Chapter 8: The Princess

After returning, the new nymphs continued their preparations for the feast and the dance. As they worked, the huntress continued her search for the twentieth nymph, the final choice to complete her court. The King led her to another chamber. Though his face looked grim, he bowed at the goddess and left.

Artemis had not seen this part of the palace earlier. She went inside and found a young woman sitting on the grass beside a pool. She was singing softly - almost in a whisper - to the lilies that swayed in the morning breeze. Her hand played with the trickling water as the maiden's lustrous jet black hair reflected the rising sun that shone upon it.

The goddess sauntered slowly towards her. She lied down by her side. The young maiden looked up. She didn't seem quite surprised to see Artemis. It was as if she had expected this divine encounter. Her deep brown eyes sparkled and her vermilion lips parted as she looked back at the goddess.

Such an exquisite being, Artemis found herself thinking as she gazed at the unknown girl. Her face was a delight to the eye, and her form was voluptuous yet embedded hidden strength that it was obvious she did not belong in the household.

Artemis had never met a maiden quite like this one. The other nymphs had shown their unique quality. They were intelligent and headstrong like formidable soldiers. Some were caring and genuinely sweet. A few were a natural tracker in the wild and good with her hounds. But this girl, however... she possesses something else, something the young goddess had yet to understand.

Why can't I put it into words? Artemis thought.

Though she gave no indication of her true potential, Artemis still wanted her to come along.

Without a word uttered between them, the two young women smiled at each other. The smile was the first of their understanding, their friendship, and their new adventures.

"Will you leave the concealment of your father's palace and come to serve me as my eternal nymph?" Artemis said.

The dark-haired maiden lowered her eyes, and slowly she inclined her head.

"Yes, my lady, I will to the best of my ability, serve and follow you," she said. Besides who would reject a goddess's request.

Artemis reached out and caressed the girl's blushed cheek, slowly tracing her swan-like neck with her fingers. The maiden shivered under the brilliant touch.

What a lovely thing. Artemis thought. She looks like a wildflower just waiting for someone to pluck her and call all the dangerous shots. Beauty is a blessing and a curse. I wonder if it was this kind of awe that drew my father to my mother.

Artemis knew that she had to take this one with her before anyone else could.

"What is your name then?" she asked.

The maiden looked deep into Artemis's eyes, never once blinking.

"My name is Callisto."

~*~

Everywhere Artemis went she would be accompanied by some of her choir girls and handmaidens. Everywhere she went, people would know her as the maiden of the wild and goddess of the hunters. With that revelation, she acknowledged Zeus had fulfilled each of her wishes.

Callisto had become one of the goddess's nymphs. She followed the others in the hunt. Artemis had her attention on all of her servants, yet even more so on the daughter of King Lycaon. The former princess herself felt her freedom for the first time ever since she joined the goddess's band. All day, she would accompany her mistress untiringly in search of new games. Callisto enjoyed the chase just as much as the others, but she found herself captivated by the grace and might of the young goddess.

During the journey, Artemis had shot down three deer and two wild boars. The unveiled maidens and daughters of ever-flowing Oceanus, her servants made haste to assist the Archeress. One moved with her swift knees as her queen's forerunner, another tucked up her tunic and ran level not far off, a third laid a hand on the basket of the swift-moving chariot and ran alongside.

Artemis diffusing radiance from her face stood shining above her attendants. She had become a full-grown goddess of Olympus. As soon as she leaped out of her chariot, Opis took the bow from her shoulders, and Hecaerge the quiver. The Oceanides took off the well-strung hunting nets, and another took charge of the dogs. Loxo loosened the boots from her feet when she came to rest.

One morning, a frightened troop of Nymphae was fleeing from Pan. The god chased them all as though they were his quarry, yet one of them in particular, he chased after. The nymph was Pholoe, whom Pan was bent on catching. By copse and stream, the frightened maiden fled, shunning now the hairy following limbs of the goat-god and his wanton horns. She came running a-tiptoe and gained the Caelian wilds. There, at last, she turned wearied.

With growing fear, she gathered her saffron robe closer about her waist and sank down on the edge of the snow-white bank. The shepherd-god followed swiftly for he had deemed the maid his bride.

He caught her by the ankles while lust burned in his fevered breast. With glee, he hovered lightly over his prey.

Artemis was ranging the seven hills, tracking the flight of a deer on Aventine. She heard the maiden's cry for help and went running with speedy steps. The goddess was vexed to see them and turning to her trusty comrades.

"Shall I never keep this unseemly, wanton brood from lustful rapine?" she said to her maidens, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Bring me my quiver."

One of her attendants brought it in. Artemis drew a short shaft from her quiver, but she did not notch it to her silver bow. Pan, was still her cousin, and he had given her many favorite hounds. Artemis was content to fling it with one hand towards the struggling pair.

The arrow-feathers touched the left hand of the frail Naiad. Beheld at once, the maiden's snow-white limbs and all her raiment suddenly turned into water, flowing into the lake and allowing her to escape the lustful god.

Artemis laughed when Pan groaned in disappointment. From then on, the young goddess made it her duty to protect all the virgins from the preying male gods and mortals alike.

Having seen what the goddess did for her fellow maidens, Callisto's heart swelled with awe. A strange feeling began to grow like a new flower in spring. When Artemis's brilliant eyes directed at her, the maiden's heart was seized by a sweet sensation she had never known. Her face formed a tint of red as she dropped her eyes to the ground. She felt unworthy of such godly attention.

"I'm tired," Artemis announced. "Let's go back and prepare me a bath."