The life of a mortal was hard. She had always known it from an outsiders perspective but now Antheia was living it. She had done more moving in the past few hours than she had done in centuries. She had done more of everything.
Now, she was paying the price.
Every part of her mortal form was exhausted - even parts of her she hadn't known existed. Damn, but her thighs hurt. They stung with each step she took - her wet skin brushing against more wet skin leaving a trail of burning fire in its wake. Hera would love this. She always did delight in Antheia's misery. She should have been called the goddess of petty revenge.
Antheia took another step forwards, her legs stung in angry protest.
Was this what it meant to be human? Experiencing every emotion and every feeling more intensely. Pain and discomfort broken up by brief moments of joy. It hurt and yet, Antheia had never been so ... alive.
The walk back to the human homestead was long and arduous. Though, by her reckoning, they had travelled less than a mile downstream. The breeze buffeted against them over and over again, sending shivers down all of their spines. Their water logged clothing was like heavy weights, dragging on their every step.
Antheia's weariness clung to her like a second skin. And yet, no matter how much she wanted to, she didn't stop. She put one foot in front of the other, her voice humming a light tune even if she would rather close her eyes and rest. The young ones only continued on at her urging. The strength she had shared with them was tapped out and the effects were already starting to wane. Their steps were slower. Their heads drooping a little lower on their necks.
Antheia's heart seized in her chest. And yet, there was nothing she could do. She was running on empty just as much as they were. She had never been pushed this far to her limits.
They had to be close. Surely? Antheia's tiredness was becoming difficult to ignore.
Then, on the wind she heard it.
"Ellie!"
It was the voice. The same one she had heard in her forest.
"Child," She asked, shaking her priestess's hand gently. "Is that your father?"
Her priestess glanced up at her with weary eyes. And yet, when she heard the voice again, she beamed. "That's my dad. DAD."
"ELLIE."
The voice was closer this time. On instinct, and with a burst of renewed energy, the trio picked up their pace though taking great care to avoid getting too near to steep slope leading down to the surging river. None of them fancied another swim. Not yet at least.
And then, around the tree line came the bearded man from the morning. He raced towards them, his face pale though the mask of terror swiftly transformed into relief as he got closer.
Ellie broke her grip on Antheia's hand and then, choking out a sob, she raced towards her father. They met half way, the man bending his knees to catch her as she leaped towards his waiting arms. Her clutched her tightly, pressing kisses against her damp hair, uncaring about the river water soaking into his own clothes.
"Oh, thank God."
Goddess. Antheia silently amended.
"I thought I had lost you. They said you fell into the river."
"We did but the princess saved us."
His arms tightened around her, his focus never leaving his little girl. Ellie didn't protest. She just hugged him back just as tightly.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again. You're all I have. I don't -." He cut off, letting loose a choked sob. "I can't lose you. Do you understand me?"
She nodded into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to . I was just saving the kitten."
He sighed loudly, as if it was a battle he had fought and lost several times. "I know you were. Your friends told me. But what did we say last time."
He pulled back so that he could watch her face. She ducked her head and refused to meet his gaze as she replied, "If it's dangerous, we should call an adult."
"That's right."
"But Dad, the kitten was going to fall in. There wasn't time."
The bearded man opened his mouth to respond but Antheia beat him to it. "I am sorry to interrupt, father of Ellie. Perhaps we should have this conversation to somewhere out of the elements. The children will catch a chill if we linger."
As if to make her point, a breeze brushed past causing both children to shiver. Even Antheia let loose a delicate shudder.
The man startled, his gaze lifting to Antheia. And then his eyes widened as her finally took in the beautiful figure standing before him.
Though worse for wear, after her dip in the river, there was something extraordinary about the woman. Or perhaps that was just the clothing. She was dressed strangely, strips of green fabric clinging to her curvaceous form. It was as if she had stepped out of some fantasy book. With a flowers threaded through her damp hair, she could have been a wood nymph or a wingless faerie. Something otherworldly. Even her manner exuded something other - not bad, just different. Little did he realise just how right that assumption was.
"You saved them?"
Antheia nodded her head. "It was my duty."
If he found her response odd, he ignored it. Instead, he smiled. "Thank you. I will forever be in your debt."
"No thanks are needed."
He rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well, at least come and join us for dinner. I'm sure we can get you some dry clothes too unless you're camped nearby."
"You have my thanks. It would be my honour to break bread with you."
He raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders. "Uh, okay. Sounds great." He lifted his daughter into his arms. "Just follow me, we're not far from the camp site. You'll be warm and fed in no time."
**
The bedraggled group made their way back into camp twenty minutes later, drawing curious glances from the people they passed. Ellie rested her cold damp cheek against her Dad's, her eyes blinking slowly as she fought off sleep. The young boy remained quiet at Antheia's side, his grip tight around her hand. She felt his eyes staring at her time to time. On one such occasion, she met his gaze.
