Magnificently Muddled

Psyche

"So…are you going to tell me where you are taking me?" I glanced at the man. The hood of the car was down and I was enjoying the feel of the wind against my face. We'd been driving for about an hour through dry arid desert. I had no clue where we were. There were no landmarks and we hadn't come across any road signs or anywhere remotely populated.

"All in good time babydoll," he said, tapping his fingers in time with James Hetfield's singing.

I learned that the man had a taste for Metallica, AC/DC and Bon Jovi. I didn't mind though. He was decent guy, who didn't stare at me like I was a billion dollar diamond.

I huffed in frustration and said, "Can you tell me who you are?"

"You don't know?" he asked, flashing a sharp grin at me.

I frowned, puzzled, "Should I know you?"

He sighed, a little irritated crease between his eyebrows, "I'll give you a clue: Wind."

I thought about it for a moment before it clicked, "Oh! Are you a god?"

He nodded with that same irritated crease between his brows.

"Zephyrus, God of the West Wind?" I tried.

Again, another nod.

I instantly shrank back from him and bowed my head, sparks of fear filling my gut. "I'm so sorry my lord. I did not realise. I did not think you would take a human form. Please forgive me."

"You're forgiven," he said, "No need to grovel."

I raised my head, staring at him through my lashes, still afraid of looking directly at him.

He raised his eyebrow at me and chuckled, "There's no need to treat me differently just because you know what I am, babydoll. You're quite adorable in your mortal self."

I raised my head and smiled tentatively at him, "Uhm… thank you…for everything."

He grinned, "You're welcome babydoll."

"Who sent you?" I asked, resuming my position of before.

"Can't tell you that babydoll. He was very specific about not telling you who he was. He wants you to get to know him as he who he is not what he is."

"Wherever I'm going: it sounds permanent," I said, worry sparking in my voice.

Zephyrus didn't answer, another frown marring his face, "To be honest, I don't know, it depends how long it takes. He might want you to stay for a few weeks or for forever. There's no way of knowing with him."

"What about my family? My friends?" I asked, "Some of them will be worrying about me."

"Don't worry your pretty little head about that babydoll. Everything's getting sorted."

I scowled, "My head is not little."

He cocked his eyebrow at me, "He's going to have fun with you."

"Who is he?" I sprung the question on him again, hoping for a different answer.

"Not going to work babydoll," Zephyrus said.

I grumbled under my breath a few choicey swearwords. He chuckled and turned the radio up, nodding his head to some guy screaming.

I grimaced and stared out over the desert pushing my fluttering hair back from my face.

The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence. I must have fallen asleep at one point because one minute we were in the middle of dusty nowhere and the next we were driving through an afternoon forest. The green leaves covered the fiery purple sky above us. The trees swirled with wind as we past them, almost coming alive. It was warm though, almost humid. Over the purr of the engine I heard the sounds of the forest, the hissing of the cicadas and the singing of the birds.

"We're nearly there," Zephyrus said quietly.

"Right," I said, stretching luxuriously in my seat. "Are you still not telling me where we are?"

"We're in an oasis. That's all I'm telling you," he said, "smack dab in the middle of the desert."

"Away from any sort of civilisation. Brilliant," I muttered, "You lied when you said that there would be a better place to escape to."

He snorted, "Babydoll, I'm a god. I'm not known for my honest and generous nature."

I didn't know how to reply to that. I didn't want to push any buttons. He was a god after all. They weren't known for their predictability.

"Here we are," Zephyrus said, stopping by a huge stonewall with a wrought iron gate. Past the gate I saw a garden, glowing in the light of the afternoon sun. The colours seemed bright, vivid, beautiful. The scents were amazing too, sweet and spicy all at the same time. It drew me in, inviting me to step inside. My skin prickled and I gripped my seat, stopping myself from running towards the gates.

"What you waiting for babydoll? This place has been waiting for you. Go right ahead," Zephyrus grinned at me, "It was nice meetin' ya. Hope I'll see you soon."

I paused before opening my door, "Thank you. I hope I see you soon too. You're strangely nice for a god."

