Part III - Wakey Wakey, Eggs and Bakey
"Owwwwww�"
Sleeping on the ground had taught Joxer all he ever really wanted to know about stiff muscles. Too many mornings, he�d woken up with a rock nestled somewhere it didn�t belong and then spent the rest of the day nursing a charley horse. Plus there was the whole sleeping-on-the-ground-in-the-first-place ache.
He rubbed his neck, trying to rid himself of the serious crick that had taken up residence there from sleeping in a cramped position all night. At least it wasn�t wet and cold. There were some mornings when he woke up covered in dew and the rest of the day just seemed off when you woke up with out-of-season sniffles. Stretching, he noticed that he wasn�t on the ground or up against a tree or a big uncomfortable rock.
Right. The temple. He guessed it was encouraging that he hadn�t been tossed out in the middle of the night or taken to some dungeon for poking around in someone�s private place. Maybe they hadn�t even noticed him. He gave himself a mental kick for handing over his breakfast as an offering, but really there hadn�t been anything else. Maybe the next village would have an inn. He had a few dinars socked away just in case.
Opening his eyes, he had to wince. It was just too damn bright. He wondered how late he�d actually slept to get that much sunlight in his eyes.
And then he remembered. The room he�d fallen asleep in hadn�t had windows.
He had to be dreaming, because he knew where he�d fallen off and this wasn�t it. Huge windows, stretching up to the heavens, loomed all around him, giving him several portals out onto lush landscaping. Trees and flowers and vegetation of all types flourished on what seemed to be a never-ending field. Joxer groaned and slumped back in his seat. "Oh, that�s perfect, I�m dead. I�m dead and that�s the Elysian Fields."
"Nuh-uhhhh," a little voice sing-songed not too far away. Joxer jumped in his seat and turned from the windows to find a mop of curly hair and wide blue eyes peering up at him over the arm of the chair. Little fingers gripped at the fabric and the soft flutter of feathers whispered in the air. "Dat�s Gammas� garden."
"Gamma?" a soft smile crimped the edges of Joxer�s mouth. He wondered what kind of fit Aphrodite threw at being called that. A nod made those curls bounce and bob softly.
"She yike petty fowers. You Josser?" Those eyes narrowed, examining him hard.
"Yeah, I�m Joxer. You must be Bliss." The wayward warrior unfolded himself and straightened up, letting himself be regarded by the little fella. Another flurry of curls accompanied the nod. Slowly, Joxer�s eyes adjusted to the light and the room and� well, it was beautiful. Serene even. While the attraction of the room was the spectacular view, the room itself was furnished comfortably, with a few fancy-but-comfy-looking chairs and divans, though none quite like the black one he was sitting in. The sunlight, while unexpected and eye-frying first thing on waking up, was lovely and warm, quite a change from the chilly morning air that usually greeted him. The whole thing was very welcoming. He�d have to thank� Cupid. That drove it home pretty quickly. If the future God of Joy and Pleasure was standing in front of him, his father couldn�t be too far away. And if Cupid had brought him here, that must have been his temple that Joxer passed out in. Though why Cupid would have a tiny, shiny black temple in the middle of the woods was a mystery. Joxer shrugged minutely. Could be worse, I guess.
Nature�s strong first-thing-in-the-morning call arrived only a minute or two late. Joxer�s bladder let him know it was awake, too, with an aching pressure. He shifted and fidgeted out of reflex, looking around. Ordinarily, he�d have strolled off to find a bush far enough away from the campsite that Gabrielle wouldn�t complain. But then, this wasn�t a campsite and he was sure as Tartarus not going to sidle up to one of the plants around here.
