Arachne The Unwinding
Here is an excerpt from the current book I am working on:
About the Book
Hello, and thank you so much for selecting 'Arachne'. This story is the interquel to two books that I have previously written and published in 2018 & 2019 called; The Return of Maleficent & Medusa: The awakening.
This sequence of stories follow the well known fairies from the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. The reason I have chosen to write stories from the perspective of 'villains' is because I never viewed them as that. I saw strong, capable women who had unbearable heartache in their lives and were never truly able to express their emotions. Whether that was pride, pain or grief. They were made villains by their community and it’s unattainable goal for women to be perfect. They chose to be rebellious because it let them live a life with a certain freedom and independence they would otherwise not be privy to if they followed society's rules. I also admire the fact that these women were ahead of their time in fashion and in their approach to living in an intolerable world.
I hope by writing this third book Arachne you ponder about the strong influence the #metoo movement would have had on these women and other women's lives in their time. When Medusa had been violated would she have had to suffer so cruelly at the hands of the gods? What if Maleficent hadn't had to turn evil and instead, was just a normal girl, living a quiet, peaceful life?
I hope through these books I can at least try to give them a different narrative. I hope we all can see that if these 'villains' can have happy endings and restore their faith in a higher power then we should at least try and do the same.
Never forget happiness and joy come from within.
It is a free gift everyone deserves.
Everyone deserves happiness not at the expense of anyone else losing anything, but at the expense of gaining everything.
I hope you enjoy the story and thanks again for taking the time out of your day to read my books.
Happy Reading !!
JG
Prologue
Definition of pride : A feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
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Pride is a hell of a thing. It is a quandary, more to those who bear witness to it than to those who experience it firsthand. Yes ! Pride is contradictory. It is frowned upon by the elders and parents of the world. Telling their children to never be too proud. For pride is a man's downfall. On the other hand, pride is celebrated in females. Your mother tells you to take pride in how you look for and in being a good mortal. Pride is woven into the daily life of a woman.
I never understood why one couldn't take pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements. Zeus himself was so proud of his own accomplishments that he invented Athena. The utter Hyprocrisy! Zeus in all his Godly pride after overthrowing his father made this world out of his own pride. So why then can’t I a girl no more than 20 be proud? The Hyprocrisy!
My name is Arachne. Did you know there were no spiders before my demise? Was it my pride or my ego? It has been so long,that I have forgotten.Oh, I remember the events that lead up to my horrific transformation, but I cannot remember before or after, strange how time works when one has nothing left but their pride. My pride now is in the life I push forward with my millions of children.
My name is Arahcne, I am daughter of Idmon of Colophon in Lydia. My mother died when I was young, and because I reminded my father f he rin beauty, and grace he sent for her mother to teach me the family business, My father was a dyer of the highest quality and my mother was a weaver. I recall leaning lovingly against her while she worked when I was small. My fear of having the same fate as my mother made me wary of love and my love and pride for my mother made me want to be the best weaver I could not just for my families name, but for my own gain. My grandmother told me to always tak epride in my work and never let anyone have the credit. I did so enjoy her. When I day of work was done my father would tell stories of the great and powerful gods of greece, zues , posiden, hades. Three god brothers who themselves acted like spoiled petulant children. Zeus taking whatever and whoever he wanted. Poseidon’s unpredictable temper and the fear and chaos Hades produced. Yes, my father did not like them, though he respected them and gave them their daily offerings. With each year that passed my weaving skills grew stronger and stronger. My father’s business had grown. He hired on more dyers and I spent my early mornings weaving. My first tapestry was of my mother. A likeness I found on a piece of parchment paper and from my memory as a child. I did not know if it was good until I saw my father fall down on his knees and weep at the sight. So many things I did not know or care to know. Athena had been watching me. Watching my skill and waiting. She tricked me. She dressed as an old woman merchant and asked me thrice “Who do you give credit to for your wonderful talents?” To which I replied “Myself.” She then goaded me on knowing I was oung, naive and proud of my accomplishments, after all our village was prosperous because of my weaving. “What were you to say to Athena , the goddess of talents? Would you not give her the glory?”
“Nay, for it is my hands alone that have created prosperity and wealth for my family, not Athena’s”
Just as I spoke the words, The old woman shone bbrightly, shedding her elderly face and must old torn clothes. There she stood Athena, Goddess of wisdom.
I was shocked, but not speechless.
“Athena.”
“Arachne.”
“To what do I owe this honor?”
“I have come for one thng and one thing only Haughty Arachne. I have come to challenge you.”
“Challenge me?”
“Yes. You say your talent cannot be surpassed. I want you to prove it and yourself.”
“How?”
“By a friendly competition. We meet at dus and have a weaving competition. I assure you you will lose, but have no hard feelings for you are just a mortal.”
I laughed in her face. I actually laughed in a goddesses face. It felt good...at thetime.
“I accept your challenge, great goddess, but I assure you that it will be you that is defeated.”
Athena stretched out her hand and I shook it and just like that she vanished. I was elated to tell the news to my father and grandmother. The goddess athena, herself had come to challenge me in weaving competition. Their reactions were not ones of elation orhappiness, but of sorrow and forboding.
My father’s eyes gave away a sadness I had only seen when he had told me about the deaht of my mother. And y grandmother tried to hide her disappointment in me for laughing in athen’as face. I assured them that would bat her and they would write my name in the history books as the mortal who bested Athena.
The sun was slowly setting on the hill in which I saw the goddess and our two weaving looms. I kissed my father and grandmother goodbye and of fI went to chang emy future. Athena waited for me. Dice MATERIALISE DIN BETEEN both looms.
“The person who finishes first and has he best depiction wins. Begin !”
I tell you, my fingers were never so quick and nimble as they were then. I did not look to my left or my right or down. I just focused my mins eyes on the task at hand. The sun was going down in front of us and I finally looked over to my right. Athena was no where near complete with hers mine was almost done. I saw and felt it then . Her white hot anger. After that I do not recall what happened. I just recall waking up with my bottom half transformed into a spider. Eight legs and spinnerets. I screamed in horror. I couldn’t bear to look at myself or to see my family again. I am over 800 years old. What is the penance for pride? Have I served long enough? And whose pride should have been thwarted, mine or Athena’s?
