"What are you doing here?" "You already know the answer to that question." "The time has come for you to kill Pasiphae." "Bring me evidence of my sister's death by midday, three days hence." "And if I refuse?" "Need I remind you that you swore an oath?" "If you fail, it will not only be your life I take." "Wait!" "That will not come out." "We're going to have to get a new table." "Perhaps we'll have to trek to Circe's cave and demand that she pays for it." "I'm just saying." "I'm very fond of this table." "It has sentimental value." "You stole it." "Oh, a very funny story, actually." "It belonged to Alcaeus." "Now, he is more fond of sheep than any man I have ever met." "Another... another time?" "What will you do?" "There's nothing else I can do." "I have to kill Pasiphae." "There must be a way out of this." " What if we were to flee the city?" " No." "No matter how far we went, Circe would find us." "Her magic's too powerful." "I made a promise." "The time has come to honour it." "And if I don't then we'll all be dead." "As much as I hate to admit it, this is all my fault, isn't it?" "I will not let you face this alone." "And there's no way you're sitting this one out." " I had no intention of sitting it out." " Good." "So, all we need to do is break into the palace, get past all the guards, kill the Queen and then sneak back out without getting caught." "How, er, how hard can it be?" "My time is drawing near." "There will be dark days ahead." "Our enemies will seek to exploit my passing." "You must stand united, or Atlantis will fall." "Swear to me that you will protect and care for each other." "That is my only wish." "Of course." "You have my word." "I will do as you ask." "You must get some rest." "I will return later." "After I pass, there will be no-one to protect and care for Ariadne." "Do not fear for Ariadne." "I will care for her as if she were my own daughter." "Mm..." "I take comfort in your strength." "Now, enough talk of your passing." "You will soon be better." "There, enough." "Where are the Queen's chambers?" "According to my calculations, the inner courtyard is here, which would put the royal chambers somewhere here, to the west." "Where have you been?" "You've been gone for hours." "I was negotiating with Idas, the wine merchant." "Oh, does that explain why you're drunk?" "I was negotiating and then I was celebrating." "So, he'll do as we ask?" "It's all taken care of." "He'll get us into the palace." "You must strike when the Queen is most vulnerable." "The latrine." "Get her while she's on the latrine." "Her dress is around her ankles." "You sneak up on her..." "I'm not going to kill the Queen of Atlantis while she's on the latrine." "I was going to suggest killing her while she slept." "Suit yourself." "Ooh!" "Is that you?" " No." " And you call me an animal!" "It's seaweed." "I found a way to knock out the palace guards." "Fishermen, when cooking seaweed to eat, discovered that the fumes can act as a powerful sedative." "It's been known to render entire crews unconscious." "The trick is to calculate the exact concentration." "Too weak and it won't work, too strong and it could kill a man." "We should test it first." "And you're confident of your calculations?" "Well, completely." "I think we can all agree that I am not an idiot." "Then you should be the first to test it." "Oh..." "When he wakes up, we'll tell him he's not an idiot." "I know the Queen is evil, and no-one more deserves to die, but do you really believe that you can take her life in cold blood?" "If I don't do it, then Circe will kill us all." "Well then, at least you'll die with a clear conscience." "I would die knowing that I'd failed to do everything I could to save my friends." "And that is unthinkable." "Minos has accepted his fate." "It is only a matter of days until he passes." "Surely that's a good thing?" "Indeed it would be, had you succeeded in winning Ariadne's hand in marriage." "I did all that I could." "And yet still you failed." "When the King dies, the throne shall pass to Ariadne." "We must find a way to neutralise her." "You wish for me to have her killed?" "If I am to retain the support of the people and the court, we shall have to be a little more subtle than that." "Sometimes I struggle to believe I had such high hopes for you." "Argh!" "Ow!" "Ooh, agh!" "Ooh!" "Agh!" "Oh..." "Gagh!" "Ow!" "Oh..." "Hercules?" "I think I'm stuck." "Agh!" "Hercules, you take the one on the left." "I'll take the one on the