Odyssey

"We must leave at once" Hesperon cried to them.

--- o ---

Something moved in the trees and all eyes turned to regard a tall figure that emerged. A large, grey skinned creature stepped forth, easily a full head taller than any man amongst us, it had the head of a long snouted dog. Its face moved back and forth as it smelled the air and then, fixing its gaze on Hesperos who had come to a stop close by it, it stalked forward. As it did so I saw it carried a round shield and long curving blade.

Hesperos had barely a heartbeat before the creature was upon him. He lifted an arm in self-defence and I saw his mouth open wide. The blade swung up and then down in a blur of movement and Hesperos gave a weak cry as he fell. I stumbled backward and tripped over the cooking pot, my eyes staring at Hesperos. His blood spread from his body and ran down between the clean white paving stones towards me.

Another cry of pain pulled my eyes back to the monster and again I gasped in horror for the beast had taken a hold of Lysandros by his beautiful flowing hair and with a single great blow of the curved weapon it cut his head from his body. Briefly I saw the other warriors spilling from the ruins, their spears and bows in hand but my courage faltered and I turned and ran blindly back down the road.

I don't know for how long I ran, but when I finally slowed to a stop, heaving for breath and panting like a summer dog, I found myself in an unfamiliar place. Rather than take me back to the Temple of Athena the road now led to a garden of sorts. I arrived at an archway atop two slender columns and beyond was a long rectangular pool surrounded by a marble walk way and a dozen statues of men and women in undressed state. In the lawns of grass around this pool walked people in white robes.

I walked on shaky legs to the archway and stepped inside the strange place. As I did, I heard music coming from the trees and peering under the boughs I saw more figures moving around small fires. Of a sudden, the island had become filled with people. I staggered to the nearest, an older heavy set man with a slender old woman on his arm.

"Please help" I gasped. "My friends need help"

"How curious" the man said. The woman simpered.

"There was a creature" I told them, "a man with a head like that of a dog"

They passed by me laughing to each other. I turned to another group of people who were standing nearby.

"My friends are being attacked" I cried. They turned toward me briefly and then laughed quietly amongst themselves, as if at my appearance. I tried to appeal for help, but they turned away and resumed their own conversations. Try as I might, no one in the garden would respond to my pleas. I stood looking about myself in confusion.

--- o ---

"Behold the Champion!" a woman near me cried. People turned and some began to clap and cheer. A large and proud stallion had emerged from amongst the trees. Its frame was muscular and its glossy black coat shone. Several people approached it and held out their hands in reverence. It neighed and tossed its head in great animation and reaching high one woman touched its forehead.

"Mighty one" she gushed. The great horse seemed to acknowledge her. It dipped its head and allowed her to stroke it again. Several other people tried to touch it as well, but now it tossed it's mane with a wild eye and they fell back again.

A column of people appeared leading another horse, a mare bedecked with garlands of flowers. More followed, some playing flutes and a lyre. One man beat a rhythm on a drum skin. People began to dance and cavort. One woman began to sing a chant of sorts and others clapped to the drum. The mare was led to the stallion who threw his head back, his nostrils wide. He began to prance back and forth and the onlookers moved back out of his way. The mare whinnied and stepped high, moving in circular motions away from the stallion's attentions. The people began to chant along with the singer whose voice now took on higher and more strident tones. I looked about in bewilderment, what was this place?

The mare still danced away from the stallion, but she never tried to flee. He gave chase, his eyes flashing and his tail high. A sudden step and a hop and suddenly he had mounted her. The people moved closer clapping and chanting and as the stallion entered the mare, there was a great sigh from the crowd and then silence. The two rutting horses neighed and trembled in unison and then the crowd cheered and the stallion withdrew. As he strutted proudly from the garden, the stallion seemed to be staring right at me.

I shook my head and glanced back to the archway by which I had entered the garden and to my surprised I discovered it was night time. A state of confusion rained down upon me and I clutched my head in despair. Around me the people had begun to sing again but all I could think of was Artemon. Was he safe, or was he dead? Was he decapitated like beautiful Lysandros? The vision of Lysandros's death blinded me again and I stumbled back towards the archway. I found myself by one of the statues by the pool and I leant against it to keep from falling.

