Artemis [Lesbian Version]

Chapter 11: The Passion

It was beautiful dawn when Callisto was out in the woods, several miles from Artemis' tents, gathering figs and olives. The nymph carried with her a longbow in case she would chance upon a wild beast. She would have brought one of the hounds, but she figured that she would not go far away from the campsite. Artemis was sleeping and the nymph wanted to be the first to serve her meal when she woke up.

Callisto sauntered towards a grove where a fig tree stood. There she saw two naiads glimmering whitely like fallen birches. Their arms and legs entwined, moving in sweet passion. Their breathing was heavy and loud. Callisto's eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen two women in this explicit manner. One of the maidens had her hand buried between the other's thighs. Their mouths locked with longing. The sight was so strange and shocking to the former princess of Arcadia. She stepped away from the view in fright, but her movement alerted the two naiads. Once they saw her, they quickly parted from each other.

"What are you doing at my stream?" one of the naiads said to her.

"I'm...I'm out gathering fruits," Callisto stuttered. Her face blushed from what she saw between the two naked women. The naiads whispered in each other's ear.

"She's a nymph of Artemis," they said. "Poor thing."

Callisto didn't understand their sympathy. The naiads got up and walked towards her. They pulled her by the hands and sat her down under the fig tree hidden from sight. The water maidens told her their names. Euneica and Nycheia. They were the Mysian Naiads of the spring of Pegae.

"You must be bored living without a partner," Euneica said to Callisto, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "All of Artemis's nymphs are doomed to be alone forever, are they not?"

Callisto frowned. She never thought of it as anything but a reward to be with her mistress. The naiads were famous for their vengeful nature and jealousy. She had heard tales of their s****l encounters with the gods and mortal men alike, for their beauty was very alluring.

"Perhaps your hands could find a better use than picking olives," Nycheia said with a glint in her eyes. "What's your name?"

"Callisto," she told them. "And I'm not just picking olives and figs, I'm a hunter as well."

"I believe you," Euneica said. "We saw your band with bows and arrows hunting with her magical hounds. I pity you, for you don't seem to have other special interests other than shooting games."

"Of course, we do," Callisto protested. "Our lady is kind and just. She never asks too much of her companions."

"Oh really, Callisto dear?" Nycheia said with a raised eyebrow. "Tell me if she allows you to indulge yourself as we do?"

"What does that mean?"

Euneica and Nycheia giggled together.

"I know you're bound by a sacred oath to remain a pure maiden forever," Euneica said with a smile. "But by nature, we are promiscuous creatures, Callisto. This vow to never sleep with a man may be difficult for us to follow, but there are other means of satisfying your cravings, and we're willing to show you so."

Their words created a valley of confusion that she felt she might not be able to climb out of if she stayed with the naiads any longer.

"I must go," Callisto said. "My lady shall be awakened and she needs my assistance."

She rose to her feet again and looked back at the two maidens. They smiled at her as if they understood something she didn't.

"Good day then, we're leaving now, Callisto," Euneica said. "We heard the Argo would sail here with a charming lad, Hylas, whose hair hung down in curls, a gilded boy whom we might kidnap and share our passion."

With that said, they went into their stream and vanished.

Walking back to the camp, Callisto's mind was still thinking about what the naiads had said to her.

~*~

The following days, Artemis tried to approach and talk to the young nymph but Callisto avoided her and rushed off to finish her chores. When she had her bath in the spring with the other maidens, Callisto stayed on the bank, refusing to join. She always came up with excuses. Artemis had other matters to handle with her brother, Apollo.

It was the hour of sunset that her twin appeared to her camp. Apollo was the most beautiful of the gods. His hair was dark gold, his eyes stormy blue like the sky. He wore a tunic of golden panther skin, carried his golden bow, and wore a quiver of golden arrows. His chariot was beaten gold, its horses were white with golden manes and flame-colored eyes. He was god of the sun always.

The sight of him made the hearts of maiden nymphs conflicted. They were not used to seeing men around their band, let alone a god. They stood riveted to the spot, gazing at Apollo.

"What seamless maidens who dwell within the dark dells of these clouded mountains?" Apollo said as he stepped out of his chariot. "If my heart hasn't been affected already, it would have been affected again."

Then the god sent them a brilliant smile, which made them tremble with fear. The nymphs had heard of their lady's twin brother and his many wanton deeds with young maidens. Indeed, Apollo took after his father Zeus. Callisto and the other bowed at him and tried to compose themselves.

"Where is my dear sister?" he asked.

"My lord, she is in her tent near the meadow," Loxo said with a deep bow.

"Bring me to her."

Gods are impatient. They hate to be kept waiting. The maidens quickly brought the sun god to their lady without stay or delay.

Artemis's tent was the largest set aloof from the others. She sensed her brother coming and got out to greet him. The handmaidens brought to them food, meat, and wine, and they ate and drank.

Apollo then narrated about his passion for a shepherdess who used to graze her flocks in the water-meadows of Peneios where he chanced upon. She was a virgin and she prized her maidenhood. Then one day, a lion attacked her father's sheep, she wrestled it without a spear. Apollo, who was present, was immediately inflamed with love.

"What mortal father begot this maid?" he sighed to his sister. "She loves not the pacing tread this way and that beside the loom nor the delights of merry feasts with her companions in the household. The bronze-tipped javelin and the sword called her to combat and slay the wild beasts of the field. And in truth, the poets even called her a 'deer-chasing second Artemis, the girl lion killer'."

As soon as Artemis heard that, she was livid but tried to contain herself. The goddess knew who Apollo was talking about. She was a young virgin huntress named Cyrene, who lived in the woods of Mount Pelion and protected her father's herd from beasts of prey. In fact, Artemis had favored the maiden herself and even invited her to her retinue, but Cyrene politely declined as she wanted to help her father. The goddess then sent two hounds as a gift to her for such a heart that rode over every labor, and a spirit never shaken by the cold storms of fear.

"If you're so infatuated with her, O brother, why don't you take her away before I make her my nymph?"

"O sister, you're quite right," the besotted Apollo said, unaware of his twin's mood. "It is right to lay on her the touch of my god hand, or even to pluck the flower of love, sweeter than honey?"

With that said, Apollo bade her goodbye and quickly went back to Cyrene. Once there, the maiden was enveloped by the sun god of the flowing hair. He seized her from the windswept vales of Pelion, and in his golden chariot bore off the huntress to a land where it was most richly blessed with flocks and fruits.

Aphrodite also welcomed them as they went over the sweet bliss of their bridal. She laid the touch of her brilliant hand upon Apollo's god-built chariot, spreading love and joining the wedlock between the god and maiden. Apollo made Cyrene the enthroned queen to a smiling and fertile city named after her.

While Artemis's brother went freely choosing his lovers and gave them cities, Artemis grew gloomy with loneliness. She did not want a man, but she also did not want to feel lonely. The goddess was confused with her heart's needs. Had Aphrodite been messing with her mind?

For the weeks that followed, the goddess kept mostly to herself. Her young Oceanids tried to liven up her home with the beauty of their voices but the Huntress turned a deaf ear. Her nymphs became worried. They began to consult Callisto for she seemed to be the one Artemis might listen to.