NINE
“Aristaeus!”
I opened my eyes and stared to side at the sight of Dyos running towards me. I had long reached our hiding spot after ducking and hiding around corners away from the prying eyes of the citizens of Pearu and my father’s army. He’d reacted quicker than I expected sending the very same guards I dispatched earlier after me. This was their punishment for losing me in the first place I assumed. I felt a slight feeling of pity because here they would lose me again. Once I was back in the palace, I would speak on their behalf to save them from being removed from duty. It was the least I could do for causing them problems.
“You’re late.” I said once Dyos was standing a few feet away from me.
“Whatever, do you have any idea how hard it is to escape the eyes of the General. If only you’d given me some time to prepare, I could have had a great escape plan.”
“In dire times, you do not have time to prepare an escape plan. You only need to escape.”
Dyos scoffed. “Dire times you say. And what about today would be dire enough for you to anger the King by leaving the palace this time?”
I stood up from my spot where I lay. Opening the brown blazer jacket that would help hide me from my father, I showed Dyos the scars that were left by his dear King. Dyos gasped as he stepped forward. His hand reached out as if to touch the scars but drew back. Anger glowed in his eyes as he turned his head from me.
“Did he do that to you?”
“I assumed you knew, since you came to the palace those days.”
Dyos shook his head as his hands clenched. “Kiowa told me nothing of this. She only said that your father and you had another disagreement and that this time you’d locked yourself in your quarters. I figured you just needed some time to sort through your anger. If I’d known Aristaeus, I would have done something. I…I wouldn’t have left you there.”
“What could you have done Dyos? Had you risen up against my father, it would have been the end for not only you but the General as well. Do not worry. I’m healing fine despite my father’s thoughts. As for Kiowa, she is a bit angry and embarrassed. Her slight betrayal can be overlooked.”
The two of us were silent for a moment before Dyos spoke again.
“Why is it that we needed to meet here? I almost forgot about this place to tell you the truth. I haven’t been here since we were kids.”
“That is why I asked you to come.” I stared around at the darken forest that was once the land of the Giants. After Eris was dethroned, the Giants felt no loyalty to the new King and decided to take their kind elsewhere. Myths traveled to the City that they’d taken up inhabitation of the forests killing any creature that came in perimeter of it. The myths were like bedtime stories to us, so when Dyos and I became of age, we went on a hunt to discover for ourselves. However, when we arrived there were no Giants. The land was bare and marred by black soot. The only thing that seemed to intrigue us was the outline of a handprint on the forest grounds. There was no sun in Pearu so we were stomped on the golden light of the hand shining through the trees, and when we looked up through the trees, instead of seeing the handprint, we saw a lightning bolt instead. It was then we’d come to think of this as Zeus handprint. We’d come back every time we were together to shake his hand, and beg the Gods for forgiveness, and then we grew up.
“It is a place the King will not dare to look for us at.” I continued. “He’s probably having the ocean searched thoroughly by now.”
“What happened yesterday Aristaeus? You told me you were going to see someone, I didn’t think you were going to leave Pearu to see that somebody. I almost had what those mortals call a heart attack when your father questioned me on our return from Belham. He put guards on me and everything.”
I kept quiet trying to decide on how much to tell Dyos. I wanted to tell him everything, but I was afraid. I was afraid he would view me the same as my father and Kiowa had when they’d learn about my communication with Astraea and the secret power I’d seemed to have. But I needed someone on my side. I needed someone from my world on my side.
“Come one Aristaeus.” Dyos said staring over at me. “We’ve been friends for way too long. Whatever is going on, you can tell me.” He spoke as if he’d just read my mind. He spoke again. “Besides you owe me.”
He was right. He’d suffered much from my father because of my escape to see Astraea. My father could only take so much before he retaliated against me by using Dyos. Though he didn’t seem to possess any bruises close to mine, I’m sure my father had left his mark on him somewhere and it was nothing the General could do about that.
“You’re right my friend. I’ll tell you everything.”
Dyos lay on the forest ground, his jacket covered in soot, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He stared up through the opening of the trees where the light resembled a lightning bolt. He stared past it towards the purple of Pearu’s sky. I sat off to the side of him leaned up against a tree picking at a dead dragon lilly, waiting for him to speak to me again. I’d just laid my entire story on him hoping he would be the one in three that would not turn his back on me. It was funny to me. A demon, leaning against a tree, hoping to still have a friend.
“Is she pretty?”
“What?” I asked looking up.
“Is she pretty? This Astraea creature.”
“Why does that matter?”
