by Wilbur Arron
“Sounds like a sickness of his head,” I said. “Have the physicians or any of our Life Magik mages looked at him?”
“He will not let anyone near him,” the arch-mage went on. “Certainly, none of us can approach him. Even the Megas Mage was denied entrance to the palace. I would not hold much hope of getting your fleet from him.”
“I have to try,” I said. “If Argina falls, you will be fighting the Zilar at the polis gates.”
Philocrates sadly nodded his head in agreement. By now, I saw people moving inside the palace. We were no longer alone. “We will have time to discuss this more on our trip back to Lantis,” I told him. “For now, you can assure the Ethnarch Pytheas; I am not here for his head.”
With that, we parted company, and I went back to being a diplomat.
We had another two days of pleasant living in the polis before our twenty-man escort was ready. Amphidamos gave us the run of the polis. He also let us have two small wagons and several horses for our trip-the women rode in one wagon with some of the luggage, and the rest of the trunks and supplies were in the other. We had all our clothes cleaned and folded, so they were fresh and ready to use. I actually hated to leave. I thanked our host and told him I would make sure his hospitality was known throughout Argina. He was pleased with that.
Our trip to Lantis took four days, and with twenty heavily armed men around us, no one even came close to us. In fact, most people just cleared off the road when we went by. There was definitely no more trouble with the hill people. The only problem was when Philocrates got close to Zila. He knew right away she was a mage and questioned me about her later that night. When I told him her background, he was not very happy.
“We spent months and the lives of many of our brothers to get rid of the Syrina mages, and you bring one here,” he said with disgust.
“Zilar tried to kill her,” I explained. “I was there when he tried to do it and stopped it. She claims she wants nothing to do with her father, but she knows his plans. She can give the court information no one else has. Besides, it is not like she is hiding.”
“I suppose so,” the arch-mage grumbled and kicked his horse on.
The Polis of Lantis had not changed since I left there going on four years ago. The escort took us directly to the inner compound. As we road through the polis, we could see many individual temples to the major gods of our faith. Most of the polis consisted of a few one-story, but mostly two or three-story buildings that held the shops, markets, and services needed by any significant population. Usually on the ground floor, the shops were located with living quarters on the second floor and above. It was just like the other cities in our world. As in Arginnia, the main temple was the Pantheon in the inner compound within the ethnarch’s palace. We were placed in one of the outbuildings and provided with servants and food. Philocrates went back to his duties and hopefully told the Ethnarch I came in peace. We went ahead and unpacked since we knew we would be here for a while. For our safety, we were asked to remain within the inner compound. I informed the head servant assigned to us that I would like to present my credentials to the ethnarch as soon as possible. He told me he would pass on my request.
It was a full three days later when a finely dressed man came to our quarters in the afternoon. He informed me he was the Minister of State Thessalos and that the court would meet the day after tomorrow at noon. I could present my credentials and any requests to the ethnarch at that time. I thanked him, and we all went to together to prepare what we were going to say.
It was the usual court. Many of the nobles were there, along with senior military men. I noted one thing immediately; when our ethnarch held court, he had his sons or other senior members of the court on the raised daïs with him. This ethnarch sat alone on a daïs that was twice as high as the one in Arginnia.
At the exact time when the man-size sundial in the courtyard showed the sun was directly overhead, Thessalos walked out onto the daïs with his staff of office and struck the hard marble floor three times.
“Silence,” he called out. “All Hail Ethnarch Pytheas,”
He read aloud a litany of titles, honor, awards, and accomplishments that seemed to run on for a while. Pytheas was also listed as divine no less than six times. When the litany was finally done, out walked the elderly figure clad in a radiant white formal gown and wearing a golden diadem of olive leaves. The court all bowed again as he sat on his raised throne. He cleared his voice and spoke, slowly, loudly, and very distinctly as if he were a god pronouncing judgment.
“Our court meets today to welcome the Ambassador from Ethnarch Sysgros of Argina. Would the ambassador please step forward?”
