Her skin finally found rest—the dread was gone, and so was the suffering that ate her inside out. All despondent feelings faded as she submerged in the bathtub full of warm water mixed with oils and rose petals of the brightest red.
It was, indeed, a surprise that Eris took her to a descent room and said nothing more.
As she was led to the bathtub and left alone, she overheard Eris instructing a servant, saying, "Take care of Athena. Give her the finest cloth and rub her with the most aromatic oils." She was at ease, though her tone was still more demanding.
Athena was puzzled by the sudden hospitality given to her. A moment ago, she was on the point of death—pinned between Ares and the goddess of discord's taunting. But as they enter the solemn room, out of the blue, her attitude changes, and the atmosphere seems light compared to the atmosphere of the previous quarter.
More hot water was then poured into her bath when the servant came. She smiled at Athena, and Athena smiled back—warmly greeting her with a soft voice.
The servant then carefully cleaned her body, gently rubbing every inch of her, especially her wounds.
"I am sorry for the discomfort, my lady," The servant sympathetically implored. "I am almost done."
Athena did not mind despite flinching from every slow pat on her back. "No need to fret. Your deed was from the goodness of your heart." She told her as she leaned to the edge of the tub and closed her eyes. "By the way, may I know your name?"
The servant went quiet, thinking whether to converse with her, knowing the consequence would be an instant punishment from Eris and Enyo.
Sensing her concealed fear, Athena slowly turned to face her—warmly giving her another smile as she admitted, "There is nothing to be afraid of me. I—I just felt lonely and needed someone to talk to."
The servant swallowed a hard lump, paused, and finally dismissed her skepticism. "Well, my name is Cloe, my lady." She beamed, suspiring in relief.
The two women were then at ease and got fully acquainted. As they interacted, Athena learned that Cloe was like Liene and Naida—she was also once a nymph and then cursed with mortality after the chaos.
"I would rather be this old maid, my lady—than be dead." She sorrowfully shared as she combed her long hair with her wrinkly fingers.
Athena only pouted, halting herself from uttering her distressing thoughts about death towards her new friend.
After a few more conversations, Athena unconsciously drifted away from reality.
Upon seeing her calm breaths and closed eyes, Cloe let the maiden be while she added more scented oils to her bath water. "Sleep well, my lady." She whispered as she rose.
***
The sun slowly descended from its highest peak.
The afternoon was serene, and trees stood tall—gracefully swaying with every breeze. Flowers on the ground were vibrant, and follies grew bountiful. The mysterious land was a perfect paradise that was the opposite of Hellas.
Despite the growing blues inside the palatial abode, some parts were still more bearable—more forgiving, especially for those who sought sanctuary.
All of a sudden—
As the afternoon bestowed the land with its golden light, the tranquility crashed as Eris and Enyo pushed Liene and Naida into a room beside Athena's.
"Inside, you indolent creatures!" Enyo yelled.
Liene and Naida were shaking as they obeyed. Moments ago, they were just finishing their chores—not until the goddesses yanked them away from their duties without any further notice.
"Better heed these instructions." Eris began, "You better prepare Athena—pamper her! You have to prepare some perfumes, fabrics, and some flowers. And before you dolled her up, better give her some food and a wine to warm her. My servant will prepare it for you. Make sure that not a drop is left in her cup."
Naida and Liene hastily nodded to their orders, engulfed in their fear as if already drowned in the ocean's wave.
"We will leave you here. You better be sure that what we said did not pass from one ear to the other!" With blazing eyes that could munch to the last piece of your bone, Enyo threatened the two before she turned around and left ahead.
Eris followed and finally left the pale servants alone.
After the doors were closed, Liene and Naida immediately did their new duties—with one arranging the bed and the other plucking the petals of the roses and lavenders stacked on a side table.
"Why are you still here?" Liene asked Naida when she saw her frown as she sat on a chair. "You should be in the kitchen to remind one of those ninnies about the goddesses' orders."
