Beauty/Tragedy | Percy Jackson

Good Cause and Selfish Heart

What is tragedy? What makes a story so sad that it has to be named after doom? Is it the love? Is it the loyalty? Is it the small validation that makes us crave for more? That makes us do more and chase the opportunity? Is it the pain and loss and confusion?

Can the answer be... Kallias didn't know why he did it. 

"Father!" "No!"

He swears his heart stopped beating. He was dead for a second, no breathing, not blinking not feeling but just in a state of shock as he saw things unfold.

(What was happening? Why was it happening?)

Anger was so overwhelming that everyone was shouting, their weapons were drawn and a frown on their faces gave evidence of their rage. There was a moment's pause when the king challenged his father and Kallias took that opportunity.  Out of sheer desperation, he asked, "Father..." Ariston turned to him with wild eyes, shifting his attention between him and staring down at Alexo. "Why?"

Berenice grabbed his wrist, clutching like her life depended on it, hanging on like she too was afraid the worst will come to pass. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his husband.  Perseus' stance screamed that he was ready for anything, any war. But his right hand was behind his back. To anyone it would look like he is presenting a front, posing as a person who isn't bothered by anything, but they knew. Only Kallias and Berenice knew that Riptide will be summoned before the blink of an eye and would be dug hilt deep through anyone who tries to step too close. Or an ice dagger will appear to pierce through a heart.

This was dangerous. 

His father seethed. "That kingdom," he spat, "was made with mine." All color drained from his face, "Why was my land drowned while theirs thrived? We were born together, we die together."

Ariston could not save his land from the curse, so he did his best to snatch the happiness of a beautiful place. (Flowers are plucked because they look beautiful.) 

"What?" Alexo exclaimed.  "And here I hear that you were friends with the king of Lipsana. They made poems for you, about the commoner boys who saved their people from monsters and earned a throne from the gods themselves!"

"Lies!" His father yelled. "I was given a throne! A gift from the gods themselves! That friend you talk about divided the island in half.  He erected a border between me and the rest of the land, leaving me with a ruined piece of land! If not for the gods, he would have succeeded in throwing me out! I stood on my own and earned my place among the gods' favorites. Lipsana does not compare to Aristo! Never will! Never should!"

"So, you killed the prince."

"I gave them their fate."

With betrayed eyes, Kallias took a step ahead. Berenice tried to stop, determined to keep him out of the way even when she was trembling in fear herself. "How could you?"

After everything, Ariston reaches out with a hand. "My son, will you help me?" He gestures to the throne of Agatha. "We have a kingdom to rule."

Time seemed to stop. Despite whatever Seus says, Kallias know he will be terrified if he said this to him. It was as if every second turned into a hour. 

Slowly, he released a breath. He was almost afraid of what will happen after this moment of silence is over. He wanted to live in this slow life. He wanted to live this loved life.

He turned to look at Berenice's alarmed look. Her hands reaching forward to stop something terrible from happening, but at the same time her feet remained glued to her place. She looked at him, her eyebrows raised and scrunched. Her hands that were reaching out came to be in front of him, like she was shielding him from the world.

He felt his words resound. "No!" From the shock on his father's face to the expression of pride Alexo carried, he registered everything. From the surprise on Alexo's face as he was pushed down the steps to the expression of rage his father carried, he registered everything. From the weapon raised by his father to Berenice's stepping in front of him-

(The guards ran to their king first.)

Kallias knew, when it would be time- Perseus will not stop. He knew even if situation scared him, he will not be stopped because of a second's delay. He was faster than that. He was more god than human after all. A flick of his wrist-                                                                     

                   Riptide was against Ariston's throat. His life was in the hands of the son of the god who cursed the kingdom. 

Kallias blinked to escape the game time was playing. He barely had uttered his protest to stop it from happening, he barely had time to make Berenice let him go-

               Perseus directed his sword away from Ariston's throat (A false relief) and swung!

"No! Please!" "Stop!" "Perseus!" 

The sword passed through his father, like he had not been standing in the way. He tried to blink away his dizziness. He had forgotten the tricks godly metals play.

Ariston dropped his sword in surprise.  His hands came wrapped around his own throat like he could not believe he survived that.

"You see, Ariston. You're not worthy." Alexo took their attention as he got up and walked with the guards flanking him. "The god who blessed you thinks your blood is not precious enough to stain their divine weapons."

With a gesture of his hand, the guards came and had their spears pointed at the murderer.

Amidst the chaos, the messenger stood calmly. "Lipsana will remember you, King Alexo." He gratefully added.

Kallikrates sank to his knees.