A/N Well I'm finally back with Chapter 19. I really hope there's still someone reading and I'm sorry it's taken so long, but in my defence we're in the middle of a house move and I really ought to be packing rather than writing...
This is more of a linking chapter than anything but I still hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you do. :-)
Minos toyed with his goblet of wine thoughtfully as he lingered over his midday meal. It wasn't often that he had the luxury of taking as long as he would like, especially recently, so he fully intended to take as much advantage as he could.
There was only so much negotiating and planning that he and the other kings could do without a break so it had been decreed that they would all take a day of rest and relaxation today – something that Minos was glad of. Over the past few weeks he had been stretching himself rather thinly after all. His health still wasn't as good as it had been in days of old; his illness a few short months ago had taken its toll and, although he had fully recovered, regaining his formerly strong constitution was taking somewhat longer than he had hoped it would.
When they had first decided to take this day off, Minos had toyed with the idea of going hunting with King Laius. The Theban monarch was a good enough companion on such an excursion, even if he was almost unnaturally lucky where hunting was concerned – as Minos had discovered to his cost when Laius had visited Atlantis. This morning had proved to be decidedly miserable however – cold and wet – and the Atlantian King was glad that he had decided not to suggest the idea to Laius but had chosen to spend a little time with his family instead.
Laius, for his part, had received an invitation to spend a day in the company of Agrias of Tanagra and his son. Minos could not say he was unhappy to be freed of the prospect of having to spend another day in the company of Agrias and he suspected that Ariadne would be grateful to be able to avoid Prince Chalcon for the day too.
He sighed. The Tanagran Prince seemed pleasant enough (which was more than could be said for his father) and under different circumstances Minos could even have seen him making Ariadne reasonably happy. As things were though, Ariadne's heart seemed to be so firmly fixed on Jason that the King could not see a truly joyful outcome for his daughter. Oh, she would be dutiful enough – would play her part to perfection – but it would not be the happy future he had hoped for her (because he did want her to be happy and loved as any good father would).
Still, it could not be helped as far as he could see. They needed Agrias' help (no matter how galling it might be to admit that) and this was the price – at least for now. Minos was not as naïve as his wife believed; he knew she would be actively seeking a way to break the engysis without bringing dishonour onto him. For all that she was only a woman, Pasiphae had one of the finest political minds that Minos had ever seen. If it was at all possible for them to find a way to get out of the situation they found themselves in with regards to Agrias and his demands, Pasiphae would do it. Minos was in no doubt on that score.
She hadn't told him that that was what she was doing of course; she was far too clever for that. Since he did not know precisely what she had planned, Minos could truthfully deny all knowledge if things went wrong. It was a very good tactic.
Minos turned to look at his wife appreciatively. Pasiphae was nibbling distractedly on a sweet pastry. The past days had been hard on her yet no-one who did not know her well would be able to tell. Minos suspected she was worrying about her son, although she gave no obvious outward sign. To be completely honest, he would be pleased to see the party that had gone to fetch Herodion and his family back too. Partly because he was looking forwards to seeing his old friend again and partly (it had to be said) because he had grown far fonder of his stepson than he would have believed possible before he had come to know the boy.
They had hoped to see some sign of the travellers a couple of days ago, although Minos admitted to himself that that would have been a little early to be honest; they would have had to make almost inhumanly quick time to get here from Athanos that quickly. He knew that as the days passed Pasiphae would become increasingly anxious. Whilst Jason was not late yet, his mother was still concerned and her concern was making her increasingly waspish; not so much that it would be remarked upon but enough to put the servants on edge.
"Father, might I be excused?"
Ariadne's light voice roused the King from his thoughts and he turned his head to smile at his beautiful daughter.
"If you have finished eating then of course you may," he said gently. "Do you have somewhere that you need to be?"
"I promised Melas that I would take a basket of herbs from the garden to the temple," Ariadne answered, "and of course I have my usual duties to perform there… Afterwards, as far as I am aware, there is a dressmaker coming to see me."
She looked at her stepmother questioningly.
"Indeed there is," Pasiphae said smoothly, placing her half-eaten pastry back on her plate. "She is coming to see us both. Appearances are everything," she continued, talking directly to her husband. "You know that better than anyone. If we are to hold dinners for the other kings and to make them believe you are still a force to be reckoned with – that you are fully capable of regaining Atlantis – then we must appear to be undiminished by our exile. It must seem that we still have resources to hand despite us bartering for our allies' aid and part of that is how we dress and how we appear. If Ariadne and I wear the same dresses to every dinner it will give the impression that we cannot afford more. I do not intend to have whole wardrobes made but one or two more dresses will not go amiss. I will select some fabrics and have a couple of chitons made up for you also. It will give the right impression, My Lord."
"I would not object if you wanted a hundred dresses my love," Minos declared. "Although I might question the wisdom of you having so many made at such a time as this. You are right though – the impression that we give through our appearance is important… especially at a time like this. I will be guided by you in this matter."
He hesitated for a moment, knowing that Pasiphae might take offence at what he was about to say; knowing that she might see it as criticism of her abilities to guide her son.
"I would hope that you would instruct Jason in this when he returns to Pagenia," he said carefully.
"My Lord?" Pasiphae responded icily, beginning to bristle.
"I am not displeased with the boy," Minos said hurriedly. "He has many qualities that I admire and should be fostered… but you have admitted yourself that he also has many rough edges that must be smoothed away Pasiphae… and that will not happen overnight. It would be foolish indeed to expect Jason to have learned everything that you have to teach him in the short time he has been with us, and I do not expect it. Watching his behaviour at the feasts we have held for my fellow monarchs and at the strategy meetings… Jason is a credit to you, my love; a credit to your teaching."
He smiled as he watched Pasiphae relax, somewhat mollified.
"That being said, I have noticed a certain… laxity in his appearance at times," the King went on. "I understand that in his life in the city he has not been required to consider how he might appear to anyone else but now he is here with us he will quite naturally become the object of increasing scrutiny. I would not have him subject to criticism simply through his own inattention to the niceties and the outward impression that he makes. The boy's nature is unbridled – a free spirit – and, while I would not for the world see his nature altered to any great extent, you know as well as I do, Pasiphae, that there are those who would censure him for it. He must learn to control himself in public so as not to offend those whose support he may later need to rely upon… and part of that will undoubtedly come from his appearance. All I am asking, my love, is that Jason should at least attempt to be neat and tidy in public."
