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gothicmama · 30 days

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Phrixia Returns to His Forest (Rough Draft 2?)

Deep below the earth, under the thick layers of dirt and rocks, made up materials ranging from simple mud to extravagant diamonds, lay the Underworld. Shrouded by darkness and shadows, broken only by the light of enchanted fires that would never burn out and the natural light emanating from the precious crystals carefully plucked from the very earth itself, it was a place made up of marble and stone. Each building and road were crafted with the greatest care and precision, having stood for centuries already and guaranteed to stand for centuries more.

It was a place reminiscent of Olympus and in truth, it could be said that it was simply a copy of Olympus, but one made to be the dark opposite of the light and bright city in the clouds. The architecture from both places were so similar, the same tall structures and open spaces, floor to ceiling windows and double doors. Stepping foot into the Underworld was like stepping back into time, the realm mostly untouched by the modernity happening up above, save for inside spaces where certain modern luxuries were celebrated.

The further into the Underworld one traveled, however, the further down they went. And the further down they went, the more untouched things became. Eventually, the Underworld would melt away and bleed into the realm below it. Tartarus was somehow impossibly darker than the sunless city. Tiled and paved roads turned into stone corridors, the blazing torches and curated crystals were replaced by crystals that jutted from the walls and ceilings. Buildings were replaced with rooms and spaces, carefully carved from the very rock that made up everything.

The very bottom of the realm was reserved for those who deserved punishment, the worst of the worst of all beings. But above that were those who ran the realm, who kept things in check and kept the dungeon below running and the prisoners confined. Those beings had carved out homes for themselves over the ages, turning the dark realm into a veritable maze of rock and stone. It was only too easy for one who was new to the realm to get lost, and even easier to get into trouble. Even those who lived there or those who visited often sometimes had trouble.

Deep inside Tartarus, but not so deep that she could hear the screams and wails of those suffering for the wrongs they’d committed in life, was where Phrixia’s room was situated. It had once been just a hollowed-out cave, made just for her as a child when her parents decided she was old enough to be out of their rooms. She’d expanded on it, using her power to manipulate the rock walls and create the perfect room. It had her bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room and kitchen all in one space, but was big enough to not feel cramped.

Against one wall sat her large, four poster bed made of thick columns and a thick canopy that curtained the bed on all sides and matched the dark purple bedding her mother had made for her. There were shelves carved into the very walls, half of which housed her books and the other half of which housed her collection of pretty things, ranging from precious crystals to just pretty rocks to shining gemstones. There was a soft blue light bathing the room, thanks to the glowing blue crystal that hung from the center of the ceiling like a chandelier. Her bathroom was another, smaller room, that was attached to the bedroom and only separated by a high archway and a thick curtain. In one corner of the room sat her living area, where a fireplace had been carved into the wall, which was always lit by the same magical fire that lit up the Underworld, so her room was always warm. Next to the fireplace was a large desk that sat facing the wall, where she often liked to sit to write or draw, or sometimes clean up the items she collected. In front of the fireplace sat a long, low couch made up stone and cushioned with a thick, rich, blue fabric. The stone floor was covered all over with various furs, to help with keeping the room warm. And in one corner of the room was her kitchen, which only held what she needed to store and prepare food, and in the same space sat the stone table and chairs where she would sit and eat.

The first thing Phrixia did after reassuring her friends, placating her parents, apologizing to her guards, and finally returning to her rooms had been to take a long bath. She’d filled the tub, big enough and deep enough to be a small pool that was set into the stone floor, with hot water and thanks to a bit of magic, it stayed good and hot until she was ready to get out. It took over an hour because she took her time soothing her aching body and cleaning herself up. After that, she laid down in bed to finish healing from all of her injuries, because while she did on occasion do stupid things, she did know better than to run around injured. She read her books and sketched in her journal to pass the time, and if those sketches resembled a certain satyr, that was her business. And finally, after several hours, she was fully healed, with no dizziness or pain anywhere, and there wasn’t a mark on her body to show she’d ever even been hurt.

At that point, her patience wore out. She scrambled out of bed, dressed in one of her favorite black wrap dresses, because it was comfortable and her favorite, not because the way it fit showed off her body well. That was just a bonus. She brushed her hair out and made sure her makeup was perfect, magicking it on because she was too impatient to do it by hand. And then, after eating a quick meal because she hadn’t eaten anything since the day before when she’d escaped from her guards, she deemed herself ready. So, she stood in the middle of the room, closed her eyes, and tried to take herself back to the forest.

She quickly found that it would be much harder to do than the first time she’d done it. She still wasn’t sure how she’d managed to land in a place she’d never been to nor even known about. But now that she wanted to go there, she was having trouble. She didn't know exactly where it was and even with being able to picture it in her head, she couldn't get there. She spent over an hour standing in the middle of her room. With her eyes closed, she visualized everything she could remember of the forest in her head. In her mind she could see the trees, so tall and old but full of vibrancy and life. The sounds of the animals that called the trees home, both those that lived in the branches and the ones who lived inside the trunks themselves, filled her ears. Even the smells were vivid in her mind, and each breath was slow and wistful as she remembered breathing them all in so that they filled her lungs. Normally she didn’t need this much effort to get where she needed to be, just simply thinking about a place was enough. But every time she opened her eyes, she found herself staring at the stone wall of her room. Except for the few times she accidentally went to the wrong forest. Each time she cursed and returned to her room, to the same spot, and tried again.

After that hour of mistakes and failures, she threw herself onto her bed, face first, and screamed her frustration into the soft, purple pillow. Even muffled her scream echoed around the room, bouncing off the rock walls. The scream died as she ran out of breath and, needing to take another, she rolled onto her back and stared up at the canopy above her. The fabric, made with the same magic that made up her mother’s veil and clothing, looked normal on the outside. But on the inside, it was as if part of the night sky had been sewn into it. It was alive with stars that shined bright against the vibrant blues, greens, and purples that broke up the pitch-black fabric. She stared at one star in particular as it twinkled, unblinking, until her eyes began to water. She let them fill and let the tears fall down her face and into her hair, pretending in her mind that she was crying from that and not from her own frustration with herself. Eventually though her eyes began to hurt from being open so long and she closed them, sniffing heavily before she let out a shuddery sigh.

As she silently cried, her frustration bled away into hopelessness, and then resignation. There was no real reason to return to the forest, no reason to get worked up over it. It was debatable if it would be worth the scoldings she'd get, from her friends and from her family, for disappearing again. But even as the thought of giving up crossed her mind, her stubbornness reared up. She opened her eyes and this time, instead of tears, they were filled with determination. She was going to return to the forest, she couldn't resist. She wanted to explore the rest of it, she'd gotten just a taste of it during her brief visit, but now she was itching to see the rest of it.

And, as much as she wouldn’t admit it aloud, she did have another reason for wanting to go. She wanted to see the mysterious satyr again. He had saved her life after all, and she felt like she hadn’t really thanked him for it. And if he was really the god Pan, she still wasn't sure if she believed that, if he was, it wouldn’t do to not only not thank him as she should have, but she also needed to properly apologize for her attitude towards him. She had practically yelled at him, and yelling at a god was never a good idea. Even as the daughter of Nyx and Erebus, she knew it paid to be careful around unknown gods and beings. These thoughts ran through her head quickly, excuses and reasoning she could use later to defend and explain herself against the inevitable lectures. But really, she didn’t need any of it to explain why she really wanted to go.

