Orien took a moment to take it all in. The crumpled body. The fine cracks spider webbing from the man out. He had thought that the man had been punished by the gods and that they were now looking at a corpse. However after a few moments of shock created silence a moaning sound had come from the male form. Celia pulled at her brother's arm as he stepped forward and examined the man.
"Are you alright, aner?" Orien asked as he approached the man, ready to help if need be.
The man was on his back, body turned away from the siblings. One arm lay across his forehead, shielding his face. At the brother's voice the man's head turned towards them, his arm moving slightly to reveal stunning blue eyes. He stared at the siblings, who were once again stunned into a halt. The man seemed perfectly fine. No gashes or even red marks from an impact, yet the floor around him seemed to have been smashed in by a giant. When neither of the siblings spoke again nor tried to walk forward the man pushed himself up slowly, causing golden curls to fall in his face.
Shaking his head to collect his thoughts, Orien moved forward again. "Aner, what has happened here?" He motioned to the floor, his eyes locked on the man. The man glanced about him then, as if startled by what he saw, jumped to his feet, eyes wide.
"What has caused this?" The man yelped as he looked from the damage to the siblings. He seemed honest in his fright, yet Celia felt something lurked under the pretenses the man showed.
"That is what we would like to know." Orien said on a breath. Louder for the man to hear he spoke again. "What is your name? Where do you come from? For you are surely not one I have laid eyes on before."
Celia eyed the golden haired man as he seemed to back reel through thoughts and memory to try and answer her brother's questions. "Deo… I believe I go by Deo." He took a moment to think once again before shaking his head. "I do not remember from where I dwell or how I have come to be here… But I must find the great mountain!" His voice became urgent and he stepped forward only to stumble. Orien rushed forward to help steady Deo.
Her brother looked back at her, his brow creased in worry. It would be wrong of them to leave this man to his own when clearly the fates had something planned for him. "Why don't you return to our home with us? You may stay there for the night and tomorrow I will get you a guide and a boat to the mainland." Celia wanted to gape at her brother in wonder. How could he invite a stranger into their home? Specially one who had such a strange aura about him. Her face stayed placid, however, knowing it was out of place for her to question him. "Celia, start home and let father know we will have a guest for dinner."
When she hesitated he yelled for her to go, forcing the woman's legs into motion. She pulled at the skirts of her long tunic so that it would not hinder her fast movements. Their neighbors eyed her as she hurried home, most likely wondering where her brother was. Upon arriving back to her home she spotted her father in the courtyard, admiring a bushel of poppies her mother had tended to before she had passed away. He looked much older than Celia had remembered and his face seemed tired and dull. When she caught the corner of his eye, he smiled weakly at her and stretched out his arm for his daughter to join him. She glided across the distant and took his arm.
"Dearest father, Orien has instructed me to inform you of a guest. A man we meet in Apollo's temple." It was not her place to say her worries or the means behind them meeting this new neighbor, however she prayed her father would catch on to her uneasiness and decide to hide her from the guest. However he seemed resolved to the situation. As if this was a planned visit from a not so welcomed in-law. He would grin and bear their visit without a hint of complaint.
"Go prepare the meal. And bring us mead to celebrate our guest's visit." He ordered as he gently pushed her towards the kitchen area. Food preparation was one of her many jobs, and making sure the men's cups stayed full was a duty that if not fulfilled could leave her father shamed. Bowing her head she obeyed. Once in the kitchen she grabbed the sack of goods her brother had brought home and opened it, looking in at the contents. Orien had fetched some cheese and bread as well as some fig and nuts. She had not thought their haul that morning was large enough to afford these, but then again her brother was also great at making deals.
She pulled the cheese from the sack and readied it along with the mead. She would bring this out first as the first course. She then pulled out the loaf of bread and cut slices from it. She then spread an herbal mix across each slice and drizzled olive oil over them. Setting that aside with the cheese she sighed. Something did not set right with bringing this Deo to their home. Shaking her head to chase away those thoughts she turned and walked over to a large basin that held a small bass. The fish had been caught that morning and should have been sold, but her father had decided to use it for their meal instead. She pulled the already deceased fish from the saltwater and laid it on a wood plank on the counter. She would clean and filet the fish before cooking it on the open fire and serving it with the figs and nuts. She would also bring in watered down wine right before the meal began, as it was improper to drink anything else with the final meal.