He laughed, the blue streak glinting in his hair, "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult."

"Take it as a compliment," I said smiling as I got out the car, "Be safe."

"I should be saying that to you babydoll," he said, as I reached the gates.

He was gone before I could reply, leaving me alone next to the gates. I bit my lip and turned towards them. I brushed my fingers against the metal and it melted away, allowing me access to the stunning garden. I walked across slate pavements, the stone feeling warm under my toes. The square flowerbeds were flowing with flowers of every type. The trees were lush with green foliage, clematis crawling up the tree trunks. There was a fountain to my left, the water making tinkling music that was soothing to the ears. I followed the pathways marvelling in the lushness of it all, until I came across a marble palace.

Wide marble steps led up to white columns veined with black, which dominated the front of the building, supporting an ornate triangular roof. Behind the columns and at the centre of the front of the building was an entranceway. Once I reached the top of the steps, I saw that this entranceway led to a courtyard with another sparkling fountain. There was set of wrought iron table and chairs next to this fountain, set with fruit, bread, meats and water. Suddenly ravenous, I sped towards the food. Sitting down I grabbed the nearest bread roll I tore into it with my teeth and moaned with satisfaction. It was warm, moist and slightly salty. I began to grab anything in sight, eating as much as I could. I was just so hungry.

It was all delicious, of course. The fruit was sweet, the meats tender, the water was fresh. I wondered if this was another form of the Elysian Fields. It had to be, this place was too perfect to be anything else. Maybe I died of dehydration, hallucinated about being in a car with the God of the West Wind and just didn't remember Hades sorting me into the Fields. Well, at least the death wasn't painful. I might as well make the most of it.

After I was full I found myself yearning for a bath. I felt all seven kinds of grimy.

My eyes suddenly caught out of the corner of my eye to the right another open entryway to a room. There was a large brass bathtub with steaming water rising from the surface, the water gleaming in the sunlight. I got up and padded through, entering what appeared to be a bedroom. There was a four-poster bed with white gauzy hangings floating around the white bedspread. The bedroom was open to the outside, the pillars continuing on the opposite side of the room, the garden spread out beyond them. The floor was tiled with black and white slabs of stone, feeling smooth under my feet. The walls were stunning. Intricate mosaics of a paradise surrounded me, with wild colours that drew the eye.

I treaded towards the bath and dipped my fingers into the water. It was wonderfully hot, smelt of honeysuckle and looked too tempting to wait any longer. Stripping my sticky nightie off, I sank into the bath, sighing as the warm water lapped against my skin. I sat in the water with my eyes closed for a moment, enjoying the feeling, before wishing I had soap to clean myself. Opening my eyes I saw the round white bar of soap, sitting on the side of the bath. I frowned. It hadn't been there before.

Shrugging, making the water ripple, I took the soap and began to wash my body. It smelt of apples and I smiled at the nice scents that were wafting around me. I stayed in that bath until my skin began to prune. The water didn't even turn cold though. It always remained comfortably warm.

I got out the bath and found a towel neatly folded on an iron chair. I dried myself with it and turned to the bed to find a pretty summer dress, the colour of grass, with gold sandals, lying on the white bedspread.

Someone must be here, lying out all of this stuff for me while I wasn't looking, "Hullo? Anyone here?" I called out for good measure.

The only answer I got was my own echo.

Frowning, I picked up the dress and put it on, pushing my feet into the sandals. It was getting close to sunset now and I used the dwindling light to capture my hair into a bun, using the full-length mirror in the corner of the room. I walked back out into the courtyard again, now lit with softly glowing lamps.

What was this place? I was beginning to doubt that this was the Elysian Fields. There was no one about. It was too quiet. I had to consider the possibility that maybe I wasn't dead, maybe I was still alive and was in an earthly form of Utopia. I scanned the courtyard, wanting to know more about this place.

I saw several more entryways around the courtyard and hurried towards them, beginning to explore this place. I found a library, a room with a large pool in the floor and a balcony that over looked the splendour of the garden. They were all beautiful rooms that seemed to glow in my presence.

