Fleeting Love: Chapter 8
Phoebe slowly opened the cage. Jon guessed she was still weary to let him out. Once the cage was open, the amazon stumbled back on her bad ankle.
" I kinda need your help to get down. Unless you want me to sprain my ankle too. "
She carefully reached in and grabbed him under the arms, then set him on the floor.
" Do you have any bandages? They'd help if you did sprain your ankles. "
" The small basket. " Phoebe said pointing to all the supplies in the far corner.
Jon went to the basket she pointed at and got a roll of bandages. Phoebe had gone back to her bedroll and laid out. He approached her feet, trying to hide his erection. Every night for the past four days when Phoebe went to sleep, Jon admired her large feet whenever they peeked out from under the blanket. Four days without touching any woman's feet had left him with an incredible urge. Especially after months of Aphrodite's games.
" Hold up the bad ankle. " he said unwinding a length of bandage.The huntress held up her right foot. Jon started to wrap up her foot with care. " Intro To Sports Med finally pays off. "
Phoebe's foot was gigantic. At his size, standing up her foot would come up to his waist at least. A few minutes later, he finished and ripped the bandage from the roll.
" You're gonna have to take it easy for awhile. Don't stay on it for very long and no running. Give me that extra pillow. "
Phoebe tossed it to him. " How long must I rest? I need to go back out and hunt. "
" No, no, no. You can't. You have to rest at least 4 weeks. "
" No! Hunting is my livelihood! If I do not hunt, I do not make money. "
" I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that. If you try you'll just make it worse. No, we'll think of something else. " Jon said putting the pillow underneath her injured foot.
Her other foot suddenly kicked out, pushing him back. " How do you intend to stop me, puny man? "
" I don't! I'm just telling you what's best for you! If you want to make it worse, go for it! " he yelled.
Phoebe's eyes softened slightly. " I am sorry, Jon. I am not used to a man speaking to me in such a way. "
" It's okay. I understand. "
" Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. "
" Well, that's not all I can do. I have other talents. You said your feet hurt, right? "
Phoebe nodded with a confused expression.
Jon moved up to her left foot. " Don't kick me again. "
He started to work his hands into her sole. Her skin was somewhat rough and calloused. Nothing too bad and Jon had expected it to be much worse. Her sole had multiple wrinkles spread across it. There was no chance his hands would fit around her wide foot, so he grabbed the sides and worked his thumbs in. As he rubbed, Phoebe sighed in pleasure.
" Dear gods... That feels amazing, Jon. " she said getting more comfortable.
" I've had a lot of practice. "
" Is this what you meant by being Aphrodite's plaything? You had to give her foot rubs? "
" Kind of. Not only her. "
" You must enjoy it. "
" What? Why do you say that? "
" You have a large grin on your face and your penis is erect. "
Jon froze in place. He looked up to see the amazon looking back at him with a knowing smile. Looking down, he saw his member was poking up into his shirt.
" Uhh... Yeah, you caught me. I have a foot fetish. " he said continuing the massage.
" I assume that means you like feet, correct? "
" Yes. "
" I have never heard of a man that likes feet. You become more and more interesting. "
" Thanks, I guess. "
" There is no need to be embarrassed, Jon. On this island, men are trained to worship women. It does not seem strange to me. In fact, I like it. And this massage is fantastic. "
" So, men are slaves here. "
" For lack of a better word, yes they are. Not many are on the island. We let them stay on the island for when a sister wants to have a child. Every child born on this island is a girl. The goddess made it so long ago. "
" Wow. That's... Interesting. " he said failing to think of a better word.
" Mmmhmmm. " Phoebe answered.
Jon spent the next hour rubbing her feet. When he finished her left foot he moved to her right foot and massaged it cautiously. By the time he was done, his member was near bursting. He moved away from the bedroll and exploded onto the wood planks. The huntress chuckled from the head of the bedroll.
