Hercules was worried. It has been almost a day since Kyron left and if luck
was with them he should be on his way back to the Academy. But the
situation with Jason was not good. Even Iolus was beginning to show signs
of serious concern, and for something to get his attention like that, it
had to be bad.
The first night wasn't so hard. Hercules, Iolus and Detrion had remained awake the rest of the night with Jason. Since they had stayed out very late the night before at the party, dawn wasn't long in coming. When the other cadets rose, Detrion explained the situation, and the cadets came up with a schedule - they would take turns making sure Jason didn't fall asleep.
They quickly uncovered a flaw in their plan. They had planned on being able to keep Jason occupied with drills and exercise, but it became apparent that the harder he worked out, the faster he became exhausted. Letting him settle in one place for too long was bad too; he had a distressing tendency to want to relax, and that would lead to sleep. By the end of the first day, everyone was on edge and afraid that they would be the one who let Jason fall asleep. Nerves were raw, and no one was more on edge than Jason.
Jason was aware, but unable to express his appreciation for the effort his friends were making for him. He was trying just as hard as they were to keep a positive attitude, but his thoughts were beginning to get muddled, and he was finding it hard to think straight. Everyone seemed to be speaking to him from far away, and what they were saying had begun to stop making sense. Every fiber of his being screamed for sleep; and he was almost to the point of welcoming oblivion. He would have done it too, if he didn't know that he would let everyone down if he did.
It was Hercules' turn to stay with Jason. A part of Jason's mind wondered from far away where Iolus was. He knew the other cadets were sleeping in shifts. And someone had laid down a strict rule that no one could yawn or otherwise demonstrate sleepiness in front of him. Hercules was trying to keep Jason occupied with a series of geometry questions, but Jason had never been a fan of math, and the theories of Pythagorus kept eluding him.
Jason rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Ugh, Herc! No more geometry. It's not like I'll every use it in real life. Ask me something different."
Hercules was glad to get a response out of Jason. It was getting harder and harder to keep him focused. He silently prayed that Iolus would return soon. Maybe their secret weapon would be able to help. "Okay Jace. Let's go through the Kings of Corinth from the founding. I *know* you're interested in that."
Jason nodded his assent. This was a subject near and dear to his heart. He studied the history of Corinth very seriously and intended not to repeat the mistakes of foolish kings from the past. He began to recite the kings and what they accomplished during their reigns. Hercules took hold of his arm, and led him in a slow walk around the courtyard. He began to notice that Jason was mixing the kings up, and the deeds he attributed to each one were way off the mark. Hercules was alarmed when he noticed Jason's head beginning to nod even as he was speaking.
He gave a yank on Jason's arm, and the prince's head snapped up. He gasped in alarm at how close he had come to dozing. "Sorry Herc." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I just...I was...what was I doing?"
Hercules tried to hide his anguish. "The kings. You were reciting the kings of Corinth. Try it again."
"Okay. Kings of Corinth. Right." Jason took a few steps forward. "Just let me sit down for a minute, okay?"
"No!" Hercules hauled on Jason's arm, bodily keeping him on his feet. "No Jace, we need to keep moving. Walk with me."
The urgency in Hercules' voice registered with Jason, and he really did try to keep walking. But after a few steps he faltered again. "Just let me sit down a minute. Just a minute, then I'll be fine."
"No! Jason!" Hercules was pleading now, but he didn't seem to be getting through to his friend. Jason's right leg began to slide out from under him as Hercules frantically pulled on his left arm to keep him on his feet. "Just a few minutes, then I'll be fine..." Jason mumbled.
"Stand up straight young man!" A new voice cut across the courtyard.
Jason snapped to attention looking around in confusion. "Mom?"
From the entrance of the Academy two figured hurried forward. Jason squinted his eyes and tried to make out the people approaching them. "Mom?" he asked again. "Is that you?"
"Close enough." replied the woman with a gentle smile. She took the young prince's face in her hands, then turned to Iolus. "Make up that tea for me, and hurry now, Iolus."
"Sure Alcemene, right away." Iolus ran off to the kitchen with the basket of herbs from Alcemene's garden.
"Mom." Hercules said with relief, "Thanks for coming." Alcemene linked her left arm through Jason's right one and got him walking again. "You were right to send for me Hercules. You know I'll do whatever I can to help."
Jason, still confused and thinking he was speaking with his long dead mother, asked again. "Mom?"
"Yes dear." she patted his arm gently. "You were reciting the kings of Corinth. Why don't you start again."
Walking with Alcemene seemed to bring a new energy to Jason. "I've missed you, Mom. I'm glad you're here." He smiled and turned to Hercules. "Do you see my mom? I don't think you ever met her." Hercules just smiled and nodded. It pained his heart to see Jason so confused, but he was so grateful to Alcemene for arriving when she did.
