• Sharp melodies emanated from the dense thicket as the birds sang to eachother in an off-beat harmony. Lush green flourished from every angle as trees dripped leaves like a noblewoman drips lavish diamonds. The trees calloused branches reached with great, brown tendrils to slice the sky into pale blue fragments above. Rocks sported blankets of moss and small creatures flitted idly about, ignorant completely to her arrival.
    Iris padded noiselessly down the familiar route that had been overrun by germinating spring. The weightless basket swayed along with her arms as she listened intently to the wizened sighs of the oaks that bordered their makeshift road. The wind danced mischievously through their gnarled limbs and pounded mirthlessly against their ancient trunks, making them groan in exhaustion.
    The distant laughter of nymphs echoed softly towards her and with it came a seeping sadness. Whenever she had tried to approach the nymphs they had daned to even regard her with their crystalline eyes, diving back into their fathers rivers or springing into their prospective trees. Iris had seen other mortals attempt to befriend the nymphs, and they had been accepted with cries of delight and curious expressions.
    She kicked a lone stone into the underbrush, scaring a flock of sparrows into flight and receiving their vicious chastisement as they rose higher into the sky and disappeared into the unfathomable blue.
    It had been exactly fourteen days since she had awoken, empty and afraid, in the clearing she now found herself in. It was also her current destination assigned by her caretaker, Yaya. It was abundant in berries that were to be gathered and taken home.
    Absentmindedly Iris plucked the berries from their mother plant and placed them in the basket. She was still so new to this world that was so vast and almost seemingly eternal in its wonderments and space. Waking up to no memories, emotions, or knowledge of this unknown land, she was lucky to have been found by the villagers and Yaya.
    The old woman had lost her family to a malignant bout of fever but had remained unaffected and lonely after their deaths. It was Yaya who had offered to keep her when the fellow villagers had not known what to do with her. It was also Yaya who had named her, Iris. "For your eyes that change color like the rainbow goddess, Iris, herself." She had told her when Iris had questioned the old womans sure tone. She had been filled to the brim with information these past two weeks of life as well.
    She lived in a place called Greece where gods and goddess' reigned from atop their towering mountain, Olympus. Zeus was the most powerful of these gods, and he was oftentimes the one to stifle their often bantering. There were so many different gods and goddess' that she could remember only a select few.
    "We are in great turmoil." Yaya had sighed one night. "For the twins, Apollo and Artemis, are at war with one another."
    Curiously Iris had asked. "Why?"
    The old woman grinned sagely at Iris. "Artemis is the goddess not only of the hunt, my child, but of a young womans virginity as well. When young girls come of age, they must offer the final remnants of their childhood to her at an alter and that is when they become a young woman under her care. They leave her watches after marrying, at which point they are expected to be protected by their husbands."
    Yaya paused momentarily befeore continuing.
    "Artemis will never birth or marry, Zeus promised her that. But she still wishes to have something to create. So Artemis went up to her mighty father and demanded he give her the ability to create life without bearing a child. He did, but he also knew of how reckless his daughter was. So he implored the sun god, Helios, to pour forth his light upon the creations and destroy them. So they lived only during the night, and when day came, Helios' light would kill them. Jealous of his sisters power, Apollo went to Zeus and asked for the same. Of course, Apollo is a more sensible god and thus the handicap was revoked. Helios took his time and spent thousands of his endless years creating a single masterpiece."
    "Masterpiece?" Iris queried.
    "Yes. Artemis merely created things on a whim, so they had no emotion or disgression, they ripped and tore at anything. So she used them for hunting practice. But Apollo breathed true life into his creations, giving them the ability to grow and expand, to learn. We are his masterpieces."
    Something painful twinged inside of Iris' heart. She disregarded it. "So is this why we are not to go out at night?"
    "Yes." Yaya continued. "For Artemis grew spiteful as she watched her brothers creations that bettered her own. So she created fearsome beasts that hunted us and killed us. It made her angry to see us create weapons to defend ourselves while her creations turned into smouldering ashes as Helios rode his chariot across the sky."
