Author's Game Entries

Task One: Olympus

Cadmus is a trusting person. He has to be, his life is basically in the hands of whomever he clasps the hand of. That being said, he is also untrusting. His disability makes it easy to pass off burdens to him, as he would never know who exactly handed them to him.

So no one was surprised it was him. Of all the possible teenagers that could have been chosen for sacrifice, of course it was Cadmus. But he knew they always could have just skipped rummaging through the bowl of names for the male sacrifice and chosen him to be easy, it's not like he would know any better. Cadmus the blind, Cadmus the scapegoat. Yeah, let's just throw him into the labyrinth see if he even makes it half way through?

These bitter thoughts swirl in the young man's mind as he is lead up a steep uphill climb to where he assumes is Mount Olympus, and he felt himself sinking into a fowl mood. He had been told there was to be a banquet there for all the sacrifices from the different cities, held in their honor so that they may have something nice to remember before they are thrown into the minotaur's domain. Cadmus wonders if any of the gods will be there, hopefully if any then his patron goddess Athena might show.

Not that it matters extremely though, he wouldn't be able to see her or any of them anyway, but the thought of being in their presence is still fairly exciting.
"Are we almost there yet?" He asks the person whose arm is wrapped around his, leading him in the correct direction. Hopefully the correct direction.
"Almost." The woman at his side tells him, her arm keeping him stumbling.
Cadmus feels his lips curl up in a crooked grin and he turns his head in her direction. "So my dear, who are you if I may ask? I presume the other Athens sacrifice?"

He feels her long hair brush against his arm and he assumes she nodded. There is a pause before she speaks though and Cadmus can't help but smile wider; it is always funny when people forgot he couldn't see them.
"Yes, I'm Allesandra Pallas, pleasure to meet you Cadmus." She speaks kindly, and it is a moment before Cadmus realizes she had said his name without him even telling her.
    "Did... Did the person who told you to lead me up here tell you my name?" He asks her with a smile, though his voice sounded like a puppy who'd been kicked. He didn't like to think he needed as much help as he did, but it's basically unavoidable being the way he is.

    "Possibly." She speaks again, sounding slightly amused. "Or I may have just heard it when asking whom the other Athens sacrifice is, and I chose to help you on my own." Cadmus' face flushes slightly as Allesandra finishes. He had automatically assumed someone had told her to help him, but apparently he was wrong.
    "Oh. Right. My bad." He replies awkwardly, and there is a giggle from the younger woman.
    "It's okay, I can understand why you'd assume that- Oh! There's a step there." She adds the last part suddenly, and Cadmus makes a surprised sound as his foot caught on something solid and he stumbles.

    The young man just barely manages to catch himself before he toppled over, his hands brought out to stop a fall that was barely avoided. "Gah, would you mind telling me sooner next time...?" Cadmus asks, his tone sounding slightly exasperated. "Sometimes I need to be reminded to watch my step."
    There is a tinkling laugh from Allesandra as she wraps her arm around Cadmus' again, and the blind teen could tell she is smiling. "Ah yes, I apologize, I hadn't meant to warn you so late, I had just been distracted."
    Cadmus shrugs as he rights himself. "It's fine, I should have seen that coming." He grins at the light smack on the shoulder the remark receives as they continue walking. But in a way he kind of should have seen that coming, or at least felt it, as he had noticed the change in the ground below his feet from soft compacted dirt to hard marble, but he hadn't realized there would be a step so soon.

    After a moment of walking, there is a pause in Allesandra's steps, long enough for Cadmus to stop as well. "What is it..?"
    "Nothing... I... It was nice meeting you Cadmus, let's talk again sometime." She bids him farewell somewhat absentmindedly, and Cadmus frowns.
    "Yes, let's..." He replies slowly, but by then her presence at his side is gone, she had already left.

    Making a face, Cadmus sighs and holds a hand out as he continues to walk, searching for a wall to lean on. He knew they were in the temple of Olympus now, he had guessed as much easily, but what had distracted Allesandra he couldn't guess.

He of course couldn't see the magnificence banquet hall she had led him into, the long table piled high with delicious foods and the beautiful flowers decorating the pillars of white marble. He could smell the mouthwatering scent of cooked meats and ripe fruit though, and hear the idle chatting of the occupants of the banquet, and Cadmus found imagining the scene around him is a quite pleasing image.

    Continuing to make his way into the room, he didn't realize there is a person in front of him until he felt his hand touch something soft. Confused, he squeezes it, only for the person to smack him roughly across the face with an offended exclamation.
    "Gah! I'm sorry miss!!" Cadmus exclaims as he stumbles back, reeling his hand back from her chest. He of course had realized what he'd been touching too late, and now it is all he could do but pray she isn't a goddess.

    An irritated sigh comes from the woman before she flicks his forehead. "It's fine, boy, just be glad I'm not Calliope." She speaks in a ruffled but melodious voice, and Cadmus pales slightly. Oh dear gods, he had just groped a muse.
    "E-er, it was an accident, I really didn't mea-" Cadmus didn't even try to play it off with his usual pervy confidence, and he is almost glad when the woman quickly cuts him off.
    "I said it's fine. Now, you're Cadmus correct? I remember hearing about you, you're that sexual offender who got himself blinded. Nice." She spoke somewhat sarcastically.
    "Yes...?" He says, though it is more of a question. "Are you one of the muses?"
    "Terpsichore. It's a pleasure." She responds curtly.
    "Nice to meet you as well, Terpsichore." He says with a smile, and would have held his hand out to shake if he hadn't been unsure of how close she is standing.
   
    There is a pause before her response, like the muse is distracted or thinking about something, before she comes back with a surprising reply. "If you don't mind my asking, how are you going to get around the labyrinth?" She asks him, completely changing subjects.
    Cadmus raises his eyebrows. "Probably feel along the walls? Make alliances? I was planning on just winging it." He shrugs, though he is unsure if that was the answer she was looking for.

    There is yet another lull, and considering her couldn't see her expression, he grew somewhat uncomfortable. Focusing on the sounds around him, he listened to hear if she is fidgeting or moving way or something, though he found from the slight sound of her breathing that she's still there, just the same as before. Her silence is still unsettling though; if only he could guess her expression.
   
    While he is listening, he hears something else coming from behind him, the tapping sound of sandals on marble approaching them. Tilting his head to the side, he listens closer to hear the clinking sound of glasses, and he grins.
    "It would probably be better if yo-" Terpsichore finally started speaking again, but is interrupted as Cadmus abruptly reaches his hand out and snags a wine glass from the servant's tray as they pass by, startling both the servant and the muse.

    He felt the drink slosh over his hand slightly, though it didn't spill completely and he is happy to hear he didn't spill any of the other glasses.
Grinning, he brings the cup to his lips. "I think this is too much of a morbid topic, miss. This banquet is for us to make happy memories, correct?" He speaks into the glass, his amused voice echoing slightly.
    "...Yes." Terpsichore replies, smiling now herself. "Then what do you propose we talk about?"
    He shrugs, still smiling. "Whatever the first thing that comes to mind is, dear."