The Minoan Rhapsody

The Keiftu

Knagos sprinted towards the bull who in turn charged. As the bull lowered its horns, he jumped forward and above the animal, keeping his arms and legs straight as if he were diving. He landed on his hands, rolling forward and springing to his feet.

The bull stopped and turned around for another charge.

Time and time again, Knagos somersaulted over the bull. Sometimes making cartwheels in midair or doing handsprings off the bull's head.

The beast fought its fatigue and frustration with uncaged anger. Its' desire to kill Knagos fed its stubbornness.

One last jump and Knagos ran to his clothes and rolled over them, wrapping himself in white.

The bull bellowed and searched around frantically. It was panting, tired, and furious, while slowing down due to its fatigue.

The two other leapers approached and blindfolded it once more. As they escorted it back down the Palace, one of them whistled.

Knagos unwrapped himself and stood, raising his hands, accepting the renewed hum of the crowd.

The bull leaping display was repeated. Each leaper showed different tumbling, jumping, and twirling skills. Each bull was unique as they charged, thrusting their horns upward, or making quick jumps or recoveries.

The fourth leaper was Romadra. She was dressed as the men, with a red and silver loincloth. She jumped, lifting her legs above the torso in a back-bridge position. She rotated in the air as the bull sped below her. It was her third jump. She screamed, stumbling to the ground, having landed on the one broken stone slab on the floor. She tried to recover but could not put weight on her broken ankle.

Pasiphae sprung up to her feet, but Minos was quick to firmly grab her forearm.

"Sit," the King said.

Pasiphae could see Romadra's face as she stood in one leg, facing the bull. The leaper extended her arms sideways as the bull's horns impaled her. She was tossed in the air towards the crowd standing at floor level. Her lifeless body knocked off a few Keiftu while her blood splattered on the white clothes of others.

Pasiphae didn't have to whisper to the bull to know. He can see them now! "Run for your lives!" She screamed of the top of her lungs.

"Pasiphae control yourself!" King Minos ordered.

The bull rammed the crowd. It was an unstoppable juggernaut of death and destruction. The more it killed, the more victims it could see.

Pasiphae saw the crowd remained silent, still. There were no cries, there was no panic. What are they doing? No one's going to come and save them! She frowned, confused by the massacre unveiling in front of her. She looked at Minos who was more concerned about her behavior than the carnage in front of him. "Don't you care? These are your people!"

A scaffold cracked, breaking upon the bull's charge. The fallen Keiftu stood up with their dirty, ripped clothes. The bull turned around.

"Let me go!" Pasiphae demanded as Minos kept a hold on her.

"You will sit and lay still!" The furious King yelled through his mask.

"But I can help!"

"You will do as I say!"

Arija put her hand on Pasiphae's shoulder and softly said to her over the ear, "You must yield to our ways."

Cukra ran up the ramp towards the bull, wielding long daggers in each hand. He wore no white clothes but his purple and gold loincloth. He yelled, catching the attention of the beast. He made simple leaps above the charging animal, each time quickly stabbing or cutting its back.

The bull only had eyes for Cukra and would not give up, despite being stabbed repeatedly. Yet the blood eventually slowed it down.

Cukra kept taunting, leaping, and cutting until the blood-soaked beast stopped right in front of the king's stone balcony. He approached the stumbling bull from its side and in one swift motion sliced its neck open.

Blood gushed and sprayed the council, Pasiphae, and Minos. The bull's eyes met Pasiphae's and it rammed the stone base. They all stumbled as the balcony shook. Then they watched the last breaths of the beast. It fell dead, it's horns stuck in the stone, a pool of its own blood underneath it.

Pasiphae jerked her arm off King Minos grasp and took her mask off. She looked at the carnage as she witnessed the crowd's hum and sway resume. Her eyes met Cukra's, then Minos'.

The King's hood only allowed his eyes to be seen. His enraged stare at Pasiphae was uncontained. "We must talk."

#

Chalya finished bathing Pasiphae. She rubbed aromatic oils on her skin.

"They didn't do anything," Pasiphae continued. "They didn't protect themselves or run to safety. Even after all was done, they didn't help each other." She cringed.

Chalya put a simple linen robe on her and began combing her short hair. "I am so sorry I was not there."

"I don't understand these people. It's as if they don't care."

"Did you talk to Minos afterwards?"

"He was furious, but he kept to himself until we were alone in the throne room." Pasiphae stood and took off her robe. She let Chalya dress her with a form-fitting, sleeveless, beadnet dress. "We got into an argument."

"Did he explain why the Keiftu behaved the way they did?" The Amah helped Pasiphae with the snugged, revealing dress.

"He just said that Keiftu culture is rooted deep below Knossos foundation, and that one day I would understand. I don't know what he meant. I didn't care either. I left him to help the wounded."

"There are somethings that are beyond the rule of a king. We don't know the Keiftu at all." Chalya put gold earrings, snake shaped bracelets, and elaborate anklets on both feet. "I can't believe we are moving forward with the wedding.". She brushed colored powder on Pasiphae's cheeks and eyelids, while applying red dye on her lips.

"There will be no one present. It's just a formality."

"One that your brother demands," Chalya reminded. She stood in front of her Princess while holding her hands. "You look stunning. A true queen-."

"Of a strange land," Pasiphae interrupted.

"Captains!" Chalya called.

They walked through the empty rooms of Knossos: Pasiphae, her Amah and three Colchian Captains, one for each of their ships. Pasiphae was barefooted, but the steps from the others echoed through the silence. They entered the throne room.

Minos sat in his throne, the two resting Griffins painted on the wall on each side of the throne, staring at the King. Only Arija and Simura, Keeper of Health and Culture accompanied him.

Pasiphae's eyes drifted towards the city beyond the throne room's balcony. It was midday and Knossos was deserted. She looked at the horizon, pressing her lips. A single tear rolled down her cheek.