Eukara Vox
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Love's End... and... something New?
by Eukara Vox
The wind carried a sweet melody, sung by the sirens of the coastal waters. As the waves rolled gently upon the pebbled shore, Talvan watched adoringly at the strapping centaur before her. He was beautiful in every sense of the word. His legs were large and strong, which carried him with an unusual grace over the hills and through the woods. He was everything she could have asked for.
The centaur, on the other hand, was exhausted. He had tried so hard to cause disinterest, though he knew it was futile. Curse those blasted winged babies. He looked around, but found the field empty. His fellow centaurs were gone. They had already run for the hills once Talvan accidentally upset their dinner a week ago. He was constantly amazed at how efficiently she messed everything up, as if it took no effort... A very natural talent...
And right now, she sat at his hooves, head resting on her forepaws, thankfully still, watching him with those lovesick eyes. I hate cupids
* * * *
"Where am I supposed to find a cure for this affliction my dragon seems to be suffering from?!" Chrysa paced, book after book tossed to the floor. Diren watched, not willing to subject himself to this onslaught. If she was tossing books, she was really, really mad. "I have read everything at my fingertips. I can't find anything in the ancient writings!"
"Perhaps... It doesn't have a cure?"
Chrysa stopped in her tracks. "Do not even think like that! I want Talvan back... She doesn't belong drooling over that centaur. And poor guy, he doesn't deserve to have her padding after him with those great big puppy eyes."
Diren stood and hugged Chrysa. "Then... Let's go down into Korinth and see if we can find someone who will help us... And hopefully not think we are insane."
Weakly, Chrysa nodded and allowed Diren to guide her to Namaran. He nuzzled her gently, concerned and Diren just shook his head. We will need to go down to Korinth, on the isthmus.
Namaran offered his leg to both of them and lifted them to settle on his back. We will be there as fast as I can take us. I want Talvan back to normal as much as Chrysa... Well, not as much but pretty close.
I know, Namaran. Diren signaled Namaran to take off physically, so that Chrysa would not be taken by surprise. They lifted quickly, Namaran running the risk of discovery. Protocal is not my biggest concern right now, Diren.
Diren patted his dragon's crimson hide and then squeezed one of the arms Chrysa had wrapped around his waist. He watched as Greece rapidly pass under them as they headed for Korinth.
* * * *
"Talvan... This cannot be. Surely you understand that?"
The dragon basked in the smile she swore she saw, sighing as he spoke to her. "Anything is possible with love! This was meant to be, Khorkyrus, surely you love me as I you?"
Khorkyrus threw up his hands and began to run. He cared not where, as long as she couldn't come along. His hooves thundered across the ground, the wind whistling through his hair, giving him a sense of freedom. He ran for a while until he heard the indistinguishable sound of wings behind him. He couldn't outrun her, he couldn't out-talk her, he couldn't make her leave.
"Khorkyrus!" Talvan called after him, her wings pumping hard. "Khorkyrus, you forgot to tell me that we were traveling!"
Khorkyrus rolled his eyes. Nothing is lost on you... He pulled up abruptly and turned to face Talvan. "Talvan, for the hundredth time, we cannot be in love. I am a Centaur... You are a Dragon. Not to mention, you aren't even a Greek Dragon! We are incompatible on so many levels. Talvan, please give up this fantasy."
Talvan lands remarkably with grace and sits next to Khorkyrus. "You are so funny! I know a test when I see one. I will not fail your test of me, I swear it. I am as true as it gets. Never fear, my love."
Khorkyrus groans and stamps a foreleg on the ground in exasperation. Suddenly, the sweet sounds of reed and flute fill the air and Khorkyrus turns toward it. A smile crept across his lips and he headed straight for it.
* * * *
Chrysa and Diren walked around the agora for hours, but everyone they passed seemed to serious for what they had to ask. Isn't there some, like, old woman or man who seems interested in what is beyond the hustle and bustle of current life? Chrysa sighed audibly, drawing a glance from several shoppers.
"Let's walk around for another fifteen minutes, okay?" Diren looked at her concerned.
Shrugging, Chrysa looked at the stores and booths. "Fine. Another fifteen minutes isn't going to make things worse."
They turned down a narrow street, looking for anything that may indicate there was a store owner or trinket vendor that could help them. As Chrysa proceeded to give up, a door opened to an inconspicuous looking woman with a handful of necklaces dangling from old knobby fingers.
"Well, how odd. Tourists down this street. I fear you have left the security of the more public venues." The old woman looked to be in her eighties, though her eyes twinkled like a teenager's.
Diren nodded. "Yes, kind mother, we have ventured this way, but for reason. What we seek isn't found in the more tourist-flooded parts of the agora."
Eyebrow raised, the old woman looked at them with renewed interest. "And what, pray tell, do you seek that cannot be found out there?"
"A way to break Cupid's Arrow!" Chrysa blurted out.
"Oooh, yes, such inquiries were met with looks that made you feel silly, yes?"
Diren shook his head. "After the first time we asked someone who looked like they would know, we stopped asking. But... We are serious, wise mother. Chrysa here, she is a rare hunter of sorts, seeking knowledge of those creatures our modern world denounces as myth. And, well, as usual, said myths turn the tables on us."
