Part 2: Chapter 1

Dionysus

The humid air was thick and heavy with a sense of victory and relief. All around me, my soldiers were healing and resting, taking gulps of wine to calm their raging hearts and pounding heads. Luckily, most of them had survived the battle. The few that did not would forever be remembered in our hearts for their gallant fight.

In the big tent where I constructed my plans and gave instructions and orders to my men, I sat upon my wooden throne, where I was still adorned in my armor and dirty from dirt and ichor. With my golden thyrsus gripped tight in my hand, I sighed in relief at the fact that everything was over. Finally, after several long days, my army had conquered over the Indians of India.

The Indians had proven to be a problem a few months back when I had brought my thiasus to the West to explore new lands. The dark-skinned people had openly voiced their displeasure of my rituals, and had even threatened to violate my rites. It had been they who had first attacked us, crying out for battle in their foreign tongues, while we were enjoying wine and reveling about in the ecstasy. Thankfully, we had managed to quickly gain the upper-hand in the battle, and we reigned victorious.

Most of the Indians had retreated back to their lands in fear. I did not command my thiasus to give chase and hound them, for I found them to be the least of my problems. I had never wanted to have this fight in the first place, and I most certainly do not wish to continue it, now that it was finally over.

But in compensation for this battle, I have gained plenty of new prisoners to be my servants.

Many of them were women of all ages, while the others are children. There were a few men, but they were either rendered handicapped by an injury gained during the battle, or were already old at the end point of their thread of life. Nonetheless, I made sure that all of them had a good use to my revelry, because I would not want them to waste space and air.

"My lord."

I had not realized that I had been staring at the floor, so lost in my thoughts, until the voice sounded from the entrance flaps of the tent. I looked up and saw one of my satyr servants.

The satyr came forward and bowed in respect to me. "What is it?" I asked, my fingers playing idly with the staff in my hand.

"My lord, one of the Indian prisoners bears a gift to you," he told me as he straightened up. This close, I could see that the creature's face was streaked with dirt, sweat and blood, and so was his body; all the way from his hairy mortal-like chest to his hairy goat hind legs. Other than that, he was still standing strong.

I raised an eyebrow curiously. "A gift?" When he nodded, I sighed and told him nonchalantly, "Very well. Send them in. I could use a gift to liberate me of my stress."

The satyr bowed once more before turning to leave. I set aside my thyrsus and straightened up in my seat, just as the flaps moved as someone entered the tent.

When I saw who it was, I froze.

It was an Indian girl, who was somewhere around her late teenage years. I have seen this particular one around the camp, and I have heard from many that she was the princess of the tribe that had attacked us.

Truly, she did look like a princess. Although her face was that of a young girl's, her body was that of a woman's, with very graceful curves. Her hair was black as ink, thick and luscious, shining with the scented oils that had been rubbed into the strands and tresses, falling to the half of her back smoothly, and it was adorned with white garlands of sweet-smelling jasmine flowers. Her eyes were as brown as her dark skin, wide and bright, framed by long and thick dark lashes. Her nose was slim, although slightly hooked, which seemed to be quite a norm among the Indians. Slightly above the ridge of her nose, right in the center between her two perfectly-arched but slightly thick dark eyebrows, was a red dot, which was another norm among Indian women, for I have seen nearly all of them with the same type of dot.

The girl took small graceful steps forward, and I then realized what she was wearing. She wore what I had learnt was a sari, an Indian garment worn by the women which was a simple length of decorative and colorful cloth which was wrapped around the waist before the end was draped over the shoulder, leaving the midriff bare.

But one thing that was special about the girl's sari was that it was transparent red silk, and I could easily see her naked body underneath.

The girl stopped right in front of my throne and knelt. She pressed the palms of her hands together and raised it to the front of her face as she said in her heavily-accented voice, "Lord Dionysus."

"And who are you?" I questioned, keeping my voice sounding firm and steady.

"My name is Priya, my lord. Daughter of Lord Kumar of the Shanmugam tribe."

"And what brings you here, kneeling right before me?" I asked, keeping my eyes on her face and not her body.

Bringing her hands down to press them flat on her thighs, she looked at me with her round dark brown eyes as she replied, "I wish to pay you tribute, for sparing my life, and the lives of my fellow people here, from death. I also wish to congratulate you greatly on your victory, for indeed you have shown an amazing amount of power and strength."

