The Korinniad

by A. K. Caggiano

  At the road’s end, an old man in a raggedy shawl and wide-brimmed hat sat behind the reins of two rams who could not be considered of average size. Korinna inspected the cart, filled with absolutely nothing besides a crooked staff at the man’s side, and the odd size and breed of beast pulling it, then narrowed her eyes at the driver. His face was etched with lines of age, a bulbous boil on the tip of his nose, eyes milky. “You’re not my adelphi psychi, are you?”

  The old man smiled, revealing a single, black tooth and otherwise empty gums. “You wish.”

  Instead of the market, the cart took them toward the farmland outside of town, but then quickly veered off the road and straight up a craggy hill. It meandered but for only a moment and then the rams picked up speed. Korinna grabbed onto the edge of the seat, but the old man beside her barely seemed to react. Searching for acknowledgment that something was off, she looked to the cat but was surprised to see Nikeros had returned to his human form just without the wings and found herself sandwiched between the two. It was tight, but the speed they were gaining made her glad for the security.

  Then the staff at the man’s side shook, and the knotted wood contorted, loosing a sinuous form. Korinna let out a screech as a snake emerged from around the stick, but the animal just stuck its tongue out at her then slithered down to wind itself around the old man’s foot. Only, the man’s skin had lost its leathery veneer, replaced with a sun-kissed tan, and the torn, ragged leather sandals he’d worn were now golden and adorned with tiny wings at the heel. His tunic was brilliantly white, belted with a gold cord, and he was wearing a simple golden helm, wings engraved into the side, and—for fuck’s sake—Korinna’s heart nearly stopped, the entire cart had taken off into the air!

  Korinna grabbed onto Nikeros’s forearm, throwing herself back against the seat. If she looked up, she couldn’t see how far they were getting from the ground, but then she could see the sky, so damn much sky, and her brain started to leak out her ears.

  “Never flown before?” The driver’s boil and wrinkles were gone, replaced by a neat goatee and sharp, dark eyes.

  Her stomach danced, and she was glad it was empty though wasn’t sure that would stop something from coming up.

  “Hermes.” Nikeros grinned. “We are very honored.”

  “Yeah, well, you should be.” Hermes put on a wry smile and leaned back, throwing his feet up on the front of the cart as it sailed higher. Korinna whimpered. “Not that I mind doing Aphrodite favors, they’re always well worth the effort. What are you headed to Theopopolis for anyway?”

  “Headed where?” Korinna forgot how high up they were and snapped her head around to Nikeros, but the cart dipped, and she came off the seat for an instant, knocking her back. Theopopolis was the seat of the crown that reached out to Zafolas, a bustling, massive city that would have been a fine destination if she could have chartered a fishing boat off her island there, but she hadn’t been able to earn enough drachma for the ride, not after her lousy luck with that wine pitcher at Cronia.

  “That is where we will find Athena’s suitor.”

  “Athena’s what now?” Hermes sat up, but only a bit.

  “We are visiting three suitors for this mortal’s potential mate. Athena is up first.”

  Hermes laughed, “Athena is going to find her a mate? And where is your mother in all of this, boy?”

  “Aphrodite assigned this task to me.” He puffed up his chest. “And I shall complete it.”

  “Mother?” Korinna glanced at Nikeros sidelong.

  “The Erotes are all children of Aphrodite.”

  Hermes chuckled, “And there are many.”

  “But not all of Aphrodite’s progeny are Erotes.” He grinned to himself.

  Korinna thought on this for a moment, and her body relaxed as she put aside the knowledge that she was several hundred feet above Gaia’s hard ground. She hadn’t really been listening to Nikeros when he told her he was an Erote, she just knew he wasn’t an Olympian and only half as dangerous as she’d heard the gods to be. Here out in the sun, his skin didn’t shine like Hermes’s, and, though she was pained to admit it, even though he was at least somewhat handsome, he wasn’t particularly different than any other mortal she’d seen save for one feathery detail. “What happened to your wings?”

  “Oh, uh”—he cleared his throat—“They tend to make a good first impression but are not especially functional.”

