Donjeta and the Sea -- Chapter Five -- The Uncharted Isles

Any direction was fine that the wind might blow, as long as it blew. We had no idea where we were or where safety might lie. It came from the west, strong and steady. We set our sail and let it speed us along.

We passed among rocky islands, but we did not beach our ship. We had too few men to work the oars and put to sea again. One of the sailors, the oldest, Agapios, carefully steered us, keeping to the free channels. We studied the coasts, looking for a harbor, other ships, a village, any signs of civilized men. We saw grass, birds, and the endless gray sky—and little else.

We passed into a cluster of islands with one clear way out, a narrow channel between two sheer cliffs.

"Do you think it's deep enough, Agapios?"

"Aye Donjeta, cliffs that go up like that always go down too. Plus they channel the wind. We'll shoot right through that like an arrow."

Maybe he was right about cliffs, but he was wrong about this place. As we drew near we heard a high lilting sound, strange, spooky, and alluring.

"Don't worry. That's just the the wind blowing over the caves. I hear stuff like that often."

I had a dim memory of a story I once heard.

"Agapios, can we turn back?"

"No Princess. Even if we take down the sail, we're moving too fast. If we tried to anchor or throw a line, we'd likely crash into the rocks."

The sound grew louder, reaching a series of little crescendos, like a chorus of many voices singing to the gods.

"It's actually very beautiful," he observed.

"Yes."

The remainder of the men had stopped their duties and were listening to the song.

"I'm going to take us a little closer."

"Yes. Please do. I wanna hear."

I noticed we had left the main channel, and he was steering us toward the tallest island, the source of the song. It had high beetling cliffs. I could see the mouths of caves and the wispy hints of figures looking down. The rocks at water level were cruel, with the bleached skeletons of broken ships scattered among them.

We slammed into the rocks. The ship tore asunder. The singing stopped, and the men cried out in terror. Too late. Figures shot down from the caves above, women, beautiful, with long tawny hair. They landed on our ship and laid into the men with their claws. The bloodshed was remarkable. Then they ate the men.

I stood watching, letting a particularly lovely passage of music replay in my head. The girl who had landed on the stern and eaten Agapios looked up at me, her face covered with blood. She had the prettiest blue eyes.

"Hi. I'm Berenice."

"Hi Berenice. I'm Donjeta."

"Pleased to meet you, Donjeta."

"Likewise."

Berenice brought me a cup of wine. It was the Achaean wine from my slave price, which the sirens had taken from the ship along with the rest of the treasure.

"Thank you sweetie."

"No problem."

She lay next to me on the couch, wrapped her arm around me, and gave me a long kiss. I returned that kiss, then sipped some wine.

"Donjeta."

She gave a toothy grin—very toothy in her case—and walked her clawed fingers over my breasts.

"Yes?"

"Can I eat you again?"

"Of course, Berenice…uh…you do mean eat my pussy, right?"

"Of course, sweetie. I wouldn't eat you up. I like you this way!"

"Fine. You're not just saving me for later?"

"Aw, num num, my delicious little Donjeta."

I found it difficult to completely relax among the sirens. She went down and ate my pussy.

"Berenice."

"Yes?"

"Do other ships ever come here? I mean, besides the ones you lure to their deaths."

"No, not really. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Berenice, I noticed that supplies are running low."

"Yeah. I hope another ship comes soon. It's so hard to go hungry."

I decided to leave the sirens, as soon as I figured out a way. Getting a ride on a passing ship seemed likely, if one would come, and if I could stop them from sinking it. I prayed to Pallas to send a ship, hoping I'd figure out the second part in time. Weeks passed, and I grew desperate. I even prayed to Poseidon and Zeus. I don't know if they listened, but a ship came.

"A ship! A ship!"

The sirens were very excited. They were flitting around between the caves making sure everyone was ready. Several were practicing scales. Berenice came in.

"How do I look?"

"You look very nice, Berenice."

"Do you want to sing too, Donjeta? Maybe just a little part?"

"I don't have a good voice."

