Chapter 37 - The Offer
"You need to eat something" - Glaukos had growled the words under his breath as he'd past by her, shoving a small loaf of bread in to her hands as she sat down.
Eos glanced at the pot hanging over the fire. It had been bubbling for the last few minutes, the bubbles now popping and letting that smell of cooked cow flow through what used to be the mighty Palace of Agamemnon - subsequently left in ruins once he'd died...
It turned her stomach a little but, Glaukos was right. Perhaps she'd just eat round it. She'd seen them shove some vegetables in there at least.
Still, if she could live of these semi-stale loafs of bread, she would.
Eos put her head down. It had taken almost a month for the men to start believing that Eos and Glaukos wasn't a threat... and, she was sure she'd seen some letters being exchanged before they were allowed out of their cells, allowed to breath the fresh air. That hadn't meant that they'd accepted their fait, or accepted the offer of joining up with them - they were in a limbo, it seemed. But, Eos was sure that the both of them knew where their small efforts were headed.
And, that was not in to the loving embrace of another undercover organisation that wanted to control the world.
Also, as far as Eos knew, her - and Melainas 'suspicions' - on what the sickness and the sudden hatred for cooked meat meant - seemed to have remained just between them... and Glaukos.
Although, Eos knew that, as time passed, the suspicion would spread and it'd be all too hard to hide.
And, Eos didn't know what would happen when they found out. They'd not been quiet about their hate for those which were tainted; about the bloodline that would lead them all in to such chaos, it would make the world collapse in on itself...
Which, it seemed, Eos would add to once again... and... she did not have it in herself for a repeat of last time - which meant that before the next season came around, she - and Glaukos too, if he made it - would have to be long gone - whether they fought their way out or not.
For now though, they needed to watch them, track their movements, find a familiarity in it that the could use to their advantage - another thing Kallinos had taught her..
Eos had still been sat by the fire, debating whether to at least try what was in cooking pot when the same bald man and drinker, from that encampment near Fort Phyle came over. At first, they continued to talk quietly, between themselves but, it seems 'drinks-alot' had a bit more to say to her today.
"Now, tell me, what is it we're to do with the girl" he'd had said, Eos glared up at him, "Ouch. If looks could kill",
"Shame my lycaon didn't finish the job" Eos suggested, the hole on the side of his face only bled on occasion now,
"I would have liked to have been there when he died" he crouched down, "would have liked to have seen it",
"He would have killed you first" Eos said, "or I would have. That ugly face would make even the God's turn away" Eos looked back to the fire,
"Now, you are just trying to get a rise out of guest" the bald man said - Eos had found out only lately that his name was Cyrus.
Guest. Eos had learned not to scoff at the word. Guests weren't supervised day in, day out by thick armoured Persians who had swords and hatchets on their belts and, had not actually seen another human being other than said guards, baldie and drinks-alot.
"Our guest. When are you gonna realise she's playing you like a fiddle. But well" he sat opposite Eos and leaned forward, "now we know it's runs in the family, don't we".
Eos raised her brow, felt Glaukos move in a little closer - as did he, "and then there's you. A boy who looks like an old man" drinks-alot sat back, his arms folded, "when are you gonna remove that scruff off your face, won't have much buoyancy with it when we throw you in the sea",
"Enough now Baraz" - Eos preferred 'drinksalot' more - Cyrus said gently, as if the conversation hadn't included murder, "Eos". She didn't look at him.
What did Baraz mean. Runs in the family.
What family.
Whose.
Cyrus sighed, "I wish you could only learn to keep your mouth shut. Those words you speak are not yours to utter",
"And whose are they" Baraz poured himself a drink, this time from the flask on his belt - he always did it when Eos - or even Glaukos - was around, as if he thought they'd poison him.
Little did he know that every sip of that flask he took would lead him to death. Glaukos had laced the inside with a stem from a plant he believed to be poisonous. Hopefully, the man was killing himself slowly and, he didn't even know.