"What ails thee?" A woman's soft voice spoke.

I looked back over my shoulder to see a tall, golden haired lady standing there.

"My friends" I said. "I must help them"

"Your friends?" she asked. "Who are your friends?

I pointed out of the archway.

"They are up there, up the road. Artemon and Aeryston and Miltiades" I stopped before I could say Hesperos, remembering suddenly that my master was dead too. A sudden thought occurred to me, Hesperos's last words.

"Am I dead? I asked her.

"Dead?" She smiled.

"Is this Tartarus?" I pressed.

"Oh no" She smiled wider. "This is the Garden of Hermaphroditus".

I had never heard that name before. I looked at her and noticed she was carrying a gilded jug upon which were delicate golden flowers. She held it out to me.

"Drink" she said. "Drink and be free of your woe"

Thirstily, I took the jug and drank from it.

--- o ---

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on a broad divan in a soft white silken pavilion. Outside the sun burned hot and bright and a breeze moved through the translucent hanging fabrics. I raised myself up onto my elbow and glanced around. As I did, the woman from the garden entered and smiled down at me.

"Are you well rested young master?" she asked. I blinked against the bright light that seemed to engulf her figure like a golden halo.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"You are in the garden" she replied. She came closer to where I lay and delicately sat beside me. I saw she was holding a goblet in her pale hands. She offered it to me and I took it cautiously. It was wine. I took a polite sip and handed it back. She took it but placed it on a nearby table

"You seem troubled?" she said. I nodded, how could I not be? She spoke again "What troubles you?"

I opened my mouth but no words came forth. For a few heartbeats I lay there trying to remember why I was upset, but all I could remember in that moment was the stallion, mounting the mare, and the beating of the drum.

Tonton. Tonton. Tonton.

From somewhere far distant, I felt the warmth of a fire and I heard the sound as of a man's voice. I strained to hear what he was saying but the harder I tried, the less I could hear. I looked about myself. I was in the pavilion. Insects were humming in the air. The woman with the golden hair was looking down at me with her big warm smile.

"Who are you?" I asked. Her smile broadened.

"I am Salmacis" she replied. "And what is your name young master?"

"I am called Phaedrus" I replied. She reached out and drew a finger across my brow and into my hair.

"Such a handsome name" she murmured, "...a handsome name for a handsome man."

Somewhat perturbed by her forwardness I struggled to form a reply. I opened my mouth to do so, but instead she leant forward and kissed my lips. So shocked I was that I flinched away from her and she drew back.

"Do I displease you Phaedrus?"

"No" I began, but then my words faltered and I tried desperately to think as to why I was so confused. I cast about in my mind, but my thoughts remained elusive and hidden from me.

--- o ---

Salmacis passed me the goblet of wine and absently I drank from it again.

"That's right" she smiled. "Drink and forget your troubles Phaedrus. The grape of Hermaphroditus has wonderful properties. Such qualities as to make you feel free and untroubled." I smiled and drank more. The wine was indeed potent. I felt its warmth spreading into my stomach and beyond.

"Where are we?" I asked again, but she did not answer. Instead she leant down and kissed me. Without thinking I opened my mouth to hers and felt her tongue press within. As she kissed me, the intoxication of the drink caused my head to spin and my senses seemed to burn. Her mouth was like a hot furnace and her tongue seemed as a river of molten rock pouring into me. I moaned, almost as if in pain. She moved a hand down my body and under my tunic. I felt her fingers closing about my phallus which had grown hard and strong without my notice. Almost at once, I felt the heat from the wine and her mouth also engulfing my virility. She released my mouth and sat up, still holding my manhood.

"Phaedrus" she whispered and I opened my eyes to look at her. "Phaedrus of the island of Cythera"

"Yes?"

"You are so fair of skin and dark of eye" She continued. "Your grace and beauty are commented upon."

As she spoke, her hand moved upon me and I groaned in an agony of emotions. My body arched on the divan and my fingers clutched at whatever was close. She looked down at my right hand which now gripped the fabric of her garment.

"So beautiful and eager" She smiled. She raised herself and climbed onto the divan with me. Still holding me, she straddled my hips and lifting aside her clothing, she guided herself to press down upon me. I felt myself enter her and the warmth of her body seemed as a cascade of fire upon my groin.

