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]

"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.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

And she is still laughing. What is only slightly apparent is that the goddess is crying, sobbing, not out of physical pain, but out of sheer -- sheer --

Guilt.

And yet she still fights back, still strikes at the Gorgon, still fights for the society that she secretly hates so, so much.

[mycursedface]

It is simpler, for Medusa. She hates Athena. She hates Poseidon. She isn't sure about Hermes, but she thinks she hates him as well.

They hurt her.

She was not being metaphoric with Jo; it is an endless present and things still hurt. They beat her, they raped her, they cursed her, they murdered her, they, they, they and no one could punish them for it. And it is simple, because Athena is here and she hurt her, and it doesn't matter that it was in the past.

Endless present, and Athena hurt her, so Medusa is fighting back. She sinks her brass claws in and slashes down Athena's shoulder, across her arm when the goddess seeks to punch her again. Grab her head with fingers hooked and blood, and slam it against the ground, and it is all just self-defence...

Albeit two thousand years too late.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena gasps, trying to ignore the fresh sensation in her shoulder, ignore the blood filling her mouth.

At some point, it's hard to tell when, she stops fighting back.

She doesn't scream, she doesn't tense her muscles at all.

She just stops.

wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong -- get your due see yourself see her -- can't escape you can't escape take it as it comes -- pride pride pride is your downfall

how could you you bitch
you stand for so many things
you have so much pride
yet you can't even save someone
from being raped in your own temple
and then you punish her for it
what is your justification
what
what is it

it is the only way -- it was not -- i had no choice -- you had plenty of choice -- it's the way it's the way it's the way

there are other ways other ways to do things ways to prove yourself assert your gender assert yourself break the system break the hierarchy make things truly right do you believe what you did was right DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU DID WAS RIGHT

cursed for no real reason

cursed because she herself could not stand up to the wrong because she was too weak

do you believe it was right?

And she rasps out a soft, inaudible, "No."

[mycursedface]

"No?"

Medusa claws are against her throat, wet from Athena's blood but not pressing. The Gorgon herself has her head tilted, eyes dark with hate and bright from battle-joy.

"No?"

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

Athena's body is as limp as a rag doll's, dress soaked deep red. It's no longer a fight.

"No, no I don't," she whispers, arms at an odd angle on the ground, not completely seeing.

In one swift movement, she unpins herself and gets up, stance unsteady. Her face is twisted into a grimace.

"I hated it," she says, words oddly detached. "I still hate it. I hate myself for it. Everyone says I'm so fucking smart for following the rules, but they're wrong --"

She quickly wipes her face with her arm, managing only to smear blood over her face.

The fact that the majority of her regrets having just said that makes her sick to her stomach, and she doubles over, coughing out blood. Straightening up, she's cursing softly in Greek.

[mycursedface]

Medusa stays crouching on the ground for a long moment, head twisted up and watching her. Her snakes are bloody, as is her face and with her wings she's just blood and gold and those dark, dark eyes.

She says nothing, just watches with those damaged eyes in her bloody face.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

And grey eyes stare out of a mask of red. Athena's expression is the sort that could almost be called scornful, but in reality is more the face that people make when they're only inches away from breaking down.

Her breathing is ragged, and despite her wounds she still stands straight, so determined to keep her proud demeanor.

And, oh, it hurts. That stare, that stare.

It hurts.

Everywhere, it hurts. Inside, outside, everywhere.

It hurts.

[mycursedface]

Slowly, the Queen of Gorgons stands up.

"Once," she says softly in that musical voice of hers, "once I swore in front of Sky and Sea and Earth that you...that you would know what you did that day.









Do you?"

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"Oh, it's not a matter of 'would know'," Athena replies, still staring back.

"If you want the truth?




"I always did."

[mycursedface]

And Medusa

(and the goddess turned away)

just shuts her eyes.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry."









She feels foolish saying it. It isn't as if those two words are going to make anything better, but --


It's a start.

[mycursedface]

Somewhere, the world is spinning. Up is down and left is right and the blood is roaring, crashing through her ears.




I'm sorry





She nods. Once, then twice, a small gesture and not a verbal one, but it's...

A start.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

She's trying so hard not to cry.

Her entire body is trembling, from physical fatigue, and from the sudden sensation of having part of a great weight lifted from her shoulders.

[mycursedface]

Medusa runs her fingers through her hair, looks down and up and then at her and she doesn't feel anything.

Just...

Empty.

[lady-of-athens.livejournal.com]

For one second, there is a guilty, guilty smile, and then Athena turns, off towards the lake, leaving a trail of red in the grass behind her.

I'm sorry

I'm sorry

I'm sorry

[mycursedface]

When next she looks up, Medusa has long since gone.