Part 1: Chapter 13

Ariadne

As I only looked into his wary and concerned hazel eyes and thought over what he had asked me, I realized then that, for some reason, I did not really feel angry at him. I may have been full of it during our heated argument in the grove, but I guessed that the fire had calmed down, or maybe had even died out.

Letting out a low breath, I told him, "I have a small feeling that I still am, but not majorly so, I think I may understand the reasons behind your actions. Although I may be angry that it was how it was, I could see now that it had never done me much harm."

In actual fact, maybe that was true. Alright, so he may have lied to me about everything from the beginning, and I do feel betrayed that he did. But he had not actually done anything to hurt me directly. Despite being a god who could have used me to his advantage, he had been nothing but helpful, kind and caring to me since the first time I met him. I remembered that night when we first met; I had been vile towards him, but he did not retaliate and calmly helped me by giving me advice. And since that night on, he had been one of the best people that had ever entered in my life.

Furthermore, he had saved me from that monstrous and vile satyr. If it hadn't been for him… I do not even dare to imagine the horrifying possibilities that could have happened to me from that point on.

I could see him expressing slight relief, although there was tension still in his eyes. Probably still unsure of how to approach me now, since I finally knew his secret.

In a voice that seemed mournful, he told me, "I am so sorry, Ariadne. I really and truthfully hadn't meant for things to go this way. Since I had first seen you, right here on this same beach, I wanted to do nothing but help you."

"Why did you want to help me?" I asked him, genuinely curious. "What made you want to help me?"

His answer came faster than I had expected.

"I don't know why, Ariadne. But the minute I saw you, I knew I could not just leave you alone. When I first saw you, you were crying in pain, anger, sadness and remorse. The sight of you under so much burden made me feel something; something that made me want to help you. Even if I had hesitated in making myself known to you, I knew that I still wanted to give you aid, when you are at when you most needed it."

His eyes never left mine, and I could see how much emotions were running through them. My mother always used to tell me that the eyes were the window to the soul, and one could always see what another was really feeling just by looking at the eyes. Daedalus had also taught me that we could also tell whether a person was lying just by looking at their eyes.

I knew that as a god, Dion had the power to get away with anything. Not say that I could blame him; that may be just the nature of gods. However, there was something about him – what he had done and what he had just said – that, although I was quite unsure, made him seem different.

His words surprised me and left me in silent awe. Never before had I ever dreamed that I would come across a god, much less have one who would speak sincerely and actually apologize and explain in earnest for his actions. But seeing him do those things made him seem more different than how I imagined a god should have acted.

He seemed more… human.

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt his hand suddenly latch onto mine. His hand was warm and gentle, but it held mine hesitantly and carefully, as though he was… afraid.

With a sorrowful voice, he said, "I apologize once again for my actions, Ariadne. I had no right to keep the truth from you, but I did not want to frighten you after all that has happened to you. I had wanted for you to be comfortable with me in your presence until I find that timing was right for me to reveal who I was to you. I had never intended to hurt you. I had never intended to deceive you. I had only intended to help you."

I felt my lips slowly pull into a smile at his words, and I willed myself to hold back his hand just as gently. He was surprised by my actions, shown by how his eyes widened slightly at the sight of my hand and his perfect arched eyebrows raised in speculation. When he looked up at me and saw the smile on my face, he smiled too, looking once again like the handsome and friendly man I've known since the beginning of my time here.

Keeping my voice smooth, I told him, "I understand, my lord."

The reason I called him 'lord' was because I felt that it was now necessary. He was a god, and I was just mortal. He was a being greater than even the greatest kings on Earth. He was one of the Twelve Olympians, the highest order of divine beings in the universe. Despite my former status as a princess, I knew of my place far beneath him, and I knew that respect was expected to be given to him by me.

But when I had referred to him by the title, it had made him frown in disapproval. "No. No, do not call me that, Ariadne," he told me firmly. "We have become too friendly with each other, and I find it awful to refer to each other by title."

Hiding my hesitancy, I replied, "I understand, but I must admit that I find it a bit strange to suddenly call you 'Dionysus' after so long. I apologize for that."

Luckily, he did not seem angry, but merely understandable. Gripping my hand a little more, he told me with a smile, "Then just keep on calling me 'Dion'."