He'd end up dying and, there'd be no proof to say that he hadn't finally drunk himself to death. And, maybe even a distraction they could use to their advantage - if it worked.
There wasn't much glory in any of it but, Glaukos had always enjoyed experiments - especially if they led to a more peaceful life.
"Amorges" Cyrus said. Eos watched as Baraz sat up a little, he placed his flask down - just the spoken name of their mysterious boss seemed to have an effect on them - all of them, except Cyrus, who said it with such courage and honour, it was almost as if he enjoyed seeing the men squirm. "Which reminds me" Cyrus looked back to Eos, "I have a letter for you".
Eos watched as Cyrus put his hands in his robes, taking out a piece of parchment, "here". Eos reached out for it slowly - the last one she'd read - which she kept hidden in her bedroll - was a letter from a scout saying that the cults champion - that Deimos - was gone... and then, she'd had Melaina stand there and tell her it was true... That, like everyone else, Eos had failed him...
Except Glaukos who had said she hadn't failed any of them anymore than they'd failed her... which, despite everything, had only made her feel worse.
And now, with their hunt for Kassandra gathering speed - she'd heard of their supposed efforts in Archai... of the blockade they were planning... of the storm that was brewing... causing a little havoc so that the Eagle-bearer would make an appearance...
Just like they had in Makedonia...
Eos was worried the letter would have news of Kassandra losing the fight too.
Except, it didn't.
It was an invitation. Of sorts.
Eos,
I hope the men have been treating you with only the utmost respect. However, I believe it is about time we met. I imagine you have grown a lot since I last saw you.
Meet me in Heras Watch, on the edge of the cliff, near the bronze club of Hephaistos. I do hope you shall take what I am offering you this time.
"You leave in an hour" Cyrus said, "eat something Eos, you will need your mind to be clear".
Eos glanced at Glaukos, who was stood over from her, his brows arched, wondering what could possibly have been on it.
After eating her way around the chunks of cow in the broth he'd passed her, a couple of Persian guards came and escorted her out of the ruined Palace of Agamemnon.
The place was so big, with so many doors and hallways, it was easy to get lost but, she hadn't had that pleasure.
The guards, as diligent as always, escorted her to an empty cliff, just above an altar - which she assumed was where poor Hephaistos had lost his club.
The guards bowed their heads and left, seemingly disappearing back in to the forest but, she was too smart to think they'd gone.
She looked over the sea, at the stars in the sky, to the land..
The Foundry of Hephaistos... She could see it in the distance. The flames at the bottom of it were just a memory to her now, something that had happened, the reminder still on her skin but, she felt no worry or remorse at seeing it.
She'd been staring towards Athens, the port of Piraeus, cosied between Aegina and the Isle of Salamis when she heard a voice.
"Beautiful view" Eos turned around to a man, old, his grey hair combed back, his hands clasped behind him, clothed in simple blue robes - nothing special.
"Who are you" Eos asked,
"Of course... you won't remember me" he sighed and looked to the night sky, "you were just a babe when your mother fled... away from our... fantasy... away from me" Eos took a step back, she could see the guards hidden among the brush - an arrow aimed at her head if she were to make any move against him.
There was no running.
"Eos" the man said again, he came towards her and took her hand - she had terrible feeling in her stomach and it wasn't the meat coming back up to meet them. "My name is Amorges" he said - so this was the big baddy leader of the Order that drinksalot got all bothered about - this was the one who had his eyes on Kassandra, on those other Persians Kassandra had been helping.
And, it seemed, had, had his eye on her too.
Amorges looked to be searching for something, in her face, in her eyes but, he seemed disappointed.
Maybe they really had been after Asphodel all along. The actual Persian.
"Eos. I am your father".
At first, Eos had still been considering that Asphodel was the one that they wanted, trying to think of a way to prove that, she hadn't even realised what he'd said but then, it dawned on her.
