Page 19 of Meduso
“Oh my! Something we can all look forward to,” Danaë shared.
“Yes. And if I was a gambling man, I would know exactly who to bet all my riches on in each event.” Dictys glanced over at Perseus as he said this.
“What sort of games will be held?” I inquired.
“There will be races, jumping competitions, archery, spear-throwing, discus-throw, wrestling, sparring matches, and more!” Dictys enthusiastically announced. “Perseus, you should start training immediately.”
Perseus smirked at the thought and then looked over to me. “What about you, Meduso? Will you participate?”
I shook my head. “I technically don’t live on Seriphos, so I don’t think that would be fair. But I wouldn’t mind helping you train.”
“I would welcome your assistance,” Perseus affirmed.
Although Perseus was rather calm about this announcement, I knew he was secretly thrilled about the Island Games. Seriphos was too tamed for a demi-god. Perseus needed more exhilaration in his life. These competitions would be just a stepping stone for him. It was only a matter of time before Perseus came to the conclusion that being here on this island was holding him back from the great adventures that awaited him in the surrounding world. I had a hunch it was on the horizon.
“It’s only a few months away. You have no time to waste. I suggest you start training first thing tomorrow morning,” Dictys advised.
Perseus agreed with him. His training would need to begin as soon as possible. He needed to prepare for as many wins as he could obtain.
“Let’s all eat before the fish get cold,” Clymene suggested.
And so we feasted on our catches of the day. During dinner, Dictys offered me some wine. I glanced over at Perseus, who was smirking. I tried it.
“It’s not so bad.” I began drinking more. By the end of our dinner and visit at Dictys’s home, I could start to feel the effects.
Perseus and I returned to his home to retire for the evening. As we laid in our beds, he called out to me from the far corner of the room. “Thank you, Meduso, for agreeing to help me with my training in the coming months.”
“Of course, Perseus. It would be my honor.”
“I don’t think I’ve felt this way about anything in my life,” he explained. “It’s as if Hephaestus summoned a fire within me.”
“It’s a combination of motivation and excitement. You’ve never had something to really look forward to. Now that you do, you want to be the best at it,” I shared.
“You’re right. That’s exactly what it is. You are so wise.”
I laughed. “I would not go that far, but…”
Perseus interrupted me. “I would…”
I tossed and turned for a few hours, still finding it cumbersome to doze off for the night. There was no way I would be able to fall asleep anytime soon, so I quietly got out of bed with the intent of taking a stroll for the night.
However, before I could make it out of the room, I began to hear heavy grunts. I turned back around to see it was coming from Perseus. He must have been having a nightmare. Epiales and Nyx were fully active in their torment over him. Perseus continued to become louder, this time with clear words escaping from him. “It’s… okay… hold on… mother… cold… hungry.” His body was now convulsing.
I couldn’t stand the sight of him distressed, so as an instant reaction, I hopped into his bed and wrapped my arms around him, preventing him from shaking. It was difficult to control him because of his god-like strength, but his rhythm began to slow down. I whispered into his ear. “I’m here, Perseus. You will be fine. Just rest.”
He twisted to face me, yet remained sound asleep. His arms wrapped around my side to squeeze me tight. His grip soon relaxed and he held me gently, as I embraced him, too. I ran my fingers through his hair, cherishing this intimacy between us. Perseus rested his head on my chest, and I admired the scene. I couldn’t even describe how I felt in this very moment. It was a feeling I had never experienced before. All I knew was that I wanted every night to be like this, with us holding each other as we drifted off into a slumber.
I shut my eyes for a short time to rest, but then was forced to open them upon feeling Perseus’s head shift. His bright green eyes were visible, just staring up at me. He didn’t flinch nor hesitate, noticing that I was in his bed with him. He accepted it, and from what I suspected, also felt comfortable with me being here. I felt his hands now tracing up and down my body.
“Thank you…” he muttered, when he realized I was awake.
“You’re welcome. You were having a nightmare, so I thought…” I trailed off.
“No. It’s okay…”
I still sensed somewhat of an awkward tension, so I thought it was in my best interest to return to my bed. However, as I even slightly moved to separate myself from him, he pulled me back down into the bed.
“Wait… Don’t go. Can you please stay with me for the night? I feel that I can sleep at ease with you here. Your presence is appeasing,” he explained.