For some strange reason, I find that I preferred it like that, and I nodded in agreement.

Dionysus

When dawn broke, Ariadne had fallen asleep, slump against my side.

As she slept, I had my arm wrapped around her, ensuring that she does not slump off to the sand. I cherished in the feel of her being so close to me, internally grateful that, despite the fact that she knew the truth and knew the dangers that had come with it, she was still willing to allow herself to be close to me. I was relieved that she did not shun me completely. I think I too may have found it difficult to be apart from her.

As she slept soundly, I looked out at the wide landscape of the sea as I listened to the crashing of the waves, the first calls of the seabirds, and her soft and gentle breathing. I was delved into deep thought, wondering to myself what would happen from here on. Now that Ariadne knew that I was a god, would anything change between us? What could happen now? What if she decided to annul our friendship because of our vast differences in being, or what if she would continue on as normal?

Worse come to worse, she might ask me to take her away from here and back to civilization. Yes, I knew that it was the right thing to do, since it would be her wish and decision. But, although I knew that it was selfish of me to think this way, I did not really wish to do that. Sending her back to live in cities among others of her kind would mean that I would have to cease contact with her. It was not really dangerous for a god to be among mortals most of the time, but it was indeed tiresome, since one would have to fully disguised themselves as mortal in order to not risk anything.

And like I had said, I did not want to be apart from her. Just the thought of not having her near me, where I could not be sure that she was alright, made me feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts by a sudden aura that had appeared somewhere in the forest. Immediately, I sensed the familiarity of the said aura, and knew that she was here before she started approaching.

I then realized that, now that Ariadne knew that I was a god, she should know that 'Cynthia' was a goddess too, and that she was actually Artemis. But I did not wish to tell her that. I did not want to breach Artemis' privacy. However, if Ariadne would like to find out, I prefer that she learnt from my half-sister than from me.

Gently, I shook the sleeping girl awake. "Ariadne… Wake up," I murmured softly into her ear, knowing that she could hear me when her eyes fluttered open.

"Hmm? What is it?" she asked groggily in a voice still thick with sleep. "What's going on, Dion?"

Releasing her so that she could sit up on her own, I told her, "Cynthia's coming, Ariadne. She's looking for you."

Immediately, Ariadne looked around the beach, but became confused when she saw that we were alone. "How do you know she's coming, Dion?" she questioned me.

As I made to stand, I told her informatively, "I can feel her approaching. She's looking for you." And then, with pity heard clear in my tone, I added hesitantly, "I'm sorry to say, Ariadne, but I need to go back to where my cult is located. They would be looking for me, and I do not want them wreak havoc if I do not appear."

Suddenly, Ariadne began to look frightened and worried. Her grey-green eyes turned wide with fear, and she pleaded in a wavering voice, "No… No… Please don't leave me alone, Dion… Please…"

My heart swelled with so much pity for her that it began to feel heavy with guilt. I have seen such a look of terror on her face too many times already, and it still made me feel pitiful to see her like this. I wanted very much for her to not be afraid. I too did not want to leave her alone. However, I – unfortunately – knew that I needed to get back to my followers.

I knelt down to meet her eyes, and my hand instinctively reached out to gently cup her cheek, the pad of my thumb smoothing over her cheekbone as a sort of soothing gesture. Her own hand reached up to place itself over mine, her fingers filling the gaps in between mine. For some reason, this felt somewhat natural, and it had a nice feeling to it; both to me and to her, I knew.

Continuing to run my thumb over her cheek gently, I told her softly, "I have to go back, Ariadne, but I will come back. Even if I'm not beside you, I would never leave you alone. I'll always come back for you, no matter what."

A change in her eyes occurred then; the look of fear and anxiety suddenly changed to one of assurance and certainty. Calmness washed over her features, clearing away the worry lines on her beautiful face.

As she brought her other hand to gently hold my wrist, she asked me, "Do you promise, Dion?"

Ah, such a word to be used. But I knew that I could not simply 'promise' her this. It was not strong enough.

Instead, I told her firmly and truthfully, "I swear."

Ariadne looked taken aback by my words, but suddenly a smile slowly formed on her pink lips. Seeing her smile took my breath away, and I could not help but smile back at her. This only helped to increase the feelings felt in this moment shared between us, and it felt so right and so good that it almost hurt to pull away from her.

