Andromeda Unbound

Follow the true story of Andromeda's myth where heroes are cowards and don't really want to rescue fat girls.

Andromeda Unbound

No sooner had the words left my mother’s mouth I was abandoned here. Awaiting a monstrous husband to claim me as the Oracle had prophesized:

“And she shall be made an offering…to save our city from the monster of the deep, awaken from his slumber by Queen Cassiopeia’s haughty words.”

After a brief and solemn parade of my people, I was left on this crag overlooking the sea. Alone now, suspended between the earth and sky, the sun beat down on me, wilting the fragrant herbs and flowers in my coiffed hair.

“Where are you?” I cried out.

Responding to my challenge, the wind grew stronger showering my sweltering flesh with a cooling mist of sea spray. “Claim me!”, my mind screamed, “ Otherwise my end will be for naught.”

‘As beautiful as Aphrodite herself‘,

my mother’s voice echoed within my skull. ‘ But then it must be true,’ I thought, ‘if not, why would I be here? A Goddess concerned with mortal beauty, which, like a rose, is fleetingly beautiful in a life of intertwining thorns.’ , my mind cruelly repeated, perpetually crashing against my sanity like eroding waves below. However, if my mother’s vanity raised the jealously of the goddess would in not raise the sword of my champion?

‘As beautiful as Aphrodite herself‘

“You are too fat my dear!”, a group of seagulls screamed, interrupting my philosophically questioning. One tilted its weightless white head back and cawed loudly, enticing the others to follow.

“Too fat?” I questioned, glancing down at my dangerous feminine curves that had called many men to my father’s stern “no!”

“There was a time when fleshiness was vogue Seagull. I swear it as truth. My kind was once sought out like exquisite velvet or rare pearls: smooth, deep and rotund. Rewarding the connoisseur’s hand with soft arms and breasts” I shamelessly proclaimed, feeling a moment vindicated.

Upon graceless webbed feet the Seagull approached. Clearly not as nimble upon land, as perhaps the air or water, yet he was determined to let go of a secret meant only for my ears.

“Andromeda,” the seagull voiced, holding me still within his unblinking black eyes. “We just came from the city,” the other seagulls twisted their bulbous white heads and nodded in agreement, “and Perseus is drunk with himself in the tavern there. We heard him say, when posed with the question of your rescue, that he would never be able to raise himself to safety with your extra weight.”

The seagulls, wings flapping in unison, snickered then flew away.

“Well,” said I, “’tis up to me.” And wondered how long it would take to chew through the flesh and bone of my forearm. However, my conscious reminded me, I would have to accomplish this hideous feat not once, but twice, and decided against independent mutilation.

Days passed and I felt my strength ebb away, carried out like my faith into the tumultuous sea. How many days could a human endure without water, food or love? Before all was done I alone would know the answer to this question. Yet, with all the blood that rushed through my romantic heart, I was devoted to the idea my overdue sea monster would be Eros in disguise.

Growing only in weakness, I was awaken by a metallic clank. One of the shackles slipped over my sun-burned hand and my arm, sore and sun burnt, returned to my side.

“Half free!” I laughed, a mad dust-choked chuckle. “If only I would grow thinner… I could escape.” And still restrained by one wrist, slipped into delirium.

 

II

The fog of reluctance began to lift as Perseus focused upon a ray of light that penetrated the dim tavern. Setting his mug down upon the table he surveyed his band of followers, now caught like flies in the blissful decay of Dionysus’s blood.

He looked down upon the hands that had once slain Medusa. Strong, powerful hands that granted him access to immortality through brave deeds, yet his heart did not feel light. He had forsaken Andromeda, choosing instead to come to the tavern and hide. Perseus did not fear the monster, but was not roused by Andromeda. True, she possessed a lovely face to behold, but her fleshiness was a joke amongst his circle.

‘But‘,

his conscience scolded him, ‘he was a Hero.’ These men, who had strayed like old soldiers into the past, had all looked up to him. Perseus gathered his conscience and belongings from the floor. He would go save her and return her to her parents before his followers awoke. He alone would do the deed that needed to be done; he just prayed he wasn’t too late.

 

 

A loud clink of metal jarred Andromeda’s restless sleep. Looking upwards she realized as she stared at the two empty gray loops, she was free! Balancing upon slender, wobbly legs Andromeda, tan and emaciated, stood triumphantly above the sea. Her sun streaked hair twisted in the wind as she quickly debated a dive into the watery abyss below or the arduous journey back down a steep and uneven path.

 

 

Silently, Perseus’s winged sandals put him down on a nearby overhang. On his journey Perseus discovered he had been in the tavern longer than he thought and steeled himself against the sight of Andromeda’s lifeless body hanging from the cliff.

