Chapter Five

“Where did you go?" she questioned as she spotted me. “And where did you get those baskets?" she continued to question, brow furrowing. I sighed and set the baskets down. “Are you hungry?" I asked, digging into one of the baskets. “Where did you go? Where did you get those baskets?" she repeated. I sighed, setting out some cheese, bread, and meat. “I went to light some of the fires to ensure you are warm." I explained. 

Glancing over my shoulder, I watched as she wrapped the fur blanket around herself and started coming closer. “As for the food. It is from my mother." I explained. She froze at the mention of my mother. I smiled a little as the blanket slipped to the floor, revealing her naked body. There was some redness on her thighs from earlier. “You may want to cover up. It’s distracting. Might not be inclined to let you eat and instead take you on this table." I nodded to the blanket. 

She blushed brightly and quickly picked up the blanket. “Asterion.." she scolded. “Now, what do you mean by your mother? Minos sent the queen in here?" she asked. Her eyes darted to the entrance, worried my mother would appear and see her in such a state. “No, Minos doesn’t even know she was here." I shook my head. “Here, sit. You should eat." I gestured to a stone I used as a chair.

Tentatively she sat down, tucking the blanket around her. “So how did she get here and with food? Does she often bring you food?" she asked, breaking a piece of bread and some cheese, eating with a sigh. “My mother will bring me food sometimes, especially if there is a long time between someone being sentenced to enter the labyrinth. If, of course, she can sneak away without Minos noticing." I explained, taking the jug of wine and finding a cup to pour some into for her.

“Thank you." she nodded, taking the glass gulping it down. I smiled a little as some wine dribbled down from the corner of her mouth. Reaching over, I wiped the droplet away to her surprise. “How does she get in and out?" she asked between bites. “When the labyrinth was constructed, she bribed Daedalus to build a secret tunnel from her rooms in the palace to the labyrinth. The tunnel is narrow and short and can only be opened from the inside. Those were Daedalus’ terms. He would build it, but only if there was no way I could use it to escape." I sighed.

“And I can’t use it then. If it only opens from the inside. And even then, it leads to the palace, and you said if I escaped, I could still be found." she frowned. “My mother thinks she may be able to help you and any others I let live to escape. But it won’t be soon. Not with the festival going on. She said maybe a month or two after the festival is concluded. She could try to sneak people out but only one at a time." I explained. “Will you let the others live?" she asked.

“I don’t know. That’s a call I’ll make on a person-by-person basis." I shrugged. “Did you only let me live because… because I… because we…" she timidly tried to ask. “Because we had sex?" I finished her question. She nodded a little, blushing. “No, that's not why I spared you." I assured. “Will you want others to... Um… do what we did to be spared?" she asked. 

“I would not ask or require anyone to have sex with me to spare their lives. I am not a monster, and I am not some deplorable bastard either. I would not rape anyone. If I’m going to have sex with someone, they would need to be willing, like you were, no contingencies." I said, offended. “Unless you only had sex with me because you thought it was the only way I’d spare you." I frowned. I hadn’t considered that. 

Now it was her turn to look offended. “How...how dare you!" she said, throwing her wine at my face. “I did not sleep with you because I thought it was the only way you’d let me live. I slept with you because I wanted to." she glared at me. 

“I’m sorry to have asked. But I did need to ask. You asked if I only let you live because you slept with me. You asked if I would only let others live if they did the same. So you implied that I was the sort who would trade a person’s life for sex first. Sorry that it made me question if that opinion of me influenced your decision to have sex with me." I bellowed back, wiping the wine from my face. 

That shut her up. “Finish eating and go back to sleep. I’ll sleep in one of the paths." I gestured to the bed before turning on my hooves and walking out—the nerve of that girl. Getting angry at me for asking if she used sex in hopes I wouldn't hurt her, yet had the gall to ask if I accepted or expected sex in exchange for letting her or anyone else survive.

I had no destination in mind when I set off into the labyrinth. I knew every twist and turn by heart. I was the only one that could navigate this maze. Even Daedelus, who designed it, would get lost in here. I lit a torch and started walking. In the darkness, no one else would have noticed the etchings I made over the years. I was recording my life's story. 

