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That is some fast learnin'.The palace is quiet. You tread warily through the cold deserted corridors to the underground training-room, where Crabia is waiting for you. It is a huge gloomy hall, with a dirt floor. In the middle is a complicated wooden apparatus with two projecting handles, spaced as far apart as a bull's horns.
'You're going to try leaping on that,' orders Crabia. You do a few practice handstands on the floor, and then try to jump and catch the handles. Eventually you can leap, catch the handles, balance for a moment and then spring off to land on the ground on the other side. Crabia nods and walks to the machine.
'That's good, but it's gymnastics, not bull-leaping. Try this, now.' She pulls two small wooden pegs out of the machine and goes back to her place. You try again, but this time as you balance the machine rocks, throwing you to the ground.
'Ha! You peasant,' crows Crabia. 'You think a bull will hold its head still for you? Again.'
This time it takes longer, but you are at last able to cope with the rocking. Crabia pulls out two more pegs and demonstrates that it will now sway side to side as well as backwards and forwards. 'Do it.'
Your arms and legs ache, but at long last you are learning not to rely on the horns, not to use them as support, but merely to flick them to steady yourself; to balance, but always to be ready to leap off when the head tilts.
Crabia seems satisfied: 'Good.' Then she corrects herself: 'Not as good as your brother, but you'll do.' You thank her, too out of breath to be sarcastic, and start to go back to your room. 'Wait!' You turn curiously and she pins a miniscule silver bull to your shoulder. 'There, now you are halfway to being a bull-leaper. Tomorrow, we finish.'
Add 2 to your Endurance, and have 1 Honour point. You return to your room exhausted, and catch some sleep.
The day dawns brightly, and you awake refreshed, with no trace of headache. You dress and go to the first meal of the day.
'Lactris' moment of triumph,' whispers Opris. 'Look at him, practising his modest expressions.' He smiles, with no trace of malice.
'This is when they announce the ephors, then?'
'Yes. Look, that's Noa, there on Pangryon's right.' He indicates a young woman with what your mother Aethra used to call an 'overcast' face. Seeing the fondness in his eyes, you mumble something appreciative. 'Ah, there's Uncle Pangryon getting up.'
The High Priest looks down at Noa with what for him passes for a smile, and then proclaims, 'I have an announcement. The ephors for the festival will be Noa and Opris. That is all.' He leaves.
You cast a surreptitious glance around. Lactris looks like a sailor who sits down to eat a sumptuous feast, only for it to be snatched away by the Harpies. Opris is surprised and pleased. And Noa has the expression of a little girl who sends a trader uncle away to fetch a gold brooch for her from the East, when he returns with it: satisfaction, not only in the gift, but in that the indulgent uncle will do what his niece demands. It occurs to you that you may have misjudged Noa, priestess of Demeter.
Lactris leaves. Opris talks to Noa for a moment, and they both go out together to the temple. You look around for Thaisia, but she seems not to be present. Psyche, looking distinctly the worse for wear, sidles up to you.
'Oh dear,' she moans. 'Do you know what that was about?'
'I think so.'
'Lactris looks a bit put out. Perhaps...' But she sees Andra approaching, obviously intent on another heart-to-heart talk about your brother's merits and the benefits of romance. Psyche winks, pats you on the arm and goes. Out of the corner of your eye you see her being stopped by Miktros.
To forestall Andra telling you how much she loves the Athenian accent, you ask where Thaisia is.
'She went to her mother's early this morning,' Andra tells you in a gleeful tone that implies that she thinks she knows the reason for your interest. 'She won't be back until after the festival.'
• Stay and talk to Andra?
• See to other business around the palace?
You make an excuse to Andra, and go towards the door.
'But... I hardly even know you,' Psyche is saying to Miktros. Polycrates appears out of nowhere and bars your way: 'Ah, Altheus. You may wish to put in a bit of boxing practice.'
'I may? Why?'
'I'll be in the gymnasium. You can find me there.' He gestures to a guard. 'You there! My compliments to Boloris, and will he see me in the boxing-room.' The guard goes out and Polycrates moves away, saying, 'I'll see you, then.'
You go, and as you reach the door Psyche flings herself around your neck with an 'Altheus, darling!' The force carries you, puzzled, out into the corridor.
'I don't understand.'
Psyche disentangles herself and smooths her hair again. 'Then you're obtuse. You just saved me from Miktros.' She mimics a tragedy mask at his name.
'Oh, is that all? I thought Aphrodite was smiling on me.'
'Look at the fruit, not the rind. It may save you from amorous Andra.' And she goes, with a smile, to her room.
• Go to the temple to see Opris and Noa?
• Go to visit Lactris?
• Go to Polycrates in the gymnasium?