"Aw, just try. Please. For me."

Each siren went to the mouth of her cave, leaning out watching for the ship. I stood next to Berenice. She had a huge smile. She was so excited she was hopping a little bit. She clapped her hands and looked at me.

"Oh Donjeta, this is going to be great. I'm so glad you're helping!"

She kissed me. I looked out over the dark water and saw the black hulled ship.

They began to sing their sweet lilting song. Back into the caves their voices rang, reverberating in the deep chambers and projecting out to the ship. That was their secret. Their voices alone were intoxicating, with all the beauty of their dark, immortal souls, but it was the caves that let them carry so far.

As soon as Berenice joined the chorus, I fell to my knees. Such a melodic trill came from her, it ripped into my mind. My body responded. Every nerve tingled. She looked at me and beamed.

"Now you, Donjeta, sing for me."

I couldn't. My mind reeled. I grabbed her around the waist and pressed my face between her legs. I pushed up her gown, exposing her. I began to kiss and suck.

"Oh Donjeta."

I knew it would hit her fast. With all the music swirling around, and with her bloodlust up, she couldn't hold out. And when she came she cried out—all the sirens did—not surprisingly. I began frantically licking her clit.

It hit her. She squirted all over my breast, and she cried out—completely off key. It bellowed through the caves, a bizarre warbling sound. The song faltered, voices stopped, then started, trying to adjust to a new song. This way and that they went, but never landing on a pleasing tune.

I kept licking, but eventually Berenice got control of herself and covered her mouth. I released her cunt and looked out the cave. The ship had turned away.

"Donjeta!"

I ran back into the cave, then I turned and got a good running start and dived far out over the sea. It took several seconds to hit the water. I prayed to sweet Pallas as I fell.

The siren's island was not so far from the narrow channel where the ship must pass. The long dive took me a third of the way there. Now I had to swim the remaining distance before the vessel reached it.

I popped my head out of the water and took a deep breath. I got my bearings, the ship, the channel, the island. I swam. I prayed and I swam.

I heard cries of anger from behind me, from the siren's caves, shouting and chaos. A few unfortunate voices tried to rise in song, restore the magic, but the spell was broken, the chorus in disarray. Several dove from their caves in my direction. I took another deep breath and swam.

I got closer. So had the ship. I could hear the voices of the men, angry and fearful. The captain's voice bellowed over the others.

"To it men! In rhythm! Pull!"

Another voice cried out, "One is swimming toward us!"

I popped my head up again. They were reaching the channel, but only thirty yards away. I cried out.

"Save me! I'm a girl! Please!"

A spear hit the water near me.

"Take that murderous witch!"

"Stop the ship! Bring her aboard!"

That was the captain's voice. Chaos erupted, men shouting in fear. The ship groaned as oars bit the water. I put my head down and swam. I reached the ship, grasping at the side. Strong hands pulled me up.

"Now, row like the devil was behind you!"

I looked back at the water. Three of the sirens were swimming hard, nearing us. The shipped lurched as the oars bit. We pulled away. They pursued for a few hundred yards, then gave up. I didn't see if one of them was Berenice.

The captain grabbed me and stood me up. He was a tall bearded Greek. There was a glint of humor in his dark eyes.

"Alright girl, what's your story?"

I wasn't sure where to start.

I told him I was a Thracian slave purchased at Pylos by the Ephesian crew. I didn't mention anything about the prince.

"This storm, Donjeta, how long ago was it?"

"Uh—I was with the sirens four weeks I guess, maybe five. It was several days before that. Say six weeks ago."

"I see. We were caught in the same storm. Go on."

"So, the ship went down, and I got hold of a piece of the keel and rode it out."

"A girl like you? When so many strong men perished?"

"Would you believe me if I said a nereid rescued me?"

"I may. I may not. Are you saying that?"

"Uh—can I just say I found myself on a piece of the keel?"

"You can say that. Go on."

"So—I was washed ashore on Aeaea, Circe's island. There was a ship beached there, but no crew. I went to see the witch, but…well…I had an elixir that removes magic. Did I mention that?"

