A LONG FORGOTTEN STORY
by Ida
(17 October 2001)
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Rita for her help in translating this stuff. I also thank Jay and Isolde for their remarks and supports.
Note: This takes place after Kronos comes back from saving Athenea.
It was a beautiful early summer morning. Kronos rode out at dawn to keep his horse fit, but also just for his own enjoyment. His usual trail took him to the monolith. When he arrived, the rays of the rising sun just lit the top of the monolith.
The master of DarkOver got off his horse, let Atticus free, and took a break himself, lying down in the grass backing the big grey mass of the monolith. He watched the black stallion playfully running up and down the fields lying in front of him. Everything is so quiet, so calm... it was so damn perfect. Kronos felt that the extreme calmness would soon make him want to move. When he wanted to stand up and whistle at Atticus to come, he felt that he wasn't alone anymore.
He turned towards the approaching person, his sword already sparkling in his hand the moment he saw her. What he saw flooded him with mixed feelings. He raised his eyebrows.
First of all, he remembered Draco making him understand that here, in DarkOver, everything is up to him, that without his consent nobody can set foot on this land. More than that, there is someone else here again. Someone, who he never saw in his life before, on top of that the person is Immortal. And this wasn't the first time! He decided that he will have a few words with the dragon about this.
On the other hand, the sight wasn't necessarily... unpleasant. Quite the opposite, he stated, it wasn't unpleasant at all. The newcomer was a woman and as she approached, Kronos scrutinised her in detail.
The Immortal seemed about twenty, twenty-five years old, she was tall, but not overly so. She wore tight, black trousers, black boots and a white shirt made of slim material, it was densely wrinkled. Her build was slim, muscular, but feminine at the same time, which wasn't at all hidden by the slim, almost see-through shirt. Her dark brown hair she wore in a bun, which made her long neck apparent. Her face was of the shape of a heart, her eyes were still a mystery to Kronos, because the newcomer held her eyelashes down as she approached him. She didn't have a weapon on her and her whole being and body posture told him of peaceful intentions. At first sight she was quite attractive, but wasn't similar to the women of DarkOver. He let his sword down, his furrowed brow smoothed. He watched her curiously, she was quite close by now... and she looked up suddenly, straight into his eyes.
Kronos forgot any comparisons with other women. The world stopped existing for him for a moment. He looked into the bluest gaze ever. The eyes of the girl were blue like the sea, big and teasing. A man could have easily been lost in them, and the owner of them was quite clearly completely aware of that fact...
"Of course, if one has already lived a few thousand years, it's highly unlikely that a sparkling look will influence him badly," smiled Kronos on the inside, "anyway, this woman wants something from me. Let's see, maybe it will be fun." He stood the look without blinking to make it clear to her that her little game had not had the wanted effect. Finally, the newcomer turned her head, smiled cheerfully and honestly, and bobbed her head in appreciation towards the dark Immortal. Kronos broke the silence.
"I am Kronos. Maybe this name will tell you something... "
"Lord Kronos," the girl bowed a bit, her voice was respectful, but suggestive in the same time (not an everyday achievement!). "I know exactly who you are, what you are. That is why I could be here."
"Really?"
"Yes, because we already met."
"Really? I strongly doubt that," thought Kronos. "But I think I'll just play along. I like games," grin, "I have a strong feeling that this will be fun."
"You don't remember?" The challenge disappeared from her voice and sadness replaced it. "Of course, how could I expect that. It was so long ago..."
"Then maybe the best thing to do would be if you tell me, whoever you are and what do you want in my Realm. Come on, don't be shy. We have tons of time."
"Shy? That wouldn't be me. Not anymore. Kronos... When we first met, you were the leader of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Of those four men, who destroyed everything and everybody in their way... save one place."
Once upon a time, at the birth of civilisations, on Crete
The white temple stood in front of the Four Horsemen. They had never been this way before, but the news about them arrived earlier. The slim women priests were dressed in white and stood in line on the steps, heads bowed as expected, but they couldn't help making nervous looks by looking up once in a while to survey the legendary-feared fighters raised to life in front of them. The oldest, once sparkling beautiful priestess addressed the man in front dressed in black.
"You are standing in front of the Temple of Aphrodite. This might mean something even for you," she needed all her efforts not to talk with a shaken voice.
"Of course. Some entertainment to go with the rich treasure," grinned the dark Rider, wild, happy stars lit in his ice-blue eyes.
"Please... Don't rush it," the white skin of the priest became even paler, if that was at all possible, "if you spare our temple, we promise that we'll share the mystery of Aphrodite with you."
"The mystery of Aphrodite... I heard about it. And what if it doesn't satisfy me?"
