The Gift From Poseidon: When Gods Walked Among Us (Volume 2) (19 page)

As awestruck as one could be without losing consciousness, Evagoria looked dreamily at the now empty dueling pit as well.  “I can see them, Headmistress, I can,” Evagoria cried.  Her voice sounded as if equally half in the past and half in the present.  “Just as you reminisce of a day from long ago, I am by your side!  I am watching as well!”

Marseea nodded slowly, again sat down next to Evagoria, and turned to face her.  Even if the queen had not taken more than a few quick peeks at it, she knew that her diamond-shaped birthmark showed off her thrill to hear this grand tale.  It was warm and Evagoria could feel it swell.

“How your mother acted at the onset of this duel – it was simply stunning, young one.  Diedrika dressed in her armor swiftly and with purpose.  Alexander did so as if stuck in the most miserable tree sap.  With a hop twice as high as needed, she leapt atop Judiascar and buckled the bindings of his saddle.  They then re-entered the pit.  ‘Same as with Judiascar, keep your hooves to the ground, Alexander!’ I warned sternly as he more stumbled than stepped back into the pit.  Eyeing the weapons and shields tossed in front of them, he rushed to snatch his up as if lava burned under his hooves until he did so.  She looked at hers calmly before Judiascar bent down and she casually scooped them up.  The shield around his forearm, Alexander gripped his wooden weapon with both hands as if trying to strangle a snake.  Diedrika twirled hers in a single hand as if petting an eagle ready to devour this snake.

“Komnena and I shared the most nervous of looks.  ‘Perhaps we should move this spectacle to the arena at the center of the city!’ she quipped.  With a returned smirk and unsure of why I started this in the first place, I gave the go ahead.  Right away, Diedrika snapped Judiascar’s lead and he bolted straight for the stunned Centaur.  Gawking stupidly at this charge, Alexander stood in place as if a frozen statue; only at the very last moment did he duck out of the way.  Your mother having stolen the lava scorching his hooves just a moment before, it now burned bright inside every corner of her being.

“She on the attack; shockingly, Alexander fended her off.  Despite this unexpected defense, most of us felt sorry for him.  He appeared
so
overmatched.  Atop Judiascar, Diedrika was easily quicker and more skilled.  Despite her pressing offensive, your mother could not land a decent hit as Alexander nimbly repelled every swing of her sword.  Finally, more luck than skill I think, he whacked her on the top of her arm with his wooden sword.  Not just a touch – he hit her
hard
!  This deafening smack silenced the cheers now racing around the pit.  Diedrika stopped Judiascar cold and then looked at her arm already starting to bruise over in disgust.  Next, her eyes became narrow slits and her focus burned like a single point of blinding light.  From then on, although emboldened for the moment, Alexander simply had no chance.”

Evagoria was now nearly sitting in Marseea’s lap.  She rubbed her arm as if she too had felt the smack of the wooden sword.  Great excitement happily coursed through her body and her birthmark burned as if on fire.  As if excited along with her, the Heart of Terra Australis the queen proudly wore each day owned a soft glow.

“With a flurry of strikes – at least a half a dozen times – Diedrika must have hit him with either her sword or shield.  A whack to the knees, then one to the shoulder, then another to the side – her last one was flush on his rump!  She spanked him like a stern mother would a naughty child, Evagoria!  A gaggle of misses on Alexander’s part … and then it happened.”

Marseea leaned in close to Evagoria.  Their faces were but a whisper apart.

“Alexander bolted at her in a maddening rush.  His sword coming down from a missed strike, Diedrika whacked it so hard with her own that it flew up into the air and landed in her free hand.  Your mother then rounded toward her side of the pit, unbuckled her bindings, and flipped out of Judiascar’s saddle.  Landing perfectly on her flukes, she angrily threw Alexander’s wooden sword in front of her.”

Once more, Marseea leapt to her feet.

“‘But Princess,
you
must
––’

“‘AWAY WITH YOU, GRYPHON!’ Diedrika shouted at Judiascar.  In shock, he scurried to the back edge of the pit.  Her eyes as if torches, she directed their emerald flames in Alexander’s direction.  She then did the impossible.  The sound that came from this single palm was not so much a scraping sound of warning, but a screeching song of triumph.  With the brightest of glows, from her
one
palm Diedrika bronze-made a short sword.

“Did you hear me, child?  Your brilliant mother bronze-made a weapon in a way none had ever done before or any aside from her have done since!”  Marseea’s voice turned quiet, almost reverent.  “In one bold stroke, Diedrika forged her legend from a single palm and thrust it upon our world.”