"You seem to have overlooked that detail, but it's noted now. Go on."

"So—the witch had turned the crew to swine. Anyhow, I talked her into giving them to me, changed them back to men, and we sailed away from Aeaea."

He peered at me.

"You talked the dreaded Circe into giving you the crew?"

"Yeah. She said they grunted too much anyhow."

"Ah. So you sailed out—to the sirens next? Or did you first pass through the crashing rocks and retrieve the golden fleece? Maybe ride Pegasus to the sun?"

"No, the sirens are next. We came to their island, and—well—you've seen it. Their spell came over us and we crashed into the rocks. They killed all the men and took me as a slave."

"I see."

"Well—so I had to escape. I figured out a way to make a siren go off tune, and did that at the next passing ship, which was you."

He sat there on the edge of the deck thinking for a bit.

"That's quite a tale, Donjeta. I won't say I believe it, but I won't say I don't. There's gotta be more to it, but that's enough for now. Say, why don't we scare up a meal on that island I see."

I looked over and saw that a large island had come into view. There were steep rocky hills and a long curved beach.

"Men! To your oars! We're beaching her on that shore!"

The island was thick with wild sheep, born without fear of man. The crew trudged up one of the stony ridges and found a grassy glade where a small herd grazed. A few arrows later, and the panicked cry of the sheep with their new knowledge of death, we had a meal. They dragged it back to the beach.

I sat by the fire watching them roast the mutton. The captain was by me. He had called himself Miltiades.

"Captain Miltiades."

"Yes Donjeta?"

"Where do you sail from? How did you end up lost at sea?"

"It's a simple tale, dear. We are from Argos, the younger sons of lesser families. No gilded halls for us, with beautiful slaves serving succulent treats and deep ruddy wine. We are the men who row the ships and man the lines in war—and die while the captains get the glory."

He took a stick and poked at the fire.

"So, we seek adventure, to make our name, maybe earn a great treasure in some foreign land."

I looked at him. His cloak was not finer than the others.

"I see. How about you? Aren't you a rich man, to own a ship?"

"Ha! She thinks I own the ship!"

There was laughter.

"No, Donjeta. We all own the ship. We each sold what piddling share our families left us and pooled that money to buy it. My share was not the largest. In fact, it was quite small."

A voice came from across the fire, "But men need a leader."

"Yes, men need a leader. We chose by lots, Donjeta, who should command the ship, and I was chosen by the gods. Right men?"

They rang out, "Aye Cap'n!"

"So there, Donjeta, that's who we are and where we're from. We are adventurers sailing the seas for our fortune, poor men, hungry men, led by the sad Captain Miltiades, who's no better than another, 'cept by chance of the gods."

There was a murmur around the fire.

"So now, girl, this mutton smells good."

The day drew on, and we realized we'd be sleeping here. The men pulled the ship further up the beach and tied it to anchor stones lugged from the hold. Then they took bedrolls from the ship and spread them around the fire. Miltiades tossed a blanket to me.

"It'll have to be enough girl, not many spare bedrolls on the ship."

I'd slept plenty a night on the hard ground under the open sky.

"I'll be fine, Captain."

"You should set down near me, Donjeta. These are good men, but they're still men, lonely and at sea."

There was a murmur and some laughter. A few men called out.

"No! Come sleep by me, Donjeta."

"Ha! That old goat couldn't please you. If you get cold I got room."

They went on. They laughed, and a few got to wrestling, but in the end I lay—unmolested.

The beach faced the western sky, and the captain and I watched the sun go down, fiery red against the brilliant blue.

"It's quite a sight girl, praise the gods."

"Indeed."

"Captain?"

"Donjeta? Aren't you asleep yet?"

We lay in the chill night, me watching the stars wheel across the sky.

"No. Are you pirates?"

"Well…we haven't done any pirating yet, but we may."

"Oh."

"You don't approve?"

"I dunno. I don't care when men fight men. Would you ever sack a town?"

