A God's Mercy (Apollo x OC)

Chapter 28

Melantriche had been hoping that Karana had been wrong, but with each day that feeling was quickly decimated. Eedi, who Melantriche had never seen enter the kitchen prior to their first proper meeting, began coming nearly every evening. Apparently, his place was at the main hall, where he and other important people on the island partook in lavish meals. The gods alone knew why he would want to share the servant's meager suppers of soup and bread, but he did. Karana made no effort to hide her indignation at this. "You might as well have cooked a whole banquet, Mela. As soon as Eedi's done being a fatass, there's gonna be nothing left for the rest of us." The 2 other girls that usually joined them stifled their giggles into their cups, and Eedi shot a glare at all of them.

"You'd do well to shut your swarthy mouth, Karana, or I'll have you demoted." Karana laughed a dog-like humorless laugh.

"Oh, grand. You're gonna demote the potamide that keeps your water supply clean? I'd like to see you try." But he was already too busy talking to Melantriche to retort. What the conversation was about, Melantriche herself couldn't remember, but Eedi went from boasting about his many responsibilities to how he'd appreciate having a wife one day that could cook as well as Melantriche could. "He's very subtle, don't you think?" Karana hissed as soon as he left. Melantriche laid her head in her lap.

"I don't want to be with Eedi." She moaned. She remembered the horror stories Lyra used to tell her when she was younger, about centaurs and satyrs kidnapping young girls and doing unspeakable things to them. "But I don't want him to be angry with me. How do I get out of this, Karana?" The woman leaned side to side, as if to think.

"Well, whenever I'm being propositioned, I usually tell him straight up I don't want to be with him. But if you're wanting to be careful about it... try acting gross." Melantriche stared at her. "You know, don't bathe, work more at the pig pen than you would in the kitchen. Make him get so grossed out he won't want to spare a second glance at you. And if he still comes chasing after you, I'll threaten to cut off the water supply." Melantriche laughed, even though she had no desire whatsoever to get dirty, either. But what choice did she have? The way Eedi put his hand on her shoulder was quickly becoming more intimate than she would've allowed in the human world.

The next day she loitered around the barn like Karana suggested. She had not bathed, either, and was quickly regretting it, with this humid weather not helping her hair in the least bit. She tried hard to ignore all the stares from the nymphs, who never seemed to miss a day of fine grooming. She wandered around from section to section, asking if there was anything she could do to help. By the end of the day, she'd managed to wash down nearly a dozen horses, fed the pigs, and helped to herd some goats during lunchtime. Now she was heading back, starving and soaked in filth. While the sun was quickly sinking into the lake, she ambled around outside the kitchen for a time. The chimneys were smoking, but she didn't want to risk running into Eedi again. At the same time, there was nothing more she wanted than to eat, take a hot bath, and go straight to sleep. She just about worked up her courage to go inside when she ducked around the corner and bumped into a familiar face. Ivy was looking especially gorgeous in the dusk light, strands of her hair glowing gold and her cheeks rosy. Melantriche gulped, feeling her cheeks grow red. The girl just tossed her pretty hair, scoffing. She had a bundle of fine red cloth under her arm which she shoved at her. "This needs to be made into a tablecloth in 3 days. Go and sew it." Melantriche stared at the cloth, dumbfounded. "What are you waiting for? Go, you lazy brat."

"Why are you so mean to me?" Melantriche whispered. For some reason she could feel herself getting ready to cry. Ivy stared her up and down, sneering at her unkempt appearance.

"I have no idea what Lord Apollo sees in you. Or Eedi. You're just a stinking useless human." Was that it? She was jealous?

"Even if Eedi likes me like that, I don't think he'll come to see me anymore if he knows I'm not a virgin."