Searching for something inside the darkness of night always proved difficult for humans. Pale moonlight would only illuminate so far and when Artemis moved farther away during each cycle the moon’s presence became nearly unnoticeable. During those times the small cones of torchlight were the only thing separating humans from the encroaching darkness. Therefore activities in the city were limited to certain illuminated spaces and the inside of buildings. Few would venture outside, much less beyond the city walls.

Eugenia was different. To her night or day made little difference when it came to navigation. The silence around made it far easier to find her way actually. For a girl that only knew darkness, light was indeed an unnecessary luxury. The night breeze was the only inconvenience and quickly rejected by her thick layer of clothes.

The gates were under constant surveillance by the town watch, even in the thickest of night, but they were far less attentive than during the day. Eugenia passed two yawning guards in the middle of a dice game. Unlike in Athens these pastimes had not been regulated yet. Distractions like these would lead to the fall of cities sometimes, although Eretria’s walls were a far cry from those of Troy in the first place. Any opposing army would be able to take the city before sunrise.

Outside the city limits she could feel the ground become rougher and the roads less maintained.

From what she had been able to gather during her dinner conversation with Agapetos, the fishing hamlet was located not too far from Eretria itself. It was somewhere just beyond the local forest. The fishermen’s autonomy was far from approved, but the Acropolis did not have the manpower to subjugate them right after the war and the rebuilding efforts. They followed the policy of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.

She was certain that if anyone would sell her a boat it had to be these upstanding hardworking villagers. To that end she had no fear traversing a foreign forest if she had to. The eerie sounds of nocturnal birds above and rodents scurrying below the underbrush seemed oddly enhanced tonight. There was a faint echo like inside the halls of a temple. Truly, a forest was just a temple of nature.

Her sandals got stuck in roots and ditches a few times, but she made relatively good progress by calmly putting one foot in front of the other and listening carefully for the sounds of the wind brushing over trees and leaves. As long as she took a straight path (or as straight as was possible inside a winding forest) she would arrive at the village before sunrise.

Crack.

Her heart skipped a beat when she stepped on a twig. The sound was so sudden and loud that it seemed to have silenced even the critters around her. The night birds had stopped their nearly imperceptible songs and the badgers stopped burrowing. Not even the sound of rustling leaves reached her ears anymore.

There was an aura… of rejection in the air. The last step she had taken was one too far. As the wind felt colder than snow and the air became thick as honey, Eugenia felt fear creep up her chest. Something was not right about this forest. It had been bothering her for a while now, but the atmosphere was simply wrong. For a while she just stood still to listen for something scary.

Nothing would come. Yet if she kept moving her frozen legs would she still remain safe? That manner of irrational fear had taken a hold of her already. She shook her head, finally breaking the spell. There was nothing here except wildlife. A forest was a forest and her goal lay just ahead of its dirt covered mossy maws.

She could not have known what she had just encountered and where it would have led other people…

Against her prediction, Eugenia left the forest only when the sun had firmly broken past the horizon’s edge. Helios was riding swiftly from the east.

The priestess’ legs were cold and wet from all the mud and moistness she had stepped through, but her exhaustion was not as bad as expected. The wound had not reopened either, which she thanked Athena’s grace for.

The hamlet was right in front of her, as signaled by the sounds of wives toiling away at the well to get their buckets filled with cool, pure water. Their men were preparing for the early rides unto the nearby sea, by organizing their gear and gathering the bait. She pulled the hood of her clothes deeper into her face, hiding her milky eyes. It was a defense mechanism she had developed in the past.

When the first villager noticed her arrival, he almost dropped his fishing hook and immediately called out to the others.

Eugenia was taken aback by that reaction, but soon found out that they were not used to visitors. The initial shock had settled soon and their welcome was rather sweet. Except for the dubious looks given to her by one man.

“You come from Eretria, lass?” The eldest of the villagers was just old enough to be her father, which showed how young this hamlet truly was. They must have moved here right after the war.

“Don’t be a stubborn mule, let ‘er rest her feet a wee bit and give her somethin’ to drink.” The man’s wife slapped the back of his head and almost made him fall off his seat on the perch.

The village women had seen Eugenia’s muddy clothes and her blistered feet right away, so they gave her a seat to rest on and handed her some of the freshly drawn well water. It was highly unlikely to see a woman travel on her own, let alone with such fine clothes. They must have assumed that she had lost her way.

