Hi everyone! My name is Mandy (for the purposes of this story) and this is my first fanfic, so please be nice, and review, because tat is what nice people do! And if no-one review, I will feel neglected, and that is never good! I am not averse to constructive criticism, so don’t hold back!

Chapter 1

The Meeting Place

A man stood on a balcony, facing the valley before him. From the house behind him, screams of agony rose and quietened in perfect rhythm. The sky was a mixture of all of the dark colours of the world, as if Hades had spread his cloak over the sky in anger, to hide his sister Selene. With every scream, the man shuddered, as if the pain of the victim was also his. Suddenly, the screaming ceased, and an unnatural quiet rang louder than shouts ever could. The man began to turn, just as a woman ran out of the house, she murmured something in his ear, and he smiled wolfishly, as if he had just come into possession of a very valuable object. He opened his mouth, and began to speak…

I woke from the dream, screaming silently and bathed in sweat. I was on the dusty floor of my room; my sheet was still around me, rumpled and creased, and covered in dirt. I cursed quietly to myself, for I would have to wash it today, and the walk to the river was tiring, and I probably would not have time, seeing as today was the day that the baby was expected. I rose wearily and dressed in one of my old chitons; the faded olive green one, with the half length sleeves. Again, as usual, I wished in vain for a mirror in which to dress my hair, but Father would never allow this luxury. He believed that mirrors ‘make females more vain and foolish than they already are’. My mother is the only reason that I have any small allowances at all, such as a hairbrush to tame my medusa curls! Indeed, I have often scared the young boys of the village in the evening if they are left unbrushed; the only thing that keeps them from running past our door is what my father would do to them.

I apologise, my dear friends! I have not explained who I am, and why my father is such a fearsome man that people would run from him! My name is Camira, and my father is called Pyramus. I am of middling height, with deep blue eyes and curling hair which my mother names as chestnut coloured. I have fifteen summers, and am the eldest daughter. My father is the most feared man in our village, because he is one of the town elders, and is the ruler of our district. (This is only because he has the loudest voice in all of Greece, but no-one else will say this but me). My mother is known as Pyhrra, and she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She is tall, with straight hair that reaches to her knees and is the exact colour of an olive tree trunk in summer. She has green eyes, and when she smiles they crinkle at the edges, and she makes you feel as if you are the only person in the world when you speak with her. My Father is nothing like her. He is short and ugly, with almost no hair, and what hair he has is a muddy brown colour, like mine. His eyes are muddy brown too, and his skin is coarse and tanned. My mother’s skin is always smooth and soft, but I will inevitably get calluses and cuts upon mine. I will never be like my mother, because she was born a lady, and I am a simple farm girl, who has little charm and no beauty.

But I will not dwell upon such subjects, for they serve only to make me unhappy and neglectful of my duties. I must get to the river before daybreak to wash the clothes, and meet Dione, my best friend, there. I should still make it, if I run!

I picked up the basket of laundry from the table, dropping my sheet upon it as I went. I set off through the village towards the river. As I was passing the olive grove, I heard a strange noise, and I put down the basket to investigate further. As I neared the bush from which the sounds were emitting, I began to get the feeling that I was being watched. The sounds themselves turned out to be nothing but a small piglet, rooting for truffles, but this could not possibly be what was watching me, could it? Suddenly, a man leapt on my back, forcing me to the ground. I screamed, terrified as to what could happen! I struggled, and when that seemed not to work, I bit the hand that was covering my face. My mouth filled with blood, and though I was both satisfied and utterly disgusted, my attacker would not let go. I resolved to use the method that Dione had taught me to use to see off unwanted attention, and quickly brought my knee up into that soft and tender part of a man’s anatomy that we all know so well. My attacker crumpled up into a pile of bruised ego, which moaned quietly as I stood up, kicking the idiot for good measure.

I quickly checked myself over for visible signs of hurt. It seemed that I had escaped almost unscathed, except from a large bump on my head from a tree root, and a salty taste in my mouth. The dimwit who had surprised me was not so lucky. From where I was standing, he had a nasty cut un his hand from my teeth, nail marks on his arms and I gathered that he was not to pleased with his….other area either.

He then rose, and what I saw knocked the breath out of me pretty quickly. I had not been attacked by any random bandit, but by a living incarnation of Apollo himself. The young man had light brown hair that curled very slightly around his head, giving the impression of a crown. He was tall and though he was not overly muscular, there was power lurking underneath his skin. While I appraised him thus, he stood and straightened, and looked into my eyes, and said:

“Hello.”

Well, my friend, you may be disappointed by such an everyday remark, but I regret to say that I almost fainted, for he spoke with a voice that could have won over The Furies and soothed Cerberus, it was so beautiful.

He went on to speak again, and this time it was more interesting.

“I am sorry for flattening you like that. I fell out of a tree. I don’t quite know what came over me. My name is Mikalos. What is yours?”

Well, after this I was incensed. How dare he go around falling out of trees, and then have the audacity to stand there looking handsome, expecting me to forgive him!

“My name is no business of yours!” I snapped, shortly “And what were you doing in a tree anyway? I t seems like a very silly thing to do, If you ask me.”

“I was drawing. From the top of a tree, you can see a lot more. I wanted to draw Eos bringing the dawn to the villages”

“You should be more careful! Look, you ripped my tunic! I only have one other, and this is too big to be mended! My father will have much to say about this!” I threatened. I would, of course, not tell my father a word of this, even if he wanted to know. He would probably kill this boy, and what a tragedy that would be to the world!

“Well madam, I am very sorry to have spoiled your morning. It may have escaped your notice, but I am not too happy to have landed on a kicking, screaming idiot who has no courtesy!” Oh no, I had made him angry! I cursed my unlucky stars, for this was the opposite of my intent

Madam! Madam! I am not a MADAM!! My name is Camira, though you have no reason for saying it, since I will never see you again!”

“Oh, but you will, Camira” He said, smiling mischievously, and savouring my name like piece of honey cake on his tongue “For I must replace your tunic, so you will see me in this same place next week! But for now, I must go, and so must you before I keep you from your friends, who are undoubtedly waiting foe you impatiently”

And with this, he ran softly away from me through the olive trees. I, in my weakness, watched him until he was out of sight, and even while I was walking to the river, and Dione, I had a warm feeling in my stomach, like a drop of the fire liquid that father drinks. I had a secret, and his name was Mikalos.

So, what do you think? Please review!! I may write more, actually, I probably will, because I have big Plans for Camira, but it is always nice to have encouragement! It makes me fell loved!!

From Mandy