  “You saved my life with them.”

  “That was…arduous.”

  Korinna glanced down at her small frame and frowned. “Well, thanks anyway.”

  On his back now, Nikeros wore a quiver, feathered arrows in an array of colors poking out, some more brilliant than any paint she had ever mixed. She reached for one with a pleasingly pink hue.

  Nikeros threw up his arm to block her. “Careful, Mortal! These are very powerful.”

  “Are they poisonous?”

  “You could say that.”

  Hermes snickered, “Or you could say they give you a bad case of puppy love.”

  Korinna bit the inside of her lip as she continued to stare at Nikeros waiting for his response. The demigod looked like he wanted to retort, but instead took a breath and smiled weakly. “You could say that as well.”

  Korinna’s stomach flipped as the cart began to descend. She gripped onto the edge of the seat, snagging the snake’s tail and eliciting an annoyed hiss. The earth was covered in a thick swath of trees beyond the tips of the ram’s curled horns. This didn’t look like what she’d always imagined Theopopolis to be. They were coming down over the treetops quickly, and her heart leapt into her throat. Then, there was a sudden break in the trees and the cart landed in a clearing with a thunk.

  Korinna scrambled over Nikeros’s lap and tripped out onto solid ground. Falling to her knees, she planted her hands onto the grass. “Thank the gods!”

  “You could just thank me.”

  “Didn’t I just?” Korinna got to her feet, nodding at Hermes, and glanced about. “Where in Theopopolis are we?” There was no humming market, no hectic docks, just thick-trunked trees, reaching high above them.

  “Exactly where we are meant to be.” Nikeros readjusted his quiver and straightened.

  Korinna turned to properly thank their courier, but the cart was gone. She searched, but there was no sign of shining god, massive ram, or even massive ram manure about. Instead, they were surrounded by the sweet lilting of birds, the low hoot of an owl, and the scurrying of tiny feet on the leaf-strewn floor. It was pleasant, and for the moment, she forgot what she was about to be subjected to until she realized she still had no idea what that was at all.

  “So how’s this supposed to work?” She dropped her hands onto her hips and squinted at Nikeros.

  He tilted his head, shading his eyes from the afternoon sun as he peered out into the trees. “We identify the suitor and shoot him.”

  “Shoot him?”

  “Well, I will be doing that,”—he gestured over his shoulder to the arrows—“You will then work your feminine wiles upon him.”

  “My what?” Her face dropped. “What in our lengthy history together makes you think I have those?”

  Nikeros looked her up and down and shrugged. “Fair point. But I am sure somewhere, deep down—”

  “No, no!” She cut through the air with her hands. “I don’t want to know what you think is deep down inside me. Let’s just get this over with.”

  The demigod listened to the forest, then grabbed her arm, pulling her back toward the tree line.

  She stumbled as they crouched behind a shrubbery. “What are you doing?”

  “Quiet.” He was focusing intently on the clearing they’d just left at what was apparently nothing, but then there was a gentle rustling and from across the open space a red doe stepped out. Graceful and slender of limb and neck, the creature took several careful steps, bowing her head then raising it again, flicking an ear about to hear beyond what either of them could. As if she floated, sh
e crossed into the clearing’s center and finally dipped her head to nibble at the tender grass.

  Korinna’s face lit up. She’d never seen a deer quite so big on her own island and had certainly never been so close to one. She felt, for just that moment, that if she could creep out and pet it, it would surely be at ease with her as she’d become so one with the forest in the short instance they’d been there. She practically trembled with excitement.

  Then the deer flicked a long, slender ear, and her head shot up. There was a crash in the trees, and it moved to bolt, but two hounds with long, gnashing snouts and a bay that rattled to the core shot out of the trees before her. She turned to flee, but from behind burst three men brandishing spears, the largest among them at the forefront, and in an instant he was on the creature, leaping onto its back and sinking his spear into its throat.

  Crimson blood spewed out from the beast’s neck, soaking the man as it let out a terrible, garbled, choking shriek and fell beneath his heft. It twitched, but barely, as he ripped the spear back, fully opening the creature’s neck and draining it, the blood spilling out like a red river, sparkling in the sunlight.

