DK981 sat on the lecture theatre. The woman teaching was slender and athletic with piercing and big blue eyes. She was very beautiful. She was dressed elegantly, lightly covering the strong black tattoos on her forearms. She smiled wholeheartedly at the small Egoplasm and the other participants and went on with her lecture.
'This was exactly how their race was: slender sailors with bronze skin and curls; a proud race that lived in the mountains of the island. They were strong and emotional at the same time. Above lush vineyards, dark pines were surrounding the hut and from every angle one could see the rivers and fountains of the island. The sea had a unique aquamarine colour, what foreigners called the Ionian Blue. The island had goats and lush vineyards and neat little houses. The beginning of the month signified the arrival of revellers. They were honouring Nymph Melissani in her cave. A celebration that took place at least twice a year.'
She read out loud from the green book she held infront of her.
'No one knew whether or not Melissani was once mortal. Melissa (Queen Bee) was of course a name for Artemis, young goddess of hunting and the Moon, in which capacity she alleviates the suffering of women in childbirth. The goddess favoured the nymph with beauty and an independent mind. The nymph was gifted with beautiful blue eyes and an excellent skill in hunting amongst her peers. All she wanted was to hunt alone. And in the dark, when the town was asleep, she would slip out from her tree house quietly, only to bathe her slender, athletic body in the fountain inside the cave at the southwest of the island. One night, she heard soft footsteps in the dark. She looked around her and as the moonlight falling from the open top of the cave revealed the aquamarine waters, she saw a tall, handsome man with bushy hair.
He was a little nervous but smiled at her. She quickly covered her naked breasts with her hands. The man approached and spoke with a calm voice. ‘Your Majesty, Nymph Melissani, despite what you might think, I’m Artemis, the Goddess of Hunting and I revealed myself to you in order to entrust you with a very important task. I want you to help me kill the wild boar that lives in a cave at the Northwest of the island. Melissani had a lot of questions about the nature of the task, rewards and the like; she was rather reluctant at first. It made no sense why a pretty goddess chose to look like a charming young man, but little she cared. She was charmed by the young man’s sparkling dark eyes.
The man with the dark eyes and the noble stature was an excellent marksman. The boar was killed and it was in fact gigantic. But from that point onwards they became best friends. They hunted and played and bathed nude together, until Melissani noticed he could not control his erection when he watched her hunting and bathing naked. She approached him with watery eyes and said: ‘you lied to me, you are a mortal man’. He shut her mouth with a deep wet kiss, moister than the dark blue briny waters of the cave. He lifted her up on his arms as she wrapped her legs around him. He made love to her like this for the whole night as well as the day after. He did not wish to be anywhere but inside her. The man was of course a man, and little he had to do with Artemis other than his excellent skill in hunting. However, he kept on pretending he is Artemis and as a reward for her loyalty, he gave Melissani a new tip for her spear and her arrows almost every fortnight.
One night, when the moon was full and the warm soft breeze invited them both for mating, she felt his spark reaching the inner depths of her being. A few weeks after she discovered she was pregnant. She was unsure about her future. Without thinking much, she drowned herself in the cave. The town found her and gave her a burial on a funeral pyre and then released her ashes into the cave. The inhabitants say that the colour of the water inside the cave is so blue because of her eyes. Young girls would bring her childhood toys to her before getting married. And in warm summer mornings love struck young men would carry their Pan’s Pipe into the cave and sing love songs to their darlings, using the myth of Melissani as a hint for what expected them on their first encounter with a man. And their mothers would use Melissani as an example to avoid. A pregnant girl, unmarried, with an unwanted child whose father would not reveal his true identity'.
The lecture went on. Once it was finished, DK981 went to talk to Clara. Clara responded with a warm hug. 'We should get little Aurelio from his nursery', she said softly. 'He is so big now and his head is adorned with beautiful brown curls'. The two women rushed out of the lecture theatre. Clara walked faster than DK981. She was a big city walker, always in a hurry. They walked up on the coloured staircase and ended up in a small room at the top of the big neoclassical building. There were lots of children there. Clara spoke with her soft, deep voice to a tall blonde woman. suddenly a young boy showed up. He rushed and curled on Clara's knees. DK981 knew Clara spoke to him in Italian, yet there was not much talking going on. Aurelio was only smiles and curls. DK981 saw Clara's face brightening, moreso than the time she was giving a lecture; 'so this is how it must feel like' she thought to herself. They walked out with Aurelio holding his mother's hand tightly.
