Around the young Icarus, there was nothing but a mass of water. He lay on an attached bed made of coral, surrounded by the finest pillows he had ever seen in his life. He let out a frightened cry, but bubbles escaped from his lips and scattered into the infinite. He found himself in a room that was a marvel of Greek architecture, adorned with Ionic columns of white marble carved with figures of the king of the seas. These columns supported the vaulted ceiling, which had a circular skylight through which the sunlight streamed in. The floor was covered in colorful mosaics representing the might of King Poseidon.
Startled, Icarus rose from the grand canopy bed on which he had been lying. He was surrounded by cushions and silk curtains. On one side, there was a table with fruits, wine, and cheese, along with exquisitely crafted coral chairs.
"I chose this room because it exudes peace and tranquility," said a sweet voice that Icarus somehow perceived. "Here, you can rest peacefully surrounded by the wonders of the sea."
Icarus turned his gaze toward the bed, where a colossal figure lay majestically. There, a monumental mermaid rested, her overwhelming beauty captivating the young warrior. Her hair flowed in vibrant green, while her dark eyes sparkled mischievously. She towered over Icarus, and her magnificence in her scant attire did not go unnoticed by him.
He tried to speak, but only bubbles emerged from his mouth, and he feared suffocating. However, the enormous mermaid approached and, against his will, her forked tongue entered his mouth. It was the strangest kiss the young man had ever experienced.
"With this, I grant you the power to communicate with me, my young Greek," the mermaid said, gently withdrawing. "Your lips are as fresh as the surface, tasting of sunlight."
As soon as she mentioned the sun, Icarus remembered the final moments of his life. The imposing sun in the sky and the need to reach it, despite his father's protests. He flew toward the sun.
"I died," were the first words he uttered there, in the depths of the sea.
The mermaid flicked her fish tail, emitting rainbow-like lights as she did so.
"You're a goddess, aren't you?" Icarus said, observing the mermaid.
The mermaid concealed a joyful smile.
"Well, yes, I am a goddess. Can you guess which one?" she said playfully, reclining on the enormous bed, occupying it entirely. "I have never seen such a dazzling young man like you... so incredibly beautiful."
Icarus distanced himself from the goddess. He had heard too many stories about how gods abducted humans to unleash their darkest lusts upon them. In the end, humans always paid the price. Besides, there were too many depictions of Poseidon for him to overlook who she was.
"You're Amphitrite," he said, surprised.
"Yes, it was I who rescued you from such a dark fate and saved you from falling into the domains of the underworld," the goddess whispered with a playful smile. "But imagine, what would that insipid Persephone have done? I'm sure she only wanted to keep you for herself, how selfish!"
Icarus had never considered himself handsome, yet there he was, a goddess enamored with him. However, Icarus only wanted to fly again. He had fallen in love with the skies, the lofty fluffy clouds, and the defiant sun he longed to reach.
"If you want to find out where your beloved father is, let me tell you that he has safely reached Sicily. Of course, he was hurt by your departure, but he managed to escape the clutches of King Minos. However, now you find yourself in my domain," the mermaid whispered as she gracefully rose from the bed.
Fearful, Icarus began to move away, but she kept getting closer.
"And Poseidon? What will he say about my presence here in his realm?" Icarus said, distancing himself, searching with his eyes for his golden wings. "Where are my wings?"
The goddess clicked her forked tongue, angry and jealous.
"That man," she said disdainfully. "That man is never here. I am utterly alone in this desolate temple. But you know, I have my suspicions that he has other secret places where he meets privately with my lovely sisters, the Nereids. Can you imagine what that implies?" the goddess murmured with a mischievous smile as her tail subtly wrapped around Icarus, preventing any escape attempts. "But don't worry, now I have a young man right in front of me who will provide me with everything I need."
The Cretan youth had always been clueless with women, and he did not enjoy physical encounters. In that moment, he tried to escape from the woman. He learned discretion from his father; after spending so much time with King Minos, he learned it was better not to speak, especially after witnessing the queen engage in relations with a bull and how his father aided in the process.
"I just wanted to admire the wings my father crafted," he said, trying to avoid the goddess's forked tongue. "You know, after being trapped in that labyrinth for so long and then falling from the skies..."
