The Road Ahead – Chapter 2
Standard disclaimer applies…
Not a lot of action yet, I'm afraid but some well-deserved down-time for the boys…. ;-)
Thank you SO much to those who were kind enough to review – I'm very glad people are enjoying the story, so far. And thank you to sachi – yes, there will be lots more of Jason and Pasiphae and, dare I say it, a smidgen of Ariadne in there, too!
Chapter 2
Jason had risen early the next day, despite the three friends spending longer in the tavern the day before, than they had anticipated. But the sun shone brightly that morning, the sky was a rich, azure blue and, on coming to stand on the balcony and looking out over the awakening world, Jason just felt the day was begging him to step right in.
He waited, with almost childish impatience, while Pythagoras packed a small basket with food and some flasks of wine and ale. It was sort of ridiculous, given they were only going down to the beach, but to Jason, it felt like an outing and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had one of those: a begin, relaxing day out with good friends. The young man grinned in anticipation and resisted the urge to ask, again, if Pythagoras was nearly ready. He really didn't want to sound pushy and was well aware that he had started to edge closer to the front door and then back again, like an over-eager puppy wanting to go for a walk.
Mercifully, after carefully rolling some fresh parchment into a leather satchel, Pythagoras merrily announced that he was ready. Jason grinned and snatched up the picnic basket. "Great," he enthused. Pythagoras smiled, secretly wondering how long it had been since Jason had been indulged with a simple day out.
Jason looked towards the door to Hercules' room. "Come on, Hercules!" he called. The bigger man had yet to make an appearance, although Jason had made quite sure that he was awake and at an hour usually deemed unsafe for waking him. Jason, apparently, had been prepared to brace himself for that particular storm and had darted out of Hercules' room before any lasting damage could be done.
Now, Hercules stumbled, blearily out of his room, rubbing a hand over his face and grumbling heartily. "Alright! By the name of all the gods, I'm up! I'm here and if anyone so much as breathes a 'Good Morning' or an 'Ooh, what a lovely day it is', I shall not be held accountable for the carnage released in this room." He stood and glowered at his two young companions who were waiting for him by the door.
"Now, my friend," Pythagoras remarked, soothingly, "all of us know that would require far too much effort and that if you had not drunk to excess last night, you would not be in this position in the first place." Jason chuckled and tried to look innocent when Hercules levelled a grumpy frown at him. "There are pies and ale in the basket," Pythagoras added, smiling indulgently. Both boys watched as Hercules' frown began to soften at the edges.
The larger man pursed his lips, looking thoughtful. "You both appear to believe that my good graces can be bought with pastry and alcohol."
Jason smiled brightly at him: hopeful, imploring and so full of easy-going innocence that even without the promise of being fed and watered, Hercules felt a large part of his annoyance melt away. "And I suppose that's true enough." With a smile of his own, Hercules joined them both and draped an arm over Jason's shoulders. "Come on, then. Apparently the beach is going to up and leave Atlantis if we don't get down there right away!"
Jason did look a little embarrassed as he allowed Hercules to shepherd him out of the door, Pythagoras following behind and locking up the house. But that still didn't stop him from eagerly trotting down the steps and into the street, or from keeping such a clipped pace to the beach that Hercules almost had to puff to keep up, nor from keeping up a constant stream of animated chatter. And though his older friend outwardly nagged and grumbled, inwardly, the bigger man was smiling, fondly.
Jason had been sitting on the beach, squelching his bare toes through the wet sand and relishing the sensation for the past hour, at least. Pythagoras sat a short distance away on some smooth, angled rocks, trying to sketch the birds he saw, skimming down onto the waves. It surprised Jason a little: he had always thought those with mathematical and scientific minds wouldn't be prone to artistry but actually, his friend was a very good sketcher. He supposed you had to have an eye for detail and precision and Pythagoras certainly had that, in abundance. He glanced back to where the young man sat, alternating his gaze from the sea to the parchment in his lap, his blonde curls blowing gently in the breeze and the sleeves from his oversized tunic occasionally billowing in the odd gust of wind.
Jason smiled to himself. It was more than a good eye and a steady hand: Pythagoras had the biggest heart out of anyone he had ever known – the brain of a mathematician and the soul of an artist.
Hercules had been talking to him for a while but had recently grown bored of sitting and watching the waves and had taken himself off for a walk. At least that's what he had said. Jason suspected he was simply dozing behind a small sand dune somewhere. So, the dark-haired young man turned his attention back to the sea, listening to the gentle roar and swish of the waves as they lapped onto the shore, tickling his toes. It suddenly struck him that this was the first time since arriving in Atlantis that he had retuned to the beach. He glanced across and further out to sea where he had first spotted that small fishing boat, setting sail. How strange it now felt, coming back to where it all began. How much had happened in that time? How much could he never have anticipated, even in his wildest dreams? A strange mixture of nostalgia and melancholy struck him square in the chest and for a moment, Jason wondered at how he could feel so at peace and still so utterly alone.
