An Unearthing of Goddesses

An Unearthing of Goddesses Part 40

The goddesses had left for Mt. Helicon, having sent Lhamo back to the treehouse to retrieve Kate. The mountains rose grey and green and misty, with the spring just below the summit ridge. A steeply sloping pasture dipped down to its edge, a rocky outcropping birthing the short waterfall dropping down to the pool below. They found the nine muses singing and dancing at its edge.

Like the Elementals, they were of every size, shape and skin color, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, a Titaness. Each branch of the arts was their offering – epic poetry, lyric poetry, erotic poetry, history, comedy, tragedy, dance, hymns, and astrology.

They broke their reverie to embrace the Elementals, giving them laurel wreaths to wear on their heads. Maeve was the first to ask about the location of Pegasus. Calliope, muse of epic poetry, came forth. "The winged horse is here. He arrived yesterday. He bathed in the sacred spring, then joined the wild horses in the fields beyond." She gestured to the pastures surrounding them. "He wishes to rest and be unbothered. He has endured much."

"I am certain he has," said Nandi, stepping forward. "We need only speak to him briefly. We seek whomever, or whatever, has caused him this wound."

Clio, muse of history, stepped forward to join her sister. "The annals will record all in due time. But let us agree to let him have his peace for now. And you – you all may drink from the spring of inspiration, which will aid in your quest." She gestured to the water's edge.

"Oh – I suppose we can wait a bit longer," said Nandi, stooping to drink from the spring with a ladle resting there. The other sisters came forward to join her eagerly. The water was pure, sweet, satisfying, quenching a thirst they didn't even know they had. They drank ladle after ladle, as if an ancient draught was being drenched.

Cassie expressed her newfound inspiration first, in dance, pirouetting throughout the fields with Terpsichore. Gaia sat with a lyre and plucked to her heart's content, alongside Polyhymnia. Nandi joined Thalis the muse of comedy and laughed until she dropped, while Dona joined the muse of astronomy Urania, who wore a crown of stars, and they read their fortunes into the night. Maeve joined Erato in composing a lyric poem of epic love. Anya joined then, donning the shepherd's instrument, the double flute, with the instruction of the muse of music, Euterpe. She blew the mournful tune while Gaia plucked the hopeful notes, and Aurae joined to sing the lyrics they had composed.

The song was hauntingly beautiful and even Melpomene, muse of tragedy, was moved. It told of young love, fair summer days, bitter winters, unfilled promises. It told of flowers blushed unseen, maidens' youth faded, and memories lost. As Aurae's piercingly pure voice penetrated the night, the goddesses saw they had attracted a wider audience – the herds of horses grazing nearby had gathered to listen. Amidst their brown, black, and tan hides, a stunningly white vision appeared. Pegasus. He stepped forward, his broad wings perked as if for flight, his ears attentively tilted. He snuffled, and then neighed plaintively.

"Come, friend," Maeve invited. He stepped forward and accepted her stroke on his head and nuzzling of his nose.

"Tell us what happened."

***

The sirens blared as Lhamo steered the convertible to the curb. They were being pulled over. The officer approached, his sheriff's hat pulled down over his brow.

"Good morning," Lhamo smiled, tipping his own ball cap.

"Um hmm. Do you know how fast you were going, sir?" The officer leaned down, resting a hand on the door.

"No – over eighty I imagine?" Lhamo grinned. "I haven't driven in decades."

"I see. I need to see your license and registration." He straightened and held out his hand.