The goddess angrily tossed him aside, and the boy slowly rolled, so to speak, into the water. With each turn, he could only see the polished floor, thinking that she would kill him for avoiding her lips.
"Do you think I don't know that you fell in love with the scorching sun, and it was your downfall? Haven't you realized that your wax wings melted, and you plummeted from the skies?" the goddess said, feigning tears as her eyes gleamed with malice. "I only long for a little affection after decades of abandonment here. Finally, I capture a poor little lost bird for myself, and it turns out to be asexual."
The boy didn't feel offended; he saw himself that way. He preferred adventure, but not an intimate one like she offered.
"Thank you very much for saving me, but I don't have those appetites. I'm meant to be an adventurer..."
"And look what misfortune destiny has brought you," the mermaid laughed shamelessly. "You haven't realized it, but thanks to the pearl necklace I gave you while you were sleeping, you can breathe underwater. However, keep in mind that if you venture on dangerous journeys, I can snatch it away in the blink of an eye."
He touched his neck, and indeed, the necklace was there. He swallowed hard, wondering what his father would do.
"Will I ever return to the surface someday?" he asked, fearing the answer.
The mermaid's smile widened, malicious and malevolent.
"Let's make it clear: if you give me what I desire, perhaps you can return someday when I grow bored. But if you bore me immediately, the sharks might have a feast with you instantly," she said, slowly approaching with a sinister smile resembling that of a snake. "I hope your answer doesn't match your eagerness to approach the sun because this time it will be fatal."
Ícaro swallowed again, not wanting to stay there at the bottom of the sea. However, he knew that if his answer didn't please the goddess, he would die definitively. The gods were not merciful to anyone. He gazed upon that underwater kingdom teeming with fish and jellyfish, where a thousand crabs scurried among the columns. None of it compared to the skies, not even the shining sun.
"Well, I will stay here alone if you promise to make me wings that are more resistant and can withstand the power of the sun, for when one day I am free to soar in the skies again," Ícaro pleaded, kneeling down. "That's all I ask, and if you fulfill it, I will fulfill my duty."
The goddess Amphitrite rose up imposingly, lifted her arms, and applauded enthusiastically.
"Your tongue is bold, you're impulsive and naive. I like it," she said, her eyes gleaming. "First, I will instruct you in manners when my husband returns. If he ever returns to visit me, you will be my cupbearer, understood?"
Ícaro nodded sadly, following the footsteps his father would have taken in those circumstances. When Minos refused to sacrifice the bull, his father yielded to preserve his own existence. When the queen surrendered to the bull's love, his father yielded, driven by the same reason. When the kingdom fell into disgrace, his father did whatever was necessary to survive. And when they believed they had attained freedom by flying, there he was once again, subjecting himself to demands that contradicted his will, resembling his progenitor more and more.
Spanish
Alrededor del joven Ícaro había pura masa de agua. Estaba acostado en una cama adosada, hecha de corales, rodeado de las mejores almohadas que hubiera visto en su vida. Soltó un grito asustado, pero de sus labios brotaron burbujas que se esparcieron hasta el infinito. Estaba en una habitación que era una maravilla de la arquitectura griega, rodeada de columnas jónicas de mármol blanco talladas con figuras del rey de los mares. Estas sostenían el techo abovedado, que tenía una claraboya circular por donde entraba la luz del sol. El suelo estaba cubierto de mosaicos de colores que representaban el poderío del rey Poseidón.
Ícaro, asustado, se levantó de la gran cama con dosel en la que había estado acostado. Estaba rodeado de cojines y cortinas de seda. A un lado había una mesa con frutas, vino y queso, y unas sillas de coral muy refinadas.
—Escogí esta habitación porque me transmite paz y tranquilidad —dijo una voz dulce que, de alguna manera, Ícaro pudo percibir—. Aquí puedes descansar en paz rodeado de las maravillas del mar.
Ícaro volvió su mirada hacia el lecho donde una figura colosal se posaba majestuosamente. Allí yacía una sirena de proporciones monumentales, su belleza sobrecogedora cautivó al joven guerrero. Sus cabellos se desplegaban en un verde exuberante, mientras que sus ojos oscuros destilaban una maliciosa picardía. Su estatura superaba con creces a Ícaro, y la magnificencia con la que se exhibía en sus escasas prendas no pasó desapercibida para él.
