The Archer, by Camilla

Chapter 4 - The Dryad

Chapter notes:

They are all at the bottom and I so hope that you'll read them.

ἀ δέ μ᾽ ί᾽δρωσ κακχέεται, τρόμοσ δὲ
παῖσαν ἄγρει χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίασ
ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ᾽ ὀλιγω ᾽πιδεύϝην
φαίνομαι [ἄλλα].

πᾶν τόλματον

Down courses in streams the sweat of emotion,
A dread trembling o'erwhelms me, paler than
dried grass in autumn am I, and in my madness
Dead I seem almost.

but I must dare all ...

The 'thing' continued to emerge from the tree until Alexios could see a tiny but perfect female form. The pretty creature wore a short tunic that seemed to be made with interwoven leaves, while her black hair tips ended with chains of flowers. He knew what she was, albeit he had never met one of her kind before. Unfortunately Dryads had good reasons to fear centaurs for their lust and violence and as supernatural beings they probably didn't need a healer's help. But why had the wood nymph decided to manifest herself to him?

"I Saw that you were going to pass near my tree again," she said with a musical voice that sounded like chimes, "and I was waiting..."

"Have you the Sight?" asked the centaur, puzzled.

"A bit. But, don't you remember? Some months ago, two stupid peddlers camped here and then, during the night, one tried to steal from the other and his victim ran after him. They disappeared and left the fire they had lit unattended. It was windy, the flames expanded and were threatening my tree. You arrived, saw what was happening and managed to extinguish them – first in a very peculiar way and then by kicking dirt over the embers."

Embarrassed, Alexios remembered exactly how he had taken care of the fire. He certainly had wanted to prevent the surrounding forest's destruction, but could never have imagined that in so doing he had saved the sacred tree of a Dryad.

"When my tree dies I too die," she continued, "so you saved my life and now I owe you. But first tell me your name."

"I am Alexios the Healer," he answered, "and you are?"

"Eugeneia, Dryad of this Oak," she said formally."Tell me, Centaur Alexios, what is your heart's desire?"

He knew it well, but he could not tell her. He could not utter the words, too shamed to confess the hate he had for his equine body, which prevented him to make love to the woman who had stolen his heart. It was his secret and it would remain forever buried in his chest.

For a while Eugeneia stood very still, her eyes almost turning inward….

...***...

The day seemed never to end. Just to have something to do, Kallia dusted and swept the hut thoroughly – obviously it had not been inhabited for some time. She then discovered a little cistern in a corner, built to collect rainwater, and washed first her other tunic and then herself. She ate a little of the food left after their repast… anything, anything but to let her mind dwell on her deepest fear: was he really coming back as he had promised?

She remembered the pleasure he had given her, how she had felt. But when it had been her turn to caress and kiss him, as far as she had been able to do it… he had fled. She had no doubts that it was because, unthinkingly, she had excited him almost past his limits, almost making him forget the damage he could inflict on her with his stallion body. And, hasty as his retreat had been, she had had a glimpse of his arousal, enormous, terrifying, something she would never be willing, or able, to accommodate…

So this was going to be their future? Would he be forever unsatisfied, unfulfilled, if he stayed with her? Was she selfish enough to ask for this sacrifice? Was he going to accept it? In fact, he should not; she should set him free from such torture… just because she loved him so much…

The moment she contemplated leaving him, desperate tears started. She could not stop them for hours and eventually cried herself into a fretful sleep.

Much later she awoke. It must have been twilight and there was somebody in the room. The intruder had lighted an oil-lamp and was… oh Gods, he was a man and he was naked. Turned from her, he seemed to be looking at himself in the copper mirror. Kallia did not cry out. Rather, she wondered if she dared to rise silently, slip out of the door and run to the village, since he seemed distracted.

Then she realized how handsome the stranger was. At the flickering light of the lamp he had the perfection of a statue, if statues could breathe. His athletic back tapered into a slim waist, followed by taut buttocks, followed by long legs, lightly peppered with hair. She must have made a noise as she rose, because he froze and then turned.

It was… Alexios. But not a centaur, a man. A man with legs, a man with… she blushed, but could not turn her eyes. No, not a statue there, bigger, but not enough to scare her. Perfect. He did nothing to cover himself and simply stood in front of her, looking at her intently.

"How, how…" she spluttered. "What happened… why are you…?" She found it impossible to formulate a coherent question.

"Shh, love, shh. I will tell you everything, I promise. But not right now."

"No?"

"No, this condition is not permanent, much as I would like it to be. I don't know how long I have… how long we have. Kallia, some divinity took pity on me and granted me my heart's desire. But I want it only if I can share this body with you. Will you allow me?"

The princess gulped. It was clear what he wanted, and she wanted it too. Not finding the words to answer, she nodded and simply unfastened her tunic, letting it fall at her feet.

His response was immediate and physical: for the first time in her life she saw a man's body overtaken by lust. His phallus hardened and grew, pointing toward her; a sweet menace that made her knees weak… With two swift steps he reached her and carried her to her makeshift bed.

She already knew the power of his mouth and of the hands that were exploring her body. Very soon she was melting on him. Unable to wait, he caressed her legs open and she felt him there, pressing for entrance. But he stopped himself.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"This is as it must be… and I want it. I am yours, Alexios, take me…"

Letting instinct guide him, as to make love to a woman was completely new, he entered her quickly. Her little cry of pain stopped him again and he waited.

She was filled, impossibly stretched… but the pain was receding.

"I am fine, you can… move, if you wish," Kallia breathed.

