Page 23 of Meduso
I nodded. “That would be him.”
We both chuckled at her comment.
“How is Euryale? How are mother and father, and the Graeae? I miss everyone dearly.”
Stheno cracked a smile. “I know. They all miss you as well, even the Graeae. They are all fine. I’ll admit, the palace walls are a little less lively without you. But I’m glad to see you are doing well here. You’re staying out of trouble, I presume?”
I nodded. Although I had no idea if Perseus’s and mine relationship would qualify astrouble.When my mother and father explained to me about being pure, they only described it to me in a sense of a male and female committing pleasurable acts. Not once did they reference two men together as being impure. So, I naturally assumed, what Perseus and I have been doing was all right. In any case, I would not be sharing our intimate details. I felt a sense of embarrassment if I were to fill anyone in on that. Plus, I found it rewarding to be able to bottle up those feelings inside. It made the memories all the more special.
“Good! Well, seeing as things are okay here with you, I accomplished what I was sent out here to do. Mother and father will be most pleased when I report back to them.”
“It was nice seeing you, Stheno.” I leaned in to hug her once more.
“You too, Meduso. Do not forget that you have about another half year left here before you are to return to us. If you choose to finish out the remainder of the year here or explore other places, that is entirely up to you. I don’t want to sway you in one direction or the other,” she confessed.
I couldn’t imagine leaving this island, and Perseus, behind. So, my answer was crystal clear. “I plan on staying here.”
“Okay. Well, Euryale will likely be the one to come out and check on you again in a few months. Until then, brother!” With that, she walked further into the forest and out of sight.
I rushed back to the beach to Perseus’s mother. “Ah, Meduso! You made it back just in time. They are about to start the discus throw.”
I intently watched each of the competitor’s attempts. Much to my disbelief, Perseus messed up. His discus went out of bounds, not only during the first round of throwing, but during the second one too. As a result, he was disqualified. It would be the only event of the day that he did not win.
After the Island Games, Perseus was showered with medals, weapons, equipment, and other various rich materials for all of his wins. Danaë, Clymene, and I rushed to congratulate him. Dictys and King Polydectes also approached. The women got down on their knees in the sand, bowing to the king. I repeated their action, out of respect.
“You have quite the strength and skill set,” the king shared with Perseus. “I’m surprised Dictys failed to mention your capabilities to me until today… and oh?” Polydectes glanced down at Danaë. “And who is this beautiful creature, I have yet to meet?”
“I am Danaë, your highness. Mother of Perseus.”
King Polydectes then scowled at Dictys. “It seems you’ve been keeping a lot from me, brother. We will discuss more about this later. I have a celebration to attend to. Perseus, you are welcome to join us if you desire. There will be plenty of food and wine, I’m sure the likes of which you are not used to.” The king’s words were insincere and impudent.
Perseus had the bravery to turn him down. “I appreciate the offer King Polydectes, but I am drained from today. I plan on resting for the remainder of the night. I will take you up on that at a different date, perhaps.”
“That’s if a later date and offer comes along again,” the king spoke with solemnity. “It was a pleasure to meet you all. And you Danaë… I look forward to the next time we meet.” He then turned away to leave us.
“Perseus, are you sure you should decline the king’s invitation in such a way?” Danaë asked.
“Yes, mother. I have no desire to attend such an event. We know what goes on at his parties and celebrations,” Perseus explained, before looking at me.
“Besides, I was being honest when I said I was tired. The only thing I am looking forward to is returning home for a nice, extended nap.” He subtly winked at me as he shared this, making sure none of the others caught onto him as he did so.
But before Perseus would be able to get that long nap he was determined to get, he would first need to be rewarded by me. When we would get into bed, I would have all intention of letting him know how proud I was of him for his victories.
Chapter 6
The months passed, but every day was a moment of bliss. Perseus and I were completely enamored with one another. Our days together were nothing but peaceful with catching fish, taking long strolls on the beach, and sitting outside, while gazing at the stars, and sharing tales of gods and heroes. We knew it was only a matter of time before we would need to part ways with one another. In the final month leading up to my departure, each day felt like a dagger getting dug deeper and deeper into my heart.
A few nights before I was set to leave, Dictys came up with the idea of hosting a feast in my honor. He, Clymene, and Danaë all prepped for the event, while Perseus kept me company that afternoon. When the two of us entered Dictys’ home, we were shocked by the amount of food that was being served at the table. It was more sea bass, grouper, and shelled fish than any other dinner we’ve had together. There were ceramic bowls filled with a variety of nuts and berries that could be found on all corners of the island and tons of freshly picked fruits and vegetables scattered across the table.
“Dictys, you shouldn’t have,” I stated, feeling as though all of this was too much of an imposition.
The old man stepped towards me, patting my back. “Nonsense. You’ve been such a pleasure to have around. This is the least we could do.”
Danaë then came forward, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m going to miss you, dear. You’ve brought such joy into our homes. I know my son is not going to know what to do with himself when you…”
Perseus’s face turned blood red before piping up to interrupt his mother. “Mother! I think Meduso gets the point.”
Danaë turned around to face her son, giving him a wink, before Perseus shifted the conversation completely. “Anyway, I’m sure Meduso’s starving. At least I am. Why don’t we all sit down and get started?”
