SECOND MEETING
It had been two moons since I saw Hermes. When I came back the nymphs asked me the crude details about our encounter. I told them how he kissed me which caused them to giggle except for Willow. She knew better than to think I enjoyed Hermes' visit. I tried to stay away from her prying eyes and kept close to Calla. Calla was an energized nymph and reckless as me sometimes. She would prompt me to hang out with the mortal women and tell them how the nymphs would drown men in the rivers. The mortals would gawk and warn their husbands and boys to stay away from rivers and streams alike. Then one night a man did venture to close to a river and Calla went back with him to his village. All the women threw rocks and other items at Calla, but she just laughed and kissed the mortal man before running away. I could not help but laugh at her antics.
Today, though, Willow cornered me and coerced me into looking for milkweed. It grew on the outskirts of marshes, so none of the others would want to go with us. We traveled in silence until we reached the marsh. "What really happened with Hermes? You are not like us, you do not kiss and tell so frivolously like Calla." Her tawny eyes questioned me. "Nothing happened, Willow." I insisted, but she continued to pry me. "Do not lie to me. I have been your best friend for forty years and you expect me to say nothing. I saw the blood on your robes and threw them out, so Demeter would not notice." She took my right hand and squeezed.
I bit my lip nervously and looked away from the green haired youth. I studied her hand holding mine. I did not recall the blood on my robes, but it must have been Hermes from when I bite his lip. Suddenly I felt the pressure of his arms around my body as I struggled against the god. I shook my head shaking the memory from my mind. I could not deny that he tried to take my virginity to Willow. She knew something and like a dog she would not let it go for my safety.
"He tried to rape me, but when he kissed me I bit him and drew blood. After that he stopped and ran away." I said looking her straight in the eye. Willow nodded and hugged me. Her hand patted my blonde hair as she whispered, "You should have told me after it happened. We should have done something to him."
"No, it would be no use. It would have been my word against his and it would have been an atrocious ordeal. Hermes would say I pleaded with him. There is no proof if I did or not. He is Zeus' favorite child and since Zeus is the judge, he would rule in Hermes' favor." I had gone over this in my mind a thousand times. "Then my mother would demand another trial and it just be an endless cycle and Hermes would still win. It would not be good for the Olympians being pitted against one another." I took a breath. "Willow, I know it happened, but I just want to get over it. Besides, it would cause too much trouble in Olympus." I added. Her ocher eyes appeared watery.
"But, he could have seriously hurt you and he could do it to others." Willow persisted. "No, we are not telling anyone." I stated decisively. This time I squeezed her hand with reassurance. "I am fine. It has been two months since he assaulted me." I continued. Then I saw her look away from me. Her pupils widened in fear. "What is it?" I asked tossing my head to look in her direction. I did not notice at first. It had an airy, misty, translucent appearance. The ghostly figure appeared as a woman, maybe thirty, who was staring at us. Her robes were bloodstained around her pelvis. Even her face was covered in blood splatters. "Have you seen my child? I just gave birth to him." She stepped towards us. "A spirit." Willow whispered to me, but I kept my eyes trained on the spirit walking towards us.
"My baby...I saw him. He was crying and he would not stop. I tried rocking the boy, but he screamed louder. I tried feeding him, but he would not drink. He wailed and wailed. Then it stopped and I saw he on the ground. His neck was twisted and part of his head dented." She whispered. Her eyes flickered with madness. "We have to go." Willow dropped my hand and I heard her walk away, but I could not help but look at this misty figure. I locked my gaze with her. "You killed my child." She said and quickened her pace towards me. "You took him from my arms." She spat. She was a crazed soul, one who escaped the Underworld. Following Willow's lead, I ran deeper into the swamp. I could feel the spirit pursuing by the temperature of the air.
