it is affirmed by some that Medousa was beheaded because of Athene

[mycursedface]

Medusa is sitting in a tree, jeans and sundress and hair in braids and no glasses, today. If anyone comes out here, she'll just...close her eyes or something of the like. She's in that kind of mood, contrary and a little out of sorts and have to be outside can't stay need to-

Only, she couldn't think of anything to do, so climbing the tree and watching the lake in the semi-twilight seemed the better alternative to pacing.

Or paying attention to the dull throb of a hangover.

Comments

[mycursedface]

"No," and her voice is the clarity of a flute and the sibilance of a snake all at once. "No, no, just Hermesss helping your brother. Give him the helmet, give him the ssssword to ssslay me, but who gave the boy that shield?"

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena's voice is the storm on the sea, the terrible crack of her father's thunder.

"I did."

[mycursedface]

"Why?"

A little word, why. Three letters. And the Gorgon isn't the Gorgon as she says it, she's a girl. A girl beaten and raped and cursed and murdered and still stumbling about asking why?

The girl who had asked for Athena's help, all that time ago.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

If Medusa looks hard enough, there's a small crack in the stony grey of her eyes.

"You were --"

A cough.

"In the wrong place at the wrong time."

[mycursedface]

"I wass in my home."

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena simply shrugs.

There isn't much else for her to say.

[mycursedface]

"And...you shrug. That iss it? No, 'Ssorry, Medussa, for being party to your murder. Ssorry, Medussa, for not sstaying out of it. Ssorry, Medussa, for fucking up!"

Medusa jumps down from the tree and lands in front of her, snakes hissing and wings moving angrily..

"Pallasss Athene, you do not even have the conviction to sssstand up for your actionsss."

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"That. Is. It," Athena hisses back, eyes flashing dangerously.

"If I did not think my actions were right, I would have left this place a long time ago."

Her hackles, so to speak, are raised.

"And if you think it's all my fault things got so fucked up, as you say, then you've got another fucking think coming."

[mycursedface]

"I acknowledge that I wass in the wrong placssse at the wrong time.

I acknowledge that I wasss too ssmall and fragile to fight back ass well as, well, maybe you. But the resst? It iss you.

It iss you and Hermess and...and him!"

A deep breath.

"I asssked for your help, and you turned away. I picked myself up, broken wing, concussion, bleeding and battered and you curssssed me!"

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"It was my DUTY," Athena says vehemently.

"I follow the rules of my father and the rules of the world -- I am not the one to dictate them!"

[mycursedface]

"What about the rules of compassion?!" In that, almost a scream, the sibilance is lost for a Gorgon's soprano clarity.

"Or the rules regarding rape as a crime."

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"They are canceled by the rules that I do not control. You think that so much is in my hands -- it is not. You think that I have so much fucking power -- in my world, I am not bestowed with the powers to overrule the laws of the men."

[mycursedface]

Medusa stares at her, cold and contemptuous.

"You," she says at last, "are pathetic."

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena smiles wryly.

"I'm not the one who breaks down every other day."

[mycursedface]

She slaps her, claws out.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena's head snaps around.

For a brief moment, a curtain of her dark hair obscures the four, fresh streaks on her cheek.

One moment, Athena is still, the next, she is flying at Medusa, hands balled up into fists.

[mycursedface]

Medusa is small, lets us all agree, small and delicate and fast, and if one fist clips her jaw, she's still diving to the side and grinning.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

There is nothing merry about the goddess of wisdom's expression.

Her form seems to constantly change, illusory shapes flickering around her.

She twists around immediately, eyes focusing on the Gorgon.

[mycursedface]

And she has ever been nothing but herself, take her or leave her. Wings and braids and claws and, yes, snakes. They are a part of her now, and she wears them as if she'd been born with them.

Every serpentine gesture and moment of grace is just another mark of how much Medusa has made ther curse her own.

"Athena," and her voice is a sing-song croon, "whatever did happen to my head?"

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"I put it on a shield, Medusa," the goddess sings back, weaving through the air.

(She always did take delight in war.)

"Stuck it on a shield to turn humans to stone."

[mycursedface]

"You bitch," Medusa breathes, lunging at her.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"It's beautiful, really," Athena laughs, not bothering to dodge.

"No one who's seen it has said a word against it!"

[mycursedface]

The idea is not to kill, else it'd be fangs out and sunken into Athen's neck. The idea is to rip, to slash, to spill blood and make Athena hurt, so when Medusa hits her the pair just end up on the ground.

Her claws digging into Athena's arms, Medusa grins.

"Well, I am beautiful."

Fact, not opinion, by the rules of their world. Kallas and kharis, beauty and grace-to-ignite-desire and Medusa has always had them.

Even now, bright-eyed and grinning with blood-joy.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

And the goddess smiles through the pain, blood running thick and fast down her arms.

"Oh, of course. If you were not, how else would you have attracted the sea god's attention?"

A cruel, cold laugh tears from her throat, and manages to tear her left arm free, immediately throwing her knuckles at Medusa's face.

[mycursedface]

Lips smashed against teeth and tip of the tongue caught and Athena isn't the only one who is bleeding. She hisses in pain, fangs down and mouth open like a snake.