Made her heart clench, she pulled away,
"W-what" Eos took another step back, heard the brush rustle behind them,
"I know it is difficult for you Eos but-"
"You. No, you can't be" Eos shook her head, "they abandoned us. In some woods. Not-",
"That is a lie the cult told you Eos. They could not tell you a truth that would make them weak, that would hinder them" Amorges said, "although, the lie seems to have done that anyway",
"You let - what" Amorges went to reach out for her hand again and Eos took another step backwards - this wasn't happening. He couldn't have been.
"Eos. You were born of order in to chaos, swallowed by it but, your blood is pure - it always has been" Amorges told her, as if he was the only assurance she needed.
"What" Eos asked herself more than him,
"Your mother. She was to be one of us" Amorges said, "but instead, she ran, with you, a crying babe in her arms, a want to escape from Persia... from me, back to her home" Amorges sighed, looking back over the sea "and what a beautiful home it is" - he was looking towards Athens, to Attika... "The only thing was, she could not have you, not really. She'd lived a lie with us, a fantasy, before running back to the one she truly loved" he continued looking over the see, longingly towards the Athenian city, "and that, in the end, is what led you to be sacrificed at an altar".
Amorges looked back to Eos, "You see my child, I-".
"Did nothing" Eos told him.
Deimos had thought that his family had betrayed him, that they'd abandoned him, something it seems he'd never been able to get through in the end, and here she was, being told the same...
Except... Her 'parents' had never abandoned her. They were a part of the reason that the things that had happened to her, had happened.
And, from what she knew of the Order, she knew they would not have been as easily deceived as a lone spartan woman was.
"You...",
"You have to understand. My duty is to-"
"Persia" Eos said, "then why are you here, telling me this. When did you decide you wanted to be a father",
"I have always been a father" Amorges told her, "Your brother-",
"My brother is dead" Eos spat,
"Helios was never your brother" Amorges said, "he was but a babe abandoned by-",
"Abandoned... I think we all know where the cult finds it children" Eos told him - through lies and deceit,
"Abandoned by his parents when they fled from wolves...",
"Only to grow up with them" Eos suggested - as if that made it any better.
Amorges narrowed his eyes, he didn't know where she got her wit from, her words but, he knew that he'd rather her listen than speak,
"Then, to be torn, limb from limb... by a lioness no doubt... or, so they say",
"What are you trying to say" Eos asked, feeling the lump in her throat,
"All I am trying to say Eos, is that your life has been ridden with chaos, with that which is tainted..." he looked back towards Athens, "the cult of Kosmos, they lost their way. It should never have got to this point",
"Bit too late now",
"For them... but, not for you" Amorges turned around to her, "the offer is still open. That I promise you",
"The offer... The offer I turned down only to be told you'd change my mind" Eos shrugged and took another step back.
What did he think would have happened... that she'd be overwhelmed with some sort of love for her long lost father... for a man she didn't know... For a man who hunted people as if he were the God's hand... the reason Pyros had turned against her... the reason why she didn't have a best friend anymore... the reason why she didn't have Deimos anymore...
Eos had not had much before but, it had been enough. Enough to get by and for then, for those moments, it was okay...
She didn't need a long lost family - like Kassandra... she just needed her friends...
And now, here, all she had was Glaukos...
And, a baby she had a feeling they wouldn't be all too fussed on when they found out...
"What is it you want from me" Eos asked quietly. He turned back to her, he smiled,
"Eos, we don't-",
"Don't lie to me father" Eos thought that maybe saying the word out loud would have stirred a little emotion inside of her but, it didn't, it was empty - which she was sure Amorges was aware of.
She knew, that at one point, they'd wanted to take her to Persia... Cyrus had said that maybe a change of view would be nice but, it seemed they'd changed their minds...