Who would do this for me? Who would go to the trouble of making an entire palace for me? I'd had extravagant gifts before. The Prince of Monaco sent me a diadem made of white gold, sapphires and diamonds the size of duck eggs. But nothing like this. It was so evident that this place was tailored to me and me alone. Taking a closer look at the books in the library, I found most of my favourite books stacked in the ornate shelves. I found an old fashioned record player tucked away in the corner of the courtyard, with a whole box of my favourite music records.

Someone knew me very well. Part of me was rightfully horrified (had I been stalked?) but another was strangely pleased by the idea someone cared that much for me.

I eventually settled in the balcony room, sitting on one of the benches, using the light of the setting sun to read The Importance of Being Earnest. Just as the last rays of the sun disappeared over the crest of the horizon, a voice rang out from behind me, strong yet beautiful.

"Don't turn around."

Eros

She sat perfectly still, a silhouette against the navy sky. Her fingers trembled around the pages of the book she was reading and I heard her gulp audibly. "Why?" she asked, tremors skittering through her voice.

This was the first time she had spoken to me and she was afraid. The idea was repulsive to me, loathsome. I didn't want her to be afraid of me, I wanted her to crave me, to be overjoyed in my presence. "Don't be afraid," I murmured, stepping towards her, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just don't want you to see me." I tightened my wings into my back, not wanting them to get in the way.

"Why?" she asked again, closing her book and setting it on the seat next to her.

"Because I don't want my identity to ruin things," I said simply. I brushed my fingers across the back of her neck. She shivered and imperceptibly leaned into my touch. I grinned before pulling out the silk black blindfold, "I'm going to put a blindfold on you. Don't be alarmed. It will be this way every time we meet. You must not see who I am."

There was a pause before: "You're into kinky sex aren't you? Because I should tell you now, you try that crap with me, and I don't care who you are, I'll make your life unpleasant."

I laughed, lifting the silk to her eyes and binding it around her fragile skull. She didn't resist but her posture stiffened as her world went dark. "I can assure you, I'm not into 'kinky sex' as you put it."

"I don't like not being able to see," she said petulantly, "This is ridiculous."

"Hush sweetheart. You're awfully calm for someone who's been kidnapped," I moved around to the front of her, then crouching by her feet. I was disappointed I couldn't see her eyes but she was still just as beautiful without them. Her blue-black hair still escaped from her bun in riotous curls, her pink lips set into a perfect little pout, the green of her dress making her skin glow. Her breasts were still just as full as he remembered, her waist just as small. My desire to take her grew with every second and I fisted my hands by my side. I knew she didn't love me as much as I did her. I had to be patient, coax her love out of her heart.

She snorted, "Kidnappers don't go to such lengths as to make sure their captives are comfortable. You're not going to hurt me."

I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and then took her hands, "That's my girl. I'm going to help you stand ok?"

She huffed and muttered, "This is just bloody ridiculous. What am I supposed to call you if I can't know your real name? I suppose you must know mine, since you know what my favourite books and music are."

I continued to smile. Psyche was beautiful, funny and smart. "I don't know…anything you want sweetheart."

"Hmm…" she said, as I carefully led her away from the balcony, "I feel like I know you so…I'll call you Alex. Alex is the name of this boy I used to know in nursery. We were good friends until he moved away…you're not him are you? Because if you are Alex…this totally isn't funny."

"No, I'm not Alex. Alex sounds like a good name though," I said, as we entered the courtyard, "Careful, you're coming close to some steps."

She grimaced, a little crease appearing between her brows, "I don't want to fall."

"That can be easily prevented," I whispered in her ear before swiping her legs out from underneath her and grabbing her waist as she fell.

She squealed, her arms instinctively wrapping around my neck. She pressed her warm mortal body close, breathing heavily with shock. The mixture of her scent and her warmth made my desire burn hotly and I bit back a groan. "Bloody hell!" she gasped, "You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry sweetheart," I murmured, kissing her temple, "But the only falling I'll let you do is into my arms."

