Part 6 - Found
Some notes: The Divine Light is my own invention and so is the concept of the Star-Court as being a divine, flowing city in the air. The Greeks believed that the Celestial Spheres were surrounding the Earth, were seven in numbers and the outermost held the stars in the night-sky, some of the stars or constellations being gods and former heroes.
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Voices were echoing in Poseidon's mind. Eris: Amphitrite is fucking Atlas. Hera: Don't send her more bling if it hasn't worked earlier. Send her something she likes. Zeus: Forget her! The world is full of women. Hera again: He knew how much I care for animals and children. Little helpless ones. And he played upon those strings with the same skill as Apollo plays his lyre.
Sleep evaded him. Not for the first time. Poseidon got out of bed, crossed the cold marble floor and went up to the transparent wall. Out there in the Divine Light fishes were swimming, lazily checking out the underwater fire before turning and leaving. An old barracuda was helping himself to a late supper upon a large pack of glittering mackerels.
- It's so easy for you guys, he said to the fishes. You just find your mate, have her and then you dash off. You don't even have to - I mean how hard can it be spraying seed upon eggs in the water? She might not even notice. Poseidon rested his hot forehead against the pleasantly chilling glass, closing his eyes. But tonight just like every other nights the bright ideas failed him.
No, not entirely. There was something out there by the edge of his mind, lurking like one of those large sea-creatures which were curious but never really dared to approach the Divine Light. There was something being spawned by that discussion between him and his fellow gods that night at Olympos. Something Hera had said...
ooo
Across the waters Amphitrite laid sleepless too, gazing into the dark. She had been home for a fortnight now, and already she could feel it coming. That itch Atlas had been talking about. That yearn to leave her parents house and go... where? Not on another ramble across the world. And definitely not back to Atlas. No matter how much she liked the gentle Titan his stronghold was not her home. It was not her personality etched into those thick stone walls. After a while she had started to feel confined. Longed for open water and air. Swims. Dolphins. Other people. And most of all her home.
So why this restlessness? And where should she go? Where did she want to go? What did she want? She wanted an underwater home that was for sure. That was what she had grown up with, what she was used to. Ami loved the cosiness of being surrounded by the sea, she loved the ambience of the green light at day and the soft darkness at night, only intervened by lanterns of Divine Light. And she preferred fishes to birds. Fishes weren't noisy and their movements were more tranquil, more pleasing to the eye.
My daughter Maia lived at Olympos for some years, and when she returned she was as restless as one of the sparrows, Ami heard Atlas say in her mind. Maia lived in Star-Court. How had she found a place of her liking so far from the home she had grown up in?
- Best way to find out is asking her, Ami said aloud as to state a fact. Then she rolled over and fell asleep, dreams filled with dolphins and underwater magic. She wasn't alone in these dreams, she had company by someone swimming sort of behind her all the time. She knew he was there, but couldn't see him, only his familiar shadow against the sandy bottom.
ooo
- Sure I'll go with you to the Star-Court, if you want me to, Thetis said. But I must warn you I'm far from the best travelling company these days.
- I know you've been sad. So what's it about? A dude?
- Yeah. And not just some dude. The most perfect, the most wonderful, the most vibrant man there is.
- Then what's the catch?
- He's mortal.
- Not another one! Thetis! You spurn gods like Zeus and Poseidon and then you run after mortal men!
- You spurned Poseidon too.
- Come on! That was different. Id' taken him for a night or two. Or a fortnight. But marriage? No, lass, I do not think so.
ooo
Star-Court isn't located up among the stars as mortals think. Star-Court, also called the Seventh Celestial Sphere, is a globe made out of Divine Glass, floating in the strathosphere, and containing a divine city of marble palaces, hanging gardens and streets paved with gold. All surrounded by a lake looking like it's suspended in mid-air. Larger than Olympos but without the delicate elegance making the home of Zeus so overly pleasant to behold.
The town is ruled by the goddess Asteria, a lady otherwise mostly known for having turned down Zeus once in her youth. The Divine King had dated her sister Leto instead, the result being the twins Apollo and Artemis. But then Zeus had to face a choice: Leto or Hera. He had gone for the latter, and Leto went on to live with her sister in Star-Court. Her twins on the other hand hadn't liked the enclosed sky-world and their kind but slightly over-protective mother and as soon as they were old enough to decide for themselves Apollo and Artemis had gone to live with their father.