As she begun to scrap scale from fish with a sharp wood tool she heard her brother's voice. They had arrived and where now being greeted by her father. She heard them move into the dining area and quickly washed off her hands in another basin and dried them before grabbing the tray with the bread, cheese, and mead. When she entered the dining area all three men were sitting at the table and telling stories. All she could think was how quickly her father made friends. She set the drinking cups in front of each man before setting down the bread and cheese in the middle. Her father wasted no time grabbing a slice of bread and tossing it in his mouth. He often said it was his favorite part of the entire meal.
Celia didn't stay long, not truly being allowed in the same dining hall as the men. She busied herself preparing the bass and plated the figs and nuts to create a delicate display. Once the fish was finished she placed it in the middle of the arrangement and carried it gingerly to the dining hall, along with the wine.
"So you are on your way to the great mountain, eh?" Her father asked with a tired smile dancing on his lips. "I once visited the foothills of it myself. But a man would be wise to stay far from the beast herself."
"Why is that?" Deo asked leaning against the back of his chair as Celia reached in between to place his new cup down and grab his old.
"Not too many gods look kindly on mortals crossing into their lands." Orien warned. "Especially Apollo; He is swift to punish any man who dare defy the lines that separate us from them."
Celia caught a glimpse of Deo straighten at the mention of her beloved God of Music as she set her brother's new cup down and grabbed the final dirty dish from the table. He seemed interested and had a glint to his cunning blue eyes that she did not trust. She moved to the doorway, wanting to be rid of this foolery, however before she could leave her father called out to her. "Dearest daughter, after our meal I hope you will serenade us with some lovely music. A suitable end to our guest's first night with us."
She bowed her head in appliance yet internally gasped. First night? No tomorrow Orien would get him a boat and a guide out of here. Then they could forget about the stranger with the unnatural blue eyes. Once she was finished cleaning the dishes she moved to grab a plate of the meal she had put aside for herself and walked to the woman's dining hall. A few years back it would have been filled with her mother's laughter. It was just the two of them most nights, but some nights the wives and daughters of neighbors would also join them in a feast while the men enjoyed her father's company. Now the hall seemed cold and overly quiet. Celia eat fast, wanting to be out of the sullen memories.
When she had returned to fetch the rest of the men's dishes all three men had already moved on into the main living area. Their voices could be heard rehashing old folklore as well as a few melodies of their gods. Celia rolled her eyes at how quickly they all had bonded. Even her own worry began to ebb as the night went on. She finished her chores and joined the men, waiting to be acknowledged before grabbing a lyre and sitting in the middle of the room. "What should I play tonight, Orien?"
Her brother thought for a moment. "Ode of the Traveler, for Deo!" He pronounced smiling widely at his new companion. The man returned his smiled before leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands. He eyed her for a moment before closing his eyes, almost like announcing he was ready for her to begin.
Gentle notes filled the air as Celia's finger's glided across the strings of the instrument. Her father lulled back into his sit, enjoying the music as the night came to an end. Orien had busied himself with polishing a short blade he used on the boat. And Deo had opened his eyes and watched Celia throughout the melody, doing little more than blinking and changing position once in a while. When the day was over and each retired to their own rooms Celia couldn't help but to shudder at the memory of him watching her so intently. She wrapped her arms around herself as she sat upon her bed and stared out the window. The stars danced and flickered in the night sky and the once looming storm clouds were long gone. If she hadn't known better she wouldn't have known they were rained upon that day.
Her arms rested on the sill of the window, her head cradled in them. Her mind was far away when a shadowed figure filled her door frame. Had she not been lost in her own thoughts she would have heard him as he approached behind her and grabbed her arm, one hand going to her mouth to keep her from screaming. Frightened Celia looked at the figure from the corner of her eyes. The first thing she noted was golden curls.
"Come with me." Deo's voice carried to her on a wisp of a breath. He directed her out of the room, down the courtyard, and away from her family home. It wasn't until they were in the shipyard that he removed his hand from her mouth. "Don't make a sound." He ordered as he led her to her father's fishing boat and onto the deck. The man untied the small boat before kicking off from the pier and jumping aboard.
"What are you doing?" Celia hissed in panic.
"You are going to be my guide to the mountain. I have faith only you will get me there in one piece." At his words her jaw gaped open. Was he in his right mind at all? She had never been away from her island home. She had never seen the mainland nor did she know the paths of it. Plus she was merely a woman. If anyone wanted to cause him harm they would not stop because of her. In fact they would slay her just to do so. Celia felt light headed as her thoughts spun out of control. Even if she wanted she could not get away nor call for help. All she could do was hope that her father or Orien would come to the mainland in search for her.