Dressed in my finest robe, I approached the daïs and bowed low, remembering what Melina taught me. Calling out in a loud, clear voice, I said, “Great Ethnarch Pytheas, I am Master Mage Alexio Sopholus of Korpolis who seeks an audience with you to present my credentials and to give you a request for aid from my master Ethnarch Sysgros.”
Pytheas motioned for Thessalos to walk down the steps to take the documents from my hand and take them to Pytheas. He opened the scrolls and glanced at both.
“What would our brother Ethnarch Sysgros ask of us?” Pytheas called out.
“Oh, Megas Pytheas,” I answered, trying to make my voice sound as a supplicant. “My master asks the use of your fleet to help defeat the barbarian hordes of the Zilar. They have established a base on the north shore of Argina to the east of the Central Mountains. From this base, they have recently launched an attack and took the polis of Vorepolis also on our northern shore. It is the opinion of our military leaders that this is but a prelude to launching an attack on the entire Vasíleio of Argina. It is an attack that may succeed. If so, then Argina may fall, and its people be slaughtered. With your fleet and our troops, we feel we can retake Vorepolis and destroy their northern base. This would force them back to their home islands.”
There were a few moments of silence before the old voice spoke up again. “Master Mage and Ambassador Sopholus, your situation with the Zilar is well known to us. Their merciless treatment of the Desert Tribes and the Polis of Dysiasty are also known to us. I will ask my Polemarch Areisius, my Chief Minister Thessalos, and my Navarch Ibanolis to hear your petition and report back to me. You will hear our decision soon.”
That was my cue to respond graciously. “Oh, Megas Pytheas, my master and I thank you for your help and consideration. My companions and I will make ourselves available to your court to answer any questions.”
At that point, something unexpected happened. Pytheas rose from his throne. He looked down straight at me with piercing eyes. For a moment I thought he was going to lambaste me because of Lycus. “It is also known to us of your efforts to combat the Zilar in Argina. Your almost single-handed defeat of their army was a masterstroke of strategy. Your discovery of the Zilar plot to use the mages of Syrina to aid them in their task to conquer our world was useful not only to Argina but to Lantia as well. Your warning prevented what might have been a serious effort to overthrow our rule. On behalf of all Lantia and myself, I thank you for your efforts which I am told have not stopped. While you and your party are in Lantis, you will be our honored guests. My palace and my staff are at your disposal. Consider my polis of Lantis to be your polis, although I am told you have spent considerable time here before.”
That brought a chuckle from many of the court. I decided on the spur of the moment to respond in a lighthearted manner. “Yes, Ethnarch Pytheas, I am familiar with Lantis, but in a much more inferior position than I find myself now. Nevertheless, my companions and I thank you for your great hospitality.”
The old man in white nodded. “You are more than welcome. I look forward to hearing more about your exploits,” he said, and with that, he turned and walked back into his palace. The audience was over.
We all bowed, and I walked back to Melina. “How was that?” I whispered.
“Better than I thought it would go,” she said.
What followed was an informal reception where my wife and I were treated like returning heroes. There was lots of small talk, lots of questioning, and lots of probing for information. Both Chremon and Nomiki had found the attention of ladies of the reception and were chatting away, and Gyras stuck close to Zila. An informal lunch of meat and cheese followed. It was toward the end that Thessalos approached with two older men. Both looked immaculate in military uniforms, and they looked like soldiers with many campaigns behind them. One uniform was in red and black, and the other was blue and black. Thessalos handled the introductions.
“Ambassador Sopholus, this man is Polemarch Areisius, commander of our army forces. This is Navarch Ibanolis who commands our fleet. We would like to meet with you tomorrow to review your petition.”
I bowed slightly as a token of respect. “Thank you, I look forward to meeting all three of you. I would also like to bring my other companions with me. Some have experience in fighting the Zilar. My secretary has knowledge of their plans and goals.”