Pleiades Estate lies in the outskirts of the town, a lofty building reminding both of the main palace at Olympos and the cutting-edge constructions Athena is rising in the city bearing her name. Ami and Thetis entered through a large portico with crystal pillars, crossed a bridge over a reflecting pool surrounded by potted plants, and came up to the janitor-god who was slacking behind a desk, reading something.
- Amphitrite and Thetis. Here to see Maia, Ami said and the pudgy little deity lifted his head, pushing away unruly dark-brown curls from a tanned face.
- She's 'specting you?
- Yes. We called ahead.
- Aphrodite, you said?
- Amphitrite. And Thetis. Nereus' daughters.
- Eh? Nevah heard o'. Anyway, I'll see if she'll receive you, Miladies. The janitor reached for a thumb-printed silver-plate and concentrated for a moment. He was calling the face only he was seeing on the surface, the Neried sisters hearing nothing.
- Tight on security here? Thetis pointed out.
- Some of our 'bitants crave privacy, the janitor answered.
- Why? Can't be satyrs and the likes coming here? Thetis inquired further.
- No. Gods of another class. Zeus've been... No, oupsi, that's classified.
- Always Zeus! Thetis sighed. Always, always, always Zeus! Wherever I turn that man...
- Maia's receiving you. Follow the line, the janitor said with dismissal in his trothy voice.
- Thanks, Ami said. Which line... But the lad had gone back to his reading.
- I think he means that, Thetis said and pointed at a "rope" of flames snaking itself across the lobby and up a staircase. It looked like someone had poured out lamp-oil and set it on fire, but it was another deployment of divine light. The Nerieds began to follow the flames, four floors up it took them and across a hall with mosaic walls showing pictures of gods fighting monsters. The flames stopped in front of a golden door and Amphitrite rose her hand for a knock only to find it open at the same instant.
A pregnant goddess with a long, blue peplo and strawberry-blond ringlets opened the door. She bore a slight resemblance to Hermes the messenger, same pointy nose covered in freckles and same somewhat restless stance.
- Maia? Amphitrite asked.
- No, I'm her daughter. Leudice. My mother will receive you in a moment. She just has to finish a call. Leudice did a circular gesture with her fingers indicating a mirror-plate. But do come in! Can I offer any refreshments? We have cherry nectar just brought in from Tiryns.
Thetis said she was okay with some water but Amphitrite accepted the offer.
- Always the sweet tooth, her sister joked and Ami smiled. Then the sisters inquired Leudice about her expected child.
- A lad. Think I'm going to call him Androsthenes.
- Strong man, Amphitrite echoed. That'll be a hard name to live up to.
- The way he roams around inside me and of what I've seen of his future, I reckon it'll fit him well. Leudice said. No downtown lawyer deity like myself. He's on to it now, Leudice said and laid a loving hand upon her orbital belly.
Maia had arrived some minutes later, with a curious look upon her fine-sculptured face. She inquired about her father's well-being and the four goddesses chatted lightly before Amphitrite asked Maia why she had chosen Star-Court for her home. Atlas' daughter had laughed and confessed:
- I don't really know. A wish to live around care-free friends and to party and have fun. When Leudice's father and I parted I needed to be near people I loved. My sisters. And yet alone, living my own life.
The red-headed goddess had continued talking a bit about Star-Court's qualities in an almost salesman-like way, and Amphitrite realised where Hermes and later Euandros had got their business skills.
- You thinking of moving here? Maia asked.
- I'm thinking of moving out of my parents house, that's all. One can say I'm looking at options.
- You know, Maia said, if you come here you'll be unbothered by the Sea God. He don't like the Crystal Orbs. Too artificial, he terms them.
- Do you ever miss Zeus, Thetis suddenly asked and both Amphitrite and Maia felt startled at the sudden change of topic. Maia took her time before answering, staring at her nails.
- It happens. There were some wonderful moments. Yet we both knew... When Hera found out, I had to go packing. In fact it was Leto who told me to come here. As I said it's a place of eternal partying. Carefree days. No worries about mortals and responsibilities. And easy to forget a man like Zeus.