So different, so different, nothing of his bestial couplings of so long ago had prepared Alexios for this. She was tight, velvety, warm, enveloping him, giving him a sense of belonging…home at last, after so many seasons of solitude. The need to complete what he was doing became overwhelming and he finally moved. Withdrawing, thrusting in, rocking his hips, hoping to give her the same pleasure he was getting. It was wonderful to have her face to face, to see her expression change from pain to concentration, to… wonder and, finally, to bliss. Never, never would he take his love from behind, he swore to himself. Then he thought no more, because he felt her walls contracting around him, she was loudly moaning his name and he too went under.

"Thank you for giving me your first time," he murmured, after he had regained his breath. "It is a honor I did not deserve…"

Surprising him, she chuckled.

"In a sense it was the first time for you too, wasn't it?" How right she was, Alexios marveled, how deep her understanding. Not finding enough words to describe his happiness, he brought her little hand to his lips, covering it with kisses. Shortly after that, completely worn out by what had passed, they fell asleep in each other arms

In a not so distant clearing an almost omniscient Dryad smiled, then laughed aloud. Her debt was repaid, but she liked the centaur, and knew that she had something more to give him… But that would not happen immediately. Should she dare to leave her Oak momentarily? In another part of the forest sometime fauns dwelled and… why not? A little tryst would not hurt; it had been so long…

…***…

Alexios and Kallia did not sleep for long. He was the first to awaken, and he wanted to rouse her, as he still didn't know how much time he had. When the princess opened her eyes he would tell her what had happened to him. Preparing to do so, he relived his encounter with the Dryad.

Having asked his secret wish but not having received any answer, Eugeneia had fallen into a trance-like state, eyes open but unfocused. Coming out of it, she had finally spoken.

"Oh, now I See, because you are going to get it," she had said dreamily, "with my help, to be sure. Listen, Alexios, I know that you believe you know plants well enough and how to extract medicine from them. But, there is so much more than that. Plants have magic too...

"So, this is what you have to do: you have to find five plants and take a leaf from each one of them."

While speaking her voice had taken a singsong quality, like she was weaving an enchantment. Alexios listened, enthralled.

"The first leaf is Laurel, and laurel is Change. As Daphne was turned, you too will be. She was escaping the love of a God but, you will embrace your human lover instead. Oleander follows: Its triads of leaves mirror the Universe's harmony. A triad is where what changes and what cannot be changed are entwined. Oh, it is venomous, but a single leaf will not hurt you. Take Spearmint after that: it brings purification, release, renewal and love. Find Horsetail next: it is also venomous, but only for horses, not for men and not for you; very appropriately it exerts power over muscles, sinews and all body tissues, renovating them. And finally, Ivy: it embodies passion, which compels lovers to cling to each other..

"Find them, chew and eat them in the order I have given you and you will not be a centaur anymore… for a while. But you can repeat the process and these plants are easy to find."

Could it be so simple? Dryads, however, belonged to the vegetal realm and it had no secrets for them. Still, Alexios posed a question, a crucial one that would decide if he was going to follow the Dryad's suggestion or just ignore it.

"If… if I am fertile with her, what will happen?"

"Fear not. The form will dictate the outcome: what is conceived by a man and a woman will be human."

Alexios realized he had been holding his breath. The delivery of a centaur could well kill Kallia. And, anyway, he would never condemn a son of his loins to his same wretched existence, not animal enough to enjoy it mindlessly, not human enough to completely rise above it.

"Go now," Eugeneia had said. "I know you will be back… and you will have another question by then, one that you haven't figured out yet."

And he had gone, starting his botanical quest. A not too difficult task, as he was used searching for the medicines he needed. Ivy was the first and the easiest, then laurel followed, and oleander. Spearmint was more difficult and horsetail seemed nonexistent, until he remembered that the plant thrives in humidity and could be found in marshes. He knew where to go and he got it.

He had retraced his dwelling, but had not gotten inside. What if it did not work? What if the change – in case it worked - was too painful to bear? What if it killed him? Some of the leaves were poisonous… No matter, he had to try but, he would do it alone.

So, the first was laurel…

He had waited, listening to his body. He realized he was feeling lighter under his belly …lighter, lighter…oh, his front legs were gone. He had some difficulty standing, his equilibrium compromised… Contracting, he felt pulled behind, toward his rump. Now he had feet, and standing became easier… Gods, could he walk on two legs? He could.

Awed by the miracle that had happened to him, he had slowly approached his house. Inside he had found Kallia sleeping and had wondered at her reaction, once she saw him. But, first he needed to see himself….

Chapter notes

So, is everything solved now? Well, not exactly. There is another problem they have to address, as the Dryad has seen…Ideas?

Why, yes, he peed on the fire, LOL.

Eugeneia: the Twilight names website tells me that Alice is a German name meaning "of noble kind. In Greek Eugeneia means "Well born, noble born".

Apparently the princesses of ancient Greece were well into domestic chores. Nausicaa finds shipwrecked Ulysses while she is near the beach with her handmaidens, washing the palace's linens.

Phallus: I was uneasy about using this word, because it is an English noun derived from Latin, while K& A are Greeks. However, I discovered that φαλλός(fallos, phonetically) preceded Latin and here you are. I am grateful to Jmolly who helped me out of this linguistic quandary.

I have nothing against doggie style, and my Parachutist loves it, but I am sure you can understand why Alexios has issues with that.

The nymph Daphne was changed into laurel so that she would not succumb to Apollo's love. She prayed the Gods and… Lo, it happened. I would have taken Apollo anytime.

I had such fun researching for the five plants in herbalists websites and white witchcraft ones. I wanted them to be Mediterranean and relatively easy to find. Does the magic work? Well, if you find yourself a gorgeous centaur, you can try…