Page 17 of Orpheus
It glimmered, without any light needed to strike upon it. The fleece glowed vibrantly. Its shimmering gold texture reflected on the walls of the tiny enclosed cabin, making them look as if they were made of topaz instead of light oak.
This Golden Fleece meant the world to Jason. It would change his life forever, being the catalyst needed to propel him into ruling as a powerful king. Yet, I could not help but wonder about the rest of the crew. What was their reasoning for joining him on this precarious expedition? What reward was in it for them for the risks they were taking?
“Tell me, Calais. Why are you helping Jason? What is in it for you?” I hoped I didn’t come off as cynical in saying this, but I really wanted to understand his mindset and his rationale in committing himself to this adventure of his own free-will.
“Glory,” Calais replied. “And Jason’s friendship. He is a good man and a dear friend. Jason would serve Thessaly well, and deserves the throne more than any other leader I’ve encountered in my life.”
“And how does the glory come into play?”
“My family and my lineage,” he began to explain. “There are certain expectations we must abide by. One of them is to make a name for ourselves in this world. Becoming a heroic symbol and creating a gallant tale about us that will be passed down from generation to generation is what we strive for.”
“Who iswe, exactly, Calais?” I was still lost. Many of the pieces were not adding up for me. His statements were enigmatic.
Calais spun around, making sure no one was down the hall or around us in this cabin, before he shut the door behind him, latching it. He dropped his green tunic to the ground, revealing his full body to me. I could not help but stare at his well-endowed cock. It was glorious. But what was even more captivating was the beige feathered wings emerging from his shoulder blades. There was a dusky hue to them that nearly matched his tanned skin tone. But what stood out to me most was the finely scattered details upon them. Gold scales were dispersed along the length of both wings, appearing sporadically throughout. The tint was nearly as golden as the fleece on the wall. I was in awe of what he had just revealed to me, not being able to help myself by staring at them in wonder.
“I’m the son of Boreas, God of the North Wind,” Calais revealed, before gathering his tunic to conceal his wings once again, among other things.
“Does that make you a god?” I asked with incredulity.
“A demi-god, more or less. But still mortal. My brother, Zetes, and I are known as the Boreads. He too is on this ship, helping Jason and the other Argonauts.”
I could not believe it. How could I have missed all the signs? I knew I heard of the nameCalaisbefore. The worst part about my ignorance was that the North Wind lied in my father’s kingdom of Thrace. Boreas and his family resided there. I should have known about him all along. I hoped Calais did not view me as an imbecile for not being aware of his pedigree.
“I see. Well, it is an honor to be in your presence, Calais. Forgive me if I was not as formal with you earlier as I should have been.”
He shook his hands in the air. “No. There is no need to treat me any differently than you already were. You have been perfectly fine, thus far.”
“Very well. And forgive me for asking once more, but what is your role here with Jason?” I asked. “You’re not just any mortal warrior here on this journey. You’re the son of a god, after all.”
“I am here based on a prophecy. A similar prophecy as yours, actually. The Fates had a vision, that Zetes and I would assist Jason in his quest, just as they did for you. The gods are at play here, if you haven’t already known, Orpheus. Clearly, Apollo is now involved on your side, while Jason has the aid and support of both Hera and Athena. This mission is now vital. Success is inevitable,” Calais told me.
“Then, it was destined for us to meet as well,” I shared aloud. “And I am so glad to have been able to meet you, Calais.”
“I feel the same way about you, Orpheus.” He gave me an affectionate smile as he said this. “Just as you are needed in order to get us past the sirens, Zetes and I are the only ones able to triumph over the harpies that have stood in our way. We managed to chase them off earlier, but we will likely face them again when we pass their homeland, Crete.”
“I would be glad to help you fight them,” I heard myself saying aloud. “Perhaps my calming music could be of use to you in battle against the harpies.”
“It’s worth a try,” he replied. “And I will do whatever I can to help you get us bySirenum scopuli.”
There was something more at work here that we both were now realizing. An unspoken bond. Our hearts longed to support and protect one another. But they were being tugged at for more than just those reasons alone. I had a connection with Calais, and dare I say that my feelings towards him were evolving all the more?
I could sense he was having similar feelings based on the awkward silence that now lingered in the room, us two just staring at each other with a longingness in our eyes. Simultaneously, we both took a step closer towards one another. My head tilted to the side as I began to close my eyes, craning my neck out towards him. He did the same, while leaning his head in the opposite direction of mine. Our lips were just a breath away from each other. I was expecting to feel his touch until a loud knock at the door disrupted our passionate moment, that now was lost.
“Orpheus? Calais?” We heard Jason call to us from the other side. “Orpheus. We need you on deck. It’s only a matter of minutes before we approach the island of the sirens.”
I let out a deep sigh, wishing Jason had waited a little while longer to interrupt us. “I’ll be there in a second.”
“After you,” Calais stated, as he unlatched the door and opened it.
I exited the room ahead of him. Shaking my head, I needed to diffuse the thoughts of Calais and what we were out of my mind. Those sparks that existed between us. They needed to be ignored for now. We would have to reconvene on this at a later time. For now, I had a mission I needed to prepare for. Our very lives depended on it.
Chapter 7
“We are all counting on you, Orpheus,” Jason stated, patting me on the shoulder roughly. “I will man the wheel of the ship. It’s up to you to stand on the bow and give the performance of a lifetime.”
I nodded, nervously. “I know what I must do.”
Standing on deck, I glanced at the other Argonauts that surrounded us, including Calais. “And what will the rest of you be doing?” I asked, unsure of their responsibilities and expectations during this upcoming encounter with the sirens.
