Thalassa

Chapter 5

Thea didn't stop running until her feet were in the shallows of the cool sea. She could have carried on, swimming - she knew where the islands were she could see them from her bedroom - but it would have been pointless. She was tired from running and it would crazy to swim in the dark sea's chill. She found an area of sand that was surrounded by rocks. Her spare chiton was her pillow, the sweet midsummer warmth was her blanket and the gentle rolling of the waves was her lullaby.

Thea awoke with the sun rise, just in time to join some fishermen on their boat. She was very fortunate, as the fishermen had a big enough boat for her to stowaway in. She managed to get safely on board while they were loading nets from a nearby storehouse. She hid amongst some crates and barrels. This was the perfect position to check the location every once in a while. Thea had chosen the second closest island to Athens . It was a start and she knew only a few olive farmers lived there. There was an abrupt shudder, and the wooden boat cast off. Soon, Thea have simple freedom, as Mikalis had said. She smiled to herself at the thought and shook away the feeling of guilt from leaving him behind. He was a boy after all, and as much as she despised the fact, boys were superior in society. Thea balled her hands into fists and her nails bit at her palms. It didn't matter anymore though. She was her own ruler now. Excitement began to flood her heart and any anxiety it carried was left behind in Athens.

Eventually the boat approached the island. Thea's head had been bobbing up and down, checking their location every five minutes. The voice in her head whispered "Now! Now is the time! Now is the beginning!" She checked once more, this time for any nearby fishermen. It was clear. Slowly she lifted her self from the nest of nets. "Now!" The voice called. Thea stepped on to the boat's edge, gracefully dove, and broke the refreshing water's surface below with a mere splash. The shouting began, so Thea clung to the boat like a limpet, so that they wouldn't see her if the looked down.

"Maybe it was just a big fish?"

"Don't be an idiot, Nikolas! Argh, never mind, we have more important things to do.

Relief spread a smug smile across Thea's face. She just had to wait for the boat to leave, and luckily it was making good time. As the space between her and the boat increased, Thea prepared to take off swimming when out of the blue came a voice.

"A nymph! Socrates look! The splash must have been the nymph!"

Thea's head bobbed into the water and as she did so she heard shouting. Now underwater, she pushed her arms up to try and push herself deeper. Holding her breathe as long as she could, Thea didn't break the surface until her lungs began to burn her chests. Gasping like a fish out of water, she saw that - thank the gods - the boat was well on its way to the horizon. With one final scope of her whereabouts, Thea kicked her legs furiously to reach the rocks on the nearby rocks, which scraped her knees as she climbed them with haste, as if she was still paranoid that someone would sneak up behind, grab her ankle, and drag her back to Athens. But no one did, and she sat down under a fig tree in order to catch her breathe. Her gaze turned to the sea and she chased away the images of Caliya's opal necklace and how similar it was to the delicate shimmering of the sea's. It didn't matter. It was behind her and she refused to look back. When her breathe was stable once more, Thea rose and went on a search for somewhere to rest, at least for a night. Thea wasn't stupid, Caliya would be sending her father out with a search party soon enough. A stray child was not good for the family reputation.

One thing Thea realised very quickly, was that the island was desolate compared to the hustle and bustle of Athens. Yes, there were houses, but it was so remote from the sound of Athens. No tools beating, no calls from pushy salesmen, no chariots clattering around, just the sounds of the odd voice, the lapping of the sea and the chorus of whatever critters inhabited the bushes, even more quiet than the night before on the beach. The scent was different too. Instead of dust and cobble, there was the vague smell of olive oil and sweet fruit, harmonising with the refreshing fragrance of pine. Thea breathed deeply and sighed happily. She wished she could stay here, but the island was too small not to be found fairly easily, and it was too close, although it didn't feel as such, to Athens.

Thea was quite careful of not settling too close to the main path, but also not so far that she couldn't hear voices. It was taking some time, and she did have doubts on whether it was necessary, but the overwhelming sadness that came with a vision of her being cut short was unbearable, and so kept her on track. Eventually she found a good spot. It was shaded from the walls of a house, there was a stream nearby, and a fig tree grew just across the path. Thea lay down her other chiton. It was when she took a step back, she noticed that it was not much of a supply list. Just a small, stained by dust, piece of clothing. But it would make sleeping more comfortable. It was important, Thea thought, to start off the journey well rested as well as well fed. Come to think of food, she would have to find something to carry fruit and other things with her. She wouldn't know when she could eat next once she had moved on. She had taken note of all the trees and what grew on them on her way to finding her little space. Thea lay down on her chiton, and soon felt her eyelids getting heavier. Within minutes she was fast asleep.