Part 2 - Hide

OK, I know that Atlantis is not the palace of Poseidon, but sometimes you have to make things up too.

A light rain was moisturising the cobblestones where the hooded figure came riding. The stranger was sitting erect on the horse-back, glowed hands gripping the reins and face hidden in the shadows of the dark brown leather hood. A large sword hung on his back, besides that the strangers only belongings seemed enough to fill two saddle bags.

Agilely the stranger dismounted, showing slim but lithe legs in a short glimpse before the long, well worn cloak hide them again. The horse, a chestnut-coloured stallion with white socks and a white star upon his forehead, became tied to a post outside the inn, and the stranger entered through the front door.

- A half-pint, one of the mean-looking men stated as the stranger let the door close behind him.
- Yeah, but did ya see that sword, man? his buddy said. Bet he can use it too, and if so's the case bet you don't wanna mess with him, half-pint or not.
- But there's money in that li'l purse, methinks. Lotta money.
- Shut up! I know you need them since you've gotta pay your depths to Memnon, but you ain't that desperate yet, pal.

- A room. Clean cheats. The voice was strangely androgynous for coming from a man carrying him with such self-assurance, the inn-keeper thought. But what the Hades, there were so many strange people crossing the plains these days so after a while you stopped being surprised.
- Single room? That'd be sixteen drachmae a night, the keeper told.
- One night's enough, I'm just travelling through, the stranger said, face still hidden behind that hood.
- All right then, number seven. The inn-keeper handed over a rust-stained key.

ooo

Amphitrite was lying on the top of the bed, watching the patterns of water-damages in the ceiling, thinking over her situation. She was starting to get sick of this now. First it had seemed exciting travelling around the world disguised as a mortal, seldom stopping more than one night at a place, never revealing her true identity and always keeping as far away from the sea as possible.

But now it had begun to wear on her. She had to admit that she was homesick after more than a year on the road. She missed the sea, her natural environment. It seemed ridiculous to keep on like this, she sure couldn't be the Neried on the run for the rest of eternity.

She recalled the fight with her parents before leaving. They had though her being out of her mind turning Poseidon down. Didn't she knew about the power he held, wasn't she aware of all the things he could give her? Not mentioning the honour her marriage would bring to the house of Nereus.
- Forget honour, power and gifts! I don't want to marry. I'm not ready for it. I want to see the world, I want to meet new people, learn new things. And I want to do it on my own, I don't want a husband who dictates everything about...

- I'm sure Poseidon understands that you are young and burning for adventures, her mother Doris had started. Nereus had cut off his wife.
- You can't demand of a god like Poseidon to "understand" every whim of his wife-to-be. Amphitrite you just have to realise that you are entering a new state of your life now.
- But I'm not ready...
- Make yourself ready! Now, listen to your mother, I'm sure she can offer you advises.

- Nereus, give your daughter a break, Doris turned to her husband. It was different with me, I was crazy about you from the first time I laid my eyes upon you; it was not hard for me to "enter a new state of" my life 400 years ago. Especially since I was almost five times as old as Ami is now. I had "been there done that" with almost everything save from being married and giving birth. I couldn't wait to have you, darling. Still can't to be true.
- Then tell Ami that it's not so terrible being married, her father had urged.

- Dad! Amphitrite had called out. I am not marrying Poseidon or anyone else no matter what you or mum say. I'm too young! Ask Orithyia, she's closing on 50 and she said she thinks Poseidon is a hunk.
- The Sea God doesn't want your sister, he wants you. I can't offer him a consolation prize.
- Nereus! Doris was snapping. Were you just calling one of your daughters...
- Sorry, darling, didn't mean that. But Ami, now this discussion will have to end. Off packing now, young lady, tomorrow I'm going to escort you to the palace of the Sea God. Six of your unmarried sisters will follow you as maids of honour, pick them yourself!

Sure, Amphitrite had gone packing, but not with travelling to Poseidon in mind. In the middle of the night she had left home, a note on her desk telling her parents not to search for her. That had been last year. Surely Poseidon must have tired of looking for her now. If he ever had been looking. The Olympians were burning hot and tiring fast, according to Themis. And if dad was still mad at her - so be it. She would have to make him understand that marrying had never been an option for her.

- If I ever marry, she had told her horse several times over the months, it's going to be out of love. And it's going to be to someone who understands me and want to do the same things as I. An adventurer, a man curious for new things and new places, a man I can talk to, not just getting laid by. A man who wants more from me than sex and children. A buddy, a companion. And if he's not out there for me I guess I'll stay unmarried.

She sat up and reached for her packing, dragging out a bronze-mirror.
- Guess I have to see what's up at home before returning. And to make sure Poseidon really has tired.

Amphitrite scanned her home, noticing that there wasn't really that much to notice, everything was going on as usual: Galathea and Nemertes fighting, Nesaea nibbling on leftover food and Pronoe looking after the young children. But Thetis seemed sad over something, was sitting by herself in her room, with tear-stricken face and a hollow look in her blue eyes. At that sight Ami really felt that she had to be home. Thetis was one of her favourite sisters, and she hated to see her sad.

But first - Poseidon. What was he up to? This would have to be done carefully, or he might notice. These top gods had some really supreme qualities, and you never knew when they were able to outwit you. That was why she had waited so long with this. But it had to be done, she had to be sure.

Carefully she held the mirror in her lap, concentrating on the face she was going to conjure up. She remembered him all too well, those green eyes, the bluish-black wavy hair held back in clasps and trim beard. That smile who could have downed anyone. If he had just been someone else, someone content with a short flirt...

