The Pool of Hermaphroditus

All characters are eighteen.

Once long ago, in the ancient days when men still paid their respects to the gods and poured libations upon the altars, there was a young man, Alphios, who lived in the fields of Arcadia, the son of a shepherd. A poor man, he spent his days helping his father with the flock. But he was an idle man, and living in the countryside suited him, and he spent much of his free time relaxing in the sun or wandering in the woods, plucking his lyre while he went and singing a rustic song to the wildlife. This is what gave him joy in life.

Now, in these days there was still magic in the world, and Arcadia was magical than most places. Even now, in our time, visitors to that wonderful place may feel some trace of it, and when they look in the dark wood they may tell themselves they saw a nymph dart behind a tree. But in the old days, they would not have to tell themselves. The myths they told each other, the stories of satyrs and cyclopes, spread so far and wide because people knew in their hearts they were true. Alphios himself, more so than most, believed in these myths very strongly, and the songs he sang often featured them. A fact that his older brother, Lycaon, often teased him for.

"Oh, there's the little dreamer!" Lycaon called to him, finding him resting upon a large stone one lazy day, "Are you going while away the day like this, singing songs about nonsense? Come, I'm going hunting in the woods today. If you want to do something useful, you can join me."

Alphios was, as usual, annoyed by the brusqueness of his brother, but even so he agreed to accompany him. He was, by nature, inclined to be helpful. So the two of them went home and fetched their bows and quivers and headed off into the woods. The two of them split up, agreeing to meet back at the entrance in a few hours. And so, Alphios set off into the wood, hopeful he would prove his worth.

Unfortunately it was not easy going. Alphios was not unskilled at hunting, yet Tyche was not on his side that day. Each time he caught sight of a deer or a hare, he would step on a twig or trip over himself, and the animal, alerted, would run off to safety. At last, in a clearing, he stumbled upon a great stag. It stood, majestic and dignified, in the middle of the grove, feeding on grass. Alphios notched his bow and drew back the arrow, but as soon as he felt he had a good shot, the stag moved out of the way, further into the wood, and Alphios had to move closer to aim again. And yet, when he took aim once more the stag once more moved, and so Alphios again had to follow him. This kept happening again and again, and it seemed to Alphios as if the stag knew it was being stalked! Yet still he persisted, never giving up the chase, following the stag as it went.

At last the stag ducked into a cluster of bushes, behind which Alphios could not see. Determined, he followed after it, pushing through the branches in order to get to the other side. But when he was through, he saw no stag. What was there instead was much lovelier. Before him lay a bright pool, with water so clear it seemed to shine in the sunlight. And sitting on the edge of that pool, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was flawless and pale, her hair perfectly coiffed, and the thin dress she wore, seemingly made out of the finest of silks, left little of her body to the imagination. She wore a face of melancholy as she dipped a bare foot into the water, stirring it around absentmindedly. Alphios retreated back into the bush as he watched her. Something told him he should not be seen by her.

For some time he spied on her, transfixed, unable to take his eyes away from her beauty. He drank in every subtle movement she made, even the simplest nudge of a limb seemed to be imbued with poise and grace. Occasionally she would give a deep sigh, and the sound of it filled Alphios with such sympathy that it seemed he was as sad as she was. He longed to leave his hiding place, to go directly to her and press her to his breast and comfort her in her sorrow. But still, something in him told him not to. Indeed, the more he watched her the more he became convinced that she was no mortal, that had stumbled upon a nymph or some other lesser goddess. And so he stayed there, watching her.

After awhile he realized it was getting late. He would have to meet up with Lycaon soon. He wanted to stay so badly, but still he forced himself to tear his eyes away from the beautiful sight, and off he went, back to the entrance of the wood.

When he found Lycaon, his older brother had the carcass of a stag slung over his shoulder. He smiled when he saw Alphios coming. "Ah! Just as is suspected. The lazy poet has failed at his task. Perhaps you should stick to your songs, hm?" Alphios simply brushed off his brother's teasing. He said nothing of the beautiful maid he had seen. But that night, as he lay in bed, he could not banish her from his man. As he lay there, the image of her as clear in his thoughts as if she was right before him, he brought his hands to manhood and stroked himself to the thought of her. He imagined her before him, disrobed and on her knees, begging him for his seed. And he gave it to her. As he brought himself to climax there in his bed he imagined finishing right on her lovely face. And in his fantasy, she looked up at him, newly painted with his seed, and smiled warmly.

