The Minoan Rhapsody

Dealing with Gods

The winds rushed together in unison. Minos' ship sail seams were stretched, the mast creaked, and the ropes squeaked as if the ship asked for reprieve. The hull cut through the waves, creating a mist of sea water over the stern. There was no need for oars as the Gods were in a hurry to return the Keiftu to Knossos, along with three Athenians. Daedalus' sons were on the top deck of the ship.

"You know you won't catch anything," Iapyx told his brother who was holding a fishing line he tossed over the stern. He looked back up at the full sail. "We are sailing too fast for the fish to bite the hook."

"What else am I going to do?" Icarus shrugged his shoulders, his sight focused on the ship's wake. He was as young as Minos was at the time of the contest with his brothers. Scrawny with short, feathered cut light brown hair, he was of fragile nature.

"It's not like this is the first time you go on a long voyage you know." Iapyx, the older of the two by a handful of winters, was closer to being a man than a child. His skin tone was uneven thanks to Egypt's unrelenting sun. He was fit, always eager to try something new.

"You just had to say it, didn't you?"

"Say what?" Iapyx frowned back.

"Athens you idiot! You just had to remind me of when we left home," Icarus punched his brother on the shoulder. "I hate sailing. It makes me sick. How long have we been here? Do you know how much longer it will be before we get to Knossos, or wherever they are taking us?"

"It'll be one more day from what I've been told," Iapyx shrugged his brother's punch off. "Stop complaining. King Minos and his men are treating us well. We haven't had to do any work on board. You should be glad they haven't made us empty the shit buckets or clean up the deck."

"I would rather burn in Hades than get on my knees to clean up old wood planks," Icarus scowled. He briefly grasped a pendant that hung halfway his bare chest. It was a half-melted silver ring.

At that instant, something yanked the fishing line, cutting Icarus' hands. He whimpered while letting go of it. The fishing line was swallowed by the sea.

"Oh no! Do you think it was one of the pink dolphins?" Iapyx wondered looking back at the sea while paying no attention to his brother's hands. "King Minos would kill you!"

"Kill me? You were here too! Besides, who cares about dolphins?" Icarus licked the blood droplets from his hands.

"Stop whining! Clean it up with some sea water. It'll make you feel better."

"Let me be. Go play with the dogs. Clean up their shit while you are at it. I am tired of stepping on it," Icarus said as he looked back at the sea. Before his eyes, a huge black mass surfaced briefly from the depths. He saw no head or tail. "Did you see that?!"

"See what?"

"A monster! It was right behind us!" Icarus pointed back at the sea.

"A monster?" Iapyx narrowed his eyes. "You are seeing things. The sun is playing tricks with your eyes. Just clean up that wound. Sea water I tell you."

He walked away with a grin. He passed a few Keiftu who were working the upper deck. He went down a ladder below deck were most of the crew were. Some were inspecting oars, while others were handling their supplies. He saw King Minos talking with the Captain of the ship. He approached his father, who was sitting by a table at the bow of the ship.

Daedalus attentively studied two small amphorae: one Egyptian and one Keiftu.

"Papa," Iapyx called. "Why are you looking at those two jars?"