"I will see to it that it is impressed upon him, My Lord," Pasiphae answered stiffly.
"Whilst you are at it, perhaps you could impress upon Jason that tables are for eating off, the floor is for walking on and chairs are for sitting on and the three should not be confused," Minos went on. "I noticed back in Atlantis that he has a tendency to use furniture for other than intended purposes but it highly inappropriate that a prince of Atlantis should be found sitting on a table when there are perfectly good chairs for him to use." He looked seriously at Pasiphae. "I would also wish you to inform him that running his fingers through his hair is not a substitute for using a comb." He paused and sighed. "I am perhaps being a little unfair. It is just that in every other respect Jason has proved to be a quick study – has learned everything you have endeavoured to teach him – and has far exceeded my expectations. I would not have him subject to comment and censure over what amount to trivial matters. I find myself growing fond of your son, my love, and I would not see him looked down on for such small things."
"It shall be as you request, My Lord," Pasiphae answered shortly.
Minos restrained himself from wincing at the tone of her voice. He had not meant to put his wife's back up after all. Perhaps a change of subject might help matters; he was sure that once Pasiphae had calmed down a little she would agree with everything he had said anyway.
"I had thought we might spend a little time in one another's company this afternoon," he said, looking at Pasiphae. "There are documents which require my attention, as there are undoubtedly duties which require yours, yet I had hoped we might at least look to our individual tasks in one another's company."
"As you wish," Pasiphae replied, her tone still a little cold.
"And perhaps after your dressmaker has been we might take a walk in the gardens together – the weather permitting, of course," Minos went on. "I do not believe that either one of us would wish to walk in the rain after all." He paused for a moment. "I know that you must naturally be concerned for Jason and eagerly awaiting his return, but I truly believe that he and his friends will come back safely to Pagenia. They are far from overdue yet and I have ensured that the patrols I have sent out into the land surrounding the town will keep a lookout for them."
Pasiphae gave him a startled look, surprised by his thoughtfulness.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"It was nothing," Minos answered dismissively. "It took but a moment to instruct Dion to order the patrols to watch for them. It cost me no time or effort at all."
"Nevertheless I am grateful that you thought of it," Pasiphae said.
Her gratitude was genuine. Jason might be beyond her help at present but she couldn't help but grow anxious the longer he was gone. It was ridiculous, she decided; she was become weak; becoming sentimental – and yet she could not seem to help herself.
Ariadne pushed herself up from the table and smiled sweetly at her father.
"I will see you at supper," she said softly. "Do we have guests tonight?"
"No," Minos answered. "King Laius will be dining with King Agrias and Prince Chalcon and will not be returning until late. We shall not have company this evening."
It saddened him a little to see his daughter visibly relax.
"I must attend to my duties," Ariadne said, "but perhaps we could spend a little time in one another's company tonight?"
Minos stood and kissed the girl on the forehead.
"You have no idea what a comfort it is to me to have such a kind and dutiful daughter," he replied softly. "I will look forwards to this evening. Give my regards to Melas."
Once Ariadne had gone, he turned back to the Queen.
"If you have finished, my love, shall we retire to my private council chamber where we might both turn to our tasks undisturbed?" he asked.
"Indeed," Pasiphae answered. She gestured to a hovering servant with a curt wave of her hand. "Inform Alexarchos that I require the latest figures for both the estate and city storehouses," she told the trembling girl. "Have them brought to the King's private council chamber." She looked coolly at her husband. "With all the feasts and dinners you are required to host for our allies benefit it is vital that we ensure our supplies do not run low," she said.
"Of course," Minos replied. "I leave the ordering of the estate in your more than capable hands."
The afternoon passed quickly. Although they did not talk, both engaged in their own tasks, Minos felt comfortable in his wife's company; there was a feeling of peace and tranquillity that pervaded the room that he had been sorely lacking over the past few weeks – ever since the siege began to be honest. He was determined to use the time to recharge himself in preparation for the weeks ahead.
Around mid-afternoon, the King began to feel himself growing a little hungry. The midday meal was now several hours behind him and supper was still several hours ahead. Perhaps he should call for a servant. Would it be indulgent to request a plate of fruit and pastries? And maybe some wine?
His eyes strayed to his wife's form. Pasiphae was working quietly at a table on the far side of the room, comparing lists and figures. Occasionally she made a quick annotation on a piece of parchment that she had in front of her.
Minos sat back and watched her work, smiling softly to himself, taking in the elegant grace of her every movement with pleasure. Gods but she was still beautiful, even after all these years of marriage.
There were things he wished to discuss with Pasiphae though; ideas and plans. Pasiphae's sharp political mind made her the best person to talk to. It couldn't be long until she would have to go to deal with the dressmaker though. Time to put work to one side then.
A diffident tapping at the door made Minos turn. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Pasiphae look up with a frown.
"Come," he ordered.
It would be a servant – and probably a lower ranking one at that; he was certain of that from the tone of the knock. Anyone with any sort of authority would not knock in quite such a deferential way. His mind turned once more to whether he should order a plate of food and some wine. Perhaps Pasiphae might like some of those honey cakes she was so fond of; Minos knew his wife's sweet tooth only too well.
"Your Majesty, please forgive this intrusion," the girl who spoke was almost trembling.
"What is it?" Minos demanded impatiently. "Come on girl, speak up."
"M…master Alexarchos sent me My Lord," the girl replied, her voice barely audible. "He t…told me to inform you that the people you have been waiting for have ridden in through the west gate of the town and will be here shortly."
She looked anxiously at Minos with big doe eyes; frightened that she would be punished for interrupting the King and Queen's private work time despite the order from the estate overseer to do so.
Minos let out a deep breath and smiled widely.
"Thank you," he said to the girl. "Inform Master Alexarchos that we will be greeting them on the stylobate… and that they will be joining us for supper." He paused thoughtfully for a moment. "Also I will require rooms to be set aside for their refreshment before supper… and inform Master Alexarchos that I will wish to see him after we have greeted out guests to discuss where in the town they might best be housed."
