the twinkling wake of Tinker Bell's vessel in view at all times. He then looked for the same twinkling effect from Vidia's carrier as he flew in a large, circular search pattern, but he saw nothing as the hours passed. When the sun had set in the western horizon, the trio arrived at Greece's capital city: Athens.
The once favorable tailwinds were now coming from the west, off the coastline. Tinker Bell and Terence had to close the sails and apply the walnut propellers using a low gear. Tink kept the vessel on course while Terence maintained a look out with his spyglass. Blaze was still running recon for them. He could fly in larger patterns now that the sun had set. The glow of the balloon carrier was visible at greater distances. It would also make spotting Vidia's carrier easier, if she were nearby.
Blaze finished his latest recon patrol and returned to the carrier. The firefly was breathing heavily and clearly exhausted.
"Poor thing," Tinker Bell said. She gave him some water and a bite to eat. "Here, take a few minutes to rest." She put out a small cushion for him to lie down on. He made several circles before settling in for a quick nap.
"He needs to go out again, Tink," Terence said. "I can only see so much with these glasses Bobble made for us."
"I know, but give him five minutes then he can go again," she said.
"Do you think we'll ever find her?" he asked.
"I don't know," she admitted. "But I'm not going to give up on her. She didn't give up on me when she and the others thought I was a prisoner of the humans my first summer on the mainland."
"I should have been there to help," he said feeling remorseful.
"You couldn't have known, Terence," she told him. "Besides, you have your work to do. Pixie Hollow rests on your shoulders. Without your talent guild we're nothing."
Terence put his arm around Tinker Bell's shoulders in gratitude to her kind words. The two looked out over the evening sky and saw the lights of the city below. The beauty of the city at night transfixed them.
When enough time had passed, Tinker Bell woke the little firefly and bade him to fly another search pattern. He yawned and buzzed that he wanted more rest.
"I know you're tired, Blaze, but we have to find Vidia," Tink said. "She's our friend."
The little firefly buzzed harshly and shook his head. "I know she can be a real pill sometimes, but deep down she can be very nice."
He still said no, he was tired.
"Do it for me? Please?" Tinker Bell pleaded.
Okay, he buzzed. Blaze took another drink of water before stepping out onto the prow of the vessel and launching into the air on another patrol. Tinker Bell and Terence watched as their friend flew into the darkness and disappeared into it. She sighed, hoping he wouldn't get lost. Terence kissed her on the forehead reassuringly. She responded by putting her head on his shoulder.
"We'll find her," she whispered, long held doubts slowly beginning to surface. "We have to find her."
"We will," he whispered back trying to keep up her resolve.
~O~
Vidia spotted a building labeled as a museum. In fact, it was the recently erected National Archeological Museum of Athens. Constructed in 1889 the museum's purpose was to house and display historical artifacts and treasures of Ancient Greece preserving them for current and future generations. The fast flyer descended to the building, moored her ship to the roof and went in search of a way inside.
~O~
Blaze flew back towards the balloon carrier, buzzing and flashing his firefly light excitedly. When he got back to Tinker Bell and Terence, he kept on buzzing and flailing his arms wildly.
"You found something?" Tinker Bell asked.
He buzzed, flickered, and pointed his response.
"You found Vidia?" she asked him.
Uh huh, uh huh, he replied.
"Where?" she queried.
Blaze took off in the same direction from which he came and flashed his firefly light, begging them to follow. "Follow that firefly!" Tinker Bell instructed. Terence put the propellers in a higher gear for more speed and turned the boat to pursue the excited little bug. Blaze kept shooting far ahead into the darkness for a several minutes before returning with updated information. Terence made the minor course corrections given him by the firefly.
Back and forth, he kept flitting, blinking, buzzing, and keeping Tinker Bell and Terence on course. Tink looked around, pointing her spyglass in the direction Blaze was indicating. Nothing yet. Blaze was certain. Then…
"I see her! I see her!" Tinker Bell exclaimed. Through the lenses, she saw the glittering wake of Vidia's balloon carrier. It was descending towards a large building in the city. Tinker Bell helped guide Terence towards the carrier to find their lost flyer friend.
The trio landed their balloon carrier on the roof of the building next to where Vidia had moored hers. Terence tied off the airship and caught up with Tinker Bell who was already searching for a way inside. Soon, they found one and started to search the interior of the building for Vidia.
~O~
Vidia stood in front of a great statue. It was of a powerful and broad shouldered man wearing a lion skin and shooting his bow and arrow. The fast flyer set down on a bench and broke down into tears because she was too late.