"Donjeta, it's the way of the world. The strong rule the weak. Years we've lived under the thumbs of selfish kings. Kings by what right? That they have the strength to take what they want? That they have the will? Why shouldn't we? We're strong, if we choose to be. So yes, if we find a fat town ripe for plunder, ruled by a weak prince, why shouldn't we?"

"The women. When you men fight, what of the women?"

"Ah…I understand Donjeta, you poor thing. Your town was sacked. That's how you became a slave."

It wasn't true, but I let him believe it. I lay quietly.

"You know what I'll do, Donjeta."

"What?"

"When we get back to civilized lands, I'll make sure you get a good husband. A strong man who can protect you. You'll never again be a slave."

"Oh."

"Don't sound so glum. You're a beautiful girl. You must know that. No doubt many men have told you. It's true. You could win the heart of a great man, better than me or mine. I could make introductions, to princes, kings. It could be a good life for you."

I said nothing. I heard his breathing and the crackle of the fire. Across the way a sailor snored. Time passed.

"Donjeta."

"What?"

"Is your family alive?"

"Yes."

"We could send you home, or maybe take you there, if fate leads us that way."

The night got quiet. The stars turned and the sea lapped against the shore.

"Please. Please take me home."

Sometime in the predawn hours the clouds drifted in, and we woke to gray skies and a clinging mist. The air hung heavy. The fire had burned low, but they stoked it and fanned the flames. We reheated what remained of the mutton and warmed some gruel. After putting aside our hunger, the men pulled the heavy ship back to the sea. I stood on the rear deck as they worked their oars. The captain spoke to me.

"Donjeta, no wind today, and my senses tell me there won't be. A hard day's rowing."

"Ah."

"So, we can't have you lazing around while these men work themselves bone-weary. You're no queen or princess with delicate hands to sit sipping wine while other toil."

He was half right. My hands were hardly delicate.

"You're gonna need to earn your keep on this ship."

I gave him a dim look. I wore my knife on my belt. He smiled.

"Oh, don't fear Donjeta. It'll be good honest work—always plenty of work on a ship. Tying lines, scrubbing the deck, stripping paint, putting the paint back, plenty to do. Today, since there's no wind, we'll mend the sail. It won't be like working the delicate fabrics you're used to, but you'll have busy hands."

I smiled. I'd never worked delicate fabric in my life. Horsehide and fur were my materials.

"We'll lay it out by pieces on the rear deck. It's heavy, but you're a strong girl. We'll do it together."

Captain Miltiades taught me how to mend a sail.

As evening fell we were still in deep water. The men tossed an anchor stone to slow our drift. We each found a spot and lay down for the night.

"That was a good day's work, Donjeta. You have strong hands, and you learn fast. You wouldn't make a half bad sailor, and that's the truth."

"Thanks."

"And think! When you're an old women sitting at the loom with your friends, spinning long tender threads, you can tell them of the time you were lost on the high seas, and the cruel captain forced you to mend a sail."

I said nothing. Then sun crept below the horizon, its tendrils of light fading away. The clouds stretched across the sky hiding the moon and stars, leaving the ship, and the sea, the deepest black.

We rowed for three days, spotting neither land nor ship, not even a bird—only the constant haze and the endless gray sky. Supplies drew low. The men began gazing at the vague horizon praying to Poseidon for a hint of land.

"Hard times, Donjeta. Each day we grow weaker. Pray we find land."

I prayed quietly to sweet Pallas with her lovely gray eyes.

"Land! An island!"

An island drifted into sight, with rugged hills topped by forest and sharp, rocky shores.

"We must find a beach."

The men rowed along the island, miles and more, until a cove came into view with a gently shelved beach. We entered it, the men rowing hard, like a burst of energy had come on them.

"Praise the gods!"

A figure sat on the beach, a man in form, but not size. As we drew near we peered at him.

"By Zeus! How big is that monster?" a sailor cried out.

I looked at the crags behind him, and the size of the trees. He was taller than the ship was long, easily, and that was sitting. As we drew nearer he only grew in my estimation.

"What are we gonna do, Captain?"

