by Wilbur Arron
“Not true, Alex,” Theodoros spoke up. “You were never removed from our roll of Brotherhood members. Your rank is only listed as suspended and not revoked. As Arch-Mage for Argina, I have the power to lift that suspension, and I am doing that now.” Theodoros reached into his mage robe and took out a silver ring. I knew it was engraved with the image of Apollo: the ring was the symbol of a Master Mage.
That was a nice gesture, but who would recognize it? “What makes you think the Mage Council and the Megas Mage would accept your decision? It was their decision, recommended by former Arch-Mage Herion, to suspend me and not yours.”
“Because they told me I could do this before I left for Argina,” Theodoros told me.
There was more to it than that, I knew. “And the Council and Megas Mage are just going to pretend what occurred between Lycus and me did not happen?”
“Of course not!” Theodoros said emphatically. “What Herion did along with the ethnarch and the archiereas was correct. The Megas Mage and the Mage Council approved it. I agreed with it myself. I told you before I agreed with it. However, I also know what you did was more than likely necessary. We just could not set the precedent that mages can act as they see fit even in crisis situations.”
All of this seemed to confirm my point. “Then why would anyone accept me as an ambassador?” I asked.
“Because of something you do not know,” Theodoros said. “It was you that found out the mages of Syrina were in league with the Zilar. That warning was passed to the Megas Mage from Herion. He had me look into it, and with help from some mage brothers, we tracked down a plot of the Syrina mages to kill Pytheas, the Megas Mage, and the Mage Council. There was an awful fight between ten Syrina senior mages and twenty of our own brothers, along with half of Ethnarch Pytheas’ Guard. All of the Syrina mages and several of our brothers died. Several dozen troops of the Ethnarch’s Guard also died, but we destroyed all the Syrina mages on Lantia, that we know of. If there are more, they are staying out of sight. We in the Brotherhood of Mages and Ethnarch Pytheas could have been destroyed by this plot if not for your warning.”
I had never heard of this. “Any of you know of this?” I asked.
“Only my father,” Pallas said. “He kept it to himself so as not to alert any Syrina mages here. He did have Theodoros search for Syrina mages in Arginnia. We found a few, but most of them were just low-level spies. They did not have the numbers to formulate such a plot here. They have fewer numbers now.”
“When did all of this happen?” I wanted to know.
“Just before I came here,” Theodoros answered. “This is one of the reasons the Megas Mage sent me here.”
“Then you should have told me this before,” I said.
“Not until I found all the Syrina mages here,” Theodoros said. “Even Pallas and Diomedes were not told.”
I held my head with my right hand and just shook my head in disbelief. “I still do not understand, why send me? Theodoros here has seen what is happening. The Megas Mage and Mage Council trust him. He would be the perfect person to explain.”
“He is still needed here,” Pallas said. “There is one other thing that my father has told me. My father received messages from both Ethnarch Pytheas and the Megas Mage thanking him and you for revealing the plot of the Zilar. That is why my father never answered the rude message you sent him. He understood why you were angry and why you thought he or I wanted you dead. Alexio, you are highly regarded in Lantia, as highly regarded as you are here. Now while that makes me, my father, and maybe Pytheas distrust you, the simple fact is you are popular there. We need to take advantage of that fact. We need you to go there; we need it desperately. Killing you now would be tantamount to suicide by us. If there is one person who can get this fleet for us, it is you.”
So now it finally comes out. These people had gall; I will give them that. “And after the crises are over, my neck is the first one strangled,” I said. “If you think I am going to forget that conversation I overheard with Cleon, your brother, Xanphos and you, then you are mistaken. I believe you may not want me dead now, but in the future, you will find reasons to change your mind. I still do not trust you, Pallas, or your father. Not after what you have done.”
Pallas threw up his hands and sat down. “I do not know what else to say to convince you.”
“I do,” Cleon said coldly. “Alex, I know you do not trust anyone here with, I hope, the exception of Iolaos and me. You can trust this, however. If the Zilar can land a major army and beat us, they will have this entire vasíleio to rule as they see fit. You know what happened in Dysiasty, and you know what the Zilar did there. They will do the same thing to every polis in Argina. You know I am speaking the truth.”
Cleon was right. Zilar and his horde believed in nothing but pure naked force, and they were willing to use that force as ruthlessly as they needed to compel compliance with their dictates. It made the tyrants of the past look like the kobaloi* (imps).
“That I do believe,” I answered in a whisper. “I still do not think I am the one to send. You need someone who knows more than magik for this.”
Pallas spoke up. “We need someone who knows proper manners, dress and speaking oratory. That is why I am suggesting your wife go with you. She was trained in the house of her father, the oligarch. Besides, she is the only one you will listen to in a crisis.”
“Besides Philie,” Iolaos added, “And she is in no condition to travel anywhere.”
“Stop right there,” I said, getting up. “I might be willing to undertake this mission, but I am not risking my wife at the same time.”
“Yes, you are,” Melina said loudly and walked out of the kitchen. “I am not staying home wondering, for the gods know how long, if you are coming back or not. They are right; I am going with you.”
