“So Chris, how are we going to do it?” inquired Andi, her brown hair shining in the summer sun.
“How about a party?” replied Chris.
“Sounds good. Maybe just the four of us.”
“GOT IT!!” he exclaimed. “A pool party! Next weekend!”
“So soon? Don't you think we should have a bit more time to plan?” Andi asked.
“I thought the goal was to get them together before the Summer ended. Have you forgotten that school start up in less than a month?” Chris looked at Andi.
As the week progressed plans for the party were set in motion. Chris got together with Keith, his best friend since forever, and told him of a surprise party he wanted to throw for Andi. Keith agreed to help. While Andi was trying to figure out a way to get Selene to the party. On Saturday, she finally was able to act on her idea.
Selene awoke and tried to decide what to wear for the day. As she walked to the closet, she slipped out of her nightshirt, exposing her slender body to the sunlight coming through the window. She stood in front of the closet for a moment before taking out a hot pink and electric blue blouse. She put it on while walking to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of black jeans and slipped them over her slim yet muscular legs. She picked up her brush and began brushing her hair when her phone rang.
“Oh! Who the hell is calling this early?” she exclaimed as she picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Hey Selene, it's Andi. Did you have any plans today?”
“No, I was just going to relax a bit. Ya know, save up my energy since school is starting soon. Why?”
“Well, Chris and I are throwing a surprise birthday party for Keith and thought it'd be cool if you could come. That way I don't get outnumbered by the guys”
“Hey that sounds like fun. Should I bring anything?”
Nothing much... just your swimsuit. Remember Chris has his pool. Would you be wanting a ride?”
Selene walked over to her dresser and pulled out her swimsuit. “Yeah, that'd be great. You know I have never been able to successfully find Chris' house.”
Andi laughed, “Oh yeah, I remember the time it took you over an hour to get there... you only live a few minutes away.”
“Don't remind me,” Selene groaned.
“OK, OK. I'll be over in about ten minutes to get you,” said Andi.
“Alright. See ya then!” Selene hung up the phone and went to the closet to get her beach towel. Finding her black gym back she put in the towel and swimsuit.
Within ten minutes, Andi was in front of the apartment complex. Selene got in Andi's car. She is amazed every time she sees Andi's car... a 1957 Chevy Bel Air with the original blue paint job. In about fifteen minutes they were in front of Chris' place.
“Sounds like the party started without us,” Selene commented when they heard they guys diving and splashing.
When they got around back, Chris hopped out of the pool to greet them. Keith was still finishing his lap.
“Why don't you two go in the house and get changed. I'm sure you don't want to go swimming in your clothes.” Chris pointed the way to the door.
As the two girls went inside, Chris called out, “Go ahead and change in my room!”
A few minutes later, they come out wrapped in their towels. Keith was just getting out of the pool.
“What's this?!?!?!” Keith said. “Chris, you didn't tell me the guest of honor had arrived!”
Selene looked puzzled. “What do you mean 'guest of honor'?” she queried. Then she looked at Andi. “I thought you said this was a surprise party for Keith??”
Chris and Andi began laughing. Keith started looking suspicious. He looked from Chris and Andi to Selene and said, “Selene, I think we've been set up.” Then he started laughing.
Selene looked aghast and then blushed as she began laughing as well, “I think you're right, Keith.”
“We had to get you two together somehow!” explained Andi. “All summer, each time we planned something one of you couldn't make it for one reason or another. So, this was our last ditch effort.”
They all looked at each other and continued laughing. After a bit, Selene stood up and dropping her towel started walking to the pool. “I don't know about any of you, but I'm going to go for a swim” As she walked to the pool, Andi and Chris noticed Keith's eyes following her.
Chris elbowed Keith. “What ARE you looking at there, Keith?”
“Um, I was... uh... admiring the make of her swimsuit. Black and bright pink always look good together.” Keith coughed and then said, almost too low for anyone to hear, “Especially on that shape.”
The other three agreed to head toward the pool too. As they got close they noticed Selene climbing out, somewhat hurriedly.
“Let's leave,” Selene said in a somewhat shaky voice.
“Why?” Andi asked.
Before Selene had a chance to answer a bright blue light shot out of the pool and pulled the party in.
In a matter of seconds, they found themselves in a strange land full of bright colors and odd looking plants. Among the plants were trees that made bubbles and bushes that grew candy. Just then they realized they were no longer in their swimsuits. The girls were in black spandex pants and red tank tops while the guys were in black jeans and white tank tops.