A cry of gulls and terns suddenly drew his attention back to the ocean where they swooped and dived for the fish that had swum too close to the surface and Jason relaxed once more. It was a cliché to say the ocean made him feel small, but it made it no less true. But more than that, the ocean was the one thing that had not changed between the world he left and the world he now found himself in. It was steady, constant – imprinted by nature, not carved out by man. Staring into the endless roll of the waves, Jason closed his eyes and let his mind drift to any place, to any time that he wished to be in.
With a contended sigh, Jason lay back and closed his eyes, allowing the sun to envelope him in its golden warmth. It felt good, peaceful. In that moment, there was no demand on his time or on his loyalties: no Palace and all the expectations that went with it; no future to forge. Just the here and now.
"Jason?"
Jason turned his head towards Pythagoras' voice and opened his eyes, immediately squinting at the bright glare of the sun.
"Come and have some lunch," his friend suggested. "I've got it laid out. We just need to find Hercules."
Jason pushed himself up until he was leaning on his elbows. "I think I heard him snoring somewhere over there." He pointed further along the beach. Pythagoras followed where he pointed and smirked.
"Let us hope that he is not swarmed by crustaceans then."
With a chuckle, Jason stood and together, they went in search of their friend. It didn't take long to find him. The raucous snoring grew steadily louder, the closer they drew until before long, they found him securely nestled in a comfortable-looking bed of soft, white sand, his mouth wide enough to catch a passing gull, should it stray too near.
The boys shared a knowing smile before Pythagoras carefully stepped closer, knelt down by the slumbering man's head, and gently shook his shoulder. "Hercules?" he called. "Wake up." Jason looked on, grin widening as the only response Pythagoras got was an irritated twitch of the man's nose. Sighing, he tried again, shaking with a little more vigour and preparing to leap away at the first sign of movement. However, Hercules simply muttered a string of nonsensical noises, still deep within sleep and, if such a feat were even possible, buried himself deeper into the sand. Helplessly, Pythagoras looked up to Jason.
"Oi! Pies and wine!" Jason shouted.
He shared a look of anticipation with his young friend as, for a moment, Hercules' head seemed to turn towards the brunette lad. But though it was the most life they had seen out of him, still, his neck relaxed and he turned his head back to one side, smacking his lips softly together and his eyes tightly sealed shut.
Pythagoras sighed and stood. "Well," he said. "If that didn't do it, I'm rather afraid we shall have to resort to more drastic measures." He paused, giving Jason an appraising look. "You run more quickly than I do. I shall instruct from a safe distance, but you shall have to do it."
But as he turned to walk away, he noted the glint of mischief in Jason's eyes and warily turned back to face him. "What is it?" the young blonde asked, cautiously. Jason was not renowned for his brilliant ideas.
Jason stared at the sleeping Hercules and smiled, wickedly. "Where I come from," he informed Pythagoras, "an opportunity such as this, means only one thing." Before Pythagoras could question further, Jason darted off to where they had dumped their supplies on arrival and quickly returned with one of the, now empty, ale flasks. But rather than returning straight to Pythagoras, he made a quick detour to the sea where he filled the container with water.
Curiously, Pythagoras waited for him to reach him before raising a querulous eyebrow, his arms folded across his chest.
Jason said nothing, but knelt by the large man's feet, poured some of the water into the sand and then, when the mixture was compact enough, began to pack it securely around their friend's feet. Pythagoras widened his eyes in shock.
"You cannot be serious?" he demanded, incredulously. His eyes darted, worriedly, to the so-far slumbering hulk. But far from being perturbed, Jason simply grinned at him and continued to firmly ensconce the man's feet and then proceed to his lower legs.
"Don't just stand there," Jason told him. He nodded towards the empty flask: "We're going to need a lot more water."
Pythagoras shook his head. "He's going to be very angry, Jason."
Jason chuckled. "He'll get over it. Now, quick. Before he wakes up!"
And finally, a slow smile spread over the young genius' face as he looked down to the quickly disappearing Hercules. He snatched up the empty flask. "Just remember," he warned, pointing a finger Jason's way. "This was entirely your idea and I was coerced."
Jason looked at him, seriously. "Absolutely." Then he gave him a wink. "Just tell him I threatened your triangles."