  Korinna, frozen and in an ill sort of awe, could not even will herself to blink despite that she wanted desperately to look away. Her stomach churned as if they were flying in Hermes’s cart again, and she finally mustered the mettle to turn her head to Nikeros. He was grimacing, if only slightly, but when he realized her eyes were on him, he put on an anxious smile. “Very…manly, eh?”

  In a sort of daze, she turned back to the hunter. He was, indeed, manly—a fact with which no one could argue. Easily two heads taller than her and twice as wide, the man who’d made the killing blow was letting out a contented sigh, driving his bloodied spear into the earth and turning to his companions. The men with him, impressive in their own right, but nothing compared to the bare-chested behemoth beside them, offered excited whoops of delight and praise. The hunter wiped at his face, streaking the doe’s blood down his cheek and over a square jaw.

  “Behold: Andreas, master hunter, Champion of Theopopolis, and my chosen suitor.”

  Don’t make him stupid.

  What?

  It would be too cliché for this big, burly suitor to also be a big, burly idiot.

  Well, I can’t exactly help what’s going to happen here.

  What do you mean you can’t help? Aren’t you in charge of this thing?

  Technically, yes, but people in love do really stupid things. Especially people struck by an Erote’s arrow.

  Hmm, well, I guess he can be a little stupid.

  You guess?

  I’ll allow it. For now.

  How gracious of you.

  CHAPTER VII

  Korinna whipped around at the voice that had announced the man, but there was no one behind her.

  “Up here.”

  In the branches above them sat an owl with a sleek, gray body and beady eyes. It was certainly no normal creature, and when it spread its wings and descended from the branch, the filtering sunlight shone between the feathers and blinded her so that she had to shield her eyes. When Korinna dared look again, a woman clad in golden armor stood in its place.

  “Athena.” Nikeros bowed to her, and she returned a simple nod. Korinna clumsily attempted the same, but the goddess barely noticed. Instead, her sharp eyes were looking past them into the clearing where the men were still complementing one another and cutting away the deer’s hide. Korinna could not look away from the goddess, her tanned, muscled skin, her plait of golden tresses, and that spear, tipped in gold—how many had it run through for defiance?

  “I am confident my suitor would be pleasing to any woman, but, dear mortal, please, enlighten me with your thoughts.” Her voice was powerful and commanding, as if the trees themselves were carrying it on their leaves.

  In a whisper, she pointed over her shoulder. “Uh, won’t he hear us?”

  “I’ve cloaked our presence. Now, go on.”

  At the goddess’s request, Korinna looked back to Andreas, a dagger plunged deeply into the doe’s side so that his whole arm was slick with blood, his brow furrowed heavily over dark eyes. “He certainly is…something.”

  Athena made a small, pleased sound in the back of her throat. “He is the largest of his kind, brutishly strong, and has proven invincible on the battlefield. It is not particularly often one so large is so calculating, but Andreas’s strategies coupled with his brawn have led Theopopolis in all of its victories these past ten years.”

  Korinna turned back to the goddess. “Ten years? Impressive.” Andreas didn’t look particularly old, though he surely had age on her. “Shocking he’s still available.”

  “Indeed.” Athena cocked her head, then shook it. “But he has been a dedicated servant of mine and Theopopolis. Surely he has not had time for a wife. But you,”—Athena finally looked down at her, and her eyes seemed to change, taking her all in—“would be a…worthy bride?” She seemed to be asking more than telling.

  Korinna shrugged. “I guess.”

  Athena gestured for them to follow. “I have a plan.”

  With a glance back at the bloodied men, Korinna accompanied the goddess and demigod deeper into the wood where they came upon a rapid stream. “You will present yourself as a dryad to Andreas, destined to meet him here, on this day, at my behest. A gift to my loyal follower.”

  The goddess was apparently very pleased with this idea, but Korinna cringed. She’d seen dryads on vases and heard the stories about them. She did not live up to those expectations.