“Have the furies taken your senses, wife?” I said, raising my voice. “This mission is ludicrous. If we get there, if they allow us to stay, if the Megas Mage does not arrest me, if the ethnarch even listens to me, and finally if they let us ever come back. Besides, I have not said I will take this assignment. What happens to our home, our fields, and most importantly, my friends? If I leave, what happens to them?”
“Philie will take care of them,” Iolaos said, “As soon as she is over her labor.”
I felt trapped. I did not trust this mission, and certainly not the people sending me on it. I did trust the Zilar to destroy this vasíleio if I gave them any chance at all. Cleon was right; this had to be done, but I felt I was cutting my own throat.
“Very well,” I said with a false grin. “My wife and I will be happy to be your ambassadors. And may the gods take pity on all of us.”
Melina came in and kissed me, even in front of the others. “When do the two of us leave?” I asked.
“When we get the rest of the delegation together,” Pallas said.
“Who else is going?” I wanted to know.
“I am sending Lochagos Nomiki with you to act as a bodyguard along with a trooper of my guard. You will remember him as Hyparchos Chremon on our trip to Korpolis from Arginnia. Both are the two deadliest swordsmen I know. There will be one more I would like to send.”
“Who now?” I asked.
“Zila,” Pallas said as if it was nothing. “She knows her father’s plans; she is also a mage from Syrina who can help Pytheas with them.”
“Zila!” both Melina and I exclaimed.
“Why would she go on this crazy mission?” I asked.
“Because if she goes, both my father and I promise that we will allow her people to settle in the open land between Korpolis and Peles along the main road, just as you suggested. It will be difficult for the Zilar to get to her people if they live there. If she wants, she can take one bodyguard with her.”
I knew she might go for that. That would be a job of explanation. That made a party of six. “Any more coming?” I asked. “If I find two unicorns, we can go as a troop of traveling theater players.”
Nomiki smiled, but the others knew how serious I was.
“Dinner is ready,” Melina said. “No slaves here, so you will have to serve yourselves.”
The dinner wasn’t bad. I just kept mulling over and over in my head just what I had gotten my wife and myself into.
Convincing Zila was not difficult, especially with Pallas’ offer. She went for it immediately and told me she would be ready in several days. Gyras would go with her to make the party six.
The tricky part was telling all my friends what I had to do. It was not easy. I had to explain that the Zilar were here and would not leave unless I got help. I also had to explain the Zilar might be strong enough to come here. I told them I would leave the Speaking Stone for Philie so she could easily talk to them. I buried the stone next to the tree due north of the one to which I had nailed the golden diadem. Finally, I told them to defend the forest the best they could, but if things got too strong for them, to hide in the mountains with the Old Ones. I could only hope things would not get that bad.
I had to go to Korpolis where Cleon had the clothes makers’ syntechnia make me suitable clothing to wear as an ambassador, along with appropriate clothing for Melina and my two guardsmen. We had to put all of this into six large chests that we would take to Aegae, and there we would take a ship that Diomedes was preparing for us.
Zila and Gyras arrived two days later. Pallas immediately ordered several of his men to go to Dysiasty to start the process of moving them to their new home. Besides all our weapons, our new clothes, and my mage robes, I also put a bag of gold dust in my trunk and one into Melina’s and told no one else about it.
Pallas gave me a signed letter identifying me as an official ambassador from Argina along with my party. There was also a formal request from our ethnarch to the Ethnarch of Lantia requesting help. Pallas gave me ten purses of 100 drachmae each for our expenses. I think he gave Nomiki additional funds that he did not tell Melina or me about. Finally, they gave us all a grand send-off party. The last thing I did before we left was to put on the Master Mage ring. I might as well go all the way in this comedy.
After the party, I told an obviously pregnant Philie about the Speaking Stone. If something happened to us, and we did not return, I knew they would assign another protector to the forest. Once Philie was sure she could trust him, I told her to show him how to get into my secret compartments and to explain the workings of the Speaking Stone. Satisfied I had done all I could do, I spent my last night making passionate love to Melina, and the next morning we were off under a heavy escort lead by Diomedes. I was now an official royal ambassador.
I could have sworn I heard the gods laughing in my sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT: VOYAGES
Our theater troop arrived at the port of Aegae after a four-day journey from Korpolis. Cleon and Pallas remained in Erinia along with half the local army. The other half were close to the Northern Forest near the White Mountains. They were there to watch the passes, so the Zilar troops in Vorepolis could not break out and raid the nearby territory. The militia units were sent home but told to be ready at a moment’s notice. Xanphos went south to Peles to cover the great plain of Argina in case the Zilar decided to invade elsewhere by ship. Our strategy became a waiting game with the Zilar in charge.
Diomedes had sent orders ahead to his personal guards to go to Aegae and sweep the place clean. All his men searched for anyone with the flame tattoo. Only one was found. Diomedes took over Poseidon’s Trident, the most popular and largest inn at the seaport, and all of us were given rooms. The next order of business was finding a vessel to carry us to Lantia. With fifty enemy trierse in the waters nearby, this was not an easy feat. Most vessels in port were smaller and slower fishing boats, built like hoklas that could easily be caught. A few other merchant ships were there, but they would be no match against a warship, nor could they outrun them.
