Medusa's secret daughter

Imprisonment.

The gods imprisoned Medusa into the temple, never uttering a word as she sat bound her eyes covered for their safety no doubt. The only small mercy they granted was unbinding her body before they vanished, leaving her in the damp cold building. None had noticed yet that she had become pregnant her stomach still flat, her breasts yet to fill with milk for the child- the child they had cursed to this dank existence alongside Medusa. This hell.

It took months for word to spread of the goddess, banished by Athena, trapped in a temple High above the mountains. In Athenas name warriors took it upon themselves to try and slay the beast to become the world's mightiest warrior remembered forever, perhaps even gifted by the Gods. They missed one piece of information in their treks, Medusa was not a goddess trapped, she was a mother with nothing to lose but her innocent child the baby still has a chance it could live among the Gods, have its own place at Zeus' table maybe even overthrow the serial adultuer. If luck was on her side, for once, perhaps the child may be human, mortal, happy it may even feel the sun and light one day, instead of being stuck in the dark shadows of this haunted hell.

Warrior after warrior searched the temple for Medusa, but she was no mortal nor imbecile. Hiding herself in high corners or beneath rubble, hoping they'd leave believing the rumours had been fake... None ever did, they insisted on finding her, as time passed it became more and more difficult to hide her pregnancy and belly growing with each day. Soon she couldn't hide, the shadows at the temple entrance meant a new murder she dreaded those shadows each day.

9months of hiding felt like centuries, man and woman alike had entered the temple very few had ever managed to leave.

Medusa gave birth alone, the rubble around her the only comfort as she tried to prevent her screams, sweat sped down her body mixing with her near silent tears, hours felt like days as she welcomed a new life into the world her eyes squeezed shut from the moment contractions began. She felt around for the child, wrapping it in pre-ripped fabric holding the baby close to her chest Medusa rocked slowly back and forth soothing the newborn.

In an instant Medusa realised she couldn't keep her baby, even a glimpse at her would mean instant death how could she raise a child in this crumbling hell without being able to see? Medusa tightened the fabric wrapped around her daughters tiny form before clutching her close with one hand, her eyes still squeezed shut she crawled over piles of debris and loose rocks. It took far too long, with far too many risks but eventually Medusa made it to the entrance the force that held her within burning her fingers keeping her in her own prison. Curling her sore, bruised and tired body around her daughter, she kissed the childs face not knowing exactly where, in a hushed tone Medusa whispered to her child "this temple shall forever be my prison, but you can be free. Live the life I was denied, my sweet child" Medusa covered the child tightly, covering most of her face from the sun she ensured the pain as she reached over the barrier encasing the temple putting more and more distance between her and her daughter.

Medusa dare not open her eyes, crawling freely to the back of the temple so she could just barely make out the light from the entrance. Taking deep breaths Medusa chuckled painfully to herself, lightly banging her head against the wall til she felt the small trickle of blood work its way down her spine. Someone will take the child, and Medusa's torment will be over, once the child is safe she has no need to fight anymore...

Days passed with many warriors entering the temple of Medusa, but not one took the child. They ignored her gurgles and cries, too focused on their own glory to protect an innocent child, they chose glory but Medusa would ensure they never left alive. Every day Medusa checked to see if the child had been saved, but as the days passed a seed of worry grew in her stomach, her daughter lay at hells gates her small weak cries worse than a sword to her heart. Clutching her eyes closed Medusa crawled up to the child, her body still covered by the temples desolate shadows it seemed silly but she didn't want the child to see her face to know the monster her mother had become.

More ever tortuous days passed, Medusa didn't move from her shadowed hole, her screams becoming nought more than tiny pained gurgles. No warriors passed. The days of hunting calmed, for now.

For the first time since she had been prisoned in hell, Medusa wept, fully wept. Her nose ran, she struggled to breathe as her body shuddered from the cold tears streaming down her face. "Please..." She whispered into the black abyss above her. With her head turned to the sky Medusa opened her eyes rain pelted the floor as she watched, how long had it been raining? That night Medusa wept, she wept through the darkness, into the silence, until the sun rose...