Hi again. Chocky here.
Here's my response to today's (or is yesterday's) painful episode.
RIP Heptarian. We'll never forget you. Too bad you didn't have any character development. So if you want a job done, do it yourself. So here's my go of trying to understand him a bit more (and Ariadne in the process).
I've loved the past 13 episodes of this new show and I hope that next series there will be some proper character development. Even if they have to do a Rick Riordan and make the already developed character jump into Tartarus to do so. I know they've already done the Tartarus thing but Jason's not very developed though. Herc's a bit but he could have some more.
Anyway, I started shipping this today because of Mermes who is just the best. Kudos to you. If you are reading this, you're brilliant. I've shown some of my friends 'Talk Triangle To Me' and they love it.
Anyway, enjoy and do review if you have anything to say. Might not be completely historically accurate (and I call myself a Class Civer).
Understanding
"You are dismissed Ismene." Ariadne ordered the young serving girl. The two girls were standing inside Heptarian's tiny box room. The one he owned just a few days ago, before his death. Looking around the room, she was met with the sight of bare walls and cheap white cotton curtains covering the open window. The small cot was perfectly made but the sheets were white too. The only colour within the room came from the narrow wooden wardrobe that was also clearly a cheap one and a wooden table with pots of ink, feathers and plenty of unused papyrus.
Ariadne had never been in here before. She never had a clue as to where he lived inside the Palace. She was surprised by his home. Jason's home was by far better than here.
Ismene was a serving girl who was once a friend of Korrina when she was alive. The girl was only 12, 4 years younger than the Princess. She had a long and unruly mop of dirty blonde hair that was framing her round, pink face. Her dress was short and a boring brown colour, just like the ones Medusa used to wear. One that Ariadne disliked. It was too sack like.
The servant's job was to empty Heptarian's old room so the Queen could burn his things with his rotting corpse quickly. But Ariadne knew she had to do it herself. Something pushed her towards the room. Something she didn't understand. Probably the gods again. All she knew is that she had to dismiss Ismene and she had to do it all herself.
"B-but." The young girl stuttered. It was a habit of hers that she hadn't grown out of. "P-Pasiphaë."
"I will explain to her if I must Ismene. You must go and leave me to it."
The girl nodded. She raced out of the room, leaving the Princess to do the job.
"Why is your room so boring?" Ariadne asked no one while playing with one of her raven coloured ringlets. She was addressing the dead man. The room was not one she would associate with the Captain of the Guards. One of the most important and powerful men in Atlantis. The room was one more fitting for a simple and lowly guard. Maybe even a servant's. So why was it Heptarian's?
She looked around the room and her deep brown gaze focused on his white bed. She was drawn to it. There must be something there. Something important. The girl raced towards the bed and started to tear apart the sheets in order to look for something. Anything.
After many minutes of searching the bed, she gave up. In front of her was the sight of a small bed that was unmade and once Heptarian's. Strangely enough, the thought caused tears to form in her eyes but she ignored them. She was on a mission to find whatever the gods were trying to get her to find. Because it must be the gods that was forcing her to do this. Not her instincts. The gods.
'Look under.' The wind whispered into her ear. The breeze was cool and coming from the window above the bed. The brown curtain had been pulled back so if she wanted to peek, she could see the courtyard clearly. The bull was still there so she would rather not look out of the window.
She obeyed the words the wind formed. It must be a sign from the gods. Bending, she peeked under the cot and found a large wooden chest. She pulled the chest out from the darkness into the light and lifted the lid up. The smooth wood surrendered to her force and she saw so many pieces of papyrus. They were all written on. Picking up the one at the top she could tell it was Heptarian's. It was his neat handwriting.
She read through the writing because that was necessary. That was what the gods wanted her to do.
"Friend.
"My Aunt Pasiphaë has convinced my father that it would be a very good idea for me to stay with her in the Palace of Atlantis with her new husband Minos. He has a daughter a few years younger than my cousin, wherever he is. If he's even alive.
"I still wonder what happened to Uncle Tychon and the child. I never knew his name.
"I wanted to play with him. I could have trained him to be a brilliant warrior. I always wanted a younger sibling and that was my chance. But he's gone before he got to become more than a screaming baby. But who knows. The fates decree that it is not to happen. So it will not.
"Minos' daughter is very beautiful. She is only 12 but her brown eyes are captivating. I hope to get to know her during my stay. I do hope the stay isn't short so I can have plenty of time to get to know her.
"Heptarian."
Ariadne found the letter strange. Was it perhaps a diary of some sort? Or a letter to an unnamed friend? What was this?
And he called her beautiful. Ariadne felt her cheeks heat up. Why would he do that? He didn't like her much. It was all Pasiphaë's plot for power. Right?
Her long, tanned fingers started leafing through the pile of papers in the pile inside the chest until one caught her eye. She drew it out of the pile and read through it, every word shocking her more and more.
"Friend.
"I've known her for a year and I cannot deny it any longer. It is not healthy for me to.
"I am in love with Ariadne. I'm in love with everything to do with the girl from her dark locks she tends to play with when she's nervous to her fiery temper and everything in between.
"I don't know what to do friend. Should I woo her? She is young but it is normal for a girl of her age to marry someone of my age.
"Pasiphaë summons me yet again. Farewell for now.
"Heptarian."
Ariadne had to bite back a laugh. Heptarian loved her? That was the funniest thing she had ever heard in all her years. He loved no one except himself and Pasiphaë. The lapdog's only loyalty is to his captor.
She refused to believe the lies on the page. The man was a liar, a criminal and a murderer and there was no way that he could possibly love her.