I passed a stagnant pond with lily pads and algae growing on the top. Then I felt the spirit crash into me and I fell. I caught myself with my hands on the clammy ground before I flipped over. Her hands went for my stomach and I felt her fingers rip at my clothes. I kicked my legs, but it was useless as she reached her hands inside my belly. A jagged pain caused me to stop moving. She pulled at my organs, the stomach, intestines, as though she was looking for something. Every movement from her hands rippled with throbbing torture. Why was she doing this? I had not killed her baby and she was dead. I could see the blood flowing over my skin and onto my ivory robes. Drip, drip, drip she flicked her bloodied hands onto me. Blood splattered onto my face. I could not move, but I felt the sensation of her shredding my insides to red ribbons. It was savagely, pure hatred as her fingers played across my stomach.
"Give me my baby." She wailed, drool siding down her jaws like a rabid animal. I screamed. Could a spirit do this? They were dead. Inwardly I winced because if I physically moved I would cause myself more pain. Why was this happening? "He was only a few days. Twisted neck, dented head. You threw him to the ground and murdered him. Why?" The woman screeched, her talons gripping my intestines firmly. They were nothing now. Only shreds of flesh and blood pulsed away from them. My head felt light from the loss of blood. Why...?
Then it stopped. But if she was ripping out my organs then I should be writhing in agony as my body healed. I could move and my hands reached for my belly to see what damage she caused. When I felt the fabric across my torso I looked down and noticed that there was no blood or torn dress. I was safe. Then I turned my eyes towards a large dog. It was biting and consuming the spirit woman. I yelled out in shock. The large golden canine was grinding her to pieces and swallowing her body parts in horrifying manner. He would take off a foot and eat it as it was nothing. I watched him continue this routine partly in awe, another stunned, and the last fear. If he could consume a soul what would he do with a goddess.
"Laelaps, come here." I heard his voice say. My eyes widened in shock and the dog ate the hand if the fingers twitched. I lifted myself up and saw the Northern representative across the bank. Our eyes met and a feeling of security wrapped around me. He stepped down and the water under his body turned to ice with each step he took towards me. Then the light haired man stood in front of me and offered me his hand. I took it without a thought as he said, "It's alright, Little Nymph." I rose to my feet. I came to his shoulder, so I had to look up to meet his face.
The dog barked at us and the man patted his golden head. "What are you doing here? The dog ate that soul and souls are Hades. He would kill you for taking them from him." I said, slightly frustrated with him. He grinned inwardly which made me cock my head to the side. What had I said? "Hades would not do that. I am doing Hades a favor by collecting souls." He said. "You work for Hades?" I asked. I never met Hades, but if this man worked for him, Hades could not be absolutely wicked.
"In a way." He nodded curtly. This man was talking in riddles. "What do you mean?" I asked before he took my left hand and dragged me over to a fallen tree. I flinched slightly. The last time I was with a man he tried to rape me, but this was him. He treated me kindly. I looked at where he held my hand and a chill ran down my spine from the closeness between us. He seemed so familiar and I loved that.
"Let me introduce myself first. I am Kaikias, the northeast wind god." He paused waiting for my reaction. He was not a creature, he was a god. My eyes flew to his face. His pointed features look uncertain and his eyes flash with vulnerably for a split second before they turn back to the solid blue. "Kaikias..." I tested the name on my lips. I lightly squeeze his hand to give him reassurance. "Do you own Hades a favor?" I asked. If he was indebted to Hades maybe I could ask for the price to be revoked. "No. It's just a deal between me and him since I have Laelaps who can catch anything he is supposed to. Hades would make a muck of collecting souls and since I am running all over the place I thought I could help him." Kaikias said. No one talked so brashly about Hades.
"Oh, well, that is kind of you. I heard Hades was a dreadful god and one should not encounter him if they want to keep their life, but if you assist him and he has not murdered you... He cannot be all bad." I mused with a smile. He smiled back with his eyes flickering. Laelaps sat down a few feet away from us and watched the swamp around us. "Anyway, I guess I should tell you who I am." It was only fair, but I did not want to tell him I was a goddess, and he already thought I was a nymph. Plus, if he knew I was Persephone he might go away thinking I am too elevated to see him as something special. "My name is Fern, a nymph." I came up with the name on the spot. "It's a pleasure to know you, Fern." He said as he kissed the hand he was holding. I flinched away remembering Hermes' kissing my neck with his slimy, thin lips.