I found the path I had last written in and picked up the sharpened stone to write about recent events. Angrily I started to etch in the affairs of these past four days. I was too focused on carving the words to notice I wasn't alone. "Asterion… I.. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused or even implied that you would use sex in exchange for not killing someone." Melite softly apologized.

I glanced at her, still etching into the stone. "And I shouldn't have thrown my drink at you for asking me if I used sex to manipulate you into not killing me. You've been nothing but kind to me, even when I was afraid of you." she continued. She looked nervous as she wrung her hands and shifted from one foot to the other. "Will you forgive me?" she asked, sincerely concerned I wouldn't.

I sighed as I finished the sentence I had been writing. Lowering the sharpened rock, I turned to her. She had gotten dressed in her green chiton again, but judging by the position of her breasts and more so that I could make out the semi-hard nipples, she wasn't wearing her undergarments. Then again, I'm relatively sure I tore the fabric enough it wouldn't be usable. 

"I understand why you asked and why you were upset with me. You don't know me. You've heard only terrible things about me, not that they aren't true to various degrees. And then I questioned your virtue in a way. You were a virgin. For all I know, you had been preparing to be a priestess of Athena, which would have meant a vow of chastity. And I questioned if you leveraged that virginity as a tool." I sighed.

"And I can understand why you did. I mean, you've not had an easy life. You've been mistreated and used by King Minos and the people of Crete. From what you've told me, your mother is the only one that has shown you kindness...love. So why wouldn't you expect the worst of some girl, not even from Crete." she sighed.

"And… um... so that you know. I wasn't going to be a priestess. My father intended to marry me off to either the son of one of his friends or possibly one of his eligible friends when I turn 17. But that, of course, changed when the names were drawn for the tributes. Every noble-born between the ages of 15 and 17 was in that drawing. My name just happened to be drawn. And my father's plans to use me to gain more wealth and political power is gone." she shrugged. 

"Even if your mother can help me escape, I can't go home. Even if I could go home, I'm not a virgin and would no doubt be cast out for what we did." she frowned. I sighed, shoulders sinking. She's right. If she could return to her family, she’d be branded if it ever became known we had sex. People may whisper about my mother, but they are only whispers, for she is Queen. 

"I'm sorry. I know that what we did means you won't ever be treated the same again. I know you'll be judged and harshly for it. Some may pity you and assume I raped you. Others will condemn you as some shameless whore." I sighed. "Well, we know it wasn't like that. And if me willingly having sex with you makes me a shameless whore…" she said, stepping closer to me.

I watched her, curious as to where this was going. Her hands tentatively reached up to the clasps of her dress. I can feel my heart beating faster as her chiton slipped to the ground, softening the clatter of the clasps hitting the stone. And I was right; she was completely naked under the chiton. She's too beautiful for this dark and dank prison.

"Then so be it. I don't want to feel shame. Certainly not for the way you make me feel...here…" she says, running her hand down her chest to her heart. "And certainly not for how you make me feel here…" her hand slipping down, slowly, to between her legs. "Asterion… will you touch me… make me feel like that again?" she asked, biting her lip. 

I felt my mouth go dry as I looked at her. “If.. that is what you want." I nodded, taking a step closer, dropping the stone from my hand. “Yes… it’s what I want. Do you want me too? We both must want this." she asked, a hint of uncertainty showing in her soft voice. “Melite…" I sighed, closing the remaining distance between us to place a hand on her face. “I do want you." I assured her as I bent down, kissing her lips. Her mouth parted with a sigh as her tongue came out to greet mine. 

Lifting her off the ground, her legs wrapped around my waist and her arms around my neck. "Asterion…" she moaned as I pressed her into the stone wall. I kept one hand to hold her up while my other found its way to tease her entrance. "Melite… wet for me already…" I groaned, finding her wet and ready. "I can't help it. It's what you do to me…" she moaned, hips rolling against me in need. I didn't, couldn't, wait longer; lifting my loincloth, I entered her. Our moans echoed throughout the labyrinth till we were both satisfied.