But she wanted to know more. So she plucked the next piece of papyrus and read through the neatly created words on the page.
"Friend.
"Pasiphaë knows.
"She knows how I feel for Ariadne.
"She was so understanding and kind about it. She promised me that she would be able to make sure Ariadne will be mine as long as I help her in all her plans for the future of Atlantis. I agreed naturally because she is my aunt. She knows best.
"One day soon Ariadne will be my wife. I trust Pasiphaë will make sure it happens. She is truly a good woman and a brilliant aunt.
"Heptarian."
Pasiphaë was never a good woman in Ariadne's opinion. And there was no way she was going to be his wife. Except there was a time…
She wasn't going to think about that now. There were more important things to think about right then and there.
Her thoughts and fingers returned to the chest full of papyrus. It had to be a diary of some sort. She yet again leafed through the pile and plucked a random leaf from near the bottom. It was clearly newer and more recent.
"Friend.
"I met a boy in the marketplace. A few years older than my beloved. He and his friends challenged my authority and he tried to punch me. But I was too good for him. He was arrested and put on trial in front of my aunt and uncle.
"I knew my aunt would back up my claims and would give him a heavy punishment. He should not have crossed me. He was sentenced to a week of jumping the bull. He will die. The bull will kill him. Thank you Poseidon for allowing it to happen.
"While the trial was going on, I kept glancing at Ariadne. Her gaze was fixed on the boy, Jason. By now I could read her like a book and I can see that she adored him. Maybe even fancied him?
"I should hope not, dear friend. What would she possibly see in him that she cannot see in me? I am the perfect option for a groom for her. Not this peasantly upstart.
"Heptarian."
"Oh Heptarian." She mumbled, yet again addressing the dead man. "He's 10 times the man you are. He's brave and handsome and kind and… that's about it." She concluded. She realised that those were the only reasons why she liked Jason. She didn't even know enough about him. Not like she knew Heptarian…
Those were dangerous thoughts that she refused to cross. Call her stubborn but she loved Jason and she had all the time in the world in the future to get to know him.
But why was she still here if she didn't care for Heptarian? Maybe she was curious or maybe it was bigger than that.
Her thoughts came back to the chest and she singled out another piece of papyrus even closer to the bottom.
"Friend.
"I will defeat that upstart Jason. I will kill him in the Pankration and Ariadne will be mine. She will marry me and I will be the best husband she could ever have.
"I can give her the world. And more importantly, I can give her the love she truly deserves. He couldn't.
"I'm certain he doesn't spend sleepless nights retracing her face in his mind. Learning all the flaws and perfections in her face and loving her more because of each one.
"Soon she will be my wife. He cannot stop me.
"Heptarian."
Sleepless nights? None of this was real in Ariadne's opinion. None of this was true. He was lying. She refused to believe his lies.
And it was a little bit weird to know he didn't sleep much because of this fixation. But flattering at the same time.
Heptarian was wrong. Jason could love her. He already did, she thought. She assumed really. But surely he did. He did say so once, probably.
"Friend.
"Jason could have killed me. But he showed me mercy. Why?
"But unfortunately Ariadne broke the engagement. What for? Does she not understand that I can give her everything? That I am a better option than anyone else?
"That I love her more than words can comprehend?
"I've known her for 4 years. I can be a better match for her than anyone, including Jason.
"He doesn't love her much. He might think he does but I've seen him. Seen those lusty or adoring looks he sends to his friend. The one with the triangle obsession. What was his name? I can't remember.
"Pasiphaë is furious. So furious that she killed the serving maid. The girl was a bit annoying but was it necessary? She did nothing much wrong.
"My aunt stripped me of my luxurious chambers and forced me to reside in this bare box room. This is what happens to a man who falls in love.
"My dear friend, remember to never fall in love. Especially with a person who doesn't feel the same.
"Heptarian."
Jason and Pythagoras? That was news to her. Jason loved her, right?
Then she remembered the easy relationship the two friends had. It was natural and was true. Some would say it was more than a relationship between two friends. More like two lovers.
And Heptarian loved her? She still wasn't completely convinced despite the pieces of papyrus with the words on it.
There were only a few left in the pile but she didn't want to read them all. So she took the one at the bottom of the pile and read through it.
"Friend.
"I don't want Ariadne to die. I don't want Pasiphaë to execute her in that bull. I have nightmares about her. The flames licking her beautiful and soft face so much so it becomes damaged. I can't bear to see that.
"But I have to follow her and those traitors. Traitors in my aunt's eyes.
"I love her. I really do.
"I feel as though this might be the end. If I die, then I hope Ariadne does survive and does find these letters and reads them.
"If you are there Ariadne, remember that I did love you. I know you probably don't believe me. I did wrong by you, trusting that witch, but Jason would not be the answer.
"Don't forget me.
"Heptarian."
The words she read on the page brought tears to her eyes and she didn't even dare to wipe them away. They fell like a waterfall on her olive coloured cheeks.
"I'm sorry." She whispered to herself. Maybe Heptarian might hear what she's saying. She knew that wasn't possible but there was no harm in hoping.
She wasn't completely convinced before. Ariadne always thought he was a liar. Not someone who wass honest. But this last letter. It felt real.
She could just imagine his muscular form bending over the table while he hastily scribbled this final letter. His usually cold brown eyes warming at the sight. Maybe some tears forming at the sight.
And she knew now she could take no more of the pain that was created from Pasiphaë. Heptarian was dead and now she realised he wasn't that bad a man.
Now only could she start to understand him.