Part 1: Chapter 4

Ariadne

So there had been someone nearby.

And true to what I had suspected, it was a man.

He stepped out of the forest when I had called out for whoever had called out my name just seconds prior. At first, there had only been the sound of leaves rustling to indicate his presence. In the darkness of the night, he seemed like a tall shadow as he approached me. At first, I thought he must be some sort of evil daemon that had come to torment me, and I felt myself quaking in fear. But I noticed by the sounds of his footsteps that he did not walk with predatory intent. Instead, the sounds of his feet on the sand sounded gentle and careful, as though he seemed partly hesitant to make his presence known while also trying to seem non-threatening.

I held my breath as I waited for this stranger to show his face to me. I stayed where I was on the sand, not making a move to stand up. I wrapped my arms around myself; partly trying to keep me warm against the cold, while partly also to somehow protect myself.

Finally, he was on the edge of the shadows before a streak of moonlight. He stopped all of a sudden, and I could feel his eyes boring into mine, which were wide with caution. I wondered why he stopped instead of continuing to walk towards me, and I guessed that he must be hesitant to show his face. I half-heartedly wanted to see his face. I was worried that he might be some horrendous dark beast that only took a form of a man, but I tried hard to quah those silly fears.

Finally, he stepped into the moonlight, which he was quickly illuminated in and it was then I could see how he looked like.

But the minute I did, I felt like the air in my lungs had escaped from within me when I first set my eyes on the man.

He was absolutely handsome. Even in the darkness of the night and the faint white moonlight, I could see very clearly his beautiful features.

Hair that cascaded in dark waves to his broad shoulders.

Eyes that were dark and looked so smoldering.

A tall, lean and muscular body that was clothed in a single dark-colored chiton.

This man's beauty seemed so divine. I don't think I have ever seen a man in my entire life that was as handsome as him. Even Theseus, who I had so foolishly thought was the complete embodiment of handsome when I had first seen him, seemed plain and average in comparison to the looks of this stranger.

But despite how awe-stricken I was, I still felt fear at the thought that it was a man that had been so near me, and I began to fear for what he might do if his mind was full of… disturbing intentions.

"W-Who are y-you?" I questioned him in a stutter, frozen at where I was as I kept my eyes locked on him.

The man looked at me in contemplation. He did not seem threatening; only curious... or cautious.

"I am just someone who was passing by, Ariadne," the stranger replied.

When I heard his voice, I felt even more awestruck than I was when I first saw him. His voice sounded as beautiful as he looked. Even though it was a voice that every male should have - deep and masculine - it sounded like music that came from the high heavens, completely enchanting and ethereal. Was it even possible for a man to have a voice as beautiful as this stranger's?

"How did you know my name?" I questioned fearfully.

With a shrug, the man answered, "I heard it when you were praying to the deities of Mount Olympus."

Well, isn't this man such a straight-forward one? Although, I will admit that it was quite true.

But all of a sudden, I remembered my prayer; I remembered what I had prayed to the gods for. And that made me wonder about why this man was here.

"Are you going to help me?" I inquired of him.

My question caused a change in his expression. Just a few seconds ago, he had been calm and quite contemplative, with a small smile gracing his lips. But now, he looked even more in contemplation, with his head cocked to the side as he continued to look at me. His smile was gone, but he did not look angered or upset. Maybe just… curious.

"That depends on what you mean by help," he told me quietly.

His answer was strange, for some reason. The way he talked to me was as though he was talking to a friend or an acquaintance, when in truth I was just some complete stranger to him. Or so I thought I was.

For a split second, I wanted to turn to demanding and telling him to help me, wanting to say that I was the Princess of Crete and help should be given if I had asked for it. But before those words could spill out of my lips, I was suddenly reminded of the painful yet real truth that I could no longer be considered a princess.

Now I was a traitor.

I could feel my throat being choked with a new sob, but I hastily swallowed the uncomfortable lump that had formed. I was not willing to break down in front of this handsome stranger. It would have been a very embarrassing sight to see for him.

I let out a tense and shaky breath to calm myself down and try to not break, but it was then I noticed that my actions triggered a new change in the stranger. His beautiful eyes started to look at me with worry as his perfectly-arched eyebrows pulled into a concern frown. At first, I thought that it was just the normal look of concern anyone else might have when they see a person who was looking like they were about to cry.

However, the look of concern on this stranger's face seemed… genuine. As though he really was worried about my state.

I saw his lips parting, indicating that he wanted to say something. But I spoke up first.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

That question had, of course, been plaguing my mind since the very minute I had opened my eyes this afternoon, when I had awaken abandoned on the part of the beach that was by now very far away. I fretted over the thought that I was on an unknown, inhabited island. But now that this stranger was standing right in front of me, I knew then that the island may not be inhabited at all. At that thought, I felt hope filling myself slightly at the thought that I may be able get help on this island.

The man looked deep in thought for a while, as though he was trying to recall what the island we were both on was. That made me assume that this man was not from this island, and I had a worrisome feeling that he may be just as clueless of where he was as I was.