Intentó hablar, pero solo salieron burbujas de su boca y temió asfixiarse. Sin embargo, la enorme sirena se acercó y, contra su voluntad, su lengua bífida se adentró en su boca. Fue el beso más extraño que el joven había dado.
—Con esto te transmito el poder de comunicarte conmigo, mi joven griego —indicó la sirena, apartándose suavemente—. Tus labios son frescos como la superficie, saben a sol.
En cuanto mencionó el sol, Ícaro recordó lo último de su vida. El sol imponente en el cielo y la necesidad de alcanzarlo, a pesar de las protestas de su padre. Él voló hacia el sol.
—Yo morí —fueron las primeras palabras que dijo allí, en el fondo del mar.
La sirena movió su cola de pez, y al hacerlo emitía luces parecidas a un arcoíris.
—¿Eres una diosa, verdad? —dijo Ícaro, observando a la sirena.
La sirena enmascaró una sonrisa alegre.
—Pues sí, soy una diosa. ¿Adivinas cuál? —dijo con una sonrisa juguetona mientras se tumbaba en la enorme cama, ocupándola por completo—. Nunca antes había visto a un joven tan deslumbrante como tú... tan increíblemente bello.
Ícaro se alejó de la diosa. Había escuchado demasiadas historias sobre cómo los dioses raptaban a humanos para desatar sus lujurias más oscuras. Al final, los humanos terminaban pagando. Además, había demasiadas representaciones de Poseidón como para pasar por alto quién era ella.
—Eres Anfítrite —dijo sorprendido.
—Oh, cariño, sí, fui yo quien te rescató de un destino tan oscuro y te salvó de caer en los dominios del inframundo — susurró la diosa con una sonrisa juguetona. —Pero, imagínate, ¿qué habría hecho esa insulsa de Perséfone? Seguro que solo quería tenerte para ella, ¡qué egoísta!
Ícaro nunca se había considerado guapo, pero ahí estaba una diosa enamorada de él. Sin embargo, Ícaro solo quería volver a volar. Él se había enamorado de los cielos, de las altas nubes esponjosas y del firmamento azul, con el sol desafiante que tanto anhelaba alcanzar.
—Oh, cariño, si quieres descubrir el paradero de tu querido padre, déjame decirte que ya ha llegado a Sicilia sin problemas. Claro que le dolió tu partida, pero logró escapar de las garras del rey Minos. Sin embargo, ahora te encuentras en mis dominios — susurró la sirena, mientras se alzaba graciosamente de la cama.
Ícaro, asustado, se fue alejando, pero ella se iba acercando.
—¿Y Poseidón? ¿Qué dirá de mi presencia aquí en su reino? — dijo Ícaro alejándose, buscó con la mirada sus alas doradas. —¿Dónde están mis alas?
La diosa chasqueó su lengua bífida, enfadada y celosa.
—Ese — dijo despectivamente. —Ese hombre nunca está aquí. Estoy completamente sola en este desolado templo. Pero, sabes, tengo mis sospechas de que tiene otros lugares secretos donde se reúne en privado con mis encantadoras hermanas, las Nereidas. ¿Te imaginas lo que eso implica? — murmuró la diosa con una sonrisa pícara mientras su cola envolvía sutilmente a Ícaro, impidiendo cualquier intento de escape. —Pero no te preocupes, ahora tengo a un joven frente a mí que me brindará todo lo que necesito.
El joven cretense siempre había sido un despistado con las mujeres, tampoco gustaba de los tratos físicos y en ese momento intentaba huir de la mujer. De lo que aprendió su padre fue la discreción; después de convivir tanto con el rey Minos, aprendió que era mejor no decir, y más después de ver a aquella reina tener relaciones con un toro y cómo su padre ayudaba en el proceso.
—Solo quería admirar las alas que mi padre construyó — indicó intentando evitar la lengua bífida de la diosa. —Sabes, después de estar tanto tiempo encerrado en ese laberinto y luego caer de los cielos...
La diosa lo arrojó furiosa, el chico rodó lentamente, lo que se podría decir, en el agua, el solo visualizaba en cada vuelta el suelo pulido, pensando que ella lo asesinaría por rehuir de sus labios.
