She sat curled and despondent, looking into the still waters of the reflecting pool. It was not much company, but over her long years of solitude she had grown accustomed to talking to her reflection there and, after a time, she realized the watery image spoke back.
Outside her thoughts the day was brilliant, the sun a bright blazing orb whose rays spilled over the ancient castle walls and into the courtyard to warm her skin. Her glistening hair curled about her face. She touched the water with the tip of one fingernail, watching the image shimmer and coalesce. Her companion was quiet today. Perhaps the image knew the assurances it once gave were no longer so assuring. Once she had dreamt of the joys of companionship, of a suitor, but it seemed none would ever be found worthy of her hand. She was destined to live alone within these centuries old rocks. In grander days, this place played host to kings and queens, and in that day there had been many worthy men to try and take her hand. But no longer.
Her gaze drifted about the edge of the water and stopped upon the form of a large predatory cat preparing to drink. The cat’s eyes peered upward, forever transfixed in startled feline apprehension, muscles tense to spring away with a leap that never happened. She reached out, wistful, and touched the stone cat, cupping its jaw in her hand. Not far from the cat was a sparrow laying on its side, unbalanced from the transformation of downy feathers to solid rock. Similar creatures were scattered all over the courtyard—a fox, rabbits and squirrels, a deer. Many showed signs of age, their stone forms weathered and cracked liked the crumbling facade of the castle surrounding them. Some of the stone shapes had disintegrated to such a degree one could only guess what they once might have been.
The animals were not what saddened her most. No, it was the rock-ribbed forms of her many suitors that struck deepest. And there had been many. They had come hot-blooded and fierce, weapons ready and minds sharp as daggers. And they had failed. Not one had been able to spirit her away. Not one had been worthy.
Over the years fewer and fewer had sought her out, and the people of the land vanished. Her heart had grown heavy and for a time she bemused herself wandering through the courtyard, giving each lithoidal man a name, history, and imagined future for them together. Many she had to prop back into standing positions. But the gritty men that spotted the courtyard never spoke back, and at last the game lost its charm. That was when she discovered the image in the pool spoke to her, whispering promises whenever she woke from her slumbers. And now, just as her companion had promised, her suitors were starting to come once more. She had awoken, and the people had returned. Still none had been found worthy, and so each night she let loose her melodious voice in a song of lament for one of her many fallen.
Her eyes fell to the pool. “When shall my True One come?”
“Soon,” the watery image replied.
“You’ve said that so many times,” she said, shaking her head.
The image shook its head back. “Time is different for you. Soon.”
“But why are so many found unworthy?”
“You know why.”
The reflection smiled. Yes, she knew why. For she was a Gorgon, the most beautiful creature in the gods’ creation. Her snake strand hair curled and twisted. Who could stand before her resplendence and yet live?
Get the full story in...
Stories in the Ether, Issue #4
A Digital Storytelling Anthology
$2.99
Stories in the Ether is a quarterly story telling anthology of fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction short stories from Nevermet Press. This issue features 11 compelling works including:
- The Gorgon’s Love, by Martin Shelby
- The Stars at Night, by JC Hemphill
- Big Heart, by David J. Fielding
- The Chase, by J. A. Gonzales
- A New Beginning, by Colin W. Campbell
- The Mechanical Turk, or All’s Well That Ends, by Tucker Cummings
- Shelled, by M. R. Williamson
- Exodus, by Eric Staggs
- The Emerald City, by Per Wiger
- The Occurrence of the Cavalry Horse, by Teel James Glenn
- Empyrean Skies, by David Gaither
With artwork by Paul Hagwood
$2.99 in ePUB for all eReaders from Lulu, DriveThruFiction.com, Smashwords, B&N Nook Bookstore, and Apple's iBookstore. Also available from Amazon for Kindle.
Great story!