- Hi there! I need to thank my friend who also is a huge Atlantis fan who gave me the idea for this chapter, so I hope you like it!-

Chapter VI: Speckles.

"Just in time for dinner." Icarus announced with a smile when the door opened. Daedalus turned around still holding the wooden spoon he used for stirring the stew.

"Finally." Hercules said and sat down at the table.

"Good evening." Pythagoras greeted everyone and joined them at the table. A few moments later they all four sat at the table with a bowl of stew in front of them. Hercules happily munched on the food.

"How was your first day as teacher?" Icarus asked.

"It was not bad. I need to teach two boys and they seem fairly interested in mathematics while their sister seems to be interested in plants and healing." Pythagoras answered with a little smile.

"Then you have chosen a good household to teach." Daedalus said. Pythagoras showed them his earned silver coin. "I can return tomorrow, but I have to be careful, because their father is quite a hard one to deal with." All three nodded.

"it is good to see that you have enjoyed it." Icarus said with a smile and started to clean off the table when they were done.

"I hope your day was as enjoyable as the mine was?"

"It was all right. I hope Alessandro is slowly going to like me." Pythagoras got his parchment and lay it down on the table.

"As long as he will not do it like I do, it will be all fine." Pythagoras said and gave him a little smile.

"Never will there be someone else that will take your place." Icarus said and kissed him. Pythagoras smiled and soon enough he started to work again. He worked on his mathematics for a few hours before Icarus almost dragged him to bed, not wanting to just go and sleep.

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Daedalus left the day after, saying he would be too long away from home. The new normal life settled again in their lives. Hercules complaining about the food and wine, Pythagoras and Icarus both working. Icarus thought to do good, helping Pythagoras to sleep at least four times a week so he would have all the energy he could have to teach the children.

That morning the sun did not shine, the sky was covered in dark clouds. It was about a month ago when Pythagoras had given his first lesson and still quite enjoyed, especially that he now could see that they were learning and remembering what he had taught them.

"I will see you tonight." Icarus said and kissed Pythagoras goodbye before their ways parted once again, like they did every morning. Pythagoras looked up to the sky when he felt the first droplets fell upon him. It was not far anymore but he was already soaked to his skin when he finally was inside. Only a few times a year it would rain in Atlantis but when it would, it would do it good. He was just moments inside before heaven really opened.

"Today you can sit in the kitchen." Kalista informed him, not wanting their children to be outside and be wet all day long. Pythagoras nodded and followed her in to the kitchen. He hung his cloak over the back of the chair so it would have the chance to dry. He watched the three children while he wiped the limply hanging curls from his face.

"What are we going to do today?" Damien asked curious.

"Well, I am not going to teach you about herbs and plants today, since you can see for once it is raining. So, I suppose it will be mathematics again." Pythagoras said and sat down at the table. He wrote down some little more difficult calculations than last time and put his own parchment with his triangles on the table so he could work on them himself. Most of the morning he listened to the discussion between Damien and Angelo about how to solve the calculations instead of concentrating on his own parchment. "Shall I tell you how to solve them?" He asked when it was almost noon and done with the discussion they were having. He picked up his quill and started to write while explaining what he was doing.

"See, I was right." Angelo exclaimed.

"No this is not." Pythagoras muttered quietly and simply put a line through his calculation.

"You see, I was right." Damien said who sat on the other side of Pythagoras. Pythagoras did the calculation again but failed again to solve it.

"This isn't right either." Pythagoras said softly. "Why don't we save them for tomorrow, then you will get another chance in making them."

"Are you all right?" Karissa asked carefully when Pythagoras sat on the other side of the table again.

"I just have a headache, if you wish to know." Pythagoras answered looking at her.

"Maybe you need to drink something?" Karissa tried and gave him a cup filled with water.

"Thank you, who knows it might help." Pythagoras drained the cup and tried once again to concentrate on is triangles. Luckily soon enough it was again dinnertime and time for Pythagoras to get home. His headache was only getting worse and he could absolutely not concentrate on his triangles, making him only stare blankly at the parchment for the remaining time.

"How was your day?" Icarus asked the moment Pythagoras stepped through the door.

"All right, but I have a headache, so please keep your voice down." Pythagoras said and gave him an apologising look. "Where is Hercules?"

"Hercules left a note that he was out this evening." Icarus said and Pythagoras nodded, not knowing what to say about it. For it was good that Hercules would be out again, yet the possibility of him returning home drunk and gambled away all his money would be big. When dinner was ready they ate together, and Pythagoras went to bed early, hoping his headache would lessen while he slept. Icarus decided to join him and once again softly massaged Pythagoras scalp in the hope of getting him relaxed and sleeping once again. Pythagoras had not noticed that he was slumbering when he awoke by the sound of a door slamming shut. He recognised Hercules voice before he buried his face in Icarus chest, trying to go and sleep again.

When Icarus awoke an hour before dawn he softly awoke Pythagoras. "Good morning." He said softly and smiled at his lover before he got up and dressed. "Why… Is there a goat on the table?" Icarus asked cautiously, eying the black and white goat that stood on the table, shewing on a corner of Pythagoras' parchment. Pythagoras walked in the room a moment later, being dressed.

"My parchment!" He said almost panicking. "Hercules!"

"What?" Hercules slurred squinting against the light and the loud noises. He was already getting annoyed.

"Why is there a goat on the table?" Pythagoras said getting angry. "But more important, why is it eating from my parchment!"

