MEETING WITH HERMES
"Willow," I called urgently. Hermes announced he would be coming sometime today and I needed her opinion on my dress. Today I wear a loose fitting light green robes with bronze bracelets around my right ankle and left wrist. Every step I took they would jiggle in a melodic tone. My friend appeared before my eyes. Her hair was a flash of dark green, and her skin was an olive tone. "Yes, Persephone?" She answered watching me with her tawny eyes. We were standing under the oak trees while the other nymphs danced around the valley looking for mortals to mess up. Out of all the nymphs, Willow proved to be the most stable and reliable. She did not take many lovers nor lead them on a wild chase and then turn into a tree once they caught her. Not only that, but when I asked her to do something and meet me someplace she followed through. The other nymphs would usually arrive hours later and then ask why I was so frustrated with them. Nymphs, although a lovely, lively species, they proved to be a nuisance from time to time, but they were the only friends I had. Demeter restricted satyrs and other of Pan's creatures from coming to visit me unless she was there. Most of the time I would see satyrs chasing after the nymphs. They would tease, flaunt, and taunt the half goat men until they transformed into their respected element.
"Do you think I look well enough?" I asked. I dressed in a loose fitting, sheer palm green dress. Hermes colors were greens and blues, so hopefully this would honor him. Although I did not want to marry Hermes I still had to respect him and his visitation. I had bathed in the river today which made my hair curl into waves. Then I placed it up high, so I would look older than the fifteen year old girl I appeared to be. In truth I was born fifty odd years ago.
Gods matured differently than humans and only recently Demeter approved of marriage talk. Demeter taught me how the court functioned through different ties. For example Hera supposedly despised all of Zeus' Olympian children, but in truth she shared an alliance with Hermes. Although Hermes assassinated Argus, Hera's guard, in order to save Lo, a nymph Zeus seduced, Hera took Argus' eyes and created peacocks so Argus would always watch over her. She used the peacocks as her eyes and ears. If Hermes had not killed Argus she would never have her spies; therefore, she forgave the thief god and formed an pact to give him what he wanted if it benefitted her causes. She would show him flavor and give to his causes in court if he stole Zeus' mistresses for his own. As Zeus' favorite child, Hermes would be forgiven and Hera would not have to deal with the products from Zeus' affairs.
Then Demeter taught me how the world functioned through all the gods working together. She would allow the food to grow with Apollo's sun, Poseidon's water, and Zeus' storm aid. Artemis and Dionysus would provide the animals and wine for mortals to feast on. Then Hermes assisted with transportation and economy for the mortal world. Athena would grant the humans insight and wisdom to let them thrive in the harsh world. Hera ensured the ties of marriage and family. Aphrodite would promote love which caused both innovation and war which was Ares' domain. Hephaestus provided the mortals blacksmithing and fire to allow the humans to fight wars. From the wars there would be death where Hades would take the souls to the Underworld and determine their afterlife. My role, if I became an Olympian, would be to assist the relationship between humans and nature and invent new plants for them to cultivate.
Every god had a youthful appearance. Artemis looked to be a fourteen year old girl while Zeus only looked in his late twenties. Apollo and Hermes had taken similar ages around early twenties. Willow circled around me taking in my clothes and body before standing in front of me. "Yes, Hermes will be quite pleased with you." Willow said firmly.
Then I heard titters coming from the bushes behind Willow. The nymphs were here. They stepped into the clearing with bright smiles on their faces and sunlight reflecting in their eyes. Minthe, a dark haired woman with vibrant green eyes, approached me. "Persephone, Hermes will ravish you. He loves maidens." She mused. "Maybe I'll ravish you first." She smirked before tackling me to the ground and began tickling me. Then I felt other nymphs join us on the ground. "Stop it." I said, laughing and rolling on my stomach. "Submit!" I heard Calla, a white haired lily nymph, call out. I crawled forward, but they followed and dug their fingers into my sides. I contorted my body trying to get away from my friends. "Seriously, stop. Hermes will be here any minute." I giggled. Then they stopped when I clung to a tree and pulled myself off the ground. They made no other sounds of protest. I could feel my hair tumbling out of its' twisted up do.
"Persephone, would you care to go elsewhere?" I heard a voice behind me. "The nymphs seem to distract you and I do not want anyone distracting us." He added. I stiffened and looked behind me. It was Hermes in the flesh. His stormy sea foam eyes sparkled mischievously as they trailed along my curves. He grinned without showing his teeth which made his lips look thin. His left hand pulled a golden lock behind my hair. I flinched at his touch. "We do not need your friends around us while we go to the river." He purred. Stupidly, I said, "I do not know how to swim." This statement widened his grin. "I can give you private lessons." He coaxed me. His face was only inches from mine and his breath smelled like mint. His long fingers twisted around my wavy hair.
