A Fantastic Chase or A New Ancient Greek Myth

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It was a balmy day in the polis. A salty breeze was blowing in from the sea, and the merchants had just begun setting out their wares when a mighty horn call was sounded. After much bustling the inhabitants of the polis assembled in front of the dais from which their archon would address them.

True to form the archon stood before them as his family sat in gilded thrones behind him. He was tall and lean with his alabaster toga casting a stark contrast against his jet skin. His aureate eyes shone with a gleam that was only matched by the sun's rays glinting from his golden jewelry.

The bangles on his wrists clattered as he raised his arms and addressed the crowd. "My people! Today I have an announcement for all of you!" The gathered crowd began murmuring amongst themselves. "As many of you have witnessed, my daughter is as beautiful as one of the daughters of Aphrodite!" The crowd applauded his praise for his words were true indeed. As she sat in her regal throne next to her mother, Yolanda, daughter of the archon, looked resplendent in her garments of white and blue silk. Her skin was jet, just like her father's, and her eyes shone with the same ethereal brilliance. Her hair fell to the middle of her back in thick, tightly formed curls that shone every so slightly with fragrant oils. Her curls were held back from her face with a golden circlet which revealed an abundance of freckles, as if the stars of the heavens had been captured and set in a field of ebony. She wore gloves of the purest white as it was said that nothing in the world was worth being touched by a being so fair.

The archon motioned with his hands and the crowd's cheers died down before he began speaking again. "Yes, my people! She is indeed a fair one, and though it grieves my heart as a father to announce this, my sweet Yolanda has informed me that, after turning away countless suitors, she has finally decided to marry!"

A roar of cheers came again from the crowd, but this time they were much more distinctly masculine. The archon motioned for quiet once more and then added, "Yes, yes. I understand your eagerness. However! My daughter has informed me that she will only wed herself to one who is true of heart, and as such she has proposed that a contest be held to test the mettle of those seeking her hand!" He motioned to one of his servants and they brought to him a black cat with white paws and a black, white-tipped tail. "This is Callista!" He presented the cat for all the congregation to see. "It was at Yolanda's urging that she be given the task of finding the man who would be a suitable husband. Now that you have seen her I will explain the rules of this contest! Whomever of you can catch Callista and remove my daughter's favor from her neck, that man shall be considered to be worthy and pure of heart!" The archon scritched the top of the cat's head and added, "But! Do not be fooled by Callista's calm demeanor this morning. She is as wily a beast as I have ever seen. It will take the skill of the greatest huntsman to catch her, and even that might not be enough!" He motioned to his servant again and the cat was taken away.

"One more thing!" he added in a voice as cold and hard as iron. "Should any ill fate or harm come upon Callista during this contest, the one who harmed her shall be dealt with as though they harmed a member of my personal family. I trust everyone gathered here takes my meaning."

His words hung in the air like a sheet of iron, unable to be challenged and absolute.

Then, as if to dispel the tense atmosphere, Yolanda rose from her seat. Walking up to her father she laid a gentle hand upon his shoulder. The archon's tense and serious figure visibly softened and he turned to kiss her upon her brow. "Father," she said with a voice like the morning sun, "I would like to speak, if I may."

The archon took his daughter's hand and lifted it to his lips. Kissing her gloved fingers, he said, "Of course, my dear. Today is for you, after all." He then retreated to sit on his throne as Yolanda stood alone at the edge of the dais. Her robes of ivory and azure billowed slightly in the morning breeze. She drew the salty air into her lungs and announced, "Good people of my father's polis! Today I stand before you as a prize to be won, but make no mistake, I shall not be won easily. Truly this will be a task that even the mighty Heracles would struggle with and fail at if he was not meant to succeed. All methods of capturing Callista are allowed save for those that would harm her, as my father has stated. I look forward to seeing who among you will prevail in this challenge and take my hand in everlasting matrimony. May the gods favor each of you in this endeavor."