The Goddess of Blessed Death

A Scapegoat, A Woman

Back in Athens, Macaria has gone to the temple with her mother to pray. Her brothers stand before King Demophon but face one another.

"This is both immoral and uncivilized, ask any man!" Ctesippus yells at Glenus and Oneites, though only Glenus ever rejoins. "You lot are only upset because she fucked a god—"

"Oh, please!"

"—and you haven't! How will you feel once she's gone?"

"You may look like father, but you're still a child!"

"You are avoiding the point, and Father would have fought to protect her just like he did Mother!"

"That was different, she was going to be murdered!"

"She made her choice! What can we do?" Oneites blurts out.

"Lock her up, hold her down, I don't care, you little weasel!"

"Enough," says Demophon. "I agree it's uncivilized, but it's what the oracle has called for. She will be saving many lives. You should be upset, but you should also be proud."

Ctesippus steps up to the throne. Guards shoot forward, but Demophon holds up his hand, and they freeze. Ctesippus leans over the king.

"Do not tell me how I should be," he snarls. "You're no king of mine."

"Your tongue will get you killed if you don't keep it in check," Demophon warns calmly.

"Better me than her."

"You're not a noblewoman," Glenus scoffs.

Ctesippus whirls, unsheathing his sword and holds it against the side of his brother's neck. "She trusted you most of all," he says. "And look at where you are now. Sniveling for her to die. Perhaps it was best Father leave us, who'd want a son like you?"

Glenus's nostrils flare as he breaths deeply, his eyes grow cold.

"Stop," Oneites says. "There's nothing we can do now."

Ctesippus keeps the sword on Glenus's neck but speaks to Oneites. "You'll do anything to save your own skin. You're spoiled, Oneites, spoiled so that you'll never grow into a man."

"Ctesippus," warns Demophon. "You're one of the best warriors among us. Lower the sword or I'll have no choice but to lock you up."

Ctesippus lowers his sword. "Don't ever think flattery will get you anywhere with me," he snarls at the king, "As my dearest brother Glenus has reminded you, I'm not my father." He walks out of the court. Oneites moves to follow, but Glenus grabs his shoulder.

"Let him be," Glenus says. "You'll only give him an excuse to maim you." Glenus takes a non-threatening step towards the king.

"He's right, though," Oneites mutters under his breath.

"Let me take over my brother's position as Hyllus's lieutenant," Glenus says to the king. "As you can see, his emotions run him and he's unfit to lead."

"Unfortunately, you're right," Demophon agrees. "However, he'll be reassigned to Acacius. I don't want him too near any of his brothers on the battlefield when, if there is a battle."

Glenus nods and Oneites looks at his brother and the king with anxiety that has wound itself into knots that pull his muscles taught. Ctesippus meanwhile has gone to plead for Athena's help beside Macaria and Deianira

Outside of the temple, the stairs fell away with the mountainside, opening the view to all of Athens and the sea beyond it. Just outside of the fortified walls, King Eurystheus's warriors are amassing on the shores and traveling up to the walls. Another crowd, one of Athenians, drew near to the bottom of the stairs. The royal household and councilmen's households stand around the flat top of the stairs.