"## Reyaansh ##" "As Poseidon is our witness..." ".. may our word be our bond." "All of Atlantis is pleased for us." "So it seems." "And I feel sure the gods will bless our union, too." "Such certainty, Heptarian." "You'll see." "They'll give us a sign and then you will believe, too." "Friends, citizens of Atlantis, nothing could please us more than the announcement today of the betrothal of our daughter to Poseidon's servant, Heptarian." "And as is the custom of our great city, a pankration will be held, the like of which we have never seen." "You did well today." "The gods smiled on you, as they will when you win the pankration." "Yes." "She will come round." "You think so?" "It doesn't matter if she doesn't." "Ariadne's alone." "No friends, no allies." "Where will she find the strength to defy the will of her father?" "What are they celebrating?" "Minos has announced a pankration." "A what?" "It's not important." "Not important?" "!" "The one occasion when food and wine flow free." "That's FREE, Pythagoras!" "What could be more important?" "Your friend?" "Ah, yes, well." "No, you wouldn't be interested." "It's just a silly contest." "Two unarmed opponents, a knife in the sand, the first to draw blood wins." "No rules." "It's something to see, believe me." "It's barbaric." "And free pies." "Why wouldn't I be interested?" "Pythagoras?" "This pankration is to celebrate Ariadne and Heptarian's betrothal." "I see." "Of course." "It was never really going to happen, was it, Jason?" "I mean, Ariadne's a goddess on Earth, whereas you, well, you're just you." "Well done." "What?" "I'm sorry." "I should have told you." "Perfect." "Tell your mistress to destroy it the moment she's read it." "Who gave you this?" "Medusa." "And no-one else knows?" "Jason wants to meet me." "Ariadne, is everything all right?" "Yes." "Yes, thank you." "The pankration begins tomorrow." "You are expected at your father's side." "Of course." "Good." "Oh, and if I could have what you have so carefully hidden in your hand?" "Your highness?" "Guard!" "Where did you get this?" "No matter, we can have that discussion later." "Take her away." "Please!" "You really think this can go unpunished?" "What will you do to her?" "A servant who betrays our trust must suffer the consequences, no matter who her mistress is." "Ariadne, why must we always fight over this?" "You are betrothed to Heptarian." "Do you think this is appropriate?" "What if the people knew of it?" "Where would your reputation be then?" "This must end." "Do you understand?" "And Korinna?" "I have no desire to punish the innocent." "Remove this boy from your life once and for all and Korinna may return." "That's fair, isn't it?" "You see, we don't have to be enemies." "Were you followed?" "No." "You must be quick." "If you should be found here it would be death for both of us..." "Thank you." "I won't forget this." "Why did you ask to see me, Jason?" "I..." "I heard about your betrothal to Heptarian." "The whole city knows now." "I couldn't quite believe it at first." "We've not known each other that long." "Hardly any time at all." "And yet... the thing is..." "I don't think I've ever met anyone like you before." "No other princesses of Atlantis?" "No-one as wonderful... .. no-one as beautiful as you." "Please, don't." "And I think, maybe, just maybe, you have feelings for me, too." "Don't go ahead with this marriage, Ariadne." "Please, I'm begging you." "It cannot be." "It cannot." "Why not?" "Because..." "Because you are you and I am me, a princess of Atlantis, betrothed to another." "Yes." "But..." "I have a duty to my people, a duty to Poseidon himself." "To marry someone that you don't love?" "What sort of duty is that?" "Why come here?" "Why agree to meet me?" "So that you could understand that we must bow to our fates, whatever the cost." "I don't believe that." "There must be something..." "Be content with this." "If the choice had been mine alone," "I would not leave you for one moment." "Now you must go." "Ariadne..." "If you truly love me, please don't make this any harder." "Here." "Don't forget me." "I need no token to remember you." "Still..." "Ariadne, I see you've done the right thing." "I know how hard this must have been for you, Ariadne." "And Korinna?" "I shall see she is released." "Oh, no." "Come." "Come here." "It will get better." "It will." "I saw Ariadne." "Jason!" "You were right." "She is promised to Heptarian." "Well, perhaps it's for the best." "At least now you know you can accept it, move on, and get on with the rest of your life." "It's not over...not yet." "I swear solemnly before Poseidon, the guardian of the oaths, to fight fairly and to the end." "Poseidon hears your promise and wishes you good fortune." "I swear solemnly before Poseidon, the guardian of the oaths, to fight fairly and to the end." "Poseidon hears your promise and wishes you good fortune." "Of course, we would've stopped you!" "People die in the pankration, Jason." "They don't just die." "They get bits sliced off them and then they die." "This won't win Ariadne back." "She's told you, it's over." "Was it ever really on?" "I'm not doing this for Ariadne." "You're always saying that we need to earn more money, and this is a way to win some." "That is true." "Jason, Heptarian has been fighting in the pankration since he was a boy and he's never lost...ever." "I'm doing it and it doesn't matter