“My name is Eugenia and I come from Eretria, yes.” She admitted after drinking her fill. “But I am only passing through. My destination is far away from here.”

“You’re really travelin’ on your lonesome?” One of the men asked with crossed arms and doubtful look.

“Yes.” Eugenia nodded. “I came to you good people, because I need your help to get to this place.”

“How can we help ya?” A mother asked with surprise while cradling her drowsy child in her arms.

“I need a boat.” The priestess said with a stern expression.

“Likely story, that!” The eldest once again chimed in. “You’re a spy sent by those arrogant pricks, tryin’ to figure us out, aint’cha? You tell them that we won’t be coming back and our boats aren’t gonna be gettin’ in their greedy paws either. We don’t serve filthy cowards whose- Blargh!“ He was interrupted by the swift impact of his son’s fist in his gut.

“Father’s not on speaking terms with the city folk, sorry for his behavior.” The young fisherman apologized seriously. “If they really had spies to waste on some reclusive peasants, they wouldn’t have sent a frail lass like her.” He said to the hunched over father.

“That’s what they want’cha to think!” He replied while coughing.

“But why do you need a boat so dearly?” The eldest wife asked worriedly.

“I... need to return to the place I belong.” Eugenia replied while clutching her hands together.

“Don’t they have ships in the city that you could board? They won’t reject a nice girl like you.”

Eugenia twisted her brows and tried to come up with an explanation, but thankfully the son took over again.

“Since we - I mean they – lost the war they’ve been unable to regain status around the other cities, mother. I heard that the harbor is basically under foreign control.” He said with a deep sigh. “Habtos said he can’t even go fishing without a permit anymore.”

“Buncha cowards…” The eldest spat out. The scars on his face and hands spoke of a rather turbulent past, but thankfully Eugenia could not see them. She was uneasy enough already.

“Would it not be safer to take the land route then lass? Find a good caravan and settle for a nice backseat on a cart? Ya could ride to another harbor town then.” They all made similar suggestions, clearly worried for her well-being.

It made sense of course, a single girl traveling the seas on her own was far from ideal. Even the most valiant sailor would reconsider such a suicidal task.

“Can you even sail?”

“No.” She admitted and felt her heart sink. “I wanted to ask you to teach me that as well. There is not much time so I need to cross the ocean as soon as possible!” She bowed her head in front of them.

“Now I’d have liked it better if ya were a spy.” The eldest grumbled and rubbed his dirty head. “Don’cha mock the sea like that!” He shouted and pushed his finger against her chest.

Eugenia froze up.

“Can’t just expect to learn two or three knots and then be ready for sailin’! Takes real blood, sweat and tears to learn the ropes! Ya really think we’ll hand some outsider one of our precious boats? Can ya even pay us for it? Hm? Speak up!” His words stabbed her like arrows and left her unable to respond. The other villagers did not intervene this time either.

She knew all along that it would not be easy. There would be resistance and rejection, but their arguments cut deeper than that. Like a child she had just stumbled forward, desperately chasing the first sparkling light she saw. Only did it not lead home, but into a swamp of doubt.

And yet…

“I may not have anything to pay you with.” She said while balling her fists. “I may not be able to sail this vast world on my own. But!”

But…

“I still have to do it anyway!” She raised her voice and stood firm in the center of their attention. When she thought of the image inside her mind, the retreating shape of a woman that returned to the sea against her will… It wiped all doubts away.

Her determination seemed to reach a few of them at least, as the villagers calmed down their elder and got him to get back to work to cool his head. Meanwhile the son sat down on a stump that was used to cut fire wood upon. He nodded Eugenia to come closer.

“You arrived at a complicated time, Eugenia. Even if father won’t accept it, we are struggling to keep this small place running.” He admitted and pressed his thumbs together in his folded hands.

“What is the issue?” She asked neutrally.

“As I said before, there’s a great foreign influence in the area. They need fishing permits in the city, because the Acropolis doesn’t want us to do any shady deals behind their backs.”

“Deals?”

“Black market stuff. Selling goods without letting Eretria profit. The best way to stomp out the rebuilding efforts is to completely isolate the city from fair trade.” He explained dryly. For a fisher’s son he seemed incredibly well educated. “Sorry, was that too complex?”