"I'm sorry, my darlings," she wailed. "I couldn't save you. I never could. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."
~O~
Tinker Bell and Terence marveled at the amazing artifacts that were present inside this museum.
"It's a real shame we can't stay and look around like regular tourists," Terence said.
"Maybe we can one day," Tinker Bell said. "If we tell Dr. Griffiths he and Lizzy might come and visit. Perhaps we could convince them to let us tag along."
"I like the way you think," Terence said with a laugh. The two fairies kept flying through the museum's corridors, surrounded by the ancient treasures of Greece when they heard crying and pouting.
"It's coming from over there," Tink said with a whisper. "C'mon."
The two fairies glided closer and closer to the sounds. They turned a corner and found the huge statue. Then the dust talent spotted Vidia sitting on a bench. "Up there," Terence whispered pointing to Vidia. Tinker Bell wanted to keep their distance and listen a while.
"It wasn't your fault," she said through her tears. "I know that now. But why did she have to be so mean? Why our children? Why couldn't Hera just leave us alone?" Vidia kept pouting and appeared as if she were listening to someone speaking to her. Terence and Tinker Bell just looked at each other with confused faces.
"I know she hates you," she continued. "I know why, but we loved our children. She had no right to take them away from us."
Vidia began to cry, sobbing deeply into the palms of her hands. "I miss my little babies," she whimpered. Terence wanted to move towards her, but Tinker Bell held him back for the moment.
Soon Vidia stopped sobbing so hard and raised her head. She flittered up towards the giant statue, and spoke. "Are the children safe?" she asked it. "Did they make it to the Elysian Fields?"
She paused, again as if listening to an answer. "Oh thank the gods!" she said, relief in her words and body language. "I'm so glad they were allowed to go there and not the Underworld. They deserved better than to languish in Hades' pits."
Tinker Bell and Terence just looked at each other again, each showing that same expression of confusion, only deeper this time.
"Do you see them often?" Vidia asked the giant statue. "You do? Can you give them a message? Tell them that their mother loves them. I always did and I always will."
"Vidia?" Tinker Bell finally said, breaking her silence.
The fast flyer turned; she was startled that anyone else was in the room with her. "What do you want?"
"We're here to help," Tinker Bell replied. "To take you home."
"I am home," Vidia replied. "At least, this used to be home. So much has changed, but one thing hasn't. My boys are still dead. I couldn't stop their father from killing them. I never could."
"What are you talking about?" Tinker Bell asked as she and Terence alighted to the bench where Vidia was once again standing. "What does Hercules have to do with you? You're just a fairy."
"His name is Heracles," Vidia corrected. "Hercules was the name the Romans gave him. I wasn't always a fairy. A long time ago I was a human."
"Huh? Vidia, you've always been a fairy. An obnoxious, snarky, self-superior, annoying little witch of a fairy, but always a fairy," Tinker Bell said.
"It may seem that way to you, but that is not what transpired," Vidia answered.
"Oka-ay? Then how did you become a fairy?" Tinker Bell asked.
"I asked for it. Sort of."
"Come again?" Terence said.
"My name, my human name, is Megara," Vidia said. "First wife of Heracles."
"Whoa! Seriously?" Tinker Bell asked.
"Yes, quite seriously," Vidia answered. "And I came here to save my children from his madness, but I was too late. I was always going to be too late."
"Okay, Vidia," Tink said rather irately. "What's really going on? They're very angry with you for stealing all that pixie dust. You have to come home with us."
Vidia looked at the statue again and asked, "What should I do?" She waited for an answer that only she could hear. "You're right; I can change nothing if I remain, but there I can bring joy to the children of others and atone for my weakness. You are very wise, Heracles."
The fast flyer ascended towards the statue one last time. She placed her hand over her lips and then pressed it against the lips of the statue of Heracles. "Goodbye, my husband. Keep our children well. May they laugh and play for all eternity."
Then she returned to the other fairies and told them she was ready to leave and accept whatever punishment the queen of the fairies deemed appropriate.
"No," Tinker Bell said. "Not yet. I want to know what's going on!"
"I will tell you on the return trip," Vidia said.
Both Tinker Bell and Terence noticed how very different Vidia was acting. She wasn't her usual haughty self, she didn't engage in any sarcastic put downs or throw out any zingers, as she normally would. Vidia seemed like a very different person. She even spoke with a different cadence and her use of language had changed. It seemed, more formal. They followed her outdoors to the carriers where they were still tied off. Blaze keeping watch over them.
"Whoa! You have a lot of pixie dust left over, Vidia, or Megara," Tinker Bell observed. "How…,"
"I moored to a ship bound for Greece and rode it the entire way across the waters," Vidia said.
