"You're making a mistake, cyclops." "You don't want to hurt me." "I'm here to help you." "If you knew who I was, you wouldn't be doing this." "I've been sent here by Gaia, your mother, to look for her oracle." "You can't hear a word I'm saying, can you?" "Cyclops!" "Whoa!" "Come on!" "I'm looking for the Oracle of Gaia." "Why?" "To rescue her." "I'm the Oracle." "No, I am the Oracle." "No, I'm the Oracle." "_" "We need to change our tactics, General Dion." "The only way to break the siege is a bold counter attack!" "Our men are exhausted and hungry, Majesty." "Their weapons bound together with blood and raffia." "At the moment, all they can do is hang on for their lives." "A couple of victories would lift their spirits." "King Minos' men outnumber us ten to one." "But we're Athenians, General, we each have the strength of 20 Minoans." "Come back when you have a plan to break the siege and throw King Minos back into the sea!" "No more cowardly schemes to hide men inside wooden horses." "I want something bold, something daring." "It's King Minos you should be terrorizing, not your own men." "They've no guts." "They're loyal at least, which is more than can be said for most in your court." "Everyone is impatient for you to work your magic, Medea." "There seems to be nothing inside our son but childish dreams of eagles and drowning old men." "The Lexicon is a riddle, indeed." "An enigma of the Gods." "But you will eventually unravel its mysteries, and when you do, we will only have to click our fingers, and our enemies will be swept away." "Go on." "An eagle hovers over a lake filled with fish, large fish, and... swimming among them is a man..." "Who?" "An old man." "I think he might be drowning." "Go on." "Don't you dare fall asleep." "Sorry, mother." "Carry on." "A drowning old man." "Looking up at the eagle." "What next?" "I don't know." "I've lost it." "Are we getting closer to solving the riddle of the lexicon inside me?" "You are a wasteful, selfish boy, Lykos." "I should have eaten more figs when I was pregnant." "Go on, get out of here." "Hide down there." "Breathe..." "Breathe." "Where are you going?" "East, so, uh, thank you for everything." "You've been very kind, and brave, a real hero, but I must get back to my family..." "You're coming with me, to the Temple of Gaia." "Uh... no, I'm..." "I'm not the Oracle." "I just said that so you'd get me out." "Don't look at me." "I'm taking you all back." "The priest will know the right one." "Goodbye, good luck, and may the Gods clear your way." "Can we move the Arcadians from the east wall?" "We would leave it too exposed, Majesty." "Majesty!" "Majesty, get down!" "Dear God." "This will end badly for you, Mercenary." "Really?" "What do you see?" "A lot of blood." "Death." "People screaming, flesh burning, and you in the middle of it all, stone dead, your face as blue as your feet." "That's some vision." "I can see now why the priests want you back so badly." "It's not a vision, it's just common sense." "Once you've delivered me, the priests will have you killed." "Why?" "Do you think they want people to know that their oracle ran away?" "I'm supposed to be in a perpetual state of divine trance." "My heart in the hands of Gaia." "And you're not?" "How much did they offer you?" "Look, whatever it is, I'll double it, and..." "I'll throw in a vision or two." "Wouldn't you like to know more about your future wife, what she looks like?" "Why did you run away?" "The priests beat me every day." "And when I was too weak to care whether I lived or died, they'd rape me." "You're lying." "Oracles must be virgins." "Who told you that?" "The priests of Gaia." "And you believe them over me?" "You've lied to me before." "I was protecting myself!" "What makes you think I care what they do to you?" "I know you well enough, Mercenary." "You're a good man at heart." "In fact... you're not even a mercenary." "What am I?" "Cursed." "Anything else?" "Your name..." "Wait, what is your name?" "No." "It's your name that's cursed, isn't it?" "If I'd said it out loud, something terrible would have happened." "I'd have burst into flames, or..." "Turned to stone." "What?" "You would have turned to stone." "Really?" "Has that actually happened?" "What if you said it?" "Would you turn to stone?" "I've never tried." "Very wise." "Look, now that I've proved myself to you, will you let me go?" "No." "All you've proved is that you belong in the Temple of Gaia." "Poaching?" "In my woods?" "Leave the animal and go." "I am a marshal, acting for the priests of Gaia." "And this is their oracle, so be warned." "She is protected by Poseidon and Keto, and she carries the mark of Keres." "We'll take our chances." "Will we skin her first?" "I can hear the fates gathering." "Hah!" "I am invisible." "I can see that." "Perhaps then you'll impress your acolyte by being the first to charge." "I'm no acolyte!" "Don't let him get to you, Theo!" "Yes, take the advice of the invisible man, Theo, and keep your distance." "Why was he within range of enemy fire?" "I tried to stop him." "I'm sorry, Medea." "Outside." "Fetch my pharmakeia." "Hurry, Alexa!" "My brother's wounded?" "I'm sorry, Lord Pallas, an arrow to the chest." "Will he live?" "Queen Medea is with him." "Thank you, Alexa." "Priest Xerxes." "What do you want?" "I'm here to help." "I don't need your help." " Have you stopped the bleeding?" " Please." "Let me do my work." "Majesty, if the king's life is at risk..." "Go." "Of course." "Perhaps now you'll find something better to do than hang around with cut-throats and thieves." "That's the thanks I get for rescuing you?" "When you get