Approximately three years after Lady Aine and Daithi left the lands of Scorpion Keep:
Lord Walter sat at his desk inside the great hall as he worked, responding to different communications. He frowned as he heard two of his children arguing. Lord Walter pushed back from his desk and stood. His legs propelled him quickly across the distance of the great hall to the doorway. He saw his children, Patrick and Veronica, shaking their heads even as his youngest twins, Cabe and Allie, came into sight arguing back and forth.
"What is going on?" Lord Walter demanded in his commanding voice. Something he almost never used on his children.
"Daddy!" Allie yelled as she ran up towards him and jumped into his arms.
Walter laughed as he caught his daughter and then hugged her tightly. "Just what are you trying to con me into?" He asked her, continuing to laugh.
"We need you to settle an argument." Allie told him seriously.
"And what is the nature of this argument?" Walter asked as he sat her back down on the floor.
"Mistress Florence told us a lie." Allie told him seriously. "But Cabe thinks she was telling the truth."
"A lie, that's a serious accusation." Walter looked at the older children.
They both shrugged. "Well, no one has ever told us differently, so I'm not sure why Allie thinks she was lying to us." Patrick told him even as he held the hand of Happy's oldest daughter Alica.
Every day Alicia made it a point to be at the Keep's entrance when Patrick got out of school so they could spend some extra time together.
"What's going on?" Lady Paige asked as she came down the steps carrying Taisce with her.
"That's what I'm trying to find out, my love." Walter smiled at her before they kissed.
"She didn't lie to us." Cabe declared. "The wise Lady punished Medusa for seducing Poseidon in her temple."
Lord Walter froze instantly and Lady Paige saw his anger erupt on his face. "She said WHAT?!" Lord Walter growled as he turned to his children.
His children all gasped at the anger on their Father's face and quickly stepped back.
"Love." Lady Paige said immediately and stepped in front of him, pulling his head down to look at her. "You've got to calm down." She whispered.
"I'll be having a discussion with Mistress Florence later, for now…All of you, to the great table." Walter said as he looked directly into Paige's eyes.
All five of his children quickly moved into the great hall and took their normal seats around the table. Alica of course went with Patrick along with her younger sister. Both of Megan's girls decided they better go along with them.
Lord Walter escorted his bride to her chair and then moved Tasice into her own chair.
"While there is a curse around Medusa, Athena did no such thing. The wise Lady would never punish an innocent." Lord Walter said as he looked across the table at his children. "The story has been corrupted by storytellers and those who would further untruths for different nefarious reasons."
Walter turned and paced a moment as he considered his words.
"Medusa was a beautiful woman, not just physically, but inside." Walter touched his chest. "She loved the wise Lady and was very passionate about her devotion to her. She declared herself forever to Athena and that she'd never take a mate."
"She rose up the ranks of the Clerics until, in the temple she was assigned, she became the temple Mistress's second." Walter sighed. "There used to be a celebration in honor of the wise Lady that is no longer observed, and rarely discussed. The Clerics of the temple were all down at the town's square organizing everything before conducting the celebration when a messenger delivered a note to Medusa."
Walter smiled inwardly as he saw Allie was writing down everything he was saying.
"The note required her to return to the temple. She wasn't able to see the Mistress anywhere around her and it was not normal for any temple Mistress to leave the celebration before the celebration was over. So as you can expect, she was confused, but she returned as required by the note." Lord Walter sighed again.
"As she walked through the temple she was caught up by Poseidon." Walter's eyes tightened. "Poseidon, it seemed, was furious that Medusa had sworn herself only to Athena. And he couldn't abide by that. Medusa struggled with all the force she could, but against a god, she wasn't able to prevent what Poseidon wanted to do."
"To this day, the children of Athena and Poseidon stand in opposition because of this betrayal." Walter's eyes closed even as he looked down at the floor. "Poseidon used his power to mask what he was doing. It wasn't until the Mistress realized that Medusa wasn't anywhere to be seen that she grew concerned. She used the power granted her by the wise Lady but was unable to sense Medusa. Fearing the worst, the Mistress gathered all the Sisters and they quickly returned to the temple where they discovered Medusa…Crying as she cowered on the floor next to the pews."