Along the rocky terrain he spied a goddess, a creature so beautiful he became mesmerized by her image…those silky sun-kissed tresses, that beautiful body. So delicate, so frail, with every muscle of the feminine sway under flawless, tanned skin. Spellbound, Perseus forgot all about Andromeda’ rescue and inched towards what he really wanted to know; Who was this magnificent creature that hovered from this cliff-side like a conquering Nike or a dangerous Siren?

Perseus crouched down amid the shrubbery, watching the woman steady herself against the rocky crag-- her long tresses beckoning like sheer fingers; calling him to drown himself in her beauty. Perseus checked the contents of his traveling bag, pulling from it a red woolen cloak.

The woman strolled towards him. Perseus bravely peered out from his hiding place.

“Hello fair lady,” he said, quickly casting his eye downwards.

Andromeda swallowed hard trying to lubricate her parched tongue. A great knot remained, causing her hand to rise to her dry throat.

“Can you not speak?” He questioned, and then grasping his wine bag offered it to her. Slowly she reached out for the flask.

“Here my lady…allow me,” he slipped the cloak around her sunburned shoulders and gestured towards a large moss-covered rock to rest upon.

“Have you a name?” Perseus inquired, as his stomach became the home of a million warm butterflies.

Andromeda gazed up into this man’s gentle, handsome features. She knew him. Perseus? Did he not recognize her? She must really look frightful is he did not recognize her. And such strange manners, not at all boastful as she recalled, but now warm and kindly. Andromeda struggled to speak again, but could not.

“Please my lady…rest,” Perseus said. Then recalling what brought him to this cliff he said, “ I will return in a moment,” and gallantly flew up to the top of the crag to discover Andromeda’s vacant shackles clanking together and echoing off the other cliffs.

Suddenly, Perseus did not feel well. The sea monster had come and he, son of Zeus and Danae, had done nothing! The heir of such an impressive lineage wondered, how could I ever show my face again? Perseus’s eyes darted nervously about. Perhaps, he thought, his mind clutching at stories and straws, he could… rescue the lady that drank from his wine bag and return her. Alive with his new mission, he approached the distressed damsel sitting upon the rock staring into the unknown.

“Lady? Did you see what happened to Andromeda?” he asked, guessing that was why the poor creature could not speak.

 

“Yes.” She managed, nodding her head in agreement. Perseus rushed to her side.

“Did Nereus come for her?” he pleaded, “If the ordeal is not too much for your delicate nature,”

“No one did.”

“Then what became of her?” Perseus asked.

“I set her free.” Andromeda looked through him with a cold hateful stare.

A chill ran the course of Perseus‘s backbone. Perhaps this woman was not a damsel, but a sorceress. His hand instinctively stroked the sword which dangled from his side. It had been easy to slay the ugly Medusa, but he would find this mission trying as the woman before him possessed feminine grace.

“Lift not your sword to me,” Andromeda spoke, raising her hand to shield herself from his intent. “It is too late for that, I wish now to live and want nothing of you!”

“I fear dear lady…it is too late. I here and now swear my honor to you, as your loveliness has captured not only my heart and sword, but my very being.” He knelt before her and considered her reflection in a nearby puddle.

“You swear your devotion to a shell, a skeleton…a creature I find as ugly and repulsive as Medusa!” Palming a small stone, Andromeda cast its violence upon her watery image. The puddle broke into undulating reflections.

“What? You are as beautiful as Aphro…” but before Perseus could finish Andromeda clamped his mouth shut and looked around nervously.

“Lady? What is the meaning of this?” Perseus asked as shot up and backed away from the beauty, “I pay you compliment and honor and you act as if it means nothing to you.” Perseus thrust his strong chest outward.

“I am Andromeda you fool!” Andromeda gazed downwards at the puddle, its broken surface became still.

Perseus stood as if struck by his father’s lightning bolt.

“Andromeda?“ His eyebrows lifting into two great aches. Andromeda could see the stories of his mind dance across his forehead like a wondrous frieze.

“This creature you see before you“ she spat, “…this creature you swear your honor upon is Death Perseus. I am starving! And you tell me I am beautiful? Alas, I die for Beauty to applause.” She cried, cradling her face within her hands.

Perseus stood a moment then squatted down along side her and pondered like a stone statue

Dropping to one knee beside her, he proclaimed, “Then I shall join you. I die, for Truth, without a triumphant parade to welcome my bravest deed. Just as the arrogant words of your mother left you in this place to die, I feared not the flesh tearing jaws of the sea serpent, but the words, thoughts, and rules my father and companions impressed upon me since before I was born. I see now, Andromeda, from weakness your strength…more powerful than the bravest hero, and now,” he bowed his head, “have confessed to you my weakness…”

Andromeda interrupted, “Which to me Perseus, is your greatest strength. Now what?” she asked.

“Let this place of lies be our silent tomb,” he said glancing between the sea and the cliff. He stood gathering Andromeda in his arms. His winged sandals allowing them access to anywhere. “Now, that we are alive…let’s go feast.”

 

 

 

 

 

-The End-