LYSSANDRA

I could not say no. I could not admit that it was a lie.

That stupid captain set me up. If I said no I knew that he was another thing coming from him. But then, the short man said if I succeed he will give me rewards and ask forgiveness from Apollo.

As proud as the captain made them look it seemed that the short man was afraid for the king.

Returning to the bathhouse, I found the two servant girls facing me amused as they tried to hand me back my clothes. One of them tried to look ashamed now.

‘’Please we are sorry’’One of them begged for forgiveness, trying to look down.

I could say all is forgiven or my god doesn’t hate you but I could still feel my back aching from the scratches. And they also tried to drown me.

So I leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear.

‘’Each night there will be spiders crawling on your body.’’

And then I moved my belongings far from her and I thanked her softly as she had a pale expression on her face. Good.

They did not steal anything at least. All of my herbs and my sickle were right where I left them. And it looked like they had also put more things such as fruits and a big flask of water.

Maybe I was too mean to them. But again, they did try to kill me. So with a heavy pout, I walked out of the room with two young soldiers waiting for me.

With two soldiers following me with their silver horses there was also the captain, accompanying me with his chestnut one as I was forced to walk until the entrance of the mountain. The sun was falling right to me with one of my sandals being ripped off in the middle, making me fall down.

‘’Oracle’’A soldier shouted trying to get me up but there was also a laugh.

The soldier’s hand tried to make me stand but I managed to get up with the blood falling on my leg. Holding my pain now, I tried to keep moving as the captain approached me closer with his horse galloping playfully.

‘’Shame you revealed your secret’’The man scoffed.’’Being in the company of a king.’’I could see his lips parting.

I replied by moving my veil closer to my eyes and tried to keep walking with one sandal making rocks shave on my foot.

Finally, the mountain's entrance could cover even the whole sun, with one silver hawk flying closer to us and now disappearing into the forest.

‘’You’’The captain jumped down from his horse and moved his leash to me.’’Will have mine to ride the dangerous path.’’

As I tried to take his offer, the captain leaned closer, making me smell his stinking breath of fish and wine.

‘’Shall I pray for you oracle?’’

I started feeling that I should have jumped into the water when I had the chance.

I smiled at him and let out a bow as I snatched the leash from him and looked at the soldiers.

‘’Thank you so much.’’My mouth grinned wide. ’’ I shall go now.’’

For a mere second, I could see both faces painted red underneath their helmets and then moving closer to each other to whisper.

‘’She is pretty if you forget the scar’’One of them whispered.

‘’I heard that she is terrifying but now she looks so sweet.’’

So the servant girl ratted me out?

I shrugged as I tried to stand up to the horse and then, my short journey began.

The road was heavy with the sun keeping me company but thanks to the servant girls I would not starve or get thirsty. At half time, I opened the flask from my bag, letting water pour on my lips and taking one fig to pour sweetness into my teeth. For a few hours, there was also a chill breeze, letting me move my veil down and look up at the sky, only to find a silver hawk following me again, until he fell on the horse’s head.

‘’Hello’’I chuckled at the sight of him as he kept looking at his silver wings, trying to clean them with his beak. I blinked and he blinked back, releasing slowly who it was as he moved at my wounded hand.

‘’Well, I hope that ‘’I moved my other hand back to the bag and found one more fig for him. Before even trying to move it closer he grasped it with his strong beak and gulped it up.

My lips pouted before bursting into laughter and the bird moved back to the horse’s head.

The journey continued as I was searching for the silphion around. But there was nothing.

My mind was going numb as I was trying to think straight of any solution but my thoughts were going back to Thais and Adamantious. They will be alright, they will be safe. But I missed them. I missed Thais courage and confidence around everything. Her trying to make me get out of a wall that I created years ago…

Adamantious presence too how gentle he was…

‘’I am nothing without them.’’I broke down on the horse. I could not fight, I could not only talk. I could not be confident, I could only smile.