Stupefied, Naida's brows arched. "Me? Then you should be on your heels to get those perfumes and fabrics they said!" She retorted.
"After I know the shadows of those wicked deities were out of sight! Uh! Why are we being dragged to their mischief?"
"I do not know, Liene. Do you think they knew that we helped Lady Athena?" Naida quivered as she thought of the possibility of a harsh retribution waiting for them. "Oh, do you think someone blabbered behind our backs?"
"I do not think so." Liene firmly answered, despite secretly trembling with the same thought of impending doom for them for aiding the former goddess of wisdom. "Pantelis is a righteous man and would not do anything as such. He did not even like those vile beings."
"Is it not too odd that both Eris and Enyo told us to give Lady Athena a lavish treatment?"
"It is very odd. I was surprised about it—perfumes, fabrics, and not to forget the food and wine. Something is not right." A finger caressed old Liene's chin as she contemplated what was happening.
Their conversation paused, leaving an air of silence though mildly light and not bitter.
As the petals of roses and lavenders piled on the ground, Naida became uneasy—wriggling on her seat like a worm thrown with salt.
Seeing this disturbance in the inaction, Liene scolded, "Quit acting like a child! You're a middle-aged woman, remember?"
"Ah! Stop reminding me of that!" Naida yelled. "I was just feeling a surge of anxiety about what might happen to Lady Athena. Why are we preparing for such grandeur? I knew not of any party. Have you?"
"Certainly not! All I know is that we are to prepare some supplies for the move."
The door suddenly opened, prompting the two women to bolt. After opening a few inches, a head poked through—-
Liene and Naida sighed in relief.
"Cloe!" They both cheerily exclaimed.
"Shh!" Cloe said as she put a finger to her lips. "I can hear your arguments in the other room. Lady Athena is there sleeping in the bathtub."
Ashamed, Naida covered her mouth.
"Oh, I am sorry," Liene whispered as she went closer to Cloe. "How is she?"
Cloe closed the door and responded, "Still bruised. I am trying my best to give her relief. She fell asleep while I was bathing her. At least there is some improvement."
"That is very good."
"Why were you arguing anyway?" The newcomer wondered.
"Naida and I were just confused about the sudden change of air that hovered above Eris and Enyo. Why are we dolling up Lady Athena?"
Cloe shrugged. "I have no answers, for I am also wondering about it." Her face changed, painting a distress that was vivid. "But I do have a hunch."
Liene held her by the shoulders, demanding her of what she thought. "Please, Cloe, tell us."
"Yes—please tell us," Naida added.
"Well, I heard the two mistresses, while I was cleaning their quarters, about some kind of payment."
The other women were puzzled.
"Payment?" Naida queried.
"I cannot expand on it but only tell you of my notion. I think the goddesses planned on sending Lady Athena as payment for a large purchase they made."
"Oh no!" Naida cried, slumped down on the floor in great surprise. "Poor lady Athena." She bawled as she covered her face.
Liene felt the same sorrowful sentiments with her eyes lowered to look at the floor that seemed to form a deep void. "So, we are doing the dirty work for them?"
Cloe did not answer—even though she knew the answer.
The three women left their conclusion hanging as they were too sad to say anything more and guilty of being under Eris and Enyo's thumbs. The three only kept the remaining time to finish their tasks and let Athena rest before her speculative sentence came.
Not a word was bluffed. Not a single nuance as all trod on the mosaic floors finishing their tasks. Cloe patiently waited for Athena outside the room, Liene preparing the perfumes and the designated fabric—which she deemed too sheer for Athena's liking, and there went Naida, forlornly making her way to the kitchen to remind the cook of the food and wine Athena was to consume.
The three servants were out of vigor—out of vibrant spirits. Carrying the burden of preparing for someone's doom was a punishment that equaled a criminal chained to a mountain with a pesky bird pecking and eating your organs out every day of the year.
The whole tribulation the former nymphs went through felt like limbo—having no opinions as they reluctantly executed somebody else's heinous desire.