"I won it, yesterday." Hercules said while he rubbed his eyes.

"With gambling?" Icarus asked while he softly touched Pythagoras shoulder to calm him.

"Yes, his name is Speckles." Hercules replied before he started to search for wine.

"He is better use for us when he is sold, or made in to meat than eating my parchment." Pythagoras replied.

"No, you do not touch Speckles." Hercules said and watched while Icarus got the goat from the table back to the ground.

"Pythagoras, we have to go now, otherwise we will be late." Icarus said pushing him over to the door. "Hercules, if you wish to keep the goat, go and seek somewhere where he can stay, for he cannot say here inside." He whispered to Hercules before he left with Pythagoras to their work.

When Pythagoras arrived at his job again, the first thing he did was explaining how they had to solve the calculations. He also told them about the stupid goat that was eating his parchment this morning when one of the two boys asked why the corner of his parchment was missing. All three of them had to laugh, imagining the goat on the table on top of the parchment while chewing on that corner, while their tutor stood there trying to let the animal be gone, failing miserably.

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"Good morning." Pythagoras greeted when he walked in to the garden. The last few days they did really well at the calculations he gave them after at least explaining one of them before they would try themselves. "In the morning I still like you to do some mathematics and in the afternoon I will see how you are doing in recognising the plants." He announced and sat down with them and letting them doing their mathematics. The morning went by fairly quickly and soon it was time for their plant lesson.

"The one with the purple flower, I find beautiful smelling, is the lavender." Karissa said.

"Correct. And how about the red flowers." Pythagoras sneezed, making his head throb and with a cloth he wiped his nose.

"Bless you, I knew how they were called, let me think for a moment." Karissa said and thought really hard to try and remember the name. "I have forgotten, I am afraid."

"Don't worry. Those are the poppies." Pythagoras said with a little smile. "You remember what I told you about them?"

"Weren't they dangerous?"

"That is correct. Only a few drops can be used for healing, but any more it will become a poison."

"And how about those strange white flowers?"

"That is a good question." Pythagoras said when the name did not directly hit him. "Give me a moment." He ran all the possible names through his head, but none that fitted the picture of the flowers he was seeking. "I do not understand why I can't name it." Pythagoras said getting more and more frustrated. He let his head rest in his hands while his fingers dug in to his mess of curls. After a moment he felt a hand on his back that made him look up.

"Once in a while everyone has a day like this, isn't it?" Karissa tried to comfort Pythagoras. "Maybe you are getting sick." She said when she saw Pythagoras red cheeks and remembered him sneezing.

"I am not ill, but thank you." Pythagoras said, not really believing her words. Karissa carefully placed the back of her hand against Pythagoras forehead.

"I don't think you have fever yet, but I will ask our mother to come and see." She said before going to search for her mother. A few moments later she came back with Kalista in tow.

"Why did you get me, Karissa?" She asked slightly agitated.

"I think Pythagoras is getting sick." She said and watched her teacher. Kalista looked at him for a moment before she also pressed her hand against his forehead and softly felt his hands.

"Your hands are clammy and your cheeks are red. It indeed looks like you are going to be sick, yet it does not look like you have fever. Damien, Angelo? Can you get me a cup of water and bring Pythagoras cloak?"

"We will." They said and got up. A moment later Angelo returned with a cup of water and Damien with Pythagoras' cloak. Kalista put his cloak around his shoulders and handed him the cup so he could drink something.

"You should go home and rest. I want you to send someone when you are feeling unwell, so we know you won't come." Kalista said when he had finished the cup of water.

"But Thasos?" Pythagoras said, frightened that when he would leave, he would not need to return.

"I will tell him I had sent you home, because you were feeling unwell. I will make sure you will stay their teacher, seeing that they enjoy your company." Pythagoras nodded still unsure about the situation.

"Maybe you will feel better when you had a nap." Karissa said thoughtful.

"I hope tomorrow you will feel better." Damien said before Kalista leaded him inside.

"Do not worry. Just get well." She said before she opened the door and said him goodbye. Slowly Pythagoras made his way home. He had no idea how long he had walked but it seemed to take an entire hour. When he was finally was home, no one was there. He shouted for Hercules twice but he did not answer. When he looked in his room, he was also not there. Pythagoras shook his head. It was too fussy to think of where Hercules could be. He simply dropped his cloak on the table and walked in to his room. He undid the leather straps of his shoes before he lay down and tried to rest.

Soon enough he discovered he could not get any sleep. So, he got up and got the parchment out and settled again with his triangles. Soon enough Icarus came home and started to cook dinner together with Pythagoras.

"Do you know where Hercules is?" Icarus asked after some time.

'No, I have no idea where Hercules could be." Pythagoras answered finding his voice sounded stuffed and after he had taken a small bite to see if it was ready. "The stew is done, then Hercules will have cold stew when he gets home."

"I think so too." Icarus said before he sat down with his own bowl of stew. Pythagoras joined him and they ate quietly. "Are you alright?" He asked after some time.

"I probably only have a cold." Pythagoras said and wiped his nose again. "I won't die from it."

"Just tell me if you need anything, then I will get it for you." Icarus said with a little smile.

"Maybe honey, to sooth my scratchy throat." He replied thoughtful.

"Then I will bring that tomorrow." Icarus said eying his lover.

"Thank you." Pythagoras said with a little smile and finished his dinner.