“I think I understand.” She replied truthfully. Even a priestess was taught things that ran beyond the confines of faith. As the ones who had to give advice to people from all walks of life their general education had to be on par with most nobility.

“My apologies for doubting you. Those fine clothes are not just for show, huh?” He smiled weakly. “If we are going to have a business relationship, I should probably introduce myself. I am Therses of Eretria. Although my father would prefer if I did not add that last part.”

“He really hates the city, doesn’t he?” Eugenia felt strangely curious. Usually she avoided getting involved with people as much as possible, but recently she felt that knowing people could not be so bad. Right?

“Father was once a proud soldier of the local military. You should have heard his boasting and stories from before the war. He was so enamored with the military life.” He sighed sweetly. “Of course losing so conclusively left him bitter. He has spent the last few years learning grandfather’s occupation out of sheer spite. ‘A fisherman’s son has to be a fisherman as well’, that is his motto now.”

“But what about you?” She asked with concern.

“I am honestly fine, no matter what job you give me. My expensive education might be wasted on this occupation, though.” He expressed self-mockingly, but not nearly as bitter as his father. “That doesn’t really matter anymore. I told you that these are complicated times and I was not exaggerating. Some unknown men keep attacking our boats when we sail out for a haul.”

“A-Attack? They would do something so vile?”

“There is nothing they wouldn’t do, I think. We can never get a hold of our attackers, though, so it’s hard to prove that the city is involved. Father only became more stubborn recently, but the others don’t want to provoke them any more.”

“How horrible…”

“It’s alright. We can get by. None of us were fisherman before founding this village, so we have other skills we can rely on. Recently we have been thinking about becoming farmers.”

“In this place?” She was doubtful. They were mostly surrounded by the forest and sea. There was not much space for fields or a mill.

“Hah, I had the same doubts. The idea is to be self-sustaining, so additionally to the fishing we also kept livestock and are growing some basic things in the backlands. There are some edible fruit in the woods as well.” He raised a finger and seemed rather excited.

“I see. You really have this figured out.” She came from a farming village herself, yet she knew so little about the logistics. It made her feel a bit ashamed.

“So you see, we could spare a boat or two if we switch our focus as planned. There is just one problem.”

‘Yet another one’, Eugenia thought to herself.

“Our stock is disappearing.”

“Disappearing?” She repeated in confusion.

“Yes! During the night the cows and pigs just vanished. Even the chickens escaped their cages. Gods know how this happened, but that’s not where it ends. Not at all.” He rubbed his temples. “We suspect they were freed by an outsider. Our youngest has found hoof prints that lead into the deepest parts of the forest.”

“That’s good news! You may find them yet.” She clapped her hands in relief. But Therses reaction was not one of joy.

“We cannot go there.”

“Why not?”

“The forest, have you not heard its nickname? It’s the forest of enchantment.” His voice quivered, but Eugenia simply tilted her head to the side. That name only evoked positive feelings. When seeing her lack of reaction, he exhaled. “I can see now that you really are not a local. This forest is infamous among anyone who lived here even for just a short while.” He covered his mouth and the short youthful beard that must have grown just recently.

“It didn’t seem dangerous when I went through it.” She said sheepishly.

“…wait, do you mean to tell me that you simply walked through the forest without a map? No guidance at all?” His perplexed tone was creeping her out a bit.

“I knew that I had to walk in a straight path to come here.”

“You did not take the suggested roads?!”

“N-No.”

“Remarkable…” He seemed stunned. “The enchanted forest is a place that nobody returns from. If you stray even slightly from the path there is no telling where you will end up. We do not even dare to hunt, because the game will hide off the beaten path.”

“People disappear? Just like your cattle?” She now finally saw the connection.

“Exactly. We cannot track them or whoever stole them down. You must be blessed indeed to have made it all the way here without encountering the song.”

“What has singing to do with it?”

“Those few who managed to return to the path said that they heard a sweet song that seemed to draw their heart to the darkness. That is all we know.”

Eugenia put her arms behind her back and gave it some thought. These revelations were quite mysterious.

“My ears, they are, uhm, rather good.” She rubbed said ears nervously. “But when I went through the forest, I could not hear any singing. It was scarily quiet actually.”

