The Fates (Book II)

9.7 - Aim

Let's head back to B.C. and see how Rider's doing...

P.S. As is true of much of Rider's storyline in B.C., some events in this scene are loosely based on and inspired by Greek myths - but of course with some twists ;)

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Scene 7: Aim

2020 B.C.

When Rider stopped, he did not like to stop for long. Passing presently through the realm of Larissa, where athletic games of great renown were to be held today, he could not have cared less for such events, such pointless nonsense. He paused only to buy food and drink to replenish his company's depleted supply. Only these, the barest of necessities — for Argos awaited, not far from this place, and Rider had no desire to delay the vengeance he would find once he arrived.

Lachesis was afraid of the determination in his eyes, but regardless of how fearsome it was — and despite the fact that, ever since Rider had become suspicious of what she had told Chrysaor, he now ignored her more than ever before — still she walked by his side.

"Pretty wife you got," a local remarked as the couple passed by.

Rider strode on through the marketplace right past the stranger, an adolescent boy whose searching gaze exuded mischief and a love of danger. Lachesis blushed to notice that the boy was following them as they approached the village baker. His eyes dropped from her face down to the heavy purse of coin that Rider gave as payment for the loaves he needed, agleam to see such fine gold spilled upon the baker's palm, then darted back up to the bashful bride again.

"Great wealth and a wife who resembles a princess — the famed princess Andromeda, no less, if the descriptions of her beauty are to be believed," the boy observed aloud, his gaze shifting to Rider. "Are you by any chance the man whose fame has swept across the land?"

Rider ignored the boy, almost as blatantly as he ignored his wife.

For her part, Lachesis regarded the boy with a curious glance. "Fame?"

"No doubt you've heard the tales of Perseus, the hero who soared high upon a flying horse and slew the monstrous Cetus? Who thereby won the hand and dowry of a princess?" the boy asked. "Rumor says it all transpired only recently, but rumor travels fast."

"Oh! I see," Lachesis smiled and felt her heart swell up with pride, to stand by her heroic husband's side; he was famous! "Well, that's—"

"Lachesis, why don't you go buy yourself a dress," Rider abruptly suggested, taking her hand up in his for a moment, just to press a few spare coins into her palm and nod toward a nearby tailor's stall.

And her heart swelled even more, at that — just at the momentary contact, at the words he spoke to her, the deep blue of his gaze for the few seconds that it lingered... this one morsel of the attention she would always crave from him... then as soon as it started, the moment was over, and she blinked away the happy trance to do as he had asked.

As she turned and went toward the tailor, she overheard the next few words that the boy uttered to Rider. "Deny it if you wish, but I know in my bones that you are Perseus. And I happen to know a secret which I reckon you might find to be of interest..."

Once Lachesis had purchased the prettiest dress, a lush garment of dark purple fit for a princess, she returned to her husband.

The boy had just disappeared into the crowd — after accepting a handful of gold for the secret he'd told — and Rider was currently speaking to Dictys.