"Yes Your Majesty," the girl replied, bobbing a quick curtsy and hurrying back out of the room, still trembling faintly.
"You see, my love," Minos said to Pasiphae. "They are returned safely."
"It would seem so," Pasiphae answered, gathering up the pieces of parchment she had been working on and tying them into tidy rolls. "Although we cannot know that they are completely unscathed until they actually arrive here."
"Then let us go and greet them Pasiphae," Minos stated firmly. "I will admit that I will be delighted to see Herodion again," he added. "I have missed both his wisdom and his company for too long… and I am relieved that Jason is back here with us. Strange as it may sound, I have missed the boy and his odd ways."
There was a definite chill in the breeze that caught at Pasiphae's bare arms, as she stood at the top of the steps alongside her husband awaiting the arrival of her son and his party. She resisted the urge to shiver as the slight wind caught the folds of the long diaphanous silk veil that was attached by combs to the hair at the back of her head, making it flutter.
The air was still heavy with rain; fat drops that splattered onto the enclosed courtyard. Fortunately, the stylobate itself was half covered with a large portico, meaning that the King and Queen of Atlantis could still keep dry while they awaited the arrival of the group.
With every moment that passed, Pasiphae could feel her impatience growing. Surely they should have managed to travel from the western gate to here by now? It wasn't that far after all and she had presumed that they wouldn't dawdle. She pursed her lips and restrained an irritated sigh. If she found out that someone was to blame for detaining Jason she would make them live to regret it.
Then – finally – she heard the sound of horses approaching and the party rode in through the archway into the courtyard. She forced herself to stay impassive as the group came to the bottom of the steps; to remain the perfect untouchable elegant Queen. With studied care Pasiphae allowed her eyes to drift across the group, seemingly uncaringly – and if her eyes lingered for a second longer on her son? Well, who would really notice?
The entire group looked tired, wet and cold. The journey from Athanos to here hard clearly been an arduous one if their appearances were anything to go by. Pasiphae frowned almost imperceptibly. She would have to instruct Alexarchos to ensure that hot baths were provided and perhaps some warm spiced wine. She allowed her eyes to range over the party again. Some hot pastries to nibble on to tide the newcomers over until supper seemed to be in order too.
"Lord Herodion," Minos greeted his old friend. "My prayers have been answered. I am relieved to find both you and your family safe."
"Your Majesty," Herodion answered, bowing low. "It is thanks to you that we survived the fall of Athanos. If you had not sent you men for us I fear what would have happened. I am forever in your debt."
Minos smiled.
"Come old friend," he said. "Let us go indoors where we might be warm and dry. There will be time enough for talking then."
He glanced at the rest of the group.
"Come inside," he instructed. "The servants will see to your horses and baggage."
He turned and made his way into the entrance hall, leading his old friend along the corridors of the house.
"I regret that you will have to be housed in the town," Minos went on as they walked. "But with so many of our allies here to confer with me space is not easy to find. I have sent instructions to our estate overseer to meet with me so that we might find the best possible rooms for you in town. In the meantime, you and your family will stay and dine with us tonight." It was not voiced as a question. "I have instructed that rooms should be arranged for you to refresh yourselves before then," he added.
"You are most kind, Your Majesty," Herodion murmured.
"Hardly," Minos answered, with a faintly amused smile. "You have no idea how pleased I am to see you, old friend," he said, stopping and turning towards his old friend and clasping Herodion's arm. "It has been far too long. I often think of the time that we spent together as boys. The memories… I remember those times with great fondness."
"As do I," Herodion replied. "And you are right… it has been far too long, My Lord. I should have returned to visit Atlantis before now… It was just that I feared that if I came to Atlantis you would insist that I stayed… and my home – my place – was with my family… in Athanos."
"Perhaps I would have," Minos acknowledged. "Even our continued correspondence could not fully make up for the lack of your presence. There have been times when I have sorely missed your support and your immediate counsel; times when I struggled to know which way to turn. When Therus was lost to me… there have been dark days since we last saw one another – and these days are some of the darkest of all."
Herodion sighed.
"Forgive me Minos," he said softly. "I should have come when I was first told of what happened with Therus. I should have been there."
"You are here now and that is all that matters," Minos answered. "And I am happier than you will ever know that you are safely within these walls. Might I dare to expect your advice and help in my dealings with our allies? I could use your wisdom, old friend."
"And you shall have it," Herodion stated. "I understand from your men that you are planning to regain Atlantis…"
"Indeed," Minos replied. "But that is a subject that can wait until you are refreshed. I trust your journey was not too arduous?"
"It was a little more rigorous than I would have wished for my family, My Lord," his friend murmured. "We encountered a detachment of Amphigeneians in the woods… some three nights ago? Four?" Herodion turned to look at his companions for confirmation. "We rode hard after that and the days have somewhat blended into one."
The King frowned deeply; almost bordering on a scowl.
"Amphigeneians?" he demanded. "Where? Were they heading in this direction?"
It could be disastrous if they were heading towards Pagenia. If word got back to Anaxandros that they were here and forming an army, the Amphigeneian King would send his full forces to fall on them and crush them before they were anywhere near ready.
"They were marching toward the town of Thera, Your Majesty," Jason answered. "We managed to get away without them seeing us so I wouldn't think we are in too much danger here at the moment."
Minos almost visibly relaxed, although he did turn to scrutinise Jason – just to assure himself that his stepson was unharmed by the journey.
"You are certain you were unseen?" he asked.
"Completely certain," Jason confirmed. "We were careful about that. They never saw any of us."
"Good," Minos replied, shortly. "Lady Ianthe," he said, turning towards Herodion's wife. "It is most remiss of me not to greet you properly. You are very welcome here."
Ianthe smiled and dropped the quick curtsey of a noble lady (as opposed to the full genuflection of a peasant), trying not to drop the baby she was carrying at the same time.
"Your Majesty," she said softly. "Forgive me for keeping Herodion from your side for so long. I was not much more than a girl when we left Atlantis and could scarcely have imagined we would not be returning; that we would make our lives elsewhere."
"It is strange to think that so many years have passed," Minos stated. "But you have grown lovelier with the years." He looked beyond her to Iollas. "And is this your son?" he asked.
"Yes, My Lord," Herodion rumbled. "This is Iollas."
