Previous Section : Behind Closed Doors

Mission Unaccomplished

"Look, what daddy brought you. I found it high up in the mountains in the south." - Out if his bag he carefully took a small green plant with its roots . - "Tend it well. When it grows, it helps against all sorts of bug bites."

Klysina had welcomed him with the unreserved joy of a six year old child. Handing her a small offshoot of pennyroyal, Areus successfully avoided questions about the fate of the little lamb he had taken to the Keftians. Other than that, his trip had been anything but sucessful. Nothing he had accomplished. They hadn't even asked him if he wanted to be a rower on one of their ships. He had been completely tripped up by this lady. Even if they wear women's skirts - now he understood.

He dreaded the thought of having to report to the eldest, who happened to be his father. To defer this moment a bit longer, he avoided everybody and sneaked into his house, which, like the other buildings of the village, was a simple rectangular wooden hut with only one room, a small opening in the roof, and an alcove for the parent's bed. He moved it aside and opened the little wooden box in the hidden vault beneath it to put back his stone, when he was addressed from behind: "What did you intend to do with our lucky stone, Areus?", Mela asked: "Admit, you wanted to sell it. Without asking me. It is my parent's wedding gift and is supposed to bring good luck to both of us. Is that how you deal with our luck?"

He hadn't noticed her entering the room and was completely surprized. - "It is amber, and it is mine", he snarled at her. She flared up: "It's yours? I don't believe it! My parents gave it to both of us." - And he shouted: "Yes, its mine, just as you are mine."

The moment he had said this, he knew he was in trouble.

With a voice, cracking from rage, she shouted: "You own me like you own a stone? Like a stone? Now I know all about you!" - She shook her long brown hair, turned around and with her head held high, she ran out of the house.

The sudden silence of the room got hold of Areus. He had to sit down and think. He felt he was losing the ground below his feet. He was important in the village because his father had trusted the wool trade upon him. No wool trade any more. The village had trusted him - and invested a lamb - to get the Keftians back. But in the Palace of Pillars, he had behaved like a fool, had even been called a liar. And now this fuss with his own wife. All because he had tried to play games with the Keftians rather than focus on his mission.

He had to face it. Had to report to his father and tell him the truth, even if that meant that his responsibility was transferred to his brother. Once the trade was going again, he might still find a way to the Pillar Island. But first of all, he had to apologize to Mela and get clear with her; and he had to do this right away.

When Areus left his house, he noticed that a stranger had arrived: all adults were at the central place, surrounding a remarkably tall and lanky man, who hardly was able to stand straight, until Mela, among them, led him to a cushion seat and all sat down around him.

Areus first hesitated to join the others, because he would have preferred to talk to Mela in private, but then he was too eager to find out what news the arrival would bring, so he joined the group, greeted the man and took a seat, while Mela pretended not to notice him.

When he got closer, of course, he immediately recognized limping Sthenelos, one of Mela's cousins from her home town Zakton in Laconia. He was in the middle of a report about ferocious men from the north with scrubby beards and giant horses having attacked their town. - "At the cost of great sacrifices we were able to fight them off. Mela's parents are fine. But now we wait each day for the bandits to return. We need your support, else we are doomed."

The men held council. Because the path from here to the north was well hidden and to horses impassable, the mounted marauders would not show up in Mittentown soon. The more resistance the people could mobilize, the more likely the savages would retreat to where they came from, far in the north. Therefore, Sthenelos' request was not unresonable. After some back and forth, the decision was made, to send a small band of nine fighters to go along with Sthenelos and fight the bearded invaders. Early next morning they would march off.

Areus was the first to volunteer for this troop. His father, who was too busy with Sthenelos to have noticed his arrival earlier, would receive a very abbreviated travel report today, and Mela: this was the first time that she looked at him again. Next to the anger in her eyes he sensed surprise, concern and a bit of gratitude that he would stand up for her parents.

In the evening they shared the intimacy of their alcove and Mela asked him: "Why do you go? Nobody has asked you." - Areus replied: "Sometimes you have to take a detour. I am sure this is the path the gods have sent me. I did believe that the stone would open me the door to the Keftians. Now it leads me to your parents." - Mela wasn't sure what he was talking about, but didn't ask further and huddled against him. Then he took her, knowing that they woudn't meet for some time, and he felt close to her, without noticing that her thoughts were with her imperiled parents, while she condoned him.

Next Section : Britomartis' Garden