So proud of her mother, Evagoria was ready to shed tears of joy in her honor.  But as the story was not yet over, these tears would have to wait.  Gasps and wide, wondrous eyes would just have to make do for now.

“This bronze-made short sword in her left hand,” Marseea continued in her normal voice, “the other hand still held her wooden one.  Legions of stunned gasps from every direction smashed into the equally stunned young Centaur.”

As Marseea said this, Evagoria brought her own hands together and a glow hummed between her palms.  She looked at them in awe, as if seeing this for the first time.

“Diedrika wedged the wooden sword’s point into the ground and with a single swing of her bronze-made sword snapped the wood one in half.

“‘
Come on
, pretty pony!  I KNOW YOU CAN DO BETTER!’

“A massive chorus of shouts and clapping erupted to cheer her on.  Every Mermaid and Gryphon jumped up and down in glee.  As for the Centaurs and Arachna – well, I did not know so many beings could stand so still.  Chants of ‘DIEDRIKA!’, ‘DIEDRIKA!’ rang in all our ears, but no doubt loudest through those of Alexander.  Amongst all this, I do not believe one creature, including myself, expected him to do what he did next.

“He too stared at Diedrika in awe.  But our suddenly brave Centaur did not cower, did not flee, did not show a hint of fear.  He stood his ground and refused to take even a single step back.  Eyeing Seneferre, really, how could you miss the already hulking Nubian, Alexander scampered to him.  His sights were set on the real sword and shield Seneferre held to his side.  Alexander grabbed them angrily once his closest friend offered them to him.  True weapons in hand, he stomped back into the middle of the pit.  Seneferre then turned to his right where the rugged, rough-edged Viracocha looked at him with disdain.”

Marseea took in a huge breath to summon her deepest, most stern voice to mimic the sculpted Nubian.  “‘Do we have a problem, Olmec?’ Seneferre asked blankly.  Viracocha said nothing, of course.  He was hopping mad, but not in the mindless sort of way.

“Daring Alexander to come at her, Diedrika bounced from side to side.  And he accepted the dare willingly.  Arms in hand, our hopeful Centaur charger stampeded toward our Mermaid heroine in a vengeful rage.  Bronze-making a shield with only her free hand, they stood ready to clash with, for the most part, the same weapons.  I do heartily admit – a supremely confident young Mermaid and a noble Centaur bent on revenge with sharpened weapons did cause my heart to skip a flurry of beats.”

“Did you use magic to stop them?” Evagoria begged as if out of breath while she fidgeted in place.

Marseea shook her head calmly.  “I did not have to, young one,” she replied quietly.  “More to the point, I did not have the chance.  Magic dust in hand and a spell ready to stop them, I so wanted to see what would happen next, I could not mouth the words.  And I am the happier for it.  In a flash, my child, Diedrika’s greatness was assured.”

Amazed eyes focused on Marseea’s thoughtful gaze.  Evagoria was again practically in the queen’s lap.

“To this day, I have replayed the move in my mind countless times.  Her quickness, Evagoria – it was otherworldly.  After an overreaching miss as she bounced to the side, Alexander began to spin back around.  As he did so, his back to her, she rolled to the ground.  By the time he had fully turned around, not even a hand away, she was upright and directly in front of him.  In an instant, Diedrika grabbed his breastplate from its bottom and jerked it toward her.  She then angrily pushed her sword underneath this breastplate from the bottom and shoved straight up.  Its point,” her excited tone turned quiet once again, “slammed flush into the bottom of Alexander’s chin.”

“Oh no, the poor Centaur,” Evagoria gasped miserably as she imagined this happening to her new friend, Adamarcus.

Evagoria felt both spellbound and distraught.  Her mother’s boundless skill swelled her heart while the horrific injury the young Alexander must have suffered tugged at it.  Having only seen the Chiron from afar, she tried to imagine what such scars left behind might look like.

“As I know Alexander still lives, how badly did the blade injure him?  Oh, Headmistress, there must have been blood everywhere!”

Despite this concern, Marseea just chuckled.

“Well, young one, this is where cunning turns to disbelief, fact into myth.  No need for the swollen crimson around your eyes to show empathy for Alexander; you see, there was no blood at all – hardly an injury.  Upon dropping to the ground, your amazing mother threw away her bronze-made sword and picked up his wooden one she had earlier flung down in front of her. 
This
sword is the one she shoved upward behind his breastplate.  All in one move, she spared his life and earned the fearful respect of all who witnessed it.”