She simply wanted to see him again. Not only because he'd saved her and brought her home, at risk to himself. Doing so proved, at least in her mind, that he was a good person. God or not, he was at least that, and more. Not many would just traipse into the Underworld like that, carrying another person, especially without being seen. He was also either incredibly lucky or incredibly capable to pull off such a feat. And he was just as stubborn as her it seemed, able to meet her sharp tongue and give it back just as sharp. And despite their very real arguing when she’d first woken up, talking and bickering with him filled her with a sense of excitement and satisfaction she hadn’t felt in a long time. Not many wanted to talk to her, out of fear of her parents, and even less wanted to risk their wrath by teasing or bickering with her. Going back and forth with him had felt like a breath of fresh air, after decades breathing stale air underground.

And besides all that, she wasn't afraid to say he was also physically attractive. Handsome in his human form, certainly, but as a satyr, he was breathtaking. The change had happened so fast it had left her reeling slightly, but then she’d seen, and he was instantly burned into her mind. His tall frame was supported by strong, furred legs and sharp hooves. His long, wavy blonde hair hadn’t changed any like his body had, but it was pushed aside to make room on either side of his head for the pair of curling, ridged ram horns. The one thing between both forms that she still felt captivated by, however, were his eyes. Vibrant green and shining with life and power, they were breathtaking all on their own.

So, not only was he appealing, both in appearance and personality, but he also presented a unique opportunity for her. She was several centuries old, but her experience in relationships was still rudimentary at best. Just as making friends was hard, finding partners was even harder. Most everyone who came to or lived in the Underworld and Tartarus knew who she was, either personally or they knew through word of mouth. Meeting someone who didn’t know who she was had never happened, not even during all the time she spent on Earth. She made it a point to not meet people during her travels, she valued her secrecy and privacy more than she wanted potential friendships. Plus, there were times where she couldn’t get away for a while and with the way time moved differently in the Underworld, she could easily go months without leaving. Keeping up with friendships would be hard like that, so she’d never tried. Relationships had always felt just as impossible. She could count on one hand the number of people she’d kissed through her many decades, and with how many decades she’d been alive, it was just sad in her mind.

But now, it seemed fate had intervened and given her the perfect chance to have something with someone, someone who didn’t know who she was or who her parents were. Someone who only saw a nymph, a woman. Someone who was attracted to her, without fear of any potential repercussions or punishments. She assumed he was attracted to her, but she felt safe in her assumption. She’d seen desire in the eyes of others before, tempered by their fear though it was. What she’d seen in his eyes hadn’t been tempered by anything and the intensity in them still burned her just thinking about it. She desperately wanted more of that.

Although, she’d take his friendship and be thankful for it, if it turned out she was wrong and that was all there was between them. She’d never know until she saw him again. Which brought her back to her current problem, trying to get back to him.

She wisely chose to let herself cool down, let her frustration die down, before she tried again. It wouldn’t help her any, so she laid there and made herself take slow, even breaths. She pictured him in her mind, losing herself first in her memory of him, short as it was, and then losing herself all over again when her imagination began to wander. She was so lost in it that it took her almost ten minutes to realize she wasn't laying on her bed anymore. The soft blanket, warmed by the fire, was gone and underneath her instead was rough grass, warmed not by fire but by the sun. One of the blades, moved by the wind, brushed against her bare skin and she opened her eyes with a gasp. Above her, instead of the night sky spelled across her bed canopy was the canopy of branches and leaves, broken up by the sunlight that streamed through every available opening.

She shot upright and pulled herself into a defensive crouch, twisting her head both ways to look all around her. She was in a forest, surrounded by trees, bushes, and rocks, but nothing told her whether she was in the right forest or not. When nothing moved or made a sound, she cautiously stood up and slowly turned in place a few times, her bare feet silent on the grass. She still didn't see anything that told her where she was, not like her failed attempts before when she’d landed at specific landmarks that told her explicitly that she was in the wrong place. A tiny bit of hope bloomed inside her, and something else that she couldn’t name, but as she looked around, she became sure she’d gotten it right this time.

That brought her to her next problem, she didn’t know where in the forest she was. She had no idea where she was and even less idea where she would find Pan. She let out a frustrated sigh and kicked at the grass. She felt like she’d taken a giant leap forward, only to then take three steps backwards. She kicked the grass again, cursed under her breath, then closed her eyes and spun in place a few times. She stopped randomly and waited a breath before she opened her eyes. She found herself staring at an opening amongst the trees, too small to be a proper path but it was partially clear of other foliage, so she assumed it was used as such by someone. With no better option in mind, she sighed and started walking.

As she followed the path that was not a path, finding the signs that only those who knew what to look for could see, she took her time walking. Partially to be careful with her bare feet, she didn’t feel like dealing with injured feet again, but she also wanted to enjoy her time out. She figured she had a few hours before someone came to check on her, since she’d promised to go straight to bed and stay there to finish healing. And while part of her wanted to rush, to find Pan that much faster, on the off chance she was in the wrong place, she saw no reason to rush about and spend her time outside worrying.

And take her time she did, because she couldn’t help but stop every few minutes, to bask in the sunlight, admire a pretty flower, or watch a squirrel flit between branches. Sometimes she heard a noise that didn’t sound like local wildlife, something much too big to be squirrels or birds moving about the trees, but every time she turned towards it, there was nothing there. Other than those instances however, everything was peaceful and quiet, the only other sounds around her were the leaves rustling in the wind and the birds in the tree. For all that she started out cautious and careful, on the lookout for trouble, she found herself relaxing with each step and breath she took.

She became so relaxed that she didn't hear the satyr, had no idea he was there until he suddenly stepped out from behind a tree directly into her path to tower over her. She gasped and stumbled backwards, tripping over the fallen branch she'd just stepped over. Even as she lost her balance and began to fall, she raised her hands defensively. The satyr moved just as fast and the hand not holding onto his long spear whipped out to grab one of hers. His was larger than hers and it enveloped it completely, his grip strong but gentle, his fingers rough against her smooth skin. He pulled her back upright and as soon as she had her balance back, he let her go. She nervously adjusted her dress as she studied him.

He was tall, much taller than her, and stood over six feet though she couldn't tell the inches exactly, due to the thick, furred goat legs and hooves. His upper body was just as thick and muscled but covered in a layer of healthy fat and dark body hair. He wore nothing but a cloth, loosely wrapped and tied around his waist, a pair of leather bracers on his forearms, and an emerald pendant hanging around his neck that was engraved with a symbol she didn’t recognize. The same leather had been used to create hand spots along his double-bladed spear, which was just as tall as him and hand carved from dark wood. His fur matched the salt and pepper coloring of his long, curly hair. He'd parted the thick untamable mass into multiple braids and tied them all back from his face. The ones at his temples were pulled around the base of the two horns that jutted out from just behind his temples. They were thick and heavy with ridges and they spiraled backwards away from his face, sitting horizontally rather than vertically. His face was hard, with a strong, sharp nose that looked more towards human than goat, and a strong jawline hidden behind a thick salt and pepper beard. But under his thick, bushy eyebrows, his eyes were soft as he looked her up and down in turn. After a moment of silence, his face cracked, and he smiled.

"You must be the nymph who fell out of the tree,” the satyr said, his deep voice kind but amused.

She blinked repeatedly, stunned. That wasn’t anywhere in her list of things she’d expected him to say. It took her a moment to come up with a response, before she hesitantly replied, "I am. How do you know about that?"

