Midas Is King

The salty breeze from the ocean tumbles its way up along the coast to find me at the top of the highest cliff. From here I can see the vague outlines of the sunbathers with their colourful umbrellas; they seem to form a giant pattern from way up here. It’s so peaceful, just the break from reality I’ve been craving. Laughter fills me as the wind tugs at my hair, pleading for me to release it. I can’t help but to obey its silent request. I raise my hands enough to free my hair from its restraints and, as the wind plays with its newfound jewel, I can’t help but move right along with it.

Raising both hands, I twirl along with my hair, my multicoloured skirt spinning like a giant flower when seen from above. There’s no one to tell me how to feel and the tension drifts away. There’s no more planning, no more being careful, it’s a time to be carefree. In only two weeks I will be married and Jack’s decision to visit Greece as a ‘pre-honeymoon’ is the best he’s ever had. I don’t even know where he is, but I’m glad I don’t have to be careful of my behaviour right now. He is certainly not the best husband material…
but I made a promise.

The faint sounds of music reach me from far below and I can’t help but to flow along with the rhythm. My mother always taught me to dance as if no one’s watching. Thank the gods that no one is up here to see me like this. They would think me to be mad, but it’s so uplifting being up here. It feels as if I could touch the clouds if only I tried hard enough. The feeling of freedom overwhelms me; I feel as if I could fly away, just take off and leave. I wonder if this is how Icarus felt, all alone up there in the sky. A low chuckle snaps me out of my thoughts and I spin around. My face goes red with embarrassment as I come face to face with a handsome stranger.

“Please don’t mind me, I was just enjoying the, uh, view from up here” The man says with another chuckle. I glare at him, attempting to appear enraged or annoyed, but even I know it’s a feeble attempt. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right? I think, giggling along with him. Had I stumbled upon myself, chances are I would have laughed too. “Icarus would have been ashamed to learn that such a beauty wished to share his fate,” he remarks, his blue eyes twinkling in the sun. I know he’s playing with me but the thing is I can’t remember saying that out loud. A silence descends on us, his face is confused as if he isn’t used to women who do not fall all over him on sight. My mouth remains shut as to avoid embarrassing myself. I do have a fiancée, however dissolute he might appear to be.

“Aella” I say finally, breaking the silence in order to get rid of this impossibly handsome man before Jack returns. He smiles, but it’s not completely genuine and has an air mischief to it, he seems fun.

“Ahh she speaks,” His voice breaks through my thoughts, I blush for having taken so long to say something. “Care to dance my little whirlwind?” he asks, his smirk widening at the confusion on my face. Not many are aware of what my name means, and somehow him knowing makes this a little more intimate than before. I smile impishly, throwing my arms to the wind as we dance; a dance that will shake the heavens for years to come.

“AELLA!” An angry voice reaches our ears and I jump away suddenly, as if burned. The moment is ruined by my all too boisterous fiancée who, after a great many drinks at the bar, decided it was time to come and find me. Looking up at the stranger beside me, I can see an expression of anger flit across his face. But in the blink of an eye it disappears, his face becoming a cool mask of stone. Nearly sighing in disappointment, I turn to make my way towards Jack, when a hand grabs my arm to stop me.

“Ares” He whispers into my ear, kissing my cheek and hand gently before letting me go. I stare at him in pure astonishment for so long that I forget Jack is still there, until he grips my arm. It’s nothing like that of Ares’, Jack seems intent on severing my arm from my body. Still, my eyes do not leave this strange man with the god’s name until I am dragged off the cliff by my ‘loving’ fiancée.



“Jack it was nothing,” I plead with my fiancée as we near our hotel room; his silence is a good indication of how this is going to end. Praying, with what I know will be of no avail, to the gods that he does not kill me this time we approach the cabin he had rented. With the cabin completely isolated with only a deserted run-down bar near it, there will be no one around to hear me scream. That I think, is what I fear even more than his fist.

“Please you must listen to-” I plead, only to get roughly shoved into the wall, knocking the breath from my lungs. And, as I gasp for breath, his fist connects with my side. Through months of previous experience I know better than to fight or try to protect myself. Blows rain down on me, forcing me onto the ground, almost to the point of passing out and suddenly, he stops. For one glorious second I think it’s over, he’s done for today, but boy was I wrong, so very wrong. He forces me onto my stomach and rips my clothes off. Screaming in vain, I thrash desperately, trying to get away; he just chuckles darkly. Jack is way too strong for me to even have a hope of stopping me. He makes no attempt to silence me as pain courses through my body. I had been saving myself until I was married, and maybe, just maybe for someone I love, but I guess that doesn’t matter now. Tears stream down my face and as he finishes, he reaches up and yanks my hair back as hard as he can.

“You are mine you little whore and don’t you forget it” He hisses, getting up and leaving me alone with my pain. Quiet as I can, I curl into a ball and cry until the blackness takes me, at least its painless.