" Sorry, I don't have much self control. " Jon said shyly.
" It is fine, Jon. I do not mind. I find it flattering. "
" Heh, heh. Alright. Think you're up for putting me back in my cage? "
" No, I thought you could share my bed for tonight. Payment for the massage. That cage must be quite uncomfortable. "
" Oh, okay. Thanks. "
Phoebe stood up shakily and blew out the lanterns. Jon laid down on the bedroll. It was infinitely more comfortable then the the cage. Phoebe returned to the bedroll and laid on her back, propping her foot up on the pillow again.
" Do you want that pillow? "
" No, it's okay. Just the bed is nice enough. "
" Well, thank you for the massage. "
" You're welcome. "
" Good night, Jon. "
" Night, Phoebe. "
He turned on his side, facing away from the amazon. It took some time, but eventually he drifted off to sleep.
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" Phoebe! You awake? " someone yelled.
Jon sat up, rubbing at his eyes. Phoebe was already up and grabbing a length of rope.
" Hold on! " she called back. She turned back to Jon. " Oh, you're awake. The soldiers are here to take you to the city. The goddess has returned. "
" What? Already? "
" Yes. I need to tie your hands up again. They do not trust you as I have come to. "
" Alright. Let me put my boots on. "
Jon went over to the cage and pulled on his too large boots. He definitely wasn't going to miss the cage. Phoebe tied up his hands and lead him out of the cabin. Asteria, the amazon from the other day, was standing outside with another amazon he didn't recognize.
" Phoebe? What happened? " Asteria asked seeing her bandaged ankle.
" I was out hunting and I was careless. There is no need to worry. I just need rest for a few weeks. "
" Okay. We're here to collect the prisoner. The goddess is here. "
Jon trudged down the steps of Phoebe's cabin. He walked up to Asteria. " Before you take me, I have one request. "
" You don't get to make requests, man. " the other amazon growled.
" Let's at least hear him out. Last request. "
" Thank you. I want someone to take care of Phoebe while she heals. She can't be very active, so she can't hunt. "
Asteria was quiet for a moment, then a small smile crept across her face. " Don't worry, little man. I'll take care of her once I deliver you to the temple. "
" Thank you. "
The other amazon stepped forward. " Enough chit chat. We need to put a blindfold on you and get moving. The goddess is waiting. " She pulled a strip of cloth from her belt and tied it around his eyes.
Asteria picked him up and set him on her shoulder. " Goodbye, Phoebe. " Asteria said.
" Bye, Phoebe. Thanks for everything. " Jon called.
" Goodbye. " Phoebe called. She may have been his jailer, but he had come to like her. A part of him was going to miss that cabin. Now, however, he had to worry about who he was going to see. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and courage.
__________________________________________________________
The ride back to the city was incredibly long, just like he remembered. Asteria sat in the back of the wagon with him while the other amazon had the reins. When they arrived at the temple, he was lifted out of the wagon and the blindfold removed. Asteria and the amazon left with the wagon and two soldiers took him through the temple. They brought him to large wooden doors where the queen stood with two more soldiers.
" Come, man. The goddess awaits in the Sacred Garden. "
The doors were pushed open to reveal a curving stone staircase that went outside of the temple, with trees and vines hanging low on both sides. The small group marched up the cracked steps with the queen at the head. She wore the same black leather armor from the other day without the purple robe. Her arms were bare with black leather bracers on her wrists.
Fifteen minutes later, they came to a tall stone wall at the top of the stairs. It was overgrown with vines and moss, a metal gate was built into it. Thermodosa approached the gate.
" Guards. Stay here. The goddess wishes to speak to this man privately. " She placed a hand on the gate, which swung open by itself. " Enter, man. "
Jon walked through the gate, Thermodosa trailed behind him. Once they were both inside, the gate closed. The Sacred Garden was a giant walled courtyard with no roof. There were three pillars to the left and right of Jon, damaged and covered in vines. The ground was stone, but grass had grown through cracks. Planters were spread throughout the courtyard, all of them overgrown. Statues of men and women in various poses stood sentry across the garden.
