The Artifact

[Maid of Marvels]

A Greek skyphos from the Greek Hellenistic period (Circa 2d to 1st century BC), this ceramic drinking cup is adorned with a bas-relief of a couple. The woman is on the bottom, her legs spread apart and held up in the air. Her arms twine around her lover's back as he lies upon her, their faces nose-to-nose. The handles, one on each side, are bulbous at the curve where they meet the rim and have a slight indentation on their tips. Inside is another bas-relief, this one a detail of a vulva.

This story revolves around two Professors at a small, very exclusive university and, (of course)...
"The Artifact".​

http://www.Bibracte.dreamwater.org/ATWAS/the artifact.jpg

A closed thread for darrenfate and myself, please feel free to read along.
Comments and critiques, as always, are welcome by PM and IM.
Enjoy!!

darrenfate and Maid ​

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Althea Pierpont sank into one of the chairs before the fireplace. Slipping off her shoes, she pointed her feet toward the flames and wiggled her toes. "Mmmm... toasty." Mahogany, books and fine leather. As she swirled the wine in her glass, the glow from the fire reflected off the crystal and the deep reddish purple liquid inside. "I love days like this, don't you?"

Leaning her head back against the high back of the leather chair, she studied Dr. Javier Gerhart. Althea liked the "tweedy look" he seemed to wear so well... bookish but comfortable.

She knew he had been surprised at her use of his first name when they first met, but she had picked up the habit early in her career, preferring to interact with her colleagues on a more personal basis, immediately setting aside the 'I know more than you do' attitudes many had developed over time. Of course, many of them did know more, but she wanted to learn from them, not be talked down to by them.

Over time they had become friends as well as colleagues -- a sort of mutual admiration society that they were both comfortable with, often seeking out each other's company when the mood struck. Today was such a day.

The quiet drone of his voice interrupted her thoughts. "Didn't you say you'd done extensive field work in the Near East?"

"The Near East, yes. Turkey. I spent some time at Aphrodisias, the birthplace of Aphrodite." Althea tucked her feet up underneath herself and took another sip of wine. "The site is in the Maeander River basin, southeast of Izmir. I was privileged to be part of the NYU project there. Bronze Age." She grinned at the memory he had invoked.

"Have you ever been to Aphrodisias, Javier? It's wondrous." Not waiting for a reply, she continued. "As I entered the city wall, I first saw the Sebastian complex. The buildings stretched out toward the rising sun. It seemed as though they were surrounded by a golden crown."

"Further down the path was the Tetrasoon. An arena circled by great columns. The center of this was the marketplace. I thought I could hear the merchants crying out their wares and the murmurs of heated bargaining between them and the customers. I smelled the aromas of foods being prepared, spices displayed in stalls, animals in pens... "

Althea glanced up at Javier as she uncurled herself and stood. "I apologize. You wanted to hear about the Temple and the artifacts... "

 

[darrenfate]

JAVIER

Javier stood, unconsciously drawing himself to his full height. Professor Javier Gerhart was accustomed to the finer things in life. His modest fame as an author had led to full tenure, and he had used his money to surround himself with the best, since he was a lifelong bachelor.

He began to pace, stepping softly on his Queen Nain Persian rug. He took a swallow of his drink, the rich amber color of the old Scotch reflecting off the Waterford Crystal glass in his hand. He slipped into his familiar professorial tone, the one he used when either speaking on auto pilot or when deep in thought. This time, it was the latter.

"Actually, Doctor Pier... I mean Althea, you could wax on about almost any subject and you would have my rapt attention! There is something in the way you tell stories that fascinates me. No wonder that you are one if the most popular lecturers on campus."

She blushed, and he continued.

"There is indeed a delicate matter that you can help me with. I received an ancient cup today via Fedex. It came with a mysterious note. Perhaps you can help me identify the item, and unravel the mystery. I'm afraid my background in generative anthropology has been of little help to me here."

Javier pointed to a simple rectangular wooden box on the credenza. Althea rose to open it and peer within.

Javier watched her stand, unwind was more like it, absently wondering how Althea could be so loose jointed that she seemed to flow rather than move like he did. She gingerly pulled the cup from its case.

