Mark of the Cyclops Page 9

  He stood up and raised his cup. ‘I’m glad we have spoken, boys. You may not hear from me for a long time but, one day, when the need arises, I shall send for you. Remember, you have given your word. Bek can take you home now. It’s nearly sunrise and I believe you have a wedding to attend.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  The Wedding Feast

  It was light by the time Ahmose unlocked the front door to let us in. Thrax’s suspicions about him had been right. It must have been Ahmose trying to eavesdrop on our secret conversations. But we were on the same side now. The side of freedom and justice.

  Mistress Pandora and her bridesmaids had already left the house and gone to the temple of Aphrodite. They returned not much later than us, Mistress Pandora carrying a new loutrophoros from Athens. She had filled it with water from the sacred spring and would it use for her bridal bath.

  The women filed upstairs and soon we could hear the sound of chanting and the splash of water. The slaves set up two tables in the yard, decorating them with coloured tablecloths and flowers.

  It was late afternoon by the time Mistress Pandora was ready for her wedding feast. By now all the guests had arrived, fanning themselves to keep cool. Even though Ahmose had set up the awning, the heat was stifling.

  Thrax and I sat on either side of Master Ariston as he plucked at his lyre and performed his songs. They were sung only in honour of the bride and her family. The groom would not be at this celebration, which was the last meal the bride would have in her father’s house. He would come and fetch her later in the wedding cart, to take her to her new home.

  At last there was a loud cheer in the women’s quarters and Mistress Fotini appeared at the top of the stairs wearing a blue flowing robe. ‘Please be upstanding for the bride.’

  Mistress Pandora appeared behind her and came regally down the stairs in a white veil, holding a bunch of wild narcissi. Her mother, relatives and slaves followed, scattering rice and flower petals in her path.

  To my surprise, Gaia was with them. Fotini must have fetched her from the temple, hoping her father would not dare carry out his foul threat on his daughter’s wedding day. I felt sorry for the girl. She looked ill at ease and kept throwing sidelong glances at Master Zenon while holding tightly to Mistress Fotini’s hand.

  ‘It’s a pity that we have unmasked the thief but cannot save Gaia,’ I said to Thrax behind Master Ariston’s back.

  ‘The gods work in mysterious ways,’ he replied, giving me a cheeky wink.

  I wanted to ask what that comment meant but just then the bride took her seat and Master Ariston launched into another song. The wedding celebration had begun. Ahmose, dressed for the occasion in lavish Egyptian clothes, approached the men’s table. He was holding a kantharos with two enormous handles.

  ‘Master, I have served you for many years and I thank the gods of my country – Horus and Isis – for sending me to such a kind master. Please accept this token of my gratitude on such a joyous day.’

  He placed the drinking cup in front of Master Zenon whose face lit up with delight. ‘Thank you, Ahmose. I too am blessed to have you in my life. You have been a loyal slave for many years. You have provided me with a serene home and protected my family while I travelled abroad. In honour of this great day, I release you from bondage. You are from this moment on a free man although I hope you will stay on in my house as a paid chief-of-staff.’

  A gasp went round the yard as people realised the importance of the occasion. ‘Thank you, master,’ said Ahmose. ‘May the gods grant us both a long life and may Hecate give you as many grandchildren as there are seeds in a fig.’ He nodded at a slave who came forward with an amphora and filled Master Zenon’s new drinking cup. ‘I propose a toast. To Master Zenon.’

  Everyone in the yard held up their dinking cup, including the children. ‘To Master Zenon.’

  Master Zenon raised his cup but his smile turned into a puzzled frown as a shadow fell across the yard. There was a loud, angry roar and something came hurtling down from the roof, taking the awning with it.

  The guests panicked and there was confusion as the slaves tried to free them from under layers of flapping cloth. Then Gaia let out a piercing scream. ‘IT’S THE CYCLOPS!’

  And there, standing in the remnants of the awning, was Bek, his one good eye fixed on Master Zenon’s new drinking cup. He leaped at it and deftly plucked it out of his hands. A moment later, he had run up the stairs to the women’s quarters, blood-red wine spilling on to the stairs. Ahmose chased him into the gynaikeion and we heard the sound of a scuffle before he returned with the empty cup, holding it high above his head like a trophy.

  ‘I am sorry the thief managed to escape, sir,’ he said to Master Zenon over the cheering of the guests. ‘But blessed be the gods I managed to rescue the cup.’

  Master Zenon gawped at him like a landed fish. Then he turned to Gaia. ‘I apologise profusely for calling you a liar, little one,’ he grunted. ‘Forget the threats of a foolish man. There really is such a thing as a Cyclops.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  The Medusa League

  ‘That was quite an impressive drama you thought up,’ laughed Mistress Fotini when Thrax and I went to see her later. ‘I must congratulate Ahmose on his acting skills too. It was very convincing.’

  The wedding was over. Mistress Pandora had gone to live in her husband’s house, taking her personal slave and a good dowry with her. Thrax and I were about to return to Athens. We had already said goodbye to Ahmose, Euripides and our new friend Bek. Now it was time to say goodbye to Mistress Fotini and Gaia too.