And then, the sun fell and everything changed. The horse stopped and started screaming with the bird falling on my shoulder.

I shushed the horse slowly, caressing her fur.’’Easy girl eas-’’

But keeping her calm was pointless with her now being lifted with me ready to fall to the ground and…

Everything went dark for a moment with my head being hit on the head and my back.

I let out a shout of pain and looked above the sky once more…the sun was already out and the horse was now gone.

‘’Coward’’I pouted in absolute silence and tried to move through the forest to pick a branch for a torch. Managing to find an Olive tree, I grabbed one of the strongest branches, pulled it out with my remaining strength, and took a deep breath as the hawk kept following me. Was I now all alone? Will I be able to get back? I had no time to worry as then I was falling faster.

As much as I loved my veil, I wrapped it around the branch, and from my bag, I poured so much olive oil on it with two flat rocks.

‘‘Come on, come on come..’’

A bright light was found in the darkness making my skin almost warm. One deep breath before starting to walk around again. I had no time for rest as the bird had fallen on my shoulder.

Well, at least I had a friend. I smirked at his great height and gave him one more fig for him to feast upon.

‘’Do you have a name?’’I asked, thinking that he would reply. Then again why was the bird here? If he was a messenger of the captain then he should have been with him or near the sea, even at the palace. And yet, here it was, moving into the darkness with me.

The road was now rougher, sharper rocks touching both of my sandals, and barefoot the wind became harsher, and as for any danger…

Howls erupted in my ears near me.

As I stopped walking, I tried to look around with the Hawk flying in circles. Looking above the trees I could see the clouds were hiding the stars or any possibility of signs.

And my heart began to rush with sweat dripping from my brow. I was alone in a dark forest with no weapons and…

Turning now to the left I could see two glistening eyes emerging from the woods with a heavy snarl.

DAMMITDAMMITDAMMITDAMMITDAMMITDAMMIT.

Probably the worst thing I could do was run. I would make a signal for each wolf that I was in the forest, ready to be devoured.

But my brain was not working as fast as my legs.

Now with the hawk next to me and the torchlight following each of every move, I was the target of a pack that was snarling heavily. I could not look back but I could listen to their growling coming closer.

‘’Is there’’I let out a heavy breath, looking at the hawk.’’Maybe a way that you can help me out?’’

The hawk kept flying at my pace but not replying with any sound and then he started moving faster and faster until his silver wings were lost in the darkness.

I could not keep running with this pacing. Not with one of the wolves catching my dress.

Think woman think think think.

Attacking them with the sickle only angered them more with one of them trying to jump at me, sharp glistening teeth wanting to bite at my arm. Now backing away, my mouth let a scream escape and the sickle fell from my grasp.

My hand moved on my sack as the wolf tried to push me down. On the other side of me, there was one more, barking, trying to make me afraid.

And I started moving my torch around them trying to buy time. I could count only six. Six wolves that were barely aged and with scars around their furs. And yet they were not afraid of the fire.

My free hand finally found what it was searching for and I showed the pack the olive oil from the sack.

I am so sorry.

I poured it far from me, close to the pack, letting them taste it before resting the torch on the ground.

Everything started lit with the wild animals snarling and screaming at the flames. I let out a heavy breath but I noticed that my dress had caught on the flames.

‘’No, no, no,’’I started running once more, trying to get it out with one remaining wolf barking and hunting me. And IK was in the darkness once more. I could not see anything. I could only feel my blood stained in blood and sweat, my dress sticking on me, and…was I crying?

Into the darkness, I went with my steps now missing the ground and the wind.

Oh gods. I was falling.

Turning back I reached my hand above, trying to find anything, any hope, any sign. And there it was. My mind is numb, it feels like someone’s hand, trying to pull me up. Shitting my eyes and opening them again I could see above me the world still barking and howling at me with his piercing eyes. But I could not feel the ground yet. I could not breathe. I was being held by something. From a root? From a branch? I could not tell and I could no longer think with the wolf ringing this horrible sound in my ears.