My eyebrows rose in speculation, and I asked in a chuckle, "Is that why you come here, standing right in front of me, in a garment that barely even covers your modesty?"

The Indian princess, Priya, looked down at her lap in shyness, and she remained quiet for a long time. I too kept quiet, waiting to see what she has to offer me.

"Do you love tigers, my lord?"

I became confused at her question, and replied, "Yes, I do. Why do you ask that?"

Priya looked up at me and smiled prettily. "I have seen many tigers roaming around your campsite, my lord. In my culture, we see the tiger as a very sacred and important creature, one which is to be feared and cherished. And I have heard from the tales of you that you are a god of wild felines in your homeland, holding patronage over every wild feline."

She stood up and took a step closer to me when I asked, "And what is your point?"

Priya shut her eyes shyly as a smile graced her lips. "Have you heard how powerful a tiger's roar can be, my lord Dionysus?"

I nod, my eyes remained fixed on her. "Yes. So what?" I questioned her, curious as to where this was going.

She opened her dark eyes until they were only half-lidded, and I knew that she was attempting to look enticing and seductive. Her smooth hands moved to the tail of her transparent sari that was draped over her shoulder. As she pulled it away and let it down, slowly exposing her breasts, she whispered, "I wish to make you roar like a tiger as I pleasure you…"

All of a sudden, Priya screamed.

I jumped at the sudden sound, clearly not expecting that to happen. It only took me a few seconds to recover from my shock, and realize what was happening.

Behind Priya was Ariadne, whose beautiful face was thunderous with anger. Her eyebrows were pulled into a glaring frown, her lips were pulled back in a menacing snarl to show her gritted teeth, and her whole entire face was flushed red with anger. Beside her slender legs, Ariadne's favorite leopard stood on all fours, growling menacingly at the Indian princess whose hair was being wrenched by my wife.

"YOU AWFUL WENCH!" Ariadne shouted in rage as she threw the half-naked Priya hard to the ground. "YOU STUPID SLAVE! YOU DIRTY SLUT! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE MY HUSBAND?!"

Ariadne gave a swift kick to Priya's behind, causing the Indian girl to cry out in pain. The girl's cries increased tenfold with fear when the leopard growled at her in warning.

"Forgive me, my lady!" Priya cried out desperately, her hands placed on the top of her head as though to protect herself. "I did not know! I did not know! Oh great Shakti, I did not know! Please, spare me! Please!"

Ariadne snarled and gave another kick to Priya's back before bending down to grab a handful of the girl's thick black hair roughly and painfully. Priya cried out once again and attempt to pry off Ariadne's grip on her, but the princess was suddenly slapped hard on the face by my wife. She then became silent, crying in whimpers as Ariadne shouted, "If I ever see you anywhere near my husband again, I will make sure that your punishment would be so severe that your tongue would be numb from crying out in mercy! Understand, you dark whore?!"

Priya nodded her head desperately, tears flowing fast down her dark cheeks. Ariadne let go of her then, and the helpless Indian princess was quick to get to her feet and scramble away. However, the leopard did not seem to want her to leave unscathed, and started to give chase with a roar. Priya realized this and immediately screamed in fear and terror when the leopard bit into her transparent sari and tore it away from her body and into shreds. The leopard then chased after the escaping Priya out of the tent, his frightening roars and her frightened screams heard even from inside the tent.

When my wife and I were finally alone, I let out a chuckle of amusement. However, the feeling was not shared.

"What are you laughing at?!" Ariadne shouted as she whipped her head to me, her eyes blazing with anger and her lips pulled into a dangerous snarl.

I stifled my chuckle and forced myself to make my smile disappear, and said to her, "I was just laughing at the way you scared her off. Truly terrifying, my love. And it was able to make her know her place."

Ariadne did not lighten up at my comment. If anything, she seemed more angrier than before.

"You," she spat in a venomous voice as she advanced towards me, "have the nerve to let that harlot go that far! You just sat there and watched as she attempted to seduce you! It was as though you were actually waiting for her to pleasure you!"

"But I did not do anything with her!" I protested, standing up from my throne and making my way towards her.

Ariadne backed up a few steps, as though she did not want me to come any closer to her. With her hot gaze maintained on my eyes, she shouted, "How dare you, Dion?! I am your wife, and you would still have the nerve of watching a stupid girl get naked for you! Do you think that it was fine to feast your eyes upon the bare body of another female while I stand aside and be clueless as to these happenings?! How could you, Dion?! How could you do that to me?!"

