The Knights of Pegasus ~ English version

Prologue : The punishment

In ancient Greece, in -776 BC, the Olympic Games had just been created during a festival dedicated to the mighty Zeus. The inhabitants of Elis, where they took place, were all busy adoring the athletes. The horse races had started.

Beyond all this hustle and bustle, a young woman remained isolated.

Her name was Medusa.

She was the most beautiful woman in all of Greece. Her skin was tanned, but her magnificent blond hair shone in the sun. Medusa was tired of marriage proposals, seduction attempts, and awkward declarations from men she didn't know. Some even stopped in the street, while their wives held their arms, to declare their love for Medusa. She preferred to be alone. What she loved was sculpture. Many people had pointed out to her that it was a man's job. Moreover, she was one of Athena's high priestesses, and this pastime was frowned upon. But she didn't care. She loved working with stone, clay, and creating shapes.

For this special day, she had gone to the edge of the river that wound near the city and, gathering soft soil, she began to mold it. It was a festival in honor of Zeus, so he became her subject. Although she knew the rumors about his fraternal relationships, she decided to represent him with his two brothers, Hades and Poseidon. She had almost finished the god of the sea when a voice whispered in her ear:

"You made them look a little old, don't you think?"

The young woman jumped, dropping her sculpture. Fortunately, the stranger caught it in time. The man smiled mysteriously and looked at the work with his azure eyes. Medusa looked at him suspiciously. He was at least three heads taller than her, his body was muscular, and long black hair cascaded down his back.

"It's beautiful work," the man finally commented. "Well, for a woman."

"I've been sculpting since I could use my hands," Medusa muttered. "Please give it back to me..."

"Just one thing... why do you think they're so old? You've portrayed them all with beards, but gods are eternal, they don't age, you know."

"I've never met them. But that's how they are in the temples, so..."

She reached out again to retrieve her property, daring a smile that seemed to paralyze the man in front of her.

"Can you give it back to me, please?"

"I don't know," her interlocutor whispered, not taking his eyes off the young woman. "It's quite beautiful, I feel like keeping it."

"I was planning to offer it to the temple of Zeus..."

"Aren't you afraid of the wrath of the people? I mean, sculpture is not for women."

"And neither is war, it seems, yet Athena knows how to wield a weapon."

"What a comeback! If your beauty hadn't been enough, I would have fallen in love."

"Again... I'm not interested, so give me back this sculpture and leave me alone."

The stranger offered her a strained smile of anger. As she reached out to take back her possession, he smashed the representation of the three gods against a tree that was there. Medusa cried out in surprise and indignation. She had worked so hard on this sculpture! She tried to pick up the pieces, but the man blocked her movements and pulled her towards him.

"You should be more grateful!'' he growled. "It's not every day that Poseidon strays so far from the sea just to meet a human!"

"Poseidon? What? You are..."

"Now, I would like to hear the right answer: accept to become mine!"

Medusa looked at the god, horrified, surprised, and embarrassed. She never would have thought she would meet a deity one day, let alone be courted in such a way! She moved away, without being too offensive.

"Excuse me, Lord Poseidon," she whispered, lowering her eyes. "But I cannot accept. I am just a mortal, and I have no feelings for you."

"Ah, is that it? Who asked you to have feelings for me? You just have to say yes!"

The young woman grimaced, and when he tried to pull her towards him again, she pushed him back, this time harder, giving him a knee in the groin before running away.

She had to find help.

Everyone was busy watching the chariot race, the streets were deserted... she kept running, hearing a bird above her, she immediately understood that the eagle following her was none other than Poseidon himself.

Others would have been honored to be so loved by the god of the sea, but not Medusa.

She saw the shadow of the bird getting closer and continued running, even though she was out of breath. Her legs hurt, but she could certainly have beaten the fastest athletes.

Without thinking, she headed straight for the sanctuary of Athena. There, she would be protected. The goddess did not get along with her uncle, Poseidon. She would not let him harm one of her priestesses, Medusa hoped.

She was out of breath when she finally entered the building. The bird seemed to have left. Perhaps it feared Athena?

The young woman caught her breath and walked into the empty enclosure, to the foot of the statue, in order to thank her for her protection, but a hand grabbed her wrist.

"You didn't forget about me, I hope!"

Poseidon made her fall to the ground, laying her on the marble floor, offering her a predatory smile.

"This time, you can't escape me."

Mocking her cries and pleas, the god of the seas stripped the young mortal's body forcefully but gently, taking care not to tear her tunic. He restrained her movements and forced himself upon her under the impassive gaze of the statue of Athena.

~~~~~~~

Medusa was still crying when the god finally let her go. He took everything from her, he destroyed her purity, but also her spirit.

Before leaving her, he forced one last kiss, then simply disappeared, without a word. She remained there, naked, wounded, and defiled, on the floor of the temple, crying and still trembling from what had just happened.

"You enjoyed it, I hope?"

Medusa raised her head sharply.

Emerging from the shadows, a beautiful woman approached her, her eyes filled with hatred. She wore a breastplate over her white tunic, and a helmet on her chestnut hair. The goddess Athena herself... but she didn't seem to be here to console the poor young woman.

"Such an affront," she muttered between her teeth. "In MY temple! How dare you?"

The goddess pointed an accusing finger at her frightened priestess.

"I curse you, Medusa, Daughter of Phorcys and Ceto! In the image of your sisters, Euryale and Stheno, you shall become a monster! May your hair turn into serpents, may your eyes petrify all who meet your gaze! From this day forth, you shall be immortal, and never again shall anyone behold your beauty!"