"He seems a fine boy," Minos remarked. "I have no doubt he is a credit to you." He inclined his head to the young man. "You are also most welcome here, Iollas," he said.
Iollas stared at Minos with his mouth hanging open for a moment, clearly nonplussed at being spoken to by the King, until a swift dig in the ribs from his mother's elbow reminded him of his manners.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," he muttered awkwardly.
Minos' lips twitched as though he was suppressing an amused smile. He looked from Iollas to the little boy at his side and then to the baby in Ianthe's arms.
"Is there something you have been keeping from me old friend?" he asked, his amusement clear in his voice.
Herodion laughed.
"No," he replied. "The children are not mine." His face grew serious again. "They are foundlings, My Lord. Your men discovered them when Athanos fell huddled by the bodies of their parents. They rescued them and brought them with us."
"A sad story," Minos murmured. "These Amphigeneians are cruel indeed. They seem to know no mercy."
"What happened to Athanos was brutal," Herodion agreed. "I saw the town I had come to call home – had come to love – burn. I heard the screams from my neighbour's house; saw people that I knew – that I had spoken to only days before – lying dead and mutilated in the street; and knew that there was nothing I could do to save – or even to help – any of them."
He broke off suddenly, seemingly unable to continue.
Minos reached out and grasped his old friend's arm once more.
"We will not allow their atrocities to go unpunished," he promised. "We will throw them from our lands and make them regret that they ever left their own shores… And we will rebuild our towns… but we will never forget."
Herodion nodded and clasped the King's arm in return.
"And I will aid you in any way I can," he vowed earnestly.
Minos looked at him thoughtfully.
"We must make some sort of provision for the children under the circumstances," he declared. "No doubt there will be a family in the town who will be willing to take them in… at least until they are old enough to be taught a trade. Perhaps the estate overseer might be encouraged to train them as servants once they are grown enough," he looked at Pasiphae as he said this, knowing that his wife would make the necessary arrangements, "or if not, the Temple of Poseidon will always need new acolytes. I will speak with Melas."
Herodion cast a quick glance at Ianthe.
"There is no need for you to concern yourself, My Lord," he said firmly. "The children will be remaining with us. My wife has grown fond of them and I do not believe our family will suffer in any way from the addition of two new members."
Pasiphae couldn't help but notice the startled look that passed between Pythagoras and Hercules, or the intense look that her son directed at Herodion. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Jason would need to be watched to make sure that she headed off any potentially damaging outbursts; it would not do for him to offend the King's closest friend by his outspokenness.
Fortunately for the Queen, however, despite the penetrating stare he was directing at Herodion, Jason stayed silent.
Minos raised an eyebrow.
"If you are certain…" he said.
"I am," Herodion confirmed.
"Very well," the King replied. "You will remember the Queen of course." He gestured towards Pasiphae.
"Of course," Herodion murmured, bowing to Pasiphae. "I am honoured to see you again My Lady."
Pasiphae allowed a faint, gracious smile to touch her lips. She had never actually disliked Herodion. Of all Minos' advisors, he was the only one who had not automatically discounted her intelligence simply because she was a 'mere woman'. Whilst Pasiphae was more than capable of manipulating most of those around her, she had never found it to be necessary with Herodion; they had come to an unspoken agreement very early on.
"The pleasure is as much mine as it is yours, my Lord Herodion," she answered. "I share the King's pleasure at seeing you and your family safe. I am only sorry that Ariadne is not here to greet you also. I know she would have wished to be. Unfortunately, she had obligations at the temple here; her presence was desired by Melas, Poseidon's High Priest. She had already left to attend to her duties when word came that you had arrived."
"A pity," Herodion replied. "I am very much looking forwards to seeing her again. Princess Ariadne was just a little girl the last time I saw her and I find that I am intrigued to see how she has grown."
"She is a young woman now," Minos said proudly, "and as kind as she is beautiful. She is everything I could hope she would be and more. She will be a superb Queen for Atlantis one day when I am no longer here."
Pasiphae resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Minos' effusive assessment of his daughter. She had come to tolerate Ariadne over the last few months but still could not say she truly liked the girl; there was too much history between them for that.
"I am sure that she is indeed a credit to you, My Lord," Herodion murmured. "Although I am equally sure that we would all hope that Ariadne's time for assuming the throne will be many years away yet." He paused. "I would assume that, since you speak of the Princess taking the throne in the future, she is not yet married?"
"No," Minos answered. "Although she is newly betrothed."
Out of the corner of her eye, Pasiphae saw Jason visibly flinch. Whilst she had discovered over the past few weeks that the boy was far better at hiding his feelings than she would have thought possible, it was clear that there were times when his emotions still got the better of him. It was something that he would have to be trained out of. A member of the royal family had to remain aloof and untouchable at all times; a life spent in the public eye meant that almost everyone else (especially members of the court or foreign royals) had to be viewed as a threat, ready to strike at the first hint of weakness, so your guard had to remain up at all times and any emotions hidden. This was something that she would have to teach her son quickly.
She flicked her eyes towards him more fully. As she did, she saw Jason glance towards her, the corners of his mouth quirking into a barely perceptible smile and his head tilting towards her in a faint nod of acknowledgement. His movements were so slight that it was unlikely anyone else would even notice them, Pasiphae noted approvingly; and if they did, they were unlikely to realise that he was doing anything more significant than fidgeting slightly.
He still looked cold and wet though – the whole group did – although Minos seemed to be in no hurry to bring this audience to a close; was clearly too caught up in the pleasure of seeing an old friend again to realise that the little boy clutching Herodion's son's hand was actually shivering where he stood and that the rest of the party didn't look a lot better.
Pasiphae's eyes narrowed, although she maintained her usual impassive expression.
"My Lord," she said. "Much as I am sure we are all pleased to reacquaint ourselves with old friends, perhaps it would be better to continue this conversation over the supper table later – once our guests have had the opportunity to rest and refresh themselves?"
As she spoke, she spotted Alexarchos hovering nearby and moved to speak with the servant in a hushed voice. Although her words did not carry beyond the ears of the overseer, the note of command in her voice did.
"The Queen is right, of course," Minos stated. "You shall be made comfortable and we will speak properly over supper… and afterwards I would appreciate your opinion on several matters, Herodion. A private audience I think, in my personal council chamber."
