Odd Woman Out

I put my head close, and he reached out tentatively. But the snakes writhed joyously around him. I could feel his wonder and his happiness, and was aware of Mama's pleasure and love, and I was the happiest I think I had ever been.

"You can kiss me," I said, leaning forward. But he pulled away, then got up came around the table and took me in his arms, and kissed me, one hand in my snakes, who loved the attention and the feelings of both of us.

"And you can touch me anywhere," I whispered. His other hand was released from my waist, and came round to hold my breast. Was it possible to be any happier? I did not think so.

And without looking, I knew that Mama and Zee were holding hands as they watched us with all the love of parents.

"Will you marry me?" he said, breaking away from my lips and looking deep into my eyes.

"Yes," I said. Not as an oracle, but as a woman in love.

We felt each other's faces and hair, and I stroked his strong young body as he explored mine. Meanwhile Zeta was caressing Mama's snakes while they kissed. I knew this before I saw it with my eyes, of course.

"Shall we take a break?" said Zee.

"Yes," said Mama, with a laugh. So we sat down again, holding hands, except when Mama poured a little more drink and we supped it.

"I think I need to tell you about me," said Zee.

"I used to be a professor of classical history, and I met my wife Dana on an archaeological dig. I was not the best husband, but we had a beautiful boy. I got to be a professor and some awards by working hard, publishing and being very competitive. But when Dana died all the papers and fame seemed so worthless. I could not carry on, so resigned. We were in Greece and I found more reward in explaining to tourists the wonders of the ancient world than in academic papers and speaking at conferences."

"Now I just want to know all about you and your people, and the professor in me is imagining the papers which could be published."

"But I could not do that. So Keto, would you live with me and let me write a book? It will not be published, but I so much want to write it. We could leave it to our children and perhaps their children to decide."

"Yes," said Mama. "I will live with you and you can write your book, but I don't wish to marry again."

"No," came the response. "I would not commit to another woman in the same way, but I think in a different way we could be with each other."

My snakes were stretched fully out, looking at the both of them. And I felt a deep satisfaction that Mama could have some comfort and this man to protect her.

CHAPTER 10

Percy and I were married in the little chapel. It was not a Christian ceremony. Mama acted as the priestess of Hygieia. Percy and I were both bare-chested, with garlands of flowers around our necks. Mama had a snake around hers, as she spoke the words from one of the few books she had brought with her to the island. We each put our hands on the snake and committed to each other.

Maria had found some of the women from the village who had come to witness it. I translated the Greek into their language as it went on. Zee of course understood, and had taken Percy through the ceremony beforehand.

We later had an official civil wedding on the mainland, just for formality.

Percy had some things called condoms to cover his cock. (I liked the word 'cock'. For the boys it had been a 'little bird' in the island language. Now for this man it was a big bird!)

However, Mama said I did not really need condoms.

"You are an oracle," she said. "Ask yourself 'would this start a baby?' each day, and you will know. You will also know when you are both ready and want a baby."

It was true. We did not want a child immediately and I knew when to refrain. But that did not mean refraining from pleasing each other. He learned to stroke my mouvi and kiss it, and I did the same for his cock.

But what we both appreciated was when he put his cock into my snakes and they writhed around him. I could feel him in a different way and my snakes knew every little feeling of pleasure, and stroked and gripped him in ways to make it the greatest possible. They tried to catch his semen in their little mouths, and rubbed it around themselves with happiness afterwards. We had to wash my hair afterwards, of course, but they enjoyed that, and liked Percy to do it. And of course we felt his excitement and joy as he produced the semen.

When we joined together and he put his semen inside me was the best, of course. I do not know it how it is for women without snakes. Perhaps it is just fucking. But with my snakes feeling his eros, it overwhelmed me. The love and lust together -- the raw animal passion and the spiritual feeling of our mutual desire and commitment. There is no other word for it but lovemaking.

Zee moved into our house with Mama. Though it is not the same as with Papa, I know she enjoys his lovemaking. I do not need to ask -- our snakes tell each other -- so she is also happy with what Percy and I have.

We got a chalet some distance away from the others, where we could be more private, with Maria next door. Sometimes we go to Mama's house and play music as it should be played, in the olive grove behind the house. Percy is learning to play the aulos, which is quite difficult. (Some of the adder's children have moved to the olive grove, and come out when we play.)

But it is also pleasant for me and Mama to be able to have company and let our hair be free. We have English tea together, which reminds us of Papa in a good way.

Zee did as he promised, and is recording what we tell him of our life and culture for his book. He also started taking trips to places where they keep old manuscripts, and began putting together a different view of the Gorgons, which he hoped to publish. Apparently these accounts of us as healers and wise people have largely been ignored. Mama sometimes accompanies him (anywhere they can go by boat, but not plane). In a closed section of a library or in a monastery while the monks are at prayer, she can let her snakes peek out. She helps him with some old words and interpreting the text, especially poetry.

Percy studied our snakes as a biologist and is writing a chapter for the book. I know there are questions he wants to ask, but will never do. What happens when we die? Could he perform a dissection to see if the snake is connected to the brain? I do not know what my answer will be when Mama dies, but I feel that will be many years from now. We are a long-lived people.

Zee also contacted his academic colleagues again, and eventually found something for Percy. A small grant was obtained to study the snakes of the Adriatic coast, and he registered as a PhD student with a university. I went with him on field trips (but avoided formal meetings). It was lovely to meet so many snakes. With some black gauze on my hair my snakes could see out, and it looked like hair from a distance, though I covered up if anyone came close. I got the snakes we found to cooperate so that they could be measured, weighed and photographed, but we also just enjoyed time together, and they quite liked Percy. (He liked them a lot!) When we camp far away from people, I can be more free, especially at night.

After five years Percy had his PhD and some publications. The sponsors were pleased to find there were many more snakes than had been supposed, and surprised at the details of lengths and weights. I knew if they were male or female, of course, but he got quite good himself. We had to be careful not to reveal locations so that the snakes would not be harmed.

Zee published "A Reappraisal of the Gorgons in Ancient Literature". It was purely based on the documents he had found, plus a reinterpretation of some classical ones. They were not limited to tales of gods, but clearly believed to be real. He suggested that perhaps women with snake headdresses had been known as early healers, which was the closest he could get to what he knew. He was invited to give lectures and was made a visiting professor at two universities, but kept to his job on the island. There were offers of further documents for him to look at.

Percy was invited to lead a larger investigation to assess the extent and health of snakes in the wild around part of the Mediterranean, with some enthusiastic wildlife volunteers as well as a couple of biologists.

I could not join him very often for a very good reason.

We had decided we were ready. We knew the day it happened, and nine months later we had a baby girl delivered on the island. One of the girls I had known as a child had become a midwife, and I had a home delivery.

We looked carefully. Our daughter had thick hair, but it did not move. She developed curly hair like her Papa. We were a little sad that she would not have what we had, but mainly happy that she would not have our difficulties. We hoped she would like snakes.