Medusa was a maiden, once.

Medusa. The name evokes serpents and stone, but before the curse, there was a maiden. Long before legend twisted her into a monster, Medusa lived a life marked by beauty, devotion, and tragedy.

Born the only mortal among the three Gorgon sisters, Medusa stood apart. Her golden hair and serene face drew admiration, not fear. She served as a priestess in Athena’s temple, honoring vows of chastity and living in quiet reverence.

But myth often turns cruel. Poseidon, driven by desire, violated Medusa in Athena’s sacred space. Enraged, the goddess punished not the god, but Medusa—twisting her radiant hair into snakes and cursing her with a deadly gaze.

Thus ended the maiden and began the myth. Yet behind the monster lies a story of injustice—a woman remembered not for who she was, but for what she was turned into.

Write a story from Medusa's point of view in the moment she first realizes her gaze can turn someone to stone.