The Saint responded anxiously while the maids melted away. “Sir, she has been in the service of this sanctuary since the moment of conception, nothing…”
The Tetrarch interrupted him. “Have no fear my friend, I do not at this moment intend to carry away the virgin bride of a god.” He laughed anew and smiled at me again with his sparkling eyes, whose meaning I could not discern. He put a hand on my guardian’s shoulder. “Rather than ruin us all I would rather commend the company of Saints for the cultivation of one so befitting of Apollo's grace. I believe we have found the natural replacement for she who departed in the black of night.”
He paused for a moment and his expression hardened. “They cannot possibly object now the Cretans are dead - all that has been asked of me I have fulfilled.”
“We must not speak of these things!" the Saint replied with a tortured whisper. "It has been a bloody night and we must make sacrifices for the dead. As for the girl, we should wait…..”
But everything, it seemed, had already been decided by the stranger who had touched me so deeply. “It is essential that the office be occupied by one who is loyal to the friends of Delphi and I believe this girl will remember well the way I saved her life. Besides,” he added more softly, looking over at me as he spoke, “it is only fitting for the counsel of Apollo to be given by a golden-haired maiden in his days of greatest glory.”
The Saint bowed his head by way of assent and I followed suit, without real comprehension of the scene I was somehow playing a part in - but it was not for me to question the ways and works of men. All I knew was that when the Tetrarch departed I was rend in two by some sharp and hitherto unknown sorrow that would bind me to the weeping silver moon by a silken thread, destined only to wax and wane as he came and went throughout the years.
It was also shortly after this encounter that I became the high-priestess of Apollo, in accordance with his command. So it was that two great loves became intertwined in my Psyche for the whole of time.
Wednesday 4 June 2014
Tuesday 3 June 2014
Priceless Vessel
I was afraid, then, for I had never before been questioned by such a man in this way. As I searched Memory for an appropriate line of hexameter the dry voice of the Saint suddenly flew to my aid and his cool shadow veiled my bewildered face.
“May the God be with you now and always,” he responded smoothly, “and assist you in fulfilling a glorious destiny, as befits the one who brought light to Delphi in her darkest hour.”
He cast a searching glance in my direction and got to his knees before the Tetrarch with arms outspread. “I give you my heartfelt thanks that she has been spared the fate which befell the others. You have saved her,” He added simply. My noble guardian hung his head with such an aspect of total supplication that it quite surprised me.
The Tetrarch did not appear surprised, however, but instead smiled broadly, dazzling us all with his countenance and appearing so handsome that I stared at him in amazement. He laughed merrily. “My dear friend, there is no need at all for this attitude, please arise!”
While he was doing as bidden the Tetrarch astonished us further with the following words. “You know, do you not, that this is a priceless vessel now set before me? I greatly desire to know more about the holy blood that is running through her veins.”
“May the God be with you now and always,” he responded smoothly, “and assist you in fulfilling a glorious destiny, as befits the one who brought light to Delphi in her darkest hour.”
He cast a searching glance in my direction and got to his knees before the Tetrarch with arms outspread. “I give you my heartfelt thanks that she has been spared the fate which befell the others. You have saved her,” He added simply. My noble guardian hung his head with such an aspect of total supplication that it quite surprised me.
The Tetrarch did not appear surprised, however, but instead smiled broadly, dazzling us all with his countenance and appearing so handsome that I stared at him in amazement. He laughed merrily. “My dear friend, there is no need at all for this attitude, please arise!”
While he was doing as bidden the Tetrarch astonished us further with the following words. “You know, do you not, that this is a priceless vessel now set before me? I greatly desire to know more about the holy blood that is running through her veins.”
Monday 2 June 2014
Daughter of Apollo
When I next awoke it was to find the maids Helena and Corinthia bending over me with anxiety in their eyes.
“Thank God she is safe!” cried Helena, who had nursed me for as long as memory served to recall. Tears were streaming down her kind, open face and I sat up to put my arms around her.
I became aware that the Tetrarch was watching us with great attention. Silence descended, bringing with it a gentle breeze of warm, sweet air. It came suddenly upon us, as if it were the breath of Aphrodite.
“The Aura," he said quietly, putting a finger to my cheek. His voice fell almost to a whisper. “This girl is so fair I can scarcely believe she is mortal - in her face I see the divine…”
Helena gave him a sharp look that cut through her tears like a knife, but Corinthia overflowed with proud words, in accordance with her immoderate nature. “Oh, she is fair as the sun, Sir. Such hair as there is on her head we have never before seen the like of!”
Without so much as a glance at her, removing neither hand nor eyes from my face, he asked: “You know, do you not, that the high priestess is dead?"
I was shocked at his words for this had not occurred to me until that moment, but the Tetrarch addressed me once again with an air of calm expectancy. “Now that she is gone, what will you say to me daughter of Apollo?”
“Thank God she is safe!” cried Helena, who had nursed me for as long as memory served to recall. Tears were streaming down her kind, open face and I sat up to put my arms around her.
I became aware that the Tetrarch was watching us with great attention. Silence descended, bringing with it a gentle breeze of warm, sweet air. It came suddenly upon us, as if it were the breath of Aphrodite.
“The Aura," he said quietly, putting a finger to my cheek. His voice fell almost to a whisper. “This girl is so fair I can scarcely believe she is mortal - in her face I see the divine…”
Helena gave him a sharp look that cut through her tears like a knife, but Corinthia overflowed with proud words, in accordance with her immoderate nature. “Oh, she is fair as the sun, Sir. Such hair as there is on her head we have never before seen the like of!”
Without so much as a glance at her, removing neither hand nor eyes from my face, he asked: “You know, do you not, that the high priestess is dead?"
I was shocked at his words for this had not occurred to me until that moment, but the Tetrarch addressed me once again with an air of calm expectancy. “Now that she is gone, what will you say to me daughter of Apollo?”
Sunday 1 June 2014
Dawn
The Saints who tutored me were not like this man, who had come to me clothed with the sun. He was handsome as only the God could be, that much was clear.
When I saw – near enough for me to touch – the glorious insignia of Apollo shining above his heart I leaned towards him, dizzy with both gratitude and my first sense of longing. He did not say another word, just lifted me in his arms and carried me up to greet the new Dawn, clasping my golden head to his burnished breast.
When he set me down again it was well away from the scenes of bloodshed, in an area where the servants slept. He got down on one knee again and scrutinized me with an air of fascination, turning my chin towards the light and taking once again the weight of my hair in his hands, spreading his arms to measure its length.
Slowly he opened his fingers so it fell like skeins of golden silk around my shoulders. My eyes drifted closed and in the split second before I fainted I felt him gently kiss me on the cheek.
When I saw – near enough for me to touch – the glorious insignia of Apollo shining above his heart I leaned towards him, dizzy with both gratitude and my first sense of longing. He did not say another word, just lifted me in his arms and carried me up to greet the new Dawn, clasping my golden head to his burnished breast.
When he set me down again it was well away from the scenes of bloodshed, in an area where the servants slept. He got down on one knee again and scrutinized me with an air of fascination, turning my chin towards the light and taking once again the weight of my hair in his hands, spreading his arms to measure its length.
Slowly he opened his fingers so it fell like skeins of golden silk around my shoulders. My eyes drifted closed and in the split second before I fainted I felt him gently kiss me on the cheek.
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