It would be a full week before he would get another chance to go into the woods. It seemed every day he was busy with his chores and duties. At last he found himself with free time, and he hurried off into the woods. He had spent the whole week thinking of the lady at the pool, and he was full of desire to see her once again. He entered the forest not knowing where exactly he should go, not remembering the location of the pool. But some strange force came over him, and as he walked it seemed as if he could sense the path he should follow. He couldn't explain it, but with every step he took he felt as if he was getting closer to his destination. At last he came upon the familiar looking bushes. He had to hold himself back from rushing into them, not wanting to be detected. Instead he crept into them, and once he was rewarded with the same beautiful sight as before. There she was, in the exact same spot, just as melancholy as she had been a week ago.

Alphios did not know how long he watched her there. He quickly lost track of time. He had no idea how he could take so much pleasure simply from spying on her, watching her tease the water with her foot, or hearing her sighs. But he couldn't bring himself to look away. At last after some length of time, the beautiful maiden leaned her head back, and issued the deepest sigh he had yet heard from her. And then, to his surprise and delight, she spoke.

"Oh, what misfortune follows me!" she moaned, "oh, what a sadness has taken hold! Is this the life due to a daughter of the gods? That I should wander the Earth, a poor wretch, miserable and alone, with no love to bring me joy? Others have their lovers, Aphrodite her Adonis, Hera her Zeus, but I am left to wallow in my misery, no mate to warm my bed or bring me children. What a wretched life for an immortal!"

With this, Alphios sprang to action. The nymph's words filled him with hope that his advances would be accepted, and he became convinced that the Fates had lead him to this pool for this very purpose. Any caution he had once had fled him completely. He leaped out of the bush and showed himself before the heavenly creature. "Dear maid!" he cried, "weep no more! Your fortune has changed and fate has sent you one who will relieve your suffering!"

But the maiden did not seem surprised at his appearance. She turned her face to him slowly, and gave a gentle smile. "At last you make yourself known, Alphios. I was wondering how long it would take."

Alphios was shocked. "You knew I was there? Watching?

The goddess did not drop her smile as she spoke. "Nothing happens here in this pool without my knowledge or consent Alphios. I forgive you your voyeurism. For you see, it was by my machinations that you came upon my pool."

"But why?Why did you bring me here?"

"I thought you might be worthy of me."

"Worthy?"

"Yes. To be my lover."

Alphios's heart leaped. He dropped to his knee before her, and raised his hands in the air in supplication. "Oh, goddess, whatever divinity you may be, I pledge myself to you. There is nothing in this world I desire more than your love!"

The goddess laughed. "You are certainly eager enough. Yet zeal is insufficient by itself. I must test you."

"Anything. There is no danger I would not brave for you."

"Oh, there will be no danger, Alphios. The test I have in mind will be a pleasant one for you."

"What is this test then?"

"It is a test of endurance. You see Alphios, the lover of a goddess must be strong. The passions that he undergoes are enough to overwhelm most mortals. If I am to have a lover I must have one who can take the pleasure I give them without succumbing to their weakness."

Beneath his tunic, Alphios's manhood became rock hard. Her talk aroused him incredibly. "Of course, goddess, I will submit to any test you give me. I'm sure I can endure it."

"Good. In that case, strip yourself, and then lay down here."

Alphios did as she bid him. Once he was fully nude, his cock standing out in front of him, he lay down by the side of the pool. The goddess crouched down beside him, stroking his bare skin gently.

"Now then," she began, "I will pleasure you. If you can last a full minute under my ministrations, you may take me for your bride, and I will bear you many children and love you for all your days. But, if you fail, I will in turn take my pleasure from you. Do you agree?"

Alphios couldn't see any downside to this bargain. He nodded his assent. The goddess smiled and at last took his shaft in her hands. The feeling was indescribable. Her skin was softer than any material he had felt in his life. Merely running her hands up and down her shaft produced such a strong sensation in him, he feared he would burst right there. He gritted his teeth, trying desperately not to ejaculate right then and there.

