In a world from the legends of Greek mythology, there was a goddess. Her name was Hippolyte. She was the queen of an elite group of warriors called The Amazons. A group of all-female warriors, protected under Hippolytes rule. Everyone loved Hippolyte, men fell to her feet and women longed to join the Amazons. One day everything changed. A small group of the Amazons was coming back from solving a problem between local farmers and merchants. Hippolyte saw him. Strong chiseled jaw, sharp angular cheekbones, perfectly tanned skin that shimmered with sweat. A tunic draping around a shoulder to the opposite hip, a skirt forming around the waist of a man sculpted like a god. Hippolyte couldn’t help but stop and stare. A while passed before a warrior interrupted her.
“My queen, it is becoming dark, we need to leave for home now,” The second in command said.
Hippolyte shook out of her trance. “Yes, yes of course come along now,” and with that, they rode off back to their home.
Every day after that, Hippolyte would return to the same spot and watch the man as he went about his day. In time, Hippolyte fell in love with the stranger. The man made Hippolyte feel butterflies in places she never knew butterflies could be. It took weeks before Hippolyte was able to muster the courage to talk to the man.
Carefully Hippolyte walked up to the man. He noticed her and gave her a dazzling smile. Hippolyte froze. Hippolyte stood in her place still staring at the man until he noticed her again.
“Do you need something?” He asked. He turned around all the way, so he was now facing Hippolyte.
“Oh um no…. I mean yes. I have seen you around and couldn’t help but um admire you from a distance. Would you maybe want to um sit down sometime for dinner?” Hippolyte asked. No one had ever made the goddess stutter like that before.
“I don’t even know your name,” The man responded.
“Oh of course. I am…. Hera. My mother loved the gods, so she just had to name me after one,” Hippolyte spit out. The man stared at her.
“Hera,” He said hesitantly. “I am Matteo and about your offer, I have to decline. You see my heart beats for someone else,” Matteo says. Hippolyte’s heart sank. A man she grew to love would never love her back.
“Oh um ok. I am sorry to disturb you,” Hippolyte mutters. She leaves Matteo and goes to the Amazon. When she gets there she slams the door and sinks to the floor letting out the tears she has been holding.
The Amazons worried for Hippolyte. She did not show up at dinner or tell anyone she would not be there. Clove, Hippolytes second in command, was the one to check on the queen. The sight she saw shocked her. Hippolyte was indeed in her room and even ready for the day.
“Good morning, Clove. I will be gone for the day. I should be back before nightfall,” Hippolyte tells Clove. Hippolyte stands and walks out the door brushing past Clove. Clove just stood there in Hippolytes wake.
For the final time, Hippolyte returns to see Matteo. She just wanted to see if the woman that stole her man would ever appear. With time Matteo and a woman appeared. She had long blonde cascading hair that sparkled in the sun, golden-brown eyes with flecks of gold that shimmered when the sun touched them. The same skin that adorned Matteo. Matteo looked at the women with such content, it was no doubt love. With one sight, Hippolyte becomes enraged. She could not fathom how a mortal peasant could be compared to a god. With this Hippolyte storms back to the castle.
Rushing into the castle, Hippolyte passes Clove. “My dear Clove, gather my women. I have an announcement,” Hippolyte yells. Clove does as her queen says and patiently the amazons wait for their queen to address them. Hippolyte walks out and all fall to their knees in a curtsy.
“Ladies, the wonderful ladies of amazon. I have gathered you here so we can exact revenge for wrongdoing against your queen,” hushed whispers about the Amazons. “I know what you think and what I am saying does not go against the rules of amazon. I would like for you to kidnap a man named Matteo. He lives in a farming town. You will ask no questions and do as I say. You are now dismissed,” Hippolyte says. All the amazons look around waiting for something that would never come. Hippolyte walks back into the castle and Clove takes a step forward.
“You heard the queen, GO!” with their orders the women file out to find the mysterious Matteo.
The sun sinks below the horizon as the women arrive back at the castle. Clove then spots them and rushes to find Hippolyte. The Amazons dismount with a tied-up Matteo and his lover.
Clove finds Hippolyte and they rush back to their army.
“Let me see,” Hippolyte demands. They take Matteo and his lover and force them to the ground. “Why are there 2? I only wanted 1,” Hippolyte says with disgust.
“My queen, we were forced to take the lady she would not let us leave with the one you want,” One of the women spoke out.