Laughing, the old woman patted Chrysa on the shoulder. "It seems that it is not you who suffers, nor the man by your side. That is evident. So who does this affect? A brother? Best Friend?"
Chrysa looked at Diren and sighed. "My teenage dragon, my lady."
"Your teenage dragon?"
"Who is now enamored with a Centaur."
The old woman places her hand over her heart. "My dear, this has cause for a harsh but strong medication. You will have to search all of Greece to get what is required to cure your dragon."
As Chrysa hung her head, Diren put his arm around her shoulder. "Then, we need to make haste. Tell me, good mother, what do we need?"
The old woman closed her eyes. "Upon the hill of Aphrodite's temple, you must retrieve a piece of moss that grows between the stones. Then, from there you must venture to Athens, where you must gather a handful of heartease. Be careful not to crush the petals. That is vitally important. Last, you need to visit Thessalonika and gather 3 feather hyacinths that grow on the walls of the old town ruins." She opens her eyes and smiles solemnly.
Chrysa groaned. "I do hope Namaran doesn't end up hating me one day."
"Not possible, for he adores you as if you were a goddess." Diren squeezed her shoulder and nods to the old woman. "Our gratitude, wise mother. What can we offer to you as compensation?"
"Nothing, my dear. That you and she seek out those that the world forgets is enough payment for me." The woman stepped lightly out of her house, closed the door and headed up the street, humming an ancient sounding song.
"I believe, Chrysa, that we will make our way to Aphrodite's Temple riding Namaran. We don't have time to climb that mountain."
"Agreed."
* * * *
Khorkyrus stood among a group of Satyrs, arguing and on the verge of pleading with them. "You don't understand! I cannot do this any longer. She is driving me insane. You must take her."
A rather large, dark brown Satyr shook his head. "And we have already told you she is not welcome here."
"I don't understand what the problem is. She will only sleep if you play your music, nothing more. So, why are you denying me this small relief?"
Silence followed, all eyes on Talvan's innocent look of adoration. She smiled at Khorkyrus, her eyes sparkling. "Please! I will do anything you want. Anything!"
"Nothing you can do will make us want that creature in our midst. We know who she is." A silver-haired Satyr stepped forward. "This one, and to a lesser extent, her human have insulted our cousins. Some time ago, as they were in the midst of a bacchal ceremony, that dragon not only interrupted their rituals, but by some unholy perversion of movement, destroyed the decoration and offerings that had taken a month to make. I will not have that ticking time bomb of movement anywhere near us."
Actual tears fell down Khorkyrus' face, causing Talvan to rush to his side in concern. All he could do was cry.
* * * *
Chrysa looked down the side of the mountain. Anyone this devoted to Aphrodite needs a head check. No one's worship is worth that climb. She returned to Diren, who walked along the walls. Everywhere he looked he found grasses, lichens... But nowhere did he see moss.
"I should have known this wouldn't be that easy. You would think ancient ruins would have moss growing everywhere, or at least very visible." Diren kicked a small stone across the courtyard and then ducked out of sight when a security guard walked by.
"Well, maybe it is too dry here. Could another part of the ruins be damper, therefore encouraging growth?"
Diren thought a moment. "Hmmm, if we go to the side that is closest to the sea, maybe that will help?"
"Might as well try." Chrysa peered around the wall. The area was clear of tourists, tour guides and security. She tugged on Diren's arm, heading to the opposite side of the ruins. "Let's get this over with."
They arrived, and much to Chrysa's disbelief, it looked exactly like the other side. Diren insisted they search anyway, stating that the moss must be one of those hiding kind. Chrysa was starting to think that all of this stuff was of the hiding kind. Minutes went by in silence as the two dodged the roving eyes of security and tours. Finally, Diren's let out a whoop of joy.
"Found some! Chrysa, oh my goodness, I found some. It's not much, but the old woman never said it had to be a lot."
Chrysa nodded her head. "Then gather and go, Diren. I want in Athens as soon as possible. Namaran is going to get his exercise today."
Soon, both were airborne and heading towards Athens. Chrysa watched painfully as ruins after ruins were flown over, without time to explore. She knew that there would be creatures in those ruins. She sighed heavily as the Parthenon came into view. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon that tremendous monument. Such majesty and beauty. Oh, what it would have been like to be there when it was finished. Prestine and clean, glimmering in the sunlight...
Namaran set them down on a roped off area opposite the Parthenon on the Acropolis. As he investigated the reconstruction of the Erechthion, Chrysa and Diren began searching for the heartease.
"I would assume that if the Athenians used this flower to moderate anger in someone, this will be used to calm Talvan once she figures out what has been going on." As her eyes brushed past the Erechthion, she admired the ladies that held up the roof of the porch, each sculpted as if they were alive. As she admired the workmanship, a patch of color distracted her. She ran towards the great temple and knelt down to examine the ground. Indeed, her eyes caught sight of the flowers and she called for Diren.
