A lifetime ago...

A cool sensation repeatedly brushed my naked skin as my eyes fluttered open, and I took my first deep breath, inhaling the salty air. I blinked in the blinding sunlight, closing my eyes and slowly opening them again in an attempt to adjust to the brightness. My head throbbed painfully with the rhythm of my heart from the sudden exposure to the light. Time passed as I lie on my back, feeling the same even, cool rush washing over me again and again. The source of the brightness also seemed to project warmth in the air around me in stark contradiction to the undulating pulse of the cool waves around me. I felt beads of moisture form around my eyes, and when I reached for them, I felt the shape of my face, and the changing texture of my hairline startled me in dramatic contrast to the smoothness of my skin. I began to move all of the appendages I could feel, becoming aware, slowly, of the shape of my body. I learned the steadiness of my breathing, somewhat mechanical and oddly automatic. Beneath me, the surface was hard, and it scratched at my skin when I first attempted to move from lying on my back. Once the light was no longer painful, I managed to position myself upon my elbows and rolled first to my side.

My first memory. Legend calls it my birth. When I did finally manage to control my own movements, I had rotated so that I was lying on my chest. I stared at the reflective surface beneath me. The porcelain form of a young maiden stared intently back at me. She moved when I did, and her face reflected the same curiousness and awe that I felt in my own mind. At some point, I realized I was staring at my own image. Captivated by my own likeness, I studied it like one would a work of art. My skin was pale, so white, it seemed to glow. My cheeks were naturally pink. My eyes matched the turquoise surface of the sea which surrounded me.

I tore my eyes from the woman in the surface of the water to take notice of my surroundings in response to sounds which seemed both new and familiar. I was alone on a rock surrounded by a crystalline sea. It was calm with relatively little wind; I was aware of the movement of the air, for each time a wave would touch my bare skin and recede, I found myself shivering involuntarily and my skin would ripple and tighten like the waves.

Cautiously, I rolled into a seated position, my legs dangling over the rock and into the water. I kicked at the water, finding I could pierce it, but its weight was heavy against my movement. My heart pounded in my ears as I hoisted myself off of the rock and into the waves below.

Immediately I began to sink into the sea. Chest deep, my long chestnut hair began to float and swirl on the surface of the water around me. In the light, it glistened with fiery red tones, which were now snuffed and darkened by the water as if it were extinguishing the flames. The weight of the water seeped up through the locks of my hair, helping to pull me under the surface. There was complete silence around me as the water encased me like a tomb. As I looked up through the liquid glassy surface, I noticed the distortion of the light source far above me. Silt swirled around me after the waves ripped it from the beach. A few small creatures swam curiously up to me before darting away into the darkening distance. Instinctively I managed to hold my breath until I was dizzy and disoriented until, kicking madly, I burst through the surface of the sea gasping. I clambered gracelessly up the side of the large rock which had now both imprisoned and saved me. I rolled onto my back, panting, and tasted the salty sea upon my lips. That baptism seemed to sharpen my mind and my senses. Inexplicably, the world suddenly became focused and meaningful.

As I coughed and sputtered, a strong arm broke the surface of the water and latched onto the rock near me. As it’s muscles rippled and stretched, the form of a man with startling green eyes followed. He smiled into my eyes, like he was searching my soul.

He climbed the rock, and I saw his sunburned lips move as he greeted me, but I was so captivated by the color of his eyes, that the words were gone from my memory immediately. Eventually he coaxed me off of the rock and into the water, which I now feared. The first wave which pushed me into the rock frightened me, and I grasped at the man’s shoulders for comfort. He smiled warmly and carried me to the beach that way — me on his back with my arms around his strong shoulders. I watched as each muscle tightened and retracted in his shoulders and arms, fascinated, as he bore both our weights toward his awaiting companions.

We reached the shore where I first noticed the coarseness of the sand beneath my feet as it stuck to my moist toes, where we joined a small group of other men and women that I hadn’t noticed before. The men stared, mouths open, while the women scrambled to cover me, chattering wildly amongst themselves as they did so.

“I can’t be expected to know why she was there, Berenice, but there must be a logical reason. Women don’t just mysteriously form from sea foam.”

One of the woman gasped. “Maybe there was a shipwreck, and her vessel was lost at sea. And she was the lone survivor, washing up on our shores and climbing to the top of the rock and clinging to it for her life!”

