A long long time ago (roughly a millennia ago) a young gorgon was born and her name was Cicely. She was born on an Island off the coast of what today is known as modern day Greece. It was said that the gorgons were created when Medusa was cursed by the gods. All subsequent gorgons were born when a gorgon lay with a human male (before turning him to stone). Gorgons are cursed with snakes on their heads and eyes that turn men and women to stone. This was the story that young Cicely grew up with and only women could become the cursed creatures.
Cicely was ashamed of herself and she thought it was something she personally did as to the reason for her the curse upon her. She was too young at the time to realize and fully comprehend her feelings of self-loathing. She was cognizant that her gorgon family were not normal and had to hide themselves from the human population. That if humans saw their eyes they were be turned to stone and remain that way for all time.
Her mother and elder sister, Ambrosia relished in their power. In their ability to turn humans to lovely stone statues. Their garden on their isolated island was full of stone statues (mainly men) that would be shipwrecked on their 'little slice of paradise'. Sirens would lure the men towards the rocky shore and the men unlucky enough to survive would swim to the refuge of the island to only be turned to stone by her mother and sister. Cicely did not take part and found herself heading the opposite way.
Cicely enjoyed going to the shore and watching the water, waves, and ships that would pass by. Sometimes lured by the siren's song and sometimes not. She glanced toward the rocks sitting out atop the water and was relieved when there their were no siren there. There would be no ships coming to their island and there would be no deaths today. She let out a sigh of relief to hear foot steps coming up behind her.
Ambrosia sat next to her sister, "I'm bored." She mumbled displeased that the sirens were not sitting out singing. There was no death song so there would be no shipwrecked men thereby no new statues.
Cicely glanced over a her sister, "yes, a pity." However, in her heart she was pleased. Stone statues were not her pleasure, but she didn't want to be ostracized by her mother and sister, they were all she had after all.
"Maybe tomorrow then?" Ambrosia sighed and leaned her head on Cicely's shoulder, their snakes greeting each other.
"Yes, possibly tomorrow." Cicely confirmed with her sister.
There was little to do on the island, so for the longest time they watched the water and a single ship passed before them. Those sailors would live one more day, maybe more she thought.
After about an hour or so Ambrosia stood up and stretched, "I think I'll head back now, you'll join me dear sister?"
"No, I think I'll watch the setting sun and I'll join you and mother later."
"Suit yourself." Ambrosia noted before disappearing up the hill and through the trees.
Cicely put her arms around her knees and hugged herself tightly rocking herself back and forth. Her ears perked up when she heard movement from behind her. The crunching leaves, whatever it was... it was certainly larger than a small animal Cicely thought. Her eyes scanned the tree line searching for the beast, searching for it.
However, what stumbled out onto the shore and fell with a thud was not a beast but a human male. From Cicely's vantage point it appeared that the human had passed out. She bit her lip determining what she should do. She looked back in the direction of where her sister went, back home. Maybe she could save this male?
To her snakes she said, "I'm sorry my loves, but I shall cover you up, only temporarily, I promise. As I do not want to scare the poor human... if he should wake again." Cicely grabbed part of her dress and tore it. She then proceeded to wrap it gently around her head. Her snakes were like her... understanding, but she didn't want to smother them! She then took the colored glass she had found a long time ago from a shipwreck and positioned it over her eyes, she could see, but it would protect the poor human from her stony gaze. When she had sufficiently covered her snakes and eyes she finally headed over.
Cicely turned over the human so it's back was on the sand. She gasped when she saw his face, he was the most stunning human she had ever had the pleasure of laying her eyes on. She desperately wanted to keep him safe.