As it turned out, being unable to scratch your nose when harangued by an itch, was a sure-fire way to wake a person up. On returning to the land of the living, Hercules had first mumbled in confusion, then in annoyance until finally he had let out an outraged bellow. Jason and Pythagoras had not been far away, enjoying their lunch and on hearing the guttural expletives of an enraged Minotaur, had quickly run over to him.
Apparently, Pythagoras need not have worried that he would have to bear the wrath of his wrestler-friend. Immediately, on seeing the two of them rounding the corner, Hercules had ceased his efforts to sit up and had fixed the full force of his glare, squarely upon Jason.
"You!" he roared and once more resumed his struggles to free himself, floundering red-faced and bulging-eyed in the sand. Cracks began to spread across the smoothed surface of his sandy prison.
Even so, Pythagoras took a step back and glanced in concern between the quickly escaping Hercules and his young friend. It crossed his mind that Jason may not be able to run so quickly on the ever-shifting, often sinking sand. However, escape was a moot point. Jason collapsed on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. He laughed so hard that tears ran down his face and he slapped the sand beside him.
"Just you wait, boy!" Hercules spluttered. "I'll give you something to cry about." The muscles in his neck were straining and Hercules grunted and groaned as if he was back in the wrestling arena. It was both amazing and quite frightening, how quickly the larger man freed himself and scrambled to his feet, brushing huge chunks of sand from his trousers. There was still a good deal of it crammed down his shirt and in other places that he didn't like to think about.
But still Jason didn't bother running. He simply sat, his doom approaching with menace, laughing so hard that he gasped to breathe. Even Pythagoras had broken into a grin, feeling safety by the ale. Hercules wouldn't risk harm befalling the drink.
Jason was even laughing when Hercules bodily scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder. "S…s…sorry," he gasped between giggles though there had never before been such an insincere apology. The boy continued to silently shake, even as Hercules strode into the sea and dumped him on his backside. Now, even Pythagoras was openly laughing and for a good few minutes, Jason sat in the surf, trying to get himself back under control.
Hercules stalked away from him and immediately swiped up the cup of ale and plate of cakes that Pythagoras was holding out to him, presumably by way of a peace offering. He treated the blonde boy to a light glare, sure he must have borne some part in it, at least. But the trick of ale and cake was starting to work on him and already, Hercules' ire was mellowing. He took a deep swig of ale and a large bite out of his cake, seemingly consuming the two simultaneously. As he did so, Hercules looked back to the ocean where Jason was just beginning to drag himself out of the water, amused exhaustion written all over his face.
And despite, clearly, being the butt of the boy's joke, Hercules felt himself smile. That boy, he thought, with fond exasperation. He had never been blessed by the Gods with children – he hadn't even thought he had wanted them. But Jason and Pythagoras allowed him a window – just a glimpse – into what he might have known and it was both a blessing and a curse. How different his life would have been, he found himself wondering, if these boys had come into it earlier.
Jason approached him now, smiling but with his laughter under control, and his hands held up in surrender. "Peace!" he implored as he reached the older man. For a moment, Hercules levelled a heavy frown at the boy.
"You're very lucky that I am in a charitable mood," he accused, "Else I would have dangled you from these cliffs by your ankles, until the gulls made breakfast out of your sorry hide!"
At that, Jason burst out laughing again, despite his best efforts to reign it in. Hercules narrowed his eyes at the lad's insuppressible mirth and shook his head. That boy was going to get himself into trouble one of these days, especially with the likes of Minos and Pasiphae lurking in the shadows. But for now, right at this moment, his boy was happy and carefree and Hercules found that he couldn't begrudge him his moment of humour. Even so, he aimed a light swat at the boy's backside as Jason tried to walk past him, which only made him laugh all the harder.
"Scamp," he muttered. But he soon joined the others who had sunk down around the blanket, now spread with the delicious lunch that Pythagoras had packed. And it was with shared laughter and light hearts that they finished their meal together, Jason quickly drying from his dunk in the sea and all of them soaking up not only the sun, but the warmth their small, irregular family had to offer.
The day had passed with pleasant memories. Pythagoras had sketched and described as many strange creatures as he and Jason could find in the rock-pools. He had nearly slipped in to them several times, and would have done if not for a lightning quick hand grabbing him back, either from Jason or Hercules. Hercules had brought knucklebones and dice and had succeeded in enticing both boys into a couple of games. They gambled for seashells because Pythagoras said Hercules owed them both enough money as it was.
