Part 1: Chapter 5
Dionysus
True to what I had promised her, I returned to the beach the next day, just a few minutes after the sun had risen.
But when I had arrived, I saw that she was still asleep. She had slept under a palm tree on the outskirts of the forest, her arms wrapped around herself to keep her warm as her head and back rested against the trunk. Her hair was messy around her face, with a few stray blonde strands strewn over her forehead.
From where I stood, just about ten feet away from her, I couldn't help but stop and gaze at her. It would be a lie to say that she was not beautiful. She was beautiful. Even more beautiful than some of the most beautiful Maenads I have come across. Seeing her at peace within her sleep had helped to wipe away any signs of fear and anxiety that her façade showed clearly the night before.
Not wanting to wake her up from her deep sleep, I decided to just roam around the forest; not too near to her, but close enough for me to watch out for her. As I walked lazily among the trees, a leopard with a tawny-colored coat marked with black spots appeared out of the green. She took a look at me for a while with her shining light brown eyes before coming closer to caress my leg with her head.
"Hello there," I greeted her with a scratch to her head. "This is quite a good morning to be out and about in your lovely forest, isn't it?"
The leopard responded by purring appreciatively as I continued to scratch the scruff of its neck.
Speaking of forests, I began to think of Ariadne. How was she going to be able to handle being her on this side of Naxos, where the only thing keeping her away from the help she needed was the vast, large and very dense forest? Judging by her character, I could tell that she was not the type to know anything about forests, much less how to survive in them. I bet that if she were to venture into the forest to get to help on harsh impulse and without a single thought, she would not be able to last an entire day, as she was sure to get lost, or perish from eating a poisonous wild berry, or have her life at stake if she were to come across a wild carnivorous animal like the leopard that was wound around my legs.
I know that I cannot be there to protect her all the time, which was why I needed another to do so in my absence. Most probably someone who knew a forest very well like the back of their hand. Someone who could tame wild beasts and who was brave and courageous in the perils of the wild.
And that's when it hit me. I knew the right person to call.
Without wasting another second, I took a deep breath and summoned my intended.
"Great Goddess of the Hunt! Mistress of the Wilds and the Queen of Beasts! I call for you, and I await your arrival!"
The minute I finished my words, my call was answered.
She appeared in an aura of bright silver right before my very eyes. She was a vision of ethereal beauty; true and pure, distinguished in her enchanting and enticing features. Her dark hair of black and dark brown cascaded in waves to the half of her back, framing her beautiful face perfectly. Her eyes were midnight blue, the exact color of the dark night sky, and were so hypnotizing that I could not look away.
But the way she presented herself made clear the fact that she was no meek doe. She stood tall and firm with an air of power. Her beautiful eyes showed that she was confident and fearless. Equipped with an archery bow made of pure silver strapped to her back and a leather quiver of shafts of pure silver arrows slung on her left shoulder, it only made it clearer that she too was dangerous.
I smiled when the goddess appeared at my call, and bowed deeply.
"Beautiful Artemis, I bid you welcome," I greeted heartily to my older half-sister, Artemis.
It's been a long time since I had seen her. Artemis was still as beautiful as I remembered. I will admit that when I had first started living on Mount Olympus, she had been one of the many objects of my desire. One of the most desired ones, might I add. I knew very well that I was not the only god to have been under the spell of her beauty. However, she was a sworn virgin goddess, and she was very protective of her maidenhood. So protective that I have heard tales of her murdering unfortunate men who tried in vain to invite her to their beds. Her punishments were so severe that I knew that I shouldn't be taking any chances. Besides, her younger twin brother, my older half-brother Apollo, was also so protective of her that if any man dared to touch her without her permission, he made sure that, if they were not put to death, the rest of their lives were spent in complete misery.
She was quick in response. "Dionysus. What is the meaning of this?" she questioned with a frown. "You have never summoned me before, so why now?"
Taking a look around the forest, I told her, "I wish to ask for a favor."
Hearing my words, her frown deepened and she eyed me with suspicion. That was quite usual 'Artemis' behavior She was one of those very cautious sorts of people.
"And what exactly would this 'favor' be?" she questioned me as she folded her arms, her eyes continuing to look at me suspiciously. "Do know, Dionysus, that I am not one to easily take favors, unless you are able to convince me."