Each was wearing armor and had a weapon of some kind. On the far side of the courtyard was a white marble fountain with running crystal blue water. Atop the fountain was the largest statue of them all. A blinding flash of light suddenly exploded out of thin air in front of the fountain. Jon was forced to look away.
When he looked back, the light had faded enough to reveal a person standing where the light came from. A normal sized woman stood on the spot. Her size was the only thing normal about the woman however. The woman wore a long, white dress that revealed nothing except for her arms. A bronze helm adorned her head, only showing her eyes and mouth. Golden bracelets were on each of her wrists. An owl was perched on her shoulder. The woman looked exactly like the statue.
Thermodosa put her hand on Jon's shoulder and shoved him forward. " Do not make the goddess wait for you any longer. Walk. "
He walked towards the woman who could only be Athena. Thermodosa brought him in front of the goddess, then kicked his knee out from under him.
" Bow in the presence of the goddess. " she said getting down on one knee.
After a moment, the goddess spoke. " Welcome to the Isle of Amazons, Jonathan.You may rise. I apologize for any rudeness my daughters have done to you. "
" My lady? " Thermodosa asked, confusion on her face.
" Remain silent, my daughter. I have important matters to discuss with this man. "
Thermodosa stood up, placed a fist on her chest, and backed away.
" Um, thank you. Nothing too bad happened. Worse has been done to me. "
" Yes, I already know. "
" What are these important matters you mentioned? "
" First, let's remove those bindings. " Athena raised her hand and the rope fell limp from his wrists.
" As you have figured out, I am the one who had you brought to this island. At the cost of some favors, a few other magical beings helped. "
" Why did you want me here? "
" Most importantly, to get you away from Aphrodite. I have been watching what she's been doing to you for some time now. And I decided I would help you. "
Jon tried to say something, but was at a lose for words.
" I won't lie to you, Jonathan. I have an ulterior motive in helping you. I want to teach Aphrodite a lesson. Long ago, Zeus made it a rule that we gods cannot meddle in the lives of mortals anymore. Our time had passed. Mortals needed to move on and continue growing. Aphrodite has never obeyed that rule, as you now know. After all this time, she has become arrogant. Ruining mortals lives for fun. She has never been caught in the act. She hides her tracks well, but then she found you. "
Jon suddenly found his voice. " What do you mean? "
" Aphrodite has taken an uncanny liking to you. Unlike any other mortal before you. She talks to you on a near daily basis. She gives you what you want... most of the time. She hasn't killed you or driven you insane. "
" Yet. " he thought sarcastically.
" No, not yet. You are special for some reason. Admittedly, that's one of the main reasons I chose you. With your help, we can put an end to Aphrodite's games. "
Jon's mind was reeling from everything Athena was telling him. " So, the reason you brought me to this island is to stop Aphrodite? And you need my help to do it? Me? A mortal? "
" Yes, you are the closest person to her that she has the least to fear from. What could a mere mortal do to her? More then she knows. Before I tell you anything else of my plan, you must decide. Will you help me teach Aphrodite a lesson? Or just continue being her slave for the rest of your life? "
He opened his mouth to speak, but paused. Would he put an end to Aphrodite's games? The goddess of love had given him his deepest desires. She also had put him through some terrible experiences. Namely, his imprisonment with Ingrid. A more important concern struck him.
" Wait. If I do help you, won't Aphrodite be furious? She'd torture me for real. "
" I promise she will never harm you again. You'll never hear from her again. "
" How can you make that promise? "
" It's all part of my plan. I'll explain more once you make your decision. "
Jon contemplated on the offer further. Freedom from Aphrodite did sound amazing. He would be in control of his own life again. He and Alexis could be happy together without worry. Hopefully, taking part in Athena's plan would bring him back to her. The thought was enough to seal his decision.