"Well, if you insist" he looked back to the sea, "we wan yout to... check in, on an old friend of yours...",
"What" Eos said quietly,
"Oh, don't worry, you won't have to embrace the chaos anymore than you have already. All I want to know is where she'll head to when... we start our little exertion",
"Friends don't do that to each other... maybe you don't have many to know that" Eos told him,
"No but, those with higher priorities than before might consider taking the offer to ensure those priorities come to no harm" Amorges was still looking towards Athens, as if what he'd just said hadn't been so foul,
"You wouldn't know anything about those sorts of priorities" Eos spat, "perhaps it's better if you leave those to the ones who do care".
Amorges was taken aback. The red head had only implied that it could be possible - that it could have been one of the bloodline - he'd just not been certain whether Eos would have been so forthcoming with the information...
Eos hadn't either but, this time, she wasn't going to be that scared young girl anymore that prayed to the God's that it wasn't true. She couldn't and... if Amorges hadn't realised by then that Eos would take any opportunity she had to break away from them, that was his loss.
"Eos, I only ever wanted you, home, safe... not caught up in all of this..." Eos could hear the sullen tone to his voice - as if he was really that sad... as if he actually cared for someone he knew nothing about - even if he thought he did.
"And, I only ever wanted to be left alone by the likes of you" Eos said, "when are you going to realise that your children do not want what you have".
Eos turned away from him, from the scene he'd painted in front of them. She saw him raise his hand, the guards on watch coming back towards her, circling her as they had before...
"I will see you again Eos... The offer still stands" she heard him say. Eos had taken a moment before she'd turned back around, to laugh and say that it would stand forever but, he had already gone.
For the last month or so, the eagle-bearer had tried to keep her head down...
Her mother had told her that a little time away from hunting the cult would do her some good but, Kassandra had realised it would only make it worse.
She didn't have the luxury of having time off - not like that but, she had been more mindful... Cultists had fell but, Kassandra had got creative. Some had tripped over their feet and fell from cliffs, others had just... never been found again.
But now, things were about to get complicated again.
And, Kassandra wasn't sure if she could deal with it. She thought she'd be able too but, things were so different now.
Her mater, on the other hand, seemed to have embraced that. She had even taken to that Spartan life she'd lost quite easily... she'd needed too... As head of a house, she had affairs she had to get in order and, she'd even become a confidant of the king - his eyes in to the cult he'd been blind to.
And, if Kassandra had to be honest. It was nice to see her mater waiting for her outside her childhood home - however worried she looked.
"Hello mater" Kassandra said, the two of them embracing before pulling away,
"Kassandra, I'm so glad you're here",
"Me too" Kassandra smiled and then looked up, towards the mountains, "usual" Kassandra asked. Myrine sighed, so very disheartened and then nodded,
"Be gentle" Myrine told her. Kassandra nodded.
She'd try.
Kassandra had made her way past the hub of the city, finding the path out and to the mountain - - taking a trail she know knew all too well.
The first time she'd taken it, she'd been out of her mind with worry, terrified at what she'd find at the end of it but now... now she knew it'd never end like that...
Because the thing was... That day on the mountain... The world had lost something... Something so strong, so fearsome and... there hadn't been much left but, there had been enough - just enough.
Deimos' path had ended where it began but... her brothers hadn't...
And, it was as she took that same path, remembering how she thought she might find him in the bone pit... having done what he thought he deserved himself, that she realised she needed to stop running from him... Stop treating him like glass...
Kassandra found him in the usual spot, sat, his legs hanging over the side as he stared off in towards the sea. The mount Tayghetos overlook - the same place an old blind Persian king had asked her to stand atop of once.
"You worry far too much" he said, not looking at her,
"I do but, it's because I care" Kassandra said as she sat down next to him, leaving a foot or so between them,
"Any sign" he asked quietly.
Kassandra sighed. Each time she saw him, he asked, each time she had to shake her head, each time watching another piece of him slip away.
On that mountain, he'd turned around to her, ready to swing his sword but, he'd stopped. He'd looked at her, at the spear... He'd took a step forward, took the spear in his hands and then collapsed - as if something had shaken him... As if the spear had shown him every terrible thing he did and, for a moment, she'd seen some sort of longing in his eyes.