But then, he answered, "The island of Dia. Or Naxos, if you prefer."

I gasped in complete and audible shock and disbelief.

Naxos! I was on Naxos?!

This was absolutely not good for me. By what geography that I had studied from Daedalus when I was younger, the island of Naxos was several hundred miles away from Crete and a few several hundred miles from Athens. And the only nearby islands would require at least two to three days to travel by boat, which even that I had absolute difficulty, because I didn't even have a boat to begin with.

I felt my heart slowly become ridden with fear and anxiety once again. I felt like I was about to break down at the very thought that I was so very far away from home.

But before I could even do so, the stranger's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Ariadne of Crete, what has happened to make you so fearful?"

I didn't realize that I had cast my eyes downwards until the stranger spoke. Gulping down another lump that was about to form in my throat, I looked up to see that the man was now kneeling down to level his eyes with mine. It was then I realized the fact that he was quite tall; even kneeling, he towered over me by a few inches.

Rubbing my arms as an attempt to warm and soothe myself, I quietly replied, "I am no longer 'of Crete', because I had soiled my name so much that it is now shameful to return to the island that had used to be my home. Now, I only feel fearful as I am now on an island which is too far away from Crete and which I have no knowledge of."

I let out a sigh and quietly waited for the stranger's reply.

"What has happened to make you soil your name?" he asked curiously.

All of a sudden, I felt anger wash over me. How dare this stranger just ask me such a question? Did he not know anything about privacy? Especially with those who he had just met? How could he even think to ask such a very personal question of me, who doesn't even know who on Earth he was?

"That is personal," I snapped at him with malice in my voice.

I was amazed by how, in just a few seconds, I had changed from being quiet and shatter to angered and venomous. I was not usually prone to mood-swings, especially fast-changing ones. I could only assume that the stress I had felt during this whole entire day had made me more sensitive than how I usually was.

I was sure that my tone of voice was sure to get him feeling somewhat offended by my rudeness, but it didn't. Instead of looking offended or even a bit bashful for asking me that question, he only smiled.

"How can I help you if I do not know what had happened to you?" he asked me politely.

Unfortunately, his reply only helped to heighten the anger I felt inside. What was previously a small spark was now growing into a small fire that threatened to get bigger by the second. I could feel myself fuming at the thought that he was insolent enough to keep pressing me about that matter instead of just letting it go, even though I had given him a good-enough hint that I didn't want to tell him.

"You don't have to know," I replied angrily, noticing a rise in the volume of my voice. "And you can help by telling me which way is the nearest village, so that I can find real help."

The stranger's eyebrows rose speculatively; the only response to my answer. His smile disappeared to turn into a straight line. For a split second, I could only guess that he finally felt intimidated by me, and I would be glad for that to happen.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not?" I asked, admittedly quite haughtily. "I want to find help as soon as possible."

Slowly, the stranger began to stand up. He did not immediately reply to my question. Instead, he merely turned around. At that moment, I felt fear overtaking me again. I thought that he was about to leave because I had been so openly rude and hostile to him. I immediately began to regret my words, as they may be the reason I lost the only form of help I could get right now.

"Wait… I didn't mean to be so rude…." I said quietly in a pleading tone, my voice losing all its venom and malice and reverting back to the meek and quiet one I held just now. "It's just that… I'm facing problems that I cannot bear right now… I'm completely stressed and exhausted… I'm on an island that I don't even know so much about, and I'm completely alone… Just… Please… I could really use a lot of help right now…"

The man kept quiet and only turned his head to look at me over his shoulder. I noticed that in his dark eyes was tension, but it slowly softened into one of gentleness. The man sighed and extended a hand to gesture to the forest in front of me.

"I'm afraid that the nearest village is all the way on the other side of the island," he informed me. "That would take you about a few days to get there by foot. But the forests on this island are too dense and large for you to find your way across without professional help. What's more, there are dangerous creatures prowling around in there."

Hearing that, my heart sank in pain. What the man said was truly disheartening. Even if this island wasn't inhabited, I still couldn't get help because I was too far away from the closest help I could get. That only made my situation even more difficult, and I could feel my throat clenching as fresh new sadness threatened to control me.

Trying to hold back tears, I asked in a strained voice, "Then what am I to do? I am cold, hungry and exhausted. I don't even know my way around here." Looking up at the stranger, I pleaded, "Please, sir. Send help for me. I will forever be in your gratitude if you do."

All of a sudden, the man's eyes began to take on a look of hesitance. Was he hesitating at the thought of sending me help? I don't know, but I really hope not. This man was the only possible help I could get right now, but I could only hope that he was willing to give it to me.

In a low voice, he told me, "You can rest here for the time being. You wouldn't be able to find any good shelter at this time, where darkness covers everywhere. Try to hold back your hunger until morning; you would be able to find some fruits."

And then, finally turning around to face me, he said, "I must depart right now, but I will come back the next day. In the meantime, please do stay safe."

This man's words right now made me feel strange. Now, he sounded so mysterious and elusive, as though he was trying not to expose too much of himself right now. And the way he told me that he would come back made me feel anxious at the thought of seeing him once again.