Jason had swum in the ocean for as long as he could before he tired and had to come back. He fell asleep on the beach, next to his clothes. It had been obvious he had been intent on redressing himself before succumbing to fatigue and sleeping where he knelt. The idea of returning the joke the boy had played on him earlier, surprisingly, did not occur to Hercules. Instead, the older man had frowned at how quickly exhaustion had overcome his young friend, despite Pythagoras pointing out how active Jason had been. Still, he took the mathematician's advice and he didn't fuss or push. Instead, he had draped the blanket over the lad and let him sleep until the sun set and it was time to go home.
And now it was Jason's last day and all was far more subdued. Pythagoras tried to identify the new specimens he had sketched, Hercules stocked up the larders from the bustling market stalls and, for the most part of the day, Jason slept.
They debated waking him for lunch but eventually decided that, as Jason would have to leave for the Mountains of Galena while it was still dark, if he was going to arrive by midday, then he could probably use the rest. He emerged briefly for dinner, scowling when he realised he had slept away most of his last day. It hadn't been easy, trying to rally him out of his dark mood but Pythagoras and Hercules eventually managed to succeed.
Soon after dinner, Jason quickly wore out once more and it was not long before, half-prompted by his friends and half of his own volition, Jason collapsed back onto his bed and slept until a few hours before dawn.
When the young man pulled himself out of bed, he sat for a moment, trying to clear the fog from his addled mind. A headache was slowing forming around his temples. Jason massaged the area, hoping to alleviate it. It made little difference and he sighed, heavily: clearly, he had slept for too long. Being as quiet as he could, Jason moved around in the darkness, cursing his stupidity that he had not packed the night before. What did Aeson want from him? He found himself wondering. What was he going to need?
His stomach clenched when he thought about those dark, unending mines and he only hoped that what Pasiphae had told him about the new settlement, was true.
Jason lit a small oil lamp and used its limited light to find his sandals, his travelling cloak and his leather satchel. He shoved the same games from his first journey into the bag and a change of clothes. Then the boy paused, and sat back on his haunches, rummaging through the bag on the floor to double-check its contents. If he did have to venture into the mines, they would be dark. So would the journey ahead of him. Jason hesitated before quietly creeping into the living room and taking some wax candles from one of the shelves and a small box of tinder and flint. He would die before admitting it to any of his friends, but he did not like the dark. A torch would have been better, but Pythagoras had recently tidied the house and Jason wasn't sure where they were now kept.
When all was packed and Jason had found enough water left in the jugs and bowls to have a quick wash, he threw his tunic on, belted it, extinguished the lamp and silently crept into the living room. The boy suddenly jumped in fright when he turned and saw, sitting at the table, two figures, lit by a modest lamp.
"God! You scared the life out of me!" he whispered fiercely, hand on his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart. Then he realised that there was no need to whisper, since the people he had been trying not to wake, were in fact sitting right in front of him.
In the lamp's soft yellow glow, Pythagoras looked contrite. "Sorry," he said, quietly. They may all have been up, but it still felt too early in the morning to be making loud noises. "But we never really got to say goodbye last night, as you went to bed so quickly. We thought we could share breakfast together before you leave?"
Beside Pythagoras, Hercules indicated the small selection of food on the table: bread, cheese, olives, fruit and jugs of orange juice and water. Jason raised his eyebrows. Oranges were not cheap to come by in Atlantis. Jason looked at his friends, gratefully. Though he had been more than prepared to do it, leaving home without saying goodbye had been eating a small hole in the pit of his stomach for some time now.
However, Jason cast a worried glance out into the night, still black as pitch. He bit his lower lip in a gesture that reminded Hercules more of the ever-worried Pythagoras rather than Jason. "The breakfast is great," he began, "and I'm really glad to be able to see you both before I go. But it's getting late. Or early…whatever." His face clouded with apprehension and his earlier expression of pleasant surprise, quickly fell. Jason shook his head with a mixture of irritation and sadness and sighed, wearily. "I don't think I'm going to make it to Galena by midday if I stay here much longer." He abruptly kicked his foot against the floor. "Damn it! I knew I should have got up earlier."
Pythagoras rose and smiled at him, kindly. "Don't worry. You always travel quickly." He paused and glanced down to the table. "I have already packed some food for your journey, but I could add a little extra in for breakfast, if you feel you must leave now?"
Jason's heart clenched at the kindness his friends showed him. They didn't even need to be up at this ungodly hour, much less packing him food for the journey! It occurred to Jason then, that he hadn't even considered that particular preparation. He had no idea where his head was, lately.
But Hercules gently cleared his throat. "Jason," he began carefully, not wanting a repeat of their earlier argument. "I'm sure Aeson will understand if you're a little late just this once. Sit down and have something quick before you go, eh?" The larger man tried very hard to keep his tone light – a request, not a command. He surely didn't want Jason to leave while annoyed, but nor did he fancy the boy making such a long journey on an empty stomach.