"Hey, we did the same thing. Well that's good, it gives us a plentiful supply," Tink said.
"How shall we dispose of the second carrier?" Vidia asked.
"We'll tie off yours to ours and carry it back with us," Tinker Bell suggested. "If we're lucky we will find a human ship that is heading back towards Europe to save on pixie dust, just like last time."
Then she turned to the dust keeper sparrow man. "Uh, Terence, sweetheart," bade Tinker Bell. "Could you and Blaze share our carrier? I want to speak with Vidia, er, I mean Megara alone."
"Sure, do you want us to carry all the extra dust?"
"Most of it," she answered. "Leave one or two bags for us to keep our carrier airborne."
With the two vessels tied to each other and the provisions split among them, Terence launched the ships into the air and set sail for the port. Tinker Bell wanted to find a ship there to hitch a ride back towards the mainland. Fortunately, a vessel with British colors was being loaded and according to what the fairies heard, was going to set sail in the morning hours. Their destination was London. The two balloon carriers carefully docked with the British cargo ship and the occupants waited for dawn.
Blaze kept watch over the two air ships, while Terence once again went scouting for more provisions. This gave Tinker Bell and Vidia some time to talk.
"Okay, so why don't we start at the top," Tinker Bell said. "Say, with how you are Megara."
Vidia drank a bit of water from a skin before proceeding. "I was born Megara, the oldest daughter of Creon who was the king of Thebes. My home was under assault by the Minyans, but a powerfully strong man named Heracles successfully defended the city in single-handed battle. In his gratitude, my father offered me to Heracles as a wife. He accepted and I went with him to our new home in the house of Amphitryon, a Theban general who fell against the Minyans and was Heracles' foster father. We had eight children together. Until they were killed by Heracles in a fit of madness brought on by the goddess Hera as punishment for Zeus' infidelities."
"So why your children?" Tinker Bell asked.
Zeus was the god of gods, the ruler of Olympus and all the gods who lived there, Vidia explained. Hera was his wife, but he was not a faithful husband. Zeus had many dalliances with mortal women, one of whom was Alcmene, Heracles' mortal mother. His existence proved Zeus' infidelities and it angered Hera to no end. She tried to kill him when he was an infant by sending two large snakes into the nursery, but he simply took them in his hands and strangled them to death. He was found playing with them the next day, as if they were toys.
"Wow!" Tinker Bell gasped.
"Yes, Heracles was stronger than any god of Olympus," Vidia told her. "He could defeat giants, slay lions and move mountains. But he could not resist the anger of Hera."
Vidia then came to the part that drove her here in the first place. "Hera, in her rage against Heracles, filled him with a madness that sent him after his own family. A skilled archer, he killed his own children with arrows from his bow. He did not know what he was doing, but I witnessed and felt every moment of pain as each of my sons fell to him. Their hearts expertly pierced by the arrows of their father."
Tears fell from her eyes as she recounted the vivid memories of her horrific loss. Tinker Bell gave her a hankie to wipe the tears away.
"So how did you come to be a fairy?" Tinker Bell asked.
"After Heracles was cured of his madness he gave me up," Vidia told her. "The sight of me reminded him of what he had done to our children. So I was given as a wife to Iolaus and Heracles left Thebes, never to return."
"You were given to another man to be his wife?"
"Yes," Vidia answered. "It wasn't uncommon on those days. In the aftermath of the loss of my children, I could still feel the heaviness in my heart. The images never left my mind and it drove me to depression and heartbreak. I wished nothing more than to forget them and the grief I felt. I know it sounds awful for a mother to want to forget her children, but the memories of their slayings were unbearable. I prayed to every god I could find and asked for my memories to be taken away. I wanted to start anew. The gods have a strange way of granting wishes."
Vidia took another sip of water to quench the thirst that had been building in her throat.
"Instead of simply taking away those specific memories, I was made into the fairy you see before you," she said. "Every facet of who I was suppressed into the subconscious of Vidia. I influenced her personality, her outlook on life and how she treated those around her."
"What about Vidia?" Tinker Bell asked. "What happened to her? Will she come back? She is my friend; I don't want to lose her."
"You misunderstand; Vidia and I are not two separate persons. We are the same person. Vidia is the fairy personification of Megara."
"Wow! Okay, so what happens next?"
"We go back to your home," Vidia said. "I came here thinking I could save my children, but I couldn't. I discovered that what I really needed was to accept their deaths and make peace with my loss. I suppose that was what the gods wanted me to learn all along. The loss is still present, but the pain is gone."