- On the other hand you never did forget him, Leudice pointed out, suddenly teary-eyed. That was why dad left you.
ooo
Amphitrite didn't feel one grain wiser while leaving Star-Court.
- There has to be more to life than an endless stream of invitations, an endless mingling with the same crowd, talking about nothing, she told her sister on the way down.
- But not some conceited Olympian, you hear me, sis! A sudden burst of anger in Thetis' voice.
- Now what? On what tender toe did I step? Oh - I know. There's no mortal man, Thetis. Not at all. There's Zeus!
- Shut UP! Thetis suddenly banked left and flew into a bundle of heavy rainclouds, leaving Ami alone with her discovery. It had been the King of Gods her sister had been romancing all the time. No wonder why she had been devastated. It was a well known fact that everybody could have Zeus, but no-one could keep him. He went from arms to arms as swift and as devastating as a forest-fire. And when he was "done" he always went back to Hera who raged at him, but for some reason stayed with him nevertheless.
Feeling more confused than ever Amphitrite landed on a barren island, really nothing more than a rock. She sat down, played with her feet in the balmy water, giggled when a curious crab came clawing and nibbled at her toes. Then she saw a couple of familiar fins among the waves. Dolphins!
Ami rose smiling. Dolphins! The remedy for all sadness! She called out in Dolphin, a high whistle - Hi pals! Can this lady join your funny game? As an answer one of the gray water-mammals jumped high in the air, a smiling invitation for her to come on. Ami shed her dress and jumped in, welcoming a chance to forget reality for some fun for a while. A bit strange, she thought absentmindedly, that it seemed so much more fun playing with dolphins than mingling with Star-Court deities.
When they all had chased each other until tiredness had seized control, Ami found herself talking to an old male, awkwardly confessing to him of her troubled life. It was hard to explain human emotions and human affairs to these animals, where joys as well as sadnesses were revolving around so completely different things.
- Yet lady still is considering this man, the dolphin said.
- What man?
- The man in lady's bubbles of thought all the time. The man we Swimmers call our human Lord.
- Poseidon. No! Well, yes, I'm thinking of a way to have him stop taking interest in me.
- No. Other way around. Swam up lady's bloodstream an into lady's heart man did. Heart is where love rests with you humans. This Swimmer knows. Man can not leave lady's bubbles. Starry sky is not an option. Neither is remaining a maiden in father's house.
- So what do you whistle this lady should do?
- Visit man. Whistle to man. Waiting for your songs man does. Man will still be waiting in a Swimmer's life-span. Wait and love. Lady is on mans mind all the time.
- Thanks I know, Ami frowned.
- Every tone in this song is true, so hear this Swimmer out.
- Sing!
- Love is a splendid thing, a treasure. Humans with hands and feet are collecting gems, pearls and treasures, forgetting the greatest one of them all - love. Poseidon was willing to give away his most valued item to find lady. So man could sing for lady what lady meant to man. Man still sung clear back then. But sadness has seized mans heart. Man was reached by a tone that lady rested with other man, the bird-talking man in the high tower. And mans song quieted. Mans laughter stopped. Under the surface of the sea, human tears can not be seen. So there man rests crying.
Suddenly Amphitrite felt her own tears too.
- That is wrong. I never slept with Atlas. Who... ?
- That lady will have to whistle to man herself. Or man will not believe. Will go on crying. And song will be silent.
- I will tell him. Swimmer - Thank you! And happy plays!
With an outburst of force, the kind of force only strong emotions can create, Nereus' daughter kicked herself into action, speeding southwards, plunging into the endless depths. She had just a vague notion of where Poseidon's palace was situated, but determination was stronger than insecurity. She understood that she had to find out if the dolphin had been right about Poseidon. And about her.
ooo
One single emotion, like a tingle in the spine. Like a faint trace of a falling star. Send her something she likes. It sure had been a struggle until someone mentioned how found the little Neried was of dolphins. And another one reminding Poseidon of the old dolphin bard who had enthralled even the Sea God some years back with his sad love stories. And finally it had just - clicked.
The God of the Sea was out on the roof, peering into the sea, as if he could make her arriving faster by willing away the waters obscuring his sight. And there - finally she was. Amphitrite. Found.