The Gorgon Queen

Chapter 8

"Who is that man?"

Stheno kept questioning me, even after we got inside the cottage. I avoided her questions for two reasons. The first was that I didn't feel like hearing Stheno's older sister protective advice. The second was that I didn't know how to answer half her questions, considering I myself didn't know Orion that well.

Orion. His name sounded like a name of a God.

I whispered his name to myself, tasting it against my tongue. And, oh, did it taste sweet

"Medusa." Stheno brought her fist down hard on the counter, making me jump and almost dropping a tea cup.

"What." I shot back. I didn't want to discuss this any further. In truth, the day before I was excited to tell my sisters of the man I met in the market. But that was before Papa died and I was assaulted. I know I would eventually tell Stheno and Euryale and even mother about Orion, and the possibilities that were within reach, but for now all I wanted was to clear my head and process the last day and a half.

"Don't think you're going to leave without telling me who that man was." Stheno said, her eyes narrowed at me. The dark wisps of her hair that was tied back into a bun were slowly coming undone and framing her face, making her look more like mother.

"As you witnessed moment before, I only now got his name, and he mine. What makes you think I know anymore about him?"

Stheno looked at me a moment too long before responding, I could practically see the gears in her head turning.

"Because, sister," she started, "the way you looked at him, you haven't looked at anyone like that before."

"Like what?" I asked. I could feel my face turning red at each word Stheno spoke. Stheno blinked back tears and looked down. She sighed as she lifted her head and met my gaze, her eyes shining in the mid-morning sun,

"Like how mother use to look at Papa."

My breath caught in my throat. It was a fact that my parents were very much in love. As a child, I remember seeing the two of them together in the kitchen or living room and I could just tell that what they had was real. Even when they were telling us their secret, the way mother held on to Papa's hand, they were together until death separates them.

And now death has. But before Stheno and I left the beach, mother didn't want to leave. I knew that if she left too early, it would be like leaving a piece of her heart behind. I wanted a love like that. A love that would last even after death.

Surely, Stheno wasn't saying that what she saw on my face with Orion was love? I barely knew him, but I planned to get to know him more in the days to come. I shook my head and brushed her comment aside,

"Stheno, please that's ridiculous. Clearly, whatever you saw was mere infatuation."

"Clearly." Stheno didn't look convinced. "Can you promise me something, Medusa?"

I looked at her, "Of course."

Stheno bite down on her lower lip and sighed. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her black dress as she spoke, "Promise me, that you won't let this man take advantage of you, if you choose to pursue him."

I chuckled, "Why on Earth would I let that happened?" I knew that I was the one who always had my head in the clouds when it came to my sisters and being realistic. But why on Earth would Stheno think that I would let Orion take advantage of me?

Stheno's eyes were like freshly sharpened daggers as she met my gaze, "He's a man, Medusa. Men will take advantage of anything, be it money or a woman. Especially if it comes easy to them."

Images of the the four men from the night before flashed into my mind. Even though they were drunk, they knew what they were doing. They saw a woman, alone at night and made their move to take advantage. For a while I fought back, but even I knew that I gave up on trying to defend myself. Maybe what Stheno was trying to tell me was that I need to build a backbone, especially when it comes to men.

"I promise, Stheno."

The sound of someone knocking at our door drew our attention away from each other. Stheno went and answered the door. Peering around her, I saw a young boy with a satchel around his shoulder.

"May I help you?" Stheno asked the boy. The boy ruffled through his satchel until his pulled out a folded up piece of parchment, "I have a letter for," he squinted at the writing, "Medusa."

"I'm here." I said as I walked up beside Stheno. The boy handed the parchment to me. With a tip of his hat, he bid us a good day and trotted down the hill. Stheno closed the door as I opened the letter:

Medusa,

I feel awfully terrible about your Papa's passing. Uncle told me about it right before dawn, hence why I'm writing to you now. I wish I could've attended the burial, but I didn't want to intrude upon your family in such a delicate time. You are more than welcomed to come over if you need to get away. I know being in a home where you lost loved ones is a dreadful feeling. But, I understand if you like to spend this time with your mother and sisters, you all need each other after all. I'm always here for you.

Athena

"Who's it from?" Stheno asked as she skimmed the letter above my shoulder. I didn't realize that I was smiling until after I read it was from my dear friend.

"Mother won't mind if I go to Athena's for a while, right?" I said as I folded the parchment back up and tucked it into my bodice. Stheno crossed her arms, "As long as your back before supper."

I smiled gleefully and went out the door, the spring sun shining brightly along my path.