Chapter Seven

 

 

The path to love was indeed opened to me, and armed with what my mother taught me; I eagerly began my journey.

The very next day, Drakon asked me if I wanted to go fishing with him. I accepted immediately, and Straton was off polishing his sword or something equally warrior-like, so we didn't have to deal with his lectures.

We headed through the forest with fishing poles over our shoulders and a basket held between us. The river near our tree, the one fed by the waterfall, was full of shiny, silver fish. It didn't take long for us to reach it, and then we found a spot to set up along the riverbank.

Drakon baited my hook for me and showed me how to cast it out into the deepest part of the river. We sat for a bit in companionable silence, before I tried one of the things I'd learned from my mother: showing interest in the man himself.

“What were you like before all of this happened?” I asked him.

Drakon looked startled, but then his face settled into lines of retrospection. His gaze settled on the water, and he appeared more serious than he'd been in a long time... since we'd stepped off that boat.

“I was a much harder man,” he said in a low tone, like a confession. “Not a very nice person.”

“Why not?” I asked simply.

“I ...” he looked at me in surprise. “I don't know. Maybe I was just angry. I was dedicated to being the best soldier that I could be, but that left me feeling empty. I had numerous lovers whom I never loved, and fellow soldiers whom I never bonded with. Ironically, it wasn't until Dionysus changed my allegiance from Epimetheus to you that I found some peace in my purpose and began to feel a connection to other people.”

“Do you resent Dionysus for changing your will?” I whispered.

“No,” Drakon said. “Maybe that was part of the magic. Whatever it was, Pan, I'm grateful for it. I'm a much happier person now.”

“Just fishing on an island,” I noted.

“With you.” His knee bumped mine. “You know, you're rather easy to talk to–for a gift from the gods.”

“I was a punishment,” I said sadly, “not a gift.”

“You were a punishment for Epimetheus, but for me, you're a gift.” He put his pole aside and turned to me. “You've changed my life, Pandora, several times over. I was a farmer once, in service to Epimetheus. Then you opened that jar and released evil into the world. Epimetheus recruited me to become a soldier, but it was all because of you. You made me a warrior.”

“I'm sorry,” I whispered.

“I'm not.” He took my hand, and I put aside my pole as well. “Life did look bleak once those evils spread over the world. But then I was chosen to accompany you. Before we even reached this island, my heart began to change. I watched you, staring out across the sea, clinging to that jar of hope while looking so hopeless yourself. I've never seen anything so tragically beautiful. I started toward you several times and had to stop myself. I've never felt such a strong urge to simply hold someone.”

I felt tears spring to my eyes, and Drakon's hand went to my face to brush them away.

“Yet you never cried,” Drakon said, “and you never faltered. You went forward bravely, into a destiny that was far worse than mine. I admired you for that and hated myself for being a part of your pain.”

“I had no choice, and neither did you.”

“And yet you cry now,” he observed. “Why, Pandora?”

“Because now, I know you, all of you, and I think of you as my friends. It hurts to know that I've pulled good men into this banishment with me.”

“So, you're crying for me?” Drakon asked in surprise. “For us?”

I blinked and looked away.

“How is it possible for you to become even more wonderful?” He whispered as he angled my face to his.

Drakon stared into my eyes, then slowly lowered his lips to mine. I gasped at the shock of that first contact. So sweet and soft. Epimetheus had been demanding–almost abusive in his passion, but Drakon had love in his lips, and he poured it into me. I surged up to meet him, sliding my arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. He groaned and deepened the kiss.

The smell of man overpowered that of the forest, and my head was filled with Drakon. I rejoiced in holding him, in having someone in my arms at last, but even more in the way he held me. The care he put into every touch was such a contrast to his obvious strength. This warrior was more gentle with me than my Titan ex-husband. Drakon showed me more love than a god, and this was only our first kiss.

Drakon gentled it even further and pulled back from me to stare at me softly. Then he eased me onto his lap and just held me, laying his cheek to mine as we stared out at the river together.

“Straton will be furious,” he finally whispered as he picked up his pole. He angled it so that I could hold it with him. “But, honestly, I don't care anymore.”

“I care about Straton,” I whispered. “I care for you all.”

“I know, Pan”–he kissed my temple–“and they know it too.”

“They do?”

“You've been rather obvious in your pursuit.” Drakon chuckled.

“Yes, but that's just lust,” I scoffed.

“We know you well enough by now to see through that,” he chided me. “You're not the kind of woman to lust where you haven't first loved.”

“Humph.” I made a face at him. “Mighty full of yourselves.”

“Not if it's true.” Drakon laughed. “Stop protesting, Pandora. It's nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You don't think it's shameful for one woman to want five men?”

“Our situation is different than most others.” He shrugged. “We've been charged to protect you, to look after you. There are other women on the island, but we have focused on you so intently, for so long now, that none of us could ever stomach the thought of touching another woman. Why do you think we call you 'Pan?' You are our everything, Pandora.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

Drakon kissed me again, just a chaste peck, but it felt like heaven.

“So, you're saying that it makes sense for all of us to be together?” I lifted a brow at him.

“It makes sense, it feels right, and it seems like a natural progression. We all love you; we have for awhile now. We only want what's best for you,” Drakon's eyes darkened to moss-green. “So, what do you think, Pan; do you have enough love for all of us? Are we what's best for you?”

“I think you are,” I whispered. “I think that loving the five of you shall be my greatest adventure.”