7DeadlySins: Yep! You easily guessed the theme of this chapter. And yes, Calypso's feelings will be important in this story. I am not telling more. And Apollo jealous of Arion? That would have been an interesting twist! But since in the original myth, Arion was highly favored by Apollo, it would not have been respectful toward the source material. And if Apollo was jealous of all the men Delphina rescues at the sea, he would never get a rest!^^"
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Chapter 13: Coronis
She was a mortal. She was a Thessalian princess. She was a maiden. She was black haired. She was beautiful. She was gracious. She was precious to her father, the king.
She was Coronis. And she also was a lover of Apollo.
It happened a morning. She was alone in the meadow close to her palace when the most gorgeous man she had ever seen showed up. He presented himself as Apollo. He claimed that he liked her and wanted her to become his new lover if she wanted it. At first, she doubted the reality of what was happening. How could someone as marvellous as Apollo be interested in someone like her?
One thing for sure, she couldn't resist him. So she accepted the offer. At first, she expected a quick and single night like most gods do when they mated with mortals. But he came back the day after. And the following day. In conclusion, he didn't leave her like she feared.
And Coronis fell in love.
She felt like she lived a fairy tale. She was loved by a god. He played songs for her. He recited poems for her. Many nights he came where he brought her to a sensual ecstasy, an intimate universe where the senses went wild beyond her imagination, producing the most pleasurable emotions.
What a great bubble of happiness!
But sadly…the bubble came to burst.
Because in her very bright world, there was the shadow of the doubt. Indeed, she didn't know if Apollo truly loved her since she remembered the existence of someone.
The goddess Delphina.
This happened the night when Apollo decided to talk about his sumptuous sanctuary at Delphi.
And suddenly, Coronis felt like an idiot. Like all Greeks, she grew up hearing about the tale of how Apollo came to claim his famous Oracle. And it was impossible to omit the presence of the Goddess of Dolphins, Apollo's first crush.
And this was how the fairy tale ended. When she realised that Delphina was still a part of Apollo's life.
Coronis never wanted to be the kind of person that would be jealous. She always convinced herself that she would accept if her future husband would possess friends from the other gender.
What a naivety!
She believed that since she became his lover, she was the most precious woman to Apollo. And yet, he never brought her to Delphi. And even if he did, how would she feel about putting a foot in a place he named after her?
He never asked to marry her yet. But how could she considerate herself as the queen of this sanctuary with the existence of its patron goddess? And being crowned with laurel. A symbol of a past love, Daphne. But also an object created by her to repair his heart.
They said there was a trinity of women important to Apollo: Leto, Artemis and Delphina. The mother, the sister and the best friend. Could Coronis become the wife?
And yet, Apollo hadn't proposed to her. He praised the sincerity of his love but looked hesitant to immortalise it. She didn't understand why. He had already lost Hyacinth in a tragic incident. In order to avoid the story to repeat, she would expect him to make her immortal right away. This way, he would keep her forever.
But what would happen once she became immortal?
Would she become a goddess? And a goddess of what? She had nothing special to offer to the mortals. She couldn't compete with someone who created one of the most gracious creatures on Earth and who assisted sailors at the sea. Damn! Delphina's cult was even older than Apollo's. She looked so fade in comparison.
And if she became Apollo's wife, who would become the real mistress of Delphi? The consort of its master or its patron goddess who gave it its name?
She now understood. Unless she snapped again like with the Marsyas' incident, the Sea Goddess would never exit Apollo's life. And even scarier, she realised that if the God was forced to choose between them, he would definitely choose to keep Delphina.
Coronis began to cry. It took her a lot of reflection to understand that she wasn't very important to Apollo. Her dream to be the first one in the heart of her lover got destroyed.
By Zeus, she wanted to hate Delphina!
One day, surprisingly, she saw the goddess in person come to meet her at her palace… She felt annoyed! How could she dare to come visit her? To torture her? But…
But when Delphina saw her, she took her hands and kissed them, to her own surprise. "Thank you." She said.
"Thank you for what?"
"For making Apollo happy of course! I always prayed for him to find love. After the death of Hyacinth, I feared it would never be possible again, but you entered his life! For that, I can only thank you!"