He chuckled and his whole chest shook with the action. "I think everyone knows about that by now. Word spreads fast, even in a forest as big as this one."

Despite the embarrassed blush warming her cheeks, her face brightened at his words. She forgot all about caution and excitedly asked, "So I'm in the right forest?"

"If you mean Pan's forest, yes. You're in the right place." He spread his arms wide and gestured to the trees surrounding them. "Arcadia, home to Pan and those he considers his, those under his protection. One of the safest places you could be on Earth." He lowered his arms and crossed them over his thick chest, then knowingly said, "I take it you didn't just come back to look at the trees, did you? You're looking for Pan?"

Her face fully beaming with pride that she'd managed to get back to the forest after all, she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Yes. Um, yes, I wanted to see him again. To talk. Yeah, just to talk." She stopped her rambling when the satyr let out a quiet snort. Her blush returned and she cleared her throat, then added, "I do also want to see more of the forest. I saw how big it is, before I fell out of the tree. There's so much!"

"Well, I can do one of those. Sadly, it would take days for me to show you the whole forest. You'll need to go with Pan for that." He turned, gesturing with his head, and began walking in the same direction she'd been going before he stopped her.

"Why?" She asked curiously as she followed him.

"He moves faster than me, than anyone here in the forest, possibly even faster than Hermes." He explained as he walked. He slowed his steps to accommodate her smaller ones and he seemed to know exactly where he was going. “He could take you through the whole forest in less than a day. It's a rough ride though."

"It sounds exciting," Phrixia replied distractedly. She was looking all around as they walked, confusion growing. Where before she’d seen nothing but various trees and animals, now every time she looked around, she saw other things. After the first few times she realized what she was seeing were glimpses of faces, hidden in tree trunks and among the leaves. But every time she blinked, and the faces were gone as if they’d never been. She stepped closer to the satyr, confusion turning to fear in her gut. "Uh, you didn't tell me your name."

The satyr looked over his shoulder and down at her, sending her a reassuring smile. "You didn't tell me yours."

What little bit of self-preservation she had left screamed at her not to, but she pushed it aside to answer him. There was no way he’d know who she was, and he’d probably never find out, unless she told him. "My name's Phrixia."

"Konock." He easily hopped over a fallen tree and held his free hand out to help her over. She ignored it and vaulted over the tree, making the move easily despite her dress. She landed in a crouch and when she straightened up, she looked up and met his gaze. She grinned at his visible shock, which quickly turned into consideration as he grinned back at her. He dropped his hand and turned around to continue walking, the bottom blade of his spear digging into the crowd with every step.

She followed after him and sped up a bit to walk by his side this time. "Have you lived in the forest long?" she asked, focusing on his face instead of the ones popping up around them. She was getting used to them when she saw them, her heart didn't jump when it happened, but they were still making her nervous.

"For most of my life," he answered readily. "My father died when I was young, so my mother moved us here, for safety and community."

Surprised by his answer, Phrixia was silent for a moment before she had another question. "Do lots of families, lots of children, live in the forest?" It wasn’t what she’d expected from the home of one with Pan’s reputation. She’d expected lots of rowdy, lustful creatures who partied all the time.

"Yes. We are a large community, made up of all kinds of families. Families of one and families of ten, they all have a place." His explanation sounded practiced and confident, as if it were something he said often. He pushed aside a low hanging branch and gestured for her to go ahead.

"You sound like you're in charge," she commented as she stepped under it.

Konock let the branch snap back into place and with two long steps he returned to his place at her side. Resuming his slower pace for her, he chuckled and nodded. "I am, somewhat. I'm one of Pan's lords. I don't hold much sway over others here, but I have duties and responsibilities to them."

"And Pan is what? Your king?"

"He won't accept such a grand title, but he is our leader and protector. These are his lands and his people, and he protects them both just the same." He touched the pendant hanging around his neck. "Those he trusts the most, who've proven themselves capable and worthy, are given land within the forest and the title of lord. It's just a title though, we don't call ourselves that, and we don't call Pan anything but his name."

Phrixia’s curiosity was piqued in many ways, but she couldn't help but first ask, "What did you do to earn it?"

To her surprise, he answered readily and easily. "My friends and I were playing too close to the edge of the forest and our noise attracted a griffon. Most creatures and beings know to avoid the forest, we have several markers that clearly define our borders, but there are those don't know or disregard them completely. It attacked us and I fought it off long enough for my friends to get away and for help to reach me." His face hardened for a moment as the memory played itself out in his mind, but then he shook his head and his face cleared.

"That doesn't sound like enough to be named a lord." She cringed as soon as the last word passed her lips, realizing too late how rude it was. She hurried to apologize but stopped when Konock laughed.

"You're right, it wasn't. But it was enough to get Pan's attention. He said I was naturally talented, with good instincts, and after that he began training me. By the time I reached maturity, he felt I was good enough to officially be a lord. That was decades ago. I've since proven myself many times over." He sent her a cocky grin and she flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me." She dropped her head to hide her face.

Chuckling, he shrugged. "No worries, that wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard. Most of the people living here are rough around the edges." He patted her shoulder, his touch gentle and reassuring. "Takes a lot more than that to offend me."

Phrixia looked up to meet his gaze, but as she did so, a face suddenly appeared in the trunk of the tree behind him. Her gaze jumped to it, and she gasped, shocked and frightened. Konock reacted instantly, spinning her around and sweeping her behind his larger body. He scanned their surroundings for a long moment but when he saw nothing but trees, he slowly relaxed. She looked around him and let out an irritated huff when she saw the face had disappeared just like the others before. He glanced down at her, then followed her gaze to the specific tree. He tilted his head curiously, staring at the trunk silently for a few seconds, before realization hit him.

He snorted softly and turned back around to face her. He smiled in response to her confusion. "I apologize for them. They've been playing hide and seek with you this whole time, haven't they?"

"You knew about this?" she asked, struggling to stay calm as her confusion warred with her irritation. She didn't like being toyed with and knowing Konock might have been in on it had a sense of betrayal feeding her ire. She barely knew him, which made the betrayal ridiculous, but she expected better from someone who claimed to be in a position of some authority.

His smile faded when he saw she really wasn't happy with the teasing. He bowed his head, guilt taking over his face. "I'm sorry. I truly didn't know they were doing that, but I should have assumed they were. It's one of their favorite games to play with newcomers." He looked around and raised his voice, then added, "It's incredibly immature and rude of them, yet they can't seem to help themselves."

Nothing moved in response to his reprimand, until suddenly the air was filled with furious shrieks and shouts. Phrixia clapped her hands over her ears, hunching over slightly as the sounds assaulted them.

Konock covered her hands with his own, further muffling the sounds around them. Then, he took a deep breath in and roared loudly, so loudly that even with her ears muffled by both their hands it still made her tremble. It lasted less than thirty seconds but when it died, there was nothing but silence around them again. He lowered his hands and she hesitantly lowered hers, too. She slowly straightened up and looked around, but still saw no one else. She looked up at Konock and asked, "Who are they?"

"Nymphs." He looked around, glaring at nothing she could see. Instantly, Phrixia's fear and confusion vanished, replaced by anger and embarrassment as understanding dawned. It was just a prank. She'd heard that some Earth nymphs liked those, even some of the Underworld nymphs she knew did too. But no one in the Underworld would dare prank her for fear of her parents' wrath, so this wasn't something she'd experienced before. Her face burning, she spun around and started walking. She had no idea which was the right direction, but she didn't want to stay there anymore.

