A Swallow in the North (Greek Mythology) - Chapter 7

The question hit the mark so precisely that Yan Beibei’s mind reeled in a fit of panic.

If she told Artemis the truth, she would inevitably have to reveal her true identity. Yet, if Procne were to find out that she was not the real Philomela, how heartbroken would that sister be, the woman who loved and protected her with every fibre of her being?

As Yan Beibei wavered in her dilemma, a soft chuckle drifted down from above. The Mistress of Animals, the Lord of the Wild, and the Protector of Newborns and Virgins had finally arrived in person.

A deity’s radiance cannot be gazed upon directly without the risk of death; this is the insurmountable chasm between mortals and gods. Long ago, Zeus, the Father of Gods, fell in love with a mortal woman, Princess Semele of Thebes. When he came to conceive a child with her the future Dionysus—he did so in the guise of a mortal.

Hearing of this, Hera grew jealous. Disguising herself as an old crone, she approached Semele and sowed seeds of doubt:

“Princess, mark my words: this man is no fit match for you. His face is blurred, and he refuses to reveal his name. Even when he visits, he comes and goes in the dead of night. If he has nothing to hide from the world, why mask his movements so? Princess, the next time he comes, you must demand to know his true identity; only then will you know if his heart is true!”

Semele believed the advice of the seemingly kind old woman. She questioned Zeus about his true identity and received an answer beyond her wildest dreams. As she reeled with joy and shock, the crone spoke again:

“He claims to be the King of Gods and Master of Olympus, yet we have never seen his true form, nor do we know any deity. How are we to judge the truth of his words? I have heard that when a god appears, they are accompanied by an incomparable radiance—this beauty and majesty are the ironclad proof of divinity. If he truly cares for you and speaks the truth, Princess, you should insist he show his true self.”

Zeus pleaded with her repeatedly, but Semele’s mind was made up. Left with no choice, Zeus descended upon Thebes in his true form. But Semele was merely mortal; the moment he arrived, she was scorched to cinders by the light and fire of the God of Thunder.

However, the radiance of Artemis was remarkably gentle, vastly different from the overwhelming, terrifying might of her father, Zeus.

The icy chill of the new moon, the tenderness of the full moon, and the dimness of the waning moon every sliver of moonlight from the past, present, and future converged here, forming a hazy, pure, and cold halo behind her.

The obsidian statue crumbled silently into dust. Ebony lyres and bronze bells chimed in unison. Amidst the rising swell of music, moonlight poured down from the altar, flowing like a physical river to Yan Beibei’s knees. The flaring lamps danced, their light catching the gold and silver leaf, pearls, and gems on the murals, yet they could not match even a fraction of the brilliance Artemis brought with her.

Amidst the blinding light, the grand movement of music, and the swirling incense, the Master of Mountains and Forests finally descended.

She wore a crown of green palm leaves and robes like drifting clouds. Slung across her back was the longbow gifted by the All-Father, and at her waist hung a deerskin quiver full of arrows. It was this very bow and arrow that had pierced Yan Beibei’s chest in her brief, previous life.

The golden-haired, blue-eyed Goddess looked down at Yan Beibei from on high, her tone cold yet soft:

“What a clever girl. A pity she is too clever.”

She turned to Procne, who had gone pale with the fear that her sister was finally about to be punished: “Princess Procne of Athens, I grant you my protection.”

For Artemis, who detested marriage, this was an incredibly generous vow.

“You need not worship my name or my image, nor must you dwell within my halls. Your marriage shall follow your own heart, and none shall use it to do you wrong. If any man coerces you, call my name amidst the moonlight or within the mountains and forests. I shall hear, and I shall come.”

Procne, who had been kneeling stiffly, finally let out a long breath as the weight was lifted from her heart. Her limbs went weak with the relief of a survivor. But just as she moved to take Yan Beibei and leave, the voice of Artemis echoed from above:

“You may depart if you wish, but your sister Philomela must remain.”