Dyos turned towards me giving me a hard blank stare. “It matters.”
We stared at each other for a moment before I finally said, “Yeah, she’s pretty.”
Dyos nodded and turned back towards the sky. I could see him battling with himself and I felt even more distressed that I was the one making him this way. I could say what I wanted about my father and Kiowa, but they were just being true to themselves. They were creatures of the Damned. They despise mortals and Gods. It was only I, who seemed to be different.
“Okay it’s settled then.” Dyos said leaping to his feet.
“What’s settled?”
“We’ve got to find out more about Lilith. A Witch in our world is unheard of and the whole thing reeks of danger. The fact that this Baba Yaga is interested in you, doesn’t sit right. No offense, you’re nothing more than just the Prince. It is true that in order for Eris to take the throne Lilith would have to wipe out your entire bloodline. But she could do that inside the Gates of Pearu. Why travel to the mortal world where you just so happened to be having a conversation with Astraea? It’s like she’s watching you. Plus, it rubs me the wrong way how she claims you smell different. I’ve been around you my whole life, and you’ve always smell the same to me. But she’s not from here. Her sense of smell could be stronger than mine. The fact that she’s picked up on something worries me.”
I stood up happy that I for once had someone on my side. I walked over to stand beside him. “I thought I would be the only one worrying about that as well, but when my father read my thoughts, he seemed just as confused and freaked out as I was. Maybe that’s why he ordered the guards on me. He probably assumed he could beat whatever it was out of me.”
“I usually live for the King’s cruelty, but not this time. Is that against the character of my kind?”
“Look who you’re asking. I’m a sympathizer for mortals and have the eyes for a female who whose kind have confined my kind to one world, and I have the power to call forth lightning bolts from the sky. I am no longer from the same cloth of my kind.”
“Nonsense Aristaeus. You might be a little tweaked in the head but what Reaper wouldn’t be. I’m sure you’re not the first of our world to feel for mortals.” Even as he said it, we both knew it wasn’t true. The glance out the corner of his eye seemed to prove it. Clearing his throat he said, “You’re just feeling sorry for yourself.”
“You’re right. So what course of action should we take?”
“First we need to read up more about Eris and her time as Queen he
re in Pearu. Since it was before our time, we’ll have to search the archives. They’re a bit hush about her, so it won’t be easy finding anything right off the top.”
“I agree. They probably have them stored in a secret compartment.”
“That is if they haven’t burned everything.”
“They’re not allowed to. It’s in the bylaws that all information from every reign should be passed down to the next ruler just in case another case from the past shall arise.” I said thinking about the numerous times the trainers had drilled that information into my head. “If there is any information, it would be kept somewhere close to the King. Somewhere within his reach.”
“You think it’s in the palace?” I nodded. Dyos clapped his hands. “Well that’s one thing taken care of. I think we should also have a copy of their battle plans just in case. We might have to warn your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend, and we’re not telling them anything. Not until we’re absolutely sure of everything. I have to make sure…I have to make sure before I betray my father.”
The words hung in the air. Dyos stared over at me picking up on what I wasn’t saying. I needed to know if the feelings I had for Astraea were true and not something of a charmed spell. I’d only met her twice, I had no clue whether if this was love or if she’d even felt the same way. If I went against my father, I would be out casting myself and turning against my kind for the sky Gods who may not show the same courtesy one of their fellow Gods may have shown me. I still didn’t forget that I’d already gotten on Poseidon’s bad side. Plus Zeus was wary of me after the battle with Lilith. As my father stated before, I couldn’t go into this without thinking clearly. I needed to be sure.
“Be careful looking for those battle plans. I’m sure the General is guarding them with his life since his life may be at stake in they get into the wrong hands.”
“Don’t worry. I know how to distract my father well enough. Just worry about your own.”
“They’ll question us as soon as we get back. Did you bring it with you?”
Dyos reached into his coat pocket and removed the two blue vials. “We’re lucky I remembered we used to bring these whenever we came here. I’m almost out. I’ll need to get some more from the City.”
He held the vials in his hand as I pulled out two pieces of parchment paper. On the paper I wrote,
Today, I traveled to a land where I’d once touched the hand of Zeus. In that land I met a dear friend of mine. We spoke of my troubles and with the revealing, he remained that of a friend. We then toasted our friendship with a drink that washed away the troubles knowing only the waves of the tide could bring it back. We said our farewells and then parted ways. He to be a Knight and I to be a King.
I repeated the same lines on the other piece of parchment paper before rolling them up into thin tubes. I stuck mine into the hilt of my demos as Dyos stuck his in the crest of his necklace.