"I dunno. He doesn't seem to notice us. He just sits there."

"Is he alive?" a sailor yelled.

"Can we find another beach?" said another.

The captain looked at the faces of the rowers, and they looked back to him. He called out.

"He has the form of a man, even if of great size. Perhaps he worships the gods. Perhaps he knows of Zeus's laws, and the ways of hospitality. I shall ask him."

The men were silent, their faces grave.

"Ah, don't fear men. I'll not ask you to row to your deaths. I'll go over the side here. It is not too far to swim, not for me. I'll parley with the giant, find his story, beg his aid. If he's welcoming, and only then, will I make a signal for you to come ashore."

The crew erupted.

"No Cap'n! You mustn't. I'll go."

"No, send me!"

"We cannot lose you!"

The captain bellowed over them, "Quiet men! I am no better than you, and I don't even do good honest work like pull an oar. If I die, choose again by lots. Each of you is as good as me."

While they argued, I removed my tunic and dove from the ship.

"Donjeta!"

I began to swim toward the shore.

"Donjeta! What are you doing?"

Twenty yards out, I turned to them.

"Captain! You're wrong. The gods chose you to lead. It wasn't chance, and your men—their lives depend on you. They know it!"

"Aye Cap'n!"

Many voices rang out.

"But I—I can't even pull an oar either, or much else. I'll go. I can swim that far. You've seen me. And if he proves cruel, well let him squash poor Donjeta, as easy for him as squashing any of you."

"Donjeta!"

"Captain! I'm no better than you."

I turned and swam, pulling with all my strength.

"Donjeta!"

He was an ugly thing, this monster. I reached the shore fifty yards from him and strutted toward him through the sand. He must have heard my footfall, for he turned my way.

I looked at him and gasped. He had one gigantic eye in the middle of his crude twisted face, and that single eye was blind—pierced, weeping with a festering wound. His voice boomed.

"Who goes there?"

"Hi. I'm Donjeta, a girl."

"Don't disturb me girl! I'm dangerous, a terror, feared by even the gods! I'm the mighty Polyphemus. Come close, and I might eat you, gobble you down, little girl though you be."

I kept walking toward him.

"Polyphemus, my ship is off shore, full of hungry, desperate men. May we beach here and search the island for food and water?"

"Aye, silly girl. Bring your ship, right here before me. Have the men line up in rank and file. Count them. How many on your ship?"

"Thirty souls, friends of Zeus who commands hospitality."

He rumbled.

"Don't speak to me of wicked Zeus! Nor his hospitality. Cursed men, demanding my goods. Thieves! I call Zeus the god of thieves."

I made a note not the mention Zeus.

"Perhaps we could pay? Do you a service of some kind?"

"Ha! Yes, I open my mouth, and you have the crew march in! My tummy rumbles, and it's been many a year since I've dined on a nice juicy sailor."

I got closer. He began reaching down, fumbling, trying to find me in the sand. I easily dodged aside.

"Polyphemus, what happened to your eye?"

He made a sort of shriek.

"Arrr! Curse you girl! And curse the race of men! Blinded I was. Yes, I remember that day. Blinded! By that wretched Odysseus, man of cheats and lies, and knives in the back! Cursed Odysseus blinded me."

I smiled.

"Polyphemus! Oh this is good news, for you and me. It's great news! No, wait and hear what I say. Cruel Odysseus is no friend of mine. I hate the man."

He stopped and listened.

"No, I've never met him. I assume he's dead, at the bottom of the sea or on some distant shore, his bones picked clean. Ah, but his son, his cursed son who has dogged me across the sea. Polyphemus, if you're an enemy of Odysseus, that makes you my friend."

He seemed to smile.

"That's fine girl, and you do have a lovely voice. Come closer. Crawl into my hand, so I may bring you next to my ear. Tell me of Odysseus's son, and what he's done to you."

"But Polyphemus, how can I trust that you won't eat me up?"

"Oh little Donjeta, won't you trust your friend? Without friends, we're all lost in the world."