what you think." "You don't stand a chance." "The pankration isn't like other contests." "It takes months of practice." "Then we'd better get started." "So I just need to get to the knife first?" "That is all." "That's not fair!" "We told you, there are no rules." "Try again." "Watch out, behind you!" "Oh, yes!" "Like taking milk from a baby." "That's cheating!" "We told you..." "No rules." "I get it." "Again." "I suppose he is improving." "Marginally." "Your highness." "You have what I asked for?" "Indeed." "No taste, no odour, as described." "And the effects are not sudden?" "So gradual they may at first not even be noticed - the occasional headache, some pain, no more." "After several months, the hair may loosen, the scalp itch, the mind become confused - all brought mercifully to an end by a sleep from which no-one can wake." "I would hope your highness will remember this service to her." "On the contrary, Dymas, I shall do everything I can to forget we ever met." "And if you value your life, I suggest you do the same." "Do you understand?" "Your highness." "What are you doing?" "!" "You have to talk to each other some time." "Did she wave back?" "No." "Try again." "She's gone now." "She's never going to speak to me again." "You could try just going up to her." "You have no idea how the human heart works, do you?" "Actually, I'm very interested in anatomy." "Please the gods, he doesn't get Harmon in the first round." "Or Heptarian." "You have each chosen your lot, now may the gods choose your fate." "Cheat!" "Hercules!" "He didn't hear me." "Yes!" "I taught him that." "Actually, that was me." "Don't get close too early!" "He was lucky." "Lucky?" "!" "Jason's fast but he can't afford to just rely on that." "He needs to think before he moves." "Jason!" "Can you move it?" "The poultice should help." "Medusa." "Hercules." "May I come in?" "Yes, yes, of course." "I have the ingredients you asked for." "Hercules!" "Sorry, sorry..." "Thank you." "The herbs will ease the pain and the poultice should bring down the swelling." "That won't work." "And suddenly you're an expert on the healing arts?" "I've seen this before, in the wrestling ring." "The shoulder is separated." "It just needs putting back." "I'll show you." "Don't worry." "This won't hurt." "I thought you said it wouldn't hurt!" "Would you have let me do it if I told you it did?" "Try it now." "Where did you learn to do that?" "!" "You pick things up." "He'll still need the tonic." "You have the ginger?" "And the mint." "They need chopping and the coriander grinding." "I'll get the pestle." "Medusa, does this mean you're speaking to me again now?" "No." "Right, fine." "Just checking." "The boy's a fool for entering." "But for all that, I am grateful." "I shall take great pleasure in destroying him in front of all of Atlantis." "Just make sure you do so cleanly - the crowd must not turn against you." "Today was unnecessary." "It's the pankration." "If you are to become king, Heptarian, you must be seen to behave like..." "Ariadne!" "Congratulations, my lord." "It seems the gods really do smile upon you." "I hope so." "You'll be attending tomorrow?" "I wouldn't miss it for the world." "I shall be thinking of you as I compete." "If you'll excuse me, I'm feeling rather tired." "Of course." "Good night, Ariadne." "My lord." "Good night." "Did I not tell you she would come round?" "I'll feel a lot happier with Jason gone." "Forget Jason." "When you are king, you can do with him as you feel fit." "Until then, concentrate on the task in hand." "Of course." "And how is Minos?" "The king's health is already not what it was." "But I shall nurse him to the end - you can be sure of that." "You work too hard, my lord." "There are some affairs of state that only the king can determine - too many, it sometimes feels." "But as long as you are by my side, the burden seems a lighter one." "I've brought you some refreshment." "You're very kind." "The people are enjoying the pankration, do you not think?" "Undoubtedly." "Even Ariadne seems interested." "If you'd rather I got you something else, my lord...?" "No, no, this is most welcome." "Thank you." "How is he?" "Still feverish - but at least he's sleeping." "Maybe he shouldn't fight tomorrow." "He'd never agree to that." "But if he's injured..." "Jason would rather lose the fight than lose face by pulling out." "Why?" "He thinks he's fighting for Ariadne's hand." "But he must know that's hopeless." "When you're in love there's no such thing as hopeless." "You should get some sleep." "I can take over." "I shouldn't leave him." "Don't you trust me?" "I didn't mean that." "I know." "Then I shall keep you company - if that's all right with you?" "Why are you doing this, Hercules?" "He mustn't get cold." "I didn't mean that." "When I was Jason's age, I thought I was the fastest, strongest, most agile man in all Atlantis." "No-one on the field or in the arena could challenge me." "I know what you're thinking - "What happened?"" "No..." "No." "You know the truth?" "I never was that man." "It was all made up, just a story I told myself and anyone else who'd listen." "But Jason's the real thing." "He's special, Medusa." "And it's my job to make sure he stays that way." "Whatever it takes." "But if you ever tell him that, obviously I'll have to kill you." "Ahhh!" "Ahhhh!" "Yes!" "Oh, yes!" "You did well." "The crowd loves you." "Does that