Chapter 6: Reacquainted
Notes: This chapter has a lot of mother/daughter stuff. I believe in the importance of portraying emotions and thoughts, but also dialogues between characters. In my opinion it is intriguing to see the connections the main characters have with each other and with scenes between them it is easier to understand them and picture them as whole personalities in our minds. Tell me what you think. I hope you enjoy!
xxx
At the Spartan camp in Korinth there are lots of murmurs and talk among the men about Perikles' death. Their opinions differ on if it is beneficial for Sparta or more of a trouble. Brasidas doesn't hear much as his mind is overflowed with other worries. He couldn't have judged her character so wrong. She was a misthios, yes, but not ultimately driven by money or killing. Could he be so blinded by her charms and her legendary, in so many ways, being?
Did she lie to him, again, about why she was heading to Athens? Was she hired to go there in that letter and she was just as good at deceiving as she was with the sword and spear?
All of a sudden, he recalls that Kassandra showed him the letter she received from Athens. It wasn't a contract. It really was sent by Sokrates, the famous philosopher.
He approaches the messenger that brought them the news who was getting his things on the horse that he was provided with and he was about to leave. "How do you know it was the Eagle bearer that killed the Athenian?" Brasidas asks with a straight face, even though his muscles all over his body have tightened noticeably.
It is even worse that he has to refer to her without using her name, but a common nickname she was given; for him she is not just a legend or a demigod, she is the woman he has feelings for.
"Our spy within the town heard it as the Athenians declared her wanting for trial. Perikles was assassinated violently at Akropolis." The other Spartan answered while he got onto his horse.
"But are there any witnesses?" Brasidas presses further for more information.
"No but she was spotted there before with Aspasia. Why do you care?" The messenger indicates with a smirk.
"Because, she often does work for Sparta. My job is to collect information as a good spy." Brasidas makes up clarifying his interest. The messenger leaves and Brasidas retires at his tent for the night.
He is lucky the idea came to him and he found his voice before it was too late. It will be easier for him to sleep the next days. There are more possibilities that he wasn't wrong about her. Something else must have happened there or at least there must be a good reason for what happened.
In addition, it wasn't intended, whatever occurred there, she didn't plan on doing it.
Could Perikles be a member of that cult and Kassandra found out and killed him? If she did it, she would have a reason. On top of everything else, he was Athenian, in the end, why should Brasidas care?
Then again loyalty is of most importance. Those Athenians were her friends; if she wasn't truly loyal to them, could she be with anyone else? His mind blurs and spins with various thoughts that keep him awake for another night. One more restless night since he met her.
xxx
Miles away in Naxos Kassandra runs in the streets searching. A civilian carrying a pitcher full of water comes from the opposite side of the road. Kassandra asks where the leader house is and she is pointed towards the villa up the hill just next to the temple of Dionysos.
She runs faster than ever before, her heart beating at the point of bursting out of her chest because of the stress that grows inside her more and more the closer that she gets. She is so anxious. She doesn't know what to say to her mother, if the Phoenix is really her. A few minutes later she stands outside of the big house. Her anxiety could eat her alive.
It is as if she can't think at all. She is right outside of the house with no plan of how she will gain access inside. She is so eager and tense that she approaches the front door without giving it a second thought.
There are some guards around the house as Ikaros informs her; two of them stand at each side of the gate in front of her. "What do you want here stranger?" The one at the right asks with a deep voice full of authority.
"I am here to talk with Phoenix." She replies determinatively despite her anxiety.
"We won't let you in unless you tell as your name and the leader confirms your meeting." The other guard says automatically.
"We don't have a meeting. I have important… information for her." She trails of her last words as she tries to stay as close to the truth as possible but still not wanting to say her name.
"Are you a mercenary?" The right guard becomes suspicious as soon as he spots her weapons and by the fact of not revealing her name and draws out his sword and holds it high pointing at her.
"I am not here to kill anyone." She states sincerely lifting her hands to her chest with her palms outwards but they don't believe her.
"Attacker!"
"A mercenary!" Both guards scream informing the others and charge at her.
She stumbles back and runs away. The guards run after her. The adrenaline rouses her. She doesn't want to hurt anyone so she uses her brain instead of her strength and weapons this time. She wouldn't like to kill someone innocent especially in case they protect her mother.
She finds a place to hide after she turned a corner and the guards pass her by running in search of her. She quickly gets back at the villa while they still look through the streets. There is still one guard at the gate and she climbs up from the side to fall from above him. She hits him on the head to knock him down for a while in order to get in. She opens the door and there are two more guards from inside with their swords in their hands.