- Get a grip on yourself, Ami! She lectured herself, took a deep breath and concentrated again. And sure, soon she found him, he was at a place she reckoned was Atlantis, his underwater palace. He was talking to one of his attendants, looking all business. The attendant, a mermaid, was taking notes on a board, dropping her pen several times out of pure nervousness.

- And if you loose her again I'll have to be informed immediately. I am not going to go to some port town to find out that she has taken off in the mountains, and the naiad has lost her after she crossed the bridge.
- But she's fast, the mermaid told her lord, she knows that she has to avoid following rivers and streams for a longer period. And apparently she has got herself a horse now.

- A horse! Poseidon suddenly smiled. Xantousa, why didn't you say so immediately? I am after all the Lord of Horses as well as of the Sea. I can command all horses to look for this very stead and upon finding it I can order it to turn her in. Xantousa, get me the Stallion Governor! I'm sure this will be the final break-through and that I'm going to have my little Amphitrite with me within a week.

- Mother! Amphitrite exclaimed, almost dropping the mirror, turning it blank immediately. He was still looking. That meant going home was out of the question. Poseidon hadn't given up yet. He had employed all his creatures of the seas. And now he was going to have her horse turn treasonous on her. She had to get rid of the animal. A pity, the stallion had become more than a stead over the months, he had become a friend, a comrade, a listener to all her talking during these endless travels.

ooo

The next day she sold her horse, teary-eyed as she parted with the stallion and let the golden drachmae disappear down in her purse. But she knew he was going to obey his lord Poseidon and turn her in. Why hadn't she thought of that before, Poseidon being the lord of horses? She must do something radical, she realised, or sooner or later she would make another mistake and that time Poseidon would catch her. There must be somewhere where she could stay. Somewhere she could be safe. Someone who wasn't afraid of the Sea God and who wouldn't turn her in. Was there anyone?

Yes, there were, Ami reckoned as she left the village on foot, not noticing the men spying upon her from behind some scrubs.
- Athena, she thought aloud. She and Poseidon have held a grudge against each other since before I was born. First over Athens and then over some hero who fell off a boat and drowned.

Amphitrite shuddered in the warm sun while thinking of Zeus' war-clad daughter and her ice-gray eyes which seemed to judge each and everyone she saw. Why would she help a poor Neried? A grudge against her uncle was surely not enough for Athena to bother. She was probably just going to laugh Ami in her face, call her a coward and tell her to go hide somewhere else. Besides it was impossible to reach Athens without having to cross the sea, and that was a definite no-no. Ami was probably not going to be able to set foot upon the deck of a boat before her pursuer found her.

Then what were her options? she pondered while starting northwards, uphill. Was there some other god who could help her hide? Or even better - someone who could help her persuade Poseidon to give up the idea of getting her as his bride? Zeus himself perhaps. But then she would probably have to...

What was that? Amphitrite turned around, but saw nothing but the lush greenery of the woods, and the rays of sunlight shining down between the leaves. But there had been a twig snapping. Maybe just an animal, but she had been so lost in thoughts that she had forgot to pay attention to her surroundings. She scanned but sensed nothing but some mortals, probably hunters checking on their snares and hoping for a hare or rabbit for dinner.

The next moment five dark-clad men were over her, an iron blade against her throat.
- Gimme those money young lad, or you'll be left here bleeding and we take them anyway.
- Idiots! Amphitrite spat and turned the blade into a melting liquid that burned her attacker severely. He screamed and let go of her and she reached for her sword, and in one single sweep beheaded two of the men, the other two were fleeing head over heals.

Them she finished with a curse that stopped their hearts, one of them tumbling down in the ravine to his left with a scream of horror that was cut off abruptly, the other one just slumping down on the path like a rag doll. Left was the man she had burned.
- Witch, he spat.
- Wrong, she answered. Goddess I am. And your pals are dead. Run home to mama and don't mess with what you can't handle in the future! Amphitrite sent him a mental spanking on his back and watched him running like mad down the path. Scornfully she laughed at him, feeling suddenly uplifted by the little interruption in the lethargy.

- You're the one Poseidon is out to get, was the next thing she heard, a voice coming from above. She tilted her neck, expecting to see someone flying. But the slender, auburn-haired god sat in a tree, comfortably resting where two branches met.
- Who are you? She asked, startled, still grasping her weapon.
- Don't worry, I'm not going to tell upon you. I'm Euandros, son of Hermes, and protector of sole travellers. Like yourself. And the God of the Sea is not one of my pals so to speak. I think I'm going to help you instead.

- How?
- I know a place where you can go.
- Where?
- Not so fast. You have something I want in return.
- Like what?
- That sword of yours. I know a work of Hephestos when I see one, and I've been trying to get one for ages. But the old uncle is oh so busy all the time. And since I had his wife I'm not his favourite customer so to speak. Like if I could have resisted Aphrodite.

- Oh, you're as talkative as your dad! I need this blade.
- You won't be needing it where I'm sending you, it's a perfectly safe place. See, it's well guarded, and my relative would gladly see Poseidon screwed.
- I wasn't going to use my blade on Poseidon if you thought so. No, it has been saving me from punks like these, keeping them from attacking me. At least most of them. But some mortals really are idiots. Now, where is that haven?
- The blade first. Or you might screw me so to say.

- Euandros! You said it's your relative who runs that place?
- Yeah, he's one of the most...
- Take me there! And then I'll give you the blade in return for you talking to him. Then I can't "screw you so to say" because I'm going to need you talking to him. Deal?
- Deal!

There on the narrow wooden path beneath the high cedars Amphitrite and Euandros shook hand. Would this be what she had been looking for? Ami wondered. Of course it felt sad to part from her blade, a gift from her father, but she wouldn't need it if it really was a safe place Euandros took her to.