right." "Pythagoras, you take the one in the middle." "Oof!" "Ungh!" "Oof!" "Agh!" "Oh..." "Ah..." "Oh..." "...I failed to factor body weight into my calculations." "It's very interesting how..." "Shut up and tell us where we're going." "The roof." "Trust me." "The royal chambers are directly below us." "Or at least I think they are." "Now, suddenly, you're not so sure?" "Well, there's only one way to find out." "Good luck." "We'll be watching for your return." "Now, are you sure you can hold me?" "I'll have you know, I once tossed a rabid bull off a cliff." " How is that even remotely relevant?" " I can hold you." "I'm fine." "I'm fine." "Lower." "No, slowly." "Slowly." "That's it." " Guards!" " Stop!" "Follow me!" "Lower." "Aagh..." "I told you I could hold him." "Huh..." "Sorry." "Guards!" "Guards!" "Maybe they've caught him?" "If Jason has been caught, they wouldn't be ringing the bells." "Maybe they've discovered the Queen is dead." "Then we're saved." "Circe will spare us." "That will be of little comfort when we're caught and executed for treason." "Move." "We can't stay here." "We must wait for Jason." "We cannot leave him." "We agreed that if the alarm was raised, it was every man for himself." "We agreed no such thing." "Where is he?" " Do you still want to stay here?" " If we go, Jason will have no way out." " He'll be trapped." " And if we stay, they will hang us with that rope until we're dead." "We're no use to Jason if we're caught." "Up on the roof!" " We have to go." " Move it!" "Move it!" "Move!" "Hercules!" "Pythagoras!" "Come on!" "Find him!" "Hercules!" "Keep your eyes open." "Argh!" "All I saw was a figure over my bed." "He fled before I could see his face." "We must assume it was an assassin." "One of my archers wounded him." "He cannot have gone far" "The palace is being searched." "Every exit has been sealed." "I want him found alive." "I was sound asleep." "Why did he not strike when he had the chance?" "Ssh!" "Argh!" "You bit me!" "What are you doing here?" "I had nowhere else to go." "Ariadne?" "Ariadne?" " What's happening?" " There's an intruder in the palace." "An attempt was made on the Queen's life." "Was she hurt?" "Mercifully, she is unharmed." "The palace is being searched as we speak." "Have you seen or heard anything?" "No, I was sleeping." "I've seen no-one." "Remain in your chambers." "Lock your door." "Do not answer it until I return." "As you wish." "It was you?" "You attempted to kill the Queen." "Why?" "It was either that or see my friends die." "You're hurt." "The rubbish chute." " Are you sure this is safe?" " No." "Argh!" "Oh..." "Oh..." "Thank the gods." "It is safe, Hercules." "Gnargh!" "Oh, get off!" "We made it!" "Oh..." "I'm sorry." "I'm not a skilled nurse." "It's fine." "If you meant to kill Pasiphae why is it that she is unharmed?" "I was standing above her while she slept, my sword in my hand." "I went to strike her something stopped me." "I couldn't do it." "I have often thought of killing her myself, for all that she has done." "I have imagined plunging a dagger deep into her heart." "Why haven't you?" "Perhaps for the same reasons as you." "To take a life in cold blood is not an easy thing." "If the tables were turned," "Pasiphae would not think twice before killing either of us." "Well, we're not the same as her." "Surely that's a good thing?" "I should attempt to escape from the palace." "It's madness." "The exits are sealed." "You will get caught." "If I am found in your chambers, they will execute us both." "I will not risk your life by staying here." "I would gladly risk my life for you as you have for me." "I will not hear of you leaving." "We must wait until dawn." "They will assume the intruder has escaped, and then I will smuggle you out." "You must spend the night here." "If you really insist." "I do." "Jason?" "Jason?" "This is a disaster." "I'm starting to fear he may have been caught." "What did I say?" "I said he should have got her on the latrine." "You're never more vulnerable than when you're..." "It was madness." "We were fools to let Jason go through with it." "And you think we could have stopped him?" "The boy is more headstrong than anyone I've ever met." "There's nothing we can do but..." "sit and wait and pray for his safe return." "We could have some wine." "How long have you been awake?" "A while." "What are you thinking?" "Nothing." "You should put some clothes on." "What is it?" "What's wrong?" "Let me." "I know there are many privileges that come from