"As you wish, My Lord," Herodion murmured.
"If you would follow Alexarchos, he will show you to the chambers where you can refresh yourselves," Pasiphae said briskly, re-joining the group. "I regret that they are not of the best order but as you will only be using them for a few hours that hardly matters. I have instructed Alexarchos to have hot baths drawn up and the servants will be bringing light refreshments shortly – it is, after all, still several hours until supper and you are undoubtedly all hungry from your journey." She turned towards Ianthe. "Lady Ianthe, a local dressmaker has been engaged and will be visiting the Princess Ariadne and I shortly. No doubt you will wish to make use of her services for your family while she is here. I will send her to you once I have finished with her."
"Thank you, My Lady," Ianthe murmured, slightly cowed by the formidable Queen.
Pasiphae allowed herself a cool smile.
"Then we will not detain you any longer," she said. "I will look forwards to your presence at supper."
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Herodion replied, looking from the King to the Queen and then back again.
"Please, come this way My Lord," Alexarchos said ingratiatingly. "I have taken the liberty of having your bags brought inside."
He led the family off down a side corridor clearly pointing things out as he went and answering Lord Herodion's questions.
Now that they were gone, Pasiphae finally – finally – faced her son fully – and yet, even now she could not let her guard down and greet Jason in the way she would like; there were still too many outside eyes watching – Minos, Hercules, Pythagoras and any servants who happened to be in the vicinity.
"I am pleased to see you all returned safely," Minos was saying to the three men. "I will expect a full account of your journey later. For now, you should follow Lord Herodion's example and rest and refresh yourselves. No doubt the journey has been arduous." He raised an eyebrow as he took in the travel-stained appearance of the men's clothing and the general air of weariness that seemed to pervade them.
"It has been a little tiring, Your Majesty," Pythagoras murmured.
"Then, please, go and make yourselves comfortable," Minos replied, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. There would be time enough to speak with his stepson later once the boy had had time to recover from his trip a little; plenty of time to greet Jason properly.
As the three men turned to go, however, Pasiphae caught hold of Jason's arm with an iron-hard grip.
"I require a word with you, Jason. Once you have bathed and changed, you will inform a servant and I will come to your chambers," she instructed.
Jason looked down at the hand firmly gripping his arm mildly and then back up at his mother with slightly raised eyebrows.
Pasiphae relaxed her grip a little, realising that it was perhaps a little harder than she had intended, but did not take her hand away from his arm, almost as though she was afraid he would disappear if she did – which was ridiculous, she told herself firmly; she had known all along that Jason intended to return to Pagenia… and yet somehow she had feared he would not.
She was startled to feel herself caught up in a gentle embrace; Jason's arms sneaking around her waist to squeeze her lightly, mindful of his damp clothing. Almost automatically, she brought her own arms around her son's back to return the hug.
"I'm happy to see you too," he breathed into her ear, tone laced with good humour.
Pasiphae found herself smiling warmly.
"Do not be cheeky," she said, extracting herself from his embrace and swatting him lightly on the arm. "You are right though," she relented, catching hold of his hand, "I am pleased to see you. I have missed you."
"I'm not planning on going anywhere again anytime soon," Jason promised. "You'll probably be sick of me before too long."
Pasiphae chuckled lightly.
"Perhaps," she said, "but I do not think that that will happen just yet."
She looked at her son.
"Now go and do as I said," she instructed. "You need to go and get out of those wet clothes. We will talk properly once you are a little more comfortable."
She turned her son around by the shoulders and gave him a gentle shove in the middle of his back to get him moving in the right direction, ignoring the amused look that her husband was giving her.
As Jason jogged down the corridor to re-join his friends, she felt Minos slip an arm around her waist.
"You see, my love," the King said gently. "It is as I said it would be. Jason is returned to us safely and without harm. All is well, thank the Gods."
"Indeed," Pasiphae murmured, half to herself. "We have much to be grateful for it seems."
She watched her son retreating down the corridor until he got to the turn into the family wing. Then she shook herself from her reverie and pulled away from her husband, turning towards him as she did.
"The dressmaker will be here shortly and I have additional duties to attend to now that we have guests for supper. If you will excuse me, My Lord, I will attend to them now."
She turned on her heel and walked briskly away, her mind already fixed on the next task.
Jason waited for the servants to fill the bath in the screened off area of his room with barely concealed impatience. Ordinarily, he would have gone to the main house baths (would never usually have dreamed of asking the servants to fill the tub in his room; still felt decidedly uncomfortable at the idea of anyone serving him) but just after he had got back to his room a young serving girl had arrived, tapping nervously on the door, and had informed him that Master Alexarchos had instructed her to prepare a bath for him at the Queen's behest. Jason wasn't going to put this girl (or any of the other servants who had followed her carrying steaming jugs and buckets) in an impossible position by suggesting that they should disobey an order from his mother, and to be honest he was simply too tired to argue anyway.
He had already stripped off his wet cloak (which had been whisked away instantly by one of the servants), his breastplate, sandals, wrist braces and belt, keen to soak in the hot water as soon as he could. With nothing else to do until the bath was full (and the servants gone because there was no way in hell he was stripping completely naked in front of them), Jason grabbed a fresh set of clothing from a box that had been left at the end of the bed, putting the lid back down quietly and laying out the clothes on a chair, and sat down to wait. He rolled his head and stretched, hearing the cracks and pops that came from his neck and shoulders.
Finally the last servant left the room. Jason padded across the chamber, stripping off his remaining clothes as he went and absently kicking them out of the way, before sinking gratefully into the steaming bath. The hot water eased tension and aches that he hadn't really known were there and the steam soothed away any tightness in his chest (the last remnants of the cough he had had for the last few weeks that was still stubbornly clinging on), as he fully relaxed for the first time since he and his friends had set out to fetch Lord Herodion and his family.
He let his head drop back against the side of the bath, closed his eyes and let his mind drift. It would be so easy to drift off to sleep here. He sighed contentedly as the gentle heat lapped at him and chased away the cold that seemed to have seeped into his bones.