    Another archaic sigh whisped from the womans wrinkled lips. "But I fear she is catching on, and is creating far more intelligent beings. I hope this is resolved soon, for I am afraid for my loved ones children." Than Yaya stood and hobbled slowly out of the house to gather water. Leaving Iris alone to ponder the history lesson.
    As she ambled quietly back in the direction of home, her basket now heavy-laden with crimson red berries, her reverie faded into reality. Soft gurgles from the nearby stream led her through a thick bush and towards the slim ribbon of water. It lay beyond several layers of vegetation and a small, rocky, bank. She leaned over the water and gazed at the mirror reflection that the rushing surfice shot back. The reason for her name, Iris, was her eyes. They churned with different colors and changed everytime her head changed angles even minutely. Flickering from green to a soft yellow with only the smallest tilt of the head. This unnatural iridescence had been a source of unwanted attention, donated by those around her.
    Loose coils of ink-black hair fell into the belligerent stream and danced helplessly as they breached the gelatin-like border between the air and water. A pallid complexion stared back at her through those eerie eyes. A minnow darted swiftly towards a small rock and her short-lived attention was caught on it. Rocks clattered noisily from across the stream and Iris shot upwards instinctively.
    Black, glazed eyes regarded her with stolid and almost lethargic expression. A canine muzzle opened in a bored yawn to unveil two rows of honed teeth. It sat on its haunches with its tail coiled about its pack legs and two pointed ears that drooped lazily. Startled by the sudden appearance of this creature, Iris stepped backwards. The wolf watched with a hint of amusement in its abbysmal eyes.
    The trees that surrounded the water leaned away from both Iris and the wolf in hopes of putting some sort of fabricated distance between them. Could the wolf be some form of the water god that inhabited the stream? Yaya had warned her of how short-tempered and peevish the water gods could be, especially when one did not properly thank them after making use of their waters. But Iris had also heard that water gods appeared in the form of massive horned beasts that lay waste to the land during their ruthless tyraids. This was most certainly no pugnacious, horned monster. As if to prove her point correct, the wolf scratched itself with an air of ignorant carelessness.
    Iris couldn't shake this feeling of uneasiness as even the forest itself went stagnant at the abrupt arrival of this strange, new being. Not only had the birds ceased their incessent chatter, but also the grass was no longers indulging in gossip through its soft rustles. The four gods of the wind that usually strummed the grass and combed its strands than carried the gossip to the ears of trees and bushes had went breathless.
    Brusquely, the gray animal stood to stand only a few feet off the ground before whirling around and beginning to trot idly into the forest. It stopped and turned to gaze expectantly at Iris, waiting. Reluctantly, Iris followed suit by wading through the now lapid waters. She found herself unconciously following the beast as it kept a brisk pace in front of her, leading Iris through silenced bushes and mute clearings. Never stopping to see if she was still behind it, it plowed with a determination that contrasted against its earlier disposition through the unbridled vegetation.
    It took several hours of staggering travel until finally the wolf stopped to sit next to what looked like an extension of the stream from before. Gratefully, Iris fell to her knees and dipped her hands in to take a sip that her desertous throat had been clamouring for.
    "I wouldn't drink that, darling." Came a velvetine voice from nearby. Iris let the liquid rain from her fingers back into its source. She looked in disbelief at the wolf who was no longer nearby.
    "I have spoken to the river god of this stream and he is most uncouth." Acidic petulance saturated the voice. "So drinking from it would be most unwise, wouldn't you think?"
    "Oh." Iris stood and stepped away from the branded water. "Thank you."
    A milky white bird descended from a nearby tree, its gray eyes pierced Iris' bewildered heart. "Now, my daughter. Why is that you are so afraid?" It questioned with an elegant voice that flowed like silk against her fingertips. "I am but a winged messanger of the beauteous goddess, Artemis, herself."
    The mention of Artemis made Iris' throat tighten and her stomach coil in apprehension. "What does a mighty goddess such as Artemis wish to do with me?" Her own tact surprised her.
    "You need not be wary of me, little Iris. Artemis wishes to bestow upon you a task, something any mortal would slay themselves for. What say you?"
    "N-no!" Iris choked, her rush to reply left her short of breath.