This reaction confused Coronis. Then, the deity added. "I hope we will become good friends! Is it ok for you if I just sit with you to talk? I want to know you better!"
Now, that was unusual. Gods didn't ask permission to mortals. They ordered around. But she did it. And Coronis agreed to converse.
And after this, she hated Delphina even more…because she wanted to hate her but couldn't. She was too nice. Just like the myths said. How could she despise her? She had done no wrong besides being a very loyal friend. And she could easily see herself become friend with the goddess.
And her pain grew. It didn't resolve the triangle problem. It worsened. How easier it would have been if Delphina was despicable. This way, she could reassure herself, but no. She needed to give up.
She didn't know how she could live with Apollo when the line between love and friendship with the Sea Deity appeared so thin. She just couldn't…
She cried. Really hard. All she wanted was to be loved. To be the only one to the eyes of a man. Was she selfish to desire such a great devotion of love? Was it not what every woman dreamed to have? Who would appreciate to feel second to a long time best friend who also was the first crush of your lover?
But then, he came… Ischys.
He was a handsome prince who someday approached to court her. Honestly, considering she was in couple with the most fabulous god in the world, she would have laughed at the prospect of being seduced by a simple mortal.
But the way he looked at her… She melted. Apollo never looked at her this way, with this glow in the irises, this warm in the smile. He made her feel like there was nothing else existing in this world. Like she was more precious than all the gold and silver the earth possessed.
In his presence, she got sensations impossible to describe, but they were pleasurable. Too much to deny him the right to go farther and taste this magic fully.
And she fell in love with Ischys and committed the unforgivable: she slept with him.
Yeah. She cheated on a god for a mortal. It made no sense. But she remembered the story of Marpessa. She chose Idas over Apollo and ended up happy. It was certainly the wise decision.
Still, what she was doing was awful. She felt so ashamed but couldn't stop embracing Ischys. She knew Apollo didn't deserve that, but she wanted so badly to be truly loved!
Still, she felt selfish… She didn't even tell Apollo that she was expecting his child.
And Apollo didn't tell her that a white bird spied on her.
…
Lying down in her bed, Delphina tried to sleep. Dionysus had left and Apollo would come back from Hyperborea to Delphi very soon. She missed him.
But now, she was far from being the only one to miss him. Since Apollo had found a new lover, she had discovered a new kind of feeling. She totally appreciated Coronis and was more than happy that her dear friend finally got happiness. Still, deep inside her, she strangely didn't feel good toward this change. That became the first time Delphina got to meet one of Apollo's lovers and how awkward it was to see the god so close to a woman that wasn't his mother or his sister.
Had Delphina gotten too much used to her life alongside Apollo? To the point that the idea of another woman sharing his life created a weird sensation? It sounded ridiculous! She had always wished that Apollo would find love someday and now that he obtained it, she should feel reassured. Yet, her body didn't obey her mind. She still possessed this disagreeable node in her stomach.
Ok! She believed it was just because the change was too sudden. It would dissipate with time. However, she also realised that the change wasn't complete.
When she wanted to meet Coronis, she had to travel to her kingdom. For an unknown reason, Apollo still didn't invite her to Delphi neither he asked her to be his wife. So strange. Since the relationship began a long while ago, everyone would expect the God of Almost Everything to jump to the next stage. What he waited for?
But she couldn't complaint about it. This reluctance maintained a normalcy. She stayed with Apollo alone at Delphi (not counting the Muses). Again, Delphina felt bad. Why did she own this unexplainable possessiveness?
Again, the Goddess attempted to sleep peacefully. She needed to calm down. Coronis was a nice woman. They will become good friends, no need to put an unnecessary conflict.
…
Apollo returned at his palace around midnight. He was tired but not too much. He was only glad to be back home. Then, he would like to see Delphina right now. But he had to let her sleep and wait until tomorrow morning. The same for seeing another woman: Coronis.
Yes. Another lover. He might look desperate for affection. But she was the first female to return his feelings. Very incredible. And he sincerely loved her. She was beautiful, intelligent, and graceful. All the best qualities to please a man. He cherished the moments he spent with her. He enjoyed as much admiring her face in the light of the day than embracing her body in the darkness of the night. He waited for the instant they would be reunited once again. Coronis seemed fated to be his wife.