She was awfully quiet for a moment, as I walked towards table and chairs in the courtyard. "Why are you doing this? Who are you? What do you want from me? Is it my beauty? Is it my family's blood? My family's money? What do you want?"

The pain in her voice stabbed in a place that did not use to feel. She was more broken than she appeared to be. "I want your company. Your affection. Your smile. Your laugh. Your happiness. Your trust. That's all I want. Nothing else matters."

Her breath hitched and in the darkness I saw her tentative smile. "And there it is," I whispered, "Your smile." I kissed the corner of her mouth and set her on one of the chairs in the centre of the courtyard.

"So… how often will you come then?" she asked, her voice quavering slightly.

"Every night, from dusk till dawn," I said, sitting opposite her.

"For how long?" she asked.

"For as long as it takes," I replied.

"When will I get to see what you look like?" she asked, she waved her hands towards me, obviously trying to touch my face. I took her wrists and set her hands on the table before taking her fingers in mine own.

"When I feel that you are ready to know who I am," I said, stroking back her hair, "Until then, we'll just have to get to know each other won't we?"

"What about my family? My friends?" she asked, voice trembling again.

I paused, wondering how I would put this, "Sweetheart, I mean this with all delicacy, but do you think, judging by the way your family has treated you, that they care?"

I expected the slap. She somehow managed to know where my face was. Being immortal, it had little effect on me. I think it hurt her more than it hurt me. With a sharp intake of breath she recoiled her hand, massaging it with her other one, "What are you made of?" she asked, "Marble? Granite? Diamond? That bloody hurt!"

I laughed and took her hand, kissing her palm and her fingers, "Better?"

"Strangely…yes," she muttered, taking her hand back, "but don't you ever talk about my family in that way again."

"Of course, I'm sorry," I murmured, "I know it must be hard."

"You have no idea," she said, a look of resignation on her face.

To change the subject, I asked, "You like this place?"

She nodded, "Its pretty uhm…nice. Is there anyone else here apart from me?'

"No, only you. Your every whim will be served to though. Whatever you want, it will appear," I stroked her hair back.

"That's cool…can't you tell something about yourself? I don't know anything about you."

"Well, if you insist…" I said and began to talk, telling her about my childhood. I didn't use names and omitted a few details of course, but I told her of my four other brothers and how we would play in the fields. About the many pranks I would play on my family. She listened with a quiet attentiveness, clearly absorbing everything I said.

I couldn't stop touching her. I would either hold her hand or stroke her hair or cup her face. I had to be in constant contact, each touch grounding me just that little bit more.

I began to notice when Psyche's head was beginning to droop to one side and I could tell she was fighting the need to fall asleep. It had been a long day for her.

I got up and gathered her in my arms again. She mumbled something but it was inaudible to me. She snuggled deeper into my arms and sighed, her head heavy on my shoulder. Her smell of apples and honeysuckle intensified and I had to steady myself before I did something stupid. I wasn't going to force anything on her. Otherwise I could forget about her falling in love with me naturally.

I carried her to the bedroom and set her under the sheets. She sighed again in satisfaction and mumbled a 'thank you' before drifting off.

I pulled a chair up next to the bed and happily watched her sleep until dawn's fingers began to thread the sky.

I cursed Helios under my breath and got up, getting ready to leave. Psyche was still sleeping, her face glowing in the morning light. I untied her blindfold before pressing my lips to her lips, "Sleep well, sweetheart. Until tonight."

I tore myself away before I changed my mind about leaving. I ran out to the garden and took off in the morning air, feeling jubilant.

Life now made sense.

Ok, I know Eros and Psyche are supposed to do it the first night they meet but that wouldn't have fit with the characters I have. Psyche is stronger here than in the mythology. I thought that the girl who would later become the goddess of the soul would be strong. Trust me, she won't stand for that kind of chauvinistic shit. My feminist side is having a ball, as is my side that should write for Mills and Boon. It's a really weird combination.

Any thoughts? Love to hear from you!

Emily