Previous Section : A Lady of Famous Might

Behind Closed Doors

"Gracious Clymene, how did you know that this Pelasgian was lying to you", the guardian asked using a different dialect than in the conversation before. The forester in question would have had a hard time to understand him now, even though in fact he was using the same language.

After sacrificing the forester's lamb, Morges had carefully rinsed the cup of blood and cleaned the holy pillar symbolizing the invisible god. Then he had joined his boss in the grand hall upstairs. Clymene, who meanwhile had taken off her visitor's cloak and wore her regular bodice, exposing her breasts, replied: "He was not interested in the events in the city of Lerna. Didn't ask once what may have happened to his people. He just wanted to know about the marauders, the Kurgan." - And after a while she added in thought: "A ruffian. Unwashed. In rags. I wonder how the Pelasgians can live that way." - "At any rate", Morges replied, "now we know what we get for dinner tonight. I start working on it right away."

Some time after dusk the dinner party brought together the complete crew of this outpost trading station - except for a few guardsmen keeping watch - in the grand hall on the upper floor, illuminated by torches, decorated with floral wall paintings, separated by three red pillars from the light well of the inner courtyard and two large doors leading to the balcony on the opposite side. Eight men and five women had gathered around a large rectangular table in the middle of the hall, with Minister Clymene at its top end.

After they had finished the spiced lamb, enough pita bread and several jars of wine and water, one of the men said: "If you ask me, our merchant ships shouldn't have stopped visiting our trading partners along the coast." - Silence set in. - "What do you mean", Clymene asked. - "The Pelasgians think we are scared. It undermines our authority. They get the impression that we are not invulnerable."

"I hear you", said Morges: "The forester, who brought us this lamb, suggested something similar." - "There is one thing he doesn't know. But you should." - Clymene now rose to speak: "We are acting right now. The high command of the naval forces has taken her time to prepare. In this full moon night our forces will set a lasting mark on the shores of Argolis."

Everybody stared at the minister, and she continued: "I want to tell you the full story. You may have heard of the incident a few weeks ago. We tried to get in touch with the new unruly hordes in the northern Peloponnesus. We had one of our ships go ashore directly next to one of their settlements, and as a sign of our goodwill depose some presents. The Kurgan took the presents, cheered, and then came and slew our bearers, without further ado, and under the eyes of the ship's crew."

"We immediately suspended all merchant activities along the Argolian and Laconian coasts. We used our small scout ships to spot the exact position of their settlements on the coasts. Right now, in this very moment, we have fifteen fully equipped war ships off the coast, and tonight, well after midnight, in the light of the full moon they will go to shore and attack three of their locations at once. You will understand that", she added with a smile, "I was not able to tell you earlier. But now the surprise will be complete." - "I hope this forester wasn't a spy", Morges said. - "No", Clymene answered: "just a show-off. The Pelasgians fear the Kurgans. Soon they will fear us more."

Clymene looked around, until her eyes met Morges': "Time for the Hymn of the Night". Morges stood up, bowed and accompanied the minister to the adjoining room. The pale light of the full moon was shining through its two small windows' waxed parchment. A large, artfully ornamented bronze double axe was mounted on the wall. In the middle of the room stood a comfortable, downright luxurious wooden bed, covered with furs. Clymene took the guardian's loincloth off, uncorked a vase of fragrance oil, and while she gently applied it to him, without omitting any part of his body, she recited the holy incantations, transforming the man into Kouros. Then she undressed herself, and while Morges rubbed her with the same ointment, muttering the corresponding verses which turned her into Korvé, she had long forgotten the unpolished lad she had met in the afternoon.