“Maybe this is a sign?” He said and tapped his foot. “If the forest became safe for passage we could search for our stock and also go hunting. Those would be marvelous news!”

“W-Wait a second, I am not sure that’s it.” She raised her hands in a placatory fashion. “Perhaps I was just lucky.”

“That is a possibility. I don’t want to risk the well-being of anyone in the village over a coincidence.” He agreed.

Eugenia suddenly had a flash of inspiration. It seemed like the only opportunity she would get. With all her courage she stretched forward her hand and called out to Therses.

“Then let me go there in your stead!”

“What are you saying? This isn’t your issue-” His eyes lit up when he realized what she was about to say.

“If you promise me to teach me how to sail and give me one of your boats I will return your cattle to you. I am confident that I will be safe from any enchantment.”

“How could you be so sure?”

“Because I trust in the great and wise Athena.” She said with a wry smile. Therses could hardly respond to such a show of faith. In this world a strong belief that the gods were on one’s side was far from rare, but it seldom led to a good end to take it for granted. He had every right to doubt her desperate declaration. It would have been the most sensible choice.

“I see. That is a relief.” He smiled. “I, too, am a devout follower of Athena.” He revealed with pride. Indeed, there were all kinds of people in this world. To meet one of the same deep faith was a blessing in itself. “If you believe that strongly, I would be remiss to deny your offer. But I have one condition.” He rose from the stump and turned serious.

Eugenia gulped down cold air. What could he possibly demand now? She was already unsure of whether this was a smart decision, but now she got truly nervous. His hand moved forward forebodingly.

“Let me come with you.” He asked courteously and grabbed her hand.

“Huh?”

They stepped through the thick underbrush and over moss covered fallen trees. The air was moist and somewhat suffocating, which mixed with the cold shade, created an uncomfortable feeling like no other. Despite this uneasy atmosphere shaking the priestess to the bone, she kept walking ahead of the young man to follow the noise of quietly tapping paws in the distance.

“This place is just as eerie as I remember it.” Therses said quietly, as if he feared to speak aloud in this natural echo chamber.

“You didn’t need to come along. Your family will be worried.” Eugenia said as she put on a brave mien.

“Father doesn’t believe in the forest spirits or the ‘song’, so he will probably think I ran away from work.” Therses replied with a joke. “And mother understands that we cannot go on like this much longer…”

Eugenia felt the heaviness in his words and decided not to question his decision again. He was also just worried about the people that mattered to him, just like her. Both of them would risk their lives for their sake. Right now she simply made a silent prayer to Athena to watch over them.

“There are animal tracks everywhere. We must be on the right path.” The young fisherman knelt down and inspected the trampled ground. “Hooves.”

“You said there were cows and pigs?”

“Yes. And chickens too, but I don’t see any claw marks.” He responded slowly and rose his head. “…all of these lead towards the center of the forest…”

“It’s so quiet.” Eugenia strained her ears as best as she could, but aside from Therses’ regular breathing she could barely hear anything. It was as if she had pushed her head underwater and listened to a bird’s song from the sky.

“…there should be a clearing…. Ahead…” Therses muttered and suddenly overtook Eugenia. He was not rushing at all, but he took the lead without saying anything.

“W-Wait, why do we need to go to the clearing? How do you know its there?” She rushed after him and jumped over a root that almost tripped her at the last second. There had been a lot of plants and branches in her way until now, but it just seemed to get thicker over time. Therses claim of a clearing seemed out of place.

“…it sounds so sweet… The clearing must be where this sound is coming from…” Therses said in a trance and kept moving forward, faster than before.

Then Eugenia realized it, the young man wasn’t going faster, she was just slowing down. There was so much brush and so many branches cutting into her face and hands that she simply couldn’t keep up. It was as if the forest itself was trying to keep her away. With growing concern for Therses odd behavior she managed to push through the branches trying to hold her back and jumped across the vines that seemed to spring up to trip her.

“Therses, wait! You are affected by the ‘song’!” She shouted after the quieting footsteps of the young man. “Close your ears!”

Her warnings were left unheard. Before she knew what had happened the footsteps disappeared. Suddenly it was as if he was not there anymore. To Eugenia who could only rely on her ears, he had vanished from the world. When she reached the spot he had last stood in, she only found a pile of leaves.

