•IO•

Part 1 - Exposed

The breeze carried a scent of dewy Daffodils, smoke plumed from nearby fires which were charring the breakfast pork and the sound of trickling river water tickled the ears, all the things Io loved. The height of spring had reached Greece, the trees started to regain their vigour, crops started to break through the moistened soil and baby animals were navigating their way around the wilderness of Argos. Io, on this warm fresh spring day stepped out, she donned a thin white cotton slip gown that just brushed the glossy blades of grass and her golden hazelnut hair lay loose with a faint curl which just reached past her shoulders. Her eyes matched her hair and her skin glowed with a perfect pale bronze. Io had it all, the beauty and grace of a princess. Her father Inachus, who was the river god of Argos, loved her dearly, he and his other daughters would often play games in the country, near his rivers and he taught his daughter to be kind and loving, a sort of perfect family if you might say.

Full of excitement for the coming season she chose to venture out on her own, to expose herself to the life that mother nature was springing forward, she wished to be intoxicated by the virgin scents of blooming flowers and indulge in rays of sunshine which were now just peaking above the treeline. The sky was an almost proud Periwinkle blue, uninterrupted from east to west, Io had several hours ahead of her before she was to head home, full of adventure she ambled through the wilderness and came through from under the forest into a wildflower meadow, unaware of prying eyes.

That's when Zeus spotted her.

He often perched on a shear and rocky jut from Mount Olympus when the weather was right, he could see from the cold mountainous north down to the southern scorching deserts as well as all the creatures that were living in it, including Io. Zeus, as we know had an uncontrollable weakness for women, he often thought about the way they flick their hair from off their bosom to settle on their back, exposing their soft and silken collar bones, which lifted their delicate scent. He was like a dog on heat when he saw Io do just that. He lept down from his perch to get a closer look.

He didn't need any courage of course but he followed her for hours unseen, stalking behind the damp barks of thick trees, crouching behind wide thickets trying to peep a look through it's small gaps and balancing on shrill rock faces to admire the fleeting beauty of this mortal maiden.

The hours flowed like a dream and the sun had  passed by overhead, enough to cast Zeus' darkened shadow over the forest floor, he knew this would expose him soon enough, so he decided to take action, like a villain closing in on his victim he tip toed close enough to her so she was able to hear his voice.

'Hello Io'. She, deep in her own thoughts, jumped and turned around. She was presented with an idyllic and statuesque figure of a man, glowing with a soft light that she found rather attractive. She took in his manly figure, admired the silky snow white hair that fell past his shoulders and the thick wiry beard that resembled something like that of a wild dog, the glow she thought was almost godlike, or was it the afternoon sun playing tricks. She knew her father wouldn't have sent anyone looking for her, so holding back her shock, she softly replied, 'Hello, who might you be? Do I know you?'

'You don't dear, but I would like to get to know you, see my name is Zeus' he confidently said.

Io choked on the air in her lungs, her suspicions were confirmed, she had heard horror stories of young maidens being seduced by gods and meeting unfortunate endings. Without thinking, or replying, she ran, she sprinted away as fast as she could, but Zeus quickly caught up with her. She wasn't the most athletic women so she decided she would give in and talk to him, I mean who could ever compete with a god and get away with it.

'Stay with me Io, your beauty has no competition and I wish to make you my mine!'

'But you are married, what would Hera think?!' she unassumingly questioned.

'Never mind her, now come here and let me kiss you' he demanded, he took hold of her slender shoulders and drew her in close, before he planted his lips on hers he covered the sky with a thick blanket of plumed grey cloud, to hide his dirty actions from his wife, who he thought might also be perching on a balcony in Olympus like he was earlier.

As the clouds shielded them from heavenly eyes it was at that moment that a flock of ivory doves flapped and rustled out of the forest and pierced through the clouds, the flapping and cooing of the birds drew attention from above.

Hera, unluckily for Zeus, had also been admiring the beautiful day from the towers in Olympus. She loved to take in the spring sunshine, just like Io did. So when a blanket of thick cloud had made the day go grey she quickly became concerned, she called to her husband to see if he could disperse the clouds so she could carry on with her adoration for the earth below. She received a deafening silence. She raced through Olympus trying to find him, but the loneliness drowned her thoughts, she leaned over the sturdy golden balcony to see if she could glimpse him anywhere, but her eyes grew hazy, until she noticed a flock of doves flying free from the clouds. Flashbacks suddenly hit her, her feelings intensified and she grew worried for herself, she decided to brave what she may about to expose herself to and so like a soldier heading off into battle, she decided to investigate why the doves would be fleeing from such a place.

As Zeus and Io finished their affair, he heard his name being bellowed from the sky like the horn on ship declaring its presence coming into a port, he knew it was Hera who would be looking for him and he soon realised she would catch Io and do something unthinkable to her. He didn't want to see Io being punished for the crime he committed, so he warned her 'Io, I must disguise you, only until she goes and then I'll return you to your human form'. He circled his palm over her head like a seer desperate to find your hidden secrets, she hadn't a choice and froze still to embrace whatever was coming her way.

Before she could speak she saw her hands and feet were transforming from a heated pink to a smooth hard jet black, her toes and fingers were meshing into one and two thick stumps on each hand and foot, they almost looked cloven. Her iridescent skin was rapidly sprouting soft white hairs and she was growing fleshy pink udders from her belly, she was trying to speak out and call for help but instead she found her voice breaking and gaining deepness like a mans, she was lowing and couldn't pronounce a single word, her face moulded into something that felt not so foreign to her, Zeus had disguised her in the form of a cow.

Just in time. Hera had broke through the clouds and found Zeus innocently stroking a cow.

'Oh Zeus, what a beautiful beast, is she for me?' Hera excitedly said changing from her worried tune.

'How did you know dear? I'm happy my clouds got you intrigued and brought you to me.' He slyly said.

Hera knew of Zeus' misdemeanours in the past, she gained suspicious again and had a clue this cow may have been a mortal woman just moments ago. 'Well husband, I shall take her as a gift from you to me, thank you!' she pecked him on the cheek and she ushered Io away with her.

Zeus was worried Hera might do something to the cow, but for now he just watched them as they walked off through the forest, it was like he was a child watching an adult taking away his favourite toy, for that's what Io was to him.

Io was mute, all she could do was bellow, low, snort and grunt, she found herself heavy and slow to walk and the only thing she could eat was grass, which tasted like the dirt it was growing from, it was torture for her. Now she was in the inescapable grip of Hera and who knows what she would do to her. Io started to cry, warm tears fell down the snow white hair which now covered her cow shaped face. Hera saw the tears and knew the heifer had to be a mortal woman, but she pretended to be good to her, she saw Io like an evil step mother would see her husbands children, a threat. 'Here my child, take this flower crown and wear it with pride, for you are the most beautiful member of my herd now'. To take extra precaution and to ensure no one would steal her prized possession she guided her to Argos in a fashion that was befitting a prisoner being walked to the gallows.

To be continued....