stretch the limits of Medusa’s endurance. Galenus complained loudly, disgruntled by the festival, their travels, and all.
Thea seemed to share in Medusa’s restlessness, flitting between the branches of the olive tree and the roof of the temple. When she’d tried to soothe Thea, the bird had flown to Ariston, settling upon his shoulder and leaning into his caress.
Oh, how she envied Thea.
“That is done,” Galenus said, leading Xenia from the temple. “Let us eat before Athena arrives, shall we?”
Sitting upon a thick rug beneath the shade of a large olive tree, Xenia shared their adventures in Athens with Medusa and Elpis. Xenia was absorbed in her storytelling, finding nothing amiss. Galenus, however, stared at Medusa. From the corner of her eye she saw her uncle’s gaze narrow, peering at her with ever increasing impatience.
“What ails you, niece?” Galenus asked, effectively ending Xenia’s praise for their earlier meal of tender braised pheasant and roast lamb. “Are you ill?”
There was no reason to keep Poseidon’s visit from them, yet she suspected sharing such events might only add to her burdens. “My heart is heavy, Uncle. And I’ve slept little of late.” Yet she knew to proceed with caution.
“Are you sickly, child?” Xenia repeated, her voice growing anxious.
Medusa shook her head. “No… I’m fine.”
“You are plainly not fine,” Galenus asserted.
Medusa’s eyes traveled up, into the branches of the olive tree that gave them shade. Thea regarded her with round yellow eyes. The bird, sensing her mistress’ nerves, cooed to Medusa softly in encouragement.
Medusa smiled slightly at Thea, then said, “I was visited… by the Sea God.”
“Visited? By Poseidon?” Galenus scowl deepened. “Speak plainly, girl.”
Xenia gasped, covering her face with her hands. “He… he has compromised you?”
“Has he… What?” Galenus voice rose, leaping to his feet.
Medusa rose too, shaking her head. “Peace, Uncle…”
“Where was your soldier?” Galenus roared. His face grew mottled, reddening as he turned in search of Ariston.
Ariston stepped forward, ready to answer to her uncle. She knew he’d stayed, with ever more diligence, constantly in her shadow since Poseidon had left. His devotion knew no bounds – sleeping outside the robes room, standing in the temple door, and following her every step.
And her heart was both full and heavier for it.
Medusa dared to meet Ariston’s gaze briefly, struck by the agony in his silver-grey eyes. It saddened her to see such suffering at her hands. As if he, her beloved Ariston, could have protected her from Poseidon.
He could not.
“He did not touch me, Uncle.” Medusa said quickly.
Her aunt and uncle regarded her in confusion.
“I have no patience for this, Medusa,” Galenus warned.
“Poseidon would have me as wife,” Medusa said softly. Beyond her uncle’s shoulder, she saw Ariston’s face turn ashen.
“His wife?” Xenia stared at her in shock. “He said those words, Medusa? He would have you as his wife?”
“He did,” Medusa admitted.
“His wife ?” Her uncle’s delighted shout of laughter was undoubtedly loud enough to reach those celebrating in Athens below. “Wife? Indeed.”
Medusa understood her uncle’s pleasure. Medusa’s marriage to a God, to mother his children, would bring honor beyond anything Galenus had ever hoped for his family. His niece’s marriage would elevate him, his household, into Athens’ most elite ruling class.
Medusa cautioned, “I fear Athena may not find favor with his proposal.”
Galenus was silent, mulling the matter before he voiced his opinion. “Fear not. Your Goddess will see the wisdom in this choice, as Poseidon surely has. By taking you to wife, he strengthens his ties with your parents and ensures allies for all of Greece – and Athena’s city.” Galenus assessed his niece with an appraising eye. He nodded, clearly pleased.
Medusa sighed, casting
Thea seemed to share in Medusa’s restlessness, flitting between the branches of the olive tree and the roof of the temple. When she’d tried to soothe Thea, the bird had flown to Ariston, settling upon his shoulder and leaning into his caress.
Oh, how she envied Thea.
“That is done,” Galenus said, leading Xenia from the temple. “Let us eat before Athena arrives, shall we?”
Sitting upon a thick rug beneath the shade of a large olive tree, Xenia shared their adventures in Athens with Medusa and Elpis. Xenia was absorbed in her storytelling, finding nothing amiss. Galenus, however, stared at Medusa. From the corner of her eye she saw her uncle’s gaze narrow, peering at her with ever increasing impatience.
“What ails you, niece?” Galenus asked, effectively ending Xenia’s praise for their earlier meal of tender braised pheasant and roast lamb. “Are you ill?”
There was no reason to keep Poseidon’s visit from them, yet she suspected sharing such events might only add to her burdens. “My heart is heavy, Uncle. And I’ve slept little of late.” Yet she knew to proceed with caution.
“Are you sickly, child?” Xenia repeated, her voice growing anxious.
Medusa shook her head. “No… I’m fine.”
“You are plainly not fine,” Galenus asserted.
Medusa’s eyes traveled up, into the branches of the olive tree that gave them shade. Thea regarded her with round yellow eyes. The bird, sensing her mistress’ nerves, cooed to Medusa softly in encouragement.
Medusa smiled slightly at Thea, then said, “I was visited… by the Sea God.”
“Visited? By Poseidon?” Galenus scowl deepened. “Speak plainly, girl.”
Xenia gasped, covering her face with her hands. “He… he has compromised you?”
“Has he… What?” Galenus voice rose, leaping to his feet.
Medusa rose too, shaking her head. “Peace, Uncle…”
“Where was your soldier?” Galenus roared. His face grew mottled, reddening as he turned in search of Ariston.
Ariston stepped forward, ready to answer to her uncle. She knew he’d stayed, with ever more diligence, constantly in her shadow since Poseidon had left. His devotion knew no bounds – sleeping outside the robes room, standing in the temple door, and following her every step.
And her heart was both full and heavier for it.
Medusa dared to meet Ariston’s gaze briefly, struck by the agony in his silver-grey eyes. It saddened her to see such suffering at her hands. As if he, her beloved Ariston, could have protected her from Poseidon.
He could not.
“He did not touch me, Uncle.” Medusa said quickly.
Her aunt and uncle regarded her in confusion.
“I have no patience for this, Medusa,” Galenus warned.
“Poseidon would have me as wife,” Medusa said softly. Beyond her uncle’s shoulder, she saw Ariston’s face turn ashen.
“His wife?” Xenia stared at her in shock. “He said those words, Medusa? He would have you as his wife?”
“He did,” Medusa admitted.
“His wife ?” Her uncle’s delighted shout of laughter was undoubtedly loud enough to reach those celebrating in Athens below. “Wife? Indeed.”
Medusa understood her uncle’s pleasure. Medusa’s marriage to a God, to mother his children, would bring honor beyond anything Galenus had ever hoped for his family. His niece’s marriage would elevate him, his household, into Athens’ most elite ruling class.
Medusa cautioned, “I fear Athena may not find favor with his proposal.”
Galenus was silent, mulling the matter before he voiced his opinion. “Fear not. Your Goddess will see the wisdom in this choice, as Poseidon surely has. By taking you to wife, he strengthens his ties with your parents and ensures allies for all of Greece – and Athena’s city.” Galenus assessed his niece with an appraising eye. He nodded, clearly pleased.
Medusa sighed, casting
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