The Minoan Rhapsody

The Market

Hephaestus and the Sintian entered the house by the olive grove while chatting among themselves in Sintiani.

"Would you two stop complaining," Ari interrupted them with a smile. "There weren't that many olives to press. What are you going to do next harvest when we have five times as many?"

"Kuruka ju simiteu?"

"Chicken with herbs," she answered. "You hungry?"

"Si," her brother rubbed his belly and nodded with a grim.

Hephaestus went to her and grabbed her hands. He smelled them. "Basil and oregano."

She kissed him.

"How's the little one?" He placed his hand on her swollen belly.

"Hephi's wrestles."

"Hephi?" Her brother asked.

"Got to call him something," she answered.

"How would you know the child is a boy?"

"Mothers know."

"Tomorrow we go to the market," Hephaestus said as he poured himself a cup of water.

"I should go by myself. You might stand out."

"In your condition? No. We got five pithoi full of oil. It's too much weight for you."

"I'm with child, not crippled!"

"Now who's complaining?"

"Dawa parane!"

"All right, all right! I'm hungry too," the Fallen One said.

"You've really become a meat eater."

"When you are on ambrosia the taste of meat makes you sick. Yes, meat eating is a welcomed new taste for me."

"Siduminakumi, dawa parane!"

"Fine, fine," Ari replied. "You are just like a hungry child, crying for food." She went back to the table behind her and grabbed a couple of quartered chickens.

The next morning Hephaestus with the help of the Sintian loaded the oil pithoi on their donkey. He then put on his goat skin boots and cloak. "Ready Ari?"

"Let's hop out of here."

"Are you going to make fun of my one leg for as long as I live?"

"Unless you lose an arm."

Hephaestus closed his eyes as he shook his head to the laughter of the Sintian in the background. "Can you get me Apator?"

"I'm not falling for that," Ari pointed to him. "Only you can wield it. I've already tried."

Hephaestus scoffed. "Oh, well. But wait. Why did you need to wield it?"

Ari smiled wickedly and answered, "To chop your arm off."

Hephaestus frowned.

"I'm joking. I just wanted to feel it."

"Maybe one day I'll tell it to let you."

#

It was mid-morning and Myrina was talking with a couple of women under the shade of a terebinth tree. She bid farewell to them with a kiss on their cheek and went to Scorilo who waited with Hypsipyle. "Two more in."