being the King's daughter but sometimes I wish I had been born the daughter of a smith or a carpenter." "I'd lead a normal life." "I'd be free to meet a simple boy of my own choosing." "Are you calling me simple?" "I didn't mean stupid." "I meant..." "Oh..." "I believe you know what I meant." "I've already said too much." "I like listening to you." "I enjoyed last night more than any other since I arrived in Atlantis." "You are wounded." "Every guard in the palace is searching for you and we'll both be executed as traitors if you are found here." "And yet when I am with you, all seems right with the world." "You must go." "Lone will arrive soon, and I will not be able" " to hide you from her." " How do I get out of the palace?" "There is a way." "The passage leads to the temple." "I can't thank you enough." "I only wish I knew when I will see you again." "I don't know what will happen in the days to come." "If my father passes, I..." "I won't let any harm come to you." "I promise." "Now you must go." "The palace has been searched." "There's no sign of the intruder." "We must assume he escaped during the night." "How is that possible when every exit was sealed?" "I am at a loss to explain it." "Am Ito believe that an assassin can make an attempt on my life" " and then escape undetected?" " I have doubled the guard and increased the patrols." "I will assign a squad of my best men" " to protect you personally." " No." "No." "Search the palace again, every room, every corner." "Question every servant, every courtier." "There must be some trace of the intruder." "It will be done." "You have served the King loyally for many years but do not make the mistake of thinking you can fail me." "I couldn't do it." "I couldn't kill Pasiphae." "I held her life in my hands and..." "I couldn't take it." "I have failed you, and now Circe will kill us all." "You... you... you couldn't just...?" "I'm sorry." " I suppose it's not entirely your fault." " No, because it is mostly yours." "You have to keep bringing that up, don't you?" "Even I'm allowed to make some mistakes." "We will think of something." "Well, I am completely out of ideas." "You've yet to have an idea." "What about the beards?" " That was mine." " Fleeing the city and growing beards is your answer to everything." "I still think it could work." "Grow a big bushy beard." "Maybe dye it ginger." "Well, it's better than sitting around here waiting for Circe to slaughter us in our beds." "We have until tomorrow before we must face Circe." "I need some rest." "I got no sleep." "Oh, Princess Ariadne keep you awake, did she?" "It's always the quiet ones." "Did I tell you about the carpenter's daughter, Asphasia?" "Yes." " Many, many times." " Ooh..." "Look, why don't we all get some sleep?" "We'll need our strength when we face Circe." "I've checked with the guard, and the door was locked." "So we've found the intruder's escape route." "Only members of the royal family possess keys to the door." "It seems we have a traitor in our court." "Oof..." "Oh..." "Hercules!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Wake up!" "Agh..." "Oh, my head." "Why did you let me drink so much wine?" "I didn't." "It was Jason." "He sedated us." "Why would he do that?" "Does he know I've been taking his money?" "It's not stealing, it's borrowing." "It's because he means to face Circe alone." "She's going to kill him." "Oh, that boy has been nothing but trouble since he arrived in Atlantis." "He's saved our lives more times than I care to remember." " I know." " We have to do something." "I know." "All right." "Let's all go and get killed together." "Father?" "I pray for you every day." "It seems the gods do not listen." "Please get better." "I need you." "I fear he grows weaker with each day that passes." "I know how hard it is for you, watching him fade." "I remember when my own father died." "I loved him deeply." "I was inconsolable." "I cried for days." "I find that hard to believe." "It is nonetheless true." "I was not so different from you when I was young." "But I quickly realised how cruel the world can be, as you will in the days to come." "My father is not dead yet." "Of course." "You're right." "We must not give up hope." "We have discovered how the intruder escaped the palace." "And how was that?" "It appears he fled through the passageway into the temple." "You don't seem surprised." "I am neither surprised nor otherwise." "Have you ever mentioned the existence of the passageway to anyone, even