After grabbing his spear from the ground where he’d dropped it, Konock quickly caught up to her and guided her into the right direction with a tentative hand on her shoulder. He walked beside her quietly, the only sounds he made were his surprisingly soft hoof steps. She refused to look at him, but she could feel his remorse radiating from him. It did little to comfort or soothe her.

They'd been walking for a few minutes when he broke the silence. "I really am sorry." His voice rumbled softly, so low that she almost didn't hear him. She didn't look at him or respond, only stiffly nodded her head to show she'd heard him. She didn't know what to say, but she didn't want to say the wrong thing in her anger. He sighed and hung his head, though his eyes never stopped moving as he paid attention to their surroundings. It took another few minutes of silence before her anger cooled enough that she felt she wouldn't say something she'd regret.

"I accept your apology." Even as she spoke, her embarrassment returned, intensified, but for a different reason this time. It was such a silly thing to get so angry over, it was just a prank after all. And he'd had no part in it, clearly was sorry for it despite that, so taking her anger out on him wasn't justified or fair. She let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping, and she offered her own apology. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't take my anger out on you."

Konock turned his head slightly and looked down at her. "I accept your apology, as well. Though it's not without warrant. I should have known what they were doing, they do it often, both to residents of the forest and newcomers alike." He shook his head with a loud snort. "We really shouldn't indulge them so much, but there's only so much we can do when they never cross the line past harmless pranks."

Phrixia held back the urge to point out that some might not consider their pranks harmless. Instead, she asked, "Pan can't simply order them to stop?" Just the thought that he couldn't make them stop, that they wouldn't obey him, was confusing to her. In her experience, with her parents and the few other gods she knew, they were obeyed by their followers and subjects no matter what. To do otherwise didn't end well.

"He could, but he won't. Not only because many of them don’t appreciate being commanded like that and they would simply leave and find somewhere else to live, but also because he's not like that. He doesn't throw his weight around if he doesn't have to. He only cares about making sure everyone in the forest lives together peacefully."

His answer did little to explain it to her. She thought back to Pan during their brief interaction. She assumed him to be a good person, because he had saved her and brought her home, but there were moments where he been cocky and overly confident. Neither of which were bad to be, really, and it was refreshing to her when she'd spent most of her life surrounded by people who were frightened of her parents. The side of him she'd seen so far didn't seem to align with what Konock was saying now, and it didn’t align with her knowledge and experience of gods. But she also knew that she hadn't really spent much time with him, and it was entirely possible for someone to be cocky and also be kind. Or maybe he'd been putting on an act with her. She didn't know which it was, but now her curiosity was further piqued and the desire to get answers, to get to know him more, was only fueled.

All the questions she had about him jumped into her mind and she almost blurted them out. But she held back. She would find out for herself, as soon as she saw him again. With that thought, she tried not to sound impatient when she casually commented, "We've been walking for a while." She glanced sideways up at Konock and with a small smirk she couldn't hide, she added, "You sure you're not lost?"

He swung his head down to look at her, his shock at her teasing apparent on his face. She turned her smirk into an innocent smile and after several seconds of looking at each other, he looked away. Smiling and laughing quietly to himself, he shook his head. Before answering her, he muttered under his breath, "He doesn't know what he's getting into." Phrixia frowned but before she could ask what he meant, he said, "I assure you, it would be impossible for me to get lost in this forest. I know exactly where we are. It won't be much farther."

Thinking over his words, she looked around and realized for the first time that they must have been heading out of the forest, or into a field inside the forest. The trees were growing thinner, more spread out. Just as suddenly as that realization hit her, another one followed right after it. "Where exactly are you taking me?" She cursed herself in her head, she really should have asked sooner. She had assumed that he would take her to wherever Pan was, but she hadn’t considered that she had no idea where that was.

"To Pan's home. He should be there this time of day, unless something called him away, but even then, he won't be gone longer than he has to be."

"He has a schedule?" She followed Konock over another fallen tree that she could have just as easily walked around. But he jumped it with barely any effort and her competitiveness took over in the moment. She vaulted over it with less grace than him, stumbling when she landed. He caught her arm before she could fall and gently set her upright. She nodded her thanks, and he continued leading her through the trees.

"Somewhat. He's always where he's needed, handling problems and trouble. And there are specific hours where he patrols the edges of the forest. But this time of day is when he likes to nap." Konock chuckled and smiled down at her, and when she looked confused by his amusement, he explained, "He really likes his naps. We all try not to interrupt them."

"Oh," Was all she could utter in her surprise. She hadn't heard much about Pan specifically, since he never came to the Underworld, those who lived there knew little about him. But from the few rumors that had reached her over the decades, she'd imagined someone rough and cruel, who demanded fear and respect from everyone, with insatiable appetites that he filled with whatever and whoever he wanted. But just from their brief introduction and what she'd heard from Konock so far, the rumors seemed to be the furthest thing from the truth. Comparing what she’d thought to be true for years with what she was learning to be actually true was making her head hurt.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she realized she could see something other than trees and bushes far ahead of them. It took her a few seconds to realize she was seeing walls, tall and white. She gasped and shot forward, sprinting easily through the open spaces amidst the foliage. In the moment she forgot about Konock, but she could hear him following closely behind her, his laughter heard over his heavy hoof beats. Her cheeks burned in response, but she couldn't focus on the embarrassment over her eagerness. She was going to see Pan again. Just the thought had not only her cheeks burning hotter but her stomach twisting up, too.

She ignored the feeling and focused on running. With each step the forest faded further, revealing more of the house. They reached the end of the trees quickly and she burst out of them into a large yard. She stopped, stumbled a couple steps before she caught her balance, and looked up in awe of the house. It was a modern Greek style house, similar to ones she'd seen in the Underworld. It was large, three stories tall, and made up of white walls, straight lines, and large, wooden windows. It had a large balcony connected to the second floor that sat on top of the first, and it was so large that calling it a balcony felt like a mistake. She was facing the front of the house so she could see the tall wooden double front doors, and off to the side was a set of stairs that went up to another, single wooden door that led directly to the second floor.

Phrixia silently stared up at the house for a long moment, her mouth falling open, before giggles caught her attention. She dropped her head towards the sound and saw a pond in the middle of the yard, several yards in front of the house. It was bordered by rocks and plants, with water so clear she could see straight through it even from far away. Or she would have if the pond hadn't been filled with nymphs, who were swimming in and through the deep water. To her relief the giggles weren't aimed at her, as they hadn't even noticed her. Instead, they were giggling and laughing amongst themselves as they splashed and chased each other. She watched as one of them was caught, only to then simply turn into water, escape, reform, and pop up a few feet away.

Phrixia felt her face smile at the sight, completely against her will, though she was still nervous after her encounter with the nymphs in the forest. She let Konock walk ahead of her again and hesitantly followed after him, hiding behind him as they crossed the yard towards the house. He led her around the pond, and she hoped they'd pass by unnoticed, and for a moment it seemed as if her hope would be answered. But then one of the nymphs called Konock's name and he stopped and turned to answer the call.