• Go to your room and wait?
After a few minutes, Polycrates does return. 'Altheus, come to box?' he asks.
'Yes, I have.'
'Good, let's box.'
You bind strips of leather round your knuckles, strip to the waist and start to box. It soon becomes clear that this is no relaxing practice bout: Polycrates is extremely agile for his years, and throws hard punches. When one of these lands you become much more clear-headed.
'Come on, boy, you're dreaming. Fight!'
You begin to fight back, but it is only when Polycrates begins to tire very slightly that you get the upper hand. After several hours you are both completely exhausted. Polycrates holds up a hand.
'All right, we'll stop.' You remove the gloves, strip and go to bathe.
'You were quite good, once you got serious,' comments Polycrates. 'You'll do.'
'Do for what?'
'I hope our practice was useful to you.'
'Yes, thank you... useful for what? I still don't see...'
A gong sounds. 'Oh, you will, you will. It's time to eat.' He goes. You dress again and go to lunch. Add 10 to your Endurance.
In the corridor you pause to admire an intricate shell, mounted on a plinth, with thin copper wire threaded right through it. As you look, Minos appears behind you. 'You know how that was done, boy?'
You shake your head.
'Well, let me tell you a story. Some years ago, Daedalus was on the run from me. He went to ground in Syracuse, and I lost him there. Well, I offered a reward to anyone who could thread a piece of wire through one of these shells. He tied wire on to a piece of silk, tied the silk to an ant, and let it walk through.'
Minos picks up the wire by both ends and twirls the shell on it. 'It was brought to me and...' he pulls the wire tight and the shell shatters into tiny pieces '... I had him. The moral is: don't be too clever. Remember that, Altheus.'
You become aware of a cut on your left hand, where a splinter of shell has hit it, and suck the blood clean, reflectively. It is not entirely clear what Minos means.
'I've been watching you, Altheus,' he growls. 'You're clever, Aegeus' son. You'll be king yourself one day – of... Athens.' He leans towards you. 'You could be king of Crete.'
• Proceed?
• Take a hint?
'I don't think I understand,' you say.
'I think you understand very well. I built Crete up from nothing, despite the efforts of the gods and Pasiphae my wife to thwart me. Now I see it all about to be thrown away by my drunken fool of a son. That's not going to happen.'
'But he'll inherit the throne.'
'Three of my sons I loved. They died. Accidents happen... a fourth... I am king; I can be succeeded by whoever I wish.'
You understand fully.
• Go along with Minos' scheme?
• Refuse to take part?
'My lord,' you protest. 'You prompt me to murder your own son. I'll have none of it.'
Minos shrugs. 'It'll happen. Remember, you had the whole of Crete in your hands today, and gave it away. That doesn't happen to many. I'll see you at lunch.' He walks away. You stand stunned for a moment, and then follow him to lunch.
You arrive in the great hall of Knossos and take your place at the long oaken table. The meal of nuts, fruit, and hot stewed vegetables is surprisingly nourishing, and you are soon sated. The gong at the far end of the table is struck once and the sound reverberates through the large hall. The company stirs, and Minos rises to his feet.
• Rise as well?
• Remain seated?
• Take a hint?
You watch your neighbour: she begins to get to her feet, so you copy her actions.
You rise to your feet as the rest of the company stands. Minos mumbles a few words, but you cannot understand, for they are in some ancient, obscure language. The courtiers begin to leave the hall, and soon there are only half a dozen left. As you start to leave, Miktros jostles past you with unnecessary violence, and then Kremton shoves you to the floor, sayong 'Out of my way, foreign upstart.'
This is too much and your patience is broken, like the dam which holds against the river until, at last, the swollen flood bursts through, and the people of the valley are drowned. You lash out at Kremton. The blow catches him by surprise and he steps back, clutching his injured cheek. He starts to advance, but suddenly checks himself. A large hand clamps your right shoulder and you turn to see Minos' grim features.
'Control yourself, and save your energy. Tomorrow you shall fight each other in the pankration. The goddess Demeter demands that two strong youths battle in the boxing-ring until one cries out for his life on the dust. Now keep apart until the contest.'
He dismisses you both with a weary wave, and you depart to your room, musing on the words of the king.
That tortured simile describes an event which actually occurs in Book 3, by the by.You pace back and forth across the room, like a lion which, trapped by hunters in the high hills of Africa and taken to the court of the Nubian king, restlessly prowls around its strong wicker cage, before it throws its weight against the bars, breaks out, savages an effete tribal chieftain, and runs sleekly away across the wide plains. The narrow confines of the room begin to oppress you, and you slump down on your bed.
• Grab some rest so that you will be refreshed for the evening?
• Investigate Minos' fortress while the palace slumbers?
