THE ISLE OF CALYPSO

Maeve continued working her way higher toward the towering base of Black Mountain. She hoped she would find the crescent moon-shaped rock soon. She had no idea how long it would take her to negotiate the levels inside the mountain and she knew she had only 3 days to obtain the Crystal and return. The sun was higher in the sky and it was going to be a warm day. Already she could feel its warmth on her back as she climbed.

Sometime before noon she stopped for a drink of water and a little bread and cheese. She chose a boulder with a flat vertical surface and sat down on the shady side of it. As she dug through her carryall, she thought back to the first few weeks of her association with the Nomad and its crew and how they had helped her with her quest for Calypso's hair.

Maeve had heard of Calypso even before she knew that she had to go to her island. She knew that she was a half-god, that she was a sorceress, and that she was very possessive of any man she took a liking to. She had heard the story of Ulysses and how she had enchanted him into giving up the idea of going home to Penelope. She had heard what Calypso did to any woman who made the mistake of coming to her island. She figured that the only way that she was going to get close enough to Calypso was to dress as a man and let Calypso think she was interested in a relationship. However, she had a problem. With her full figure, it would not be easy to pass as a man. And she would have to do something with her hair as well. She thought about the problem and finally determined that she would have to design a corset to rein in her breasts. So in Crinos, one of their ports of call on the way to Kithira, Maeve bought some soft, nicely tanned brown leather and a good supply of lacing. She also purchased a loose fitting man's blouse, some pants and a hat suitably large enough to conceal her tresses. For the next several days, the crew noticed that Maeve was spending a lot of time in her cabin.

Sinbad and the rest of the crew noticed her absence right away. They all enjoyed having an attractive woman on board who was strong enough to handle deck chores along with the rest of them. Firouz came up to Sinbad on the foredeck and said, "Do you think Maeve is feeling all right? She hasn't been on deck at all since we left Crinos. Maybe you should see if she's all right?"

"Me? Why don't you do it?"

"Well, you're the captain. It's your ship. Isn't it the captain's job to check on the welfare of his crewmates?"

"Hmmm. If you put it that way, maybe I should. When I'm ready."

Evening meals were always late on the Nomad. Sinbad felt everyone should take advantage of the light to do their work, so meals were just after sundown. That evening, Maeve did not show up for supper. No one had seen her since lunch. Firouz got Sinbad's attention and nodded in the direction of her empty seat. "Remember what we talked about before?" He did not want to come right out and repeat what he had said. He was afraid that Doubar might tease him about it. There was a lot of good-natured ribbing done aboard ship, especially on the subject of women. Sinbad knew what he meant though.

"I will, Firouz, I will. Don't you have an invention to work on or something?"

Secretly, Sinbad was very concerned about Maeve's absence. He missed her cheery face, her beautiful hair and àwell, he missed her. So after the meal, he casually strolled down the passageway to the end room, which was the one he'd assigned to Maeve. It was really a storeroom that they'd converted to sleeping quarters to accommodate Maeve. He thought she'd have more privacy there, as it was tucked in out of the flow of traffic. He knocked softly on the door. "Maeve?" No answer. He knocked a little louder, "Maeve?"

Finally she answered, "Be right there."

Inside, Maeve had just been in the process of trying on her new undergarment when she heard a knock. She slipped it off, tossed it on the bunk and found her rich blue silk robe and put it on. Then she went to the door and opened it part way. Sinbad immediately noticed that she was wearing a robe and said, "Oh, excuse me. Is this a bad time? Maybe I should come back later?"

Maeve was a little uncomfortable but even more intrigued. Sinbad had never come to her quarters before. She wanted to know why he'd come. "No it's all right. Come in." She opened the door and stood aside for him to enter and then closed the door behind them.

He turned to face her. She fixed him with an intense look and said directly, "So what brings the captain of the ship to my cabin?"

Sinbad was a bit taken aback by her bold question. Still, he was used to dealing with bold women. He had met his share in port. "Some of the crew, er, noticed that you weren't at supper tonight and they wanted me to see if you were okay."

"Is it supper time already? I was working. I didn't notice the time. I'm sorry if I caused anyone to worry." She paused. "Not that my appearance should be of any concern to anyone, as long as I pull my weight around here."

"Well, they.. we thought it best to inquire as to your well being."