Raising his hand in a wave, he stepped towards them and called back, "Hey, Clonia!" His voice gained the attention of everyone at the pond, and they all looked up towards him, but their focus wasn’t on him for long. Phrixia resisted the urge to hide behind him again as suddenly all eyes were on her. All laughter and talk had died instantly as soon as her presence was noticed. She swallowed and straightened her shoulders under their scrutiny. She glanced from face to face, looking for any signs that she was unwelcome, but all she saw was caution and fear. She didn't want them to be afraid of her either, so she tried to soften her face. She stayed in place while Konock approached the pond, stopping at the edge. A few of the nymphs, Clonia included, a thin, blue nymph with wave-like markings on her limbs and hair that floated around her head as if she were underwater, tore their gazes away from her and rushed to meet him, propping themselves up on one of the larger, flat rocks that was half submerged in the water.

They reached out to touch his legs, playfully brushing his fur and hooves and tugging at the wrap around his waist. He laughed at their antics and stood firm when one of them boldly tried to pull his leg out from under him. He reached down and shoved that one back so that she slipped under the water for a few seconds before she popped back up, giggling. "Hey, girls. Is Pan home?"

Phrixia unconsciously stepped forward, holding her breath as she waited for the answer. Clonia noticed the movement and her eyes darted back to her. After less than a second, she grinned knowingly. When she looked back up at Konock, she answered him loudly, making it impossible for anyone nearby not to hear her. "He's inside."

"I figured,” Konock replied and shot Phrixia a smug smirk over his shoulder. She impulsively stuck her tongue out at him before he turned back to Clonia. "He taking his daily nap?"

While the other nymphs nodded in response to him, Clonia glanced at Phrixia for another split second, her eyes narrowed, before she smiled innocently up at Konock. "No, I think I heard someone up there with him. They were getting pretty loud earlier."

Everyone reacted to that at once. Konock frowned, confused because Pan typically didn’t bring people into his home for any reason, let alone for sex, but then his face hardened as he realized what she was doing. The nymphs all had varying reactions to the blatant lie, ranging from smug smiles to shocked gasps. One of the others even nudged the blue nymph and whispered in her ear, only to be shaken off with a hiss. No one else spoke, the nymphs were watching and holding their breaths as they waited for Phrixia's reaction. Konock understood what Clonia was doing but he didn't know how to handle it, not without further calling attention to her or calling the other nymph out as a liar. He turned to look at the Phrixia, a half-formed reassurance springing up in his mind, but the look on her face made him hold his tongue still.

As soon as she processed the other nymph's words and connected it to the split-second look Clonia had given her, Phrixia froze as first confusion, then jealousy, anger, and finally embarrassment flooded her. Looking at Clonia's face, and the some of the faces on the other nymphs around her, she struggled to keep her face calm. She couldn't stop her face from burning, though it barely showed on her pale skin, but she could stop herself from showing just how much the implication affected her. She barely knew Pan after all, she certainly didn't have any claim to him. That didn't stop her from feeling jealous at just the thought of someone else with him, or the anger and embarrassment she felt at being jealous, as well as being targeted for another, truly awful prank.

It was all too much simultaneously, and it made her want to scream, cry, and throw things all at once. Instead, she took a deep breath and plastered on a smile. It wiped the smugness from the nymphs' faces, cooling her fire with some satisfaction, and she looked away from them to Konock. He was still staring at her, concern evident on his face. She had to take another breath before she trusted herself to speak, but when she did, she tried to sound understanding. "If he's busy, I can come back another day. I know how to get here now, after all. Or, if you could tell him I came by, I'll wait for him to come visit me." The confidence in her voice, the total surety that he would in fact come to her stunned the nymphs even more and several of them began whispering excitedly to each other. Clonia's mouth fell open in her shock, but she almost immediately grew angry that she hadn't got a reaction out of Phrixia instead.

Phrixia glanced at the water nymph, and her smile transformed into a sly grin that had the other turning glaring for a split second before she looked back to Konock, and the smile returned. Konock looked back and forth between the two women, his concern turning into caution. He had enough experiences with nymphs, and women in general, to have some sense of what was happening. And he absolutely didn't want to get in the middle of it. Clearing his throat, he gently grabbed Phrixia's arm and led her away from the pond, towards the front door of the house. The nymphs' whispering turned frenzied and frantic, but still too low for any specific words to be heard. Clonia watched them walk away, glaring at Phrixia’s back, before she ducked under the water and out of view.

Once they were several feet away from the pond, and that much closer to the house, Konock lowered his head to Phrixia and apologized. "I'm sorry for that. I didn't know she would act like that."

Choosing to play a little dumb so that she didn't have to acknowledge what just happened, Phrixia just kept smiling and asked, "Act like what? If Pan is busy, I'm glad she said something. I'd hate to interrupt him."

He sighed, shaking his head. "He's not busy. At least, not like that. She was just-"

"Do you know for sure?" She interrupted him, dropping her smile finally. He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She held his gaze as he thought about it for a moment, before he sighed again. "No. I don't."

"So, he could have someone up there." Just saying the words left a bad taste in her mouth and a knot in her stomach but she ignored both those feelings. "Like I said, I can come back another day." At that point, running home seemed like the best option. She wanted to get away from the nymphs, both the ones at the pond and the ones in the trees, and she wanted to get away from Konock, as he’d seen both attempts at humiliating her and she didn’t like the way he was looking at her now. And she absolutely didn't want to face Pan after everything. She didn’t know how he’d react, but the thought that he might not care about the nymphs’ behavior scared her. She stepped back from the satyr and pulled her arm from his grip. "I think it might be best if I try another day," she said, making up her mind right then.

Before she could disappear, go back to her room where she could curl up in bed and be miserable and pitiful alone, Konock whipped his hand out and grabbed her arm again. She instinctively flinched away which made him release her instantly. She glared at him, opened her mouth to speak, but he spoke first. "Please." She froze at the plea, her eyes widening as she stared up at him. He cleared his throat and tried again, sounding calmer this time. "Please. I really think he'd like to see you. Even if he is busy, which I doubt he is. Could you just let me go check, let him know you're here? Please."

Phrixia bit her lip hard to bite back the harsh words sitting on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed them down and stiffly nodded. "Okay. I'll wait, just for you to check. But if he is busy, don't tell him I'm here. I really don't want to interrupt," she paused to swallow again before she continued, "whatever he's doing."

Konock nodded his agreement to the compromise, and he hurried up to the front doors in just a few long strides. He pushed one of the heavy doors open, his strength making the feat look easy, then entered without knocking, leaving Phrixia alone. Ignoring the whispers and giggles coming from the pond behind her, she cautiously approached the doors. They were tall, much taller than her, and made from heavy, dark wood. The wood had a border carved around the edges and in the middle the shape of a tree with branches that spread upwards and roots that spread downwards carved across both doors. Her eagerness and excitement over seeing Pan again had been ruined by Clonia's comment. Now, she only felt nervous about facing him, whether or not he was actually with someone. She raised her hand and lightly placed it on the left door. The wood was warmed by the sun and smooth beneath her palm. She held it there, losing herself in her thoughts, until sudden splashing startled her.

She jerked her hand away from it and stepped back, swearing at herself under her breath. She clasped her hand to her chest, spun around, and looked out into the forest, pointedly refusing to look towards the pond where the nymphs had returned to their play. She waited, counting the seconds in her head, and stared at a random tree. She counted out just one minute before she decided she'd waited enough. She dropped her hands and allowed herself a brief moment to wallow in her self-pity and disappointment. Then, she sighed, raised her head up and closed her eyes, quickly preparing herself to return home. A split second before she would have vanished, the door behind her suddenly opened.