"They cared tenderly for their Sister. Through the wise Lady's power and her body's own natural healing, Medusa healed, physically at any rate. Mentally, it was much slower. It was impeded by the reception she had in town when after many weeks holding up in the temple, she finally ventured back out of the temple. Ignorant fools had spread vicious lies and many of the townspeople with careless hatred spewed them at her. Some even threw rotting fruits and meat at her." Walter looked sadly at Paige.
"The wise Lady's retribution for these acts were swift and quite merciless. Because not everyone in town were children of Athena, they didn't listen to the warnings others told, and they still ridiculed Medusa when she came out. It was decided that Medusa should be transferred to another temple where she wouldn't be subjected to such barbarity." Lord Walter told them.
"In secrecy they moved Medusa." Lord Walter had stepped to the wall behind his chair and pointed at the large world map hanging there. His finger found a point on the coast of Turkey. Then moved it across to a spot on the east coast of Greece. "But the coach she was traveling in was besieged here. Medusa fled as best she could, she feared, rightfully so, that they were after her and she hoped they'd leave the others alone to capture her. The men were indeed singularly minded and chased after her. Medusa ran full on into a swamp not far away."
"While Medusa's steps were met by solid land, some of the men stumbled and fell into various traps most swamps are composed of. Those who avoided the traps, found themselves…assisted into other traps by an older woman who lived deep in the swamp. She took much delight in delivering those men to their watery deaths." Walter had a slight smile on his face but kept his kids from seeing it.
"Once the last man was dead, the woman turned and moved deeper into the swamp until she came to the stump of a long dead tree. She smiled as she called out, telling Medusa she was safe now." Walter turned to face his children. "Medusa looked out of the stump at the old woman."
"She took Medusa deeper still into the swamp to where the woman lived. Medusa found herself tended tenderly by the woman and the otters that seemed to live there with her.
"Medusa stayed for quite some time with the old woman as she taught Medusa how she lived there in the swamp. The otters came to be sweet friends and adopted Medusa as one of their own. Medusa continued to honor Athena as she lived there, deep in the swamp. Even the otters began to come and join with her as she conducted each service for Athena. Over the time she spent there, the old woman taught Medusa the swamp magic she herself had been taught many years before. When the first villager came seeking the old woman since Medusa came to be there, Medusa was worried and hid. The old woman laughed at her after the villager left and told her she was safe here. That no one would tell anyone she was there." Walter smiled at Paige as she listened with rapt attention.
"For three years Medusa lived there with the old woman…growing stronger as she healed mentally from what had happened. She worked with the old woman and the otters to provide for them all. Slowly, she came to begin helping to care for the villagers when they came. Medusa would use the swamp magic as well as the abilities Athena had granted her to help the villagers." Walter explained. "As they came to know and trust her, many of the villagers who came to the swamp for help began joining the services Medusa conducted instead of attending services in their town."
"At the end of those three years, Medusa asked what she owed the woman for all the help and care she had given her. The older woman smiled and said if it was in her to repay her, she'd ask that Medusa would stay and take over caring for the otters and the villagers who would come seeking aid. She explained she was growing more tired and like the trees that sleep in the winter it was getting close to the time for her to sleep." Walter explained to his children as they all had devoted all their attention to their Father, just like their Mother.
"Medusa prayed over that request for nearly a month and the wise Lady finally granted her permission to remain there in the swamp." Walter continued. "The villagers would bring items that helped them to live there in the swamp. Once after a couple of weeks that the villagers were unable to bring some of the things, Medusa decided to venture out to the town to gather them herself. Medusa was surprised by how much the path the villagers traveled in the swamp twisted and turned. The twists and turns easily tripled the distance to leave the swamp. Several times Medusa chose to walk a straight line through the swamp and one time she ran into a strange rock formation."
"Investigating the rock Medusa discovered the rock had once been a man. It was like once she discovered this her eyes opened fully and she noticed there were many such rock formations. Distressed over what she discovered, Medusa returned quickly to her home in the swamp. She worried she had been duped by the old woman, but she couldn't understand why Athena would grant her permission to stay in the swamp if the old woman was doing something like that." Walter explained.
"When she arrived back at the earthen home she found a Cleric of Athena sitting and waiting for her." Walter continued. "She greeted Medusa, welcoming her back home. She gestured and Medusa saw a number of boxes sitting on the ground. She explained they contained all the things she had been needing. Medusa was thrilled to have a fellow Sister with her for a change. She quickly offered the Cleric food and the Cleric accepted the offer. As they dined on the fish stew Medusa made they spoke of many things."
