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MEDUSA'S CURSE



Prologue


This is wrong.

This is wrong.

Everything. Everything is just, wrong, wrong, wrong. And she knew it. Everything was dark. It was like the world had disappeared. But she could feel her mother's arm on hers. She could hear her father shouting, and her brother crying. And she could hear the doctor saying that she would be like this forever.

“Athenia. Athenia!” Only then, hearing her mother’s voice calling her name, did she realized that she has fainted.

But she didn’t want to wake up. She wanted to dream. Dream of the trees, and the lakes, and the grass. She wanted to see. One last time.

Nothing would ever be the same.

Chapter One



Athenia wakes up to the same thing every day. Gets up out of bed and feels the slick walls to make it to her family. Have her father yell at her whenever a suitor walks away. Which was every time, of course. Who wanted an ugly blind girl?

“Get up, wretch!” Her father roars from outside her door.

“Come on and make yourself useful!” He shouts again when she doesn’t. Athenia sighs and forces herself out of her bed. Just another day.

“I know, I know, I’m coming!” Athenia sighs, exasperated. Tired and weary, she gives her mother a weak smile. She hugs her tightly, and winces at the bruises her mother struggles to hide. Athenia forces herself to smile at her father. Bastard. Reluctantly, she ties up her hair and walks outside with the water bucket. Her bare feet thump against the dirty ground, and the heat of the day beats down on her. Wiping her brow, Athenia sweeps the bucket into the well, and in one swift movement gathering water inside of it. She trudges back to the cottage, shoulders slumped.

“Girl, get here,” her father says sharply when she enters the house. Captiously, Athenia walks over. Athenia bows her head in the submissive way she’s been taught. “yYes father,” she says.

“Quit your moping. This fine, young man would like to speak with you.” Athenia nods again.

“Krisonus, at your service,” the male says. “I have come to ask for your hand in marriage,” he adds to her father. He nods and grunts, dismissive. “Yes, yes, go ahead. Why should I care? Useless anyways,” her father snorts.

“Take her.” Krisonus has a confused look on his face, but quickly recovers and gives a curt nod. Hands behind her back, Athenia walks out the door, counting her steps. She remembers all the bruises she had gotten when she was little- when she had first lost her sight. Athenia sighed as she made it safely outside. Then she winces as Krisonus speaks.

“Come,” the man says. “You are to stay in the house while I deliver the bride price tomorrow. Understood?” A nod. “Good,” he purrs slyly. “Good.”

Chapter 2



Athenia wakes up quickly, eyes shooting open. Her new husband lay next to hers sleeping peacefully. The wedding had been only a week ago, and the small girl was already miserable. Would she prefer to stay with her father? She didn’t want to choose Surprisingly, no one had ridiculed her husband for his choice of spouse. After some puzzling, she supposed it was Krisonus’s title, son of the general. Now, she was a blind mistress, a blind wife, rather than just a silly blind girl. Now, why she was miserable, no one knew. Her husband was handsome and rich.. He scared her, but Krisonus had done nothing bad to her- not yet.

Athenia carefully got out of bed, as to not wake her husband. Sadly he slept light. Krisonus grunts and props himself up on his elbows.

“Come back to bed,” he orders. “I want you here.” his voice is rough and cold, not like the warm tone a husband should have. She pales and nods, obediently crawling back under the quilt. He nods in approval. Nodding, Athenia gulps. She had been through this routine before. Krisonus never went too far, (until now) but he still terrified her. Athenia shivers as he moves her lips to his.

She knew what he meant now. What he wanted all along.

****



The next morning Athenia woke up to calls of murder.

“Kill the witch!” the townsfolk called. Krisonus’s face hardens into one of shear rage. He grabs his speak and marches outside. “What is the meaning of this?” he roars, and the crowd back away. “What did you call my wife?” A shivering man stumbles into the front, voice shaky.

“Th-the god Apollo has spoken. He-he want-t-ts the girl to be brought to the highest cliff.” he cowers under Krisonus’s glare. Then he spoke a single word, one that would get him killed by the crowd, or the gods. Krisonus said no.