Vidia sighed. "After I sleep tonight Megara will be gone and Vidia will be returned to you," she said.
"What will happen to you?" Tink asked.
"I will still be here," she said pointing to Vidia's head. "In her dreams and subconscious, only this time she won't be driven to madness as before. She will remember what happened and we will know each other as friends when she sleeps."
"We'll miss you, Megara," Tink said.
"Thank you, Miss Bell," Vidia said. "I do wish to apologize for how Vidia has been treating your lover."
"Oh, Terence isn't my lover, we're just dating," Tink replied, her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"He reminds me of Heracles. Although not as big and strong, there is still a resemblance."
"I understand," Tinker Bell said. "You didn't want me to be hurt like you were."
"I should sleep now, so you can have your friend back," she said.
"Wait," Tink said. "We could talk more, you could tell me about what life was like back in Ancient Greece. It is very fascinating."
"I should go, Miss Bell. Your friend is quite anxious to come back."
Vidia lay down and drifted into slumber. "Goodbye, Megara," Tinker Bell whispered to her. "I'm glad you made peace so you can rest."
~O~
When the morning sun rose in the east, the ship set sail for London. Vidia woke mid morning.
"Whoa! What happened," she said.
"You're back," Tinker Bell exclaimed. She gave the flyer a big hug.
"Stop hugging me!" Vidia yelled. "You're always hugging people. It's like a disease."
"Yeah, it's you alright," Tinker Bell said laughing.
Vidia was dusting off her clothes when she stopped; her face looked as if she had come to a realization. "Did I do what I think I did?"
"If you mean steal twenty bags of pixie dust, my balloon carrier and come all the way to Greece? Then yes."
"Oh no, they'll kill me when we get back!" Vidia said nervously. "No one steals pixie dust and gets away with it. Not unless your name is Terence and he is rescuing some annoying little tinker fairy from herself."
"Okay, Vidia, you don't have to keep proving you're back," Tink said with a smile.
"Wait…, wait, wait. Why did I come here?"
"Does the name Megara mean anything to you?" Tink replied.
It did, all of the memories of Megara coming to Athens and going to the library came flooding back. Vidia was so overwhelmed she collapsed to the floor. "What does it all mean?"
"I'll explain it to you," Tink said. "But you may not believe it."
~O~
Upon their return to Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell explained everything to Queen Clarion. At first, the queen was suspicious of the accounting the tinker fairy had given. However, the large quantity of dust that she returned and the same details that Vidia gave seemed enough to convince Clarion of their honesty. It was rather difficult to accept immediately that Vidia had once been the human Megara. However, as Tinker Bell explained, Vidia was the fairy personification Megara. She was different, but the same.
Queen Clarion and her ministers conferred and decided that no action would be taken against Vidia since she was not in her right mind. Tinker Bell and her friends congratulated the fast flyer by hugging her. This time, Vidia did not make any remarks. Instead, she took the warm embrace as intended.
At nights when Vidia slept, she often times dreamt of Megara and her life. She would speak with the Greek woman and they would have lengthy conversations in her sleep. Sometimes, Vidia swore she could hear Megara's voice even while she was awake.
~O~
"What's that, Clankie?" Bobble asked.
"It's a model of a Grecian Urn," Clank replied holding up his little creation.
"Really? So what does a Grecian earn?" Bobble said. He laughed at his own joke.
Vidia, who was nearby that day heard it and laughed a bit, too. Then she slapped Bobble so hard he fell to the floor.
"Why did you do that, Miss Vidia?" Bobble asked. "You were laughing with us."
"I thought it was funny, but Megara thinks you're an idiot," she replied before leaving.
"What was that all about?" Bobble asked.
"Who knows, I'll never understand women."
Okay, that is the end of the story. I hope you enjoyed the finale.
So, how did I come up with the idea of Megara as Vidia? Well, it all started with the Walt Disney movie of Hercules.
It turns out that the character of Megara as presented in that film looks almost exactly like Vidia in the CGI movies.
They share the same or similar hair styles, hair color, eyes, facial structure, tall and thin build and even the same haughty attitude and smoky voice. They both even wear purple. So it was a natural connection. The story given here of Hercules / Heracles is from Wikipedia and is pretty close to the real thing. I may have made a few mistakes here and there, so I apologize. It is kind of a mish-mash of the Disney film and the actual mythology.
The number of children sired by Heracles with Megara varies with the story teller, from as little as two to as many as eight.
I chose eight because it made the story sound more tragic.
Once more thank you for reading my little story. I hope you enjoyed it.
Well, I added a epilogue after a question in the reviews section.