Shocked, her eyes shot open, and she gasped. She turned back around to the doors, expecting to see Konock, but instead found herself facing Pan. She inhaled sharply and the breath was caught in her chest. He looked just the same as when she'd last seen him, though this time he’d clearly just woken up. He stood taller than her, on furred legs, and he was just as shirtless as before. His hair was wild, unbrushed, and tangled around his horns, one of the braids that framed his face was coming loose completely, and similarly the fur on his legs was pressed flat as if he'd been laying on it for some time. He blinked repeatedly when the sunlight hit his eyes, but he rubbed the sleep from them, and they quickly adjusted. And then suddenly he was looking at her clearly.

Green eyes met grey and both of them froze, neither daring to breathe. Behind her, the nymphs had stopped again, each of them standing just as still as they waited for one of them to make a move. Neither did, until Konock came up behind Pan, panting slightly, and his arrival freed them from each other’s gaze. Phrixia ducked her head while Pan cleared his throat, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, though he never looked away from her. Konock moved up next to him in the doorway, which was wide enough they could stand shoulder to shoulder and still have space, and he grinned triumphantly at her. "I told you he'd want to see you."

She huffed out a shaky laugh and raised her head to look at him. She ignored Pan's eyes that were still on her as she replied, "Okay, I should have believed you." Swallowing nervously, she met those green eyes again and tried to smile confidently. "I hope we didn't run off your guest," she stumbled over the word as her courage left her. She didn't want to see his face when he responded, and she turned her head away to look at anything else.

She looked away before she could see the confusion cross his face. He looked to Konock for an explanation, and the other satyr quickly gestured towards the pond with his head. Pan looked over to it and the first thing he saw was Clonia, sprawled out on the largest rock on the edge of the pond. She was facing them on her side, putting her nakedness on display, and when Pan met her gaze, she gave him a sultry grin. She ran her hand down her body before waving. Pan ignored the move, kept his eyes fixed solely on her face, as he waved back with a stiff smile.

He looked away from the water nymph and back to Phrixia and was glad to see she hadn't seen the display. But that was all he needed to understand, just enough, what had happened. Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair a few times to straighten it out somewhat, brushed the braid that was falling apart behind his ear, and then offered his hand out to her. She jumped, shocked by the move, and looked down at it dumbly. Her gaze jumped up to meet his again after a moment and he gave her a reassuring smile. "There was no one to run off, don't worry. I was taking a nap."

The reassurance eased something inside of her and she suddenly felt like she could breathe again. She returned his smile with one of her own and only hesitated a second before she put her hand in his. His hand was warm as it gently grasped hers, his skin calloused from years of handling weapons. He raised it up to his lips and brushed a kiss, featherlight, over her knuckles. She gasped softly, her face flushing, at the action. Head still bent low, he murmured against her skin, "I am glad you came back. I was worried you'd never find your way here again."

She sucked in her breath and then exhaled shakily, her entire body shuddering at the touch of his lips, and when he released her hand, she grabbed it instead. As he raised his head, she held her hands to her chest again, this time pressing her palm over the spot he had kissed as if she could hold onto the feeling. She couldn't however and it unfortunately faded far too fast. She cleared her throat and once she was sure her voice wouldn't shake, she said, "I had to come back. I didn't want you to get lost in the Underworld trying to find me." She heard the nymphs gasp and for a second, she thought she had made a mistake by teasing him in return, her face falling in worry.

But her worry was eased when Konock failed to hide his snort as a cough and Pan outright laughed, a great, booming laugh that reached across the yard to the trees and sent several birds into the air. He shrugged, grinning at her, and easily fired back, "Me, get lost? I'm not the one who makes a habit of running through forests they don't know."

She couldn't argue with that, not that she wanted to, and she let herself laugh with him. And then something Konock had said during their walk returned to her mind and she eagerly blurted out, "Could you show me the forest?"

Pan blinked at the sudden suggestion, surprised by it. At his side, Konock cleared his throat and offered up an explanation. "Ah, I told her it would be better if you gave her a tour, as you can run faster than anyone else."

Turning to look at his friend, Pan wasn't at all surprised to see the smug smile spreading across his friend’s face. Konock raised his eyebrows and just slightly nodded his head towards Phrixia, who was still beaming and eagerly waiting for an answer. He shrugged, hiding his own growing excitement at the idea behind faked nonchalance, before he answered. "I suppose I've got time for a tour."

Phrixia squealed and bounced in place, before realization hit her suddenly. She deflated, her face visibly falling. She didn't have a lot of time before someone realized she was gone. No matter how fast Pan was, she didn't think he could show her the whole forest before she needed to return home. Any other day, she wouldn't worry about it, but she didn't want to risk being followed and bringing anyone into his forest, his home. She didn't want her secret to be discovered yet, if ever. She looked down at the ground, her body slumping in disappointment, even as she quickly worked it out in her head. She could do part of the forest right then, see as much as she could, and then come back another day and start from where they'd left off. It might take a few days, but it was doable. It wasn't ideal, but it was definitely doable.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Pan, who'd noticed the sudden change in her demeanor, spoke again. "Trust me, I can have you back before curfew."

Phrixia's head shot up to look at him, saw him grinning at her, confident and reassuring, and she found herself instantly believing him. When he held his hand out to her, she didn't hesitate to put hers into his, idly noticing that it was the same one from before. This time when he grabbed it, his grip was firm, strong but just as gentle. He started walking, pulling her with him, and she easily fell into step beside him. As they walked further from the house, she glanced over her shoulder to Konock. He was still in place in the doorway, leaning against it with crossed arms and a small smile. When he caught her looking at him, his smile grew into an easy grin, and he raised a hand to shoo them away. Then, just before she turned back, he winked at her.

Phrixia's face burned, and she hurriedly faced forward, eyes locked on the trees they were approaching. With each step the giggles and whispers from the pond, which had died down when Pan suddenly appeared and then came alive again after he shrugged off Clonia's little act, faded until they reached the first trees. At that point her sensitive ears could just barely hear them, and she felt some of the tenseness leave her at finally being away from the other nymphs.

Pan noticed the slight change in her at once and it didn't take a genius to realize it had to do with the nymphs at the pond. He didn't know what Clonia had said, but he knew her well enough to assume many things. He would need to talk to her about it later. First, he needed to talk to Phrixia. He glanced sideways at her, squeezing her hand without thinking. It was small in his, smoother and softer than his roughened skin, but holding it felt nice. She looked up at him when he squeezed it and she shyly smiled, squeezing his hand back.

They held each other's gaze for a few seconds before he dragged his eyes away. He didn't want to, but even he was capable of tripping in his own forest. They walked for another couple of minutes before he cautiously asked, "Did you really think I was with someone?"

The question shocked her, and she swung her head around to look at him again. He glanced down at her, then glanced away. He didn't want to accidentally pressure her into talking. And for a long moment, she didn't. They walked in silence, easily matching their steps despite their different legs and strides. When she finally answered him, her voice sounded bitter, despite her effort to sound casual. "It's not an impossible thought. You were in your own home, after all."

He snorted softly and then when she shot him a glare he quickly explained, "Sorry, it's just. I don't bring people into my home usually. It's my sanctuary."

"Not even for sex?" The question slipped out before she even realized it was there. She gasped, embarrassed with herself, and covered her mouth with her free hand. Pointedly looking away from him, she hurried to add, "You don't have to answer that, I'm sorry! That's a private thing, I shouldn't have asked." She trailed off as she realized he wasn't upset by the invasive question.