But before I could say anything, he was suddenly walking back into the forest. At the sight of him leaving, my heart started racing at the thought that I will be alone once again.

"Wait! Can you please take me with you?" I asked him pleadingly, not wanting to be alone on this lonely and empty beach. I know that I was risking danger by asking to go with a man that was a complete stranger to me, but it was better that than being by myself.

The man stopped in his tracks, and I could hear him sigh lowly. Turning his head slightly to look at me over his shoulder from the corner of his eye, he replied with a pitiful look in his eye, "I am sorry, Ariadne. But I truly cannot. Where I am heading back to is not something that someone like you should see."

My heart starting stammering even more and I was so very sure that I was about to cry and beg him to not leave me alone. But before I could do that, he continued on.

"Do not worry, Ariadne. You have prayed to the deities of Mount Olympus with earnest of your heart. A god among the council has heard you, and he will make sure that you stay safe."

Suddenly, I felt even stranger at his words. What did he mean by that? How could he possibly be sure that what he had said was true? There was no way he could.

Unless…

"Who are you?" I asked quietly and hesitantly. It was the very first question I had asked him when he had emerged out of the forest, but he didn't give me a definite answer; he only told me that he was just someone who was passing by. I was then suddenly very aware of the fact that I had not known his name since first seeing him. I felt dumb to not do so; I had been speaking to this man for the past few minutes without even knowing his name.

In the darkness and the faint moonlight, I could make out a smirk forming on the corner of his lips.

In a kind voice, he replied, "I am a friend."

Without another word, he walked back into the forest, finally leaving me by myself.

I thought at that moment that I would once again be ridden with fear at the thought of being alone on this empty beach on the vast island of Naxos. But for some reason, I wasn't.

Because something in that man's words made me feel sure that I will be safe.

Dionysus

After leaving her, I returned to the campsite. When I had returned, nearly everyone was under the influence of wine and had now entered complete drunken stupor. Everyone was screaming with ecstasy, singing at the top of their lungs, dancing wildly, copulating frenziedly, and drinking even more wine with intent.

Everyone was too far drunk to notice that I was not as drunk as them. Some had come to me to ask me to dance and drink with them. I accepted graciously, but I did not enter the drunken haze. I was too immersed in my thoughts of Ariadne.

I remembered the fear and anxiety in her eyes when she saw me approaching her in the shadows, which then turned into a look of awe and amazement when she finally saw what I looked like in the moonlight. But despite that, she still talked to me with uncertainty clear in her voice.

I remembered the way she snapped at me when I had asked her about what had happened to her. That is personal. she told me in a sudden angered voice. When I tried to press her, she retorted with clear malice, You don't have to know.

When I had stood up to survey the forest, she must have taken it as me leaving. She returned to being the nervous and fearful girl I had watched and even asked me to give her help. I didn't directly summon help from her, even if I could. Instead, I felt that I myself wanted to help her, while also maybe try to get the story of what had happened to her.

But what I mostly remembered was the question she had asked me before I departed.

Who are you?

I did not know why exactly I did not just tell Ariadne my name. I did not know why exactly I did not just tell her who I really was. I did not know why exactly I did not just tell her that I was a god; one of the Olympian deities who she had prayed to for help.

Some part of me told me that I should have told her, so to assure her that her prayers had been answered and that I would be willing to give her the aid she needed. Damn, I might even be able to bring her back to her Crete homeland in the blink of an eye. And if ever I felt like it, I could always ask her to repay the 'favor'.

But for some reason, I kept that truth from her, and I knew why. It was because I felt that if I had told her that I was a god, she would expect me to help her straight away, without time for anything else. No, that was not what I wanted. What I wanted was to tend to her carefully, like any concern mortal would be. This was because it was so crystal clear that she was in a really fragile state of mind. To force her to go through the rush of things without allowing her time to think might only worsen her situation, and I was not willing to risk that.

What's more, I wanted to get to know Ariadne. I wanted to get to know this mortal girl that had invaded my mind and had left a deep impression in my thoughts, to the point where I would be distracted just by thinking of her. I wanted to know who she was, and what had happened to her. I really did want to know what had happened that had led to her possible abandonment by the man named Theseus?

I knew from experience that someone like her wouldn't be as honest to a god as she would to a mortal that seemed sincere to her. So to gain my chance of getting to know her better, I hid the truth about my true identity.

I was determined to get to know her, no matter how long it may take.

Author's Note:

Well, not a really loving first meeting, what with Ariadne being pissy for a while, but still alright, yes?

Dionysus here wants to know our Ariadne, and he's willing to keep his true identity a secret from her just so that he could do that! But how long will the charade keep up!

Anyway, I want to play a game with you guys. Recently, my brother and I discussed who would be the most badass gods in the Greek pantheon. I would say Hades, Artemis and Ares (don't know why), and maybe even Dionysus since he's usually badass when he's drunk. But what about you guys?

So anyway, until Friday! Wonder what's going to happen next?

Muse of Fanfiction