Chloe

It was a simple plan, in theory. All we had to do was petition the local ruler for xenia, just like in Athens. We’d have food and shelter for the night, and come morning, we’d borrow a horse and be on our way. Thank you ancient Greek laws of hospitality.

With Sophia apprised of my plan, we took to the streets of Khania, walking briskly towards the palace. Her spear held tightly in hand, and her arm slung around my shoulder, Sophia managed to keep pace well enough, though the need for that assistance at all made it all the more clear that we’d never make it on foot. As we stood before the palace’s entrance, Sophia gave me a measured look.

“Ready for more people, babe?”

I nodded.

We got this.

With a lopsided grin, she pushed through the massive double doors of the palace, and we went to meet its lord.

Sophia

Just like we did in Athens, we strode into the grandest hall of the palace, and threw ourselves at the feet of the most authoritative looking person here. The difference is that we were on a timer now and I actually knew what I was doing. Chloe had lectured me at length about the various breaches of xenia that had occurred in the palace of Peteus and Mnesimache just in case we needed to do this again.

Thank the gods she did.

“Please forgive our imposition, most noble lord and ruler of Khania. We’ve traveled long and far, and shall travel farther still. Food, bed, and a horse, that’s all we ask of you. May Zeus, our patron of travelers and Artemis, our guide and guardian shower blessings upon your house and land if you do.”

That sounded formal and submissive enough, right?

I still hated this.

I looked up at him expectantly, and was met with a grimace and a furrowed brow.

“Weapons…”

Uhh…

“My lord..?”

“Where did you get those, hm? Perhaps you’re kin to the savage Amazons, perhaps you robbed your husbands, or perhaps, from the glow in your eyes, you take after the wicked sorceress Medea, killer of her brother and children.”

What?

“I- My lord, is it not customary to save such questions for after we’re fed?”

“And is it not customary for women to stick to women’s work? Cast aside your weapons, and I’ll consider your request.”

I guess it was just a matter of time before we encountered a misogynistic prick. Honestly, it’s a miracle it took this long.

No kidding. Any ideas, babe?

I’m not sure. He’s got all the authority and all the power here, I don’t think it’d be smart to piss him off. Something feels off about him… 

“I’m waiting…”

Fuck.

We couldn’t do what he wanted. Not a chance. Without my spear, in my condition, I’d be helpless, and while I wasn’t sure whether people other than the two of us could use our weapons powers, the fact that Chloe could use my spear didn’t bode well. Whatever we did, we couldn’t allow these artifacts to fall into their hands.

“I can’t do that, sir. These weapons were gifts from our goddess. We just need food, bedding, and a horse. You don’t want to upset our patron.”

“Nor should you wish to anger mine. Drop them, or I shall make you drop them.”

His patron? I shot to my feet and stared at him with fresh eyes, allowing the enhanced perception my spear granted me to delve deep within him. Chloe allowed her bow’s power to flow through her as well, eyes shining in silver and gold. Something about him was wrong. There was the barest hint of a scent, it smelled like…

Apples… This is bad, Sophie. This is really, REALLY bad.

I don’t understand. Chloe, what’s so bad about apples?

The apple tree is the symbol of Ares, Sophie. This guy’s either a demigod, or chosen by Ares himself.

Tap tap, her hand fluttered against my own.

We need to go, Sophia.

She was already moving towards the exit, practically dragging me towards the door. Yep. We were leaving. We could figure something else out later.

Except this lordly bastard had stood up as well, and was stomping his way towards us.

“Do not test my ire! Cast aside your weapons and beg at my feet, and maybe I won’t strike you too roughly! You stand before Darius, son of Ares, and lord of-”

There was a creak. The soft sound of a taut bowstring and a straining frame, the barest crackle of shining energy within it. We all froze, every last one of us, falling into a disturbing silence, as Chloe lined up her shot.

Then, in the total silence of this grand hall, she spoke. Her voice hardly even a whisper, but in the dead calm, everyone could hear her.