  Mistress Fotini smiled happily. ‘Thank you for saving Gaia.’ She nodded at her slave who opened a chest to draw out a purse.

  ‘I thank you too,’ Gaia said shyly. ‘I am glad you believed me when I said that a Cyclops had smashed the wedding vase.’

  Thrax took the purse, squeezing it under his belt without checking how much money was in it. ‘I shall share it with Nico,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t have solved the mystery without him.’

  ‘I will not accept any money,’ I protested. ‘I already earn a good wage and you need it for a very important cause, remember?’

  ‘It was fun helping you solve the mystery,’ said Mistress Fotini. ‘If you’re ever in Corinth again please come and visit. Who knows, we might get involved in another adventure.’

  ‘Nico and I have been discussing our future,’ said Thrax. ‘We are determined to solve mysteries wherever we find them. But, as we discovered the other night when we were captured, we cannot do it alone. We need friends to help us, secret accomplices who will come to our rescue or supply us with much-needed information. We want you and Gaia to be the first members of our team.’

  ‘How exciting,’ said Mistress Fotini. ‘A secret society of crime fighters that one day will stretch from one end of the Hellenic world to the other. All dedicated to the cause of bringing justice to those who have been wronged.’

  ‘We’re calling it the Medusa League,’ I said.

  Mistress Fotini’s eyes flashed. ‘The Medusa is my favourite mythical creature. She can be cruel if you oppose her but if you choose to respect her, she will protect you.’

  ‘A Medusa painted above the front door is one of the only things Thrax remembers about his home.’

  ‘Yes. My father hung it there for protection,’ said Thrax. He held out the other two charms I had bought from the girl in the potters’ district. ‘This will be our official amulet.’

  Mistress Fotini and Gaia slipped them over their necks. ‘To the Medusa League. May justice win every time!’

  Thrax and I said a final goodbye, then squeezed into the secret passage. The door closed gently behind us.

  * * *

  It was blisteringly hot on the road to Cenchreae and Master Ariston, seated on Ariana, kept asking for water. Ahead of us a long line of travellers moved at a snail’s pace. We could hear the sailors singing again.

  ‘Mothers wait

&n
bsp; Although it’s late

  For their sons returning

  One more stop

  One more battle

  One more journey

  And we’re home

  And we’re home!’

  I walked in silence, my head full of thoughts and ideas. So much had happened in the last few days. Thrax had solved his first mystery and I had found a new purpose in life. I was going to be a writer, a proper one, not just a scribe who copied down other people’s work.

  My dear friend seemed deep in thought too. He was weighed down with Master Ariston’s luggage and he also had a small birdcage under one arm. Ahmose had given him two of his homing doves as a present. They were to be the Medusa League’s first messengers.

  Late in the afternoon we came to the spot where we’d been attacked by bandits. The caravan stopped for lunch and Master Ariston lay on the grass for a nap. We were in no hurry. The Danais was not expected to dock till late in the evening.

  Thrax pulled a small bundle out of his bag and thrust it into my hands. ‘I bought you a little present.’

  I opened the parcel with some excitement. Presents don’t happen very often in my life. Thrax had bought me four sheets of thick papyrus, and a new reed pen.

  ‘You can use them to write your first story,’ said Thrax.

  ‘Thank you,’ I said, putting them carefully in my tool bag. ‘I shall treasure them dearly.’

  We washed the lunch dishes in the stream, remembering the horrific attack when Tanoutamon had died.

  I spied something flashing in the water and picked it up. It was a ring, shaped like a snake biting on its own tail. Its eyes were two bright drops of lapis lazuli. ‘Oh look. Someone must have dropped this in the stream.’

  I offered it to Thrax on the palm of my hand. ‘You take it. It will help buy your freedom.’

  Thrax pushed my hand away gently. ‘Thanks, but no. Whatever money I need, I will earn with my wits.’

  ‘I won’t keep it either,’ I said. ‘Whatever riches I earn, I shall do so by the power of my pen. But I know who can make good use of it...’

  We hurried back to where we’d left our belongings and Thrax lifted one of the doves out of the cage. Gently, he tied the snake ring to its legs with a piece of string. Then he opened his hands and the dove soared up into the reddening sky, the ring on its foot flashing in the afternoon sunlight. It made the bird look like a phoenix rising out of the darkening earth.

  ‘One day I will be free as that bird,’ said Thrax.

  ‘And just as dazzling,’ I added. ‘I pray to the gods that day will come quickly.’

  We both watched the dove flying back to Ahmose until it was no bigger than the evening star. Master Ariston woke up and we continued towards Cenchreae and Captain Gorgos waiting for us on the Danais.

  I thanked the gods for my good fortune as we sailed out of the harbour that night, the sky above us heavy with stars. Later, passing Salamina, I wondered what had happened to the angry sailor we had left in the harbour. He was to bring danger into our lives soon. But I didn’t know that then. All I knew was that the gods had blessed me with so much in the last few days: a breathtaking adventure, a daring new friend and a new purpose in life.

