Chapter 1- goddess in trouble
As I run through the grass I can feel the soft and loamy soil squish under my toes. The wind whips through my hair tangling it as I run. The grass I touch grows longer as I pass it, flowers springing up in my wake. I see a glint of light on my left, a reflection of the sun off water. She's catching up.
I turn sharply to the right, a flick of my hand sends a wall of shrubs bursting from the ground growing thick and fast, becoming 10 feet tall behind me. It won't be much of a hindrance, but it's something. I glance over my shoulder, no sign of either of them.
Now's my chance.
Dashing between trees I find one with great tangled roots at its base. This one will do. Without much force of will, the tree parts its roots to reveal a small opening beneath the tree big enough for me to climb in. I dive into it, the white fabric of my robe becoming more dirty with each movement as the roots of the tree close the entrance behind me.
Fireflies pop into life in the pitch black darkness, as if they had been waiting for me by design to light the inside of my self made burrow. There's only a few feet of space to maneuver in. But all I need to do is wait for them to give up looking for me.
However, before I can get my hopes up, water begins to drip into my burrow seeping through the soil, beginning to take shape. I wasn't quick enough, she had seen me getting in.
Instinctively, my hand finds one of the many roots of the tree and squeezes it, communicating my wish to it. That's all the tree needs. I can hear the tree growing rapidly above me, becoming immensely thick and tall. As it grows, a passage right through the middle of the tree trunk forms with surprising speed. All it takes is a tug and the root in my hand starts to pull me up through the trunk of the tree towards the light above until I'm able to let go and stand on the highest branch of the tree that can hold my weight. My perch is easily 30 feet above the ground.
Below, I can see Pallas athletic form watching the wet soil beneath her feet. But it will only be another second before Tyche is fully formed in the burrow beneath me and will know where I am. At my silent command the passage through the tree trunk is closed in an instant. A quick glance from my vantage point on the tree top is enough to show the river sparkling to the north. I know that the river would be an asset to my pursuers, and I head south without another thought. Each tree beneath me moves naturally and silently to create a pathway for me to walk on with their branches. One slip up, and I will fall 30 feet to the ground.
The golden apple in my hand gleams beautifully in the sunlight. Really, I should just eat it. There's no way I'm losing anyway.
SMACK!
Without any warning, Pallas' staff comes flying at me and hits me hard in my side.
Instinctively, without even thinking, my hand reaches to grab a branch, a vine, ANYTHING as I fall through the air. Obligingly, one finds my hand not a moment too soon. I cling to it as I'm lowered to the ground, but before my feet even touch it I'm pushed roughly down. All I can see is a flurry of blonde hair as my back slams into the dirt beneath me, the apple wrenched from my fingertips.
"Pallas! Take it easy. You can't manhandle a goddess!" Says Tyche's voice. I can only see the blazing sun above me shining through the canopy of trees, the breath knocked out of me.
"Man handle?" Pallas scoffs, a laugh in her voice. "First of all, I'd have to be a man to do that. And second of all, this is hardly manhandling...per se."
Finally, I'm able to take a breath in. I sit up, taking in great gasps of air. Tyche's face suddenly appears in front of me, her clear turquoise skin reflecting sunlight back at me. Her water eyebrows are knitted together in concern.
"Are you alright?" She asks kindly, offering me a boost up. I take it, feeling water swirling around my hand hoisting me up. Tyche's slight form is completely made of water and looked to be wearing a dress that flowed about her rippling in the breeze. Her hair was a bit hard to make out as it was hard to distinguish from the rest of her body.
"Yeah, I just got complacent that's all." I say, shaking the excess water off my soaked hand.
"Good." Says Pallas smugly, "So you know what your mistake was." She makes an impressive figure leaning casually on her bronze staff and taking a bite out of the apple she won. Her athletic form is clad in a warrior's training attire. Her tunic is made of interlocking leather pieces covering her shoulders and extending down to mid thigh. Her arms are adorned with silver arm bands and her forearms are heavily protected by metal vambraces. Her feet are clad in sturdy shoes that connect to silver greaves that stretch up her slender legs. Normally a warrior would tie up their hair, but today Pallas lets her blonde hair flow to her shoulders casually.