Maeve immediately noticed how uncomfortable he seemed to be there in her cabin, with her in her robe. She smiled inwardly. 'So he's not as self-confident as he seems sometimes,' she said to herself. Then she had a thought. Her new garment had one big design flaw: to be effective, it had to be laced up from behind. It was not a task that could be done alone. She really needed to know if it fit correctly and if it would do what she'd designed it to do.

"Since you're here, there is something you could do for me. But first I need to explain something. It may take awhile. Please. Have a seat." She motioned toward her bunk. Sinbad moved toward the bunk. The leather corset was in the middle of the bed. Maeve hastened over and picked it up. "Actually," she began, "it concerns this." She held it out for Sinbad to see.

"Really," was his only comment.

She waited for him to sit and then continued. "When we get to Kithira, I need to see Calypso. What do you know about her?" She paced slowly back and forth in front of Sinbad, turning the garment in her hands as she walked.

"I know that she is exceedingly beautiful. And that she is very attracted to men."

Maeve interrupted, not liking what he was saying. "Calypso is a witch. A beautiful witch, granted, but a witch. Actually, an enchantress would be more accurate. She collects men. Some she keeps as servants and some she keeps for more personal use. She puts spells on men that make them forget everything but her."

"Some women have the power to do that without using spells," Sinbad observed.

Maeve ignored his comment, though she wondered why he had said that.

"The point is, when we get there, it will not be safe for any of you to step one foot on her island, or you may never leave it. I must go see her alone. But she considers all other women rivals, and turns them into spiders on sight. So she must think that I am a man when I go to see her. Otherwise, I will become one of her spiders. My magic is not strong enough to ward off her spells." She held the leather corset out for Sinbad to see. "And that is where this comes in."

"I'm not quite sure I understand," Sinbad said, feeling even more uncomfortable. He knew that what she was holding didn't look like the kind of thing a man would wear.

"Don't worry, you will. Soon enough." She was really enjoying seeing him squirm. But at the same time she also felt really uncomfortable about this next part. Still, someone was going to have to lace it up for her. There wasn't anyone else aboard the Nomad that she wanted to do it than this man who sat before her.

She held the garment out with both hands and turned it around. "I designed this myself. It will make me look more like a man in certain places. I couldn't have the lacing in the front because it would show too much. This is all ready. But I need to know how well it's going to work. And I can't lace this thing up by myself. Someone has to help me. Would you mind helping me now?" She paused and looked at him expectantly.

Sinbad took a breath. "Couldn't you get someone else? You want me to lace it?"

"You catch on quickly. I guess that's why you're the captain. I don't see anyone else here, do you?" She laughed softly and went on.

Sinbad did not know how to take her request. He had lots of women ask him to help them with their clothes, but always to take them off. She seemed to be in earnest. She really did just want him to lace her up. He stood up. "If I must, I must. Never let it be said that the captain didn't come to the aid of one of his crewmates."

"Look the other way, please." She waited until she saw him turn away. She turned her back to him and let her robe slip down. She grabbed the corset and slipped into it. It was very much like a sleeveless vest, with a slight V cut in the front so that the leather would not show when she wore the man's shirt. "Okay," she said, "I'm ready."

Sinbad turned around. What he saw made him catch his breath. He approached her and picked up the laces. He had to thread the lacing through each hole and then pull the lace tight. Her arms and back were bare. Standing as closely as he was he could see the curve of her back and every dip and hollow on her shoulders. He took in the fresh smell of her hair, noticed its sheen and color. Meanwhile his fingers could not help touching her skin every now and then as he threaded the laces through the holes.

"Oooh! That tickles," Maeve exclaimed.

"Sorry, I can't help it."

"Now when you get up a little higher, you'll need to pull really hard to make sure it works."

"Okay, sure." Sinbad was having a hard time focusing. He had never been this close to her or seen so much of her before. Now he was in no hurry to finish the job.

"This may take a while," he said, "It's hard to get the lacing through the holes." He slipped his fingers under the leather to hold it away from her skin. The backs of his fingers brushed against her skin.

Now it was Maeve that was uncomfortable. She thought it would be fun to put Sinbad in this position. But now that he was doing it, she was feeling uneasy. She was not used to being touched by a man, any man. The fact that it was Sinbad made it even harder for her. She could not help feeling attracted to him, try as she might to contain those feelings. She felt herself getting flushed. She could feel his breath on her bare shoulders and on her hair and those fingers kept touching her. She wished she hadn't put so many holes in the corset. Finally he got the laces through all the holes.

"Okay, now when I let my breath out, you pull those laces really tight."

