Collection of Hearts

Third Drabble - Medein

 He'd finally found his privacy, no longer being forced to listen to his sisters' complaints about humans, men, boredom or about the way the gods never seemed to favor them as they did him.

Of course, that was likely because, unlike them, he didn't complain about them every time he mentioned them. Instead, he praised them, thanked them for the bounties they gave him, the health he enjoyed under their blessings, and even thanked them for the trials they sent him to keep him strong and attentive instead of complacent and easy to defeat.

No, Medein was not one to take things for granted, knowing how humans tended to look upon his kind as some monster to defeat in order to prove their worth to each other. All the more reason to be thankful to them for providing this small sanctuary of an island far away from mankind. If the humans wanted to try to defeat him, let them come to him. He would not make it easy on them.

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He had never expected the very gods he favored to help the humans send someone to his island in safety. He should have suspected it would happen someday, but he hadn't thought it would be so soon, after only a few centuries of life. However, what shocked him more was the fact the human was female. Did they think some kitchen maid would be able to win against him?

"Leave now and I won't end you, maiden. I don't want the death of a woman on my hands," Medein hissed out, the snakes on his head weaving erratically due to his agitation.

"You think me weak? I shall prove you wrong!" The female shouted in anger, the sound of steel being pulled from a sheath echoing about the stone walls of Medein's home.

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Sitting within the boat, Medein thought back on the past few days that had followed the short battle he'd fought against the woman, this Percia as she claimed herself to be named. He'd been shocked at first when she did not turn to stone at his mere gaze and impressed when she showed no fear in coming at him with her sword, her shield practically glowing with the blessings of the gods and goddesses that favored her.

Seeing her rushing at him, he had called a quick halt to the battle, asking her why she came and why the gods would favor her so greatly. Hearing the tale of her people being besieged by the threat of the Kraken, her friend set to be offered as a sacrifice in hopes of calming the Kraken's rage, and the only hope to stop the Kraken is the gaze of a gorgon such as him, could he finally understand why the gods would send her to him.

If she had gone to ask help of his sisters, they would have devoured her flesh the moment they saw the chance, their hatred of humanity enough to ensure the worst fate possible for this girl and her people. They would have cackled with glee at the idea of helping destroy an entire city of humans, especially at the hands of the vicious Kraken.

So it was that Medein allied himself with this female warrior, for a warrior she was, proving herself in one battle after another as she fought her way back to the place she called home. And with each passing day, he found himself growing closer to Percia and hoping that what he was coming to understand of her feelings for this Andromeda that she often spoke of was wrong.

Because if she really did love this princess of hers as he thought, then his own growing feelings had no hope of ever being returned.