She takes her spear not to hurt them just to defend herself while they thrust at her. "The misthios is here." The left one screams as he advances swaying the sword in his hand.
That moment four people enter the room to assist the guards. Two armed men, an armed woman and her mother. It is Myrrine that just entered the room.
Kassandra freezes in spot and the two guards take the opportunity and capture her taking all her weapons as well. She doesn't resist. She just looks at Myrrine and Myrrine looks back at her.
"What should we do with her, Leader? Kill her instantly or interrogate her first?" The soldier who holds a sword to her throat asks. Myrrine walks closer with wide eyes. Looking back and forth at the broken spear of Leonidas and the misthios' face.
"Kassandra?" She ignores the guard's question, forming her own, just holding a hand out as a sign for him to wait.
"Mater…" Kassandra whispers with wet eyes and an uncontrolled smile is curved in her face.
"Set her free and leave us alone." Myrrine commands as tears threaten to fall. "We will resume our meeting tomorrow morning." She addresses at the group of the three that entered the room with her before. Everyone is stunned but they bow their heads obeying and exit the room. As soon as the door closes the two women run into each other's embrace.
Kassandra is relieved. She found her mother after so many years and judging by how quickly Myrrine recognized her it seems that she never forgot her daughter. Her mother is as she remembered, contained but loving and warm.
"How can this be? You fell! I show you with my own eyes…" Myrrine murmurs while she touches Kassandra at her hands, her shoulders, her cheeks to make sure she is real.
"I didn't fall. HE threw me!" She corrects a little bit angrily but shortly adds in a calmer voice. "I survived." They linger in the hug for a long time.
For a few minutes Myrrine even though she recognized the spear first and then found the similarities at her daughter's face, she couldn't perceive what happened.
"Thank the Gods; you are well and here with me again." Myrrine sobs and fondles her daughter's hair.
"I was worried about you, too, mater, but we finally found each other." Kassandra smiles through her tears.
"My lamb, you are alive and I gave up on you. I didn't search; I didn't believe that you could be still… Forgive me, my love." She pleads crying.
"There is nothing to forgive mater. You didn't know and I doubt that you could think to search for me in Kephallonia." She assures her holding her hands tight.
"That's where you were all these years? How on earth did you end up there?" Myrrine wondered.
"Yes, I grew up on that island. The waves took me there. I fled Sparta in a boat after I was chased." She explains.
"You were chased? Nikolaos never told me!" Her mother rages up. Kassandra nods.
It wasn't sure that her father knew either. There were some soldiers, but none with a familiar face. She would have to ask him, if she ever saw him again. For now, she didn't care.
Kassandra didn't have a good nor an easy life in Kephallonia but it was more peaceful until a little before she left than after that. She explains how she met Nikolaos and that he told her to search for her mother and Myrrine furrows her brows. "Them? One of them hired you to kill him, right?" Myrrine asks with a voice full of pain.
"The cult of Kosmos was behind it, yes. You are their next target. I came to find you before they did." Kassandra
"Those filthy pigs!" Her mother holds her tongue not to swear worse. "Did you…?" The older woman asks not finishing the sentence with a wrinkled forehead.
"Kill him you mean?" Kassandra questions for confirmation and Myrrine nods affirmatively silently. "No." Kassandra shakes her head.
"You love him still, as I do. Although he broke your heart and ripped out mine." Myrrine sighs slightly and pats her daughter's shoulder.
"I don't." The misthios denies. Myrrine looks into her eyes searching them, recognizing the white lie. She smiles warmly and hugs her once again.
Her father will not overshadow her happiness of finding her mother. She won't waste more of her time on thinking of him. He made his choice a long time ago.
"Mater, there is something you need to know." Kassandra hesitates as she is aware this piece of information will upset her mother.
"Don't tell me I am already a grandmother, my lamb." Myrrine's face lights up even more.
"What? No! Of course not! Gods!" Kassandra waves her hands and her cheeks flash with red color. "You need to know… that… well… Alexios… survived, too." Kassandra says sadly, recalling her last unfortunate encounter with her brother.
Myrrine's smile is replaced by thinned lips and her eyes filled with dread. "This can't be…" Myrrine chokes.
"They have him." Kassandra explains to prevent her mother from false expectations.
Myrrine's few hopes are quickly shattered. "We must get him back." She voices in a determinant tone.
"I wanted to reunite our family again but maybe it isn't possible. He is like a stranger; he is angry and ruthless, to put it mildly." Kassandra clarifies asserting her worries.
