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?"