I looked to my left and noticed how my nymphs were watching us. Willow looked nervous, but every other one seemed enticed by the thief god. I could understand why too. He had medium length black hair that they could run their hands though. Then he had a lean, lithe frame made for running, but he was only two inches taller than me. His eyes reflected his playful, seductive manners, yet I still found myself thinking of the white haired man. Everyone said I should have someone around while I was with Hermes, but his voice...It was deep and dark and I wanted to listen to it to tell me what to do. Although I had heard about his affairs with other women and thought him to be a slimy snake, but I could not resist his seductive manners. The way he walked and talked were enticing. Even his robes flattered him with their navy blue color making his eyes crackle with intensity. "Go with him." Calla called. Once she said that everyone, but Willow chimed in, coaxing me to leave with this stranger. Uncertainly I nodded my head and his grin widened.
His arms wrapped around my waist before I said anything. I squeaked involuntarily. "You will like this." He purred as he cradled me in his thin arms. He sprinted away and I could hear some of the nymphs calling things. "Keep her safe, Hermes. Don't take her to the deep end before she is ready." They called after us, but I just stared at Hermes and his sharp chin. This man could be my husband if I asked for him at the next meeting. Would I want him though? Yes, he was beautiful and spoke like a god, but I did not want a husband with wandering eyes. For now though, he could grant me to swimming lessons. He stopped a few feet from the river where he let me slid against his body. Feeling the taunt muscle underneath his robes.
"You are quite beautiful, Persephone." Hermes said as his hands lingered on the small of my back. I hovered just an inch from the ground as he held me. I looked him directly in the eyes now. I felt nervous now as I stood here alone with him. I never spent time alone with a man until a few days ago when I met the North man. I gulped now realizing my mistake. He placed his lips underneath my ear lobe and started kissing me there. I stiffened when he started massaging my other earlobe.
"What are you doing? I thought you were going to teach me to swim." I asked in a squeaky voice. Hermes tilted at head to look at me. He smirked and gave my neck a quick kiss. "We could do that, or continue this. You'll like it, Persephone. Everyone does." He mused, breathing hot breath on my neck. I trembled at that which caused his smirk to widen. "I knew you would." He licked my neck and blew cold air. "I would rather learn how to swim." I mumbled. "Or we can do this since we will have enough time for swimming once we are married." He tightened his hold on me and started nipping at my collar bone. It felt wrong, it was not like the innocent, intimate wrist kiss. This was savage and uncharted. I did not want this or him.
I wiggled, trying to escape his hold on me, but he did not relinquish me. Artemis warned me, why had I not listened? Panic flooded my mind. I pushed my hands against him. His warm lips touched mine, using unnecessary roughness. His right hand held my head where it is. I felt his teeth bite my lower lip. I was use to getting what he wanted as the thief god. He was Zeus' favorite and stole Zeus' mistresses, so he thought he could take any woman he wanted. I would not be another of his whores. I nipped his upper lip until I drew the thief god's blood. Finally he stopped holding my head and I pulled back and spat in his face. "I am not going to marry you." I screamed. "Not if you do this." I growled.
Unceremoniously he dropped me to the ground. I straightened my stature and glared at him. There was a little blood on his lower lip, but the wound on his upper lip healed instantly. His cloudy green eyes watched me with loathe and lust. As a god, he should have more control than a mortal man, but he still attempted to rape me. "You ungrateful wench. Any mortal would die to be in your position right now." Hermes snarled. I slapped the thief. His cheek reddened, but he made no move to defend himself. "I am no mortal. I am a goddess, your sister, and possible wife. I am not to be treated as you just did. I am a maid and intend to stay that way until my marriage." I vowed. "I am leaving, Persephone. You proved to be a great insult, but I will still marry you." He turned away from me and in a flash he was gone just as he had appeared. Luckily he did not know about the love match clause of the agreement.
Hot tears rolled down my cheek. He would have raped me if I had not bit him. I shook violently and hugged myself. "It's alright." I whispered to myself and sat down next to the river. I crawled towards the body of water and remembered the North man. The way he introduced me to ice and pressed his cool lips against my wrist as a tender gesture. I lifted my left hand and placed it in the water and felt the coolness flowing through my hand as the sand slipped between my fingers. It gave me a sense of calm after that experience. I took a deep breath, sucking in the fresh, bitter air that suddenly rushed past the river. "It's alright." I said again. The tears stopped. I picked myself up and raced back to my friends. They would want to hear how the meeting went and I would lie. That I had a splendid time, but he had to rush off. I could not admit that he tried to took my maidenhood.