"We won't give up on him! I am not doing the same mistake twice! Promise me my lamb that you will try to get him back." Myrrine pleads taking both of Kassandra's hands in hers.
"I promise mater." Kassandra whispers squeezing back her mother's hands.
"It is late, my child, I will inform the staff to prepare a room for you. You must be tired." The older woman says taking up the role of the mother she missed all these years.
"There is no need for-" Kassandra begins to say but her mother cuts her off.
"You are staying here. I will see you in the morning. Goodnight lamb." Myrrine kisses her daughter's forehead before disappearing to the corridor.
"Goodnight, mater." Kassandra mutters hardly believing that she is saying this again after so many years.
xxx
The next day Myrrine had a conference with the generals early in the morning about the island's defense from troops of Paros while Kassandra was still sleeping. When she woke up, she informed her mother that she would go briefly back to her ship for some business and she would be back again.
The misthios sums up the meeting with her mother to Barnabas ensuring him that she will stay in her house for the next days and then she addresses Aspasia inviting her to meet her mother. Aspasia asks for directions and promises to visit early in the afternoon.
On her way back to her mother's residence, Kassandra stops by the agora and buys meat, cheese and some fruits along with a necklace to take to her mother. At the same time Myrrine has made breakfast for them at the big veranda, overlooking the city and the sea, and waits for her daughter.
The guards recognize the misthios after the commotion and let her pass eyeing her with curiosity. She asks for her mother and a maid informs her where Myrrine is. Kassandra hands the food at the maid and heads outside.
The double doors that lead to the balcony are closed and she pushes them both open with more strength than needed, misjudging as they looked heavier than they truly are. They burst open with a loud thud.
Myrrine turns around at the sound of the doors opening and laughs. "You are making impressive entrances, lamb."
"When I want to." Kassandra chuckles partially agreeing.
They spend the morning together in conversation. They discuss about what they did all these years apart, where they have travelled and various other topics to get to know each other.
Many hours passed but neither of them ceases talking. Suddenly one of Myrrine's generals, Timo rushes in. "We are under attack. Men from Paros debarked at the beach west."
"Count on me, I will help." Kassandra offers unsheathing her spear.
The three of them reach the beach were there is already a fight going on among the island's defenses and soldiers from Paros. There are about thirty foes and almost as many on Naxos' side. An easy battle for Kassandra.
When the last enemy is down the soldiers begin to clean the beach and Timo barks various orders such as to conquer the ship from Paros first and take it to the port to change the sails keeping it for Naxos' use, to take the weapons from the dead and so on.
Myrrine approaches Kassandra. "You are an excellent warrior, my lamb. Nikolaos would be proud." She smiles proudly at her grown-up daughter.
"Thank you, mater." Kassandra smiles glad that her mother approves being sure that if things were different her father would be proud, but deep inside Kassandra feels a bit of pain, too.
"How comes you teamed up with Sparta?" She asks her mother.
"I didn't want to be part of this but Paros sided with Athens, leaving me no choice. Apart from that I will always be Spartan deep inside." Myrrine admits.
"Do you miss being there?" The question comes out automatically. Kassandra just wonders and wants to know everything about her mother.
"I do. I miss our house, but I couldn't go back there without unbearable memories hunting my mind. I still see you fall whenever I close my eyes." Myrrine confesses letting a raged breath.
"I am here mater. We can make our family whole again." Kassandra encourages her mother.
Just then Timo hands a papyrus and a pouch to Myrrine. "The soldiers found this message at the one who must be the commander along with this pouch with money."
"Let's go to our house for lunch and we will read and discuss it when we are cleaned of blood." Myrrine suggests and they take the road up to the villa.
They bathed and ate lunch conversing. The letter was coded and the only thing they understood is that it contains orders from a cultist, as it was signed at the end with the words. 'Glory to Kosmos.' Later when they opened the pouch they were stunned as the coins were from Sparta.
This could mean only one thing. One of the powerful men in Sparta must be a cultist and for some reason he was paying enemy forces to fuel further the war. The biggest concern is that it is rare to see a man with much money who is a Spartan, which means he should be one of the few elites; at most five men can fit in the list and among them the kings themselves. Spartans aren't materialists; they lead a much different kind of life, simpler than in other cities.
Myrrine couldn't believe, unlike her daughter, that any Spartan would be a cultist considering that they are all loyal and mostly incorruptible. When it downed on her she recalled the day Sparta condemned her children and her son, an heir making the blood in her veins boil. Maybe it was the cult's bidding.