When they sat down to what Clara described as pasticceria, a place where one can have sweets and coffee, DK981 was full of questions and so was Clara. They discussed all about the lecture, first. As opposed to what DK981 thought, Aurelio was aware of what his mother was on about. DK981 thought that it must have been great to have someone to love you so unconditionally and with so much affection and feel able, almost obliged to express these feelings in return. Clara was protective of her son and so was he of his mother. A conversation with Anna's friend Misty, a while ago gave her the same impression. Anna loved children but for DK981 that was a whole different world she did not feel totally comfortable with. The reason was, of course, that her initial feelings on children and maternity had been eliminated after her abortion. It is so hard to speak or feel anything about children afterwards, let alone feeling guilty about killing one. She spoke with Clara about it. 'When you really want a child' said Clara, nothing stops you. You just need to want it with all your heart. You must feel ready for it and not be afraid to risk it if something goes wrong with your partner.' It was pretty much what Sigrid had said to her too. She recalled having the same conversation with Jocke. 'but what if?' she thought. 'There is no ''what if''' said Jocke. 'You either want one or you don't and the more you wait, the less chances to have a healthy sprout'.
'So' said Clara. 'How do you feel?'. 'I feel weirded out' said Anna. 'It might be too early, but I am actually very happy.' Clara smiled. 'Well, you seem pretty radiant to me, clearly Sweden has done good things to you, it seems'. 'I have so much love for the world that surrounds me' said Anna. And then, there is Sarah. She is a good girl and I recognise a lot of my character traits on her. I think that she, like me, failed on occasion due to her love for life and her slight addiction to emotional pain. And I try to be gentle with her and support her as much as I can. I want her out of the box. I know she can make it. I also worry about Sophie. She is a bright student and I know what heartbreak can do to good students, such as her'.
Clara remained silent for a second. 'Well I know what heartbreak did to me' She said softly. 'If I did not have Aurelio, my life would contain half the joy there is there now. But how about you?'. DK981 remained silent for a few minutes and then sighed. 'I think it is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I do not feel scared about the whole thing, not at all. I feel so safe, I sleep with my flat door unlocked, unsecured macbook and all'. 'Good, said Clara. 'Well, good luck with it all then, I think you are ready'. The two women looked at Aurelio. His face was covered in bacio-flavoured gelato. 'I used to love this flavour when I was little, and when I had him inside me, I ate so much fish, glad he loves both now' said his mother. 'He is not too keen on cheese, just like me'.
When they sat down to what Clara described as pasticceria, a place where one can have sweets and coffee, DK981 was full of questions and so was Clara. They discussed all about the lecture, first. As opposed to what DK981 thought, Aurelio was aware of what his mother was on about. DK981 thought that it must have been great to have someone to love you so unconditionally and with so much affection and feel able, almost obliged to express these feelings in return. Clara was protective of her son and so was he of his mother. A conversation with Anna's friend Misty, a while ago gave her the same impression. Anna loved children but for DK981 that was a whole different world she did not feel totally comfortable with. The reason was, of course, that her initial feelings on children and maternity had been eliminated after her abortion. It is so hard to speak or feel anything about children afterwards, let alone feeling guilty about killing one. She spoke with Clara about it. 'When you really want a child' said Clara, nothing stops you. You just need to want it with all your heart. You must feel ready for it and not be afraid to risk it if something goes wrong with your partner.' It was pretty much what Sigrid had said to her too. She recalled having the same conversation with Jocke. 'but what if?' she thought. 'There is no ''what if''' said Jocke. 'You either want one or you don't and the more you wait, the less chances to have a healthy sprout'.
'So' said Clara. 'How do you feel?'. 'I feel weirded out' said Anna. 'It might be too early, but I am actually very happy.' Clara smiled. 'Well, you seem pretty radiant to me, clearly Sweden has done good things to you, it seems'. 'I have so much love for the world that surrounds me' said Anna. And then, there is Sarah. She is a good girl and I recognise a lot of my character traits on her. I think that she, like me, failed on occasion due to her love for life and her slight addiction to emotional pain. And I try to be gentle with her and support her as much as I can. I want her out of the box. I know she can make it. I also worry about Sophie. She is a bright student and I know what heartbreak can do to good students, such as her'.
Clara remained silent for a second. 'Well I know what heartbreak did to me' She said softly. 'If I did not have Aurelio, my life would contain half the joy there is there now. But how about you?'. DK981 remained silent for a few minutes and then sighed. 'I think it is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I do not feel scared about the whole thing, not at all. I feel so safe, I sleep with my flat door unlocked, unsecured macbook and all'. 'Good, said Clara. 'Well, good luck with it all then, I think you are ready'. The two women looked at Aurelio. His face was covered in bacio-flavoured gelato. 'I used to love this flavour when I was little, and when I had him inside me, I ate so much fish, glad he loves both now' said his mother. 'He is not too keen on cheese, just like me'.
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