“Were there a shipwreck, wouldn’t evidence of the vessel have washed up on shore as well?” the other woman mused aloud.

I listened to their conversation with my eyes closed, feeling my mind race as I tried to find a link between their conversation and what might have placed me upon the rock. Until the women discussed it, the oddity of my placement atop the rock had not been a cause for concern, though now I certainly wondered how I’d arrived at that particular location. With that thought traversing through my mind I could find no justifiable answer to their query, and I also found no memory to support my presence on a ship of any kind. Truthfully, I found no memories at all; my current existence simply was as it was — with no explanation at all.

By this time my rescuer had retrieved his own covering once more and was receiving a warm reception from the rest of the male members of the party.

The women around me parted and lowered their eyes as the elegant woman who I’d observed earlier approached. Her poise was graceful, her smile welcoming and kind. I sensed genuine sincerity in the air around her as she draped a slender arm around my shoulder and placed the other one on my hand.

“What is your name?” I supposed that should have been a simple question. But having no memories, I also realized that I had no name; at least, I could not recall one to offer them. I sighed deeply, and the beautiful woman read my expression brilliantly. “Can you not remember your own name?” Her voice sounded sad, and I read concern on her face. I simply shook my head looked down at my toes in the sand.

I could feel the air churning with the women’s curiosity. They chattered amongst themselves until the pitch of their voices rose to a level that made my heart feel as if it were beating within my head.

The woman who had draped her arms around me continued to smile. “Well, regardless, you shall not be left her alone to fend for yourself. I insist you come with us to the palace.”

As I could think of no reason why I shouldn’t, I nodded gratefully. With her leading me, the entire company departed the beach and passed through a worn patch of tall grasses through a village, up a stone road to a vastly larger stone home which stood apart from the rest of the dwellings and exuded importance. Quite a revelry and fanfare of shouting announced us to the gate-keepers and the awaiting people within the structure. We were paraded through wide raised arches of an amber-tinged stone. Beyond the bright atrium were corridors twisting and turning with ornate mosaic tiles.

The woman with me whispered, “Welcome to Paphos of the island of Cyprus.” I was led into the expansive home by her, as men and women scurried around us. With so much movement, my eyes could focus on none of it. The men took their leave from us, and I was led with the rest of the women through a small hallway apart from the ornate red room that led to a grouping of chambers, one which opened up into an immense shallow pool of water.

At this point the flurry of movement began to rid the beautiful young woman of her covering, and she descended gracefully into the pool of water. I averted my eyes, not certain exactly where I should focus.

The three women who’d been with us on the beach began talking again, this time discussing the oddity that I didn’t have a name. They made no effort to lower their tone, and I heard every word until the woman they fawned over made an odd sound with her tongue, and they ceased wagging theirs. She looked over at me and gestured for me to come near to them. I obliged.

“We’ve been discussing what we should call you,” she said with a commanding tone, as if I hadn’t been able to hear them. “You really have no recollection of your name?”

“No,” I replied, finding my voice, and watched each of the other there ladies’ eyes widen. One of them corrected me, “No, your Majesty.” The commanding one clucked her tongue again. “She doesn’t know, Berenice.” “Well, she should.” “I don’t know what?” I asked. “We haven’t formally introduced ourselves,” the beautiful woman began. “The three women here are my ladies in waiting, Berenice, Korinna, and Sophia.” Each bent a bit at the knee as her name was mentioned. “I am Cenchreis, queen of Paphos.”

I lowered my gaze immediately, knowing instantly how I should behave. “I’m sorry, your Majesty,” I responded, using Berenice’s term. “I did not know.”

Cenchreis only smiled. “Of course not. How would you? Especially given you seem to have limited memory already.” Judging by her expression, her words were meant with kindness though they were a hard blow. “Still, you should be called by a name, at least.”

I nodded in agreement while the three women with her began chattering again, discussing various names they believed I should be called. I watched the queen as they prattled; her face turned thoughtful and distant, and she said nothing. Then her eyes brightened, and she met my gaze with a wink. The queen cleared her throat, and instantly the women held their tongues and turned to face her.

“We pulled her from the sea foam. Therefore, we shall call her Aphrodite.”

Next Chapter: Chapter Three