How much time passed before Jason finally roused himself, he couldn't say. Eventually the rapidly cooling water alerted him to the fact that it was probably time to get out. Having quickly washed both his body and hair, he stepped out of the bath and grabbed the towel that one of the servants had carefully placed on a nearby stool, drying himself off rapidly and winding the towel around his waist, before hurrying back around the screen to the blazing fire – not wanting to get cold again.
As Jason pulled on his clothes, his eyes drifted longingly towards the bed. He was feeling a damned site more human after that bath but he was still tired and the bed looked terribly inviting. He shook himself. No. He couldn't let himself sink into the mattress and sleep – not when Pasiphae had said she wanted to see him as soon as he was dressed.
He ambled over to the door and stuck his head out. In the corridor outside the room, a young serving girl was hurrying past with her arms full. Jason was pretty sure it was the same girl who had come to prepare the bath in the first place.
"Hi," he called gently. "Could you help me please?"
The girl turned, startled, nearly dropping her load as she did.
"Of course, My Lord," she replied anxiously. "What is it that you require?"
Jason fought the urge to roll his eyes. He still wasn't entirely used to people calling him 'my lord' and didn't like it very much, but had learned that it wasn't worth trying to get the servants to use his given name; it would only lead to them being punished by the King or Queen if they did and that wasn't something he was willing to see happen.
"The Queen told me to send someone to fetch her as soon as I was ready," he said. "Could you do that please?"
"At once, My Lord," the girl stated, turning and scurrying off as quickly as she could.
Jason shook his head ruefully as he went back inside his room. He didn't think he would ever get used to that sort of reaction; to the nervousness with which most of the servants regarded people they thought of as members of the nobility.
Knowing he would probably have a few minutes to wait before his mother arrived, he moved back across the room and grabbed his comb from the side before using in an attempt to neaten his slightly damp dark curls – he knew that Pasiphae frowned upon any untidiness after all, and he didn't want to have an argument so soon after arriving.
On a whim, Jason grabbed a scroll that Pythagoras had given him just before they had left for Athanos that he hadn't had the chance to read and headed back over to a chair by the fire. About halfway across the room he stopped, frowning, as he noticed something. The clothes he had dropped on the floor earlier were gone and a plate of what appeared to be cakes and pastries had been put on a low table near the fire – which meant that one of the servants had been in the room while Jason had been bathing behind the screen and he hadn't even noticed them. He scowled to himself. It wasn't the fact that they'd been in that he minded so much – although he had been naked and he really wasn't sure that he liked the thought that they could have seen him if they'd just looked around the screen – it was more that he was worried that he hadn't even heard them in there. Just how inattentive had he been?
Still, there didn't seem to be anything he could do about it now. He made the mental note to talk to someone (possibly Alexarchos or his mother – although he wasn't sure whether either one of them would understand why it was a problem for him) to ask that in future no-one should be allowed in if he was bathing.
He settled down in the chair he had been aiming for and unwrapped the scroll, trying to make use of his time until his mother arrived with a little light reading. After a few moments though, he gave up and threw the parchment on the side. His eyes felt dry and sore and the words had seemed to jump about on the page, evidence (if evidence were needed) of how tired he was. He rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, trying to stave off the slight headache he felt lurking.
A light fragrance wafted across the room from the doorway and Jason smiled; he hadn't realised until then that he would recognise Pasiphae's favourite scent so easily. It was more than that though. He could feel her presence without looking – it was something he had noticed a couple of weeks ago; something that seemed to have been growing over time. He wondered if it was something else for him to be worried about but put it out of his mind for now.
"Hi," he said, standing up and turning towards his mother.
"Hello Jason," Pasiphae's tone was far warmer than it had been in the hallway. "I am glad to see you safe and well."
She crossed the room to her son's side and lightly embraced him, still subconsciously worried that he would pull away if she pushed him too far too soon – despite their ever deepening relationship.
As it was, Jason stiffened slightly before forcing himself to relax and slipping his arms around his mother to return her hug.
"Sorry," he murmured. "Automatic reaction. It always tends to startle me when people touch me unexpectedly."
He sounded almost embarrassed and gave a short almost shy laugh, ducking his head as he did.
"I understand," Pasiphae replied, although she didn't quite manage to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
She had hoped that they were past the awkward stage in their relationship by now and couldn't help feeling the sting of rejection at Jason's subconscious action.
"No, I don't think you do," Jason answered. He swallowed hard. "It's just that… being hugged… it's not something I've ever been used to. It was months before I was completely comfortable with either Pythagoras or Hercules hugging me… and they're both really demonstrative… but just because I'm not completely comfortable with physical contact, it doesn't mean I don't care. I'm fine if I'm the one that initiates contact – that starts the hug or whatever – but I suppose it's just that I don't expect to be touched and when I am it makes me feel awkward." He sighed softly. "I will get used to it… I did with the guys… but if I tense up like that it's not because I don't want… It's just… shadows of my past, you know?"
Pasiphae tried to smile and went to pull away from him only to find that Jason tightened his embrace slightly, squeezing her lightly before letting her go with a rueful smile.
"You wanted to speak to me," he said.
"I did," Pasiphae replied, sitting herself down gracefully in one of the chairs near the fire.
Jason took that as his cue to sit too, taking the chair opposite her.
"I wanted to welcome you home," Pasiphae said softly, "and I did not want prying eyes to be watching… Also, I wanted to return this." She held out Jason's necklace, the light from the fire making it glint as is swung from her hand, the leather cord draped across her knuckles.
Jason took it with a smile of thanks and slipped it back over his head. He had to admit that he hadn't felt right without it.
"I told you that I would come back for it if I could," he said.
"You did," Pasiphae responded. "Although I would hope that it was not simply the thought of reclaiming your necklace that made you return."
"It wasn't," Jason replied. "I missed you – all of you… It surprised me just how much I did."
"Dare I hope that this means you have decided to stay with us once we have returned to Atlantis?" Pasiphae asked, her voice even but her eyes intent.
Jason hesitated.
"I don't know," he answered slowly. "I still don't think that I know enough – to have been part of your world for long enough – to commit to anything permanent… and when I think of home it's still my home in the city that comes to mind and not the Palace… I don't what to lose this though. I don't want to lose my mother… and I'm not sure I'll be able to go back to the way things were before anyway. I don't think I'm quite ready to make any permanent decisions about my future but I'm not going to run off as soon as we get back to Atlantis either. I think I'd like to stay for a while if that's alright? Learn a bit more about what your world and your life is like if I can?"
