Leo coughed and sputtered as he drug himself onto the beach. He felt like half of him was burnt to a crisp and the other half of him was a drowned rat. He held a necklace, his creation, tightly to his chest. It was the whole reason why he blew up the ship. If the enemy had access to it, everything he had been working toward would be compromised. He looked at his surroundings to see white sands leading to a lush jungle. Then his eye caught something, a path. That was promising. He forced his sluggish body up, and made his way down the path. It wasn't long before he came to some well worn steps. He climbed them, higher and higher, until he thought his legs would give out on him. Finally, he came to a little landing that had a makeshift table and chairs with plates and cups made out of baked clay. He inspected them, impressed with the crude creativity.
Leo heard a gasp behind him. He turned just in time to see a young woman holding several items in her hands as if setting up a tea party. She looked terrified.
Leo smiled nonthreateningly; however, the girl screamed at the top of her lungs and began throwing the things that she had been holding at him. Something hit his chest, "Ow." Something hit his shin. "Ow!" But it was the large platter to the head that made him lose his balance and land right on the makeshift table that promptly broke beneath his weight, resulting in him crashing to the ground. "Ow." Leo wheezed.
When he looked to see what else might be thrown his way, the girl had vanished. No doubt, she hadn't been expecting company, and evidently didn't want company.
Leo pulled himself up again. "Hello?!" He called out. "I didn't mean to scare you. I don't mean you any harm. I'm just passing through. I kind of got blown off my ship. Do you know of a way to get off this island? They'll be looking for me."
There was no response. Well, the last thing Leo wanted was to have more stuff thrown at him. So he headed back down to the beach. He eyed the tall trees as he thought about what he could do to get back to the fleet. He could build a raft. He just needed a way to cut them down. Then he saw a large trunk laying across the floor of the jungle. A pile of sharp looking rocks were close to the beach. He studied the ground and realized that this was a well worn area. He studied the log again and noticed deep grooves carved into its trunk. He wondered how long she had been here? Was she trapped? Did she need help getting off the island as well? Leo thought about the table that she had obviously made, and that he had broken. His mind flooded with ideas as he stared at the woods and found just the items he was looking for. He went to work. He had some tools on him. What tools he was missing, he either did without or made makeshift tools. He cut. He sanded. He roped pieces of wood together. He chipped away at wood. He hammered pieces of wood together.
He was so focused on his work, he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard someone blatantly ask behind him, "What are you doing?"
He turned around to see the same young woman. She looked less scared now and more curious. Leo held his hands up in surrender and said, "I come in peace. Please don't throw anything at me."
The girl blushed and smiled reluctantly at him. "Sorry, but you did give me quite the startle."
"I'm guessing you don't get very many visitors around here." Leo smiled back.
She shook her head. "I was taught to fear strangers."
"There are some dangerous people out there." Leo admitted. "But I promise you, I'm not one of them. I'm Leo."
"Calypso." She looked down uncomfortably. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing?" She asked hurriedly.
"Oh," Leo said excitedly. "Well, I have a couple of projects I'm working on." He ran over to the log, "I'm working on this becoming a boat of some sort. This and this," he said as he held up a misshaped stick, "will be a paddle. And that," he pointed to what he had been working on when she interrupted him, "is a table."
"What do you need a table for?" She questioned.
"For the one I broke. It was cleverly crafted, but I think this one will be much sturdier. You could even stand on it." He smiled proudly at his handiwork.
Calypso's brow scrunched up in thought as she circled the unfinished table. "You added extra braces for the legs." She noted with some surprise her voice."
"Yeah, and I locked the wood together with the grooves . . ."
"And pins." She noted.
"Exactly." Leo looked at her in amazement. He had never had a conversation this long with a girl. Usually as soon as he started talking about the intricacies of mechanics, they lost interest and moved on. "What's a girl as smart as you doing on an island like this?"
"It's complicated." She looked down at the ground again.
