Previous Section : A Tender Welcome

A Truly Fair Judge

The sun had descended a long way from the height of noon when the servant led him into the reception room on the third floor of Aphrodite's temple. He had enjoyed several hours of this young man's sophisticated treatment, and he felt ready to face whoever wanted to receive him.

Ida wasn't there yet, neither anybody else. The servant left immediately, too, and since he didn't dare to sit down at one of the large chairs behind a dark wooden table in the middle of the room, Areus kept standing and wondered what impression he would make on Ida in his unfamiliar new outfit.

The walls were decorated with huge colorful paintings: curiously entwined plants, strange beasts, sneaking up to each other, fish swimming around, merry dolphins, too, and clams on the bottom of the sea, so lifelike that he alternately had the impression of being under water and in a thick forest. Through a large open window he had a great view all over the populated flat roofs of the town, down to the sea. White clouds were massing up in the distance.

It was a long wait. He tried to study the pictures on the wall but was too nervous to focus on any details. Repeatedly he was tempted to take a seat, but then he thought it would make an unfavorable impression on his host, and he resisted.

He thought about the loom he wanted to learn about. So far, all went well. But the Keftians wouldn't give away their secrets voluntarily. Maybe he should try to get to know someone who's job it was to maintain them? But how? Nothing came to his mind. Maybe it was best to let things develop a bit further.

It seemed like hours later, when the two large wings of the door opened and three women entered, each one of them being the fairest and most graceful figure he could imagine. It took him a while to recognize Clymene. Her long black hair artfully pinned up, face and breasts painted white, rouge and black, she wore a gorgeous gown of many colored layers and jewels on ears, forehead and neck. Suddenly he noticed Ida. She was completely transformed. Made up, exquisitely clad, she hardly ranked behind the minister and made an entrancing and covetable impression on him. Her defacing bruises had been made invisible by makeup and now he looked into an even face with beauty and clear and unafraid eyes. Her lemon-shaped breasts, which she had resented to expose to him a little while ago now faced him straight in the eyes. Only the tiny black stubbles of her tree-day-old head shave contrasted violently to her ravishing appearance.

The third woman he didn't know. Not only from her splendiferous attire he concluded that she had the highest rank, but also from her conduct. She asked the two other women to sit down to the left and right of her, and only then Areus noticed that there were only three chairs in the room, and so he stood uncomfortably before the three beautiful ladies and slowly he became aware of their grave stares at him. They looked as if they had spoken about him.

"Your name is Areus", the stranger asked him. He affirmed: "Yes, fairest lady." - "Your relatives live in Lerna?" - He gulped. - "Or did you mean Zakton?" - He nodded faintly. - She continued: "You are Ida's husband?" - He shook his head. - "I take this for no. You have tried to do violence to this woman?" - Helplessly he looked at his former bond servant and replied: "I pulled her out of the flames!" - Ida kept quiet. Clymene chimed in: "How many more lies have you told me?" - Areus didn't know what to say and kept quiet. - "There was this silver chalice." - Now Areus felt hot and cold at once. She continued: "It was handed round in Zakton. With golden animal figures. Even the servants were supposed to admire it." - Clymene threw a side glance at Ida, and went on: "Too bad that we handed a very similar chalice to the Kurgan negotiators. This has thrown us back for months." - "But the Kurgans are your enemies! We captured it from your enemies", Areus cried desparately. - "I thought there is more to you than a thievish forester. Regrettably, I was wrong."

With a small block of wood the unknown lady knocked at the table and at once the large door opened and two brawny guards came in. - "We have no use of this male", she said, pointing at Areus: "Neither here nor elswhere. None whatsoever. Do your work."

When the guards just reached out for Areus, Ida said: "He pulled me out of the flames." - For a tiny moment, time seemed to have stopped.

Clymene rose to speak: "I suggest we give him to the rowers. There he may be of some use after all. And he doesn't have to talk too much for the rest of his life." The unknown lady spoke: "So be it. Thank our goddess Aphrodite, and thank our sister Ida in her grace, which you haven't deserved." - She raised her hand and the guards removed Areus from the room.

Then she turned to Ida: "We are very happy to have you with us. You can be of great assistance." - To the minister she said: "Sister Clymene, you know how important, and particularly, how urgent this matter is. Bring her to the school today and start with the lessons for our people immediately." - "Sister Cleito", Clymene responded, "shouldn't Ida get a few days to explore the town and find out about our life style? All must be new and exciting to her." - Cleito replied: "No. There's no time for this. And no necessity. She can reside in the school." - And turning to Ida she said: "You are a present by the goddess at the perfect time. You are most beneficial to us, if you start working right now. Anything further can be done later. Clymene, you know what you have to do."

Without further greetings she rushed away.