"You should not even need to ask," Pasiphae replied. "You are always welcome in our home. It is your home too, if you wish it to be. I do not deny the fact that I would wish to see you remain with us permanently – to see you take your rightful place in our family in front of the world – but I will content myself with the knowledge that you wish to remain with us for now… it is, after all, more than you have been willing to commit to before now."
"Thank you," Jason said simply. "I wasn't sure you would understand."
"I could compel you to remain at the Palace with us," Pasiphae admitted frankly. "I could force the issue… threaten those who you hold dear… but I could see no good coming of it. You would, at best, resent me… and possibly even come to hate me. I find that I very much want to avoid that. I do not think that I could bear to see you turn against me. I do not wish to lose you again, Jason." She looked away into the heart of the fire.
"You're not going to lose me," Jason replied gently.
"I am very glad to hear it," Pasiphae responded. "Now tell me, your journey – it was not too taxing?"
"I am tired," Jason admitted. "Very tired. The journey was harder than I had hoped it would be. Thank you for sorting out the bath by the way… I'd have probably ended up using one of the water jugs if you hadn't… I'm a bit too tired to have wanted to go to the main house baths."
"You all looked cold and tired," Pasiphae said. "It is one of the duties of a good hostess to see to the comfort of her husband's guests… and one of the duties of any wife and mother to see to the comfort of her family. It was simply a matter of instructing the servants to bring water. It cost me no effort at all."
"It was still thoughtful," Jason answered, "and I'm grateful."
"You must be hungry." Pasiphae gestured towards the plate of cakes and pastries on the low table. "It is still some hours until supper. Please… eat."
Jason smiled and reached for a cake. It was still warm. He smiled.
"Will you join me?" he asked. "Unless you need to be somewhere else that is."
"There is nothing that requires my attention at this precise moment," Pasiphae confirmed. "I have already dealt with the dressmaker. She is with Ariadne now and will then visit Lady Ianthe, so I am currently free to spend my time as I wish… for now at least."
She took her own pastry from the plate.
"So Ariadne is betrothed then," Jason said softly.
"Yes," Pasiphae confirmed. "You knew that it was to happen though."
"Yeah. Yeah, I did," her son replied with a soft sigh. "It's just that I suppose I had hoped it wouldn't be quite so quick."
"There was no reason to delay once Prince Chalcon had arrived," Pasiphae retorted. "King Agrias was pushing for it to happen as soon as possible and Minos had no option but to comply."
Jason snorted.
"I'm surprised he didn't insist on them being married as soon as the engagement was announced," he stated with a faint hint of bitterness in his tone.
"He was indeed keen for the marriage to take place without delay, but alas it was not to be," Pasiphae replied coolly.
Jason couldn't help but notice the way her lips twitched slightly though – a sure sign that the Queen was amused by something – or the smugness that she seemed to radiate.
"What did you do?" he demanded.
"I?" Pasiphae asked. "I did nothing… and I would thank you not to suggest outside this room that I did. Our position is a precarious one and we cannot afford to be seen to be doing anything dishonourable after all."
"Of course," Jason replied, although his eyes had started to dance with faint amusement. "Forgive me for even thinking anything else."
Pasiphae's lips twitched again.
"No, it was the Oracle who determined that the marriage could not take place at this time," she said. "She consulted with the Gods. It seems that they were concerned that their authority might be usurped and demanded that their blessing be sought – and this can only happen at the sacred grove at Dodona. The Oracle called the various kings who are in Pagenia to her and informed them of this. She also informed them that Poseidon, the Earth shaker, would be angered if his servant was not married before the great bull statue in the Temple of Atlantis and that he would punish us; that he would lay waste to all that those who defy him hold dear. King Agrias readily agreed to postpone the wedding until we are back in Atlantis when it was pointed out to him that Poseidon's wrath would fall on Tanagra most of all if his will was defied."
"And of course you had nothing to do with that," Jason murmured.
"I cannot influence the Gods," Pasiphae answered smoothly, "and it can hardly be said that the Oracle is a close friend of mine. There are few who would believe that I can influence her."
"What's he like?" Jason asked.
"Who?"
"The Prince that Ariadne is betrothed to."
It was like picking at a wound, Jason decided morbidly; you knew you would make it bleed and yet, at the same time, you couldn't help yourself.
Pasiphae gave him a shrewd and knowing look.
"He is… not what I expected," she answered. "He seems to be nothing like his father – thank the Gods. He appears to be less than pleased to be pushed into a betrothal with a woman he does not know… although he also seems determined to make the best of the situation. I believe that he would like to find a way to make Ariadne happy."
"You like him then," Jason murmured, heart plummeting.
"Oh I would not go that far," Pasiphae replied sharply. "I think that he may be more of an ally that I had anticipated – certainly more so than his father is… but you shall judge for yourself soon enough. Prince Chalcon, for obvious reasons, has been a frequent visitor here in the past few days… and will attend the meetings the King is holding to discuss strategy with his father if nothing else."
"I see," Jason responded.
He looked away into the fire, swallowing hard.
"There is something else troubling you, is there not," Pasiphae remarked.
"I'm just tired." Jason answered a little too quickly.
Then he swallowed hard again and looked at his mother.
"No," he went on. "That's not it. He said I should trust you. That I should tell you…" he broke off suddenly.
"Who advised you to trust me?"
"Hercules," Jason replied. "He said that I should talk to you."
"And what is it that you need to talk to me about?" Pasiphae asked gently.
She had barely managed to keep the surprise from registering on her face that it had been her son's older friend who had suggested that Jason should trust her – she was hardly friendly with the man after all.
Jason licked his lips, drawing his lower lip between his teeth and then releasing it at his mother's pointed look.
"I've been having these dreams," he said in a rush.
"Go on," Pasiphae said encouragingly.
She felt a surge of relief at fact that Jason seemed to be finally about to open up to her – now she could help him if he would let her.
