Welcome to Gaia! ::

Iona sighed softly as she sat on the plush window seat of her bedroom. She pressed the fingertips of her right hand lightly against the glass, which felt warm from the sunshine. 'What must it be like to lie out in the sunshine on the grass all day? It must feel so warm... And the scent...' Iona sighed again, this time in regret. Ever since her father, Eros, had caught her trying to slip out her bedroom window two weeks prior, he'd been keeping her under tighter and stricter control than ever before. Now, her window was sealed shut, so she couldn't even lean out and feel the sun on her face or smell the pure autumn air.

'And so this room has become what it truly was all along,' she thought wryly to herself as she looked around her lovely bedroom. 'A cage... A pretty prison... Ha! I'd almost rather he locked me in the dungeons... At least then there would be some variety...' Iona stood and tapped the third floorboard on the right with her foot, sliding it aside and kneeling down to examine her hoard.

Over the years of being imprisoned by her overprotective father, Iona had built up a store of gold and supplies that she would one day use to run away. Today was her chance; her father was away on a command from Aphrodite and had taken most of his servants with him. It was late afternoon, and the guards remaining would be napping. Even her guardian, Nanny, was dozing.

Iona silently lifted several items from the groove in the floor. She strapped her long, thin dagger to her thigh, looking in the mirror to make sure it was completely concealed. Her mother's music box she slipped into a hidden pocket in her dress, making sure it was deep inside so it wouldn't fall out if she had to run or climb. She paused for a moment and ran her fingers longingly over a stash of scrolls. She knew she couldn't take them; they were far too heavy and bulky for the load she needed to keep light, and she had most of them memorized anyway. The last thing she picked up was a small but heavy sack of gold coins, tightly bound so it would make no noise. She fastened it to a cord around her waist and again took great pains to make sure it was hidden under her skirt.

She took one last look at her slumbering maid as she slid the floorboard silently back into place. 'I am sorry, Nanny... But I cannot stay here.' With that thought, Iona slipped out her bedroom door and snuck her way down the halls of her father's house, finally slipping out the servant's quarters and into the trees of the forest.

****

Iona's heart was near bursting with excitement as she realized she wasn't being followed. She was very deep in her father's forest by now, and had been helped along by several friendly nymphs, so her way had been pleasant. It was nearing sundown, and the sky she could see through the leaves was a beautiful myriad of colors. Iona spun in a happy circle and began to sing.

Softly at first, out of apprehension that one of her father's servants would hear her, and then louder when she realized that she was alone but for the creatures of the wood. It wasn't the Ballad, for she'd sworn when she learned that sacred air that she would never use it unless her need was dire, but simply a song of happiness. She continued along her path, toward the edge of her father's lands, where she would finally be free of him forever, all the while filling the air around her with sweet music.

As it got dark, Iona began to feel tired. She located a slow-moving, gentle river and decided to bathe. She prayed to the river god for his blessing, then asked permission of the nymphs before proceeding.

Setting her neatly folded clothes and gold circlet on a rock nearby, Iona stepped into the river. As the cool water washed over her toes, however, she felt a whisper of unease. 'Danger...'

Too late, she grabbed for her dagger, but the man who had crept up on her got there first, kicking the dagger away. He sneered at Iona, looking her exposed form up and down in a way that made her skin crawl. She backed away from his grasping fingers and slipped in the river, falling over and still trying to get away as the human man came closer. 'River spirits, please! Help me!' Iona cried out in her mind as she felt his hand close around her upper arm.

Suddenly his grip vanished, and Iona finally got to her feet, trembling with fear. She turned around to see what had happened, and was shocked to see that where the man had been, there now stood a wild pig, thrashing and squealing in the river. Vaguely, Iona heard a lovely woman's voice call out a command, and winced as several hunting dogs descended on the squealing animal and dispatched it.

Still shaking, Iona crawled out of the river and rested on the rocks, flinching slightly as a woman leaped out of a nearby tree and to the ground in front of her. Slowly she looked up and gasped when she saw Artemis, goddess of the hunt. "L-Lady Artemis!"

Iona hesitated when Artemis offered her hand, wishing she didn't have to stand before the goddess unclothed. Apparently Artemis realized that, for she snapped her fingers. Iona gasped softly as a crowd of fifty women silently stepped forward from the trees, one of them approaching and draping a large white cloth around Iona's shoulders. After whispering her thanks and receiving a smile in return, Iona got to her feet and bowed to Artemis. "Thank you, My Lady... I owe you my life. I am Iona, daughter of Eros and Psyche."

Iona sighed in relief when the goddess left, finishing her bath quickly and pulling on her clothes. She frowned thoughtfully to herself as she laced up her boots and re-concealed her possessions. 'I wonder what she meant by that... "So you're the one"...' Curiosity finally got the better of her. Iona folded the white cloth neatly and went over to join the large group of women.

The females were all sitting around the fire, talking and giggling with each other. All but Artemis, who sat a bit further back, outside the circle of women. The goddess glanced up when she saw Iona and smiled slightly, patting the space on the log beside her. Iona smiled back hesitantly and seated herself. "You wished to speak to me about something, My Lady?"

Iona gasped and her eyes widened in horror. She felt sick with guilt as she leaped to her feet. "No! It can't be true! He wouldn't do that, he wouldn't kill all those people because of what I did!" Iona's thoughts were all in a horrible, tangled mess as she realized that the goddess wouldn't lie to her. It was true. Iona sank back to the log and covered her face with her hands when she thought of her dear nursemaid. 'Nanny's dead because of me? I never wanted that to happen, I never wanted anyone to get hurt... Nanny... I didn't even get to say goodbye... I'm so sorry, Nanny...' Iona began to sob softly, shaking with the force of it.

Iona stared at Artemis, trying to comprehend the offer that the goddess had just put before her. It sounded wonderful, in some ways... Free from her father, no matter how angry he got... Safe from any harm... No more being locked away like an invalid or mad person...

And yet...

Iona was hesitant to swear eternal loyalty to Artemis. The goddess, although kind, could be harsh if she was crossed. And Iona didn't like obeying anyone, so she knew that she might not obey Artemis in everything. And she wasn't so sure she wanted to condemn herself to a loveless existence forever. Slowly, Iona lowered her eyes and shook her head.

"I am very grateful to you, Lady Artemis, for saving my life... And I am honored by your offer... But I must decline. I... I need to make my own way in this world. My Lady... More than anything, I wish to be truly free."

When Iona woke the next morning, Artemis and her maidens were all gone. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, expecting to see tents and a campfire, but it looked as if she had slept alone in the forest. No smoldering campfire, no tents, no trace at all that Iona had had company last night. Disturbed by the feeling that last night may have been a dream, she quickly scrambled to her feet, brushing off her cloak (which she had used to sleep on) and gathering her items before she headed for the forest borders.

As the trees began to thin out a bit, Iona noticed something strange. Where the border of her father's land was, there was simply a perfect reflection of Iona and the land behind her. As if the entire property was covered by an enormous dome of glass. Frightened now that she was more trapped than she'd dared to imagine, Iona sprinted toward the glass, hoping to shatter it if she could...

((Exit to Kyoto, Japan.))