Chapter 3

Lysander's heart jumped when he heard the screams.

He took off running toward the screams, outrunning even Argo. Arianna also tried to keep up.

"My baby!" a woman screamed.

Lysander watched in horror as a crocodile had a small girl by her dress and was pulling her toward the creek. He grabbed his knife and took off, lunging on the crocodile's back.

He grabbed the creature by its neck, cut the girl loose and wrestled it into the water. All anyone could see was blood and water splashing.

Suddenly, Lysander emerged from the creek, bloody and muddy. The remains of the crocodile floated to the top of the water.

"How can I ever repay you?" the woman said. "My daughter was just playing when it came out of nowhere."

"It's OK," Lysander said. "I'm glad I could help."

"That's the first time I've ever seen crocodiles around here," Arianna told her brother as the woman and the girl went on their way.

"I've never seen one here, either," Lysander. "I couldn't believe it when I saw it. And it was huge."

"It wasn't here by accident," they heard a man say.

They turned around to see a large white-haired man. He looked strong enough to have taken down the crocodile himself.

"I'm sure my wife sent him to test your strength," the man said. "I'm sure it's only the first of creatures she'll send to test you."

"Your wife?" Lysander asked.

"You'll come to know her in time," the man said with a chuckle.

The man reached into a bag and pulled out a shiny sword. It was the finest sword Lysander and Arianna had ever seen. Even the king didn't have one as fine.

"I was expecting that she would do something like this, so I had this made for you," the man said as he gave the sword to Lysander.

"Why would you give this to me?" Lysander asked.

"Only the best for my grandchildren," the man said. "It was forged by Hepheastus, himself. You will tell no one outside of the temple and your family where you got the sword."

"I won't," Lysander said. "I swear it."

"We've got to go," Arianna said. "We're going to be late for temple duty. Phoebe will not be pleased."

Arianna and Lysander left the man and went on their way. They didn't notice a companion joining the man.

"That was a nice gift, Father," Artemis said as she pulled her arm around Zeus.

"He will need it for more than just his step-grandmother," Zeus told his daughter. "There are many challenges to come this way. And I would much rather him have this gift than the one you intend to give him at the temple."

"It will increase his strength and skill," Artemis said. "You know he'll need that when he faces Hera, or other members of our family who are less hospitable."

"I still don't like it," Zeus said.

"You mean you don't like it for what it'll do to him," Artemis said. "Father, you know it's only temporary."

Zeus chuckled.

"Temporary, yes," Zeus said. "But the Fates have told me that it will lead down a path where he'll have to make a choice. And you don't seem to bothered by him having that choice."

"If my son chooses to become female, it will be his choice," Artemis said.

"I believe you would be happy with that choice," Zeus said. "In fact, you almost seem to be steering him toward that choice."

Artemis laughed.

"I want my child to respect women," Artemis said. "I don't want him to be like his father. If my child chooses to become a man, and honors, respects and protects women, I will be the proudest mother this side of Olympus."

"That is an admirable wish for your child," Zeus said. "But never refer to Herod's dog that attacked you as your child's father. After I allowed you to conceive, I extracted every trace of that dung-pile from that child while the child was still in your womb. The only thing left from the seed is Lysander's mortality and his gender. The boy is you made over."

Artemis blushed. She acknowleged the boy had her looks, and her spirit.

"Don't forget the attitude," a voice said.

Artemis looked around and saw her mother, Leto.

"What brings you away from Olympus, mother?" Artemis said. "You never leave Olympus."

"I've come to see my grandchild," the goddess said.

"I've never known you to leave Olympus to see Apollo's children," Zeus said with a laugh.

"Our son has children with any female he becomes infatuated with, be it woman, nymph or goddess," Leto said. "He has so many children, I believe I've lost count."

"I believe he's lost count, too, Mother," Artemis said with a laugh.

"I love them all, I do," Leto said. "But this one is special. This child runs in the woods with a trusty hound, shooting bows and arrows, and loves spending time under the moon."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Zeus said. "Lysander is special because he will be the only child my daughter will ever have. Your body was restored to the vow after Lysander was born. And Hera has been restrained from breaking that vow again."

"If the time comes that my son chooses to become my daughter, Father, will she still be special to you?" Artemis asked.

Zeus chuckled.

"Be the child Lysander or Lydia, you know your child will always be loved by me," Zeus said.

"That's what scare me," Leto said. "Any child you throw favor to that isn't of Hera's offspring, upsets Hera. Sometimes I wonder if Perseus and Hercules would be better off it you didn't love them so much."

"Father, how did you know about the name Lydia?" Artemis said.