home, spread a little honey on your wounds." "I'm coming with you." "I'll have a better chance on my own." "You're not an assassin." "Neither are you." "At least I know what to do." "You were not in the vision." "Just let me see you to the city gates." "No." "No." "I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt." "I can look after myself." "I know." "I know." "But... this is something the Gods want me to do..." "Alone." "Did you not see me coming, Oracle?" "You must be losing your touch." "If he wakes, give him a little water." "And, Alexa, from now on, you only take instructions from me, understand?" "Heavenly Apollo, give the King strength and keep him safe." "I've heard that my brother is much recovered." "Yes, Lord Pallas, we must give thanks." "Naturally." "I rejoice." "However, there are some in his court who feel that Athens can ill afford a leader who governs from a sickbed." "Take me to them." "I will correct their treachery with the sharp edge of my sword." "Believe me," "I'm doing my level best to identify them." "In the meantime, you should take care." "I should take care?" "I've heard that you, General Dion, as the King's closest confidant, may be a target." "Me?" "Really?" "And of course, there are those who blame you for taking the King so close to the enemy." "I didn't take him, I tried to stop him!" "What is it?" "These are dark times indeed." "I'm risking my own life by warning you." "We must both be on our guard." "It's a trick." "Pallas is using you to get to me." "You think he knows about us?" "The only whisperings we need worry about are his." "He said I might be the one they target first." "Show a little courage for once." "I'll get a bodyguard." "A bodyguard in your own home?" "What will your wife say?" "She hoards gold, and plots her escape every day." "Who can blame her?" "Stop worrying and come here." "How soon before the King's back on his feet?" "A while." "Which may be a blessing in disguise." "Where did you learn to use a rope like that?" "It was all I had growing up, so I made the most of it." "You grew up alone, didn't you?" "Another vision?" "Just common sense." "You're quiet and headstrong, not the sort who's had to fight for attention with brothers and sisters." "And for all your skill with a rope, you tie your sandals like a woman, so I'm guessing your father wasn't around, or he'd have beaten that out of you." "And... you grew up in the Forest of Troezen." "The only place remote enough for a wild boy with a rope to run around all day and not meet another living soul." "Where did you learn to do that?" "As an oracle, you have to know how to read people, or you don't last very long." "So, that's all you do?" "Read people?" "No." "Sometimes, things... come to me." "Like... like your name, for instance." "The curse of... whatever you're called." "How did you escape the wild man?" "The... wounds you gave him, he lost a lot of blood, got weak, and I ran." "You're also a very good liar." "Fine." "You want the truth?" "He let me go because he's my brother." "He and his friend were on their way to rescue me from the cyclops when they bumped into us, so he improvised." "My brother's not very good at improvising." "Come on." "If we pick up the pace, we might make it to the Temple by nightfall." "Where is the King?" "He's called his generals together." "I tried to stop him!" "Why are you up?" "Where are Pliny's forces?" "And where are the archers from Thebes?" "You need to rest." "I must show my strength!" "It's too soon." "Just sit." "The King cannot see you after all." "Is everything all right?" "Who's this?" "This is Captain Horos." "Your new bodyguard?" "I am training him in the Pyrrhic method." "The King has asked me to keep an eye on his affairs at this difficult time." "I'll let you know as soon as he's ready to meet." "Thank you." "What?" "We're going to run through." "Why?" "It'll be safer." "Safer from what?" "You can run, can't you?" "No." "Not really." "Not now anyway." "Well, you'll have to." "You'll have to drag me." "Get up." "No." "Get up!" "Or what, you'll beat me?" "Then I won't even be able to walk." "All right, we'll walk." "Not until you tell me what's in there." "If we stand here making a lot of noise, like we're doing right now, then we really will be in danger." "From what?" "Mercenary!" "Mercenary?" "I killed him." "I killed him!" "What did you do?" "Mercenary!" "Poison?" "Yes." "Your knife." "Quick!" "If you cut the side of his throat, he'll die more slowly." "When did you get like this, Theo?" "Mercenary?" "Mercenary!" "Just give me the knife, and I'll finish him myself!" "Breathe!" "Breathe!" "Okay, I'm breathing!" "Can you move your arms and legs?" "You have to move your arms and legs." "Can you move them?" "You have to get up and move around as much as possible." "Theo, get over here!" "Hurry!" "Enough!" "I can stand on my own." "Get off." "Drink." "Sleep." "Let your dreams heal you." "There are harpies in these woods, you know." "Hector saw one feeding on a stag." "If you don't shut up," "I'm going to turn into a harpy myself." "The road to Athens is littered with furies and mind-altering demons..." "You are not coming with me!" "Get that into your crushingly stupid little brain." "As soon as we are clear of these woods, you are going home, do you understand?" "Run, Theo." "I'm not going anywhere without you." "I'll be fine." "Just run." "Come, Mercenary, let's see what my knife will do to that pretty rope of yours." "Holy Mother, ruling from Ida's Height." "Greatest and more glorious in Olympus, be my witness, and watch over the keeping of these oaths." "Be on your guard, even in this