She remained seated on the sand while I started to walk away, but I then stopped and said, "Ariadne?"

"Yes, Dion?" she asked, her eyes holding onto mine.

With a deep breath, I told her, "If there anything else you want to find out about Cynthia, just ask her directly to the point, alright?"

As I walked away, leaving Ariadne confused and curious, I wondered to myself if this was the right thing to do. But in the end, I knew that it was.

I shouldn't keep Ariadne from myself anymore.

Ariadne

Back in Crete, I knew of small groups who worshiped Dionysus and his acts. But they were not large compared to the other followings of other deities, since the cult of Dionysus was fairly new compared to the rest and was not as widespread, and it was even looked down upon by other for the nuisance it brought. The followers of Dionysus were just as wild as he was, even to the point of madness without the drunkenness. They worshiped the ecstasy as though it were a part of them, and some have even lost themselves as they gave up all self-control they've had of their bodies.

Whilst my family and I do not disagree with any of the worships, since each worship to different gods and goddesses were different in their own ways, we do not really practise the acts of Bacchic revelry.

With this knowledge all in my head, endless possibilities and thoughts were swimming through my mind, and now that I have known that Dion was actually Dionysus, I may have managed to solve the mystery behind all those strange happenings that had occurred.

Firstly; remembering the drunken shrieks and laughter that I heard in the night that had always frightened me, I realized then that whoever it was may have been Bacchic followers. Who else would have made those noises so shrill and so full of intoxication? Though the thought that they had been so very close to me still scares me, I felt somewhat intrigued that they had been near.

Secondly; Dionysus was the God of Wine, known for his rituals that worshiped wine and the intoxicating ecstasy it brought. Although, I found it quite strange that with me, he was not like the wild god he was described to be. Maybe this was just one side of him that I have seen. Also, he may also be a bit wild in the way his emotions could shift so quickly and abruptly, without even anything to set it off.

But now that those two were figured out, only one remained.

What part does Cynthia have in this?

Before he left, Dion had told me that if I had any curiosities about her, I should ask her myself. Why did he suddenly say that? I could only conclude that he implied that Cynthia's appearance may have not been out of coincidence, and that she too was not who she made herself to be.

But what was it?

"Anything wrong?"

Suddenly breaking out of the long train of thought I had unconsciously entered, I turned my head to the side to look at Cynthia.

"You are not usually as silent as now," she pointed out. "Is something bothering you?"

She and I were back in the grove, sitting by the stream with a basket of fruits she had picked beside us. She was sitting behind me, gently combing and braiding my hair; she had asked me if I wanted her to do it, and I agreed.

As I thought of what to say, I began to decide upon myself whether or not I should ask her about herself. I know that I shouldn't, but after the whole fiasco last night, I don't think I could bear the thought of another piece of viable information hidden away from me.

With a deep breath to calm my hammering heart, I said, "If I asked you something important, will you please promise not to be angry with me?"

Cynthia's hands on my hair stilled slightly, and she looked at me blankly. "I can make no promises, Ariadne," she told me. "But I will listen."

That was not a good enough response to me, but that would have to do. I could not keep it inside any longer. I needed to ask her, despite the consequences.

"Who are you?"

Cynthia's midnight blue eyes on mine started to become confused, but I stayed firm and asked, "Who are you, really?"

"What do you mean?" she asked me in confusion. "You know who I am."

I sighed and shook my head, hoping very much that things did not go awry.

"May I tell you something?"

Cynthia nodded her head in agreement silently.

I do hope that whatever I was about to say does not cause harm to Dion, but I had a strong, aching feeling that Cynthia may have known, and maybe it would not hurt to ask her to be sure.

With a deep breath, I began to tell her the truth about Dion. As I spoke of the details of all that had happened the previous night, she just sat there, quietly listening attentively without interruption. Her dark eyes remained void of any emotion as I talked, and I was getting more worried that I may have unintentionally talked about Dion's true identity to an absolute stranger. But nonetheless, I continued, having delved too in to get out now.

When I finally finished, and I was taking another deep breath to recover myself from talking for so long, I quietly asked her, "That's it."