“
Wow
…” Evagoria let out in a long, drawn out drawl.  “You tell the story brilliantly, as if I was there with you – yet I almost cannot believe it!”

Silence drifted over them as Evagoria digested yet another legendary tale of her mother.

My queen doing her best to cast a trusting spell around Evagoria – the will to resist is strong with this one.  That I have no skill with magic gives me a power many Sapiens have forgotten: I can perceive the subtle clues Evagoria’s mind begs her body not to reveal.  She is enchanted with Marseea’s words, but wary of her presence.  She smiles back when smiled upon, but those darting eyes and thin lips return once the queen looks away – quickly, every time, without fail.  From this day forth, Marseea and I must be watchful when around the Gift from Poseidon, must be careful not to reveal our plans.

– Komnena, Sapien Historian

– Mid-Spring, Year 4,253 KT
[18]

Komnena’s gaze never far from her queen, she had seen Marseea join Evagoria at the fountain, of course.  Sensing a conversation of great interest – or of greatness itself – was on its way, she snuck into action.  Komnena wandered over unseen and planted her bottom atop the garden’s lush green grass – not even a mouse could hope to be so quiet.  She then pulled out her stylus, some charcoal, a couple of bamboo strips, and scribed
every
word.

The story at its end and Evagoria properly wowed, Komnena revealed herself.

“I suppose you were listening the entire time, my dear friend,” Marseea said slyly. 

With a smile and a nod, Komnena held up her stylus in one hand and a handful of bamboo strips in the other.

“Did you hear, Historian?” Evagoria begged.  “Did you hear the grand story my headmistress told me?”

Another smile and nod answered back.  Suddenly, the Mermaid princess scrunched up her face as if deep in thought.

“This ‘Viracocha’ – he is the Centaur historian, yes?  Dark haired with a beard and often seen smoking a pipe?”  Queen Marseea nodded.  “Headmistress, you say he gave Seneferre a dirty look after handing Alexander his weapons.  Strain between this Olmec and Alexander, I do not understand.  Having seen the Chiron a couple of times and this pipe giving Viracocha away, he is always by Alexander’s side.”

Marseea’s eyes lit up.  “Right you are, Princess!  The Olmec High Priestess, Carolinica, is not only Alexander’s wife, but Viracocha’s sister as well.  You do not need me to explain
that
!”  With a hand on her queen’s shoulder, Komnena finally spoke up.

“Even before Carolinica drifted into the picture, oh, how he
hated
the Chiron!  If looks could kill and insults brought the dead back to life, Viracocha would have spent every waking moment doing nothing else.  Day after day, night after night, he would have done so until Alexander either went blind or lost the ability to speak!”

The three of them howled loudly.  Komnena finally caught her breath after a few moments and continued:

“Viracocha’s family became part of the Centaur nobility only recently.  Sizeable wealth needed to do so – this is no easy task and he was the first of his family to partake of our teachings.  Alexander’s family, on the other hand, is if not the richest family in all of Lacanesia, close to it.  After more than two centuries walking about our world, I can remember no different.  They have always been nobles, always will be.

“Back then, Viracocha saw Alexander as nothing more than a pampered pretty boy.  He could not stand that, despite such wealth, Alexander never flaunted these riches.  He always took the time to help others no matter their social standing and carried himself humbly.  This Centaur spoiled to no end – every day he refused to show it angered Viracocha more and more.”

Evagoria nodded her head and then turned back to Marseea.  Perhaps bored of talk concerning Centaurs, she changed the subject.

“Is it true, Headmistress?  My protector, the next Gryphon king, will he be with me during my studies even after he has finished and I have not?”

“Yes, it is true.”  Marseea took in a deep breath.  “He will not
officially
be your protector until you are a bit closer to queenship, but we both know Zacharias will be given that title someday.  He is a good Gryphon, Princess.  The strength of his father, a controlled savagery well hidden until needed, he is even somewhat tolerant of Arachna.”  Marseea threw a darting look in Komnena’s direction before letting out a quick smirk.  “At least for now.  The coming years will be very exciting, I think.”

Evagoria sighed and her shoulders slouched, but Marseea swiftly dismissed any worries.

“This is really not so bad.  More than anything, Diedrika and Judiascar look at each other as one would a trophy that is a joy to possess.”