"You think the Fates keep anything from me?" Zeus said. "Besides, I knew that is what you called Lysander in your womb when you thought he was a girl. Cruel joke I played on you, not letting you know that child's gender until birth."

*****

"Look at you," Helena said when she saw Lysander emerge dressed in priestess wardrobe. Arianna braided Lysander's hair and applied makeup.

"Phillip chose wisely to spend his time in the fields," Helena said. "I don't think he'd take too kindly to seeing you dressed as a girl."

"Amazing how he looks," Arianna said. "Looks just like the painting in the temple of Artemis as a child hunting with Zeus."

Lysander gave Helena a hug.

"Mother, does it bother you," he asked. It was a bit strange for him that two now held that title in his life. "You will always be mother to me, for you raised me."

"I'm sure I'm a bit jealous of the place she now has in your life," Helena said. "But how many times have I had to fetch you from the woods, or try to get you away from your bow to study your lessons or help in the fields. You are the child of Artemis, there is no denying that. It's a part of you that I've come to embrace, even though I had no idea why you were the way you were."

Arianna and Lysander grabbed their baskets and filled them with their offerings.

"Hopefully, Phoebe will not to be to harsh on us," Arianna said as they left.

"I assume because you rescued a child from the jaws of a crocodile, you expect special treatment?" Phoebe said when they entered the temple.

"No, ma'am," Lysander said as he and Arianna took their offerings to the alter, said prayers and went to assist others in the gathering of offerings and prayers from the steps from villagers.

No one knew Lysander was a boy as he performed his priestess duties. Because of the curse, he knew he had to play the role of a girl to keep tragedy from happening, to keep other men from challenging the curse, although a few would try anyway.

Lysander found part of the training meant continuing studies. Arsana was assigned as his tutor. He would learn the many languages of the world. He would study literature, mathematics and the laws of the various kingdoms and empires ... in addition to normal duties of collecting offerings and offering them on the behalf of others.

He had to learn to dance ... for the priestesses had many they were expected to perform during ceremonies and festivals. He, Arianna and Samarah were assigned Ariope as a teacher. She was a priestess from an Amazon tribe.

She was quite amused having to teach Lysander to dance like "a proper woman."

The first week of training ended with a dinner. There were two surprise guests: Artemis and Leto.

Lysander was seated between them. It was the first time the goddess shared a meal with her priestesses since Phoebe first started her training.

After the dinner, Artemis requested a meeting with Lysander alone.

"I had this made for you when you were in my womb," Artemis said as she pulled out a necklace. It had the name of Lydia on it.

"Hepheastus made it," Artemis said. "It will magnify your strength four-fold. It will increase your skill as an archer to the level of my own."

"It's beautiful," Lysander said. "But why does it say 'Lydia' on it?"

"I thought you were going to be a girl," Artemis said. "That would have been your name. That would be your name when wearing it."

"Why would my name change?" Lysander said.

"Because it was made for a girl," Artemis said. "Your body will react to it. When you wear it, you will take the form of a female."

"I can't take it," Lysander said. "It's beautiful, and I appreciate that you want to give it to me. But I can't take it. I'm a boy."

Artemis decided not to press the issue.

"There will come a time when you will need it," the goddess said. "I will give it to Arianna, and ask her to keep it safe. When you want it, she will give it to you."

Artemis then told Lysander she had another gift she wanted to give him.

She pulled out an elaborate bow, with arrows to match it's splendor.

Lysander's eyes grew big.

"The bow and the arrows, Zeus had them made for me by Hepheastus," Artemis said. "He gave them to me on my 13th birthday. The bow is magical. We are the only two who can use it. You are 13. I think it's fitting that I should give them to you."

Lysander smiled. This was a gift he could not refuse.

Written on the bow were words inscribed by Zeus himself.

"This bow is alive. She knows her mistress and will serve her well."

*****

Pilgrim Road was one of Lysander's favorite places to be when he wanted to think, although it wasn't as special as the lake in the woods at night.

He sat in the tree and watched people come by. They came from everywhere because of the temple. Some were rich, some were poor. Beautiful, ugly, strong, helpless, kind, funny, cruel and mean.

He made it a habit of helping those in need on the road.

Once weary travelers got their wagon stuck in the mud on the side of the road. They were Spartans. Four big, burly warriors tried to force the wagon out of the mud. It would slide a few feet, then slide back down.

Lysander and Samarah were laughing as they failed and slipped in the mud.

"I don't suppose you could do any better," a frustrated Spartan warrior said.

"Oh, I think that its a challenge you can't pass up," Samarah said with a laugh.

Lysander hopped out of the tree, and walked over to the wagon.