Hercules leaned forward a little so he could see Alcemene. "Yup, looks like you've got the best mother there is." The two shared a secret smile and continued to walk Jason around until Iolus arrived with the tea.
The first night wasn't so hard. Hercules, Iolus and Detrion had remained awake the rest of the night with Jason. Since they had stayed out very late the night before at the party, dawn wasn't long in coming. When the other cadets rose, Detrion explained the situation, and the cadets came up with a schedule - they would take turns making sure Jason didn't fall asleep.
They quickly uncovered a flaw in their plan. They had planned on being able to keep Jason occupied with drills and exercise, but it became apparent that the harder he worked out, the faster he became exhausted. Letting him settle in one place for too long was bad too; he had a distressing tendency to want to relax, and that would lead to sleep. By the end of the first day, everyone was on edge and afraid that they would be the one who let Jason fall asleep. Nerves were raw, and no one was more on edge than Jason.
Jason was aware, but unable to express his appreciation for the effort his friends were making for him. He was trying just as hard as they were to keep a positive attitude, but his thoughts were beginning to get muddled, and he was finding it hard to think straight. Everyone seemed to be speaking to him from far away, and what they were saying had begun to stop making sense. Every fiber of his being screamed for sleep; and he was almost to the point of welcoming oblivion. He would have done it too, if he didn't know that he would let everyone down if he did.
It was Hercules' turn to stay with Jason. A part of Jason's mind wondered from far away where Iolus was. He knew the other cadets were sleeping in shifts. And someone had laid down a strict rule that no one could yawn or otherwise demonstrate sleepiness in front of him. Hercules was trying to keep Jason occupied with a series of geometry questions, but Jason had never been a fan of math, and the theories of Pythagorus kept eluding him.
Jason rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Ugh, Herc! No more geometry. It's not like I'll every use it in real life. Ask me something different."
Hercules was glad to get a response out of Jason. It was getting harder and harder to keep him focused. He silently prayed that Iolus would return soon. Maybe their secret weapon would be able to help. "Okay Jace. Let's go through the Kings of Corinth from the founding. I *know* you're interested in that."
Jason nodded his assent. This was a subject near and dear to his heart. He studied the history of Corinth very seriously and intended not to repeat the mistakes of foolish kings from the past. He began to recite the kings and what they accomplished during their reigns. Hercules took hold of his arm, and led him in a slow walk around the courtyard. He began to notice that Jason was mixing the kings up, and the deeds he attributed to each one were way off the mark. Hercules was alarmed when he noticed Jason's head beginning to nod even as he was speaking.
He gave a yank on Jason's arm, and the prince's head snapped up. He gasped in alarm at how close he had come to dozing. "Sorry Herc." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I just...I was...what was I doing?"
Hercules tried to hide his anguish. "The kings. You were reciting the kings of Corinth. Try it again."
"Okay. Kings of Corinth. Right." Jason took a few steps forward. "Just let me sit down for a minute, okay?"
"No!" Hercules hauled on Jason's arm, bodily keeping him on his feet. "No Jace, we need to keep moving. Walk with me."
The urgency in Hercules' voice registered with Jason, and he really did try to keep walking. But after a few steps he faltered again. "Just let me sit down a minute. Just a minute, then I'll be fine."
"No! Jason!" Hercules was pleading now, but he didn't seem to be getting through to his friend. Jason's right leg began to slide out from under him as Hercules frantically pulled on his left arm to keep him on his feet. "Just a few minutes, then I'll be fine..." Jason mumbled.
"Stand up straight young man!" A new voice cut across the courtyard.
Jason snapped to attention looking around in confusion. "Mom?"
From the entrance of the Academy two figured hurried forward. Jason squinted his eyes and tried to make out the people approaching them. "Mom?" he asked again. "Is that you?"
"Close enough." replied the woman with a gentle smile. She took the young prince's face in her hands, then turned to Iolus. "Make up that tea for me, and hurry now, Iolus."
"Sure Alcemene, right away." Iolus ran off to the kitchen with the basket of herbs from Alcemene's garden.
"Mom." Hercules said with relief, "Thanks for coming." Alcemene linked her left arm through Jason's right one and got him walking again. "You were right to send for me Hercules. You know I'll do whatever I can to help."
Jason, still confused and thinking he was speaking with his long dead mother, asked again. "Mom?"
"Yes dear." she patted his arm gently. "You were reciting the kings of Corinth. Why don't you start again."
Walking with Alcemene seemed to bring a new energy to Jason. "I've missed you, Mom. I'm glad you're here." He smiled and turned to Hercules. "Do you see my mom? I don't think you ever met her." Hercules just smiled and nodded. It pained his heart to see Jason so confused, but he was so grateful to Alcemene for arriving when she did.
Hercules leaned forward a little so he could see Alcemene. "Yup, looks like you've got the best mother there is." The two shared a secret smile and continued to walk Jason around until Iolus arrived with the tea.