This was bizarre. She had not heard a single note of this ‘song’ that had taken Therses. How could a man just disappear into thin air? Had the ground swallowed him up?! The mere thought made her stomach convulse.

“No… no, you can’t be gone.” She frantically turned in place. She had just wanted to help, but now Therses was gone… because of her.

This was too frightening, too unnatural. If she could not smell, hear or taste the cause of these mysteries, then how could she possibly get to the truth? She felt powerless to do anything. At this instant she was completely alone… except for the guidance of the goddess. Eugenia felt uneasy to call upon Lady Athena. Even more so than her inherent guilt of relying upon the gods for her own selfish gain… she had grown a certain distance from her. If only Medusa was here to say something sarcastic to reassure her…

Why was it that even now she was rather thinking of Medusa than her benefactor above?

“That’s enough.” She slapped her cheeks and focused. There were things even she alone could do. People did not just disappear. That was for certain. She knelt down next to the pile of leaves and found that below it was a hole in the earth, dug by badgers or hares. Therses could not possibly have fit in there.

Then there were the low hanging branches and ivy. It seemed like a stretch, but perhaps he had climbed them when she was distracted? The creaking of wood and the stretching of plants was distinct, but not enough to stand out when she was rushing through her own hurdles.

If she went by that assumption, then perhaps someone had climbed across the trees and taken Therses. They would have to have been swift and strong, but it was a possibility. The next question was where they could have taken him.

“A clearing.” She remembered what Therses had been muttering before. To the priestess it was hard to differentiate a clearing from the rest of the forest, but there were ways. She closed her eyes and focused her ears with as much effort as she could reasonably give and listened to the eerie forest’s heartbeat.

There were rustling leaves and swaying branches…

There was a bubbling from a distant brook…

If she focused into one direction only…

There! She started moving again. The sounds of the forest were quiet, but constant. There was only one gap in the sound of the wind passing through. There was one place without rustling or movement. The clearing was right ahead of her!

She tore away the ivy in front of her and stepped through the bushes.

In an instant the air became warm and thick like honey. The until now eclipsed sunlight was suddenly back with full force and began to bake her skin and dry her clothes. The numbness she had felt inside the dark forest was suddenly turned into vibrant song! The chirping of birds accompanied each note and the bubbling brook from the distance was now right in the center of the lush clearing. Even though she could not see the beauty of nature, the feeling she got from standing in this place was… like bliss.

There was laughter, echoing and ethereal like phantoms. Children? People? There was more, the oinking of pigs and the lethargic mooing of cows. They were all condensed in such a small space, barely the size of a house.

Eugenia was snapped out of her mesmerized state when she heard a soft androgynous voice call out to her.

“You should not have come here. Kygnos song was not for you.”

“Where are we?” She replied while trying to keep a clear head. The air itself seemed to drown out her thoughts, but the constant vibration of harp strings reverberating the clearing was distracting her even more.

“’Tis a place for the decadent and the seekers of pleasure~” The voice replied almost singing.

“Who… are you…?” She held her head in drowsiness.

“You have entered Kygnos home little priestess.” The voice replied. Were they Kygnos? Where they speaking for him?

“Did you take… Therses?” She bit her lip. The pain allowed her mind to focus.

“Kygnos has no us for men. The boy is enjoying the Eros of his life with the others.”

Eugenia could not follow this person’s words very well. Eros was the son of Aphrodite, a god of love and pleasure. Some may have referred to his presence as a state of being. Head priestess Akacia had taught her not to mingle with the cult of Eros. Was this a place for those decadent followers to mingle?

“Why did… Kygnos take him then?”

“It is for the sake of pleasure.” The voice replied immediately.

This conversation was not bearing fruit. She could hardly understand the soft voice that spread like the notes of a harp touched by the wind. The song would simply not stop washing over her thoughts and gently pushed them away. She was listening closely to gain a stronger image of reality around her. The voice came from right ahead, beyond the giggling and laughter. The voices of humans were a layer around the true source of it all. She could hear the animals’ heartbeats and noises spread around it like a halfmoon. They were all placed around the person, at their feet, completely obedient.

Then the person stood from their throne carved into the giant tree. She could hear the rustling of feathers, the swaying of a tail and the heavy step of hooves. For a moment she had assumed it was the sound of the animals around them moving away, but they were unmoving.