"Step back," he said with a grin.

The Spartans erupted in laughter.

"A scrawny little boy who has yet to become a man is going to move that wagon," a woman traveling with the warriors said with a laugh. "I have a better chance of moving that wagon than you."

On appearance, Lysander thought, she could be right. She looked the part of an Amazon warrior.

Lysander walked up to the wagon. He grabbed with one hand.

They were shocked as he pulled it one-handed onto the dry road. He pulled it as if it were a child's toy.

They didn't know what to say. They thought there must be some logical explanation, but Lysander offered to push it back and let them try again.

"Oh, no," said one of the warriors. "We are grateful for your help Little Hercules."

"I prefer little Artemis, but that's OK," Lysander said. "Although I've heard my uncle is quite a hero."

"Little Artemis?" one of the Spartans asked. "Are you kidding? And Hercules, your uncle?"

Lysander laughed. He didn't take the necklace. But he was proud of his mother.

"I don't know if they believed me," he said to Samarah when they left.

"Trust me, they're going to be talking about Little Artemis helping them out for a long time," Samarah said.

Another time, Lysander watched as a band of Amazon pilgrims pitched came besde the road.

A young boy from the village, Antiochus, snuck up to one of their wagons. The boy was poor. Lysander knew his family. The boy was about 10. He was hungry. He pulled a piece of bread from the wagon.

The boy thought he got away, but soon found him surrounded. The leader of the band, Aniape, caught him.

"The penalty for a thief is a hand," she said as she pulled a knife to cut off the boy's hand, or it seemed to Lysander that was what she intended to do.

"You can't do that," Lysander shouted.

"It is not your place, boy, to interrupt," Aniape said.

One of her warriors tried to grab him. He flipped her with ease. Two more came to subdue him. He threw them off as if they were rag dolls. Two more came, and he easily took care of them.

"Why is it none of my warriors can subdue one scrawny boy?" Aniape said.

About 10 more jumped him. After much struggle, one of the warriors pulled her sword, and others did the same. Lysander reached for his, and realized he left it next to the tree along with his bow.

He was still a handful for Aniape's warriors, but they were able to restrain him.

"By our Mother Artemis, you will be punished as soon as we are through dealing with this little thief," Aniape said.

"By HIS Mother Artemis, you will let him go!" A voice shouted.

"Who dare challenge my authority?" Aniape shouted back before realizing she recognized the voice.

Her warriors knew the voice before she did, and they bowed as soon as they heard the goddess speak.

Artemis emerged with her bows from the woods with two hunting dogs, and Argo, by her side.

"How can you take this arrogant boy's side instead of us?" Aniape asked. "I thought our tribe was favored by you."

"Aniape, you are one of my favorite warriors," Artemis said. "But you apparently do not listen."

She put her arm around Lysander.

"You are correct to call me mother, for I am your spiritual mother, Aniape," Artemis said. "But I am Lysander's real mother. Harm one hair on his head, and I will gladly introduce you to my uncle Hades."

Artemis then asked what led to the confrontation. Aniape shared her side of the story. Lysander told his mother that the boy was poor, and was harmlessly looking for something to eat.

"Aniape, really, were you really going to cut the boy's hand off?" Artemis said.

Aniape claimed she was just trying to scare the boy.

"Give the boy a little more to eat," Artemis said. "Lysander will be sure it is credited to you at the temple as part of your offering to me."

Artemis also made Aniape apologize to Lysander, and told her to make it known that Lysander was free to travel through Amazonia.

"Now Lysander, what am I to do with you?" Artemis said as she held him tight. "I'm glad you want to help people. But you must be careful. The strenghth you inherited from me will not get you out of trouble against a large number of warriors, demi-gods or gods. Maybe you should reconsider my gift. I won't always be around to help you out."

"I'll be more careful," Lysander said. "I promise."

Artemis smiled and reached into her bag and pulled out an apple.

"Here," she said. "I just realized I've never take my little boy hunting. I'll send Hermes to tell Helena not to expect you tonight. We're going to be out all night."

As they walked toward the woods, Artemis pulled a branch from a tree and gave Lysander a smack across the rear.

"Ouch, what'd you do that for?" Lysander asked.

"Don't ever leave your bow and sword by a tree again," Artemis said. "If I catch you doing it again, the next will be worse. Always keep them with you."

"I'm sorry," Lysander said. "Won't happen again."

"Consider yourself lucky," Artemis said. "Left my bows aside like that once when I was your age. A spanking from Zeus with lightning bolts is not fun. Now let's get hunting. Your Momma's feeling a little mischevious tonight."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgnHF2CwrPs