    The birds plume formed a feathered diadem atop its streamlined head, long tail feathers rippled behind it as its gracefully slender legs carried it closer to her. "Now young daughter, I understand your reluctance at having so splendorous a task thrust upon you. But surely some time to think is required?"
    Without contemplation Iris replied once more, the rude acid that had colored the birds tone before was now the base of her own. "No. I'm afraid I refuse again."
    The birds staid eyes gave no premonition of danger as it spread resplendent wings before lifting lithely into the air and floating away seemingly on a cloud of nothingness. As the flock of sparrows had done before, albeit much more boistrous, it disappeared into the sky. Forlorn and waning in strength, Iris began to head back the way she came. Back to her place of safety in the warm but fragile arms of Yaya. Who would surely praise her for so noble a rejection.
    The way home seemed almost foreign to her as nature regained its courage and began to brim with its usual abundance of life. The night sky impeded forth like a great mass of writhing demons that corroded away all light left behind by Helios' chariot. Devouring any inkling of day in its grasp, a watercolor painting of purples and reds bled into each other to make a masterpiece of the sky. Clouds fled like animals from a hunter towards the horizon where they could hide behind the distant mountains from nights vindication. Iris knew that she, also, must take shelter quickly or chance the wrath of one of Artemis' children.
    The respiteful song of the stream brought new hope to her as she sped up, knowing the way now. She quickly waded across the waters before the water god noticed and grew indignant. Her berry basket remained untouched on the bank where she had left it and she gathered it in her arms and continued forward. Trees and bushes murmured to each other as she loped desperately passed. With each moment spent in the forest, the night grew more dominant in the eternal cycle of war between sun and moon. Bracken and other malicious plants that thrived under Selena's pure light snagged at her feet and left them with red ichor oozing down her ankles and her legs willing her to stop.
    A flash of coiling black spiralled towards the sky in a mass of demonic gas. Iris stopped her running to gaze in confusion at the pyre of gray through an openning in the trees. Some of them leaned back to widen the area so she could view the proceedings better. Adrenaline pulsated through her veins and even though she had no knowledge as to what sort of fiend it was, she felt little good coming from that black cloud hovering like death itself in the direction of her sanctuary.
    Trees now shot past in blurs, their voices forming only fleeting fragments of warnings. She approached the town hastily and when she burst through the last layer of protective forest, her stomach went taut.
    Orange demons that sprang forth and licked at the air were devouring the entire village, sending people shrieking into the forest. Their exothermic atmospheres singed her cheeks as they cackled in wicked snaps to one another. Fear held her legs steadfast to the ground as she watched her home, her sanctuary, her life. Sinking down into the ground while the red hot monster lept from house to house and left nothing more but carnage behind. Its breath sifted upwards in a sluggish and grotesque movement, rising into the heavens and stifling even the stars powerful light.
    With one last rush of adrenaline, Iris managed to coax her throat and lips to form one last word. She screamed for Yaya praying the woman would come hobbling up to her and pat her on the cheek for being loud. Chastise her for being very little like a lady by allowing her voice to rise to such a feverish pitch.
    Yaya never surfaced.
    The plaintive cry of horses rose above the din and raucous shouts from men followed. A dull chorus of thumps from within the flames grew louder and louder as they neared.
    "For Troy!" Cried one voice and several more yelled with victory on their breath.
    They emerged like a great wave of snorts and shouts, allowing their great beasts to trample anything. The leader wore a golden helmet with a plume much like the goddess' messangers but crimson. Sharp cheekbones and black curls struggled to escape the helmet as his horse carried him through the charred remains of her home. Gray eyes, wild with adrenaline, inspected the scene and a boyish grin spread across his face.
    "We have done a noble deed here!" He started loudly, turning his horse so he could face his followers. "We have just crushed a vital part in the Spartan Rebellion." Cheers roared from the pack of men.
    One of the men crowed excitedly. "Helen is ours!"
    Another grin surfaced and the men cheered once more.
    Iris stood and tried to steal away into the forest where she was sure the trees would pity her enough to protect her. But she was stopped abruptly by another shout from the band of demons.
    "Ay'! There's a girl!" One of the men pointed out and all the other men followed his eyes eagerly.Their golden breastplates shone in the light produced by the fire, most of the older ones wore unkempt beards while the younger ones were smooth-shaven.
