Chapter 8. Orion and Galene

Aleysia's heart soared with joy, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had finally found what she had been searching for after almost giving up. She had been content to simply listen to the whales like usual, not wanting to get her hopes too high.

Medusa stared intently at the young woman, whose face instantly lit up the moment she heard Medusa calling her name. Aleysia—a name that Medusa found simply lovely and so right coming from her own lips.

"I was hoping I would find you here," Medusa said, her voice as sweet and smooth as honey. "I knew you would come back."

"You were hoping to see me again?" Aleysia asked, a warm smile spreading across her face.

"Yes, and I'm going to show you something," Medusa replied, stepping closer to the young woman. "Bernard, take her cane."

"Uh?" Aleysia uttered, slightly confused.

"You won't need your cane. Just hold on to me," Medusa said, quickly sweeping Aleysia into her arms and cradling her close. "It's faster and safer this way, so stop complaining."

"Okay," Aleysia relents and stops herself from complaining, trusting Medusa's judgment.

Medusa hurried towards the dock, where Timothy was already waiting with the skipper, preparing to sail the ship. Medusa's gaze fell upon the new yacht she had just purchased—a 50-foot black vessel with a sleek, modern design and gleaming gold hull and trim accents.

The exterior of the yacht featured a spacious aft deck, with plush seating arranged in a semicircle to provide panoramic views of the open ocean. A retractable canopy extended over the aft deck, offering protection from the sun or light rain.

Medusa couldn't help but smile, admiring the yacht's sexy, powerful appearance—perfect for her liking and strong enough to withstand the currents of the open sea.

"I'll be with you within this ship, madam," Timothy announced respectfully.

"Yes, bring us to the whale's pod," Medusa commanded.

"Excuse me, madam?" The skipper looked both scared and terrified.

A pod is a social group of whales. The bond between mother and calf is the strongest. Members of a pod may protect one another, sometimes stable pods; they frequently hunt their prey in groups, migrate together, and share care of their young.

Going to sail directly to a whale pod is dangerous, especially for a group of sperm whales. And they're among the largest predators; this predatory reputation may generalize to perceptions of their behavior towards humans.

While rare, there are a few reports of sperm whales aggressively charging boats that get too close, likely due to perceived threats to calves. And those pods near the house actually have a new calf born yesterday; it's going to be really dangerous to get close to them.

And they click; sperm whales have powerful clicks; their sonar clicks can be over 200 decibels at close range. This could potentially damage hearing or even cause injury if someone was very near the whale.

"Just do as I say, and you'll be fine," Medusa told the skipper in a soft, assuring tone, as if she were somehow hypnotizing him.

"Ah, yes, alright, madam," the skipper responded, visibly relaxing.

Medusa made a smooth jump to get into the yacht, with the skipper quickly pulling the bridge for her.

"That's just how she is. You're new, right?" Timothy said, patting the skipper's shoulder encouragingly. "You'll get used to it."

"Aye, aye, sir," the skipper replied, still slightly unsettled but trusting in Timothy's reassurance. "We're just humans, though. I'm afraid the whales will attack the ship."

Timothy merely smiled, a knowing glint in his eye. 'But our mistress is not human,' he thought to himself. 'She's close to a god.' Out loud, he said, "Not going to happen. Just follow the madam's instructions."

Once the yacht was sailing, Medusa kept Aleysia close to her. Her left hand gently held Aleysia's, while her right arm enveloped the young woman's body from behind, offering a sense of comfort and security.

Timothy watched the two women, a small smile playing on his lips. He silently agreed with Bernard's assessment—seeing these two beautiful, ethereal figures together was a sight to behold.

"Timo, get the safety earmuffs and start wearing one. Get one for Aleysia as well," he instructed.

"Where are we going?" Aleysia asked, her grip on Medusa's hand tightening slightly.

"To listen, to feel, to be with them," Medusa replied, carefully placing the earmuffs over Aleysia's ears. Aleysia felt her hearing diminish, and a surge of fear momentarily gripped her.

But then she could feel Medusa's arms wrapped securely around her, enveloping her completely. "Don't be scared," the older woman murmured in her ear, her voice calm and soothing.

"Timothy," Medusa called out, her voice barely audible.

"Yes, madam," Timothy responded, stepping closer.

"Put a blindfold on the skipper. Just tell him to keep the steering straight, no matter what," Medusa instructed. "You don't have to use a blindfold, though. I'm not going to take off my turban."

"Yes, madam," Timothy acknowledged, quickly relaying Medusa's orders to the skipper.

As they drew closer to the whale pod, some of the whales began to feel agitated. But then, Medusa opened her mouth, and a series of mesmerizing sound waves emanated forth—waves that could only be heard by the group of whales. The sound waves rippled across the water, immediately calming the agitated creatures.