That could only mean…

“You aren’t human.” She concluded.

The creature strummed its harp playfully and the animals finally moved aside. Now Eugenia could finally hear the bodies of humans fall over as well. They had been leaned against the being’s body the entire time, unmoving, like plants.

“You are not wanted here.” The voice replied.

“Yet now I am here.” She replied bravely. “Who are these people?”

“Seekers of pleasure, servants of desire. Humans from the forest of stone and men from the wooden caves. They followed Kygnos song.” The person named Kygnos replied.

“You took what doesn’t belong to you and keep people prisoner with your… enchantment?” The pieces were falling into place.

“Nothing belongs to anyone. Every soul is free. The animals are free to go, yet they stay. The humans are ignorant of the world now that they have found the truth of pleasure.” Kygnos said and suddenly the song stopped. The hand stilled and the harp’s harmony was extinguished.

The honey in the air was thinning and now Eugenia could finally think straight again.

“Your name is Kygnos?”

“Kygnos is Kygnos.” The man replied. The moment the song had vanished so did its androgynous tone.

“You… you are a Satyr!” She finally realized. Legs and a tail of horse, a wild mane of hair across their head and the ever-present desire. The moment she realized the truth she stepped backwards and shielded her body with her arms. Satyrs were spirits of nature and lust. Eternally bound to their desire for the flesh, but also the arts and joys of music. “Don`t come any closer.” She warned him.

“Your heart has finally found the truth.” The Satyr moved his arms as if in dance and the women to his sides stood up to follow his lead. “Do not fear me, for you are beyond my reach.”

“What do you mean?” She still feared for her safety under that lecherous gaze, but it was soon turned to the other women.

“You are marked by the silvery eyes, girl. There are pleasures that are beyond the reach of even Kygnos.”

“Lady Athena’s eyes…”

“Kygnos can see their vibrant silvery reflection behind your back. To be a fool for pleasure’s sake does not mean having a foolish mind. A priestess is a fruit so delectable, just so, because it cannot be mine.” He danced in place with the women that kept laughing in trance.

“So you cannot touch me.” She felt a strong sense of relief.

“Kygnos does not touch those who deny him. Yet… no one denies.” He said sensually and then wrapped his arms around the two women. Naturally all of them were naked, as was the custom for woodland spirits like the Satyr. Eugenia was thankful for her blindness as she had no desire to see the deformed snout and eternally engorged manhood of the creature.

“Your enchantment keeps them tied to your desire. This is not their own choice!”

“Kygnos song merely guides the way, only the listener can make the choice to follow it.” He replied gleefully.

“There are families who miss their children and husbands. If you asked them if they wanted to return, I am certain they would all-”

“Is that so?” Kygnos hummed a melody and suddenly Therses appeared from behind a tree. He could not have stood behind it the entire time, yet here he was. “Does this boy wish to return to his family? Or will he seek the truth of his Eros?”

Therses eyes were dulled, but his lips were upturned in a perpetual smile.

“Therses, don’t listen to him! Focus on my voice!” Eugenia encouraged him.

“…Eugenia?” He recognized her!

“Listen to me! Your father and mother are waiting in the village. They are worried sick for you and the animals that the Satyr stole.”

“Father…” He showed signs of thought.

“Hahaha, what is the bond of family compared to the Eros of everlasting climax? Do you not wish to return to that passion, child?” Kygnos whispered into Therses ear and his filigree finger movements crated a sweet sound on his harp.

“Why should I return to a father who doesn’t love me for who I am?” Therses said with resentment. “He tore me from the city life which I loved so much. Mother did not resist his oppressive hand even once. I was shackled Eugenia… this place lets me express who I really am.” He said with euphoria and spread his arms.

“That is not true!” She shouted and overpowered the strings. “I don`t know you very well, that is true, but even an outsider like me can tell that there is more to it than that! You love your family even if it is hard sometimes. You risked your life for the village, because you felt that it was the right thing to do. A sense of duty is part of what makes us human.” She clutched her chest and focused on the rules she had lived by for so long. “The love for your family is just as strong as that Satyr’s Eros. Your devotion to Lady Athena is as genuine as your wish to be free. Am I wrong?”