"The one thing Medusa needed to know was how she had been duped by the old woman who had taken her in." Walter smiled. "The Cleric laughed heartily at that and shook her head. The men she found turned to rock weren't so because of the old woman, but because of the wise Lady herself. She went on to explain that the entire swamp has been enchanted, that anyone who entered the swamp with ill intent on their heart against Medusa would slowly be turned to stone. Those who stubbornly forged on became solid rock and those that turned back after a certain point recovered to some degree but the magic unnaturally aged them to an advanced age. The further they traveled into the swamp, the older they aged."
"Medusa of course looked shocked. But the Cleric continued, explaining that one of Athena's most powerful servants now patrols the swamp and would guard Medusa until Medusa's natural death. And then the servant would escort her, body and soul, to the wise Lady." Walter continued. "And so it was as time passed by, Medusa lived freely in the swamp. She continued to love the wise Lady and cared tenderly upon the people who came legitimately to seek help from her. Medusa never turned one away, no matter how tired she was from the day. She also never aged another day in her life."
"Athena poured as much love back into Medusa as Medusa poured out to Athena and in her name to those who came to the swamp. Then came the day that the door of the earthen cottage didn't open again. The Clerics of the temple in town made a pilgrimage along with many of the villagers to that hallowed ground and paid homage and rejoiced in the dedication between Medusa and Athena." Walter said with a bright smile even as tears ran down his cheeks. "All the villagers were surprised that even the otters who lived there, while seeming to grieve for the loss, still celebrated with the Clerics."
Lord Walter cleared his throat before continuing. "Now you know the truth of Medusa, never think otherwise. Get your homework done and then see to your chores, my children."
All of the children moved up and hugged their Father and Mother, as well as Happy's and Megan's kids hugged them, before going to their rooms. Only Allie still sat there writing, finishing what her Father had told them. Finally she stood and ran up and hugged her Father and they both kissed the other's cheek.
"Thank you Daddy, I don't know why, but I just knew Medusa was being slandered." Allie smiled brightly at her Father.
"Don't worry, I'll have a word with Mistress Florence over it shortly." Walter chuckled and nodded.
Allie took the time to take Tasice's hand and led her out of the great hall and up the stairs to their rooms.
"I must say, I've never heard the story told that way." Paige said as she stood and slipped into Walter's arms.
"I think it is time to insist that the temples begin telling the true story." Walter nodded. "I'm not sure when the story fell out of favor of being told. Mayhap we should honor the time of the old celebration by telling the story every year at that time."
"So Perseus never killed Medusa, as the stories tell?" Paige asked.
"No." Walter told her softly. "Medusa had passed many years before Perseus came to be. If he ever did. Personally I think the whole account of Perseus was made up."
"What about the pegasus?" Paige asked that they embraced.
"Have you ever seen a flying horse?" Walter chuckled.
Paige laughed and shook her head.
"But that said, there is some truth in that." Walter nodded.
"Really?" Paige was intrigued.
Walter nodded as he pulled on her hand and led Paige up to their chambers and out onto the balcony where Selase lay.
"Are you saying…" Paige paused.
"The unnatural mating between a god and mortal can produce many different types of offspring. But despite the violence of the conception, Medusa gave birth, in that swamp, to the first pair of gryphons. And because of Medusa's love and devotion to her, Athena blessed the great birds."
Selase stood and shook her body back and forth before chirping softly.
Paige frowned as she looked at Selase. "Surely I misunderstood you." Paige said but Selase shook her head at her. "Selase told you the story?"
Walter smiled and nodded. "Through a third party, she did. The entire story of Medusa is a hereditary memory that is passed down through all the generations of gryphons. As I explained those many years ago now when the gryphons return to their nesting grounds. Those grounds are actually in that swamp and along with the otters that still live there, they gather about what remains of the cottage to pay homage to Medusa, who birthed them and cared tenderly for them and the otters. You'll never see a gryphon attack or eat an otter no matter how hungry they are. And they will fight for the otter, fiercely."
Greetings! I hope this finds you all well! I've been well, just unmotivated and not inspired to write. Yesterday this backstory of this AU really wanted to be written and so I indulged it. Hope you enjoyed it!
To the Adventure! -Tim