At that moment, I hadn't really thought this through. I cursed myself internally, scolding myself for not having a few minutes to at least think before I summoned her. But I could do nothing about that now. She was here and I needed to take my chances.
Silently, I gestured for her to follow me. Artemis remained suspicious, but she followed me nonetheless, stopping only to give the leopard a scratch to her scruff.
Pulling back a few leafy branches, I finally caught sight of Ariadne. She was still asleep under the palm tree, only now on her side instead of her back. Her arms were still wrapped around her frame.
"See that girl?" I asked Artemis as I gestured a hand in the direction of Ariadne.
Artemis looked over to where I was pointing. "Yes, I do," she replied nonchalantly. "Who is this mortal girl, Dionysus? A lover of yours?"
Immediately, I shook my head. "No," I replied just as immediately.
At my answer, Artemis only raised her eyebrow incredulously, clearly not believing me. Typical Artemis; ever the skeptic.
"She is not a lover of mine," I told her firmly. "Her name is Ariadne, and she is from Crete. She seemed to have been abandoned here on this island, and she has no idea where to go or what to do."
As I explained to her, Artemis looked at Ariadne with a scrutinizing gaze. She looked at the sleeping mortal girl with so much concentration that her focus seemed to be very firm and unwavering.
Deciding that her silence was too eerie, I decided to break it. With a deep breath, I told her, "This is the favor I wish to ask of you…"
But before I could continue, Artemis cut me off suddenly by saying, "She is no virgin."
Immediately, the words on my tongue disappeared as I became distracted with that new piece of fact.
"How did you…."
Before I could finish my question, Artemis cut me off again. "I can smell the scent of a man on her. It is not fresh, but it is quite strong," she told me knowingly. She then inhaled a bit of air, before wrinkling her nose in what could only be disgust. "She was tainted not too long ago. Maybe a few weeks before. But still, she reeks of a man."
Hearing that Ariadne was not a virgin certainly made me shock. She did not seem to look like she had been deflowered. Alright, she did not look to be a young girl anymore, but she still did not look like a woman; probably somewhere in between, still in the process of leaving girlhood and entering womanhood. Then again, Artemis did say that Ariadne may have lost her virginity shortly before, which may be why she did not look to be… experienced.
Suddenly, my curiosity flared again as a new thought popped up into my mind. What if Theseus was Ariadne's lover? That was one possibility. And if that new assumption was correct, then I truly wonder why would Theseus abandon her on Naxos? Was it because he had reason, or because he had simply grown bored of her?
"What favor do you wish to ask of me that involves a non-virgin?" Artemis questioned me abruptly, breaking me out of my thoughts.
As my mind cleared away the new crowding thoughts in an instant, I replied solemnly, "You are the only one I know who can help me with her."
When I said that, Artemis' eyes widened as though I had told her the most offending sentence in the world.
"I cannot help a tainted girl," she responded in disbelief and outrage. "I am a patroness of maidens, and this girl – this Ariadne – is no longer a maiden. She had chosen to fall under the powers of Aphrodite, and is now supposedly under Hera's patronage. I cannot do anything to protect her now."
Hearing that made my throat dry with uncertainty. What Artemis said was true; Ariadne was no longer under her care. But I cannot go to Hera, who would be her de facto Goddess, since I was very sure that the Queen still hated me with every single ounce of ichor in her body. Neither could I seek help from Aphrodite, who only held patronage over lovers. Artemis was the closest person I know that I could seek help from.
"If not your help as the Goddess of Maidens, then help her as the Goddess of the Wild," I responded quickly, without much thought.
My words caused a change in Artemis' expression. When she had been outraged a few seconds ago, she was in confusion now.
"What do you mean by that?" she inquired, her voice guarded.
I let out a sigh of relief that I still might have a chance to convince her otherwise. Taking a deep breath to steady my voice, I told her, "Ariadne has no choice but to stay on this island until she can find help in some way. This island is a vast majority of forests, which you solely own and rule as its Queen. I only seek your understanding and willingness to at least offer her protection from the dangers that dwell within the wild. If you want, I can ask her to give offerings to you to repay you. I too will also make sure that she does nothing to harm your wilderness and your beasts."
I could see contemplation in Artemis' dark blue eyes as she listened to me. Looking away from me to look back at the still-sleeping Ariadne, I can tell that she was trying to make a decision. I felt even more relieved in the heart at the thought that I may have been able to convince her just yet.