“To choose two paths is the same as choosing none.” Kygnos said softly and strummed his harp. ‘None’ the women at his side repeated in whispers.

“I know it’s a contradiction, but… is it wrong to want to have both?” Eugenia said as her hair fell into her face.

“My duty…” Therses held his head in pain from a strong migraine.

“Kygnos can show you pleasures that no man can achieve alone.”

“But what meaning is there in pleasure for pleasure’s sake? What does it mean to be happy… if there is nobody to share it with?” Eugenia exclaimed. “These people are all chained to a dream without substance. You will never truly reach each other.”

“Reach them?” Therses looked up with a spark of life in his eyes.

“You can still reach your father. It’s not too late. But if you listen to this self-serving song, you will never see him or the villagers again.”

“I don’t… want that!” Therses said with pain in his voice.

“What if the village joined this pleasure?” Kygnos suddenly suggested with a lusty smile.

“No… No…. leave my family out of this!” The young man suddenly pushed the Satyr off his shoulder and ran away. Before long he was out of the clearing and vanished from the sunlit world.

“Kygnos does not need men, they are rebellious and unruly.” The Satyr said without remorse and sat down on his thrown again. “Women are enjoyable. Kygnos would be satisfied if they stayed.”

“Please, let them go. The animals too.” Eugenia asked of him seriously.

The song came to a halt again. Even the strumming of the harp had made no difference until now. The women and animals all seemed alert and hid behind the trees and bushes. Now the path between Eugenia and Kygnos was utterly free.

“Kygnos obeys the gods, as master Dionysus taught his kind. No harm will be done to the messenger nor the preacher. Beyond that you exert no power over my realm, girl.”

“I am not commanding you.” Eugenia shook her head. “I am asking you to show compassion for us foolish humans.”

“Human Eugenia, you are strange.” The Satyr tapped his hooves against the ground repeatedly in a melodic rhythm. “You are protected by the silvery eyes, yet Kygnos can sense the touch of another demi-human on your being.”

Eugenia’s shoulders clamped up.

“That contradiction that moves you, will it find an end when these two passions clash?”

She averted her face from his boring gaze. It seemed to bring him quite a bit of amusement. Enough to hop from his throne and move her way. She tensed up when his hand almost slid across her arms and chest. He truly did not touch her, just as he had sworn.

“Is your passion for the silvery eyes of the same nature as the one you seek?” He whispered into her ear. “Even the purest well contains a drop of taint. What does your heart want? What do you deny with your every breath? This is pleasure tasted all too rarely. Kygnos is curious.”

She felt his breath against her cheek and the static electricity of his mane against her own hair. The clapping of his hooves surrounded her like a cage.

“Walk the path you follow… away from Kygnos song. Perhaps there is Eros to be found even there, in that innocent heart of yours.”

And with that, the dream ended. Confused mooing and grunting surrounded Eugenia and the fearful gasps of both women and men chimed in. The clearing was gone. Was it ever truly there? The forest once silent was now as lively as any forest she had ever ventured before.

The priestess stood in the middle of the chaos, holding a harp she could carry in her frail arms. This was the only proof of her encounter with a strange Satyr’s song.

“Eugenia? Is that you? I have been looking for you all over… wait who are these people?” Therses came running from the depth of the forest and was shocked by the group of naked people and confused cattle.

“Where am I?!” A man shouted.

“Where are my clothes?” A woman asked as she covered herself in shame.

“Why do I feel so exhausted…? And my behind stings.” A middle-aged man rubbed his hurting body.

As the confusion expanded and then subsided, the people who had been led astray were escorted to the village for now. Eugenia followed them as well, with Therses apologizing to her repeatedly for losing sight of her. He also thanked her for finding the lost cattle, but he felt even more grateful for reasons he could not express.

The young woman bashfully accepted the thanks, but could not fully focus on the going-ons from here on.

The words of the Satyr were like a spell, but she was not enchanted. Rather she felt a burning heat gather in her chest and a tightening in her throat. What he had said about her heart… it could not have been true, could it?

The harp in her hands was warm and its curves made it easy to handle. There was a mischievous tone in the note that Eugenia’s accidental touch released.

With the freedom of the lost, the priestess came one step closer to reaching Sarpedon. At the same time the doubts clamoring inside her heart had now found their own melody.