She took a deep breath and let it out. Sinbad started pulling on the laces. Maeve could feel the corset getting tighter and tighter. When he finished she looked down at herself. The corset did make her look about half the size she was. "Now wait," she said. She hustled over to her sea chest and got out the man's shirt she had purchased. She slipped it on over her head and then got out the hat. She pushed her hair up onto the top of her head and fitted the hat over. Then she turned to Sinbad. "How do I look? Do I look like a man?"

Sinbad came over to her and touched her on the arm. "Maeve, someone else looking at you might think you were a man, but when I look at you, I'll always see a woman."

Then he turned and started to leave.

"Hey wait. I can't get out of this thing by myself." Sinbad stopped at the door. He turned around. Maeve came up to him and turned her back to him and lifted the back of her shirt up. Sinbad quickly undid the laces, anxious to remove himself from this situation. When he finished he pulled the shirt back down.

"Thanks, Sinbad."

"Don't mention it." He quickly opened the door and left.

Two days later the Nomad was anchored off Kithira. The sun shone brightly on the magnificent white buildings that stood on the large hill that dominated the island. The crew rowed Maeve to the beach and she hopped out. "Keep a watch for me," she said. "I should be back late tonight, if my plan works."

"Good luck, Maeve. Be careful."

Maeve gave them a little wave. "I will." She started walking up the long series of steps that lead up to the cluster of building at the top of the hill. She had not gone very far when a pair of guards appeared carrying pikes. One of the men stepped forward and said in a gruff voice, "State your business here on this island."

Maeve cleared her throat and spoke in her deepest voice. "I have come to speak with the Mistress of Kithera, the fair Calypso."

Without answering her, the guards turned and Maeve followed them, hurrying to keep pace with them. 'So far, so good. They must think I'm a man. But can I fool Calypso? That's the real test.' The men entered the largest building, across a large open courtyard filled with fountains and gardens, and into the heart of the building. Maeve followed. The guards stopped outside a door guarded by two more men. One of the guards spoke quietly to one of the door guards. He said, "Wait here." Then he went inside, returning a few moments later. The door guards opened the door and strode inside. The first guards waited for Maeve to go, and they followed her. She looked around. They were now in what appeared to be a receiving room, a medium-sized room with two large arched windows to each side of her. On each side of each window were white marble stands holding a large clay pot that held brightly colored flowers. In front of her was a small pool of water, behind which were four wide steps leading up to a raised area. There seated on several embroidered cushions, sat Calypso. She was indeed beautiful. She was wearing a flowing white gown, designed so one shoulder was left bare, while from the other hung a yard of flowing white fabric. The dress was tied at the waist with a wide, braided gold sash. A ruby necklace hung around her neck. In sharp contrast to her white gown was her very long, black hair and her dark eyebrows. She had a very exotic look.

Again Maeve affected a deeper voice. She bowed deeply and said, "Everything I have heard is true, and more. Your beauty exceeds its descriptions. I was compelled to come to your fair isle to see for myself and perhaps converse if you would be so gracious."

"And just what name does this fair-tongued orator use?"

"Pardon me my poor manners. My name is Crineseus from the island of Crete."

Calypso waved at a cushion near her. "Please. Seat yourself. I will hear more of this Crineseus."

And so Maeve was accepted by Calypso as a man. She did not seem the least bit suspicious. She and Maeve conversed for the next hour or so. Food and drink was summoned. Platters of sliced chicken and cuts of lamb, and large bowls of fruit. A servant poured wine into gold goblets. Maeve watched closely. She waited until Calypso drank some of her wine before she touched her own, wary of being drugged by the enchantress. She continued to lavish compliments about Calypso's beauty and her graciousness. Maeve found it hard to flirt with Calypso; she had to recall conversations she'd heard in bars and the way Sinbad had talked to her initially.

After a while Calypso suggested a walk around the grounds. So they walked around. Maeve noticed that all Calypso's guards, gardeners, servants, and even her personal attendants were all men. They were everywhere. The place was bustling with activity. No wonder everything looked so well kept. Sunset had arrived. They sat on marble benches and watch as the sun sank into the sea. Then Calypso led the way in. Several attendants and two guards had shadowed them wherever they went; Maeve wondered how she was going to slip her potion into Calypso's drink with all these watchful eyes around her.