Then it stopped with a single blow of an attack.

I did not speak even with spots of blood dripping on my face. Footsteps were moving to me. People are laughing.

Stolen story; please report.

‘’Was this the last one?’’A man laughed, pulling the weapon out of the wolf.

Light approached the forest with another one speaking. ‘’Yes, the others were caught on the fire.’’

‘’The oracle?’’The man had a playful tone.’’He, did warn us about her coming here.’’

‘’The horse came back to our temple’’The other replied dry.’’And it seems that she lit up the fire. Either she died with the wolves…or’’

He started walking closer to the cliff with his torch lighting to my side. I panicked and turned my eyes down to finally see that the only thing that was awaiting me was a cold stone ocean. I could feel my arm ready to break, the root to give up guiding my strength and then I saw it.

On the opposite side of the mountain where none could see it if they couldn’t come close…there was fire. There were buildings. Buildings like…

‘’She is probably dead’’ The funny one said and the steady man moved his light away. Did he even see me?

‘’Or the others found her first.’’He kept saying with a laugh. But the other man sighed.’’He should have let her go.’’

Their voices began to echo more and more.

‘’Sure but he thought that people might try to find anything here. An oracle of Apollo facing the lands of Zeus…’’

‘’Come on now’’The funny man laughed.’’It will rain soon we need to go. And he already sent what we need…’’A whisper. A whisper, only for them, the dead and me to listen.

He giggled and I narrowed as I waited for a few seconds before trying to get up again.

Crack.

No, I cannot. I cannot die.

A force was pushing me down for me to meet the sea. I could not scream, I could not cry. Because I could not breathe.

I cannot die. I cannot. Not yet.

I fell into the water with my head and back, almost breaking from the pain. I opened my mouth, letting water fill my lungs but giving up was not an option as I moved my lips faster and faster, trying to get out.

My face got out from the harsh water, finally managing to breathe and swimming fast out of the water.

My knees scrubbed on the shore with the rock making them bleed as I kept moving further and further from the sea until I found a small empty cave to protect me from the rain.

I had no fire, no herbs, no oil, no trees to keep me company. I had a body bleeding and shivering from the cold with every part of my body aching in pain and I was so alone.

‘’I cannot die’’I stuttered. ‘’I…cannot..’’

Someone approaches the cave with its steps being more and more heavy and tired of walking. I crawled even closer to the wall.

A laugh and a light were accompanying him.

‘’Is anyone there?’’There was an old crusty voice.

I did not reply but my trembling teeth were answered enough.

‘’I am sorry.’’ The old man finally appeared with a torch next to his begging appearance.

A lightning bolt broke from the sky, making the rain start. I kept my silence as the man squinted inside the cave and put the torch in the middle of the ground.

I could see him clearly now. Well, clear was a lie as he kept his face covered but he had scars all over his thin hands and legs. And a cunning smile that made me back even more.

‘’I just want a place to stay for the night’’He pressed his lips making them disappear inside his thick beard and then he popped them.’’See there is a thunderstorm.’’

‘’You can…’’My voice broke, feeling the salt hit my lashes.’’You can stay my lord.’’

The man laughed.’’My lord? How formal.’’

I tried to laugh with him but I was far too cold.

‘’I am no lord woman,’’His words were sharp and vile.’’Just a small traveler trying to pass this strange mountain.’’

I hummed, thinking that he might be a liar. How could someone like him move around this mountain all alone at night?

‘’There is a temple near by’’I groaned.’’They could give you a bed, food.’’

The man chuckled and then he started to spit heavy saliva out of his mouth. How did he end up here?

‘’My dear I do not want to anger the old god in the sky anymore…’’He looked down. ‘’Temples of his brother with men hungry for blood?’’

‘’I thought that this place was cursed by Apollo’’ I smirked.