Finally, Artemis broke out of her silence and sighed. I tensed, waiting for her answer.
Looking back at me, she told me, "I will have to see for myself if she is worthy of my protection."
Ariadne
When I felt myself waking up, I felt softness on my back and the warmth of two arms wrapped around my frame. I felt something hard and strong behind me and a breath washing over my face. I then slowly opened my eyes, knowing that the first thing I would see would be the still-sleeping face of Theseus.
However, I was completely wrong.
Instead of the softness of pillowed sleeping mats on my back, it was really the softness of sand. Instead of the two strong arms of my lover wrapped around me, it was actually my own two arms. Instead of the hard and strong chest of my lover on my back, it was actually the trunk of a palm tree. Instead of the warm breath of my lover washing over my face, it was actually a warm morning breeze.
When I sat up, feeling completely dazed and confused, I realized then that I was still on the beach.
I felt my heart shatter as I remembered then that I had truly been abandoned on the island of Naxos by the one I had thought would be the love of my life. It was no nightmare in my sleep. It truly and horrifyingly did happen.
Bringing myself to sit, I drew my knees to my chest and hugged my legs, resting my chin on them as I gazed out at the sea. For a moment, I thought that I might break down into tears again, but I found that I could not. I realized that I had cried myself dry from the previous day, and the feeling I experienced now was a slight burning at the back of my eyes.
I let out a long low sigh, too exhausted from the day before to exert myself into more anger and sorrow. I knew now that I had to face facts that I was stuck on Naxos and I would not be receiving any form of help anytime soon, except for the stranger from last night.
Suddenly, I began to think about that stranger. I remembered clearly how he looked and how he sounded like. I mean, how could I not? The perfection in both his looks and voice was not something that could easily be forgotten. It had etched itself very clearly and definite into my mind.
But something still lingered in my mind about him. Mostly, it was the question of who he was. For some reason, I had a feeling that he was no human; what sort of human could have such ethereal beauty and voice? No, he felt as though he was a being crafted by the hands of the great gods themselves, and then sent to me as a sign that they had heard my prayers and were willing to answer it.
But for some reason, I couldn't help but think that he too may be… a god.
Before I could ponder more on that possibility, I snapped myself out of my thoughts. How could I think of him as a god? Gods do not easily come to mortals, nor do they make their presences known so directly. Gods had better things to do than spare a few moments for a lowly mortal such as myself, unless it had been with intentions of their own.
However, so engrossed was I with thoughts of the gods and the mysterious stranger, that I jumped when I heard something.
"Hello there."
It was a voice, and when I first heard it, I thought it was the sound of beautiful and heavenly music being played on golden instruments, or soft clear water flowing gently from a silver cup, or a drop of nectar rolling down a soft flower petal, or the beautiful chirping melody of tiny birds when the sun had first risen.
In simple words, the voice was absolutely beautiful.
However, the voice to send a jolt to my heart, and it was because I could not believe it.
I was hearing a voice. A voice!
Before I could get over my overwhelming shock, the voice continued on.
"Who might you be?"
Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I slowly turned my head in the direction of the voice. The more my faced inched to the side, the more I prayed in my heart that the voice I was hearing was no illusion, and that there was someone there.
Thank Mount Olympus and the deities who inhabit it that there was really someone there.
But the minute I laid eyes on whoever it was, I felt my heart skip several beats.
The person standing in front of me was a young woman, who looked only a few years older than me, and who was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.
Now, I have seen many women who were considered beautiful in the court of the Kingdom of Crete, but none could ever be worthy of being a competition to the woman standing right in front of me. She seemed too beautiful to be real. I have never seen such beauty in my entire life.
The woman donned a long and fitting white robe that completely covered yet slightly emphasized her slim and slender figure. Her robe had a white hood which was pulled up over her head, but flowing out of it was her long dark hair that fell in waves of streaks of dark black and brown to just below her breasts. In the shadow made by her hood, I could see her pair of eyes that were in the most exquisite shade of dark blue and were framed by beautiful thick dark lashes, looking at me with curiosity.
Immediately, I felt a pang of jealousy as I gazed in awe at her extraordinary beauty. This was quite a norm for me to feel around women who I thought to be more beautiful than me. It made me feel intimidated and less beautiful than I supposed I was.
