The Deviant Path to Olympus

Chapter 27

Gaiana took the melon to her ear and began shaking it. "This melon is whooshing."

Before the merchant could reply, Mimoza snatched the melon from Gaiana's hands. "No, not again!"

"Hey, hold on. I'm just-"

"No!" Mimoza said in a harder tone, "I told you to not draw attention to yourself. You are not starting another riot under my watch!"

Gaiana glared at her, but returned the melon to the merchant's food stand. She shot a glare at him before leaving, 'I'm onto you', she whispered before leaving.

The two of them returned to Chloe. She sat near one of the Symposium steps while talking to a child. "Always remember, frogs are people too," Chloe spoke to the little boy in a hard tone. "Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to croak."

The little boy nodded tentatively. When Gaiana and Mimoza walked up to them, Gaiana gave a death glare at the boy. "Shoo."

The boy paled, and ran away from the sight of Gaiana. Before Chloe could reach out for him, Gaiana stuffed a sugar cane into her mouth, "bad slave. You should know children are wicked."

Chloe's body shivered from the sheer taste of the sweet object. She relaxed as she gnawed on the food. Mimoza said, "Chloe, how old were you when you awakened?"

Chloe didn't pay attention to her, she only savored the taste of her sugar. Gaiana pulled the cane from Chloe's mouth, "answer the question, slave."

Chloe's eyes furrowed, "sticks!"

Chloe reached for Gaiana as she pushed her away, keeping the sugar cane out of reach, "when did you start having powers?"

"I don't remember!" Chloe reached further, but Gaiana planted her foot on Chloe's chest to push her back.

"Don't remember? What does that mean?"

"I don't know!" Chloe shouted.

Mimoza pulled the cane from Gaiana's hand and stuffed it into Chloe's mouth. Chloe calmed as Mimoza spoke, "I can see why Imani dislikes you. You don't speak well, do you? Living on a swamp hill for too long might do that."

Chloe nodded. Gaiana patted her head, "relax, slaves don't need to speak a lot. You can just keep us company. Like a dog."

Chloe nodded in obedient agreement. Mimoza said, "you know she's a person and not a pet, right?"

"Slave, dog, person, same difference."

"I also noticed you hated being a slave, but are quick to own one when given the chance."

Gaiana shrugged, "its only good when I do it."

The three of them walked along the marketplace to buy supplies for their trip to Argos. The shopping mostly consisted of Gaiana buying up sugar canes and Mimoza picking out tools to trade along the journey. As they walked, Chloe kept getting distracted and almost strayed away from them, eventually forcing Gaiana to hold her hand tightly like a mother preventing her child from leaving.

People acted like Chloe was diseased, backing away as though she was a mad hermit that found its way into the city. They were an unusual trio. Gaiana, ironically enough, was the most 'normal' one in the group. She wore a typical blue colored tunic which alienated Chloe's bark-cloth garnets.

Mimoza, however, dressed like a priestess. Her white tunic was long and swirly, emphasizing the muscles of her firm body. Because of the stride in her walk, people turned to catch glimpses at the warrior whenever she passed by. By the time they had all collected what they needed, Gaiana asked, "are you a virgin?"