And the man coughed with one more laugh and joke to say.’’ Apollo?’’ His lips sang.’’He…has no power on this island surrounded by sea sky and madness.’’ For a moment I could feel that he was gazing at me with all his power. I could not look away, I could not speak. I could not think.

The sound of a coin woke me up with the man smiling.’’Just like you do not belong here.’’

I scoffed and started plotting a lie but he spoke first.

‘’Tell me what does a beautiful lady lick you are doing here?’’ The man asked all so gently.

I tried to restrain myself from admitting the truth but I had no more strength.

‘’I made a mistake,’’ I admitted.

The man kept laughing. ‘’So it seems.’’His hands moved inside of his cloak, revealing a loaf of bread, ready to give it to me.

I shook my head and tried to avoid him.

‘’You shall eat my child.’’He rasped. ‘’Or else you will die.’’

‘’No’’I mouthed dry.’’I refuse to die.’’And I refuse someone to pity me. Not again.

The man laughed.’’Refused? You have plans for the future?’’

I took a deep breath before looking at the wall and my eyes snapped wide as I found yellow flowers blooming from the ground. Not just any yellow flowers.

Silphion.

I gasped in a broken tone, letting tears and laughter come out of me.

‘’I will become a goddess’’I admitted in all pain.

‘’Oh,’’The man’s interest grew closer to me.’’How will you do that?’’

‘’I will make everyone stop believing in the Gods. And soon they will be forgotten.’’I kept my smile wide, feeling some wounds trying to close on their own.

‘’And they will remember you…’’The man sighed with a realization. ‘’What kind of Goddess would you like to be?’’

I hummed confused, staring at the man’s curious frown.

‘’Ruler of the sky? Patron of orphans? Protector of the poor-’’

‘’Of everything’’I answered with not a second thought.

A gasp came from him and leaned his head closer to me. ‘’What?’’

I hummed once more with no smile. ‘’I will be the Goddess, the Patron, the Ruler, the Protector of everything.’’

Silence.

And then, the man laughed. He laughed and laughed.

I wanted to stop him but I could only laugh with him too. How insane I sounded here, all alone in cold and pain, on the brink of death. I could just laugh with him until we both fell asleep. But as I was watching the light flickering around him I could notice that the man had no shadow. Even if that small light kept me warm I could see if that man was cold or not.

The sun woke me up and I could still taste the sea salt on my lips, my hair tangled up with small rocks and my fingers curled around the yellow flowers. But there was no torch or any sign of fire. No man was sleeping near me. Or even a memory of someone sleeping inside the cave, except for me.

Maybe it was all an imagination. That night that laughter from that man was a sign of me losing my mind.

Sky, sea, and madness.

Standing up with my stained legs I could see the shore that had backed away, leaving shells all exposed for me to find. I grinned as next to the flowers I grabbed a few black ones only to realize there were gaps in the middle. I frowned looking and tried to force them to open with all my strength.

Nothing. But I could not stop looking at that beautiful black color that they were painted at.

Taking a few more of them it was time for me to go. I could see an open path from where I started if I followed the beach. I packed the flowers inside my sack, I tidied up my dress and hair, just to find a purple flower stuck on my locks. My eyes fixated on it as I could see the roots still plucked on it. Was the root that was holding me the night before?

Both of the soldiers looked at me all so frightened as I was handing the antidote with a smile.

‘’Oracle what happened to you?’’They both jumped close to me, trying to take care of me by fixing my hair and pouring cold water on my wounds.

But I let out a pout.

‘’You don’t need to do all of that.’’

One of them started crying.’’We were worried sick about you…after that storm, we thought.’’He sniffed.’’You were gone for almost a moon.’’

Almost a moon? No, that cannot be right, I was certain it was just one day.

‘’That stupid man fled right before the storm but we kept staying here to make sure that you…’’

And tears poured from my eyes.’’You were worried about me?’’