"In that case we are in your hands."
"Ah! Have you ever heard of such a thing, brothers?", turned the leader to his camaraderie. "I think we can not lose in this case."
"Try it out then, Kronos." The figure sitting on the pale horse, closest to the leader grinned cheerfully. "Maybe they know something you don't."
"If you say so, Methos." Kronos slipped down his horse with a grin and followed the priest towards the half-dark square entrance of the temple.
"We'll wait here, Kronos," Methos shouted after him, but he addressed his words as much to the priest too. "If you try anything, they'll be sorry for it as long as they live. But don't let us wait too long," he smiled darkly, "because we could get bored out here."
Kronos grinned and nodded as an answer and both of them disappeared in the temple.
The presence of another Immortal took him by surprise. He touched his sword by instinct, his eyes searched for the source of danger, not withstanding the fact he was on Holy Ground. The priest watched his actions in dismay and fear. Obviously she didn't understand the reason behind the quick reactions.
She pointed with certainty towards the door behind the altar. The leader of the Horsemen had been able to locate the focus of the presence of other Immortal. Accompanied by the frightened looks of the priest, he went inside.
He found himself in a smaller room lit by the candles on the walls. The floor and the walls were partially covered by fine decorated wood, the room was almost overflowing by the most disparate variety of utility things and ornaments, but his eyes were driven to the middle of the room to the huge bed, on which lay a slim figure dressed in white. An Immortal. Weirdly, the other Immortal, even if she recognised the presence of Kronos, gave no sign of it. The Rider stood closer. The Immortal priest of Aphrodite wore a see-through, white sheet held together by a belt densely embroided with pearls. Her long, brown hair was put in a bun, as was the custom. She hadn't been wearing any jewels, but her body was painted over carefully, which didn't escape the eyes of Kronos under the see-through clothing, such as the attractive smooth body of the priestess. Looking in those blue eyes was like looking in a sparkling lake on a summer dawn. Weirdly, knowing that he stood in front of a person of his own kind, the innocent feeling sparkling in the blue eyes contradicted her origins. It was obvious, that the girl didn't know who she really was, but Kronos wanted to make sure before... he gave up his sword and gave himself to the mystery of Aphrodite.
In the meantime the girl stood up and poured wine in two cups, offered one of them to the man. She didn't utter a word, her eyes talked instead.
"Do you know who I am?", asked Kronos while taking the cup.
"You are a warrior. The sisters told me that you were one of the greatest," not only her eyes but her voice too was innocent, almost like a child's, which gave rise to an assumption in Kronos that wasn't uncomfortable at all.
"One of the?...", he chuckled and tasted the wine, "and do you know who you are?"
"My name is Ida. That's all I need to know."
"Ida? Like the mountain?" The temple wasn't far from that mountain, where Zeus was brought up, according to the legend. The girl shallowed her eyes in a shy manner.
"That is where they found me after the first spring gale, under a tree hit by lightning. They first thought I was dead, but I came to life suddenly. I didn't remember anything about my past, that is why they had to give me a name. Initially, they brought me in here. The priestess of Aphrodite made me feel home and taught me ... "
"Only the priestesses taught you so far, right?" The apprehension disappeared from Kronos' looks, it changed to interest.
"Yes...", said quietly Ida.
"Well, darling, than it is time that you complete your theoretical background with practice," chuckled Kronos and reached out towards the girl's belt.
************
Next morning the Horsemen of the Apocalypse left the Temple of Aphrodite. Kronos didn't give a reason as to why. The Four Riders took to East and their figure soon disappeared in the sparkles of the rising Sun.
Ida stared after them for along time, she could still hear the strange good bye of the dark warrior:
"Don't loose your head."
"Of course, later there came an Immortal who explained what your words meant. And when I found out who I was, what I was... I left the Temple of Aphrodite. I travelled all around the world since then, living life as the rest of us."
"Hmm... But you still didn't mention what you are doing in DarkOver. How did you get in my world?" The look of Kronos's face was unreadable, if he remembered her, he didn't show signs of it.
"I'm not in your world, Kronos. Not yet. You know it yourself, without your permission, nobody can set foot in here."
"Than who am I talking to just now, would you tell me? And don't talk in metaphors, because I don't like it." The master of DarkOver frowned.
"My Lord Kronos... at the moment you are sleeping at the feet of monolith and you dream about talking to me. This was the only way I could get in touch with you. I can't enter in your world... not by myself... without your permission," her words became rushed, "my time is running out and if you wake up before... only one word, that is all you have to say Kronos... yes or no... "
I'm waiting for your answer Kronos...