"Sparta is under their grasp as well. We must do something Kassandra." Myrrine notes.
"We would have to go back, if we plan on stopping them." Kassandra reminds her mother waiting for her answer with mixed feelings.
"Then we are returning home." The older woman decides with her chin high and authority in her voice.
Aspasia paid them a visit in the afternoon, Kassandra had already informed her mother in the morning about her and Myrrine welcomed her warmly inviting her to stay at the villa.
Myrrine thought about preparing Aspasia to take up her role when she and Kassandra would leave Naxos. The Athenian woman was already a good orator and knew well about politics and leadership.
The three women spend the rest of the day in each other's company planning their future. Myrrine doesn't want to depart from Naxos in such a critical state, as Paros' fleet is attacking constantly and causing trouble to Naxos' port as it affects the trade and fewer traveling ships dock to the marina to pay taxes reducing the income.
Kassandra offers to deal with Paros forces both at land and sea. She will go to Paros to weaken their army and then engage to naval battles with Adrestia. Myrrine agrees but asks Kassandra to stay for a few days to spend more time together.
After the sunset Aspasia retires in her room leaving mother and daughter alone at the veranda. "I am so glad we are together once again, my lamb." Myrrine whispers.
"Me, too, mater." Kassandra smiles up at her. The cold breeze swaying the stray tufts of hair. She reaches for the necklace she bought in the morning and holds it in her hands. "I wanted to give you this." She utters settling the necklace to Myrrine's hands.
Her mother looks in confusion. "Kassandra… What… You shouldn't get me anything. Thank you, it's beautiful but don't waste money for me." Myrrine says as a tear trails her cheek.
"I wanted you to have something to remember me even when we are apart as I have the spear." Kassandra admits.
"Oh, my lamb, you are the best daughter I could ever wish for." The older woman's eyes wetted even more and she hugs her daughter tightly.
For the next five days mother and daughter spend most of the day together in an attempt to get to know each other and make up for the past fifteen years they were apart. They love each other and have formed a strong bond. Myrrine is a loving mother, proud of her daughter, doing her utmost to come closer to Kassandra.
Each day Myrrine is more and more openly providing Kassandra with tips and instructions to coach her for her mannerism, for speaking and behaving more diplomatically and actually priming her as an Agiad as she would be normally, if things were different.
Kassandra wasn't very fond of her mother's constantly schooling, but she was so happy they found each other that she didn't oppose. If Myrrine insisted on this behavior, Kassandra would speak up but for now she didn't want to sadden her.
In the afternoon just one day before Kassandra departs, Myrrine's confident associates decode the message of the cultist Spartan and it is revealed that what they suspected is the truth. There aren't any hints about the person who wrote it but the orders say those soldiers had to attack Naxos to assist a man from Paros named Silanos. The only clue is to report back by sending a message to the fort of Tegea.
The day that the misthios would go to Paros came and her mother bid her farewell wishing and praying for her to be careful and come back safe. Kassandra spent more than a month in Paros, breaking in forts and camps, mostly destroying war supplies and killing a few soldiers. She had a hard time spotting Silanos in Paros. She heard that he spends most of the time on his ship so she will find him later with Adrestia.
xxx
It is mid April in Korinth and Brasidas had blended again into the town for a few more months before he returns back to Sparta, rather by July. The kings ordered him to go back and give full report in person before he is reassigned.
He is craving to know were Kassandra is after escaping from Athens and if she is alright so he pays a visit to Anthousa. "Brasidas, you are still here. I know you liked our town but it's been a little inconvenient that you stick your nose to my business all the time, especially since you never deign to stop by for anything but information." Anthousa grumbles upon seeing him approaching.
"Good morning. Soon you'll be rid of me, but I want information one last time." Brasidas cajoles speaking with a friendly tone.
"What is it this time?" Anthousa asks impatiently.
"I want to know where Kassandra is." Brasidas voices his request using his training to reveal no emotion to his face.
"How interesting; and why is that?" Anthousa attempts to understand by his reactions what it is about because she is aware that he won't reveal his cause.
For his shake he had come prepared. "I want to send a message; I need her assistance." He lies with a serious face.
"Hm, so you need her alive?" Anthousa questions smugly.
"Don't play games Anthousa, I don't have all day. I will pay you fairly." He sighs struggling to keep a straight face because of his annoyance.
"It will cost you even more, if you want to be the only one to whom I will reveal the information. The misthios killed Perikles, she is wanted." Anthousa knows how to make money and she coerces Brasidas to give in to her pressure.
