The Gorgon Queen

Chapter 21

The next few days were repetitive. We would walk from sun up to sun down, setting up camp either under a cluster of trees or under the night sky itself.

We managed to find a body of water as our path led us into the forest. We washed our clothes, two at a time. Athena and I went first while Perseus and Orion sat behind a tree, waiting for us to be done.

The water was cool against my sweaty skin. I cupped my hands together and let the river water drip down my face, washing away the dirt and grim from the last few days. Wrapped in a one of the blankets, I scrubbed the dirt out of my blue dress. I'd been wearing it the last few days, and it showed. I was beyond thrilled at the notion of putting on a clean dress.

"You two know that you're not the only ones in need of a bathing!" Perseus shouted from his perch behind the tree. Athena's long red hair was like fire in the sunlight. She brushed it over her bare shoulder as she rung out her dress. "A woman needs to tend to her body with precision and care. Unlike men who just run into the unknown, without a thought as to how their body will be able to handle the aftermath."

I suppressed a giggle as I too rung out my dress.

Perseus leaned around the base of the tree, covering his eyes with his hand. "I'll have you know, that I take great care of my body," he flexed, "I wouldn't be able to wield a sword without these."

Athena rolled her eyes at her brother as he took back his original spot. Draping our dresses over our arms, we made our way back to the tree, ready to tell the boys that it was there turn to bathe.

A branch breaking under foot made us stop. Two men, with enough meat on their bones to feed an army cut their way through the brambles to our right. They were both covered in armor, carrying swords. These men were soldiers.

Upon seeing us, their eyes filled with a hunger like no other. It was as if they were wolves and we were their prey.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the first man said. He had a dark beard that matched his hair, making him look all the more menacing. "A couple of pixies taking a morning swim? Would you like some company?"

Athena stood straighter, gripping the blanket around her body as a shield. "We are actually done for the day." she reached for my arm, gripping it tight, "Come along now, Hero."

Athena started to pull me towards the tree, where Perseus and Orion were waiting. Could they hear what was happening? The man with the beard took a step forward. "Hero, that's a beautiful name." he glanced back at the man behind him. "Don't you agree, Kyril?"

The man-Kyril-looked to be only a few years younger than the bearded man. But he was in all ways, shape and form the same. His eyes had the same hunger as the first man's did, "Indeed, I think it is, Julian."

Athena kept her pace towards the tree. We were only a few paces away when her grip was suddenly gone, my skin feeling bare without it. I turned and saw the second man, Kyril, he had yanked her by the hair and now he was gripping her firmly by the back of the neck. Athena still managed to hold onto the blanket, wrapped tightly around her bare body. Her dress had fallen to the Earth, the dampness soaking in the dirt.

Julian was standing before me, his teeth bare. I could see his fangs and how sharp they were. "Hero." he whispered my fake name, but it still sent shivers up my spine, "I can already tell that this day will be one of my favorites."

He reached for me, but I dodged his touch. I made a run towards Athena, not really sure as to what I was going to do once I reached her. But before I could, Julian grabbed a fistful of hair and tugged me down. I fell amongst the grass. Branches and twigs pricking at my skin. The snake bite had healed on my arm, but the area around it was still sore. The blanket was still wrapped around me and I made it my goal to keep it that way. This disgusting man was not going to see my bare body.