The breath Procne had just released caught in her throat again. She looked at Yan Beibei with immense worry, but dared not say a word. She could only squeeze Yan Beibei’s hand tightly before hurriedly leaving to wait respectfully outside the temple for the Moon Goddess’s judgment of her sibling.

Inside the temple, the atmosphere was not as tense as Procne imagined. When the golden-haired Goddess turned her gaze back to Yan Beibei, even the girl could hear the note of appraisal and praise in her voice.

“Philomela, Princess of Athens, you possess beauty and a singing voice, but your wisdom far exceeds the sum of both a hundredfold. Tell me, why did I keep only you?”

Yan Beibei thought for a moment and answered cautiously: “Because only by staying can I prove that our vow to ‘serve Artemis’ was no lie. Only thus can I preserve myself and ensure my sister receives your protection and a life of peace.”

“I have no wish to hear such platitudes.” Clearly, the standard answer did not satisfy Artemis. Her voice remained cold and soft, yet it carried the immovable weight of a mountain.

“I once swore to my Father to remain a virgin goddess forever; later, I grew to loathe marriage and vowed only to protect pure women. I will not seek to know how you catch glimpses of the future, and I have already broken protocol to grant your sister grace. If you cannot give me the answer I seek, I shall withdraw this gift.”

Yan Beibei understood the stakes, but the question was: what did Artemis actually want? She was truly at a loss!

In a flash of inspiration, Artemis’s almost obsessive defense of “purity” struck a chord in Yan Beibei’s chaotic thoughts.

Gods possess no human nature. They are more distinct in their loves and hates, and far more vindictive. Their actions cannot be judged by human common sense.

Years ago, Artemis had driven a handmaiden out of her hunting party with a volley of arrows simply because the girl had been forcibly defiled by Zeus. She had sent savage beasts to ravage kingdoms that dared forget their offerings. She was a pure virgin goddess, yet also a heartless and cruel protector; her obsession was no different from that of any other deity!

Yan Beibei’s mind cleared instantly, and she blurted out:

“My Lady, you wish to kill Tereus. Because his father, the invincible Ares is a servant to the whims of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty.”

Artemis finally nodded with a smile. She reached out and helped Yan Beibei, whose legs were trembling, up from the cold floor. Her skin was no warmer than the marble; a bone-deep chill travelled from their joined hands into Yan Beibei’s heart.

“Come, Singer. Come to my temple, worship my name, and weave tapestries for me.”

“You need not fear me. So long as you follow my teachings and serve me with all your heart, I shall naturally grant you the protection and glory you deserve. If I have ever harmed you, it was surely not of my own intent.”

Yan Beibei could only manage a bitter smile in her heart.

The matter of returning from the dead was strange enough, let alone being reborn in an adult’s body; it was something she could never speak of to anyone. Furthermore, the gap between gods and mortals was too vast; life and death rested on a single whim. That Artemis was willing to make an exception and grant protection was already more than enough; how could she dare ask for more? This vague, indirect apology would have to suffice.

With these thoughts in mind, the phantom pain of an arrow through the heart still lingered in her chest. Yan Beibei took a half-step back and stood, bowing her head humbly to show her respect for the deity.

“I swear here by Mount Olympus to serve for life the Master of Mountains and Forests, the Goddess of the Moon, the Lord of Wild Beasts, and the Controller of Fertility and Destruction Artemis.”

As she rose, her hands naturally slipped from Artemis’s grasp. The Moon Goddess looked down at her empty hands, then turned her clear blue eyes back to Yan Beibei’s exquisite face. She gazed at her for a long time before repeating:

“If I harm you, it is surely not of my own intent.”

The following day, King Tereus of Thrace announced he would remain in Athens for several months to help rebuild the war-torn ruins. On the same day, the entire city learned that Princess Procne and Princess Philomela had made a vow before the Moon Goddess: if Athens were preserved, they would remain unwed for life to serve the chaste Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis.

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