Thankfully, Jason hesitated for only a moment more before he acquiesced. With a small, still distracted, smile, Jason gratefully sunk down opposite his friends and accepted the plate of food that was passed to him. Though it did feel a little early to be eating, Jason still managed a good couple of slices of bread and cheese and gulped down the water, hoping hydration would help his headache.
"Thanks for this, guys," he muttered, eyes down in embarrassment as he ate. "You didn't have to go to all this trouble. Next time, I'll make sure I say goodbye properly before I go to bed." But Pythagoras shook his head.
"Nonsense. Seeing you off is no hardship. We can always go back to bed afterwards." Jason smiled, secretly thinking that he couldn't see Hercules dragging himself up before dawn every time, no matter how much he may wish to show solidarity!
"This is a ridiculous time to expect you to be up, anyway," Hercules grumbled, crossly. Jason just sighed and shrugged. The truth was, he felt the same way but he had agreed to the terms. But Hercules was not mollified by the boy's apparent acceptance. He continued to scowl over his olives and feta. "Honestly, has your father even thought about the practicality of these arrangements? About what it's going to entail for you?" Jason opened his mouth to respond, but his older friend kept right on talking so Jason closed it again. He had, once more it seemed, mistaken a conversation for a rant.
He turned and shared a half-amused smile with Pythagoras.
"I mean," Hercules continued, "it's all very well and good for him – sitting and waiting for you. And them," he said, thumbing randomly behind him in the general direction of the city, "sitting comfy in their palace, just waiting for you to show up on their doorstep. But you're the one who has to do all the to-ing and fro-ing." Hercules tore a large chunk out of his bread and began chewing, angrily.
Jason just stayed quiet, knowing full well that his entry into the conversation would not help matters. He busied himself with eating a few figs while he waited for Hercules to argue himself out. "And you'll be making the journey in the dark!"
Jason swallowed his food. "It'll be dawn soon," he pointed out. Having Hercules riled up was never really a good thing.
The older man just harrumphed. "Well you're going to have to speak to him, Jason. He's a reasonable man, even if he clearly hasn't thought this through. Ask him to let you meet him at a later time. Or better yet," he added, "make it every other week."
Jason looked up in surprise. The idea was tempting, even if it did mean shirking his responsibilities. "Do you think he would agree?" Now that the idea had been introduced, it was tantalising, the possibility becoming a reality in his head, before its time.
Pythagoras looked thoughtful. "Aeson seems a reasonable man and he clearly loves you. The mountains of Galena are a long way to travel in so short a time and so regularly. I would think he would want you, above all else, to be happy and well."
Next to the young, blonde man Hercules nodded his agreement. "Ask him," he said, firmly. "It can't hurt to ask."
Jason looked down, lost in thought. "No," he agreed, quietly. "I guess it can't." He was silent a moment longer before abruptly pushing up from the table. "Well," he announced, "I really do have to get going now." The others stood too and walked with him to the door.
Jason slipped his coarse woollen travelling cloak over his head and slung his leather bag over one shoulder. Pythagoras handed him another small, wrapped parcel and a sealed flask, which Jason stowed safely into his bag. "Thanks," he said and then they lightly clasped each other's forearms.
Turning to the door, he saw that Hercules was holding it open for him. A strange combination of nonchalance, fondness and worry was painted over his gruff face, as one emotion bled into the other. "Take care on the journey," Hercules commanded, levelling a stern glare at him, as though Jason was fully intending to travel it with reckless, wild abandon. The boy smiled.
"I shall do my best," he said, with mock solemnity, a twinkle of amusement in his eye. Hercules grunted in response and pulled the lad into a quick, fierce hug. When he released him, he thrust an unlit torch into the boy's hand. Jason accepted it with a murmured, "Thanks," hoping his acute relief wasn't too obvious to his companions.
Then he gave them both one last smile, praying it made him look self-assured and enthusiastic before stepping out of the door and descending the wooden steps. Once he was on the street, he turned at the sound of Pythagoras' voice, calling quietly:
"Good luck! With your father and with the Palace. Do not worry – all will be well." He gave Jason a short wave which the lad returned. Then the door closed, swallowing up the light from the lamp and Jason was left in the dark streets.
Sighing, he adjusted the slight weight of the bag on his shoulder and set off towards the path that would lead him out of the city.
OK. Thank you to all who made it this far! Please drop me a couple of words to let me know what you thought. I really do appreciate the feedback and encouragement.