Longing for peace. To leave the world.
Myrine had put her hand on his shoulder slowly, and, he hadn't even flinched. "I've done terrible things" he'd cried.
And then, after words Myrine could only have said to comfort him. Kassandra had knelt down in front of him and, she'd seen the tears in his eyes, the rush of hurt, of pain, finally starting to drown him, all he could say at first was,
"I...",
"I know" Kassandra said. The sorry he wished he could have said got lost and, Deimos had looked back at the spear. "We will find her" Kassandra had said quietly, knowing he'd know who she meant, "I promise",
He'd shaken his head, "She's gone".
"You can't give up" Kassandra told him,
"B-",
"She didn't. You can't either".
Kassandra had, had a horrible feeling in those few moments... That her brother could have snapped, could have hit out - leaving her with no other choice but, just like she thought, Eos - without even being there - was what had given him hope.
A hope that had been lost the moment Melaina showed up - after they'd just enjoyed the most awkward meal any of them would ever have.
They'd been outside. Sat on the wall, overlooking the red flowers.
Her brother hadn't even moved, not even flinched, when Melaina had said the words out loud.
"Deimos' path ended where it began",
"But my brothers didn't" Kassandra had told her,
"No" she'd said, "I never said his would".
"Where is Eos" Kassandra had drew her spear,
"Far from your reach now" Melaina said, she turned, to look at the view with her brother, Kassandra looked with her - almost as if she thought she was looking towards something.
Melaina turned away.
"You are not going anywhere this time" Kassandra muttered under her breath,
"Be careful Kassandra. The Champion might be gone but, that does not make him any less chaotic, any less of a threat to what we want to achieve...",
"What",
"His blood is tainted... whether he's a champion or not...",
"What do you...",
"They think that the only thing left of him, was what the cult created... not what he created himself... maybe they should never find that out", Melaina warned,
"If I kill you, they won't" Kassandra said,
"Eos' only hope was that her brothers and sisters lived, that they chose their own paths. Perhaps we shouldn't forget that".
Melaina left and, Kassandra had let her.
Deimos had only sat there... Staring out over Sparta...
"I don't know why I hold on" he said quietly to Kassandra now, "to..." he trailed off. Saying her name, thinking it, it was so painful...
"Because you love her" Kassandra said. He didn't reply. "And that's okay" Kassandra looked down towards the city, "there has to be someone who knows what happened" Kassandra said,
"Melaina does" he said, "next time I see her, I'll beat it out of her" - he'd been angry with Kassandra letting her go but, he'd been too angry with himself having just sat there and done nothing.
"I'll hold her down" Kassandra agreed. Her brother looked over at her and she saw a small smile before he looked back to Sparta, he sighed,
"I don't want to die" he said, "I just...",
"I know you don't" Kassandra said, "mater just... worries about you",
"She needn't too" he said.
"Maybe... maybe you need to get out of here... Come with me" Kassandra said,
"I thought you said it was too dangerous" - it was safe to say that he had not been happy to have to stay in Sparta for these last few weeks, as if he was too fragile for the world...
His sister said they could take down people, like the cult, together and... the most blood he'd seen was from a leg of cow his mater had cooked once.
"I was wrong" Kassandra said, "what Melaina said... I wanted to protect you". Although, what Kassandra had realised in her walk here... was that her brother needed purpose - Eos had told her that was the only way he'd get threw it and... it was about time he did.
To forget the past would only make everything he thought, everything he believed about himself, both the good and the bad, mean nothing and... Kassandra couldn't lose him to lost thoughts.
On the other hand, her brother had opened his mouth to say he didn't need protecting but, he stopped, there was only three people in the whole of the world he finally believed that to be true about and... one of them he'd wanted desperately to protect himself and, he'd failed...
"When do we leave" he asked,
"Tomorrow morning" Kassandra said, she folded her arms.