    The leader turned his horse and coaxed it towards her, she froze and watched in horror as he neared.
    Gruffly he queried. "You. Girl. Are you of Sparta, or Troy?"
    No breath was there to form a reply she just allowed her head to drop and watched her bare feet wriggle anxiously.
    "Are you daft?" Growled the man, his tone sparked with annoyance. "I asked you-"
    "I don't know what those are." She mumbled softly.
    Laughter erupted from the men and the leader looked bewildered.
    "How is one born that does not know of Troy?" Thundered the man whos height was frightening while he sat atop the snorting beast that impatiently pawed the ground. Anger dripped like venom from every word and he turned indignant eyes to her, than to his fellows to silence their guffawing. "You are a lying wench."
    She didn't know what wench ment, but it didn't sound like a term of endearment. "I-I'm not lying. I haven't even been alive for more than two weeks. I swear!" She stammered.
    Something hard came into abrupt contact with her head, sending her onto the ground with a painful yelp. More laughter.
    "Men." Barked the leader. "I was questioning her and you think it wise to stone her?"
    The men went silent and turn to wander idly about in hopes of his seething anger beginning to smoulder. She felt the spot where the stone had hit, and could feel a swell brewing. It was painful to the touch, so she just left it be.
    A sound of leather sliding against leather and footsteps muffled by the carnaged earth and suddenly she looked up to see the man standing directly above her. The red feathers that spumed from the top of his helmet made him seem almost comical as he eyed her with a clouded expression. "What if your name?"
    "Iris." She answered with a voice as pristine as undisturbed waters, she felt a well of pride at her bravery.
    "Why, little Iris, does your name twin the goddess' herself?" His voice was an odd mixture of pity and resentment.
    Iris had already been pegged by a stone, what else could happen? "Because Yaya said I have eyes that are as beautiful as the goddess herself."
    "Really?" He bent down so that his head was level with hers, while his helmet still towered above. "You realize it is a sin to hold yourself at the same level as the gods."
    Iris shook her head, keeping her abnormal eyes on the ground as he drew closer. "I did not know."
    A puff of laughter escaped his mouth and she started at the unexpected noise. The trees called softly for her to return to their protected branches, but she merely disregarded them and looked up at the man who now squatted not two feet away.
    "What then, do you own that is off the great goddess of rainbows, Iris, herself?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
    "My eyes." She mumbled softly to the earth, hoping it would soak it in and not allow it to reach his ears. But the earth was a mirthless being, and it shunned her words.
    The second eyebrow rose to match the first. "That's quite a claim. May I see these eyes?"
    His softened demeanor gave her new hope and courage and she raised her bowed head to see him clearer. As she steadily moved those eyes upwards, his own widened in wonderment. "Well now, that is peculiar."
    "That is what everybody says."
    He turned his heavy-laden head to look into the distant forest and pondered for a few moments, leaving her to wonder what it was that he was thinking about.
    "And this was your home?" He inquired eloquently.
    "Yes."
    "So you are currently without one?"
    "Yes."
    "Well than. That won't do."
    She stifled a cry of shock and her head snapped up to greet his face staring at her.
    "You will come back to me to Troy, and you will be my victory trophy. Just think of it, Girl with Eyes of a Thousand Colors. You will be considered a treasure, for this is obviously a gift of the goddess herself. Surely she would want her child to be bathed and clothed in only the finest Chitons. Or to bed in only the finest silk."
    Tantalizing images shot through her mind of pretty jewelry and soft fabrics, things she had never known existed before. She yearned for them, and they could be hers if she simply nodded her head yes and allowed him to bring her home. As a trophy though, not as a human being. Iris thought it surely a fair trade. His voice rang sure and true like the song of a rose nymph making her drink in every word with growing anticipation.
    She saw one of the men who had overheard open his mouth to protest, but another quickly slammed a hand to his lips to stifle his voice. The leaders voice ascending and converted to something dreamlike. In utter exstacy, Iris nodded fervently to say yes, she wants to be dressed in silks and bathed in oils. An impish grin spread across his youthful face.
    "Good. To Troy than."