Agreia Agrotera, by Kenn Payne

The night air dances amid tree-tops, the delicate whisperings of the playful nymphs. Through the broken canopy of deep black-green foliage I see the encompassing darkness of the night; the diamond incrusted gown of the Goddess Nyx.

I move through the trees, my eyes wide. My bare feet welcome the cool caress of the damp grass. At a distance, some nocturnal beast cries out and, motionless, my heart skips a beat. Reaching out, I rest against a tree trunk, my fingers exploring the deep, craggy folds of the bark; a spark of nature’s sensuality.

The flutter of a night bird overhead causes me to look up and around in a vain attempt to glimpse the creature but softly stirring shadows meet my gaze instead and the night air moves the leaves as though the nymphs mock my mortal foolishness.

In the night canopy a glimpse of the silver moon reveals itself; a slender crescent, luminescent in the darkness, hanging like the sterling bow of the Huntress.

I lower my head and close my eyes briefly, continuing on through the trees. All is silent around me and yet I feel the eyes of the forest at my back. In a world that sleeps until dawn, this wood is alive.

Then I hear something.

At first I think it is the wind through the trees again, but as I slowly advance it becomes clearer – the lilting soft voice of a woman singing. I move forward and up ahead the darkness seems to lessen slightly as though lit from within.

Stepping through some foliage I happen upon a small clearing where my heart skips a beat and my eyes shimmer with astonishment.

Facing away from me stands a great figure, taller than any man I have seen. Her hair is gilded and tied loosely into a ponytail. Her upper back is bare, milky white skin glowing with a luminescence of its own. Her body is donned in a short, white chiton that cuts off two-thirds down her thighs: strong and toned yet unclenched and unused.

At her side, against a rock, stands a quiver of arrows and as she turns to don the quiver, I catch a glimpse of her pale loveliness and a startled breath escapes my lips.

Turning to me in all radiance, longing and fear fight for possession of my heart as I behold her.

A goddess stands before me and I avert my eyes as my heart thunders somewhere between my chest and my throat. Light exudes from her very being and my eyes nervously flicker upward to meet fierce and eager eyes of the clearest blue.

Something in my heart “snaps” and I flee. Fear consumes my head and drives on my legs as I dash back through the trees. The sound of laughter lilts on the wind and the nymphs eagerly watch my escape; their excited chatter rustling the trees. I flash between the trees, darkness and dim shades of light. I glance toward the sky through the broken canopy and only Nyx’s bosom bears down on me; the bow-like moon has gone from my sight.

I can hear the sound of advancement behind me as I run and run, my muscles burning. I hear another animal of the night cry out and only realise that it is I crying out in panic.

A root snags my foot and I fall headlong into the undergrowth, taking a mouthful of grass and mouldering leaves. I scrabble to my feet but hear her approach as the area around me begins to lighten like the arrival of a silvery dawn. I feverishly turn to look, my heart – so yearning to behold her again – defying my instinct to flee. I was the prey and she the hunter, I told myself as the splendorous vision appeared from between the trees.

I beheld her face fully and felt my heart break with numb desire; this beauteous goddess before me who had and would defy all advances to remain pure. I harried the thoughts from my mind as I met those intelligent eyes again and under her gaze I felt like a deer caught by her sharp-shooting arrows.

Without taking her eyes off me, she swiftly took one of her gilded arrows into her bow and drew it back in preparation to fire. I feverishly closed my eyes and waited. In the next moment I heard the arrow released, almost felt the rush of air as its steely point sliced through the night. I awaited my demise as the whole forest seemed to hold its breath, but nothing but a deep rush of warmth enveloped me.

Slowly, I opened my eyes to look once again upon the goddess in all her magnificence. She stood there now, her silver bow held by her side. I looked down at my body and found no arrow in my flesh; no death, no pain, no release. She broke into a powerful stride and moved toward me, her powerful eyes never leaving mine. I sat dumbfounded on the ground as she leaned past me into the underbrush. There she lifted out the limp body of a young doe; a shimmering shaft of gold protruding from its ribs. She held it by the hind legs and began to depart.

Before she disappeared, the goddess turned one last time. Her eyes were softer now, deeper. She looked at me and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly in a smile. Then, in all her wondrous beauty, she was gone.

I was left touched by the vision of Her as I sat alone in the night. Glancing up once more at the night sky, the silvery crescent of the moon shone down on me. It had moved in the sky slightly and now reminded me of Her soft smile as well as her terrible bow.

With the laughter of the nymphs moving the trees with the night air, I lay under the stars and dreamed.