in passing?" "I was always led to believe it was a closely guarded secret." "Hmm..." "Be careful, Ariadne." "It seems there is a traitor amongst us." "There are very few people you can trust in this world." "I will be on my guard." "Ariadne?" "Is Ariadne here?" " No." "You must have been dreaming." " I thought I heard her voice." "Ariadne has not been to visit you today." "It seems she has other things on her mind." "You have done as I asked?" "No." "I couldn't do it." " And why do you think that was?" " I don't know." "I just couldn't." "Do your worst to me." "I ask just one thing." "Spare my friends." "That was not the bargain we struck." "You gain nothing from taking their lives." "I'm offering myself to you." "Kill me!" "As you wish." "You truly are touched by the gods." "Surely you must know you can never defeat me." "You cannot even tell which of us is real." "It could be any one of us." "You're the one with the reflection." "Argh!" "Hode kataspeiro khthonioio drakontos odontas." "You killed her?" "Well, that was surprisingly easy." "Easy for you." "We should just be thankful that it's all over." "I thought you said it was all over." "It appears I may have been mistaken." "How do you kill them?" "With extreme difficulty!" "You smash their bones." "That's how you kill them." "Is that it, or are there any more?" "No, I think it really is all over this time." "Phew!" "Were you hurt?" "It was a small cut." " It's nothing." " But there is so much blood." " I will get a physician." " No!" "You can't do that." "It's not my blood." "Then whose is it?" "The intruder from last night." "He was here?" "I sheltered him." "This cannot be found." "We must burn it." "I cannot ask that of you." "I will do it myself." "You will only draw attention if you're seen." "It is safer if I do it." "You're a loyal friend." "Where did you find that?" "In Princess Ariadne's chambers." "It is the blood of the intruder." "She confessed to me that she sheltered him." " Did she reveal his identity to you?" " No." "She didn't say." "Hmm." "You have served me well." "You shall be amply rewarded." "It seems Ariadne has solved our problem for us." "Go to her chambers." "Request she join me in the council chamber." "Ariadne, I cannot express how saddened I am that you stand before me in these circumstances." "What circumstances do you speak of?" "Before Poseidon and the court you are charged with treason." "You will be tried and, if found guilty you will be put to death." "Right, I have bread, cheese," " olives and wine." " Jason..." "Don't worry." "I didn't forget your pies." "There's lots of pies." "What is it?" "Ariadne has been arrested." "She is to stand trial for treason." "Why?" "She's accused of harbouring the assassin that tried to kill the Queen." "Did Ariadne say whose blood it was?" "She told me it was the blood of the intruder who had attempted to kill you." "Princess Ariadne confessed she harboured him in her chambers." "Do you deny this is the truth?" "No." "Then you must understand that this is a violation of Poseidon's most sacred laws." "We have no choice but to find you guilty." "You do not have the authority." "My father won't stand for this." " I demand to see him." " Sadly, the King has not been conscious for the last two days." "The only comfort I get from this is knowing he will never learn of his daughter's betrayal." "I would never betray him!" "I am loyal to the King and the people of Atlantis." "The Queen has always coveted the throne." "It is she who conspires against the King." "You have confessed to your crimes and yet now you seek to divert attention from them." "Perhaps, if you were to reveal the identity of the intruder, you could be shown a degree of mercy." "I do not believe you capable of mercy." "You refuse to name him?" "I did not ask his name." "You expect the court to believe that you harboured a complete stranger?" "I would help anyone who would see you dead." "Then you have sealed your fate." "You shall be sentenced to death." "When the moon is at its height, you will be taken to the Brazen Bull." "No." "Anything but that." "Kuti Poseidon." "Please!" "Kuti Poseidon." "I beg you!" "Gayay say mati tu tuo..." "Why do you just stand there?" "Take her to the cells." "Tell me." "Ariadne has been sentenced to death." "She is to be executed tomorrow, when the moon is at its height." "Ariadne is ready to give up her life to protect me." "I will rescue her or die trying." "Who better to protect him than his own father?"