She needn't have worried. Once inside, Calypso suggested that they go to her private chambers where they could relax "without being watched" 'Perfect,' thought Maeve. 'Let's get this over with.' She was very uneasy. It was very difficult for her to continue this charade. And she could hardly breathe. Her undergarment was cinched as tightly as it could be. She had been very careful to keep her distance from Calypso so she couldn't tell from her fair features that she was really a woman.

Calypso waited until Criniseus was seated. More food and two goblets already filled with wine were waiting on a table. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll be back shortly," Calypso said. She waved her hand at the food and drink. "Please help yourself while I'm gone."

"Hurry back, my beautiful one. Every moment of your absence is a hardship."

"I shall find a way to make the wait worthwhile." Calypso disappeared through some heavy curtains into a smaller antechamber. Maeve suspected what Calypso was doing there. As soon as she disappeared Maeve looked around carefully and seeing no attendants or servants, she removed the sleeping potion from her pocket and poured it into one of the goblets. She took the other one and poured most of its contents into one of the nearby flowerpots. She was about to take a swallow from the remainder when she realized that it might be drugged. She sat back down with her goblet in her hand and waited.

Perhaps ten minutes passed before Calypso re-emerged from the curtains. She had changed. She was wearing a flowing lavender gown made up of several layers of nearly transparent fabric. It was sleeveless, and cut low in the front. Maeve acknowledged to herself that it was a very seductive outfit. 'I can see why so many men have fallen under her spell,' she thought. 'This is it. I need to keep my wits here.'

She rose and greeted Calypso. "I never thought it possible that you could become more alluring than you were before, but I am delighted that I was totally mistaken."

Calypso smiled. "You approve then," she said.

Maeve nodded. She held up her goblet and feigned slightly slurred speech. "I hope you didn't mind. I've been imbibing while you were gone."

Calypso gave her the sweetest smile. "That's perfectly okay. Perfectly."

That was when Maeve knew that her wine had indeed been drugged. She held up her goblet. "To the furtherance of our friendship," she announced.

Calypso picked up her goblet and held it up. "May you always remain thus."

She took a deep swallow. Maeve pretended to drink but kept her lips shut.

"Surely you must be tired and sore after your long journey. Let my hands loosen up those muscles."

'Uh oh, this is trouble. I hope that potion works soon.' "No really, I'm fine," she said.

"I insist. You wouldn't deny your hostess every attempt to make her guests comfortable, would you?"

Calypso came over to where Maeve was seated and put her hands on Maeve's shoulders and started rubbing. Then she slipped her hand down onto Maeve's back.

"What this under your shirt?" she exclaimed. Then she toppled over onto the cushions that were scattered all around them.

'That was close,' Maeve thought. She reached down and rolled up one pant leg and removed a knife from a sheath she had strapped to her leg. She rolled Calypso onto her stomach and started to gather her hair together. Her fingers began to tingle the moment she touched Calypso's hair. She could feel the magic in it. When the knife touched the hair, the edge of the knife glowed a faint blue. Quickly, she cut the hair to within six inches of Calypso's head. Then removed a large cloth from her pocket and spread it out, placing the hair inside.

Next, she dragged Calypso to her bed and placed her in it. She took several cushions and put them in the bed next to Calypso, making it look like there was someone lying next to her. She pulled up the covers. 'You're going to have one big headache when you wake up.'

Maeve searched the room for an exit. She knew the chamber doors were probably guarded. She went through Calypso's antechamber and found that it led to another room that had a window. Maeve slipped up to the window and peeked out. 'I'm glad she gave me that tour of the grounds.' She lowered herself out the window and into the darkness of the garden. She slipped quietly and quickly through the garden. Avoiding the main steps because she feared they might be guarded, she picked her way down the hill to the beach. She hurried to the rock that the lookout was supposed to be watching. She pulled off her white doublet shirt and waved it back and forth. Then she listened. She heard the long boat being lowered and knew that her signal had been seen. She put her shirt back on and tucked it in, then hurried over to the place where the boat would land.

Even before the boat touched the sand, Maeve waded out and hopped in it. "Row for all you're worth," she said. "I don't know how long that potion will last."

Sinbad was waiting for her and helped her over the edge. "How was your visit?" he asked.

"Very successful. Let's get away from here. We don't want to be around when she wakes up. I think she might be a little upset with me." She came close to Sinbad and lowered her voice. "And if you don't mind, can you come down to my cabin and get me out of this thing? I can hardly breathe."

Sinbad chuckled. "I'll be down in a bit. I have to get the Nomad ready to sail." He knew Maeve was at his mercy now, and he intended to let her squirm a bit more.