Caleo: I Will Find You

Calypso's POV 8

Ogygia is said to be an island no man can find twice. So, with the day's visit from Aphrodite herself, I thought maybe it didn't apply to women.

I was scowling when she walked up to me on the beach. I hated to admit it, but she was lovely- long shimmering hair flowing lightly with the playful wind, her eyes like kaleidoscopes shining in the soft sunlight. It was just after dawn. She had a smile on her face and a scroll in her hand.

"Calypso," she cooed, "how sweet it is to see you again."

"With all due respect, I'm not sure I can return the gesture." I all but growled, my scowl growing. What was she even doing here? Was she back to mock me about how I'll be stuck here forever?

Now, hey, I told myself. That's not fair. Leo's on his way.

"You don't need to," Aphrodite said. "I'll do the talking."

I bit my lip, crossing my arms and rubbing them. Goosebumps appeared as the wind tickled my skin. My flowing white dress was whipping around my ankles. Aphrodite wore a long silky lavender colored blouse and white jeans. She wore nothing on her feet, just like me. I watched her take the scroll out and read from it.

"It has been now a month since I met with Leo last, and he has not yet come any farther along on his quest, my dear. So, and I hope you don't mind but even if you do, I don't really care. I sent him a present from yours truly." She was smiling wickedly, and it gave me a cold feeling that had nothing to do with the wind.

"What did you do?"

She shushed me. "My dear, didn't I tell you that I'd do the talking?"

I grimaced, but let her continue.

"I sent him a man from the mountain. Made of stone. If he manages to outlive this one, I'll give him a clue as to how to get here."

Because that's the deal, I thought. If he gets here, I get to leave.

Not if. Not even maybe. When. When he gets here, I get to leave.

"Does that sound alright?"

I nodded.

"Splendid. I must be going, then."

I willed her to just go. She grinned at me, turned halfway, and she was gone. I stayed and watched the sun come up over the horizon, then walked away to do my chores.

-

I had just gotten to the garden to harvest some moonlace when I saw the bird again.

It hopped around on its orange legs and stuck its beak at me. I found some seed on the ground and threw it at the bird, who gobbled it up happily. I watched him, half in confusion, half intrigued, and when he flew away I found myself unexpectedly sad.

All good things must come to an end, I suppose.

I watched the bird fly away into the sun, and I sighed, dropping my shovel and leaning back to sit. I stared at the sky, a magnificent dark grayish-blue, which made me guess that it was about to rain in the outside world. It didn't often rain here anymore, almost as though the weathering controls had been messed with when Leo left.

Leo.

I hated luring myself into thinking about him, about how his hair curled behind his ears, his eyes crinkled when he smiled, his hands, smooth as leather, that bloody ridiculous tool belt that I had found intriguing. The way he sometimes stumbled when he walked, looking up instead of down, how he slid his palms together when he was nervous, the way his eyelids fluttered shut when he was thinking-

Calypso.

It was times like this when I missed him the most, and times like this when I had little hope.