Again, in my mind came the distant voice of a man speaking; only now the words seemed clearer, almost distinct. As she began to ride me, I heard whomever it was saying "Is this thy wish?"

"My wish?" I replied aloud. Salmacis smiled and leant down to kiss me once more.

"Is this thy wish?" the voice repeated again. "Do you truly wish to be joined with Salmacis?"

The pleasure of our coupling was mounting fast. With each downward thrust of her body, Salmacis brought me closer and closer to climax.

"Yes" I spoke almost to myself. "Yes."

"Very well then sweet Phaedrus. If that is what you so wish" the voice whispered in distant reply.

My mind exploded into a fountain of ecstasy and light and I felt a great burst of fluid erupting from me and into my strange lover. Her body seemed to be pure heat and the burning of its proximity acted upon me like a hot wind. I opened my mouth and cried out in pleasure. For one long golden moment, the universe and everything in it disappeared and I was a single instance of fire in the vast emptiness.

--- o ---

I opened my eyes again. Salmacis was gone. The pavilion was gone. Even the garden was gone. I lay alone in a field of long grass that blew gently in the breeze. I sat up and stared around in astonishment. I could still feel the heat of Salmacis's body on my own. I stood and looked about myself. I was in a field, next to the well paved road. Some few hundred yards away, I could see the statue of Zeus.

Artemon! Hesperus! The memory of my friends returned abruptly and I turned to look up the road. I had to get back to them I realised. I began to run, but almost at once, I felt something was not right. My body felt strange. I looked down at my hands and saw to my surprise that they were no longer the slender hands of youth, but rather soft and rounded. My arms too were different. I looked down in surprise and saw breasts beneath an unknown tunic. I pulled the garment open in shock. I had breasts - two firm and supple breasts!

A sudden thought struck me and I pulled up my tunic to stare at a small triangle of curls. My manhood was gone! I fumbled about between my legs and found only the vaginal lips of a woman!

"How?" I asked out loud. "What has happened to me?"

I sank to my knees in the grass and noticed how big my thighs had become. I ran my hands across them absently.

--- o ---

I don't know how long I knelt there at the side of the road, but after a while, came the sound of distant voices. I looked up. Someone was coming down the road, a group of people by their sound. Men!

It had to be Aeryston and the men! I leapt to my feet and began to run awkwardly up to meet them. Almost at once I saw them turning a bend in the road up ahead and I began to wave and call out.

"My Lord" I cried. I froze, my hand in mid wave. My voice was high and light - the voice of a girl.

As I stood in abject confusion, Aeryston and his warriors approached, all staring at me in surprise.

"Greetings young maiden" Aeryston said as they drew near. His manner was polite and his eyes were curiously friendly. I looked from him to Miltiades and then searching the others I found Artemon and Kleon also staring at me.

"Are you of this island?" Aeryston asked. "We have searched high and low but found no one else here:"

"None but that great beast" Miltiades added. I noticed for the first time that he had a fresh wound on his arm. I looked about the men and saw they were fewer in number. Neither Hesperos or Lysandros were with the party. I closed my eyes in dismay. I had hoped this was some kind of dream.

"Steady miss" Miltiades said as he took a hold of my arm and I marvelled at the great strength of his hand. His usually fearsome face looked down into mine with compassion. The men gathered around to examine me. None of them seemed to recognise me.

"Can you understand what we say?" Aeryston asked.

"Yes" I replied, and this brought a round of smiles from them all.

"Who are you?" He continued. "How do you come to be walking this road alone?"

It felt absurd to tell them I was Phaedrus. Clearly I did not look like myself at all. I wondered if they'd ever believe me if I told them what had happened.

"I am Pherenike" I said and as I said it, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. The men muttered the name amongst themselves.

"A beautiful name" one man said. "Well chosen for such a handsome young woman." Others nodded in agreement and I felt my face blush. I looked tentatively at Artemon but he simply looked back at me with mild curiosity. He does not recognise me at all I realised.

"Where are you from?" Aeryston asked.

"Lesbos" I replied, naming the first distant island I could think of. Aeryston stood up straighter and scratched his chin.