hurt?" "Everything hurts." "You can't go on like this." "Ariadne!" "It's madness to fight again." "I'm fine." "You could die!" "I will not think any worse of you if you pull out." "I made a promise, a sacred oath to Poseidon." "Please..." "I won't change my mind." "May the gods be with you." "Ahhh!" "Oh!" "Shame!" "Harmon's an old hand." "He knows if he can knock you down, he'll keep you down." "Stay back, tire him out." "Then when you see an opening - in." "Understand?" "Good man." "You'll be fine." "Ah!" "Ah!" "Oh, yes!" "Yes, yes." "Oh, yes." "Yes!" "Yes!" "Citizens of Atlantis, as is our custom, the final round shall commence tomorrow, at dawn." "The victor is to take the prize, the loser... to make his peace with the gods." "I've been watching Heptarian and he uses the same trick each time - he distracts, then makes his move." "If I can avoid falling into that trap..." "Jason." "Jason!" "You can't win." "No, I think I can." "It's just a case of exploiting his weak spot and..." "You cannot win because Heptarian cannot lose." "He's Poseidon's servant, betrothed to the king's daughter." "You must let him be victorious." "But I swore an oath to Poseidon that I'd..." "If you won, do you really think the king would give you Ariadne's hand?" "That you'd live happily ever after in the bosom of Minos's family?" "You'd be dead by sundown." "We all would." "I'm sorry." "There's no choice - you have to lose." "For whom were you praying?" "No-one in particular..." "Jason." "I fear for him tomorrow." "Will the gods favour him?" "I am not the Oracle... .. but he has greater strengths than you can imagine." "Will you pray for him, too, Melas?" "I already have, my lady." "He really does care, doesn't he?" "Yes." "He's ready." "Jason..." "I don't want to know." "I was just going to say, good luck." "Anyone you'd like to say goodbye to?" "Just you." "Nice, but sadly not enough." "Get in there, go for the legs!" "Goodbye, Jason." "Yes, yes!" "Kill me and they'll hate you forever." "You're lucky, Jason." "But luck doesn't last forever." "You did the right thing." "And what have I got to show for it?" "True." "We're still broke." "Be grateful." "You're still here." "If you'd won, I very much doubt that would be the case." "Why?" "Why should it be?" "Because those are the rules." "You said there are no rules." "The rules of life, Jason, not the pankration." "I..." "I came to see how Jason is." "His shoulder's on the mend but there's still a lot of work to do on his neck and I'm worried about his left hand..." "Hercules!" "We've just got to go and, erm, get some...bees." "Bees?" "!" "Why bees?" "It was all I could think of!" "I saw you in the arena, and that's why I..." "I..." "I know..." "Thank you." "Ariadne..." "Please, don't." "I came here to give you this." "I see." "I cannot keep it...as much as I long to, more than anything." "Why didn't you kill Heptarian when you had the chance?" "It would only have made things worse." "Thank you." "For what?" "I've done nothing." "Achieved nothing." "You've given me strength." "I don't understand..." "Father?" "Ariadne." "Father, I need to talk to you." "What is it you wish to say, my child?" "Heptarian, I am sorry, but I cannot marry you." "What is the meaning of this?" "The gods made their will clear today." "This engysis is not blessed." "We would be foolish to continue with it." "Ariadne!" "Let her speak." "You must have felt it, too, Heptarian?" "You were the man with years of experience, the superior fighter." "And yet here comes some unknown boy..." "Only the gods could be responsible for the outcome." "We had an understanding." "And now the gods have put us right." "This is what you sincerely believe?" "It is." "Then we must bow to a wisdom greater than ours." "The engysis must be dissolved." "But, my lord..." "Can I...?" "Only a fool would fail to listen to the gods." "Come, come, let us find the priest and put this right." "My lord, if we could discuss this further..." "You foolish, foolish girl!" "Do you really think you can defy me?" "I'm not afraid of you any more." "I'm not afraid of anyone ` today has taught me that." "Then you are more stupid than you can possibly imagine." "The next year, the other competitors were so scared, they refused to fight me." "They couldn't find a single challenger." "Hercules, that is simply not true." "I swear on my mother's life." "Hold on." "I thought you said you didn't know your mother?" "I knew of her." "Have you ever actually taken part in a pankration?" "Absolutely..." "Not just watched it?" "And eaten the free pies?" "Or drunk the free wine?" "Slept if off under the benches?" "Of course he has." "I have heard it many times - Hercules was the fastest, strongest, most agile man in the whole city." "He was the envy of all the contestants." "Everyone knows that." "Really?" "Yes, really." "You're lucky to have him as a friend." "So am I. I don't deserve you, Medusa." "Life's not fair, is it?" "There's nothing you can do, Ariadne." "Nothing anyone can do." "I don't understand." "They say the poor girl took her own life." "When?" "Why?" "!" "It seems even though the king pardoned her, she felt the shame too deeply." "She wouldn't have done that, she wouldn't!" "I'm sorry." "I know you two were close." "The main thing now is to do everything we can for her family, don't you think?" "These are the Furies." "Stop!" "Stop!" "He's my brother." "## Reyaansh ##"