A small smile leaked out more through her eyes than through her lips.  Komnena ready to depart and let them be, Evagoria asked yet another question.

“Whatever happened to the bully and her friends?”

Marseea snickered wickedly, appearing almost pleased to recall their fate.  Komnena knew of their fate as well.  Perhaps they did not
fully
deserve what became of them, but lessons learned by all at the expense of a few are always worth teaching.  And the lesson learned was this: There are some you just DO NOT taunt.

“Oh, if only you could have seen it, Evagoria,” Marseea drawled as she shook her head.  “For the rest of the year, the bully and her friends were little more than Diedrika’s bondservants.  Day after day, the three satisfied her every whim.  With whiny, pleading voices, they pestered her to allow them to do this for her, to do that, and on and on and on.  Desperate to rid herself of them, she would sometimes send each one off in a different direction to find objects that did not exist.”  Evagoria chuckled.  “But once that year ended and ever since, I never saw a single one of them again.  Perhaps the bully’s head – and those of her friends – really are at the bottom of the sea.”

Marseea’s casual tone in regards to what might have become of this Mermaid and her friends turned Evagoria’s face sad.  This pity did not last long; a comforting sight soon returned her face to its wondrous glow.  Proudly atop Judiascar, Queen Diedrika now approached from the other side of the gardens to collect her overjoyed daughter.  Just as Andromeda had done for Diedrika on her very first day of studies.

“Oh, Mother, you are here, you are here!” Evagoria squealed.  “You have come for me at last!”

Diedrika dismounted and slowly made her way toward them.  With her walking sticks, the princess bolted for her mother.  As Komnena watched them share a hug, she thought back to when her daughters were Evagoria’s age.  This was, of course, decades earlier, but to Half-Saps
[19]
, Gryphons, and Arachna, her twins – two years shy of finishing their ninth decade – looked only a handful of years older than Evagoria.

“Stay by Judiascar, dear daughter,” Diedrika said kindly.  “I wish to have a few words with Queen Marseea.”  Evagoria did as told.

“Thank you for your teachings today, Headmistress – and the story!” Evagoria called back after receiving a few friendly nuzzles from Judiascar.

Flipping through the memories in her mind, Komnena could not remember seeing Diedrika use walking sticks since crowned.  Not even once.  She either slithered without them or rode atop the Gryphon king.  Few things impressed Diedrika, but she made it known to all that Sapien magic and uncommon long life were two of them.  And in much the same way, how Diedrika’s beauty swaddled her prowess just right awed Komnena.  This Mermaid owned but two speeds – purposely methodical and lightning quick.  The first, slower speed was to ensure you knew who sought to dominate you.  The second, faster speed served to impose this overbearing will before you even realized it.

“Telling stories again I see?” Diedrika asked to Marseea’s wide grin.

“Somehow, someway, despite my best efforts to consider others, they are always of you, Great Queen.”

With an appreciative look and a polite nod, she turned back to Judiascar.

“She took a liking to Alexander’s son!” Marseea blurted.

Diedrika stopped suddenly, turned only at the waist to her right, and offered a pleasing grin.  An obvious glint lit the only eye visible to Komnena.

“Like mother, like daughter?” Marseea suggested in a hopeful tone.

“We can only hope!” Diedrika crowed.  With these last words, she bid a thankful farewell to Marseea.  Safely strapped in atop Judiascar, mother and daughter flew off for the Mermaid prefecture.  And just in time too, as spring rains came soon after.

*****

Studies the next day and for weeks thereafter began and ended much as the first day had, but minus one student.  The colorful scorpion Yishuo had picked up and stung Fu Xi was, just as Melanippe suggested, the most poisonous of them all.  Awash in bravery to rinse away Yishuo’s foolishness, the young Centaur’s selfless act saved her life and nearly ended his.  Despite Arachna medics, his mother’s doting presence, Penthesilea’s potions, and Marseea’s assistance, death looked just as likely as life over the first five or six days.

Yishuo helped to nurse Fu Xi back to health as well.  As the days passed, Nüwa confided ever more in Komnena.  Despite almost killing her only son, Nüwa told her that she began to look quite fondly upon Yishuo.  So much so, she would often refer to the young Centauress as a ‘delicate flower’.

Looks of fondness aside, there were quirky, but mostly cheerless oddities with this one.  Yishuo only smiled once another smiled first and never openly laughed.  As night approached, she grew skittish … as if afraid of sleep when it came near.  A haunting dream waiting to ensnare her; a hurtful burden to bear; a terrible tragedy she saw long ago; a loved one lost – whether some, all, or none of these, Komnena did not know for sure.  She had heard rumors in regards to Yishuo, but protective Centaurs in the know kept her in the dark as to why sadness fitted this one as if a second skin.

