***
"Awaken, girl."
Serenity opened her eyes and looked up at the queen who stood above her, in a silken black robe closed by a sash and soft sandals. She looked as if she had just awoken herself.
"It took me quite a while to think of this next task for you, and I arose from our bed to give it to you."
"Our?"
"Endymion has not parted from it yet. Only he's decided to take me to his palace instead of stay at mine the whole time." She sound giddy, if a little insincere, but Serenity didn't hear the insincerity. She focused only on the message, and turned away from the woman.
"In any event, here is your task." She walked around the disheveled princess, smirking as she looked her up and down. The night outside, exposed to the elements, had not done Serenity any justice. Her makeup was gone, her dress was dirty, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Although she was still splendidly beautiful, some of her radiance had dissipated.
Keeping her on this track may dissolve that gods-damned beauty for good, Beryl thought to herself.
"Across the way – in the island kingdom of Cyprus – there is a river in a glen. Down there near the riverbank, where the bushes grow thick, are sheep with fleeces of gold. Go fetch me some of their shining wool."
"How am I supposed to get to the river in Cyprus?" asked Serenity. Maybe after this trial, Beryl would allow her to see her husband.
Beryl waved her hand, and a mule appeared before her. "This animal will take you there and disappear once you arrive at the ferry. There a small canoe will be. Row across the placid waters to the island of Cyprus. The mouth of the river is on the bank you'll land on. Follow the flow to the thicket of bushes." She disappeared with a wave of her hand.
Serenity sighed, and mounted the mule, which started at its slow pace towards the shore of the wilderness.
***
Serenity stumbled out of the canoe and watched it vanish behind her. Her arms were aching with the rowing movements, and she felt ready to collapse with fatigue at that very moment. But love and the thought of seeing the object of her own drove her on.
She followed the river for what seemed like an endless amount of time until finally she saw the thick bushes, and a congregation of golden-fleeced sheep.
There were several rams, and horned ewes. They rushed at each other with great force, smacking into each other with their horns, fiercely turning on anything that approached them.
Despairing, Serenity fell to the ground. How could she approach such fierce sheep?
She turned to the side, and looked at the river. She couldn't see the bottom, and it was a wide, swift-moving river. Surely if she were to jump in, it would sweep her away to death.
She stood, stared down into the river, and stepped atop a slippery rock on the bank. Leaning forward, she thrust herself towards the river, closing her eyes on the world.
She felt a floating sensation. This must be what the underworld feels like, she said to herself. She opened her eyes to see the darkness, but instead saw the surroundings of the glen, the fierce sheep, and the river flowing quickly beneath her feet.
She felt herself move backwards, and she was set on the grass. Two hands took her shoulders and twisted her around, and Serenity found herself facing a lovely young woman with long violet hair and beautiful, deep violet eyes. Her skin was clear and fine, and her body was perfectly sculpted.
She smiled at the Serenity. "Don't drown yourself," she said to her. "Things can't be that bad."
"They are bad," Serenity sobbed, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I've been ordered to get fleece from those sheep – they'll kill me if I touch them!"
"You won't have to touch the sheep at all," the young lady said. "Animals are easily distracted and attracted by bright things. All you've got to do is bring them through the thicket of brambles over there, and some of the fleece will be torn off their backs. Then, lure them away from the brambles, and you can go collect the fleece over there."
Serenity smiled weakly. "Yes, that would work...but how could I do that?"
The girl smiled. "Something bright and moving...like fire."
"I have no matches, nor dry tinder."
"You need neither." She cocked her head at Serenity. "My name is Rei. What's yours?"
"Serenity."
"Isn't that the name of the princess of the moon?"
"That's me."
Rei's smile brightened. "Well, to oblige royalty!" She curtseyed a little, and when she rose, she clasped her hands together prettily. Closing her eyes, she began to speak, glowing with a fierce red aura.
"God of war and agriculture, Mars, lend me the power to help a companion," she intoned. "Bless my powers of fire. Mars, oh god of farmers and herders, protect a poor soul who indulges in your art!"
That prayer sounded strangely familiar to Serenity.
Next Rei pressed her hands together, pointing her fingers in the same direction, and shouted a few words in a foreign tongue. She glowed brighter still, and a peal of fire shot from her fingers and set a tree besides the bramble bushes afire.
The sheep looked up, bellowed, and charged towards the brambles, frolicking through them to get to the tree.
"It will take a little while for the entire herd to get through the bushes and lose their fleece, but when they do, you can go collect plenty of it."
Serenity breathed a sigh of relief, and the pretty young lady smiled. "Thank you so much!"
"Thank the guardian Mars."
***
"Are you from around here? Cyprus, I mean."
Rei had sat by Serenity to watch the herds flock through the brambles and start another fire if one was necessary. At the moment, the only fire needed was a small one to cook a bit of meat that Rei happened to have with her. Once again, Serenity recounted the tale of how she happened to be in Cyprus in the first place, which Rei sympathized with.
"Yes." She pointed to her gown, a beautiful garment in deep crimson. "These are Cyprian robes – only women from around this region wear dresses like this."
"Really? I've never seen such a beautiful gown before."
"As a princess, I can't say I believe you, your highness."
"Are you a princess, too?"
"Heavens, no!" She laughed liltingly. "The gown, my figure – not from royal bloodline but rather the work of a divine sculptor. My creator gave me these fine features."
As the words left her mouth, she clapped her hands over it.
"Your...creator?" Serenity asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, dear," she said, "now I've gone and done it."
"Done what?"
"Well, now you're going to want me to tell you what I meant by that – don't you?"
Serenity nodded. "Yes, of course – but only if you don't mind telling."
"It's a long story," Rei warned.
Serenity chuckled. "I've got a lot of time."