"I'm sorry Polyphemus, but I'm so small, and you could just gulp me down. I cannot trust you. I wish I could."

He sat quietly. I did wish I could trust him, somehow. I wished he could submit, make himself safe, any way—for in the belt of my tunic, I still had the elixir Circe gave me, the one that heals all wounds.

"I could fasten myself with rope."

"Would any rope hold one so great? And anyhow, who would tie the rope? You?"

He groaned.

"Oh father! Oh great Poseidon! Send this girl a sign. Tell her that—oh—tell her that this one time I'm true. Aye, I'm not one to be trusted. Odysseus blinded me, but I deserved it. I was eating his crew. That's the truth girl, the truth of poor miserable Polyphemus. I'm a murderous rogue, deserving no one's trust. But this one time, just once—I'm so alone. I'd do anything for a friend. Trust me, dear Donjeta. Trust me."

"Alright Polyphemus, if I'm to trust you, you must trust me. Lay back and open your eye."

"What?"

"Remember—trust me. I'm gonna climb your face."

He lay back, his body crossing the beach, his head resting on a dune. I walked up and climbed his thick, wiry beard, each whisker like the branch of a tree. I scurried around his mouth, his lips slightly pursed, his breath reeking fierce. I got up by his nose. He squirmed, pitching me, but I grabbed a long stray hair jutting from a nostril. He cooed a gentle whisper, which pealed like the pounding of drums.

"Sorry Donjeta. That tickles."

"No problem."

I got up by his gruesome eye.

"Keep your eye open. This may sting a bit."

He kept his eye open. I took out the elixir, leaning, stretching, reaching over the festering gash. I poured.

Then I leapt as far as I could, landing among the dunes and the sea grass, pitching and rolling. Then to my feet. I ran like lightning through the brush to a rocky outcrop spanning down from a craggy hill beyond the beach. I found a nook I could squirm into, and into it I squirmed. I peered out at the giant.

He sat up and blinked his eye three times. He looked around. I could see it was whole.

"Oh Donjeta! Where did you go? Donjeta—thank you! Praise you! Let me see you. Let me look at you Donjeta, the one who restored my sight. The gods sent you. My good father has answered my prayers. Come out."

There was a enormous smile stretched across his craggy face. I yelled from my hidey-hole.

"Polyphemus, I have given you your sight, to see the world, but not me. I'm invisible. Yes! I was cursed by Zeus. I refused him, his advances. I said no, and I said it again. I prayed night and day to Athena, clinging to my chastity, and I was the first—the first of all mortal women to hold him at bay. Yes Polyphemus, I too hold no love for Zeus.

"So he cursed me! My prayers were answered by the good goddess, by only halfway. She could not defy her father's final command—to erase me. Yes! He made her do it herself. And now I cannot be seen. All my beauty goes to waste. So I creep among the world of men, making my way as a thief."

The giant began to cry.

"Oh Donjeta, surely my father has sent you. Our meeting was ordained, our pains so perfectly matched."

"Indeed my friend. But this crew, the crew of this ship, they accepted me. Pirates to the last, cruel men, hard men, men cast aside by their families, they knew my pain, and they are my family now. We cast our lots on the uncertain sea, seeking a life of plunder and fame."

"Donjeta! Bring them to shore. I will praise these men, these good men!"

"Oh, but it cannot be. They will fear you. You are too big, too mighty. What can mortal men do, next to one such as you—a god yourself after all. No, they will not come. They will sail away, even if I swim out and beg them to shore, and we will perish, me and my brothers on the lonely sea."

He sobbed.

"Polyphemus, can I ask you one favor, in exchange for the sight I gave you?"

"Yes Donjeta. Anything."

"Walk away across the isle. Leave this beach. Go far, so the men will not be afraid. Go with my blessing and love, good Polyphemus."

"I will do it Donjeta, and I will never forget you!"

And he did. He stepped up the rugged crag and trudged away. After a bit, I climbed up and looked. I saw him far in the distance, just his head over a ridge, still walking. I went to the beach and lit the fire, the signal it was safe to come.