Timothy's jaw dropped, his whole body covered in goosebumps as he witnessed the extraordinary event unfold before his eyes. With effortless grace, his mistress had taken control of the whales surrounding them.

"Timothy! Turn off the engine," Medusa commanded.

"Yeah, madam," Timothy replied, quickly instructing the skipper to shut down the engines.

"Sir, we're going to be in trouble if I turn off the engine. We won't be able to run if something happens," the skipper began to protest.

"Look, we're already close to the pod, and three whales are right next to the ship. Turn off the engine," Timothy interrupted, leaving no room for debate.

"Can I open my blindfold?" the skipper asked, his voice laced with trepidation.

"No, the madam hasn't given me permission to let you remove the blindfold," Timothy replied firmly, his gaze fixed on Medusa.

Medusa responded with a subtle nod, then turned her attention back to Aleysia, letting out another mesmerizing sound wave that rippled across the water in a series of gentle pulses. Timothy watched in awe as the undulations spread outward, seemingly communicating with the creatures of the deep.

Suddenly, a massive sperm whale surfaced nearby, its gigantic head breaking through the waves and spraying water. A baby whale swam closely behind it, their majestic forms drawing ever nearer to the yacht.

"You heard that?" Medusa murmured to Aleysia, her voice low and melodic.

The sounds of the whales, which Aleysia had previously only been able to hear from afar, now surrounded her, their echoes amplified by the proximity of the creatures. The crashing of the waves against the hull created a natural symphony, complementing the majestic voices of the gentle giants.

Medusa gently pulled Aleysia to her feet, guiding her towards the railing of the yacht. "Give me your hand," she instructed, one arm wrapped securely around Aleysia's slender waist while the other took hold of her hand.

With infinite care, Medusa guided Aleysia's hand to the massive flank of the mother whale, allowing her to caress the smooth, leathery skin. The whale seemed to sense the gentle touch and let out a series of low, rumbling calls—a blessing, Medusa explained, for the protection of her newborn calf.

"It's a he," Medusa continued, "and he was born just yesterday. Remember when you said the whales sounded different? This is the baby you heard."

Aleysia's heart swelled with awe and wonder, her fingers tracing the contours of the calf's body as it swam closer to the ship. The mother whale remained still, hovering near the yacht along with the other whales. Their voices seemed to be clearing the turbulence within Aleysia's mind, and in that moment, she felt a profound connection to the magnificent creatures, their ancient song resonating deep within her soul.

"Do you want to give him a name?" Medusa asked gently.

"I can?" Aleysia replied, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Of course," Medusa encouraged. "Give him a name, a blessing for him."

Aleysia paused for a moment, considering the weight of the task before her. "Orion," she said finally, the choice of the name causing Medusa to startle slightly. She knew the significance of Orion, the famous giant huntsman of the old world, before Artemis had transformed him into a constellation.

"That's a great name," Medusa replied, her voice warm with approval. She then let out another powerful sound wave, addressing the whales directly.

"Creatures of the deep ocean, I, Medusa, lend my voice to yours, Orion. With my power, I shall let my gentle touch soothe your spirits and heed the lessons of the past, so that you may lead your kin to prosperity and peace, now and forevermore. Let your songs of joy, sorrow, and wonder resonate throughout the ocean, binding you all in a symphony of the ages."

As Medusa's words echoed across the waves, the whales responded with a chorus of joy and greeting. Though the creatures of the sea were Poseidon's domain, they seemed to recognize the divine blessing of a demigod like Medusa as a greater source of strength and protection than even the obnoxious god himself, who had spent centuries chasing women with little regard for the well-being of the marine realm, rather than give his divine blessings for the creatures of his realm.

"And for you, Orion's mother," Medusa continued, "I name you Galene, just like the minor goddess. Beloved Galene, I, Medusa, let my gentle touch soothe your spirits and calm the restless waters. Sing your ancient songs with clarity, for your voices shall echo through the depths, uniting all who hear them."

A brilliant white light emanated from Medusa's hands, slamming into the whales in the water. The older woman then spoke in an ancient Latin tongue, a language long since forgotten by mortal men.

"What was that?" Aleysia asked, feeling the power radiating from the display.

Medusa's lips curled into a serene smile. "They play with us and give thanks for the names," she replied simply.

Aleysia's eyes widened; Medusa can see it alive for a moment, even when it's dead. "Really?"

""Of course, it's fun, right?" Medusa asked.

"Yes, Ariadne! Thank you; I'm so happy. I really don't mind if I die tomorrow," Aleysia said, her voice filled with joy and wonder.

Medusa's expression softened as she regarded the young woman. "Don't say that," she murmured in a low, sultry voice—a tone she had nearly forgotten since the day Athena had chased her out. "Please, live longer. I've just started to like you."