Calliope - In The Arms Of Morpheus

Chapter 26

Teleute stepped into a an alcove under a window, out of the thick crowd.
It was actually nice, to having been invited back to ancient Greece, for the occasion. Maybe she would even get to talk to Mnemosyne again. She missed her.
"Acheloos, god of all flowing water, I pray you hear me," she mumbled under her breath, fondling her ankh necklace. A wedding banquet was probably not the right place to pray, but this was urgent. "Terpsichore, the muse of music and dance, is without companion to go to the biggest feast this age will see. Would you like to join her there?"
Silence.
As always, prayers were not answered directly.
Teleute sighed and turned back to the clamoring thong of wedding guests.
She was only there for her poor brother. With a little work on the side. But, oh well, it was her fault that things had gotten so far. If she hadn't taken him to ancient Greece, he would not have become the last feminist.
Teleute should not have listened to her friend Mnemosyne. Where was she, anyway?
At least the clothes were comfy. The wine was quite good. Lots of people, here in the grand banquet hall. Hauntingly beautiful lyre music from sad Terpsichore, muse of dance.
A throng of young people squeezed past her, giggling. "...at least Epithymiae is rich and they say he's quite, uh, well endowed..." a girl said.
Hm, that sounded somewhat familiar. The groom's name meant 'desires'. Teleute followed the youth on their walk across the hall to learn more.
"Yup," one of the guys said, "are you invited to the fpecial event tonight?"
"Special event?" the giggling girl's male company asked.
"Fure, feemf there are felected gueftf invited to the anakalypteria, the unveiling feremony."
Fuck! This ceremony was usually very private between bride and groom. It was basically the wedding night. Morpheus needed to hurry.
Where was he anyway? Materializing should not take as long.
"Cherished Terpischore, oh musical Muse, I am Acheloos." The nerdiest half-god with tousled hair and squinted eyes knelt in front of the playing muse, making her stop. "I have heard, you are without entertainment, tonight?"
Terpsichore stopped strumming and looked at him. Then, slowly but surely, a smile spread on her face. "Yes." She beamed.
"Would you consider taking my arm to the banquet, later on?"
Terpsichore blushed. "Oh, I would love to!"
So that was settled.
Someone at the other side of the room sounded a large gong and the crowd started to quiet down. The banquet was commencing.
Teleute decided to pick a seat close to the door and reserved another seat, in case her brother was arriving.

****

"Ready?" Polihymnia stood beside Calliope in the rosy dusk, smiling under her beige veil.
"No." Calliope answered honestly, and straightened her back.
"It's okay. You don't have to be. You have your veil to hide." Her shield for today. Calliope could do this. For him.
Calliope nodded, and Polihymnia opened the large double doors to the banquet hall.
"...instead of our father Zeus, who could not be here today, let us all welcome..." Erato announced to the guests, "...my beautiful sister Calliope!" Poli pressed her hand, then let go.
To the applause of the cheering crowd, Calliope took a heavy step towards her new life. Her heart beat in her chest. It would not be so bad. At least, she would not have to leave the temple. Her husband would move into her chambers.
Long banquet tables laden with food, wine, flowers and multicolored guests, lined the large torch-lit room, most of which Calliope did not even know. They cheered, as she slowly walked along the rows of people. Slow, so that nobody would notice her shaking legs, head held high, so that nobody would notice the tears under her veil.
Calliope walked past Marcos and Chloe, Palladius and even poor Idios. Past the people from the village and numerous unknown guests.
There was a show. Come, stare at me while I get married to a man who is not interested in me. Drink wine and feast, it's the end of the world.
A sob threatened to travel up her throat.
Urania's collection of scrolls, there was a thought. This was where she could hide, when things got too much. Borrow a scroll and read by the banks of the Hippocrene.
Thalia waved at Calliope excitedly, Terpsichore sat with Acheloos at one side of the table, Melepomene had a grand bow for her, Clio and Urania smiled, Euterpe toasted to her and there, near the end of the table, sat her Mom Mnemosyne: Daughter of Ouranos, goddess of remembrance and time.
"Welcome, dear Sister!" Erato grabbed her hand and held it up in victory. Then handed it over to Epithymiae, his cold fingers wrapping around hers.
"Dear guests,..." Her groom started but she only listened to the sound of her heartbeat. She was still standing. She was there. That was enough. Brides were not required to say anything.
Calliope let his words flow by, closing her eyes for a second, longing for silence and night, to finally be able to dream. Dream a life, that she could never have.
She felt Epithymiae's lips against the back of her hand, and imagined the applause were the waves of the sea of dreams. He pulled her down with him onto her chair and handed her a goblet of wine.
Calliope drank, shielded by her veil, her mother across the table looking at her with tears in her eyes. It was so good to see her. Even though Calliope could never tell her the truth about her marriage. Mnemosyne strongly believed that there was happiness in marriage, if you were so lucky to be really married, not just the god-father's love-affair.
Beside Calliope, Epithymiae smiled brightly, showing his white teeth, and conversed with the people around them.
Nobody noticed Calliope's quietness. Maybe because she never talked that much. She would rather read during meals, or ask Urania questions about the universe. But Urania sat at the other side of the table, with her Mom. A universe away.
Calliope started to daydream of a man with eyes like the universe...
Oneiros...

****

Morpheus entire body hurt from the ride. This body was so weakened from his dream-building session, that it could not even materialize properly. He had to ask Hippolitos to bing him to Greece.
Morpheus closed the stable door, and straightened his back.
"There you are, Lord Oneiros!" a bubbly voice chirped behind him.
He turned slowly, his back still stiff. "Greetings, muse Thalia."
She giggled and hid her smile behind her clasped hands. "I heard the hooves and wanted to thank you privately."
"What for, honored Muse?"
"Oh, well," she blushed, "you did, indeed, woe me, with your gift. It's perfect!" She beamed and grabbed his arm to pull him towards the temple.
"There must be a misunderstanding. I did not make you a present."
"Why of course! She is perfect, even better than I dreamed them!" Thalia squeaked and opened the door to another box. Out snuffled the tiny nose of a violet glittery pegasos foal, looking at them doe-eyed. "Calliope said you named her Ion!"
"I did not-"
A vague remembrance of something coming to life during a memory, that now hurt physically, came to mind. Had he created a being, while having loved a Muse?
"I am sorry." Morpheus looked at the jumping girl, clutching his arm. "There must have been a misunderstanding."
Her face fell and she let go of the sleeve of his coat. "You are not here for me?" She stared at him incredulously.
Morpheus shook his head. "I am here, because I love your sister Calliope."

(The wedding sacrifices are about to begin and Morpheus isn't even in the banqut hall. Also, he does realize how much he pissed off a certain Muse, who now plans revenge for the refusal. But please vote for this chapter, and read on tomorrow, when the next one is published.)