One with the Gods

Chapter One: Something waits

Andromeda pulled in the last net. She plucked the few fish from the net and set them in the wool sack that was half full. She gently placed the net in her little boat and slung the sack of fish over her back. As she walked to town, she got many strange looks. Not many people in Olympia saw a woman wearing a pleated tunic. When she lived in Sparta, every woman there wore a pleated tunic. When she was eight her family left because their home when it burned down. They were now back on their feet and living on their own in Olympia. Andromeda stopped at a cart that was painted red and had a sign that said 'Fresh fish'. The girl that worked there was Castolla.

Castolla was fourteen like Andromeda. She had long blonde hair while Andromeda had dark brown. They didn't necessarily see eye to eye. Andromeda hated Castolla for reasons she didn't know. Andromeda slung the bag of fish off her back on the ground beside the cart. "Here is your fish. Now, drachmas," she ordered. Castolla walked over to the bag and opened it. "Why is there eel in there? No one likes eel," Castolla snapped. "People use it as bait don't they?" Andromeda snapped. Castolla reached into a leather pouch and pulled out ten gold drachmas. Castolla slapped the coins into Andromeda's open palm. "Now leave before I take those coins back," Castolla hissed. Andromeda turned away and made her way home.

As she walked away she counted the ten drachmas in her hand. She turned the corner and bumped into a strange man. She saw a glimpse of his face. He had piercing blue eyes. "Sorry, sir," Andromeda said. The man did not say a word or turn around. He just kept on walking. 'That was strange,' Andromeda thought. She shook her head and kept walking home. When she came up on her house, she saw her mother in the front collecting vegetables and fruits. Andromeda came into the garden. "How was fishing?" her mother asked. "It was fine. Castolla gave me ten drachmas for a full days catch," Andromeda replied. She went inside turning the golden drachmas around in her hands and then placed them in a jar full of other golden coins.

She went to her room and lay down on the bed. She remembered how her mother named her after the Queen of Argos. Queen Andromeda was the fiercest warrior in Argos. Andromeda dreamed of the day she traveled to Argos and met the Queen she was named after. Andromeda went outside and found her mother washing her face in the tiny fountain by a lemon tree. Her mother told her that her father said that lemon trees give the best smell in the mornings and afternoons. Her father was right. Every morning Andromeda would leave for fishing and smell a strong scent of lemons.

"Mother, I am leaving. I will be back before supper," Andromeda called walking down the path. "Just please be careful, Andromeda," her mother answered. Andromeda shrugged. Her mother always worried about her. She knew that since her father was gone Andromeda was the last thing she had. She walked down the road until she reached a little cove with a sandy beach. Slipping her sandals off, she waded to her ankles in the crystal clear water. As she looked out at the oceans, a thunder storm came into view. A flash of lighting and a boom of thunder sounded across the water. She touched her chest where her heart was. Every time a thunder storm was near she could feel it in her heart. As if the storm came from her heart. Andromeda could feel something was waiting for her. Somewhere out in the distance or up above.

She looked at the sunset over the ocean. The clear waters turned orange and pink. She picked her sandals up and ran back up a slope to the path. Andromeda reached her house before dark and could smell meat cooking and ran inside.

As Andromeda sat down, her mother placed the food on the table and kissed her daughter's head. They gave sacrifices to the gods and began to eat. As Andromeda ate, she noticed a scroll peeking out of her mother's pocket. "Who is that scroll from in your pocket?" Andromeda asked. Her mother placed her hand on her pocket. "It's nothing. It's just from your aunt in Sparta. She asks how you are," her mother replied. Andromeda shrugged and went back to eating her lamb.

Andromeda cleaned the plates for her tired mother and kissed her good night. She slipped under her sheets and went to sleep. She dreamed of a thunder storm. Standing on a beach was the man she bumped into with the piercing blue eyes. She ran towards him as he beckoned for her to come closer. When she reached him a crash of thunder sound, and she woke. She sat up at looked at her closed door. The door was slightly open with light pouring in from the crack. Andromeda heard voices outside. She found it strange and slipped out of bed.

She crept to the door and looked through. She saw her mother and a strange figure with a deep voice. They were talking about her, so she listened close. "I just don't think this is a good idea," her mother said. "Believe me, she is ready. She has proven her worth," the man said.

"What if I am not ready for her to go?"

"Serena, you must be strong. Andromeda will not just leave you. She will come and visit."

The man sat next to her mother and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Serena, when I told you if the time came she proved her worth I would return. I promise she will be safe on Olympus. No harm will come to her while she is living the life of a god," he man said. "Alright, just let me have tomorrow with her, Zeus. I will tell her when she returns from fishing." Her mother said. Andromeda stumbled back and sat on her bed breathing heavy. "Olympus? Zeus?" Andromeda whispered. She turned to the door and heard footsteps coming to the door. She quickly slid under the sheets and closed her eyes.

She heard the door quietly squeak open and the footsteps stopped by her bed. A hand stroked her head. She felt a kiss on her forehead. It was the man, because she heard her mother's bare feet in the door way and the scratch of his beard on her cheek. "Sleep tight, my daughter, dream wonderful dreams," the man said. They left the room. Andromeda heard the front door open and close. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. 'What does this mean' Andromeda thought. Her eyes slowly closed. She then awoke at sunrise and sat up. "It was all a dream. I am not a demigod, and Zeus isn't my father," she said relieved. She dressed in a pleated white tunic and tiptoed out of the house towards the dock. She stepped into her little wooden boat and paddled out to sea. Still the strange man, Olympus, Zeus, and the strange conversation last night didn't seem like a dream. 'What if....What if I am the daughter of Zeus?' She thought.

~

Castolla just sat on her little stool when Andromeda came up and placed the bag of fish in front of her. Castolla placed the ten drachmas in her hand and watched Andromeda walk away. This was Andromeda's first catch of the day, and she expected to see her at least two more times. Castolla remembered last night's events like it had happened only a second ago. She heard a woman's voice along with her father's. They talked about Mount Olympus and her leaving. She thought it was a dream when she awoke the next morning, but as she thought about it she began to wonder if it was all real.

That night Castolla had awoken to the sound of a woman's laughter. She crept to the door and opened it just a crack. She saw a young woman in a cloak and her father sitting at a table. She remembered the sweetness in her voice and smooth tone. The woman told her father that Castolla was ready for something. Her father protested, but as the conversation wore on he succumbed to the woman's wishes. She lay back in the bed and went to sleep. From the time she woke up Castolla couldn't stop thinking about last night's events. Through the day of work she remained silent. She wanted to snip back at her but did not. Castolla never understood why she hated Andromeda, but she just did.

Closing time came quickly. Castolla picked the fish that was left and carried them home. She walked down the path and noticed a thunderstorm in the distance. She hated thunderstorms. They had always scared Castolla when she was little and still do. Her pace quickened as she reached the corner. She finally reached the door of her house. She opened it and found her father sitting at the table with his face in his hands. She set the fish down and looked at her father curiously. Her father looked up at her and straightened his back. "Castolla, I must tell you something. It is about your mother," he said.