most private of sanctuaries." "When smoke crosses a fallow field, the crows take to the sky." "I wanted to ask your opinion about something." "The Minoan arrow that wounded the King?" "Minoan?" "Are you sure?" "It has the enemy's classic serrated edge." "And the bindings?" "Raffia." "Does the enemy use raffia to bind its arrows?" "No." "What does this mean?" "My husband is a very popular king." "If someone in his own court wanted to overthrow him, it stands to reason that they would need to make his death look like the work of the enemy." "Someone like who?" "In time of war, it would have to be someone who could command the confidence of the people, and their priests." "You're not suggesting that Lord Pallas, the King's brother..." "Whoever it was failed." "Thankfully, the King has survived." "But now he is weak." "You think there might be another attempt?" "If it was Pallas, the ideal scenario would be for someone else to kill the King, someone who's perhaps close to Aegeus, and a known opponent of Pallas." "And then Pallas could step in, and kill the man who killed his brother." "Everyone would unite around him, and, out of deference to their beloved Aegeus, choose Pallas to replace him." "Who would do such a terrible thing?" "He'd have to be someone who sees the King regularly, a general, for instance, with aspirations of his own." "Are you suggesting that I would kill the King?" "Not you, but someone acting for you, someone who would make it seem that they were doing it with you." "Your bodyguard, for instance." "Pallas knows that you're a coward at heart, General." "That if he warned you of a conspiracy, you would recruit a bodyguard." "And you fell for it... because you, my dear general, are as dim as you are gutless." "No!" "It's no wonder we're losing the war with you, General, at the tiller." "Help me up." "I want to walk around." "Dear heart, you're still weak." "Nonsense." "My generals are gathering in the war room." "I must show myself strong." "Very well." "But first, drink this." "It will steady you." "Perhaps you should sleep a little first." "The King will not be joining us after all." "We're running short on time." "We must make decisions today." "And so we shall, but first, a toast." "We have averted an assassination attempt on the King." " Who?" " Someone close to him who saw his injury as an opportunity to strike." "To King Aegeus..." "The King." "The King!" "Sadly, although one of the assassins was apprehended, his accomplice was not." "Indeed." "However, the assassin confessed to his master's identity." "Gentlemen." "He is among us now." "But not for long." "I've made sure of that." "Poison?" "Shouldn't you at least give the accused the opportunity to defend himself?" "We're at war, Lord Pallas, there's no time for trials." "But I will give him the opportunity to step forward, admit his guilt now, and smooth his journey through the River Styx." "It was General Dion?" "His bodyguard was the assassin." "He is gone." "No doubt General Dion had aspirations of his own." "But who will command the King's armies now?" "Well, after such a sinister betrayal, it's perhaps no surprise that my husband has chosen the man closest to him." "His son, Lykos." "With all due respect," "Lykos is a boy." "The King considers that one of his most important qualities, free from greed, ambition and hubris." "Majesty..." "I think I speak for all those gathered here when I say you have our full and unbridled support." "We salute you." "Queen Medea!" "Queen Medea!" "Queen Medea." "Home sweet home." "Priest!" "Tie her to the mouth." "These dreams don't seem to be leading us to the Lexicon." "What else do you see?" "An old man, grey hair." "A beard." "I think he might be drowning." "Oracle... my mother died before she could explain the riddle of my life, so I come to you, great Oracle of Gaia." "You dragged me back here for a vision?" "Yes." "You're not working for them?" "No." "I could have answered your question when we first met." "I was told it had to be here at the Temple." "Who told you that?" "Only the breath from the mouth of Gaia can guide the Oracle." "Let me get this straight." "You came all the way from the Forest of Troezen to ask your question, but when you saw that I'd run away, you went after me, risked your life, killed a man, and a cyclops," "then dragged me back here, all because the priests said" "I had to stand over the mouth of Gaia?" "What, is that not true?" "Well, the mouth helps, but you could have let me try!" "I did." "No, you lied to me!" "Would you have come if I'd told you the truth?" "No." "Oracle!" "Answer the traveller's question." "I'm very disappointed in you." "What was your question again?" "Why was I brought up in hiding?" "You are the son of... a man of great power and wealth..." "Aegeus." "Your father is the king of Athens." "And as his first born son... you carry the Sacred Lexicon inside of you." "The Lexicon?" "A thing of unimaginable power." " Inside me?" " It's hidden." "We will have to work together" " to retrieve it." " What does it do?" "It leads to the doors of Olympus." "Home of the Gods?" "Any mortal who finds his way there is welcomed by Gods, becomes one of them, an immortal." "Come on." "We're leaving." "Really?" "Great." "Three days is all I ask, here in the luxury that we can provide." "All you have to do is eat, and sleep, and drink, and describe your dreams." "Out of my way." "Please, son of Aegeus, the alternative is imprisonment and torture." "Are you threatening me?" "I would rather you were our honored guest." "Submit, son of Aegeus, or your friend dies!" "Please." "Please." "Very wise." "No!"