Chryses of The Fallows

"A naiad?" I whispered.

I crouched in the tall grass and peered through the browning stalks. I sat uncomfortably on the rocky bank with a few hopeful reeds pushing through, providing a surprisingly good hiding spot. A beautiful girl with olive skin and flowing, curly dark hair stood on the rocks. The river's smooth surface cracked as she brushed it with her toes, watching small waves lap at her feet. She looked almost godly.

I tried to move forward but I lost my footing and I tumbled; the girl turned quickly. She had piercing grey eyes. All thoughts of her being a naiad vanished from my head. Her chiton was as white as a summer cloud. Her teeth were too as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Were you watching me?" her tone was sceptical. I answered quickly and what I said was only partially true:

"No."

Yes, I had been watching her, but only for a second. My father had sent me to fetch wood and so wood I fetched. The day was hot, and I fancied a dip, until I caught sight of her. The girl looked my age, maybe older, but no more than seventeen.

She came forward, blew her hair from her face like black smoke from a furnace, and slapped me very hard on my cheek.

"Yes, you were." I put my hand to my face where she had struck me.

"No." I winced as she raised her hand again.

She stared at me, which was very unsettling. I had never seen eyes like hers. The girl lowered her hand to her side and adjusted her girdle.

"Do you swear by the Styx?" My jaw dropped, was she crazy? Why would I swear by the Styx over something so petty? It was stupid, and I was not about to swear by the Styx and get punished by the Gods. She sighed and raised her hand again, but this time to help me up.

"My apologies." She muttered. I took her hand slowly and she hauled me up. Her grip was strong, but her hands were soft. I dusted dirt from my hair and nodded to her, signalling my thanks. Turning swiftly, I started to walk briskly away.

"DO YOU CARE NOT FOR MY NAME?" She yelled in my direction, jogging to catch up with me. Why could not she leave me alone? It was a misunderstanding. I just wanted to go home.

"NO!" I screamed back, picking up speed and running through the reeds.

"IS THAT ALL YOU SAY?"

"NO!"

"I AM ARGIRO, OF ATHENS!" Argiro screeched this time, which took me off guard. My foot caught on two small reeds that had gotten tangled together and I fell for the second time that day. She rushed up to me and stopped with equal speed. Argiro panted and wiped sweat from her forehead. I cried as I massaged my knee, and she gave me a look brimming with disgust.

"I guess all you can say is no." Argiro blew hair from her face once more and walked away from me toward Ilisos the river at which we had met. At the time I was too dazed to go after her, not that it would have done much. Once I had regained my strength and stopped weeping, I stood and looked around. Argiro really had disappeared. My eyes scanned the reeds and yet still caught no sight of her. I shook my head; no time for strange girls I had to find wood for the fire since I misplaced what I had collected earlier.

I made my way toward the road as dusk began to fall. It was hard, dusty and my worn-down leather sandals did little to help. I walked through Athens as shadows started to creep their way up the mud brick walls. The girl, Argiro had said she was "of Athens."

Did she live here too? Would I see her again?

"Olives! Olives! Just three stater for ten!" I turned my head so sharply that a few of my sticks fell to the floor. In a rush I gathered them together and clutched them to my chest as I ran over to the man at the stall. Ten olives, ten! And all for just three stater? Well, I had just that in the purse of leather attached to my girdle. I eagerly poured them into the palm of his hand.