“That is excellent,” the polemarch said. “We need all the information we can get.”
“We will give you all the information we can,” I told them.
“I would like to ask you a question,” the Navarch said as an aside. “Just how do you sink a trierse by yourself? I would be very interested in learning about that.”
“I am afraid it takes the use of magik,” I said.
“That much is certain,” the navarch replied, “But as far as I know, no one has done that before.”
“I will tell you all everything I can,” I said.
“Tomorrow then, at the third hour after dawn,” Thessalos said. “I will send one of my men to get you. In the meantime, enjoy the palace. If you wish to explore the town, I will ask you and your companions to notify the guard captain outside your quarters who will arrange an escort.”
“Thank you all again for your hospitality,” I said, and they all walked off.
Soon afterward, the reception broke up, and we all started back to our quarters. I saw Gyras and Zila going back, but there was no sign of Chremon or Nomiki, who also did not return for dinner. I wanted to talk to them before my meeting tomorrow to go over what we would say. Instead, I worked with Zila before dinner. It was well after dark when the two of them staggered in, visibly feeling their wine. Seeing it be useless to talk over anything serious with them, I sent them to bed. Melina and I retired shortly after.
The next morning, we were all anxious. “I went over with Chremon and Nomiki what I would like them to say. Typically, both men were serious and reserved. Now they had smiles on their faces like a couple of schoolboys planning mischief. After our light breakfast, Melina and I returned to our quarters to dress.
“What got into them?” I asked my wife as we undressed.
Melina smiled and then kissed me on the lips. “Poor Master Mage, is it not obvious to you? Both of our stalwart guards got more out of their meeting yesterday with those two court women than pleasant conversation.”
“You mean they slept with them?” I asked.
“Of course,” my wife said. “You always were a little dense when it came to workings of Aphrodite.”
She was right; affairs of the heart were always a mystery to me. I was still concerned. “I do not need my companions sleeping with the palace noblewomen. We are here to make friends, not enrage jilted husbands.”
“If that were the case, we would have heard about it by now,” she said and wrapped her arms around me.
“Then what about Gyras?” I asked. “He is certainly as handsome a man as Chremon and Nomiki.”
“Silly, he is in love with Zila, and I think she knows it,” Melina said.
I had no inkling about that either. “I just do not understand these things,” I mumbled.
“I know,” Melina said with a wide grin. “That is one thing I love about you. Despite all your powers and your strange friends, you are as clueless about women as the youngest bachelor searching for a wife. That is why I decided to pursue you if you remember.”
She was right. On my own, I would have never even tried to pursue Melina. She was out of my class; a member of the nobility. I was a teachers’ son.
“Maybe I should not ask this but, I never understood why you liked me,” I said now holding my wife.
“I liked you when I was a child,” she said. “It was because like my brother and father, you always tried to do the right thing. Others boasted of their abilities or did what was convenient for them. You did what you thought was right and you are still the same way. Other than your build, you are just like my father and brother, the men I admired most as I grew up. My first husband was the strong one, always showing off, always proving he was a man, and that he was unafraid. You never boasted; you just went out and did it.”
I would have made love to my wife right there and then if we did not have our appointment to keep. What she said made me feel aglow. I also felt a little depressed because I knew what it costs to do the right thing.
My first duty was to get that fleet. The best way to do that was to convince the minister, polemarch, and navarch of the danger. We spent the rest of the early morning pulling out our maps and continuing to prepare what we were going to say. It was well into the second hours after dawn before someone from the palace came to get us. We were walking toward the main palace when I thought I heard someone call my name from behind me.
“Master Mage Sopholus, please wait,” I heard.
I turned to see a young man in a gray robe of an acolyte running from behind. On his shoulder were two strips of red cloth telling me he was in his last two years at the Academy. I stopped and let him catch up with us.
“Master Mage Sopholus” he called out of breath and bowed deeply to me. I nodded my head.
“Yes, acolyte,” I said.
