Tales of the Storyteller

An Aquatic Surprise:

 Eos had, once again, risen the sun for Helios and Apollo. With everyone up, breakfast was the first thing on their minds. 

"Must we have fish again, Kosmos?", Adrian asked, "Could we at least have bread?"

"Either have the fish or go hungry, Adrian.", chided the captain, "It's too early for the whining."

With a sigh, the sailor complied. Pathos, meanwhile, was talking with Betha.

"What did you see last night, anyway?"

"Oh...nothing. You were right; I was just too tired."

"You sure? You seemed so frightened."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure."

"What are you to going on about?", inquired Basil.

"No big deal, Basil.", the girl answered, "Don't worry about it."

"Alright.", he shrugged as he looked at Adrian and Kosmos bickering, "We got to find a way to shut them up."

"I'll say.", mumbled a disgruntled Ezio. Thus, Betha came up with an idea.

"Well, how about a story?"

"That could work.", the sailors agreed when turning to Pathos.

"Hey, you!", Basil said to him, "You tell one. Best earn your keep somehow."

"Me?"

"Yes you!"

"But...I don't have anything! Why can't you tell one, Basil?"

"I have more on my mind, already. Now, think of something."

Betha place her hands on Pathos's shoulders. "Come on, Pathos. I know you can do it."

As Palamon's son thought, his brain began to remember a childhood legend. Sighing, he looked down on the surrounding ocean.

"Before she became a monster, Medusa was a beautiful maiden. A priestess who, with her sister Sthenno and Euryale, presided over the temple of the powerful wise, war-like Athena. It had seemed her life was in order. Could have stayed that way too had a god did not go lusting. Poseidon, ruler of the waters, thought the girl desirable.  Failing to control himself, he went down to goddess's temple and lied with the poor Medusa. 

Athena, furious by this offensive, did not punish the guilty one. Oh no. For she targeted her own priestess and her sisters. Changing them from Aphrodite's rivals, to Hades's slaves. A trio of hideous, horrifying gorgons. Beasts with cursed eyes that would turn anyone into stone if they look at them.

It only took Perseus to put her out of her misery. Death by beheading. Ending the tragic life of a gorgeous maiden imprisoned in a monster's body."

Pathos had finished the tale, all was quiet. The silence was soon broken by Betha.

"How could Athena do that? Poseidon was the the perpetrator! He should've been punished!"

"Poseidon is a powerful god who-"

"So what? Did you not say Athena is 'war-like'? That means she reigns over war, right?"

"Yes and yes."

"Then could she had won a battle with him?"

"Betha, as an Athenian, I can't be able to side with you."

"Some Athenian. You should be wise enough to know how wrong both Athena and Poseidon were."

"Enough, woman!", chided Kosmos, "We are in his world!  Any more of your talk, and we may all drown!"

"That's right!", Ezmio spoke, "You're already pushing things."

"But-"

"Enough!"

Once more, Betha was trying to talk when, in an instant, something was glowing in the waters. A matter everyone had quickly took notice of. The golden, radiant orb had then gone around the boat. Circling it until it suddenly out of the ocean and into the air. Revealing itself to be a male fairy. He had white hair, green eyes and the name of-

"Cahal?!", gaspsed a shocked Betha as Pathos turned to her.

"You know him?!"

"Of course I do; he's my fiancee'."

"That's right.", 

"What?!", the sailors could not believe it. Especially Pathos, "You mean to say that you're betrothed to a fairy?!"

"Yes. I wanted to tell you all, but I feared the reaction."

"Betha, we are men who believe in the existence of gorgons, Pegasus and the like! We could believe in anything!"

"Does this even matter?", Betha's lost love asked, "In the end, you've known the truth. Meanwhile, Betha, where have you been? We thought you were dead."

"I was looking for work to support my mother. But, after a storm, I've been trying to get home, Cahal."

The fairy man sighed yet embraced his sweet one, nonetheless.

"I was so worried."

"I know, dear. I've thought about you everyday and-"

"Hold on a minute!", Kosmos interrupted, "You can't just admit that you're mystical beings and expect us all to go along with it without question!"

Adrian was with that statement, "Yeah, you could've dropped some hints, at least."

"We apologize for the surprise.", the male faye apologized, "But to make it up to you all, let us take you to Fairyland."

Pathos raised an eyebrow, "Fairyland?"

Betha explained with a smile, "It's a beautiful part of the Celtic forest. Magical creatures lives there in harmony with King Oberon and Queen Titania ruling."

Her fiancée followed the explanation with, "And I'm sure they wouldn't mind just a few mere mortals coming by. So, would you come?"

At this proposal, the crewmen huddled together.

"Well, men,", Pathos started, "what do we do?"

"I say we go.", Adrian suggested, "It sounds like an awesome place."

Ezio then pointed out, "Not to mention, there may be some riches or other valuable things we could sell. We could be able to feed our families with the money we'd get."

"Alright...", Kosmos was still contemplating, "let me think..."

With the captain's signal to turn back to the fairies, Kosmos gave a reply.

"We'll go only if we can bring back some goods to sell. We have families to support, you know."

Cahal gave a warm smile, "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"The goods,", Pathos reassured him, "and nothing more."