I will admit that this was not the first fight we have ever had, but this was most certainly the worst fight we ever had. I do love Ariadne very much, but the swing of emotions that came with a mortal female were sometimes too hard for even me to bear. Furthermore, I did not appreciate being shouted at. I had just gotten out of a war, for Olympus' sake!

With a snort, I replied in a hard voice, "What has gotten you so worked up, my dear? It's not like I have not seen another woman's naked body before. What with all the Maenads shedding their clothes off during each revelry, do you think that it would have easily escaped my eyes? What's more, you do not seem to mind them, so why mind this girl?"

That certainly threw Ariadne off, because she then froze and stared at me in shock and disbelief. Her lips parted slightly, as though she wished to retort back an insult but could not find any words to come to her tongue. Her eyes gave away that she was at a loss of what to say, and I smiled victoriously to myself.

However, that smile immediately disappeared when her expression changed.

Her whole body suddenly became slack, losing the will to stand tall and firm in anger. Her breathing, which had been rapid with ferocity, was now slow and deep. But there were still tears that were beginning to form in her beautiful eyes, with a few now falling down her cheeks in fast and messy rivulets. She too started trembling as she held back her anger inside, her pursed lips quivering and her tight fists shaking. The rage in her eyes was still there, but there was now an expression of immense sadness.

Immediately, I began to regret my words to her. Usually, I would never regret anything that I do, since I do not have much of a care for its consequences. But any wrong that I had committed towards Ariadne was like a blow to my heart. I hated it when my beloved wife became saddened and pained because of what I had done, for I did not want to make her saddened and pained in the very first place. I never had any intention to do such a thing to her. And if I ever did, I regretted it instantly.

Before I could say anything, Ariadne immediately turned on her heels and ran out of the tent. I panicked then, chasing after her as I called out her name.

"Ariadne! Please, wait!"

When I had exited my tent, I found that I could not see her anywhere in the mass crowd of followers and prisoners. I cursed under my breath, hurriedly weaving through the dense area as I searched frantically for my wife. A few of my people were looking at me in curiosity and confusion, probably wondering why I – still in my battle armor and dirtied from battle – was calling out for Ariadne like a lost child. But I paid no heed to their eyes and thoughts because they were the least of my concerns now.

Suddenly, I felt a tug at the hem of my tunic. I hesitantly looked down to find Ariadne's leopard, which had bit onto my tunic gently to tug for my attentions.

The creature was tugging my tunic insistently in a direction, his eyes giving me the message that he had intended me to follow that way. I hesitated for a while, wanting so desperately to continue looking for Ariadne. But I then followed willingly when I realized that the leopard was actually trying to lead me to her.

I followed him through the thick tropical Indian forest, stealthily moving around every obstacle that blocked my path. I was able to keep up pace with the leopard, which was moving with graceful speed and agility. My own movements mirrored his; fast, graceful, agile.

Finally, we came to the outskirts of the forest, which then ultimately led to the beach; the same beach that I and my thiasus had arrived and first set foot on a few weeks back. In the light of the evening sun, the ocean that was bright and clear bluish-green was highlighted a soft orange from the slowly sinking sun's dying light. Above the sparkling ocean, the sky was slowly turning from a soft orange into the light dark blue of an early night sky.

But it was not the ocean or the sky that had my attentions for long. It was the figure that was pacing around where the water reached the sand, her feet splashing about there.

Ariadne was blankly looking up ahead at the evening sun.

But from where I stood, I could see the light that was illuminating the wet tear tracks on her cheeks and the glistening of her eyes. Her mouth was pursed tightly with the corners turned downwards. In her hand, clenched tightly in her fingers, was an empty bronze chalice. That immediately gave me the realization that she had just recently drank, now strengthen with the notice of a drunk swaying in her movements.

When I carefully came closer to her, my loving wife wept and, as she paced the curving beach, delivering disheveled yet melodious words in a sad and broken voice.