The goddess, clearly aware of her effect on him, giggled gently. Then, she opened her mouth, and leaned down and took his length inside her. Again, the pleasure was impossible to describe. The feel of her tongue on his head and shaft was almost unbearable in intensity. She only needed to bob her head up and down his shaft three quick times before he felt himself coming, and he shot his seed right into her mouth. She paused for a moment, keeping his head in her mouth. Then she drew away from him, and opened her mouth so that he could see inside of it. She had swallowed it all.

As soon as he had finished in her mouth, an immense feeling of exhaustion came over Alphios. He was familiar with the sense of tiredness that came with orgasms, but this was much worse. He could barely move his limbs. With effort he moved over to some nearby rocks which he could lean back on, propping himself against it. The divine beauty watched him as he did so helped him do so. When he was settled, she stood up, smiling. "It appears you've lost our little wager. It's time to fulfill your end of the bargain." With that, she let the robe she was wearing fall to the ground, and she at last stood naked before him.

Nude, the goddess was even more beautiful than before. It seemed her skin radiated a light that magnified her grace and beauty. Yet, what Alphios saw shocked him. For though she had the body of a woman, with heaving breasts and wide hips, between her legs, rather than the vagina he was expecting, was an erect phallus, only slightly smaller than his own. "What? I... what is this..." he gasped, hardly able to speak from exhaustion.

The goddess smiled down at him. But now it seemed her smile had changed. Were before it had been peaceful and loving, it now seemed hungry. "Before you stands the daughter and son of Hermes and Aphrodite, mortal. I am Hermaphroditus! And now I shall take my pleasure from you, as was agreed."

Alphios wanted to protest, but he was so drained he couldn't move a muscle. He could only struggle meekly as the goddess crouched before, her penis dangling in front of him. She grabbed his head by the sides. His mouth seemed to open up of its own will, and quickly and harshly she thrust herself inside. Alphios could only lie back and accept it as her cock flew in and out of his mouth. It felt bigger inside of him than it had looked. He could even feel it touch the back of his throat. He did not know how long she ravished his mouth like this. It seemed to go on forever. But at last she leaned her head back and let out and animalistic groan, and he could feel his mouth flood with her seed. The taste was incredible. It was sweeter than honey and more intoxicating than wine. He swallowed all of it hungrily. And there was a lot. When she finally withdrew from his mouth he was almost disappointed, despite himself. He wanted more. But now he was even more exhausted, and his vision began to blur. The last thing he heard before he finally passed out was the gentle voice of the goddess. "If you wish to try my challenge again, return here in a week's time. I will be waiting for you." Then everything went black.

When Alphios woke up he had no idea how much time had passed. He found himself in a different part of the forest. He was groggy and sluggish, but he found he could move again. After a moment of confusion, everything that had happened came back to him, and he ran home as quickly as possible. The whole week he told himself he would not return to the pool, that some kind of wicked spell had been cast on him there. But a nagging feeling told him he be going back, and when the day finally come, he headed off into the forest again, almost automatically, as if against his will.

When he came to the pool he found Hermaphroditus waiting there for him. As soon as he entered she smiled at him serenely, and beckoned him to lay down by the pool. He did, and once again she took his manhood into her mouth, and once again he quickly finished. And so, once again, he had to take his punishment, and had his own mouth filled with her cock and seed, leaving him exhausted. For two more weeks he did this, each time telling himself he wouldn't go back again, that it would be the last time. But each time, he succumbed. The pleasure was too great. On the fifth time he went to visit the goddess, she had a new proposition for him.

"You don't seem to be able to endure the pleasures of my mouth mortal," she told him. "Perhaps you'd like to try something else this time.

Naively, he asked her what she meant. In response, she simply leaned over one of the nearby rocks, and lifted her loose robe, revealing her perfect behind to him. For a moment Alphios could only stare at the beautiful sight in front of him, but a word from the goddess broke him out of his trance. "Go ahead. Put it in."

