Nox Aeterna

Not one to break a promise, Porcia hurries through the crowded market nearly tripping over her own feet. She'd promised her new friend she'd meet her just after sundown at the Temple of Artemis as she had the last two nights. But she's late tonight, she was made to help the servants serve wine and entertain her father's "important guests" the Senator Marcus and his wife Tinia. Little did they know or care how important her meeting was this night.

She had met the seductress two nights ago at the Temple. She'd never been inside nor was she allowed, she had been outside the building speaking with the naked statues that adorned the walls and stood guarding the giant doors, as she had many times before. Life sized, carved from the whitest marble, the statues seemed almost alive and portrayed the most beautiful women Porcia had ever seen. She imagined they spoke to her, and she spoke to them. She played out scenes in her head, talking, dancing, making love to these marble women. They even haunted her dreams.

Two nights ago she was talking to the statue she called "Celia", playing out her usual fantasies when the statue seemed to speak to her! "Dance with me Porcia, dance with me under the moonlight" she'd heard. Unsure if she was dreaming, or losing her mind she whispered "Y-you can speak?". Just then she felt something touch her shoulder and whirled around to find a woman standing there. "Of course I speak love, dance with me Porcia" she said again, almost singing. And they danced. No music, no song, they just danced under the full moon. She didn't remember going back home that night, nor was she certain any of it actually happened.

The next day she went back to the Temple searching for her mysterious dancing partner but she was nowhere to be found. She searched Temple grounds, the courtyard, scanned the faces of every woman that walked by, and finally sat down at the feet of "Celia" and cried. All day she sat and wept, by nightfall she was fast asleep in front of the statue. She was awoke by a kiss on the cheek. Her dancer was leaning over her smiling at her, her beautiful blue eyes seemingly glowing in the light of the moon. "Dance with me Porcia, dance with me under the moonlight" she said...and again they danced.

"Come to me again, tomorrow night after sunset and I will show you wondrous things" Helena had said. "Promise me you will return to me here and dance with me one more night.". Porcia had promised to return.

Finally reaching the Temple, Porcia finds "Celia" and sits. Her dancer is nowhere in sight, she is late. She bows her head and begins to weep...