Cynthia's gaze had not removed itself from mine, but something in her eyes changed.

With a sigh, she said then in a low murmur, "Well, then. I'm glad that this is finally over."

Confused, I asked her, "What do you mean by that? What's 'over'?"

Folding her hands properly on her lap, she told me informatively, "This whole game of pretending that Dionysus and I have been playing around you."

Shock and surprise took over me at once. So they did know each other, but they have been keeping it a secret from me. I began to wonder how exactly they were connected.

Cynthia suddenly told me, "It's about time I too told you the truth."

Shifting around to face her, I asked her quietly, "About who you are?"

She nodded her head, and finally revealed all to me.

"First of all, know that Dionysus had summoned me to give you aid. In actuality, I am not supposed to, because you are not considered to be under my patronage. But he relented to have me agree, and seeing how pleading he was and how much he wanted to help you, I eventually did."

Hearing that, I could feel myself smiling. So Dionysus' willingness to help me had been shown to others as well, and I was glad that he did in fact seemed earnest in doing so.

"What aid have you given me?" I asked her.

With a smile, her eyes gestured to our surrounding area, and she answered, "He had asked me to give you protection in my wilds. In addition, I have also given you my sacred grove as your temporary home."

All of a sudden, everything became clear to me, and using the new information given by her, I was finally able to figure out her identity. And when I did, I was so overcome with shock at the reality of who was actually in front of me.

"That… That means…. You… You are…"

She must have read my mind, because she nodded with a small smile and said, "Yes, Ariadne. I am actually Artemis."

I exhaled a gasp and I had to cover my gaping mouth to hide my shock. I absolutely could not believe it. I was actually in the presence of Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild. Who I had believed was 'Cynthia' was actually 'Artemis'.

"I can see that this is all too much for you to take in, but I can assure you that everything is alright," Artemis said reassuringly. "And please do not be angry that we had to keep our identities a secret. You see, for a deity to suddenly reveal their identities to a mortal is dangerous, and we would rather not take risks when in their presence. We had to get to know you in the guise of humans until you are able to adapt to us."

She then reached out to take my hand, holding it in hers gently. I allowed her to do so, holding back just as gently, finding her touch to be quite comforting, like the touch of a loving sister. I sighed at the sudden memory of me holding Phaedra's hand, but I willed myself to just focus on the now.

"I'm very sorry for what had happened to you last night, but I am thankful that Dionysus had been there to save you. Do know that it would forever remain an unfortunate incident, but gladly one that was avoided. Dionysus is sure to keep you under his watchful eye from now onward."

"How can you be sure about that?" I asked her.

Chuckling lightly, she replied, "Dionysus has been insistent about your safety and comfort from the very beginning of your time here, and it seems to me that he regards it as a priority."

"Are you sure about that?" I questioned her, very uncertain.

With a confident smile that enhanced her beauty, Artemis nodded her head in certainty. "I know so, Ariadne. Have faith and trust in Dionysus."

Hearing her last words suddenly made me realize that, deep in my heart, I did trust Dionysus. It may be too rash, I do not know. But in the end, he had been that had indeed helped me during my time here on Naxos, and he had even taken the initiative to ask Artemis for aid. For a god to go through such lengths for me – a simple mortal – was indeed touching to think of, and I was even more glad that he had found me, and that I found him.

With a confident nod, I answered, "Yes, I do trust him."

Artemis' smiled widened, looking glad at my answer. I was in awe of her beauty and how warm and comforting her presence was; such a far cry from the tale of the cold and elusive huntress that she was reputed to be. But I was glad she was unlike those tales, as it made it easier for me to be with her.

Suddenly, she stood up, holding my hand as she helped me up as well. "Come," she said.

Curious as she led me into a certain direction of the forest, I asked, "Where are we going?"

Still continuing to take me to wherever it was she taking me, she answered, "Time to take you back to Dionysus. He's probably worried for you right now."

Author's Note:

Aww! Thank goodness Ariadne accepted Dionysus for who he was, and I'm seriously glad that she knows everything now! Makes things a lot more easier for me! :P

And oh-ho-ho-ho! Do I see a moment of fluffy attraction there between Dionysus and Ariadne?! :D

See you on Monday!

Muse of Fanfiction