—¿Crees que no sé qué te enamoraste del ardiente sol y eso fue tu perdición? ¿No te has dado cuenta de que tus alas de cera se fundieron y te precipitaste desde los cielos? —dijo la diosa, fingiendo lágrimas mientras sus ojos brillaban con malicia. —Solo anhelo un poco de cariño después de décadas de abandono aquí. Finalmente, atrapo a un pobre pajarito perdido para mí, y resulta que es asexual.
El chico no se sintió ofendido, se visualizaba así. Prefería la aventura, pero no una íntima como la que le ofrecía ella.
—Muchas gracias por salvarme, pero yo no tengo esos apetitos. Lo mío es ser un aventurero…
—Y mira qué desgracia te ha traído el destino —rió descaradamente la sirena—. No te has dado cuenta, pero gracias al collar de perlas que te regalé mientras dormías, puedes respirar bajo el agua. Ahora bien, ten en cuenta que, si te aventuras en peligrosas travesías, puedo arrebatártelo en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.
Él se palpó el cuello y efectivamente ahí estaba el collar. Tragó saliva pensando qué haría su padre.
—¿Algún día volveré a la superficie? —preguntó, temiendo la respuesta.
La sonrisa de la sirena se ensanchó aún más, era pérfida y malévola.
—Dejémoslo claro: si me das lo que deseo, quizás puedas volver algún día cuando me aburra. Pero, si llegas a aburrirme de inmediato, los tiburones podrían darse un festín contigo al instante —dijo ella, acercándose lentamente con una sonrisa siniestra que parecía la de una serpiente—. Espero que tu respuesta no se compare con tu ansia de acercarte al sol, porque esta vez será fatal.
Nuevamente Ícaro tragó saliva, no quería quedarse ahí en el fondo del mar. Sin embargo, sabía que, si su respuesta no era del agrado de la diosa, moriría definitivamente. Los dioses no eran piadosos con nadie. Contempló aquel reino submarino repleto de peces y medusas, donde un millar de cangrejos correteaban las columnas. Nada de eso se comparaba con los cielos, ni siquiera con el brillante sol.
—Pues me quedaré solo si tú prometes hacerme unas alas más resistentes y que aguanten el poder del sol, para cuando algún día yo sea libre para volver a adentrarme en los cielos —pidió Ícaro poniéndose de rodillas—. Solo ruego eso, si lo cumples, yo cumpliré con mi deber.
La diosa Anfítrite se alzó imponente, levantó sus brazos y aplaudió con energía.
—Esa lengua tuya es audaz, eres impulsivo e ingenuo. Me gusta —dijo, y sus ojos brillaron—. Primero te instruiré en los modales cuando vuelva mi esposo. Si es que algún día regresa a visitarme, serás mi copero, ¿entendido?
Ícaro asintió con tristeza, siguiendo los pasos que su padre habría tomado en aquellas circunstancias. Cuando Minos se negó a sacrificar al toro, su padre accedió para preservar su propia existencia. Cuando la reina se entregó al amor del toro, su padre cedió, movido por la misma razón. Cuando el reino cayó en desgracia, su padre hizo todo lo necesario para sobrevivir. Y cuando creyeron alcanzar la libertad al volar, allí estaba él una vez más, sometiéndose a demandas que contradecían su voluntad, asemejándose cada vez más a su progenitor.
Cover and Banner made in Canva; Image generated in Canva by AI, Separators made in photoshop
Hello @ricardo993 this story was an imaginative take on what happened to Icarus after he touched the sun, and was proving quite enjoyable but two things proved unsettling. (1) A mermaid forcefully kisses Icarus against his will, and threatens him with death if he doesn't stay with her to do her bidding. She clearly wants sexual favours and Icarus is not happy with the arrangement. I wonder how well that would have gone down with readers had the gender roles been switched? (2) Icarus references his mother having sexual relations with a bull, an occasion that his father facilitated. This does not feel appropriate for The Ink Well and we would prefer that you steer clear of such references in your submissions.
t's true, I'm sorry. I wanted to relate the later adventures of Icarus and also part of what happened in Greek mythology. But it's true, it doesn't comply with the community rules. A thousand apologies.
This story feels familiar to a Greek story of Icarus who got a wing from his father or so then fly too close to the song then his wing melted away because it was made by wax so he fell.
It's just an adaptation, inventing what could have happened to Icarus after falling from the sky. Thank you for reading me.
Oh, I understand better now