Hippolyte nods. “So you must be the woman that stole my dearest Matteo from me,” Hippolyte says to the girl kneeling before her. She takes the gag out of her mouth and the lady sucks in as much air as she can. “Now tell me what is thy name?”
“I am Selina,” She says. Matteo, who was not gagged, speaks.
“Hera, what are you doing?”
Hippolyte just laughs as everyone watches her.
“Silly little mortals, have you not recognized me yet?” Hippolyte questions. The pair does not speak. Hippolyte looks at them stunned. “I am Hippolyte queen of the amazons,”
“Of course, we don’t recognize you! We are older than all the gods. We are Selina and Matteo, the humans that came before the gods,” Selina rasps towards Hippolyte.
It hits Hippolyte. There were once two humans that did live before the gods were ever created. The gods despised them with every fiber of their being. They were mortal. They despised them because every moment could be their last. They got to live their life to the fullest. The gods tried to destroy them but failed.
“Hera. I mean Hippolyte, why have you taken us? Matteo speaks up. Her name rolling off his lips was like honey so smooth and soft.
“Bring the girl to me,” Hippolyte demands. Clove grabs Selina and brings her up. “How much do you love this man?”
“I have loved him since the beginning of time and I will love him till the end,” Selina says right to Hippolyte’s face. Hippolyte then slaps Selina across the face. Matteo screams out and tries to run to Selina but the women block his attempt.
“If you love him so much then give him up,” Hippolyte demands.
“I refuse,” Selina says right back.
“That was not an option that was an order,”
“I will never give Matteo up. Especially to a witch-like you,” Selina screams. Hippolyte glares and slaps her once more.
Hippolyte walks straight up to Matteo and kisses him. Matteo tries to get away but Hippolyte won’t let him. Selina screams and tries to fight off Clove. Hippolyte stops and Matteo spits onto the pavement.
“Matteo, I have an offer for you,” Hippolyte says calmly. “You will marry me and live forever and Selina can go free,
“I refuse,” Matteo yells. Hippolyte glares and walks back to Selina.
“Now what should I do with you?” Hippolyte questions. An idea lights Hippolyte’s face. “I got it,”
“Hair as bright as the sun's eyes that shine like little golden orbs. I call upon the gods and goddesses. Hear my pleas and banish this mortal to a worthy home,” Hippolyte calls out. Selina starts to fade into little golden balls, all floating slowly around them. Hippolyte pushes all of them to the almost set sun. Mateo screams. He breaks free of the soldiers’ hands and runs towards Hippolyte. He tries to attack, but Hippolyte holds out a hand, frozen in his place. Selina becomes fully absorbed into these small balls of light. In an instant, the golden balls were gone.
“NO,” Matteo screams. A tear falls out of the corner of his eye onto the ground leaving a small drop of water behind on the sand.
“Foolish human. Your beloved is gone forever because of your actions. She will be lost in the sun,” Hippolyte says. “My dear, my offer still stands. Will you be my husband?”
“As long as I live I will never marry a witch like you,” Matteo yells. The winds start to whip around. Hippolyte raises a handout and Matteo starts to rise with her hand.
“Then for the rest of time, you will be just like the girl. Encased inside the moon. The only place acceptable for a man’s heart who is so dark and lonely,” Hippolyte screams. Matteo starts to glow silver and the same orbs that trapped Selina start to float out of Matteo.
“Hippolyte stop this!” Clove screams. Hippolyte raises her other hand and zips Cloves mouth shut.
More and more silver orbs start to appear the more Matteo’s body starts to disappear. Soon he is all silver orbs and Hippolyte clasps her hands together. The orbs of Matteo are gone. Power ripples out of Hippolyte pushing everyone to the ground.
The amazons lay on the floor and Hippolyte stands above them. “Clove, in a year, remind me to bring them back,” The wordless clove nodded.
Within the next couple of years, Clove never got her voice back. She became Hippolyte’s wordless servant.
Just as Hippolyte promised Matteo and Selina were brought back down to earth. Within that day Hippolyte interrogated the pair. She wanted Matteo badly and would not give up on chasing him.
In some time the rest of the gods found out what Hippolyte was doing to the humans and a war broke out. God amongst god fighting for what they believed. Hippolyte fought until she took her final breath. The gods tried to break the curse but were unsuccessful. Every year after that Matteo and Selina would be reunited for a single day.
The pair watched over the earth. They watched humanity grow- forgetting the pain Matteo and Selina went through. Sometimes a whisper would be passed of their stories but there was no one to keep their history alive. They were lost, forever trapped inside the sun and moon.