Dyos handed me one of the vials. “See you in a couple of days.”
“The same to you.”
Water struck my face, waking me from the darkness that seemed to surround me. Water droplets ran down my face into my opened mouth as I took pleasure in it against the dryness of my mouth. Squinting my eyes, I stared up through my damp hair to see my father’s guards in front of me. My eyes roamed around the room I was in. I was in a bar and had no idea how I’d gotten here.
“Hello comrades.” I grinned up at them rolling onto my back. Someone groaned behind me making me peer back. Dyos lay behind me on the floor, his jacket covered in whatever beverage he’d been drinking. He stared up at me through squinted eyes as I smiled, “Well if it isn’t my good friend Dyos. Did we go and get ourselves in trouble again?”
Dyos reply was a laugh that in turn sent me into a fit of giggles.
“Get them up,” ordered one of the guards as he stared down at us in disgust. He then turned to the bartender. “I thought you said these two never crossed your threshold. How dare you lie in front of the King’s men!”
The bartender’s eyes grew wide with fear. “I did not lie! They weren’t here when you came. They just stumbled in grabbing whatever drinks that were at their disposal. By the way, who is going to pay for those drinks and the damage they caused.”
The guard waved away the bartender as I felt myself being yanked up by the guards.
“Easy cronies. Do you know how much this fabric cost? Ten dragon scales.”
Dyos cackled with laughter again as his own guards yanked him up.
“Take him to the General.” The head guard said. “This one is going with us. The King awaits him.”
I felt myself being pulled in the opposite direction of Dyos as we exited the bar to the two carriages that were waiting for us. The guard threw me as my head knocked against the wall of the carriage. He hopped in across from me closing the door as the words of the bar tender fussing about payment of the drinks, were drowned out.
The carriage jerked to a start as I felt the nausea of the drinks I downed roll around in my stomach waiting to break the surface. I tried to force myself up but the unsteady movement of the carriage knocked me back down. The guard across from me scoffed as I grinned.
“Jealous, you can’t have this much fun.”
“No fun is worth the wrath of the King.”
“Loser.”
The guard didn’t bother to respond to my elementary school insult. Closing my eyes I tried to pull up memories on how I arrived at the bar, but kept coming up blank. The last thing I remembered was going to bed last night. I had no clue on leaving my room and meeting Dyos at a bar. I guess the drinks really did a number on us. But that didn’t make sense. We’ve never gotten this totaled over a few drinks at the bar before. There had to be something else. But I couldn’t pull it up.
I didn’t have time to ponder anymore about it as the carriage had reached the palace. The door to the carriage opened as the blurry image of my father standing in the doorway stared at me. I formed a lopsided smile as his frown seemed to deepen.
“Get him of there and take him to my study.”
The guards tripped over their feet trying to please the King as they pulled me from the carriage. They carried me with care passed the servants and a worried Kiowa. We reached the study and the guards placed me in one of the chairs.
“Bring him something for this hangover.”
“Yes, your highness.”
The doors closed with a slam as I groaned from the impact it left on me. I peered up through the slits of my eyes at my father who was sitting in the chair opposite me.
Grinning I said, “Hi daddy.”
My father’s eyes widened and I had to choke back a laugh at the shock he faced at me using the words of mortals. There was even a slight hint of blush on his face that was unusual for not only him but our kind as well. It only happened when we were truly taken by surprise, like he was right now. I couldn’t wait to tell Dyos this—that is if I remember it.
He finally brought himself back to control. “This is the reason I wish for you to stay out of the mortal world. You’re bringing back the foolishness of the mortal world and contaminating our world with it. I won’t have it.”
I mumbled something incoherently against the cushion of the chair which seemed to annoy him even more.
“You have yet to learn the repercussion of your actions Aristaeus. You were spotted out in the City rolling around on the ground like a mortal drunkard. You continue to bring shame to this family and disobeying my authority with your constant defiance. How do you think that makes me look as King if I can’t even control my own son? It makes me look weak, and it makes you look like a fool. No one will stand for you taking the throne when your time comes if you continue to be this way. These are dark times Aristaeus and the darkest hour is approaching. The Rogue is gathering more followers to take over our world and the only thing you seem keen on doing is cr
eating havoc.”
I pushed up from lying in the chair. The remnants of the alcohol left my head heavy but I forced myself to remain sitting up. “Forgive me father, I didn’t mean to cause any more stress for you. I guess I was just thinking about trying to erase the memory of you torturing your only son from my mind. Maybe I should have told the locals about that. It could have gave you the harsh appearance you so desire.”