Diomedes did not seem to worry; of course, he was not coming with us. Instead, he gave orders to his men to look out for a particular vessel, the Anysis. Two days later, a rather sleek ship that looked like a wider version of a pentekonter with a smaller crew, fewer oars, and much more sail entered the port. Our troops boarded the vessel and forcefully escorted the crew to our inn. At that point, Diomedes invited us all into the main room that had been cleared of other guests.
“This is Captain Posides of the so-called freighter Anysis,” Diomedes explained. “The Anysis makes a good living running fast cargos between Argina and Lantia. They are also rumored to supplement their income from time to time by pirating cargos from other ships, and then having those ships disappear.”
“That is a lie!” Posides called out. “Show me the proof.”
“Since you do not leave anyone alive when you take these cargos, there is hardly any proof,” Diomedes said with a smile. “Nor do I need any. As archon, I have received many complaints about you. No matter. I have a task for you. You and your crew will take these six people to the port of Crenae in southern Lantia and deliver them safely there. Once there, you will have the local magistrate verify this in writing. Then, you will be free to return and resume your career under my more watchful eye.”
Posides looked at us all dressed in our finery and huffed in revulsion. “Since it is an order from the archon, we will obey, of course. We need to see our families and provision our ship. You know it is becoming dangerous out there. Those Zilar trierse are setting up patrols in the northern sea to block passage between Argina and Lantia.”
“That you can easily avoid, I am told,” Diomedes went on. “I will help you in preparing your ship. As to your families, they are not here. They have all accepted my invitation to visit Erinia as my guests, where they will remain until you return. Whether they remain where they are now in a decent inn or my dungeon depends entirely on you. Any questions, Captain?”
Posides and many of his crew went several shades of purple, but two dozen troops with swords and spears at the ready ensured there was peace. With that, Diomedes gave the order to resupply the Anysis as quickly as possible and left. Posides glared at us with disgust and, knowing how I would feel in this situation, I walked over and offered my hand. It was not accepted.
“Thank you, Captain,” I said with a smile. “My friends and I are on an important mission to Lantia that may decide the fate of Argina. We have as much to say about this journey as you and your crew do.”
The captain just shook his head and left. The fifteen-man crew followed.
That was not the most pleasant start to our journey. We were sailing to Lantia with pirates. It took two days to get the ship resupplied and refitted. All six of us took over the captain’s stateroom which was about as large as my bedroom at home. The two women were given the bed after we changed and burned the straw and put clean blankets on it. The rest of us slept on the floor on newly purchased blankets. Once we put to sea, I brought all my friends together into the cabin and had Nomiki watch to make sure we were not overheard. I spoke in a hushed voice anyway.
“I think one of us should be awake at all times,” I suggested. “These men would gladly slit our throats if they could.”
Eager nods from Gyras, Chremon, and Nomiki showed they felt the same way I did. No contradiction came from either Zila or Melina.
“The next thing,” I said. “Everyone in Lantia knows I am a mage. They do not know Zila is a mage. I would like to keep that to ourselves. Hopefully, if someone does move against us, they will not expect mage powers from a woman. That could give us an advantage.”
Again, more nods of approval.
“Now the last thing,” I told them and looked at my wife. “I need instructions on proper behavior. It is not going to take the royal court at Lantis any time to realize that I am not a seasoned diplomat. I still need to at least try and act like one.”
“I can help you there,” Melina said. “We can all learn. Besides, I do not want to go out on deck unless I have to.”
Melina started her lessons on simple things like how to bow
, how to address an inferior and superior alike. She also taught us how to eat properly when the mate brought us our stew and bread in the morning and night. It was an education. I did not realize how much information the nobility has drilled into them like we had at the Academy.
The rest of that day and night passed without incident. Other than the mate with our food, no one came to our cabin. The only time we left the room was to visit the head at the front of the ship. When one of the women went, one of the men would stand guard with his back to the head to ensure there was no unwanted intrusion.
The second day passed without event until late in the afternoon. Melina was explaining proper modes of address when I heard someone call out from the top of the mast.
“Sail off the harbor-side stern,” he called out. “It is a square sail.”
That got our attention. At once, Chremon got up and went over to one of our trunks and unlocked it. Soon he came out with a small bundle of what appeared to be soft lambskin. He opened it and took out two pieces of cut glass.
“I am going to take a better look,” he said and left. Nomiki and I followed behind him with Gyras staying behind with the women.
We came up the stairs to the main deck. Sure enough, Posides and many of the crew were standing at the rear of the ship, staring at the white object on the horizon. Chremon took the two pieces of glass and looked toward the growing white square.
“Square sail,” he said. After a few moments he blurted out, “She is a trierse.”
Posides said something under his breath. “Do they have their rowers using the oars?”
“Yes, and they are coming toward us,” Chremon called out.
“Can we outrun them, Captain?” I asked.
“With just the sail, aye, we can outrun them,” the Captain told me. “If the Captain there is willing to flog his oarsmen, they can catch us. The question is, can they do it before nightfall?” Posides turned to his men. “Put up all sail. We will see if we can outrun them.”