“We are leaving. We are taking a horse, and we… are… leaving. I do not wish to challenge your father, and I do not seek his anger, but you are the one who defied convention here. You are the one who challenged the authority of Zeus Xenia. Allow us our freedom, and do not follow us. If you refuse, my arrow will strike your heart, may Artemis make it so. Now stand down.”

With cautious steps, Chloe began to back her way towards the door. Gently, I placed a hand on her shoulder, staring daggers at the guards currently blocking our path.

I’ll lead us to the exit, Chloe. You just keep that bastard in your sights.

With a slight nod, she allowed me to guide her forward, keeping her bow trained on Darius the whole time. As we drew closer to the guards, I took a break from using my spear as a walking stick, and instead angled it towards them.

“Back off, now. Both of you. Do it, or she shoots.”

With a little bit of coaxing from my spear, they finally gave us some space and we reached the door. 

As soon as we’re outside, we run. Got it?

She nodded again.

Good. I don’t know what this fucker might try once he’s not being threatened anymore. Now then, you ready?

Yes.

On three then.

One.

Two.

Three!

Acting with supernatural coordination, I crashed through the doors at the exact same time Chloe turned to run, and in an instant, we were outside. As we bolted into the night, hauling ass towards the stable, I caught two words, echoing out from the palace hall.

“Kill them!”

Chloe

Well, step one of the plan was a bust.

Oh gods.

Sophia ran, holding my hand tightly in her own. Even with her injury, it was all I could do not to trip over my own feet as she pulled me onwards, still easily exceeding the pace of an olympic athlete. Down one street, around a corner, across some stranger’s garden, weaving rapidly through this maze of a port. I guess ancient Cretians just liked mazes. Fun.

In spite of her remarkable feat of athleticism, Sophia was flagging. She was fast, sure, but she was nowhere near as fast as she’d been when facing Aipserokeleuthos, and I could see the sweat beading on her face and the sickly pallor of her skin. She was pushing herself too much, and there was nothing I could do.

We wouldn’t make it. We didn’t have a chance. Even if we reached the horses, she was in no condition for hard riding now. I had nothing. No plan, no answer, nothing.

Sipriotes

They were going to die.

They’d worked so hard, fought so hard, and now they were going to die. All because Ares got horny once, and his kid got all high and mighty about it.

You know what? No. I refused to let them die here. Absolutely not. I had to intervene, challenge or no. I was about to do exactly that, when strong, slender arms wrapped their way around me, and soft breath tickled my ear.

“Just where do you think you’re going, pet?”

For the first time in millenia, I thrashed against her grip, straining against the arms that bound me, my legs kicking wildly at empty air. I had to reach them, I had to help them, they meant too much to me. As I felt towards our goddess, so too did I feel for them.

“Please…”

She didn’t let go. Instead, she turned me towards her, removing the pair from my sight. She had this sad smile on her face as she looked me over, then her eyes wandered over to the events transpiring behind me. Events I couldn’t see, though I desperately wished it were otherwise.

“I think you put too little faith in them, Sipriotes. Just watch, and wait, and have faith.” She carefully released me, her hand stretched towards me, close but not touching. “May I touch you?”

“You really think they’ll make it?”

She nodded.

“With a little help from me, that is.”

“Then yes. Yes, you can touch me.”

With that, she reached out fully, cupping my cheek in her hand and wiping away my tears. For a few fleeting seconds, her lips danced across mine. I closed my eyes, leaning into her touch, lips parting, inviting her in, and then it was over, and she was smiling at me again.

“I’m sorry for restraining you before, but they need to do this themselves. We can’t always hold their hands.” Her hand fell from my face. “I’m happy you’ve found someone else to care for, Sipriotes. Now let’s watch them finish this.”

“Wait. Weren’t you going to help them?”

“Ah, right. It’s not much, just a single word, but that will be help enough.” The wind began to swirl around her, the moon shining bright as the whole world trembled, yet somehow, none of the mortals seemed to notice. With this vortex of energy swirling around her, Artemis whispered a single word into the wind.

“Polus.”