"How are we going to travel without crushing the flowers? I have a hard enough time holding onto you as it is. And now, to hold onto you and hold the flowers without crushing them?" Chrysa looked at Namaran and then back at Diren.
"We'll just put them in my saddlebag, on top of everything in there. We better get as much as we can though. That way we have a higher chance of keeping some intact."
They gathered nearly all of the flowers and were soon heading off to Thessalonika.
* * * *
"Ladies... Come on, it's me we are talking about. Would I do anything to you that I didn't think you could handle?" Khorkyrus smiled, trying to charm the ladies that made the water their home.
Two of the nymphs giggled, clearly enjoying the attention from the Centaur, yet none of them moved to take Talvan in. One of the girls sat nest to the dragon, but Talvan had eyes for only Khorkyrus. Oddly, his talk of getting rid of her made no difference. It was as if his words didn't contain such sentiments.
"She is beautiful, Khorkyrus, Stranger unions have happened. Perhaps you are meant to just...bear with this event," a golden-haired nymph said.
"That could be the truth, even though by your facial expression you do not agree." A silver-haired nymph quietly laughed and pointed at Khorkyrus. "You should take advantage of this. I mean, just think about the potential in offspring. A draconic Centaur... Such power!"
Khorkyrus glared at the sirens. "You are no help. All I was asking is that you sing and play your music to calm her enough to make her go to sleep. But no, I can see that you all are a bunch of heartless, self-absorbed witches."
Khorkyrus stomped off, Talvan at his heels.
* * * *
"You know, if I had the time to really admire this wall, I think I would be ooohing and ahhhing a lot." Chrysa drug her hand lightly across the old Byzantine Wall that ran through the middle of Thessalonika. "I am amazed at how much grows on these old stones though."
Diren nodded. "And the feather hyacinth we are looking for grows on these walls. Apparently, it is very rare according to the florist downtown."
"I would give anything to just not be on the search for these flowers and walk around as if I had nothing better to do. These old cities, mixed in with the new, are so fascinating. I could spend a year in Greece and not see everything I want to." Chrysa looked up and smiled. "I see what we need... Except it's up there and we are not."
Upon inspection, Diren tried to map out a climbing route to the flowers. They were about three quarters the way up the wall, to high to jump from the ground, to far to reach on top of the wall. After a few minutes, he set his shoulders back and began to climb the wall. Chrysa watched in awe as he scaled the wall. She had no idea he could climb.
Carefully, Diren plucked the flowers from the wall, bulb and all. He laid them across his shoulders, flowers hanging off his back as he climbed down. "I took more than three. You know, just in case we can't smash these either. And if everything works out, maybe you can take the extras home for your garden."
Chrysa kissed Diren's check gently. "Thank you. Now, let's get back to Namaran and head to Korinth to get this stuff mixed or whatever must be done."
* * * *
"It is no use. I cannot get rid of you, you cannot hear what I am really saying and ... I just give up. I will get those cupid's back, rest assured, but I now have to realise that I am stuck with you." Khorkyrus sat down in the clover and grass, his face in a state of utter defeat. Talvan snuggled up to him and finally went to sleep.
* * * *
"I swear, this stuff smells so sickly sweet, it's disgusting." Chrysa yells into the swiftly passing air, hoping that Diren could hear her as they rode on Namaran's back.
"I know! Thank goodness we could sweeten it with chocolate without compromising the mix." Diren nodded and held on as Namaran dove for what he thought was Talvan's location.
There she was, lying against the Centaur, sleeping like an angel. Chrysa practically jumped off of Namaran as he settled on the ground. She ran as fast as she could, dropping to her knees before the Centaur and apologizing. "We got something to break the spell. We traveled as fast as we could. I just hope she wasn't an enormous amount of trouble."
The Centaur made no movement, no sound and Chrysa grimaced. She shook Talvan awake and tucked the concoction of moss, violets and feather hyacinths under the creature's nose. Her eyes opened wide, the smell of chocolate waking her up fully.
Chocolate Chrysa! Yummy! Chrysa, Khorkyrus, Diren and Namaran all watched in disbelief as she wolfed down the food. Talvan burped satisfied and looked at everyone. What is everyone looking at?
You...
Talvan looked to her side and saw the Centaur. She jumped up, appalled, and scrambled over to Namaran. Chrysa shook her head and looked at the Centaur. "I am so very sorry about this. Thankfully, I can claim that it wasn't our fault. I am Chrysa."
Khorkyrus looked at her and sighed. "I am Khorkyrus. This has been a very trying couple of weeks and I want nothing more than to sleep fro eternity now. But, you worked hard to find a way to break the hold of Cupid's Arrow, so I owe you my thanks. As a reward, I will tell you something that you are unaware of but will find interesting.
"There is one who watches everything... Everything that is written. And you have come to her attention. Apparently, she is fascinated with our world and humanity's loss of imagination. That they no longer see us as you do is a tragedy in her eyes. She wants to look at your book and meet you. But you cannot find her just anywhere.
"I, though, cannot tell you how to find her. But once you do, the adventure will be worth your effort. Her name is Eukara Vox. Seek her. You two have much in common."
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