"Another family dinner. How fun".
"Oh Eos, you do like to make things difficult for yourself, don't you" Cyrus said as she sat back down at the fire,
"Might as well be consistent" Eos murmured,
"Well, I've been told to tell you that the offer still stands. The both of them" Cyrus said,
"The offer to help you in killing my friend" Eos shrugged,
"Come now, if she was your friend, she would have found you by now" Cyrus said. Eos glanced up at him, watching as he stood and then nodded his head, taking his leave from them.
Glaukos, who'd been leaning against a chest that had once been filled with the jewels and wares of Agamemnon himself - which Glaukos had enjoyed studying in his spare time - there hadn't been much else to do - came over and sat down near her.
"What happened" Glaukos said as he reached for the fire, warming his hands, keeping his eyes on the flames,
"The leader, he's..." Eos didn't see the point in hiding it, not now, not with him. It would only make things harder in the long run, "he's my father...", Glaukos raised his brow and sat back a little,
"And I thought Deimos' family tree had been complicated" - he'd studied that for a long time, Deimos' bloodline... it had been filled with Kings, leaders and great minds... and then Deimos who, in his own way, had probably lived up to it.
"There's more. Helios wasn't my true brother either. Just some poor babe who got abandoned by his parents and left to wolves so they could... get away...",
"I didn't know him all that well" - Glaukos hadn't had the pleasure of being one of Chrysis' favourites - "but from what I heard, you two were so different. Not that different. But, different",
"It gets better" Eos sat back, her eyes wandering over to one of the masked guard, who was talking quietly with the bald man, throwing small glances back at them every now and then,
"Go on"
"My mother..." Glaukos sat up a little more, "she's a part of the cult. She had a fling with Amorges... and then, when I was born. I guess she ran away. Back to Athens",
"Athens" Glaukos said, "she could be anyone".
Glaukos was knowledgeable when it came to the members of the cult. He knew their names, their faces - a bit like Deimos. He would have been a useful ally to Kassandra.
Except, he didn't know which of them came under the...whole having a secret daugher who'd been raised up as one of the cults weapons...
"She could already be dead Glaukos... Kassandra could have taken her out already... I could have looked her in the eye and never knew...", Eos sighed - more from frustration than longing.
There were no accidents here, no mistaken identity, no lies... Her mother, even her father, were responsible for what had happened to her. It seemed whatever would have happened, a life of order had awaited her on both sides...
"Why do I feel as if this just gets worse" Glaukos said after a moment.
"Because I think it does... I decided I wouldn't be there dog, that I wouldn't help them find Kassandra...", she looked down to her hands,
Now, Eos wasn't sure if she was making the wrong decision but, how could she betray her like that - after everything. Not to mention that the guards would be up her arse more than ever. Amorges little birds would surround her and she'd never know who.
Glaukos nodded - he could understand that. Eos hadn't told him much about what had happened before. Thinking about the before only led her thoughts towards Deimos, to Laelaps and... Glaukos didn't want to lose her to the memory... But, he knew that Kassandra had meant a lot to her - she'd got her through some tough moments and, after everything, after the life they'd lived, it was nice to know that there were still people who could accept them.
"I'm sorry" Eos looked back to the masked guard and , they were looking towards them now, making no effort to look away.
"We've been through worse" Glaukos reminded her,
"Except now, we don't have the time to waste".
AN: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! I debated whether waiting to reveal the truth behind what happened on the mountain but, I didn't want to drag it out and, I'm excited to develop this 'Deimos' a bit more and, decided it could only start with an offer to go sailing with his sister!
Also, I was worried the whole Eos/Amorges thing could be a little far-fetched but, after playing through the DLC again, I remember now how chaotic the order - and Amorges is - even if they hate the cult for the same reason! And, although this wasn't exactly planned from the beginning, it only made a plot point (to come) seem that little more reasonable and exciting!
And now I've wrote too much but, still! I cannot thank you guys enough!