Without hesitation, Alphios stepped forward and fished his already hard penis from his tunic. He pressed it against her hole, and to his surprise found it slick. His cock easily slipped inside of her. The feeling was incredible. It was soft and smooth, and yet squeezed him tightly. The pleasure got from merely holding his manhood inside her was almost unbearable. He gritted his teeth, trying as hard as he could not to come, and began to slowly pull his penis out and then press it back in. But it was all in vain. After only two thrusts he found himself filling her with his seed. Ashamed and exhausted, he fell back onto the ground. When he opened his eyes, she was standing over him, her own cock hard and at attention.

"Well then," she said, "It's my turn now."

Knowing what was coming, Alphios struggled to move, but again he found he was too drained to do anything. With an incredible strength the goddess lifted him up herself, and placed him bent over the same rock which she had been laying on. She lifted up his tunic and pressed her finger against his hole. He felt it slide in. He wanted to struggle, but there was nothing he could do. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this," he heard her say. Then he felt the finger disappear, and the head of her cock pressing against his entrance. Then he felt a strange feeling, a pressure against him, and he knew she was inside him.

He'd never been penetrated like this before, and he was full of shame at the intrusion. And yet, to his shock and horror, he was enjoying it. The feeling was incredible, even better than penetrating her had been. It was as if pleasure was radiating from his backside throughout his hole body. As she slowly began to thrust into him, gradually picking up speed, he realized his own penis was now steadily leaking come. He had no idea what was happening to him.

The goddess was picking up the pace now, thrusting in and out of him at a great speed, and he began making girlish moans with each of her thrusts. Again it filled him with shame to do so, but there was nothing he could do about it. For some length of time she held him there, hands on his sides, thrusting faster and faster into him, his body more and more overcome with pleasure, until at last she bottomed out inside him, and he felt a sticky warmth flow into him. Again he felt impossibly drained, and he collapsed immediately, feeling her seed dribble out of him.

After this, he was even more determined not to return to her the next week. And yet, when the day came, he still went, hardly even thinking about it. And so, again he tried to fuck her, and again he finished almost immediately. And so, he again was fucked by her, and was given the greatest pleasure he had ever known. And this happened again the next week, and the week after too.

By now Alphios had begun to notice the changes that were happening to him. It started with his penis. While getting dressed one morning, he noticed that it seemed smaller than usual. At first he felt he was simply imagining it. But the next week, after he had visited Hermaphroditus again, he found it had indeed become smaller, even then it had been when he looked at it the week before. Strangely, this did not alarm him. The other changes began shortly after that. His beard fell out, and after that all his body hair. His frame, always slender, became even more so, his arms thin and frail, his legs dainty. His started to grow faster and straighter, his hips fuller, his nipples puffier and more sensitive, his facial features softer and more feminine. After awhile it became obvious what was happening to him; he was turning into a woman.

This realization did not much change his behavior. He hid his changing body under his clothes and continued on as usual. He kept up his visits to Hermaphroditus. By now the challenge aspect of his meetings with her had been dropped all together. He had reached the point where his manhood was too small to penetrate her, and besides that it was slow to rise. And so the time he spent with her was given entirely over to pleasure, the two of them fondling and kissing each other, their hands and mouth exploring each others bodies until at last the goddess would beckon him to take his place and she would make love to him until he passed out, as he always did. He never wanted it to end. But one morning it did.

He was laying in bed, naked, when a loud knock on his door woke him. It was his brother. "Alphios!" he called, "get up! You have to get out here and help with the flock!" He had overslept! Alphios jumped out of bed and raced to get some clothes on, but he wasn't quick enough. His brother pushed the door open and saw him there, standing stark naked in the middle of the room. Alphios had no idea what to say.

But Lycaon did. "What creature is this that has replaced my brother!" he shouted. "Out vile thing! This is no place for you!" He approached Alphios, a threatening look on his face. Alphios dodged past him and ran out of the house, completely naked, heading for the safety of the woods. He ran until his legs could no longer carry him, and he collapsed beside a stream. He stopped to drink, refreshing himself and his energy, and then looked at his reflection in the water. What he saw shocked him. The face of a woman gazed back at him. He stood up to look at his whole body in the stream. Other than the diminutive penis nestled between his legs, it the body of a woman. He even had small breasts now. He ran a hand over his new body, wondering at it. It felt good to touch his smooth skin. It felt right.