Of Waves and War

19: all the people wild and violent

Telemachus

I'm surrounded by idiots.

"You, seriously, know nothing?" we're standing in my aunt's garden. She is less than bothered by our visit and has yet to cease her work.

"I do not. You could have sent a note you know and I'd have told you the same thing. I told my sister much the same. I saw your unfortunate father when he and his horrible men burned a city to the ground murdering hundreds. I was escaping, based off of the amount of blood on him and lack of clothing, and stringed bow in his hands, he was well equipped for the way the evening was playing out," my aunt Helen says, not at all sympathetically.

"Did you speak to him at all?"

"He was as is his custom running off his mouth foolishly. I didn't note what he said. I apologize, boys, I'd have said all this in a letter if you needed to hear it again, but I did tell your mother much the same," she says, not very sympathetically. I gather there was no love lost between her and my father, though I think that's true of him and most anyone that is not my mother.

"That's fine we do not mean to bother you," Eche is incredibly afraid of Helen and is actively trying to leave while he hyperventilates. That was the cause of my 'everyone around me is an idiot' previous comment. I am not generally intimidated by anyone.

"You're welcome to stay if you like. I'm afraid I simply don't have any answers for you," she says, shrugging, "As I said your father did look entirely well and capable of getting himself home."

"Thank you," I sigh. It's not her fault she doesn't know anything in particular.

"If you can't get a ship for another day or so you're more than welcome to stay here. I don't suppose you've told my sister where you are?"

"We have clearly, no need to check," I say, smoothly.

"I told her this would happen," she sighs.

I frown and look around.

"You're a filthy liar, child. Your deceitful father would be incredibly proud, now I take she thinks you're somewhere safe?"

"She does," I say, haughtily.

"Good enough, I'll have the servants set up rooms for you—oh and if you see Nico and he asks to sword fight with you or —basically do anything the answer is no, all right, off you go," she says, dismissively. I finally let Eche tow me away.

"That was useless," I sigh, while he struggles to breath, "I can't believe it—I just—someone has to know something."

"Please, I'm begging you, let's leave," Eche says, clinging to my arm.

"Why? She's only my aunt, calm down, it's not like she'll eat us," I say, two seconds before someone leaps out of the shadows and Eche and I leap backwards hugging each other in fright.

"Hello, do you want to fence with me?"

"Nico don't DO that," I gasp, recovering myself, "Nobody likes it when you leap out of shadows; we've talked about this."

"I'm sorry. Nobody ever comes to visit—do you want to fence with me? I've got loads of swords and you never come and visit and spend time with me," he says, holding a broadsword. I, like everyone else with a sense of self preservation, never spend time with him because I value my life. My cousin is a solid two heads taller than me, and despite being a couple of years younger than me is built like an actual tank.

"I know, but I'm really busy Neeks," I say, trying to walk on.

"Come on, one round," he stops us with his sword, "Best two out of three?"

"I would, you know I love your company really and it's invigorating getting chased from one end of the house to the other with a broadsword, but you know sadly I hurt my arm last week, can barely lift a pen, real shame, be seeing you," I say.

"Oh that's horrible are you all right?"

"Not really, might be permanent, you never know, I suppose I'll let you know how I'm doing next time I see you," I say, encouragingly.

"What about him?" he looks at Eche.

"Oh, defying the laws of statistical probability the same exact thing happened to him with the same exact prognosis, it's very weird, and they'll probably do papers on it. Anyway. Be seeing you,"  I say, cheerfully, moving his blade gently with my non sword hand, "I'm rather busy at the moment lovely catching up—,"

"I heard you talking to my mom. Are you looking for your dad?" he asks, frowning.

"Yes, I am actually," I say, "Do you know anything?"

"Don't tell anyone I told you this---," he sighs.

"What?" I ask, immediately interested.

"So I heard my mum talking to one of her brothers the other day—well, couple of months ago actually—,"

"Which uncle?" I frown. To be clear, his mum's brothers are also my mum's brothers.

"I don't want to  say, I wasn't supposed to be listening. Anyway, he said that your dad is still alive. My mum was asking, for your mum—,"

"Your mum hasn't told my mum," I cry.

"I know—I'm not done, my uncle said he's still alive but not to tell anyone, like your mum, because he may not stay that way," Nico says.

"Why? Where is he?" I ask.

"He's trapped someplace. On an island," Nico says.

"What—no, no one can trap my dad," I say.

"He said it was some witch, and that no one can help him off, I don't know—he could've been making it up, so I don't know if you should maybe worry about it? But I thought you ought to know," Nico says, his face sad.

"Thank you—is that it? Did they not say anything else?" I ask.

"No, I'm sorry. My mum asked if there was anything to be done—,"

"I can't believe they know where he is---did they not name the island?" I ask.

"I dunno, sorry. They did say a witch had him, that's all I know," Nico says.

"It's okay, thank you," I say, nearly squeezing his arm with my supposedly injured hand. I pat him weakly instead.

"Good luck," Nico says, embracing me and probably actually breaking a few bones.

Once we are quite free of hazardous hugs from my more war-like cousin, and Eche can  properly breath again, he asks, "Okay so what does that mean?"

"That means we're going home to Ithaca," I say, "And now. If he's still alive there's no time to waste. We just have to figure out where this island is."