His body shook as he laughed, first at her question and then at her apology. He gave it a moment, letting her squirm, before he assured her, "It's fine. It's not the worst question I've been asked." She looked up at him through her hair then, the question plain on her face, and he quickly answered it. "You don't want to know, trust me." She chuckled at the emphasis in his voice and looked back down at the ground. He waited a minute for her to settle fully, then he unexpectedly answered her question. "I don't bring partners into my home, no. There’s no need when I have the entire forest at my disposal. I'm not shy, being outside, possibly being caught and watched, doesn't turn me off."

Phrixia stumbled over a rock, momentarily forgetting how to walk in her shock. He was quick to shift his hold from her hand to her arm until she got her feet under her again and he returned to holding her hand. Her face was burning again, hotter than it had at any other time before, and she kept her head ducked. She could feel him chuckling, hear it in his breath even though it was silent, but she couldn't even be embarrassed over it. She liked it when he laughed, liked being the one to make him laugh. Focused on that, she didn't think before she spoke again. "Well, I didn't know that. And Clonia said she heard someone inside with you, so thinking you weren’t alone up there seemed reasonable.

She cringed even as she spoke. She didn't want to start trouble by telling on the nymphs, even if they deserved it. She glanced up at Pan, saw that his smile and laughter had died and been replaced by a frown and a heavy sigh, and she started to pull her hand away. To her surprise though, he tightened his grip on it and looked down at her, giving her a tired half smile. "Clonia likes to, what's the phrase? Stir the pot sometimes? Don't pay her any mind."

"Oh." Phrixia blinked repeatedly, confused. A thought popped into her head, and she hesitantly voiced it. "Are you and her," she trailed off, unable to actually say the words.

Pan sighed again and nodded, a look of regret crossing his face. "It's nothing serious, but there have been a handful of times. Just casual fun, but it doesn't stop her jealousy." He squeezed her hand again and stopped walking, turning to face her. He raised her hand and bowed over it, lowering his head so that his forehead touched the back of it. He stayed like that for a few seconds before he straightened up, still holding onto her hand. "I'll talk to her, and the others if they bothered you as well. It's unacceptable to treat anyone like that, let alone newcomers to our home."

She was too stunned to speak for several seconds. She swallowed and stammered, "You don't have to do that. She probably just heard something else and thought it was you." She didn't actually believe that, but the thought of him getting onto them because she had said something scared her. There was the very likely possibility that it would only make them dislike her more. She didn’t want anyone in his forest to have ire towards her, not if she was planning to come back and visit him often.

From the look on Pan's face when he raised his head, he didn't believe it either. But he let out another heavy sigh and slowly shook his head a couple times, before he reluctantly nodded. "If you don't want me to say anything to her, I won't. Not yet. But." He leaned down to put them face to face. She leaned back slightly but couldn't look away. His voice rumbled when he continued speaking, "If this keeps up, I will say something. I can only let them get away with so much before it crosses the line."

Wide-eyed, it took her a few seconds to comprehend his words. She jerkily nodded her agreement, and he backed away. With the conversation essentially over, he released her hand. For a moment she got scared that he actually was mad or irritated with her, but then he moved in front of her and knelt down, his back to her. She took a step back and blurted out, "What are you doing?"

He looked at her over his shoulder and grinned. "You want a tour of the forest? The fastest way is if I carry you. So, hop on." She looked him up and down skeptically. He looked strong and she knew he had carried her before, but she didn't see how he could just run through the forest with her on his back.

"Are you sure? Can't you just snap us around instead?"

He turned, still squatting, and looked up at her. "We could, but it's not as much fun. Would you rather I carry you in my arms?" Even as he suggested it, she quickly shook her head. Chuckling, he held out his hand and asked, "Do you trust me?"

She stared at his hand for several seconds, still unsure. Part of her wanted to be as close to him as possible and the rest of her refused to think about why that's what she wanted. Admitting her desire was harder when he was right in front of her. Especially with him on his knees in front of her. He was completely unaware of the inner turmoil his position, on his knees in front of her, was causing her. As such, he looked at her silently, patiently waiting for an answer, until she finally put her hand in his. Just like the two times before, he gently grasped it in his.

He grinned at her and that was the only warning she got before he suddenly moved. He rose up, grabbed her other hand, and swung her up onto his back all in one smooth motion. She squealed, frightened and surprised, and automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. Her dress was loose enough that it slid up to her thighs without ripping or becoming too tight. He pulled her arms over his shoulders, and she wrapped them around his neck, squeezing tight. He choked and she quickly loosened her grip, huffing out a shaky apology.

He chuckled softly and patted her arm reassuringly, then he grabbed her knees to help secure her. He turned his head sideways to look at her, as much as he could with his horns in the way. Their faces were even closer now, despite the horns, and she hastily hid hers in his hair. His smile faded completely, and he squeezed her legs, concern growing. He hadn't meant to scare her. "Hey." He carefully bounced her on his back, making her squeak and lift her head up to glare at him. He smiled sheepishly. "Just checking on you. I didn't mean to scare you or anything. Are you okay?"

She swallowed and nodded shakily. Letting him think she was just scared by the sudden movement was better than letting him find out the truth. Now that she’d gotten what she wanted, what she’d imagined not two hours earlier, her courage was running away from her. She didn't want to think about the truth, about the way his body felt pressed against hers. She definitely didn't want to think about that, even as in the back of her mind she rejoiced at finally knowing what his body felt like. Instead, she tried to push it from her mind and focused on keeping her voice steady when she replied. "I'm okay. You didn't scare me. I just wasn't expecting it."

She adjusted herself on his back, tightening her legs and arms just to be sure. With his hold on them, helping hold up her weight, it wasn't too uncomfortable, and she was sure she could hold on for a while. Feeling as secure as she could, she nodded and said, "Let's go."

Reassured that she was okay, he turned to look ahead. He dropped into a crouch, preparing himself to start moving, but before he did, he gave her one last warning. "Hold on tight, little nymph."

Phrixia rolled her eyes at the warning, thinking it unnecessary, but then he suddenly jumped forward. She squealed again and then it turned into a scream as he kept moving. Everything passed by in a blur, the trees flashing by in split second intervals. The wind whipped past them, quick and hard, whipping both their hair around wildly. Some of it hit their faces, stinging where the strands hit their bare skin. She pressed her face into his shoulder, but it did little to protect it. She couldn't open her eyes without tearing up immediately from the air rushing by and their combined hair whipping about wildly. She felt like she could barely catch her breath, because as soon as she exhaled the wind stole the air away before she could inhale. Her arms and legs quickly grew painfully stiff from how tensed they were, but she was unable to relax them, terrified if she relaxed for even a second, she would fall off.

Underneath her, Pan barely felt like he was moving. He wasn't even panting or breathing hard, as if this were just a stroll for him. She could feel his movements, being pressed against his body, but his gait was so smooth that they just flew across the ground effortlessly. Even when he jumped over things in his path, it wasn't jarring at all. It definitely made the experience easier on her, but it was still a terrifying ride.

She had no idea how long they'd been running when they finally reached their destination. Instead of stopping all at once, he gradually slowed down until he came to a stop. He stood, holding her easily, and turned his head to the side. He grinned at her over his shoulder until he saw she was hiding her face. His grin died as concern rose up and he gently shrugged his shoulder. "Phrixia? Are you okay?"

She didn’t respond, so he shrugged his shoulder a second time, and then a third, and that’s when she cautiously lifted her head. She blinked several times to clear her eyes then squinted at him. His face was scrunched in concern and any other time she knew she'd find it adorable. Right then though, she wasn't sure what she was feeling. It took her a moment to register that he was still waiting for an answer. She nodded shakily, swallowed a few times to get rid of the dryness overtaking her mouth, and managed to croak out a weak, "What, what was that?"