  “You are hesitant.”

  “It’s just,”—Korinna grimaced—“Well, it’s a little dishonest, don’t you think?”

  Nikeros caught her gaze and shook his head frantically.

  Athena’s eyes narrowed. “Strategic,” she corrected her.

  Korinna frowned. “Well, fine, I’m happy to strategically lie to this guy, but I don’t know if I can pull it off.”

  “Oh, of course.” As if she had just realized, Athena shook her head and snapped her fingers.

  Korinna felt warm, like the trees had suddenly parted and midday’s sun was targeting her alone, but also a bit like she’d come down with something burning her up from the inside. Instinctively she looked down at herself to see her chiton had been replaced with a purely white piece, not made of heavy linen but something finer she’d never before felt. It clasped over one shoulder with a golden broach and cinched in tightly at the waist. Feeling her midsection, Korinna’s hands slipped into small cutouts just at her hips. She gasped, “Pockets?”

  Athena looked at her as if she should have known, “Of course.”

  Her hair had been loosed as well and was falling in waves over her shoulders which wasn’t nearly as practical. Now barefoot, she took a few careful and somewhat pained steps to the gently running water. Upon peering down, she was relieved to see that her face had not changed, but the dirt had been removed completely, and her skin had a dewy, bright glow.

  “Wow!” She twirled back to the others, but her hair slapped her in the face.

  “Yes, much improved.” The corners of Athena’s lips curled ever so slightly as if she might be content. “Andreas will be taken by you, you by him, and then Theodotus will raise armies in my name.”

  Korinna peeled her hair away from her lips. “Who?”

  The goddess glared at her. “Never you mind. You have greater things to worry about.”

  “I guess so.” She looked down at herself again. “Yeah, okay, I might be able to make this work, but I certainly don’t know what to say.”

  “Well, I have blessed you with all you will need for this journey, so I suggest you figure it out.” Athena’s form instantaneously broke into a bolt of light, and in its place was again a slender owl who, with one flap of its wings, took to the sky. From behind where she stood, the foliage rustled, and Korinna’s heart shot into her throat. Wide-eyed, she caught Nikeros’s gaze. “What do I do?”

  Nikeros cle
ared his throat, pulling his eyes away from her body. “I do not believe you will have to do much.”

  That wasn’t helping. “That’s not helping! What kind of Erote are you anyway?”

  Nikeros reached over his shoulder into his quiver, revealing a pink-tipped arrow. “This kind.” He stepped back into the trees, and just before his form disappeared, Korinna saw a golden bow appear in his hands.

  Simultaneously, the foliage parted and the massive bulk of Andreas, Champion of Theopopolis, master hunter, and all-around really big dude appeared. Korinna gasped as she stumbled back onto an overturned log. Swinging her arms wide, she saved herself from falling back into the water and managed to cross her legs and land her chin on her hands with a bright smile just as Andreas’s hawk-like eyes landed on her.

  The man stopped short, his stance shifting, and for a moment she thought she’d be tackled and rent in half as if she were a rabbit, but then the man relaxed. He screwed up his face in a curious sort of way, and Korinna had to fight off laughter. Surely he didn’t expect to happen upon a woman in the forest. But then, she was no ordinary woman, she reminded herself.

  “Oh, my!” She began, dropping her jaw into what she thought disbelief was meant to look like and raising her voice an entire octave. “If it isn’t Andreas of Theopopolis.”

  The man focused on her again, raising the corner of his lip in further confusion and stepping toward her. “These woods are unsafe. There are wild boar about and—” Then there was a zing through the air and a snap, and Andreas jerked upright, his eyes brightening, and he gasped painfully. His hands clasped over his chest, and his confusion grew into wonder, and then—and then—

  “Beauty of beauties!” Andreas’s heft rushed toward her, and Korinna scrambled backward onto the log. “My eyes can be blinded now that they have been set on you!”

  Korinna balked, then saw past Andreas’s shoulder to where Nikeros’s figure was poking out from between the trees. He was smiling stupidly—so stupidly—with a thumb in the air.