Their faces flushed and they started rushing their treatments, commanding me to stop crying.

In the castle once more I did not see the king as I gave the flowers to the small man. He kept smiling wide at me, over and over again, trying to not cry in front of me. Looking around I saw no sign of the captain.

And it was my time to say the truth was a lie. Standing tall, emotionless with a dead gaze I stared directly at the man.

No wolves were found. No curse of my god, nothing. Only traitors of the sky and thunder. The sea has taken them, hid them on the mountain, giving them a safe space, a temple, and lies. Everyone who was entering the mountain would find no wild beast but men in their madness. And one close to you the one who gave me to you was one of them.

That made the short man furious but instead of cursing me he shook his head and thanked me once more.

It was no gift that I had given to them. They were simply fools of trusting someone so oblivious. He said that the mountain was filled with wolves and yet his entire crew had cloaks made of their fur to spare. Down to the boxes, there were poisonous herbs and weapons, so many that they could not only destroy a king but also his people.

There was no curse or punishment. There was simply naivety.

No king or great hospitality for me to see. The short man was already upset for him to care for a wild-looking oracle with blood falling to his well-clean floor that came from out of nowhere.

He did command his servant girls to take care of me though, I will give him that.

They were two different women now, explaining that the others fell ill. I nodded about their replies as they seemed now to take better care of me. One of them tried to throw the purple flower but I stopped her. I wanted it back with me.

Bandages were wrapped all over me one of the girls staring at my face.’’How did that…’’

A lie. ‘’I was born with it’’I smiled at her gently and she nodded and kept treating my wounds.

I was sent with soldiers near the port to the ship which was waiting for me as I was carrying a bag filled with money and herbs and the dark shells I found at the shore. One of the soldiers informed me that they had meat inside them and I had to open them with a knife.

I smiled down at him as he suggested that I ride his horse this time. He kept looking at my now bandaged wounds with almost a pitiful look and yet he tried to ask me how I was feeling.

I lied, telling him that everything was perfect but then, I found a glimpse of two familiar figures.

I jumped from the horse and started running to their side, ignoring every bystander, every dancer, every sound of music. I could only smile as my eyes laid on Adamantious kind eyes.

There was a sharp stain on my stomach. A body pushing me far away with everything coming darker.

‘’You thought that you would escape?’’ Captain’s voice spat on my ear and my lungs started to suffocate in blood. I tried to sneak a peek behind his shoulder to see if the others were coming for me. But there was none to be found. No guards, no dancers, no people. Just me and…

Not that it did not happen like that.

‘’We reunited.’’I let out blood fall.’’We left the island. We went …’’

I tried to speak but the pain from the knife became even more with a familiar bird now standing right on my shoulder.

‘’You could never escape’’ A voice whispered and a hand covered my mouth, making it difficult to scream, to breathe.

The captain was now gone but I was still bleeding. I was still dying.

‘’At the end of it’’The husky voice whispered near my neck. ‘’Either you will become a goddess or die trying. ‘’His tone became gentle, moving his hands all over me and forcing my head to look far from him.

‘’You will be…’’He started singing.’’All mine to torment.’’

‘’Oracle’’ A voice screamed that made me wake from the darkness.

My eyes snapped wide, with the first thing to notice was how dusty the ceiling looked. My mouth was filled with the taste of iron, my back was aching, and as I turned to the right I found both Paris and Adamatnious staring at me with the sunset slowly falling.

‘’Hiii’’I said with a smile, trying to get up. Adamantious grabbed me by the arms as I stepped wrong and fell on his arms.

‘’Oh you gained a beard’’I touched his heavy shin and kept smiling with my mind being all so hazy and I started giggling.

He pressed his lips to a thin line and turned to Paris. His voice started echoing.

‘’Can you help with this?’’

‘’I can but I need help I…’’ His voice started to echo.

‘’I love you’’I finally said out loud for anyone to listen. ‘’I love you so…so..’’