"How do you come to be on this island?" He looked about. "Are you alone here?"

"Yes" I replied truthfully. "I was with friends, but they forgot me"

A murmur of sympathy travelled through them and I saw even Artemon shake his head in pity.

"Well we can't very well leave you here alone" Aeryston said. "You are free to travel with us if you wish. We are traveling to Athens, and from there perhaps you can find your own people?"

I nodded happily. I had no idea what the future would bring, but I wanted to be free of the island before the next mystery befell me.

"Very good" Aeryston said. "Come on men; let us be on our way, back to the ship."

With me walking between Aeryston and Miltiades, we made our way back the way we had come and soon we reached the camp site of the previous night. From there I saw the merchant ship, still at anchor, with her crew cavorting and swimming over the side. Upon sight of Aeryston's group, they set up a shouting and a halloing and the ship's boat was soon pulling towards us. Most of the men simply threw their weapons and armour into the boat and swam back to the ship, but I was placed aboard it and rowed back as if I were a queen. The crew men all stared at me with big eyes as they rowed and upon reaching the ship a ladder was lowered for me.

"This way miss" a crew man said and I was led to Aeryston's cabin. Aeryston himelf soon arrived and excused the mess.

"I will have some of the hands clean it up once we are under way" he said, "and I shall of course move into the hold with my men so as not to disturb your privacy."

I was delighted.

"Thank you my lord" I replied.

He regarded me with an odd look for moment and then shrugged and left

--- o ---

The ship was readied and soon under way. The wind was up so the sail was raised and the rowers could relax. Several of the crew came to the cabin door and having made their excuses for disturbing me, set about cleaning up the cabin and making it presentable for a woman. It occurred to me that Aeryston and the others were not treating me as a normal woman and when I came to see my reflection in a polished bronze mirror that hung on the wall I immediately understood why. Not only were my clothes of the finest silk, but the hems were adorned with cloth of gold and interwoven with intricate embroidery. I was wearing the tunic of a high born woman! I peered at my face in the mirror. I looked very different and yet somehow familiar. My hair was golden and full of curves and this made me realised why I looked so recognizable. In my face as it now was, I saw both my old face and the face of Salmacis!

Unbidden, I heard again an echo of the voice that had spoken to me "...if that is what you so wish."

--- o ---

It was on the second day out from the island that Aeryston came to see me. He brought with him a slender young crew man who carried a plate of food and a goblet of wine.

"Are you hungry Pherenike?" he inquired. He also carried a goblet of wine and although I saw the slight signs of intoxication in his eyes, my hunger and my eagerness at company overrode my caution. It had been a long two days alone in the cabin. Several times I had thought to seek out Artemon but as young and naïve as I might been, even I knew that a lady does not walk unaccompanied amongst a ship of men. Even high born Aeryston would not have come to my cabin had his drinking not clouded his judgement. Or so I thought.

As I ate, he sat across the table from me and spoke idly of the journey ahead of us. Each time I looked up I found his eyes were upon me and I soon began to realise that my meal was nearing its end. I tried to imagine how a lady would end such an encounter or dismiss an unwanted man from her presence, but hitherto my life had been that of a farmer's son on Cythera and I had scant notions of how a woman might comport herself and still less a lady of high rank. I drank from the goblet and realised as I did that Aeryston was watching my every move and that I drank like a boy. I put down the goblet and straightened my back.

"I am sorry for my stranger manners my lord" I said. "Hunger and loneliness have left me feeling somewhat ill-suited for company."

This sounded good to me, but it seemed to only encourage Aeryston.

"Loneliness my dear" he began, "is easy enough to remedy." He took a big swallow of wine and put down his goblet on the table with a firm hand. I was beginning to feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

"I think I shall lie down soon" I said, hoping this would entice him to leave. Instead it seemed to harden his resolve for he stood up and moved around the table to stand over me.

"Come now" he said. "Enough of this act."

"Act?" I faltered.

"You are no lady of Lesbos. Your accent is that of a Cytherean peasant and your manners are too. Tell me now my girl. How did you come to be on that Island? " As he spoke, he leant ever closer and his wine tainted breath washed over my face. I tried to think of a way out of this dilemma but nothing sprang to mind.