"Sometimes when I dream it comes true later," Jason muttered. "Like I've dreamt the future or something. Sometimes it's only flashes – images – but sometimes it's like I've seen what's going to happen in full. It happened the night before we rescued the girls from the slavers and it happened again the first night I came and had supper at the table with everyone." He swallowed hard before going on. "That night I dreamt about the battle in the streets and about the Temple falling to the Amphigeneians… and when it actually happened, I swear it was exactly like I dreamt it – even down to what people were saying – apart from in my dream the Oracle was killed when Anaxandros went to cut out her heart over the altar and in reality she wasn't."
"Because you threw a knife and saved her," Pasiphae pointed out. "This dream gave you the foreknowledge to allow you to act and change the outcome. That is something we should all be grateful for." She hesitated. "This does not just happen when you sleep and dream though, does it?"
Jason looked at her in surprise; his eyes huge and startled.
"What do you mean?" he asked guardedly.
Pasiphae sighed softly.
"I have noticed that there are times when you seem absent even though you are physically present," she said carefully. "Times when you seem to have lapses, for want of a better word."
Jason looked down at the floor and nodded awkwardly, unable to keep himself from biting his lip this time. For once, Pasiphae let the action go, realising that having this conversation was far more important than correcting any of the bad habits she felt her son had.
"Yes," he admitted. "You're right. There are times when it's like the world around me fades away and I see things that aren't there… and they don't always make sense. I mean, some of them might be things in the future but some of them seem to be in the past… things that happened years ago but that I wasn't part of or there for or whatever. Only, that can't be right… Listen, I'm talking nonsense. It's probably just my imagination running riot again. Dad always said I had an overactive imagination."
Something in his tone immediately put Pasiphae on alert. Why had Aeson said that? What had he known about their son that Jason himself clearly didn't know?
"I was led to believe that you were very young when your father disappeared," she said lightly.
Jason shrugged, once again forgetting that his mother disliked the gesture intensely.
"I was five," he said. "I suppose at that age all children have pretty vivid imaginations. It's not that important now anyway." He paused. "At first I tried to convince myself that it was all coincidence but it's all a bit too precise… things were happening exactly the way I was seeing them… or imagining them… or whatever the hell it is." He paused again for a moment. "When we were on our way to Athanos, there was a moment when I saw the town fall – when I knew what was going to happen before it did and when it was going to happen. I mean… it was useful at the time… but I just want it to stop."
"I do not believe it can be stopped," Pasiphae answered gently, reaching out and taking her son's hand in both of hers. "I suspect that this is as much a part of you as having dark curls or being agile or able to run fast."
"Because I am touched by the Gods?" Jason asked.
"Possibly," Pasiphae replied, "and possibly not. It may well be that this is different… that it is something that would always have been a part of you whether you were touched by the Gods or not. That is something that we may find out with time. I suspect, though, that you will not be able to rid yourself of this gift… but that it is something that you can learn to control so that is does not affect your every waking moment and does not disturb your sleep constantly. The first thing will be to speak with the Oracle… after all, she will have more experience with this type of problem than any one of us."
Jason looked at her with wide eyes. Pasiphae was once again struck by just how young and innocent he looked.
"You believe me?" he asked hesitantly.
"Of course I believe you, silly boy," Pasiphae replied.
She looked at him again, seeing both the surprise and naked hope in his eyes. It made her pause.
"You actually thought I would not believe you," she continued slowly. "That is why you did not speak to me any sooner."
Jason looked at the floor again and nodded. Pasiphae let go of his hand and stood. She drew the chair she was sitting in around until it was next to her son. Sitting back down, she reached out and turned his face towards her.
"You should have come to me sooner and I could have allayed these fears," she remarked gently. "You must remember that in my family it is not so unusual to have powers beyond the understanding of ordinary men. You are a child of Colchis as much as you are a child of Atlantis."
"Erm… I'm not actually a child," Jason pointed out.
"It is simply a turn of phrase, as I believe you are well aware," Pasiphae said. "You have as much Colchian blood as you do Atlantian." She paused. "I had – have – a sister who is a seer… as I believe I told you once before," she went on. "We are not close… We have not been close for many years now… but as a child I bore witness to her visions on more than one occasion… So to know you have inherited this ability comes as less of a surprise than you might have believed."
"I thought you'd think I was going mad," Jason admitted. "I thought I was going mad… and you have so many other things to deal with at the moment. I didn't want to add to that."
"Oh you silly, silly boy," Pasiphae chided gently. "You are my son and your wellbeing is important to me. I will never be so busy that you cannot speak to me about matters that concern you so deeply." She slipped her hand round to the back of his neck and gently rubbed in the comforting manner she had seen his friend Hercules doing on several occasions. "In this matter I only wish to help you, my love."
"So you think I should speak with the Oracle then?"
"I do," Pasiphae confirmed. "I am right, am I not, that you have not been sleeping well because of this?"
Jason attempted a smile.
"No," he agreed. "I don't think I've had a full night's sleep in weeks."
"Then it is imperative that you speak with the Oracle soon," his mother declared. "You cannot go on like this. It is not good for you. For now, though, I believe that you should rest from your journey. Tonight we will have supper with Lord Herodion and his family… and tomorrow you shall speak with the Oracle."
Jason huffed a soft laugh.
"I am very tired," he admitted.
"Then I shall leave you for now," Pasiphae replied. "I believe that Minos wished to take a turn in the gardens if it has stopped raining and I must ensure that Alexarchos has instructed the kitchen staff properly on what to prepare for supper."
"And I would hate to think that they were not completely terrorised into submission," Jason responded, his bright grin and dancing eyes informing his mother that he was only teasing.
"You are too impudent by half," Pasiphae retorted, although it was clear from her slight smile that she was amused. "Rest well now and I shall see you in time for supper."
"Until later then," Jason answered.
The Queen stood and glided gracefully out of the room, pulling the door softly closed behind her. Jason watched her leave. Then his eyes were drawn once more to the bed. It was amazing how much lighter he felt for having opened up to his mother, he decided as he ambled across the room and sat down on the edge of the mattress.
He yawned and swung himself up onto the bed, wriggling down into a comfortable position as he relaxed fully for the first time since leaving to go to Athanos.
Pasiphae had been far more understanding than he had been expecting; had managed to allay his fears pretty well. Jason half smiled sleepily to himself. Hercules had been right: talking to his mother had definitely been the right thing to do.
Jason yawned again and let his eyes slip closed, finally drifting away into a well-earned nap.