As I continued to stare at the beautiful stranger, she spoke to me once again in her melodious voice.
"Can you speak?" she asked with a soft smile and a raised eyebrow.
Realizing that I had been staring at her wordlessly for quite a long time now, I snapped out of my daze and cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment.
"Yes, I can," I told her shyly, my hair – yet to be tamed – shielding my face from the woman's view. "Who… Who are you?" I asked.
Taking small steps closer to me, she replied, "I will not tell you my real name; that is what I wish to keep to myself. But if you wish to refer me by one, then you may call me Cynthia, young Ariadne."
"How did you know my name?" I abruptly questioned, feeling shocked by the fact that she had known my name although I have yet to introduce myself to her.
The woman – Cynthia, she had called herself – only smiled wider and then, with both hands, she gestured gently to the forests nearby.
"The wildlands watches you, and I watch the wildlands. So, indirectly, I watch you," she explained gently. "But yet, I only know of your name and your predicament here. But I do not know of your story. Like what had you here on the island of Naxos in the first place. Have you been abandoned?"
I felt myself be taken aback by her question. At that moment, I was reminded of how the stranger had asked me such a direct question in the first place. I recalled clearly how I had shouted at him, angry that he dared to ask me such a personal question even though he had only known me for a few seconds.
For a split second, I wanted to lash out on Cynthia the same way I lashed out at the stranger. But I held myself back immediately. This woman had been kind to me so far, and she had done nothing to insult me (except by being more beautiful than me, but that's too insignificant a problem). So I did not see reason for me to be angry at her. Besides, I also did not want to risk getting on her bad side, out of fear that I might lose her like how I nearly lost the stranger last night.
"I… You see…" I tried to begin, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Partly because it was still personal and I felt uncomfortable about telling it to a complete stranger despite how kind they are, and partly because I was afraid that I might break again just by speaking about it.
With a heavy sigh, I whispered, "It's a long story… But I will tell you that I got into this mess by being foolish and trusting the wrong person…"
I looked down at the sand again as I felt tears beginning to burn the back of my eyes. But I slowly took deep breaths to prevent it from falling. I did not want to cry now; I was too exhausted to do it again.
"I can only hope that the gods would be able to hear my prayers," I told her in a whisper. "I'll do whatever it takes to help me move on from my mistakes."
All of a sudden, an open hand appeared slowly in front of me. I looked up to see that Cynthia was now standing in front of me, giving me her hand. My breath hitched in shock, because I did not hear her come closer. Either I must be too involved in my thoughts, or she could really take steps without making a sound.
Gazing into her mesmerizing eyes, I could see a calm and reassuring look in them, as if to tell me mentally that everything was going to be alright.
"You need not tell me if you do not feel like it," she told me in her sweet, gentle voice. "Now come. I will bring you to better shelter."
While her offering hand was still positioned in front of me, I only looked at her in uncertainty.
Should I take her offer of help? I cannot forget the fact that she was a stranger, and I knew very well that strangers cannot be easily trusted. But Cynthia seemed kind, and she did not pry too much. Besides, what other choice do I have? It was either I follow her to whatever 'better shelter' she spoke of, or I continued to stay on this beach, all hungry and lost and confused.
With a deep breath, I gently took her hand. Cynthia helped to pull me up gently into a standing position. When I was upright, I was suddenly very aware of the fact that my feet were aching and my balance felt off. I could have fell right back on the sand if she had not been there to help me stay up.
"Come," she said to me, leading me into the forest.
Despite the overwhelming fear that throbbed my heart, I stayed quiet and allowed her to lead me in.
Author's Note:
Interesting reviews from you guys on the previous chapter!
Alright! Introducing Artemis! Question: Why is Artemis in this fanfiction? Well, in one version of the Ariadne myth, Artemis was the one who either killed Ariadne or granted her immortality to be with Dionysus forever. I will spoil it by saying that she would do none of these things with Ariadne in this fanfic, but she will be somewhat the first friend Ariadne makes, and she's going to be very instrumental in future chapters. By the way, Artemis takes the name 'Cynthia', which, in real Greek Mythology, was her other name.
So! Dionysus has asked his older half-sister to grant Ariadne protection, and Artemis does just that. In the next chapter, see how these two start off on their second encounter!
Muse of Fanfiction