"Yeah, I just know that I need to let you guys win at least once in a while to keep things interesting." I say in playful mock nonchalance.
Pallas nearly chokes on her apple, spluttering. "LET us win?!" She swallows her bite of apple and her blue eyes share a slightly haughty look with Tyche. "Whatever Sef. Let's go another round. This time we'll give you a full minute head start and we'll still kick your butt."
"No, I don't think that's a good idea." Tyche says glancing at the position of the sun high above, her entire face reflecting brilliant dancing sunlight. "Lady demeter will want her daughter home for the midday meal."
"Oh Tyche, you need to stop being such a molly coddle." Says Pallas nudging Tyche playfully with her hand which subsequently soaks Pallas' hand in water. "Besides, Sef needs to train some more."
"No, she's right." I intervene before Tyche can get defensive. I smile at her reassuringly before I look back at Pallas, "Would you like to come eat with mother and me?" My feet start walking back towards home even before she answers, flowers springing up behind me.
"Sure." Pallas answers. Then she smirks over at me, "Apples alone aren't that filling anyway."
As we walk, Pallas and Tyche continue to talk. Tyche is perhaps more reserved as they chat. But my mind wanders from the conversation. In the back of my head I can hear the disembodied prayers of the mortals.
We ask humbly for your blessing of vegetation to be upon our land....
...need the harvest to be plentiful, please grant my family....
Gone, eaten by rabbits and bugs. Nothing will keep them away...
I only ask that you spare my family from starvation....
...all of it rotted! Persephone, what can we do?...
They're almost constantly there. I feel a slight twinge of guilt toning them out. Mother had always taught me that it isn't a burden to look after the mortals (although that's certainly what the other God's thought). No, it is a privilege to have the duty of caring for them.
I listen intently to the prayers. In my mind's eye I can see each person clearly in a kaleidoscope of images. Some kneel and murmur the words of the prayer. Others only pray in thought as they gaze at their surroundings. An image of a ruined corn field is brought to my mind, completely ravaged by pests.
Without hesitation I raise my hand and send blessings in multiple directions at once. Some are blessings of vegetation for the right herbs to grow spontaneously to ward off pests, some a blessing of simple comfort. Sometimes mortals needed to struggle through trial to become stronger. The blessings leave me like a rush of wind. They look like flower petals drifting through the sky making their way on the winds until they bestow themselves on the praying mortals. In the glaring sunlight they're only faintly visible.
Pallas' eyes follow the petals with recognition etched on her features. "I'm glad I don't have to deal with that."
"It's our responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves." I say automatically. It's a mantra my mother constantly repeated.
"I know, I know. All I'm saying is that I'm just glad I'm a daughter of Triton and not a daughter of Zues." She said shrugging her shoulders.
"Personally, I like it." I say simply.
"Of course you do." Pallas panted. The path beneath our feet had become a hill, and it became steeper with each step we took. "I think it just comes naturally to you and your mom. You have to remember not everyone is as altruistic."
As we crested the hill, a house came into view. Set in the midst of fields of barley and corn the house looked like a small splash of red in an ocean of yellow and green.
A smile spread across my face that I couldn't hold back if I wanted to. I could practically already smell the fresh baked bread. Not wanting to lose the upper hand I took off running, calling over my shoulder, "First one there gets the first bite!"
**hope you liked the first chapter!!! There will be many more to come. Please leave a comment below, it helps motivate me**
**fact check!**
Pallas: There are 2 figures in Greek mythology with the name Pallas (that's why it can be confusing). This Pallas is female, daughter of Triton, raised alongside Athena (Triton acting as a foster parent to Athena), and taught the art of war by her father. It is said in some versions of the mythology that Pallas along with Artemis and the Oceanids were with Persephone when she was kidnapped. Therefore, I pegged them as friends to Persephone for the purposes of this story.
Tyche: Tyche is one of 3,000 Oceanid daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. Each oceanid is the personification of a body of water. They were also charged by Zeus to be guardians for the young. A parent would choose Oceanids based off the qualities they wanted their children to have. Tyche is an Oceanid associated with luck and good fortune.