He carefully squatted down, and it took her several seconds to register that he had moved. When she did, she released the tight grip she had on him. Her arms and legs complained when she moved them, but with his help she was able to get her feet under her. As soon as she was standing, swaying slightly on her unsteady legs, he straightened up and turned to face her. He grabbed her arms to support her until she stopped swaying. Once he was sure she wasn't going to just fall over, he released her, though his hands stayed hovered at her sides just in case. "That’s how I get around so fast. I can run very far, very fast," he explained, looking contrite and apologetic.

"Oh," she mumbled. Her legs had stopped shaking now that she was on solid ground again and the uneasy feeling she'd felt while they were moving was fading. She looked up at him and stupidly said, "I should've believed Konock."

Pan's concern melted away into confusion and he uncertainly replied, "What?"

She shook her head, which both made it hurt and helped clear it. "He said earlier, when he was bringing me to your house, that you were faster than Hermes. I didn't believe him, but I should've." She let out a weak, breathy laugh at her own stupidity.

"Oh," he repeated her mumble from before, not sure what else to say. He rubbed the back of his neck, sure she wasn't going to fall over now. Neither spoke for a long moment before he apologized again. "I really am very sorry. I forget that not everyone enjoys traveling like that." He ducked his head, hiding his face.

Now that she was calming down, her heart wasn't threatening to beat right out of her chest and her lungs weren't seized by the feeling of suffocating. She could focus on him and she immediately felt bad for making him feel bad, however unintentional it was. Without thinking, she reached out and took his hand. The move surprised both of them and they both looked at their hands together. Her hand on top of his only emphasized their differences and for a moment neither of them spoke or moved. They just stared at their hands, noting all the differences and committing them to memory.

Finally, after a couple of minutes, Phrixia cleared her throat and reluctantly pulled her hand away. Pan raised his head to look at her, prompting her to meet his gaze. Smiling slightly, she reassuringly said, "It's okay. It was just a shock." That was an understatement, but she didn't want to make him feel worse. "It really is an efficient way to travel." She stepped away from him then and started turning in place to study their surroundings. She could, again, see nothing but trees, which told her nothing about where they were. "Where did you bring me?"

He wanted to disagree, even argue, with her that it wasn't okay, but she was already moving past it. He watched her look around for a moment before he answered. "One of my favorite places. It's a bit of a walk from here. I didn't want to ruin the surprise by taking you straight up there." He suddenly was very happy with his choice for what to show her first. It was the perfect thing to fully apologize for frightening her, it would make it up to her completely. At least, he hoped it did. Holding onto that hope, he started walking. It took all of his strength to resist the urge to bound ahead eagerly, but he managed. He slowed his steps, forced himself to walk, and she quickly found her place next to him.

They walked in silence, broken only by the sounds of the forest around them. Sometimes she was sure she heard voices, whispers and giggles coming from the trees, but she found it easier to ignore the ones watching them when she could just focus on Pan instead. The path he was taking her on was one well-traveled, so it was clear and made the walk easy. Their hands brushed against each other occasionally but neither of them reached out to make that connection again. He was a steady presence at her side, making her feel safe by keeping an eye on their surroundings in between the glances and smiles he sent her way.

It was such a peaceful walk that she completely forgot that he was taking her somewhere. But she remembered when the trees abruptly parted, and she saw what they were approaching. Her mouth dropped open as she gasped, her eyes grew wide, and without thinking she sprinted forward. Pan was right on her heels, his laughter filling the air, and as if he knew what was about to happen, he reached out and grabbed her waist right as she skidded to a stop at the edge of the cliff. He pulled her back against him, securing her body to his, and she was too awestruck to even blush at the touch.

Spread out in front of them was the forest, reaching so far in every direction that she couldn't see anything but trees. She could see other mountains, clearly smaller than the one they were on, but there were mostly trees everywhere. Trusting him to hold her, she leaned forward and looked down. She wasn't scared of heights, but seeing just how high up they were sent both a thrill and a jolt of fear through her. She leaned back against him and looked out over the trees again. Behind her, he breathed, steady and silent, as he let her take it all in.

"Where are we?" she breathed out, just barely audible.

He nudged her hair with his nose before moving his head to the side. His lips brushed her ear, causing her to shiver and gasp, then he murmured, his voice just as soft as hers, "Mount Mainalos. Tallest mountain in Arcadia. We are protected from intruders by my lords and myself, and from humans through powerful magic. They think this is a natural park, but if they approach their minds are changed and they turn around, and they never remember. It’s one of the safest places on Earth."

"Oh," was all she could say. It was all so much to take in, the trees created a kaleidoscope of rich greens. Above that the sky was vibrant blue and painted with white, fluffy clouds. Peeking out from behind one of those clouds was the sun, shining so bright she would have shielded her eyes if she hadn't been focused on seeing everything. Birds flitted and flew about, raptors and smaller birds alike, rising up above the trees only to dive back into them or soaring high above the canopy through the open air.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blasted them. She let out a shocked gasp and her body involuntarily shuddered at the cold air. Pan, not affected by it, moved his hands from her waist to her arms and rubbed warmth back into them. His breath tickled her ear, warmed it, when he asked, "Are you cold?"

Swallowing heavily, she gave a shaky nod in response. He stepped away from her and she almost turned around, a protest jumping to her lips, but she stopped herself. Instead, she started to ask what he was doing, but she got her answer before she could when something was draped around her. She automatically grabbed it, pulled it up so it didn’t fall, and looked down at it curiously. It was a large blanket, green in color, soft and somehow already warm. She pulled it further around her body as he returned to his place behind her. She rubbed the fabric between her fingers, then looked over her shoulder at him. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged and gave her a cocky grin. "It's a magic trick."

She raised an eyebrow at the tease. "You just pulled it out of the air?" It wasn't impossible, manifesting items was a common occurrence amongst nymphs and other magical beings.

His grin grew as he shook his head. She huffed playfully even as she smiled with him. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder, tilting his head because of his horns. She turned her head forwards him and froze, afraid to move now that he was so close. He noticed the sudden tenseness in her and his chest instinctively began rumbling, as if purring. The noise and action surprised her, made her jump slightly, but she quickly relaxed against him, lulled by the soft vibration and soothing sound. She fully leaned against him to get closer to it and in response the sound grew louder. They stayed that way for several minutes, just watching and listening to the forest.

"How much time do you have?" She wasn't expecting it when he spoke and only his hold on her kept her from jumping and tripping over her own feet.

Hesitating, she cleared her throat to give herself time to answer. She had wanted to be back home before anyone even knew she was gone, but now, she didn't want to leave anytime soon. Truthfully, she didn’t want to leave at all. She quickly weighed out her options and after just a few seconds of thought, she decided. "I have plenty of time." She'd deal with the scolding, deal with the disappointment and anger. She’d dealt with it before, for things less important than this. It would really be worth it this time. He nodded and then shocked her by nuzzling her hair. She sucked in her breath and then laughed it out. He chuckled with her, tickling her ear and making her shiver again. Neither spoke after that, content to enjoy the silence and each other's presence.

#the false nymph #my original work #original story #original writing #original character #based on greek mythology #greek god pan #own character #my original character #my characters #my writing #writers #writer #writing #writers on tumblr #rough draft

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