"Ahhhh, magnificent" she said.

"As you examine it, let me read the curious note that was attached. Perhaps you can find out how this fits with the artifact.

Dear Doctor Gerhart,

We have read your seminal treatise on generative anthropology. As you well know, it attempts to understand cultural phenomena in the simplest terms possible: all things human are traced back to their source in the hypothetical scene of origin.

Quite frankly, you make some assumptions that are simply not correct. We don't wish to use this letter to specifically refute particular areas in your paper. You see, we know that you are wrong from a first person perspective. Would you like the same opportunity?

My wife and I are now old, and we have been blessed with a knowledge that has no peer. We have but two things left to do in our lives, one is to chronicle our last 30 years with this artifact, and the other is to find its next home. Hopefully, you will accept our request to be its next caretaker, discharging our most important obligation.

The artifact has allowed us to travel far and wide, but always with a caveat.

We had no control over where or when we traveled we were just sent, and if you choose to follow in our steps, neither will the two of you.

Consider that fair warning. Yes, the artifact's mysteries are only meant to be explored by two. So choose your partner well, Dr. Gerhart. We need not say more, it will all become clear very soon.

Signed,

Francis and Samuel Delembar
Sussex, England

Javier took a long drink of the Scotch, feeling its warm path descend into the pit of his stomach. He admired Althea's long fingers, the way they delicately traced each etching. She was very attractive. He wondered why he had never noticed before how truly beautiful she was. Althea sensed his eyes were upon her, and looking up, smiled.

"Well?" he asked, not knowing where to begin ...

 

[Maid of Marvels]

Admittedly, Althea was skeptical. "Do you know these Delembar people? It would be easy to say they're psychotic, or at least delusional. On the other hand, this artifact could be quite valuable. Assuming it's genuine, of course. This could also be an elaborate prank."

Javier's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she reached for a bottle from the wine rack and opened it. Her hands caressed the handles of the skyphos as her eyes met Javier's before pouring. "Would you care for some wine?"

"W-what are you doing?"

"Well, it was made to drink from, wasn't it? I thought... " Althea picked it up and walked over to Javier, her fingers closing around his as she tipped it up to his lips...

******​

She was shopping in the Agora when he had approached her, asking advice regarding the freshness of a particular fruit. Her chestnut hair cascaded in curls down her back, a sparkle of mischief in her eyes as she haggled with the shopkeeper over the price of something.

"Are these ripe? How can one tell?" he asked quietly, picking up an apricot from the stall. She turned toward the stranger, thinking it an odd question. He was tall and thin, and his eyes... His eyes. There was something so... familiar. Yet she knew that she had never met him before.

She had taken the fruit from his hand and, after looking it over, bit into the pale orange flesh. The juice dribbled down her chin and she laughed, wiping it quickly with her hand. "It's perfect," she said, holding it up to his mouth. "Taste." The vendor stopped his squawking as she picked up her purchases and paid quickly, ending the game they had played at haggling. "I must go," she said to him, unable to think of any reason to remain standing there.

"Demosthenes," he called after her. She smiled then. A smile that spread over her entire face, lighting her eyes. "Amara," she replied without turning back.

Amara's thoughts lingered on the handsome stranger as she wove her way through the throng of people in the Agora. "Demosthenes." She whispered the name to herself as a hand fell on her arm. Startled, she looked up. It was him again. "Yes?"

"Might I walk with you?" Amara nodded as Demosthenes fell into step beside her. They stopped here. Looked there. She haggled over spices. Vegetables. All the time talking, laughing, touching. Comfortably, as though they had always known each other.

As they passed the pottery stall, something caught Amara's eye, and she pulled him over to take a closer look. "Isn't it beautiful? Will you buy it for me?" Demosthenes watched in fascination as her fingers traced along the sleek phallus decorating the bowl. He didn't bother to haggle, just threw some coins down and smiled at Amara. "Done. Shall I carry it for you?"

They wound their way through the north end of the Agora, down narrow streets that branched off between the Temple of Aphrodite and the stadium into the residential section of the city. Eventually, Amara stopped before an open doorway. "My home. Will you come in?"