"Fine, take this." Brasidas hands her a big amount of money.
"She is in Naxos, but these drachmae aren't enough to keep such a secret." Anthousa pushes further.
Brasidas adds a few more drachmae and before handing them over, he closes the distance between them towering over her. "If these are not enough, I know of a much cheaper way to silence you but I wouldn't like to harm you." He threatens her, the calmer he can master at his angry state.
"See, I knew you have to try our other services." She puts her hands on his arms and he shrugs them off.
"No, thank you. Good day." He says as he turns on his heel exiting the door.
It wasn't honorable for him to threaten a woman but it was an attempt to prevent her from asking for more. If he had more money, he would give them to raise the possibilities to help Kassandra. He couldn't trust Anthousa about keeping her word but at least he knew where Kassandra was. Alive in Spartan ally's grounds.
xxx
A sunny day of May Kassandra appears at her mother's house unexpectedly with mainly good news. Paros is weakened and the battles at sea haven't started yet. Myrrine is relieved to see her daughter hasn't even a scratch. Well, not a new one. The first two days the misthios spends them with her mother and then she and Myrrine board on Adrestia with Naxos' fleet close behind.
They manage to destroy Paros' fleet and some Athenian ships that assisted the enemies. Among the sinking ships, it is also Silanos' ship. Kassandra would rather kill him with her own hands and have the opportunity to search him in case he was carrying any message to find clues about other cultists. The important part is that one more of them or their submissive is down.
June comes and for once Naxos has no foes lurking. It is much quieter, almost peaceful. Aspasia is all day beside Myrrine learning everything about the island. Myrrine couldn't persuade Kassandra on staying more than two months after the last naval battle.
Kassandra doesn't want to stay longer in this small island, no matter how beautiful it is. There are many cultists to find, many places to see. Alexios is somewhere out there and if she wants to have a chance to talk to him and bring him back, she must move quickly. Lastly, Brasidas is somewhere out there, too. She is dying to see him again.
In addition, her mother hasn't much spare time to spend with her and Kassandra is bored. She spends her time by accepting everyday small jobs on the island and big contracts from the other islands around Naxos, sometimes being away for three or four days.
Fortunately for the Eagle bearer Aspasia is a natural in such matters and has learnt everything very fast. In less than a month she takes the lead and Myrrine just stays by her side having the supervision in case she has to intervene.
One day Kassandra took up a job from a woman whose husband was missing for hours. He had gone fishing in the morning at the southern beach and should be at home by noon for lunch and it was already afternoon. Naxos didn't have any bandits or thugs all these months, it seemed really weird.
Kassandra walks up and down all along the beach finding nothing at first. Then she spots a small cave at the further corner where the beach ends at the big rocks. She moves closer and finds blood trails at the sand leading to the cave.
She enters the cave with her weapons unsheathed and then a lynx jumps on her with its claws. Kassandra didn't expect to find one of these here, but she manages to kill it easily as it was already wounded. She walks deeper into the cave finding the fisherman dead and a small lynx kitten about three months old.
Kassandra doesn't want to kill it but she can't let it there either because it will die of starvation or it will grow up and kill humans at the first given opportunity like its mother. She decides to pick it up and take it with her. She takes the unfortunate man back to his wife and returns to her mother's residence with the kitten.
"Mater, is she allowed to sleep in my room?" Kassandra asks already having taken a liking to the small lynx.
"A lynx? They are dangerous. Where did you find it, my lamb?" Myrrine utters confused.
"Long story short, in a cave. It's an orphan." Kassandra hugs the little beast rubbing its head behind the ear to comfort it.
"Kassandra… We can't have this near us." Myrrine refuses not trusting the animal.
"Please, mater. Let me keep her here with me." Kassandra begs her mother. "Or I am taking her to Adrestia and staying there." She states confidently a few moments later as Myrrine still considers it.
"Aright lamb but be careful." She sighs in defeat.
"Don't worry she is young enough to get used to human companion and I don't think it's bad if she is a little independent." Kassandra smiles petting the lynx.
"Independent just like you." Myrrine mutters.
Xxx
Notes: There is no such fort in the game. There are scenes in my story that are completely of my own making. Many things in this fiction will be very different I just keep some important points. And to clear some things further the fiction hasn't the same length as the game did. That's why at some points there are references at what season or month it is, or how many days it takes to get somewhere and so on. Anyways, I tired you, too much! Thank you for everything, I look forward to your reviews. Let me know you are still there reading this stuff.