"People only say that when they're avoiding talking about it. It's usually never complicated."
She smiled and a soft chuckle reluctantly escaped her lips. "You're right. Trying to avoid being killed isn't complicated."
"Who's trying to kill you?"
"My nana always told me it was the Olympians. But it might be the Titans as well."
"Your nana?"
"Nursemaid. I never knew my parents. Only by reputation." She was turning away from him now,
"What could you have possibly done to find the wrath of the Olympians and the Titans?"
"Being born I suppose."
"Well I'm an Olympian, I don't want to kill you."
"You'd be the second one."
"So that's got to say something about us." Leo grinned.
She smiled shyly and was that a blush?
Leo felt sweatier than usual. "Well I should get back to work. The armada will be missing me."
"Armada?"
"Kronos and his buddies tried to overthrow us a couple months ago. Thanks to me, and maybe the brand new Prince Perseus, we defeated them. We recently found out that another army from across the sea is coming, so we're going to battle them."
"The Giants." She said softly.
"Yes. How did you know?"
"History lesson from my nursemaid."
"Where is this nursemaid that you keep on talking about?"
Calypso went quiet. She didn't move. Only the breeze from the ocean ruffled her skirt and her hair across her face. She wrapped her arms around herself and lowered her head.
Leo then realized with a start where this nursemaid was. "I'm sorry."
"She was very old. She sacrificed her life to protect and serve me. She went peacefully."
"I'm sorry." Leo said again. He had no idea what else he could say.
Calypso's arms dropped and her back straightened. "You look hungry. I'll get us some food and drink. We'll test out the new table." With that she was gone, racing up the hill.
Leo went back to work, but a thought had entered his mind. One that he could not dismiss. When calypso came back with a tray filled with food and a pitcher filled with water, they tested the new table. Leo didn't realize how hungry he was until he started eating. He was famished. Calypso seemed to find him stuffing his face amusing as she delicately ate. "Thanks. I needed that." Leo admitted.
"You know, you are welcome to stay." She ventured. She looked at him tentatively.
Leo was flattered, he really was, and while the little island seemed relaxing and beautiful, Leo had so much more planned than just this little island. "Eh, don't get me wrong, it's a nice island, but there's a whole world out there, and there's so much I want to do."
Calypso looked down dejectedly.
"I have a better idea. Why don't you come with me."
Calypso's eyes widened. She looked scared. "Me? Leave the island, and go where?"
"Well, I've got to get back to my ship. We're currently heading toward war. But once we're done, I can . . . " Leo started to say.
"To war?" Calypso looked horrified. She shook her head. "I couldn't. I can't."
Leo wanted to smack his head, he felt so stupid. "Right. What was I thinking. That's no place for you to be. I'll pick you up on my way back." He looked at her hopefully.
Calypso looked like she didn't quite believe him. "If you survive the war."
"I will." Leo said stubbornly. "So how about it? After the war, I pick you up? I'll show you around Olympus."
Calypso looked thoughtful as she wrestled with the idea. "Maybe, . . . if you survive."
Leo couldn't tell if she wanted him to survive or not. He chose to remain optimistic. "All right then, it's a deal. I better hurry up and finish this boat, or I'm never going to make it back to my ship in time.
"I'll help." Calypso offered. "I have some tools that might make things go a little faster. I'll go get them."
Calypso disappeared for a few minutes before she was back again with a bag made out of straw filled with tools. They went to work, and between the two of them the boat was finished in a matter of hours.
"Follow the current around the island. It will take you straight out." Calypso said as she handed him some snacks.
"This isn't goodbye. Just wait until you see the markets of Olympus." Leo smirked
Calypso gave him a small smile back.
Leo put the snacks in the boat and saluted as he launched it into the water and jumped in. As he rowed out to sea, he looked back to see an empty beach. Part of him wondered if he had hallucinated her. Then he looked at the neatly wrapped snacks. He'll see her again. He'll be back