  I couldn’t wait to get back to Athens, and to find a quiet corner in Master Lykos’s house where I could set out my new sheets of papyrus and start writing my first story.

  I already had a title for it: The Mark of the Cyclops.

  Bonus Bits!

  Greek gods

  Thrax and Nico, the main characters in our story, lived in a period of Greek history known today as Classical Greece. It lasted from around 510 to 323BC. The age when myth and history merged was long gone. People still believed in the ancient gods, though. They prayed and sacrificed to them often and referred to them all the time. Here is a list of the gods mentioned in our story.

  Aphrodite goddess of love and beauty. Her special symbol was the evening star. She was also associated with the sea and often depicted in art swimming with dolphins and swans or surrounded by pearls.

  Apollo god of music and poetry. A beautiful young man, his symbol was the lyre. When only four days old, Apollo was believed to have killed a serpent-like dragon called the Phyton.

  Asclepius god of healing. His symbol was a rod with two snakes wrapped around it. Some of his temples had sacred dogs that would lick the sick to heal them.

  Athena goddess of many things, including wisdom, mathematics, war and heroes. Her many symbols included the owl, the olive tree, the shield, the spear and a protective amulet with the Medusa’s face on it.

  Dionysus god of wine, the grape harvest, merrymaking and theatre. Many illustrations of him show him as a well-rounded old man but he is sometimes drawn as a younger person too. He was looked after by magical rain nymphs when he was a child.

  Hephaestus god of blacksmiths, craftsmen and sculptors. He was also the protector of volcanoes and fire. Hephaestus was believed to have made the weapons for the gods in his special workshop on Mount Olympus. Despite being ugly, his wife was the ravishing Aphrodite.

  Hera the mother goddess. She was married to Zeus, the chief god and was the protector of women, marriage and family. Believed to be a very serious person, she was often depicted on a throne. The peacock, the cow and the lily were some of her many symbols.

  Hermes god of thieves, travellers and athletes. Believed to be quick on his feet and able to slip easily from the mortal world into the mystical one, he acted as a messenger for the other gods. He was also honoured as the god of boundaries between countries and worlds.

  Iliythia goddess of childbirth and protector of midwives. She was usually shown in art holding a flaming torch. This was a symbol of the pain a mother endures during childbirth.

  Poseidon god of the sea. He was also known as the earth-shaker because he could cause earthquakes. He could create islands and springs by striking rocks with his trident. Sailors prayed to him for protection while fishermen left their tridents in his temple when they retired.

  Zeus the chief god on Mount Olympus, he ruled over the other gods with a fiery temper. All the other gods rose to their feet when he was present. His special symbols were the oak, the bull and the thunderbolt, which he loved hurling at his enemies.

  Glossary

  Thrax and Nico use many Greek words in their first adventure. Here is a list of what they mean.

  Acropolis fortified part of a Greek city, usually built on a hill

  Agora market place, also used for public meetings

  Andron special room where men relaxed and held parties

  Archon magistrate or an important man in a city

  Attica region in Greece

  Aulos musical instrument made with two reed pipes

  Chiton tunic, worn by both men and women

  Chlamys short woollen cloak

  Diolkos paved road along the Isthmus of Corinth

  Gynaikeion room in a house reserved for women

  Hellas Greek name for Greece

  Himation long woollen garment worn over the left shoulder

  Kalamos reed pen, usually with a split nib to hold the ink

  Kottabos party game where players flung wine at a basin

  Symposium party with music, entertainment and discussions

  Trierarch captain of a trireme

  Trireme war ship with three banks of oars

  Pots and more pots!

  Thrax and Nico come across many different kinds of Greek pottery in Corinth. Here are descriptions of some of them.

  Alabastron small perfume bottle, sometimes carried on a string

  Amphora large jar with two small handles. Used for storing wine, oil or food like olives and grain. One of the most common pots in ancient Greece.

  Hydria large water jug with a handle and a spout

  Kantharos big drinking cup with two large handles and a stemmed foot, used for drinking or for holding offerings

  Krater large bowl used for mixing water and wine at parties
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  Lekanis small round dish with a lid for keeping little treasures and keepsakes

  Lekythos tall vase used for storing oil, often used as a grave marker

  Loutrophoros tall-necked vase used for bathing in weddings and funerals

  Oinoche huge round pouring jug, used for serving wine or water

  Stamnos squat vase used for mixing wine and water

  Rhyton ceremonial drinking cup, often shaped like an animal’s head

  Acknowledgments

  There are a few people I must thank for helping to bring this story to the printed page: my agent Katy Loffman at Pollinger Ltd who believed in the project right from the start; Hannah Rolls at Bloomsbury for seeing the potential in Thrax and Nico and my editor Susila Baybars without whom the plot would be full of holes.

  Thanks are also due to Albert Schembri who encouraged me to put aside my doubts and write something longer than I had ever attempted, and to my fellow members of the Scattered Authors Society who were there with advice, support and home-baked goodies when the going got tough.

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  First published in 2017

  Copyright © Saviour Pirotta, 2017

  Illustrations copyright © Freya Hartas, 2017