But he hesitated to ask her the famous question. Even worse, he never introduced her to his home at Delphi. He remained shy to let her enter his own intimacy.
Despite being the God of Truth, Apollo could hardly decode his own heart. When he first decided to claim the center of the world, he had envisioned to rule over it with Delphina at his side. Well, it did happen, but it wasn't the exact kind of relationship he had hoped to share with her.
He learned to move on and accept her choice. He tried to find love again elsewhere. He managed to find it many times but faced rejection or, even worse, death.
He didn't want to lose Coronis to Hades. Never! But to avoid that, she had to become immortal. And to obtain that privilege, he had to make her his consort. Nevertheless, as the God of Reason, Apollo needed to be convinced of the wisdom of his choice before achieving the great step. But how long would it take him to reflect?
Ok! First, he wanted to sleep. He was so tired. But while he prepared himself to go to bed, he heard a croaking.
He turned to notice his loyal raven, perched on his balcony, near the flame that illuminated his white feathers. Happy to see him, Apollo welcomed his faithful companion. "My dear raven! I came back from Hyperborea. I asked you to watch over Coronis during my absence. I hope she is doing well."
But the raven didn't reply. Very unusual from him. Unless…there was something wrong.
He didn't like it one bit. As the God of Truth, he ordered. "Something happened. Tell me what is it?"
And the raven confessed everything he saw. And for a moment, Apollo remained silent.
Suddenly, the atmosphere darkened. The floor trembled under the godly power. The air became severely cold. Apollo uplifted his head with red glowing eyes that projected an uncontrollable fury.
How?! How could his love cheat on him?! And for a pathetic mortal! What an unacceptable humiliation for him!
His anger got the worst from him! He couldn't believe it! He had been rejected so many times before, but this case was so far the most hurtful he ever faced! She totally stabbed him on his back!
He grabbed a vase and threw it to the wall! The object broke into a thousand pieces with a scary and loud sound. But the violence of the act was still no match against the storm in his mind.
Why?! She said she loved him! How did she manage to lie to the God of Truth?! Why did he do to the Fates to be cursed this way?!
He was very mad!
So mad that he pointed his fury toward the bird. The God of Reason was gone when he stared at the raven and said with a menacing tone. "You… Why did you let this happen? Why did you not hit the eyes of this mortal prince with your beak until he bleeds his whole pathetic life?!"
The raven took a step backward, truly afraid of his master. This attitude just angered the god even more. "So what? Are you going to answer me, servant?!"
Totally frightened, the raven did the foolish mistake to fly away. But a wrathful Apollo would not let this go without consequences. "Coward! Take this!"
And with his magic, he transformed the bird who cried from this. Satisfied, he let the animal escape. His mind was concentred on something else.
For someone who was about to sleep, Apollo chased away his fatigue, overthrown by his fury!
One thing for sure was that Coronis and her lover would be punished. You didn't get away when you offended a god!
Suddenly, he heard someone penetrating his room. He turned to notice who it was. "Artemis?"
"My dear brother, the moon caught a glimpse of you in a terrible mood and I had to come to see how you were doing." The Goddess of the Hunt said with worries in her voice, standing up on the balcony. She clearly arrived by using her chariot, discreetly like the good huntress she was.
"My sweet sister. Your brother got his heart broken once again." Then he told her the whole story.
To this, his sibling got mute. But Apollo could sense that she was just as shocked by the shameful act as he was. He then took his bow and his arrows and called his swans to bring his chariot.
"I am going to kill him! I will kill this filthy prince named Ischys who thinks he can surpass a god! Then, for Coronis, I still don't know what I am going to do to her, but…"
He never bothered to finish the sentence. When his carriage arrived, he got on board and ordered the swans to bring him to Thessaly.
Artemis was now left alone in his bedroom. She didn't let her emotions shown on the outside but she could confirm that she brewed inside. She held her own bow very tightly.
Because she was a sworn virgin, a lot of people thought she despised men. It was a fake belief. She just disliked the idea of copulating with one. But also, she believed that no man could ever surpass the place her dear brother held in her heart. She loved him so much and hated to see him sad.