“Where did you and Dyos go?”
“Shouldn’t you know? You had your lackey’s come and capture us there.”
“My patience for you Aristaeus is running thin. I know you and Dyos went somewhere besides the bar. The servant told me he overheard you speaking to Dyos on the phone about meeting at the place where you touch the hand of Zeus. Did you leave this world again?”
My brows furrowed as I stared across at my father in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“You tell me Aristaeus.”
“I’m telling you father, I do not know what you are talking about. Dyos and I didn’t go anywhere besides the bar. Are you sure the servant wasn’t pulling the wool over your eyes?”
My father stared at me as I stared back. I had no memory of going anywhere besides the bar with Dyos. But the fact that my father knew of the secret hideout Dyos and I use to venture to spoke some truth to his words. That could only mean one thing. We’d taken a vial to erase our memory. The reason we were there must have been of importance and whatever we’d discussed we could not let anyone find out. The potion we’d drunken must have been enough to erase only the memory of today, which is why I could still remember last night.
I saw my father move out the corner of my eye as he walked over to me. I stared up at him as he stared down at me, his eyes roaming my face.
“Your memory has been erased.”
He didn’t wait for me to confirm as he placed his hand on my head. The pain in my head from the alcohol was already enough, but with the radiating power of my father, it throbbed ten times worst. My teeth clenched together as memories from last night came forward in front of my eyes. When it got to today however, there was only blackness. It was as if I’d passed out or simply gone to sleep. It went on like that for a couple of seconds before the memory of waking up in the bar shot forward.
My father let go of my head and stepped back. He peered down at me as I reached up to grab my head.
“Someone erased your memory of your travels earlier. Think Aristaeus, did you and Dyos go anywhere besides the bar, did you meet anyone else besides Dyos?”
I pretended to think. “I’m not sure father. I can’t pull up anything. I’m trying.”
My father turned his back to me as he walked off a few steps. His hands came behind his back and his head bowed. I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking that I’d probably run into Eris and that she’d done something to me. It was no need to tell him any different.
He walked over to the phone in next to his chair and picked up the receiver. “This is King Kavos, bring me Dyos immediately.” He placed the receiver back down and turned to me.
“What are you thinking?”
“Do not worry yourself Aristaeus. If Dyos memory like yours is gone, I will have my answer to whom have done this to you.”
I nodded as my thoughts moved over to vial I’d taken. “Father, do you think you can have the servants bring me some starfish.”
“Certainly.”
“Don’t cook it!” I shouted it at the last minute. My father glanced over at me. “I’m just really hungry and I don’t have time to cook it. Besides I like the taste of tide water in it.”
My father stared at me with confusion but still made the call. It didn’t take long for the servants to arrive with the tray. They removed the top covering the bowl where the golden brown starfish lay breathing in the soup of tide water. I gathered some of the tide water and dripped it over the starfish when my father’s phone rung.
“Speak.” He answered into the receiver. I played with my food trying to find a way to stall time when he stood up from his chair. “Do not let any of them get away! I will be there shortly.”
My father slammed the receiver down as the scales on his face popped up. Someone had agitated him.
“What’s going on?”
He stared at me for a moment as if trying to decide whether if he could trust me or not. Clearing his throat he said, “The Rogue has struck again. Prince Famar is dead.”
I stared at him, my face impassive. I knew it wouldn’t be long before she struck again. I also found myself not caring that Famar was dead. He was a nuisance. The only thing that worried me was who would be her next target.
“I have to leave the palace for a while. Tell Dyos to stay put until I get back. The same goes for you.”
With that he walked past me, his coattail brushing my arm as he exited the study. I gave him a couple of minutes before removing the hilt of my demos. I unrolled the parchment paper and read the lines written in my handwriting. My father was telling the truth. Dyos and I had met today. We’d spoke in confidence and I needed to know about what. I swallowed the piece of parchment down my throat and removed the starfish from the bowl drinking the tide water that was in the bowl. Once it was all gone, I picked up the starfish and squeezed it over my mouth gathering the water it had soaked up. Finished, I tossed it to the side and sat back as my memory slowly came together.
Flashes of attacking the guards, jumping out the window into the water around the palace, hiding from the guards, arriving at the land of the Giants, talking with Dyos, and drinking the vials, it all came back to me.
Standing up from the chair, I stared around the room of my father’s study with a smile on my face. It worked. Thanks to The Rogue, I was allowed to search the palace without the wandering eyes of my father. I was allowed to search not just any part of the palace, but a place where I knew the hidden scrolls of Eris would be.
His study.
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