“Wh – where are we?” asked Andi.
“Phantazia,” Selene replied seemingly crestfallen.
Keith looked at her. “How do you know where we are, Selene?”
She sighed and looked around. “I was born here. But I didn't think they could or would ever find me.”
“Why?” asked Chris. “What did you do?”
“I ran away.”
“Why?” asked Andi.
“My parents had started the preparations for my marriage.”
“Marriage?!?! To who?” Keith asked with a twinge of jealousy.
“Helios. He is a prince from the neighboring country of Realta. He and I were promised to each other at my birth,” Selene explained. “Of course the arrangement was a good political move for both families. As time went by, I realized I began having difficulties with the idea of marrying Helios. For you see, even though he adored me, I did not love him. It was pure luck that I found the portal to your world. After I had been there for a while, I started thinking that if I found someone who I loved and loved me in return that I could bring him back with me so I wouldn't have to marry Helios.”
“It seems,” said Chris, “that your plan didn't work very well.”
“You're telling me,” Selene replied mournfully. She began to look around. “I recognize this area. We are not too far from my castle.”
Suddenly, the group spotted an elf riding a large, sleek cat-like animal coming into view. When the foursome realized that the cat was charging them, they started to run away.
“Hold!” cried the elf. “How did you come to be in the King's Forest, strangers?”
Before anyone else could begin speaking, Selene answered with a query of her own. “Why do you call me 'stranger'? Do you not know who I am, elf?”
“Nay, milady I do not. But if you would tell me I would be greatly honored for your voice does sound familiar to my ears.”
“I am Princess Selene, daughter of King Hyperion and Queen Phoebe, betrothed to Prince Helios of Realta,” she replied with such a regal air that the rest of the party could do nothing but stand there dumbfounded.
The elf dismounted. “Your Highness,” he said as he bowed, “forgive your humble servant for not recognizing you, but you have been away for a long time.”
“You are forgiven. What is your name, elf?”
“Dionysus, milady. This is my trusty mount Hermes.”
Keith seemed shocked when the elf said his name. “But Hermes is the messenger of the gods in Greek Mythology... and Dionysus is the god of wine and ecstasy!”
“Well, you will find that most of the names here have are also names from Greek Mythology. For example, my name, Selene, is the name of the moon-goddess and Helios is the name of the sun-god.”
“Ah, I do believe milady is mistaken because it is the other way around. The Greek gods took their names from us.”
While they were talking it began to get dark – night was setting in. Dionysus suggested that they stay where they are and set up camp. After eating dinner, one by one, Chris, Andi and Keith went to sleep. Selene decided she should find out what has been going on since her departure.
“Dionysus, tell me what has happened since I left?”
“Milady, I don't know if I should be the one to tell you.”
Selene, worried by the tone of his voice, asked anxiously, “Why shouldn't you tell me? What has happened?”
“Your father is no longer king of Phantazia.”
“WHAT?!?!?!?!” Selene cried, waking everyone else. “No longer king?!?!?!? What happened???”
“Wha- what's going on?” Chris asked sleepily.
Andi sat up. “Why aren't you guys asleep?”
Selene was focused so much on what Dionysus had just said that she didn't notice the others waken. She looked at him and pleaded, “Dionysus, tell me please? What happened?”
Dionysus cleared his throat and took a drink from his water skin. “After you left,” he started, “ your father became quite sad. As a result, he... begging your pardon for speaking ill of the king... foolishly allowed your cousin Hades take over the ruling of the land.”
“You mean Hades is running the country. Oh, I pity the people of my land.” Selene looked both shocked and worried.
“No,” Dionysus continued. “Hades WAS ruling the country. While I am not privy to all the details, I do know that he was doing it so poorly that he threw us into a war with Realta. Since Helios' father is quite old and almost on his death bed, I do believe it would be safe to say that Helios is overseeing the rule of both countries now. Unfortunately, when you left Helios became withdrawn and dour. Now that he is ruler, this sadness has changed to anger against the peoples of both lands.”
“No! That cannot be! For the sake of his people and mine, I must find him. Where can I find him? Does he live here in Phantazia or in Realta?
“He live in Realta. But milady, you will never find him. He is rarely seen and is only found when he wants to be found.”
Selene sat in thought for a few minutes and noticed everyone else was awake. Looking at Dionysus she said, “Well, I'll just make him want to be found... or make him want to find me. We will need to stop by Parthenon tomorrow and get what I need.” Looking at the others she said, “We best all get some sleep. If you will help me, we have a big task ahead of us.”