"Daphen," I introduced myself, not wanting to touch Apollo. Although he was beautiful and completely magnificent, I couldn't take any risks.
"I know your name," he laughed. "You had a visitor earlier, didn't you?" I nodded, and Apollo continued, "Her name is Medya; she asked me for directions to the nearest oracle this morning."
It took me some time to realize that Apollo was talking about me, and I smiled faintly. I wasn't an oracle; maybe Apollo was confusing me with someone else.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not an oracle. I'm a nymph, daughter of the River Peneus."
Apollo mounted Pegasus and took an arrow from his quiver, firing it to the ground. The arrow was made of dark wood, and the feathers at the tip were so light that they seemed to reflect the sunlight.
"When you need me, dip the tip of this arrow into the surface of the water, and you will see."
And that was how my first meeting, which I hoped would be my last, with the God of the Sun came to an end. I left the arrow where Apollo had left it and returned to my lake, doing my best to remain calm, which wasn't easy knowing that my life could be in danger at any moment.
"How is my youngest daughter?" A melodious voice greeted me, and I saw that a tall, beautiful woman was walking along the edge of the lake toward me. By the way she spoke, it must be Creuza, the woman who had brought me into this world.
"Welcome," I said politely, shifting a little from where I was sitting to make space for Creuza to sit.
"Thank you, my daughter. Tell me, how is your first day going?"
"Oh well... I went to the forest and met eight very beautiful nymphs." Perhaps it would be good to talk to someone much older who knew this world better and could give me some idea of how much time I had until the fateful day.
"Eight? Oh, you mean the daughters of Oxylus? They are very sweet." Creuza smiled and dipped her fingers into the water, small fish playing around her.
"Yes, they wove flowers into my hair, and then I ventured deeper into the forest." I noticed a small gleam of concern in my mother's eyes. As if she knew what I was about to share, she looked over my body, searching for any signs of marks or injuries.
"And I saw a centaur... he chased me, but just as he was about to catch me, an arrow crossed the sky and struck him right in the chest. Terrified, he fled, and I returned home."
Creuza's expression was exactly what you would expect from a mother catching her child with their hand in the cookie jar; she looked serious, and her forehead seemed to pulse, on the verge of exploding.
"I can't scold you; your father likes to make the world colorful. And I couldn't witness your presentation as I was busy with a poet on the other side of the lake..."
Creuza didn't seem surprised by what I said about an arrow crossing the air; in fact, it seemed normal to her.
"But don't go in that direction; those are centaur lands. The daughters of Oxylus should have warned you. When I meet Morea, I'll make sure to tell her!" Creuza was truly a mother; I smiled even though I knew she was upset.
"After I returned, a woman came to the lake and left an apple and a cup of mead!" Creuza's expression changed; she became radiant and leaped into the water, causing the droplets around her to turn into small rainbows as they were illuminated by the sunlight.
"How marvelous!" She took my hands and squeezed them in a warm embrace. "I'm so happy!"
"Yes, she asked me to give her the ability to conceive a child... I don't know how that works..."
My mother couldn't help but let out a sweet laugh, shaking her head back and forth, joyfully.
"I'm sure she will conceive a child shortly. You don't have to do anything unless you truly want to interfere; you possess all the powers and gifts for that. Keep one thing in mind: if the person's desire is pure, then drinking from this water will be more than enough."
So, there was no magic associated? I didn't need to conjure anything? I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or disappointed... perhaps the magic and sci-fi movies I watched in my other life made me believe something grand had to be involved.
"But remember, it requires communication with you in exchange for an offering; we do not give nor bless for free. Everything has a price, even for us."
This last paragraph was spoken in a low, warning tone.
"I also met the God Apollo."
Among all the things I could see from Creuza, her expression of astonishment and her wide, round eyes would be the one that stayed in my mind the longest. But she quickly replaced that look with a calmer, serene one.
"It's no wonder; Apollo often hunts around here, sometimes accompanied by his half-brother Hermes or his twin sister Artemis."
"He left me an arrow and said he was the one who sent the woman here this morning."
"He left? Did he?" Creuza pulled the arrow from her white dress. "I thought it belonged to a hunter; I should have looked more closely. Upon further inspection, it seems far too sacred for a mortal."
"What were you planning to do with it?"
"I have collected mortal things, but since it was a gift for you, I'll leave it with you." Creuza smiled, but I quickly extended my arms, pushing the arrow back towards my mother.
"No. I mean, you can keep it; you can take it with you."
I didn't know if it was possible to see someone's future, but if so, then Creuza didn't have that ability because she dipped the arrow into the water, and a golden glow emerged from the surface. Leaving me blind and my skin warm.
"Oh, by Poseidon!"
Creuza was shocked, and when I opened my eyes, I could see why. Reflected in a pool of bright orange light before me was the same statue from the museum. And I was able to recognize my features, or rather the features of Daphen, sculpted in stone as she transformed into a laurel, moments before being kissed by Apollo.