More Ramblings

[TheCleaningLady]

Re: Apollo and Artemis

Her hand idly danced across a pool of water.

Reclining on one of the most lavish couches she had ever seen, Apollo shifted, pulling her elbows under her chin. The voluptuous red and gold velvet rippled with the movement. It seemed like as soon as she had gotten here, she was ran nearly ragged helping, helping, helping. The other gods chuckled at her - they had long since learned to just sit back and watch how events unfolded, rather than dash in every time they had their name called. But she knew why she was doing it - she didn’t want to think about Gabriel, or that pained look on his face as she left. True enough, she had wanted him to hurt for looking [ of ALL people ] at Tara, but the rational side complained that this pouting and brooding was ridiculous.

Before her thoughts could delve any deeper, one of the lions that drew the original Apollo’s chariot dashed in, roaring for attention. Spotting her, the large creature bounded over and stuck his maned head in her lap, as if she had gestured for him to come over. With a smile, she buried her fingers within the thick fur of his mane. This was one of the younger lions - his mane was still developing. In her opinion, he was the sweetest, too. As the creature murred his pleasure, her fingers came across a small silver bead. Plucking it free, she tossed into the pool of water, and sat up, waiting to see what the ripples would produce. Waving her hand across the mirror surface, ripples of black curls filled the water. Gasping, she stepped back, nearly tripping over the lion.

What had formed was the peacefully dead head of Artemis, looking all the world like Orpheus. Trembling, she reached forward to tangle her fingers in the limp curls. As soon as her fingertips touched the water, the image dissolved. The feeling of being in a nightmare washed over the girl, caused her to stumble back and grab the edges of her head. The lion, concerned, made a ‘woof’ sort of sound, black lined lips curled over white fangs. Shaking her head to steady herself, she glanced down to the creature.

“It’s nothing….just someone who needs my help….”

Now how long would she be away from Gabriel? Would it even matter? Since she had ascended, she felt nothing from him. She could only assume….that he would be upset. But why was she even feeling this coldly about him? Didn’t the original Apollo feel so ardently about his amorous pursuits that he went out of his way to commemorate them? But on the same hand, didn’t he punish those who refused his advances? Remember Cassandra, she thought idly as she stood up, running a hand through her hair. Apollo was and wasn’t her, though….What choice of action did she have?

She knew. It was one that grated against her pride nearly painfully, but she had to do it. For the child.

But first….

“Leaving to help that lost cousin of yours?” came the myrrh laced voice from the darkness. Turning her back to him, she glanced nonchalantly over her shoulder to him.

“I have to.” Her hands tightened into fists as she tilted her head slightly to the side. “Perhaps it’s my fault that…he went astray. And it’s been far too long since I’ve face the problem. I ran from it the first time, I ran from it even in my thoughts. I’m going to face it now.”

“Mmmm.” Came the idle reply.

Shooing the lion back to the swirl of shadows, she closed her eyes, and descended.
____________________________________________________________________________

The tops of the Kremlin were white and gold, pure and reflective in the sun.

Artemis stood on the cobbled street below, the people passing him not registering at all. Over the past months he had lived in and out of the church, trying to find reasons why he felt so strongly for someone that was tied to him by blood. If only it didn’t exist….what would keep them apart? The answer had been revealed to him so many times, and each time he turned his head, hoping for a different outcome. In-between confessions and sobbing under the blank eyes of a Maria icon, he wandered the forests, the countryside. All around him…the same masses of people. Wrapped up in their own life…without the slightest concern of what was happening outside of their bubble.

He envied them, and pitied them. When he was with Apollo, they had had their own little world…So small…so complete….But why had she outgrown it? There were hardships she had been through - perhaps some that she didn’t tell him. Layers and layers of mystery wrapped about her, and grew thicker with each passing day.

His boots knocked a stone out of place. Kneeling, he turned it over, the ice and snow burning his fingers through his gloves. It had been a while since he had danced….the thought came to him distantly. What would it be like to be on center stage once more? Maybe that could become his new love….No. He’d be cheating himself.

And still the snow fell, tangling within his eyelashes, his hair.

Quickening his pace, his eyes ran along the rigid lines of an oak cross. A church. All around…they seemed to be the same - black eyes saints and Jesus watching without the slightest bit of emotion. He at least expected some sort of sorrow in Maria’s eyes…but…nothing. A dazed sense of being as she held the baby Christ with the man-like face.

He didn’t even know why he was entering now.

Tapping his shoes along the stone steps to knock the snow from them, he stepped in, his footsteps echoing down the corridor. As he looked up, the arches of the roof seemed graceful and imposing all in the same breath - stretching high like arms giving a hug. At the front of the church was the only piece of splendor, a gold altar of sorts. Shuffling into one of the cold hard pews, he knelt, and clasped his hands together.

He hadn’t heard a word from her since they departed - he forced himself to block off the empathetic tie he had with her. He wanted her to be happy, not to be belabored by his own sin. But he wanted to see her, to know how she was doing…If her and that boy, Gabriel, had settled down. A faint smile crossed his face. She was so rash - if they were still together, he thought, then she would have asked him to marry her by now. Imagine how the family would take to that….and then the babies! Surely, with this one, there would be a way around that problem…And there would be plenty of healthy babies running wild naked in the yard. As his thoughts turned more to a painted idyllic future, his own crossed his mind. What would he do? Remain chaste? Give his life strictly to the dance? Too long he had been concerned about her to worry about his self.

“I wish you would think more about yourself, foma…..”

Her voice. Her smell. Her hand on his shoulder.

His eyes opened slowly…and stared into their brilliant gold counterpart. She was different…So different…

“Apollon…..”

You know, it’s often best if we refrain from using the Lord’s name in vain. Wouldn’t you agree? Sure you would!