"Oh, Fates! Why have you brought upon such an awful event upon me? Why must you sisters send a temptation in the form of a young and beautiful woman to my husband? Have you determined that he would be unfaithful to me; he who had been nothing but truthful and honest in our marriage bond? Have you determined that he would grow tired of me, for now I seem to not be as beautiful as the Indian whore that you had sent to him to be a toy of pleasure? What have you planned for him to do? Will he abandon me for that dark harlot, as the damnable Theseus had abandoned me on the island of Naxos a few years back? I have already suffered the pain and agony of being abandoned and forgotten, but why do you make it seem as though you wish for me to go through that horrid ordeal once again? I am only mortal, and I am unable to bear such pain in great amounts. And I am also a wife, so of course I worry that my husband would betray me for another! Please, great Fates! Spare me from the horrible thought! My years of marriage to Dionysus had been one of bliss, and I do wish for it to remain that way. Please, great Fates! May our marriage not be tarnished, no cracks being seen! Please, great Fates! Do not take what I cherish away from me!"

Her hurting and pleading words instantly made my heart feel heavy. The sadness she felt immediately spread to me and begun taking effect, making me want to weep for her. I had not intended to make her feel this way, and I felt absolutely horrible that I did. My darling, sweet, dear wife, who has been saddened by my stupid words.

Ariadne did not protest when I came forward and took her into an embrace. I wrapped my arms gently around her frame as I pulled her close to me, her back flat against my chest. I buried my face in her pale blonde hair as I did, the scent of her perfume was almost fresh, and I sighed as I breathed it in. I ran my hands up and down her arms in a soothing gesture to show her that I felt remorseful of my actions. However, she did not hug me back. In fact, she became even more tensed, and that made me feel much worse.

"Please do not be sad…" I whispered to her pleadingly. "It makes me sad…"

She did not reply, but she did sniffle in response and turned her head to look at me with her teary grey-green eyes. My heart broke even more as I looked at her pained and saddened face this closely.

I turned her so that she was facing me, before taking her into an embrace once again. I held her against my chest gently, and I breathed in relief when I felt her arms wrapping around my neck. I ran my hand down her back soothingly while I murmured into her ear, "I am so very sorry for saying that to you, love… I should not have let my arrogance overcome me… I was so stupid and thoughtless…"

Her grip around my neck tightened gently, and I continued on. "I would never do such a thing to you ever, my beloved Ariadne… I will never betray you for another… I will never abandon you, for you are my blissful wife and the loving mother of my sons… You are the light of my life and the warmth in my heart… There is no other but you… If you are not there with me, I will feel so lost and utterly alone…"

I pulled away so that I faced her once again, and I brought my hands to cup her cheeks so that I can wipe her tears away with my thumbs. Ariadne was much more calmer now as she gazed at me softly.

I leaned in so that I could kiss her soft and sweet lips. Even after seven mortal years of being married to her, our moments of love were still very strong and powerful. I would always feel as though I was melting in pleasure whenever I feel her on me. This kiss between us was no different, with her kissing me back just as gently as I did her.

In the middle of our kiss, I could hear her whisper, "I forgive you… But please do not do such a thing to me again…"

I kissed her deeper in response. "I promise, Ariadne…" I replied. "I swear…"

When we returned to the camp later on after a while of just spending some time together on the beach, I ordered one of my servants to find Priya – who had miraculously survived being attacked by Ariadne's leopard, although she was still shaken with fear – and sell her off into a slave market. She was still one of my prisoners, and there was no way in the world was I going to send her back to the comforts of her battle-torn village for what she had done to Ariadne. I also demanded that most of my prisoners be sold off, for I did not want too many passengers on my ship.

Later that night, I tucked Ariadne to sleep, coaxing her to rest well before we set sail for home when dawn finally approached.

Author's Note:

Let's kick-start the first chapter of Part 2 with some intense drama, shall we?

In true mythology, Dionysus had ventured to India and engaged in battle with the Indians. And there had been an Indian princess who he had taken a big liking to. It's unclear whether or not he took this Indian princess as a lover, but either way, Ariadne had been saddened that Dionysus was showing interest in another woman. Dionysus heard her cries on the beach, and proclaimed that his love was for her and her only. (This information is found in Ovid.)

Ariadne did not actually attack this Indian princess in truth, but I decided to have her do it to show you guys how she had grown in strength but also in ruthlessness since Part 1. But what wife wouldn't be as pissed as her if they found out another woman tried to seduce their husband? I know I would!

Also, I mean no offense to any Indians who are reading this. I am not making this up for my own entertainment, because it had been recorded in Dionysus' myths. If this chapter offended you, then I do apologize.

So I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of Part 1, and I will see you on Friday!

Muse of Fanfiction