He dropped my hand within the instant I cringed with confusion in his blue eyes. I missed his cool touch, a constant. "Did I offend you?" He asked, clearly concerned. I bit my lip; it was a habit when I was anxious. "No, I just..." I faltered and did not meet his gaze. "What is it then?" He asked urgently. I said nothing, resisting the wind god's plea. I felt the temperature drop and I shivered. He was a wind god, so he was prone to adjust the temperature to his emotions. Clearly, my actions did not reassure him. I felt goose bumps running down my arm. Laelaps whined and sat up to put his head on my lap. I looked at the hound, his liquid brown eyes seemed to reflect sympathy for me. Almost like he knew why I cringed. I patted the yellow hound on the head as he turned his head to get a better look at me. I stroked his ears and he almost seemed to purr as his back leg thumped against the icy ground.
"A man tried to rape me." I said to the dog. When I talked to Laelaps I knew he would react without judgment. "I thought he was going to teach me how to swim, but I was wrong. He took me to the riverside where he used his lips to lick my ears. It was disgusting. I tried to get away, but he held me close." I took a deep breath of the frigid air as I relived the memory. Hermes gripped my body against his so I could feel his muscle. Just breath, Persephone. I thought to myself. "I told him to stop, but he said I would like it. I resisted though and slammed my hands against him trying to stop him." Tears rolled down my cheeks, but they shifted to ice drops. The temperature plunged as I continued. Laelaps trembled, yet his kind eyes kept staring at me. I was grateful for the hound to talk with. "Then he kissed my lips and I bit him. Blood ran down his lip and he dropped me." I stopped as I shook. I brushed the ice drops from my face and Laelaps whined before nuzzling my lap.
I felt hands grip my shoulders, but the hound growled in warning. The man's hands were concrete, but they were not like Hermes' unyielding arms and actions. Kaikias lifted his hands away from me. "It's fine, Laelaps." I cooed and ran my hand down the crown of his boxy head. "May I touch you, Fern?" I heard the wind god ask politely. Quickly I nodded my head, not meeting his frozen hues. He made me feel secure. His hands went to my shoulders again and pushed my head into his shoulder. He was awkward about touching me now that I told him what happened. I smelled his violet clothes and rubbed my face into his shoulder. It was a mix of fresh water and pine. He said nothing as I nuzzled his shoulder looking for comfort. I moved the rest of my body closer to his. I watched Laelaps look between us and rubbed his floppy ears with one hand and with the other I took Kaikias' hand.
We sat in complete silence in each other's company. Sometimes he squeezed me hand and other times I would. I watched the ice fracture as Laelaps padded across the pond. "I like you, Kaikias. You make me feel safe." I said finally breaking the quiet melody. I looked up to measure his reaction. He stiffened slightly and looked at the ice-covered swamp. Had I said the wrong thing? "You should not flirt with death." He whispered in my ear. He was probably referring to his business with Hades. "Could I see you again?" I asked this time, not bothering to comment on his phrase. More silence.
"Yes." He said as he met my yellow eyes. His light orbs sparked briefly before returning to their stable demeanor. I smiled, the tension between us dissolved. Without a thought, I gave him a swift peck on his icy lips. "When?" I questioned immediately to avoid the strange outburst of affection I showed. "I do not know, but I will figure something out. When you feel this cold of a breeze, go out alone, and I will find you." He replied. I did not want to go out alone again, but I could trust Kaikias.
Author: I am so horrible to Persephone. I was outlining the story in my notebook and I realized how much shit she will deal with. Overbearing mother, sexual assault, delusions with the spirit, and other things to come. I just want to hug her and give her a cold blanket that will remind her of Kaikias.