And this was why she developed a huge hatred toward Coronis. This little whore dared to humiliate and hurt her twin! After all he went through, he couldn't get a break. She had one job and she failed lamentably!
They could be called hypocrites. After all, cheating was as common as incest in their godly world. And yet, Apollo always remained faithful unlike their own father. And she was a mortal! Mortals needed to learn to never piss off a god.
And from now, this became a personal matter for Artemis. Her brother could have Ischys, however, she wanted Coronis for herself! To torture her for playing with the heart of her sibling. She wanted to inflict her physically the same pain she gave emotionally to Apollo.
No one messed up with the Olympian Twins. The whole world would soon learn that.
And so, she left with her chariot.
…
Coronis understood she was in trouble. She went outside in the middle of the night to meet secretly Ischys like usual when the inevitable finally happened.
In front of her, emerging from the wood, an insanely beautiful woman had appeared. She wore a short chiton with black hair attached in a bun that shined under the light of the full moon. She possessed a silver bow in her hand. She easily guessed who she was.
"Lady Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt." She said, with fear in her voice.
"Exactly. Do you know why I am here, young mortal?"
Coronis' anxiety increased. She wasn't stupid. She knew the answer to the question. And she also knew that sooner or later, she would have to face her fate. The gods would have soon known the crime she committed.
And yet, she was afraid. She didn't want to die even if she deserved it.
"Lady Artemis, I'm sorry, I didn't want…"
"You didn't want to hurt my brother?!" The Goddess interrupted with a sharp tone. "And yet, that's what you did! You, pathetic slut, slept with another man when Apollo has always been faithful and generous toward you! And this is how you thank him!"
Coronis couldn't respond. She had no arguments. She couldn't explain her own insecurities about Apollo's feelings. It would just bring more offense. She had attracted the wrath of a deity on her. She had to resign to the punishment she would ineluctably receive.
She closed her eyes. "I have no excuse. I am guilty of my faults. And sadly, I feel very few remorse."
Except of the trouble she had brought to Ischys. She regretted that for sure. And also… Ho! No!
She opened her eyes. But she only got face to face with the point of an arrow. Holding her bow, Artemis told her coldly. "Then, you clearly don't deserve forgiveness. Goodbye!"
And Coronis screamed. The arrow pierced her heart with the strength of a thunderbolt. She instantly fell on the ground. The pain was strangely almost absent but she could still feel her life leaving. The only thing she thought about was her imminent death. It was the end. She would die at a very young age because of her stupidity. She would never marry and have a happy family with children…
Her baby! No! She still felt it. But they didn't know! She couldn't let this innocent being suffer because of her.
But she lacked the strength to talk and inform Artemis. And sadly, she didn't trust her enough anyway.
Bizarrely, the first person she thought of for caring for her unborn baby…
With her last breathe, she softly prayed. "Delphina, please save my child."
…
Delphina was deep asleep, swimming in the kingdom of Morpheus. Her dreams were cradled with images of the sea, of flowers and of birds. What a peaceful night!
But all of a sudden…
Delphina, please save my child.
The goddess woke up fast, all surprised and disturbed by what she just heard. What was that? She rose up in her bed, taking the time to breathe slowly and think. She recognized that voice. But who it belonged to? She needed to remember.
But then, she heard a croaking. She leveled up her stare toward the window. Apollo's raven entered her bedroom and…and…
What?!
Delphina got up and advanced to detail the bird. He had changed. No more immaculate white feathers. Now, he was entirely black like the darkness. The raven deviated his own eyes, feeling ashamed of his new appearance. This discovery left the divinity speechless.
"What happened to you? Tell me."
And the new black bird confessed everything. He omitted no detail. And the sea deity listened attentively. When the story ended, her mind was circled by so many emotions. First, she was mad at Apollo for being unable to control his temper! The God of Reason betrayed himself. The raven was innocent and didn't deserve this cruel treatment! On the other side, she was also deceived by Coronis' treason. Why did she commit such a sin? She thought she loved Apollo! Why would she hurt him that way? Was she even aware of the danger of angering the gods?
At the last thought, her eyes opened widely and she gasped with her hands on her mouth when she finally realised something.