Komnena often spied on Fu Xi and his nurse when they were together.  Innocent touches often turned into endearing gazes.  More often than not, they spoke in giggles – his loud, hers soft – and whispers instead of their usual voices.  Yishuo’s eyes were always sad – this never changed – but they owned a faint sparkle whenever he was near.  Once the Grim had passed on Fu Xi’s soul, his beaming smiles helped this sparkle grow with each new day.  And these brighter days finally turned into the brightest one of all: The day Fu Xi’s family and friends could take him home.

“You don’t look half bad for having almost died,” Taharqa joked.  A heartfelt hug and bright smile for his friend blunted the sting of this comment Komnena thought was somewhat rude.  Yishuo turned her head away and looked to the ground as if ashamed another reminded them of her foolishness.

“I think he just liked having Yishuo and the twins take such good care of him the last few weeks,” Adamarcus added.  “We all know how the females love Fu Xi!”  No doubt proud to hear others speak of his son in such a way, his father, Buzhou, laughed aloud. 

Komnena watched closely as Yishuo looked upon Adamarcus, and then swept her hair behind one ear.  Before Fu Xi could sigh at this, she moved closer to him.  The sigh never came, but instead a thankful smile for having his friends near.

“When it comes to wooing the females, I think you mean
Taharqa
!” Fu Xi said cheerfully.

“Well, I don’t want to brag and all,” Taharqa drawled. 

“Then don’t!”  Nüwa’s face appeared serious as always, but her tone was playful.  She wrapped her arms around Fu Xi’s right arm.  She then stared long and hard at Yishuo – who still gazed dreamily at Adamarcus – before the young Centauress finally noticed this stare and did the same to Fu Xi’s other arm.  At least for the next moment or two.

“Ixchelene!”  As if an arrow shot out of a bow, Yishuo ran into the waiting arms of Adamarcus’ younger sister.

Once Alexander finished speaking with Queen Marseea, he caught up to Ixchelene, hugged Yishuo as well, and then led them back to the waiting Centaurs and Komnena.  Goodbyes exchanged, Marseea led the twins back into the palace.

“Strong and strapping once again,” Alexander bellowed.  “‘Tis great to see!”

“I am, Chiron.  And I had a lot of help.”  Fu Xi looked at Yishuo and smiled.  She shyly smiled back.

Alexander then turned to Yishuo.  “I have indeed heard of your excellent nursing skills.  We all make mistakes, young one, but how we work to make up for them is the truest judge of character.  And with this in mind, as Ixchelene is now eleven and requires a lady-in-waiting, I can think of no one better to fill this position.  If you choose to accept, of course ––”

“Yes!  Yes!  Yes!” Yishuo shouted as she hopped up and down.  For just a moment, Komnena saw those sad eyes show complete joy.  Even for a noble – of whom Yishuo was nowhere close – there was no more desired role for a young Centauress.

“But you must finish your studies for this year before you can do so, Yishuo.  Isn’t that right
, Chiron
?”  Komnena’s tone was terse with a sprinkling of fake cheer thrown in.

“Oh, yes, um –
absolutely
!” Alexander stammered.  “But come fall, your training will begin.  Will you be ready, Yishuo?”

“Yes, Chiron, I most certainly will!” Yishuo gushed as Ixchelene giggled.

“Speaking of ready, are
you
ready to go home, son?” Buzhou asked.

“Yes, Father.  I am
so
ready!”

Already on the main avenue, the gaggle of Centaurs began to make their way south toward their prefecture.  As Komnena watched them curve around the bend and disappear, she could not help but think of Fu Xi and Yishuo.  Her smile turned into a long, drawn out sigh.  Short, painful breaths came next.  She then looked all around to ensure she was alone.  No one in sight, Komnena plunged her head into open hands that now shook wildly.  Hurtful tears flowed as if bursting dikes.

When around others, Komnena tried to enjoy seeing such affections take hold.  In private, however, her sobs knew no end.  Although it had been seventeen years since her beloved Nicephorus fell, these years felt as if but a day.  If not for her loving daughters, Komnena often wondered if she too would have followed Scutaria’s mother into madness.  Only a few months after that horrid day, the heartbroken widow had thrown herself off the same dam that took Scutaria’s father.