This is my take on the Greek myth of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, who helps the hero Theseus through the Labyrinth, faces abandonment by him on the island of Naxos, and falls in love with Dionysus, god of wine and ecstasy. Because it's based on myth, I didn't work to make it super "historically accurate," so please ignore any inconsistencies and enjoy!
As Ariadne walked along the white shore of Naxos, she took inventory of everything Theseus had left her with: 1) a small supply of water, half-empty already 2) her dress, torn and salt-crusted from the journey, and 3) one broken heart, weighed down with the loss of him. Already, she missed the Cretan dawn, soft and ethereal over the purple saffron fields she'd run through as a girl. She might never see it again, nor the palace, nor the labyrinth. She shouldn't have ever trusted Theseus, but she had, and there was no string that could get her out of this mess, and nothing to do but walk.
Ahead of her, the horizon stretched on depressingly, unobstructed except for a small, brown dot in the distance. As she got closer, she could make out—but not explain—a tall, curly-haired man, draped in purple linen, working diligently in front of a large, wooden loom.
Inexplicably, she felt compelled to get closer, and so she did, stepping forward to make out the strong jaw and playful brown eyes that defined his devilish features. The stranger was surprisingly dextrous for a male weaver, barely seeming to notice her approach as he walked back and forth before the loom, quickly producing several rows of fabric.
Nimble fingers
, she thought, and then blushed immediately.
As if he had heard her thoughts, the man turned towards her, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Enjoying the show?"
"Your—your loom," she stuttered, embarrassed. "It's beautiful."
"It is," he agreed. "But even it's not as well-crafted as you, Ariadne. I thought I might gift it to you. I've seen what you can make."
"You don't know me," she said suspiciously. But there was something familiar about this man, something undeniable. She stepped closer.
"Not true," he replied. "I've been watching you."
"Watching me?"
"Every time you've laughed at a play, every time your cheeks have colored from that fourth glass of wine, every time you
almost
reached the peak of pleasure while rolling around in bed with him, I have been there."
Gone was any trace of the playfulness in his eyes. Now, they seemed serious, darker. "Theseus was a fool to let you go."
"Who are you?" She asked. Despite the intimidation, she felt drawn to him, intoxicated by his presence. She had been around many powerful men before, but this was different—he
radiated
power, a kind of power that she had never experienced, dominating and inebriating. Her brain felt pleasantly fuzzy. She felt warm.
"I think you know who I am," he whispered. "Now, sit." He patted the open area on a seat in front of him, and despite her better judgement, she sat.