The voice in her dream… It was Coronis!
Panicked, she urgently asked the raven if he heard Apollo talk about what he would do next. The bird replied that he knew nothing about it. Ok! Delphina needed to intervene by herself.
She went outside her bedroom and called for a servant. "Yes, My Lady?" Answered a nymph in the hall.
"Prepare a carriage for me. I am going to Thessaly right now."
"Understood, My Lady."
She prayed it would not be too late!
…
Apollo had finally ended the life of the prince named Ischys with the power of his bow. A very painful death. The arrow had pierced his heart with all the godly violence of his wrath. His rival was now out of the picture.
However, the dirty work wasn't finished yet. He still had to take care of his unfaithful lover. He didn't know what he would do to her but he could promise she would regret deeply her acts.
But when he arrived at her place, he faced an unexpected encounter. First of all, his heart hurt when he discovered the pretty princess lying on the ground…already dead.
His Coronis. Her eyes were closed. Her breathe gone. She lied down motionless. He wanted to tremble at the terrible view which symbolised another failed romance.
Beside his ex-lover, he found his twin sister. She looked at him with a lot of compassion but not an ounce of regret concerning what she had done. Strangely, he wasn't as mad at her as he should have been but still…
"Why, Artemis?"
"It had to be me." She replied. "With my arrow, she got a painless death. But she still died since she deserved it. At first, I wanted to make her suffer a lot but I took mercy on her since I knew you would not have appreciated."
Apollo stayed silent. He went to see his former lover. His gaze observed the sumptuous hair, the soft cold skin, her red lips closed. Even with the mark of Thanatos on her, she was still gorgeous.
"Are you mad at me, brother?"
Still watching the corpse of his ancient beloved, he answered. "I should be. I want to. But no. You are right. It is easier for me that you killed her yourself. It still hurt nonetheless. I loved her."
"After what she has done, she doesn't deserve your pity, Apollo."
"Deserved or not, my heart will not obey my mind, sister. Sorry for this."
He sighed. "I think we should prepare a fire and make a proper burial for her."
Artemis nodded. Five minutes later, they had assembled all the wood together and built a funeral pyre. They deposited the body on it and they were about to provoke the fire when…
"NO!"
The familial voice alerted all the nerves of the God of the Sun. Why was she here? He turned around and saw Delphina descending from her carriage and running toward them.
"Artemis! Apollo! Please, tell me… AH!"
She screamed in horror when she noticed the dead body of Coronis. She instantly shook and fell on the floor, overtaken by panic. She breathed fast, her whole skin sweated, her face went pale. The emotions caused by the shock was overwhelming her.
And it worried Apollo who ran to her. "Delphina, please, calm down!" He knelt in front of her. "Look at me. Everything will be ok."
"No! Nothing is ok! You killed her! You killed Coronis! You killed the one you loved."
"But she didn't love me. She betrayed me."
"I know. The raven told me everything! And you turned him black! Why?!"
"I…" Apollo understood he was in trouble. "I was angry."
"At him?" Delphina cried. "He did no wrong. You completely lost your temper! How did you dare?! And for Coronis! You are a murderer."
"Delphina." Artemis said. "I was the one who took her life. Understand that she offended a god. So, she had to be punished. But don't worry, I made sure that her death was painless."
"And you expect me to buy it?!"
Apollo indicated to his sister with a move of his hand to stop. To let him handle this. Delphina was going through a mental crisis. He knew better than anyone else how sensible she could be. He needed to be careful to avoid a big snap like with Marsyas.
He touched her shoulder slowly, trying to appease her cries. "Delphina. I understand how you feel. But try to understand…"
"Why should I understand?" She interrupted. "You even killed your own unborn baby!"
At the last statement, Apollo became confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Apollo! Coronis prayed to me to save her child!"
What?! When he made the sudden realisation, the god acted at the speed of light. He left his friend to run to Coronis. With attention, he touched her belly. Ho! No!
He summoned a knife and used his powers as the God of Medicine to execute a caesarean. And he found the most insane thing in his life: the baby was still alive! His own son!
