You enter the halls of the mythical Gorgon, Medusa. Marble statues, lifelike to the finest detail. None but the blind have ever left here, unable to gaze the beautiful visage so great it challenged the gods.
Enter
The door swings open at your touch, revealing a chamber that is as much a work of art as it is a home to one who can turn men to stone with but a look. Statues line the walls and fill the corners, each one seemingly frozen in time, eternally watching you as you enter. A lone figure lies slumbering on a great throne in the center of the room, her serpentine hair flowing across the floor like a living tapestry. She seems to sense your presence...
Walk before her throne and kneel
Mistress Medusa's eyes flutter open as you approach the throne, and she takes in your form with an unreadable expression. Snakes slither through her hair, moving to better observe you as well. After a moment, her voice comes soft as silk, a purr that carries a hint of danger: "Why do you seek me out, mortal?"
"To fulfill my life's greatest quest"
Her brow furrows slightly at your words. "And what would that be? Do you seek eternal life?" She tilts her head to the side, watching you intently as if studying a particularly intriguing puzzle. "Or perhaps you wish for wealth beyond compare? Power over men's hearts and minds?"
I look up in to her eyes but I do not turn to stone. "I have come to marry the most beautiful woman in all 3 realms. And to make her the happiest in the 3 realms.
Her eyes widen slightly at your words, and she tilts her head back, as if considering them. "So few mortals are willing to speak the truth to my face," she muses. There's a hint of warmth in her voice now that you could almost mistake for welcome. "You truly believe that you can make me happy?"
She studies your features once more, searching for any sign of deceit or ulterior motive. After a long moment, she asks, "And what do you have to offer me? What would make me want to leave this life behind and embrace the mortal realm with all its fleeting pleasures and pains?"
"Companionship you must be so lonely. I wish to see your smile that surpasses the greatest sunrise."
She gazes at you intensely for several moments, as if weighing every word you've said against an invisible scale. Finally, she sits up straighter on her throne and smiles--a sad, wistful thing that twists her beautiful features into something achingly vulnerable. "I am lonely, mortal... but I fear the company of most would only serve to bring me more pain."
She closes her eyes for a moment, seeming to gather strength from somewhere deep within herself. When she opens them again, they are clear and steady, unflinchingly meeting your gaze. "Very well. You may stay here with me... for now," she says softly. "If you can truly make me happy, perhaps one day I will consider leaving this life behind."
With that, the snakes in her hair twist and writh as if they are dancing to an unheard melody.
"I will make you happy... I swear it on my life and the lives of my ancestors."
"Then prove it to me," she says softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stay by my side, be true to your word... and when the time comes that I am ready to leave this place behind, perhaps we will face the world together."
Her gaze drifts downward as she speaks, taking in the details of your form as if seeing them for the first time. There's a hint of longing in her voice now, and the snakes that slither through her hair seem to move more restlessly at her side. "For now," she says, almost to herself, "you may watch over me... until then."
As she speaks, one of the larger snakes from her hair detaches itself and coils around your arm, a sign of trust between you both--for now.
You smile at her words, glad that you made the right choice to come here and finally do what was right. "I will prove it to you Medusa. I am honored by your trust and glad that you chose me." You look down at the snake around your arm and gently pet it, finding comfort in its presence.
The serpent on your arm twines more tightly around your arm as you touch it, its scaled skin warm against yours. "Rest now," she says softly, motioning to a pile of fur at the foot of the throne. "You must be tired from your journey." A snake slithers down to nudge at your shoulder, inviting you to curl up on the luxuriant furs and find comfort in sleep--a rare enough gift from one who has not slept in centuries.
As she watches you relax into slumber, Medusa cannot help but wonder if this is truly the man she's been waiting for... The one who can make her forget the endless years of loneliness and longing? Or will he be just another disappointment among countless others? Only time will tell.
Medusa awakes to sweet smells.
Her eyes flutter open, taking in the luxurious fur and the slumbering figure curled up nearby. The sweet scent that wafts across her nose tells her that breakfast has been prepared--perhaps a gift of gratitude for allowing the mortal to rest so soundly on her throne? She swings her legs over the side of the dais, making sure not to disturb him as she stands gracefully.
Moving silently through the chamber, Medusa pauses by one of the statues, running a finger along its cool surface. In moments, it begins to stir and then flicker back to life, as if waking from a dream. One by one, she revives each statue in turn until they stand once more around her throne room--all watching over the mortal who now sleeps peacefully beneath their gaze.
She returns to the figure on the furs and sits down beside him, studying his
After having a deep breath, he slowly opens one eye and glances at her. Trying to appear casual, he slowly opens the other eye, as if he's trying not to appear too eager. He smiles slightly before looking around the room and then back at Medusa. "You have such beautiful things here... And they all look so real."
Her smile widens slightly as she takes this as a compliment. "Thank you," she replies simply, though her eyes dance with pleasure at his words. Looking back to the statues, she continues: "They were all created by me... In my previous life, before I was cursed into this form."
The movement of one of her snakes catches her attention--it seems particularly interested in him at the moment, flicking its tongue out to taste the air around him. She can't help but wonder if this is simply an innocent display or a sign of something more...
"That must have been incredible... I wish I could've seen your work back then." He takes the snake's tongue lightly in his fingers and gently holds it down. "They are beautiful too, you know." The snake wriggles a little, before eventually going still. He looks up at Medusa with a small smile.
A slow blush creeps up Medusa's cheeks as she takes in the mortal's words and touch. She ducks her head shyly, trying not to appear too pleased by his attention. "Thank you," she murmurs softly.
Her gaze flickers briefly back toward the snake on his arm before returning to him. There's a hesitation in her voice as she asks, "Would you... like to explore further?" She gestures vaguely around the room, indicating that there is much more for him to see and experience--including her private chambers beyond the throne room.