“Arch-Mage Philocrates orders me to give you this,” he said and took a short scroll out of his right sleeve.
I took the scroll and again bowed my head in appreciation. “Thank you, acolyte.”
The young man bowed deeply again and walked off toward the Pantheon complex. I knew Philocrates lived there.
I took the scroll and noted the seal of the arch-mage was on the wax plug holding the scroll closed. I broke it and opened it up. Inside was a short note.
Once you are finished with the others, I want to see you alone. Come to the Mage Temple tomorrow at dusk.
The note was curt, but what shocked me was that it had the seal of the Megas Mage at the bottom. I showed it to the others.
“What does he want?” Melina asked, looking concerned.
“I do not know, but it is an order from the head of my Brotherhood. I cannot say no,” I told them all.
We continued on, and two guards led us into one of two main meeting rooms. There was a long wooden table with six chairs and another small table with four chairs all filled with scribes. All three men walked in precisely on time and sat at the larger table. We started without delay.
I started first and explained the history of the Zilar as I knew it. I included everything in order including all my meetings with them and the Zilar attack on Dysiasty and me. I excluded the attempt on my life and on the lives of my non-human friends. I was asked to explain my actions with Lycus and what happened on our trip to Lantis. My talk and the questions from the three men took the entire morning and into the early afternoon. We had a quick lunch of bread, cheese, well-watered wine, and fruit, and then I had both Nomiki and Chremon explain fighting with the rebels in Erinus and most important, what the Zilar could do with their base in Vorepolis. The last person I let speak was Zila who told them of what the Zilar plans and goals were. There were more questions, especially explaining how Zila knew the plans so well. The only time I shocked them was when I told them Zila was Zilar’s daughter. By the time we were done, we were tired, but not as tired as the four scribes that took down all that we said. Finally, Thessalos stood up.
“Your story is one for the
chronicles and the poets,” he said. “I am sure one day it will make a fine ballad sung after dinner. For now, you have given us much information that we will need to consider for our report to the ethnarch. You will be told when he is ready to render his decision. Until then, you are still our honored guests. Make use of the palace.”
Later that night, after our group enjoyed a dinner of fried fish in a honey and vinegar sauce, we talked. I let myself drink some regular strength wine.
“I do not think we left anything out,” I said.
“I counted five large scrolls the scribes took with them,” Zila added. “Thessalos was right; it is enough to make a chronicle.”
“None of the three men looked hostile or acted hostile toward us,” Melina added. “I think we gave them ample reason to aid us.”
The polemarch was very precise in his questions to Chremon and me,” Nomiki added. “Even the navarch looked interested.”
“Well, we have done the best we can,” I concluded, “One meeting complete and one more to go.”
“I wish you let one of us go with you,” Melina said.”
“No, the Megas Mage said alone, and no wise person defies him,” I said. “I will go alone. You all know where I am going. I doubt if they will cause any harm to me. Ambassadors are inviolate.”
“So are archons,” Melina added. “One died anyway.”
Everyone went quiet after that. We all went to bed, and despite my concerns about tomorrow, I slept like Hypnos had dropped his water over me.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: PLOTS
My six-man guard detail escorted me up the hill toward the Temple of Megas Zeus. It is the largest temple in our entire world. The priests there are only ranked slightly below that of the Archiereas of Lantia that resides in the Pantheon next to the ethnarch’s palace. The temple is famous for its eighty columns, each as thick as a man, that hold up the vast roof of beautiful blue tiles. Inside the half—stadion long room, the builders used the finest marble, gold, and precious stones to construct the tallest statue known to any of us; the head of the gods, Zeus. He is sitting on his throne in the center of the room holding his thunderbolts in one hand and a full-size olive tree growing in his other hand. The last time I was here was when I graduated from the Academy and had to swear an oath before that statue that I would uphold the Mage Code and seek justice and fairness in all things. I hoped Zeus had a sense of humor and did not use his thunderbolt on me.