Since he was premature, he used a part of the dress of Coronis which he cut and transformed into a blanket to cover the fragile being. He held protectively his offspring against his chest. He was overwhelmed by so many emotions. He just became a father! This young and defenseless baby belonged to him! He still didn't know how to handle this new title of his. It was the greatest surprise of his life!
Thanks the Fates! It would have been a tragedy if his son would have not survived his wrath! He almost felt ashamed.
"I never got a prophetic vision of her pregnancy." He said, shook by the shock. "How could it be?"
Just beside him, Artemis looked just as stunned at the vision of her nephew. She wanted to cry. "Her pregnancy was difficult to see despite being advanced. Still, as the Goddess of Childbirth, I should have felt it! I failed."
Delphina, who had watched the scene, was now losing it. "Seriously? You are regretting only because of this baby?"
Apollo didn't want to face an angry goddess when he experimented something like that. So, he replied. "I'm deeply sorry, Delphina. You can hate me as you want, I deserve it, but for now, please, let me!"
For once, the God of Almost Everything showed weakness. How the Goddess of Dolphins could stay indifferent to it?
"Apollo, I don't hate you." She said. "But this child lost his mother. And a mother died without ever getting the chance to see her child grow up. It is difficult to not be emotional over it."
She saw Apollo tremble a little. She didn't say more. She saw it. The regret which tormented him but his pride would prevent him to admit this feeling. But she understood.
She came closer and looked at the baby. So small, but still healthy. So red, but still clean. So adorable despite his tragic beginning. He looked just like his own father when he was still a baby.
It made Delphina relieve so many sweet memories.
"I don't know why Coronis didn't tell she was pregnant. I don't know why she cheated on you. I am still mad at you and Artemis for what you did, but… I don't have the energy to remain angry. This child has suffered enough. He needs us to take care of him. Coronis asked me to save his child and I will. I will help you to raise him, Apollo."
The master of Delphi raised his chin to look at her. In his face, she read sadness, sorrow, pain but also thankfulness. She added. "A baby dolphin who loses his mother is always raised by his godmother. I can play the role of the godmother. I almost became one with other babies in the past. But it didn't happen."
"Why?"
"You grew up in four days."
Apollo laughed. They were experimenting a tragedy and yet, Delphina found a way to be funny. Behind, Artemis smiled.
"So, how will you name him?" The Sea Goddess asked.
"I don't know." Apollo said. But after some minutes of reflection, he suggested. "What about Asclepius?"
"Hmm… I don't like it." She admitted with a bitter face.
Apollo looked at her, not amused. "Well, get used to it because that's the name I choose."
"Fine! You're the father. It's your decision. But I am not obligated to love it."
The God rolled his eyes. Then, they turned again to Coronis. It was now time to bury her. Delphina chose to not comment anything more. For the sake of the baby, she let the drama dissipate. They activated the funeral pyre and sent the tragic fated princess to Hades.
For Apollo, another piece of him was gone. All his memories with his ancient lover burned. It might be hard to believe but he did love her. And this ending between them pained him. It was probably hypocrisy but that was how he felt. A love story he had cherished and from which he had hoped to finally be able to settle down. But finally, for both of them, it seemed it wasn't enough.
Coronis would still have given him something precious. The chance to be a father. He regretted to not have been able to give something as beautiful in return. Instead, he stole her chance to be a mother without even knowing it because he was too angry.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Without looking, he deposited his own hand on it. He appreciated the presence of Delphina at this moment. He knew it was her way to forgive him. Thank Zeus! He couldn't have lived with her anger at him.
Finally, for the raven, he couldn't give him back his previous appearance but to apologise, he decided to give him the honor to become a constellation and this was how the constellation Corvus was born.
And for now, Apollo would now dedicate a lot of his love to this new being: Asclepius.
Thank you for reading!
I made Apollo unaware of Coronis' pregnancy because it is hard to understand how he could have been so cruel, knowing she was expecting his own child. Making the existence of the baby unknown to him was so far easier for the writting.
And I have to say that it was one of the hardest chapter that I had to write. So many emotions in it.
I skipped the part where Coronis' father avenge his daughter by burning the temple of Apollo at Delphi because that's enough drama in a chapter for an author to handle!
I hope you enjoyed it. Now, for the keyword for the next chapter: Labours.
See you soon!