rdm

Angela was laying on her back, with Circe's head resting on her thighs as they watched the column of smoke and fire climb into the Florida sky.

"What was the last one called, dearest?" drifted up from her legs.
"Apollo. Fifty four years ago."
"Hmm."

Suddenly Circe sat up, and got to her feet. Angela didn't know what had prompted it, but she leapt to her own feet and started scanning the area for threats. "What is it?"
"There is a power here. Come, we must be polite."
"Yes, ma'am."

Angela followed Circe as she strode across the grassy bank, and stopped near a tall athletic woman who made her instincts scream 'Danger!'

Circe bowed, and Angela copied her, making sure to bow a little deeper. "My Lady, I had no idea any of you still walked the human world. My apologies for not making the proper observances."

The mystery woman turned her eyes from the rocket's trail, and looked at them, and then looked again. "Circe, you are awakened in this time. How unexpected. My name has been called so many times over the past few years, it has been sufficient even if they do not make the offerings. My brother found the same fifty years ago." Then she turned her eyes to Angela, and looked back at Circe. "A fine working. What is she to you?"
"Bodyguard at first. Partner now."
The woman was suddenly in front of Angela, who found she could not move, or change. Her eyes went wide. The woman reached out and stroked Angela's face. "Fine work, indeed. What brought you to me this day?"
"To pay our respects, nothing more, my lady," Circe's voice was deferential.
The woman was back in front of Circe, and stroking her face the same way. "You come before me without an offering?"
"Only our respect, my lady."
The mystery woman laughed "Oh, dear Circe, you never fail to surprise." Suddenly Angela could move again, and she stepped up next to Circe. "Oh, do not look so fierce little guardian. I will do no harm to your mistress or yourself. You are too perfect a hunter, and I would not break such a work of art. Have my blessing, and continue as you are." With those words, she vanished.

"Circe, who was that?"
"That, my love, was your patron. The Goddess of the Hunt," and she pointed up towards where the rocket had vanished.
"An actual goddess?"
"Oh yes. We will have to establish a shrine if she is back in the world. Even if it is only temporary."

#SF #SFF #IAmWriting #microfic #tootfic #Microfiction #Circe

Apr 3 at 1:31amWeb
Show threadrdm3h ago

They were back at home, and Circe was instructing Angela on how to construct a shrine to the goddess who was her patron. Not, it seemed, that she had any say in the matter.

Her mistress had said that it was 'acceptable' for the new shrine to be next to her own. Apparently the two were sometimes one, and this closeness made a shared space OK. Fortunately, despite being the Goddess of the Hunt, her preferred offering was nothing more complex than honey seed cakes.

"Circe, what about the other gods and goddesses?"
"Oh, they are real enough. But few have enough attention on them to manifest."
"What about the gods of other cultures?" Angela asked.
"They exist as well. There are several that could manifest, but do not. The weight of the human world sits heavy on most of them. I must say I was surprised to see your patron - the unexpected focus must have aroused her curiosity."
"Is that why you keep avoiding her name?"
"Very good. Names do have power. You will do well to remember that." Circe had taken on her 'teacher' voice suddenly.

Angela resumed assembling the shrine, and setting out the initial offerings.

"Have you sensed any other gods manifesting?"
Circe thought for a moment. "Only one. And it was one I had not expected at first. One of the Egyptian gods. The Ibis one, although I think he was making himself look more human."
"What is his area?"
"Writing, wisdom, dreams, and magic. I rather suspect he has adopted technology as a logical extension of magic, too."

Angela put the finishing touches on the shrine. "There. How does that look?"
"Very good darling. Now make an offering, and do use her name."
"Right," she took a deep breath, let it out, took another "Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, accept my offering."
Suddenly there was a third person in the room, inspecting the shrine, and the offerings upon the altar. "Well done my little hunter," she turned to Circe "You have taught her well. Your own patron is well pleased." The goddess turned back to Angela and commanded "Show me your true form, little hunter."
Angela immediately turned into a cheetah.
"Oh, you are a creature of beauty." She turned back to the shrine, and almost all of the offerings disappeared. A few rectangular packages remained. Picking one up, she removed the cellophane wrapper, and broke off a corner, sampling it. "Not honey - but very good. What are they?"
Angela changed back "Sesame crisps, my lady. They are from the Middle East, I think."
"Not traditional, but perfectly acceptable."
Angela started to bite her lip, which Artemis noticed "Worry not, little hunter. I will not come every time you pay me respect. Or even every time you call upon me. But I felt that this should be a special time. A blessing upon this house." And with that, she vanished. Along with the rest of the sesame crisps.

#SF #SFF #IAmWriting #microfic #tootfic #Microfiction #Circe