" Alright, I'm in. What's your plan? "
" Excellent. I warn you now this is likely going to be a long term plan. Now, I'm going to trust you with forbidden information. If you tell anyone I do not deem worthy, there will be serious consequences. I swear it. Do you understand? " Athena said quietly.
As she spoke, an unnerving energy seeped into the air. Jon found he was shaking slightly. " Yes, I understand. "
" Good. Now, you have extensively seen what we gods can do. Have you ever wondered where our power comes from? We do not have them naturally. Each god has an object of power. That is where the magic comes from. We gods must always have this possession with us to use our powers. Every item allows some different powers. Think. What item does Aphrodite always have with her? "
He searched his memory for all the times he'd seen the goddess in person. There was one thing that she wore consistently with all her outfits. " Her necklace. The gold one with the red ruby. "
" You're a bright young man. Correct, that's Aphrodite's object. Without our items, we are powerless. Although, we are still immortal. So don't get any ideas. I just want to teach her a lesson, nothing more. If one of our items is stolen, we all fight to get it back. Unless, it's taken as a punishment. This is where you come in. "
" You want me to steal from Aphrodite?! That's suicide! "
" Calm down. Keep listening. Aphrodite breaking Zeus's rule is more than enough for a punishment. We just need to prove it. If Zeus ever arrives when you're around, she would immediately change your memory to cover her tracks. If you take her necklace before he arrives, she wouldn't be able to do anything. Once Zeus saw the truth in your memory, he would have no problem with punishing her and giving you immunity from all the gods. "
" How am I supposed to get close enough to steal her necklace? Aphrodite is far from stupid. She'd read my mind before I could even move. "
" That's where this comes in. "
Athena lifted a fist in front of Jon's face and opened it to reveal a chain dangling from her fingers. The chain was made of a dark metal and had a small coin attached to it. The coin had strange symbols etched on it that Jon didn't recognize or understand.
" What is it? "
" A Chthonian coin. Chthonian's are one of the few things that can kill a god. Their purpose is to make sure the gods never turn against humanity. If we ever did, they would be sent out to stop us. It would be a gruesome, long war. If the Chthonian's failed, they had a back up. These coins. Our magic doesn't work on mortals who wear this coin. They would give all of these to the mortals in the hopes of stopping us. I managed to get one. "
" Wow. So, you send me back to Aphrodite's ship with this and when she shows up I grab her necklace? "
" No, it's not that simple. If you are wearing this, she won't be able to read your mind. She will be automatically suspicious. You have to wait until she is totally at ease. I have an idea, but I'll explain that another time. Before we even attempt this, you need training. "
" Training? "
" Aphrodite's magic won't affect you directly while you are wearing the coin, but she can still use her magic in other ways. The plan would have a better chance of success if you had some skill in combat. "
" Alright. I'll give anything a try to help make this plan work. "
" We will wait awhile for you to train. When I feel you are ready, I'll return to the island and explain the rest of the plan. Then it begins. "
" Okay. "
" Thermodosa. This man is no longer a prisoner, he is a guest to the island. Arrange a place for him to sleep and the best trainer available. "
Thermodosa put a fist to her chest. " Yes, my lady. "
" Goodbye, Jonathan. Best of luck with your training. "
" Wait. Be honest. Did you have anything to do with the dreams I've been having? The ones about Ingrid. "
A smile broke out across Athena's face. " Indeed, I have. I struck a deal with one of the Oneiroi, Icelus. He is the god of nightmares. "
" Why though? "
" To help convince you. "
Jon hesitated a moment, then started to walk out of the garden with Thermodosa.
Athena watched him leave. " I truly hope this ends well. " The goddess disappeared with a strong gust of wind.
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry about the long wait guys. School has been whooping my ass lately. Anyway, not a lot of action in this chapter. Mostly plot stuff. Still hope you enjoy.