"Speak your question, young one."
Joey glanced at Ellie and her father walking a few paces ahead before he whispered, "Are you really a magical princess? "
Antheia's lips curled up into a smile. "No, child. I am not a princess."
"Are you sure?"
"Quite sure, young one."
"But you did magic. I saw it."
Antheia leaned down and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?" He nodded fervently. "I am a goddess. The daughter of Zeus."
"Like The Cat in the Hat? We read that at school."
"No, child. I have never heard of a cat in a hat. It sounds most peculiar." Antheia shook her head. "Zeus was a God, one of the most powerful to ever exist."
The young boy tilted his head to the side. "My gran said God is powerful. Do you think it's the same one?" His nose wrinkled. "She didn't talk about you."
"Most people forgot about me. Until you all found me."
His little brow furrowed, confusion clear on his face. Then his eyes widened. "The statue." He breathed after a moment, wonder in his voice.
Antheia nodded her head. "Yes."
"Wow." His eyes were wide with innocent wonderment, his free hand reaching up to touch her arm. "You feel normal."
Antheia chuckled, her laugh like music to the young boy's ears.
Then, just as suddenly, his wonder was replaced with a disappointed frown. "Are you going to go home now?"
Antheia smile slipped from her face, the innocent question striking painfully in her chest. "I have no home. Not anymore."
His face grew momentarily sad, his steps slowing. Then, as quick as it came, it was replaced by a wide beaming smile. "That's okay. You can come home with me. You can sleep in my bed. I can share with my brother."
Antheia reached out with her free hand and brushed a hand over his damp hair. "Your kindness is welcomed, young one. You have this goddess's thanks."
He reached his hand up and touched his head, his eyes widening. "That tickles."
"You have the favour of the goddess." At his frown, she explained, "It means you have my protection. If you need me, you only have to call."
"But you won't come and stay, will you?"
"No, young one." Antheia squeezed his hand before her eyes flitted to the due before them. "I have duties elsewhere to attend to."
He pouted but nodded his head. Still, his hand gripped tighter on to hers refusing to release his hold even when there arrived back in camp and were wrapped tightly in blankets. When no amount of urging would get him to leave her side, Antheia settled beside the fire, wrapping her own blanket around the shivering boy. She hummed softly to him, her hand smoothing through his hair as she did so.
"You have a beautiful voice."
Antheia blinked, the image of the fire burned into her brain, as she lifted her attention to Ellie's father. "You haven't heard my mother sing. She was magnificent."
Antheia's chest squeezed tightly, her lips pursing. Was. She hadn't even realised she had spoken the truth that was lingering in her heart. Antheia's mother was surely gone like the rest of them now.
"I'm sorry for your loss." He murmured, empathy bright in her eyes.
"I am sorry for yours." Antheia said in response.
He blinked and shook his head. Opened and closed his mouth before he glanced towards the small shelter behind him. "Ellie," he sighed.
Antheia shook her head. "No, she did not say anything. I am just observant." He didn't need to know that she had watched him only hours earlier, had witnessed the toll of his grief.
He ran a hand over his beard before taking a seat on the opposite side of the fire, the shadows beneath his eyes like dark bruises. "I'm Owain, by the way. I'm sorry, I realised I've been very rude and to the person who saved my daughter's life no less. I just got so caught up with -."
"There is no need to fret, Owain. It is understandable when a young one is threatened." She said, her nose wrinkling slightly. "Owain, I have not heard that name for a long while."
"My mam was Welsh."
Antheia smiled softy at the accent that slipped into his words. "That explains it. I'm Antheia." She said, bowing her head ever so slightly.
Owain shifted from foot to foot, rubbing at his bearded jaw before he muttered. "We'll get food started in a moment and then, if you'd like, we can drop you where you need to go. I presume you're staying nearby."
Antheia nodded her head, "I am staying close by. But, for now, I am exactly where I need to be."
He coughed and shrugged, even as a furrow formed on his brow. "Right, well, you just sit there and relax, food will be ready soon."
Antheia nodded her head, her eyes tracking his movements as he busied himself on the other side of the camp. The small being at Antheia's side shifted in his sleep. Antheia leaned back against the stump, her hand resting on his back until he settled once more. Then, lulled by the warmth of the fire and the tiredness in her limbs, her eyes fluttered closed.
But, rest did not come.
As her body grew heavy and her mind drifted into the haze of sleep, the swirls of her forming dream jolted. Antheia's body jerked against the foreign intrusion but, no matter how much she tried, she could not wake. Caught in the paralysing hold of someone else's magic, Antheia had nowhere to run.
Shadows coalesced around the edges of her mind, growing thicker and darker with every moment that passed. Then, with one big surge, she was consumed.