Chasing Athena

Chapter Four: Finding a Healer

I had brought the child back to Atlas and we had begun to call the boy Little Light Bringer, after Apollo himself.

"Tell me, why did you bring him here? You don't intend to look after a child do you?" Atlas joked, holding him.

I shook my head. "Gods no!" I laughed. "I just don't know where the town's physician is." I assured. "As well as it's late. If you can point me to one, I'll set out to have him home by the sixth hour." I promised as my smile fell.

"There's one not far from here, his name is Chiron." Atlas noticed my change in expression. "Everything alright?" he asked, eyeing me over as if looking for a physical injury.

"How could someone choose themselves over their child?" I recalled Alexandra pleading for the men to kill Little Light instead of her. I gently took him from Atlas' arms and into my own.

Atlas frowned as well. "Some people just don't deserve to be parents." he shrugged slightly, seemingly not wanting to continue the topic. "I've still got some lamb if you're hungry?"

I didn't feel like eating but thanked him. "I'll likely stay up, I want to make sure this one is alright."

Atlas insisted on staying up and I didn't argue, not having it in me at the moment.

Once the sun rose I took Little Light to see Chiron, the healer that Atlas mentioned.

"What brings a beautiful young mother like yourself to see me?" A handsome man with pale skin and long blonde hair, loosely tied back, had asked me.

I learned that this man was Chiron. I laughed. "Not a mother, just a misthias that found an orphan child."

Chiron had his assistant, Xenia, take the child for a wash.

Meanwhile, we got to talking about how I found him, though I of course left out a lot of the details, saying I found him alone in a cave.  "His mother had died inside the cave.. I suspect wolves."

Once Xenia returned, Chiron gave him a proper examination. Thankfully Little Light was perfectly healthy, though a little underweight. He had Xenia fetch some milk and we started talking about my journey from Ithica to Athens. I guess Xenia had fed Little Light at some point while Chiron and I continued our conversation over wine, due to the empty oinochoe I found later. 
We watched the sunset together and talked about our lives, I have no idea how we managed to talk for so long, though I suspect the wine had a large part, perhaps too big of a part as I found myself lying under him, his emerald green eyes peering down at me with a drunken smile. I returned the smile and the next thing I remember I awoke the following morning next to him.

I sat up and eyed Chiron, who was still sound asleep. "Oh gods...did I give it up to a stranger?" I thought, though somehow he didn't feel like a stranger after our long and many conversations. I grabbed my clothes and dressed quickly, nearly tripping over the empty oinochoe before waking inside to gather Little Light. I planned to return him to his father, hoping to get the drachmae still. 

I passed many mud houses, different from Ithica's wood and stone-made houses. Walking down the hill, I encountered many young men with their dogs and children playing together with their mothers calling after them, causing me to smile. I passed a small marble bench that had beautiful blue flowers planted around it.
I reached the amphitheater and felt my anger return, spotting the man inside. I was surprised to see him still awake.

"They took your baby too?!" I said abruptly, holding Little Light up.

He looked at me, panicked. "I didn't-" he looked behind me. "Where is she?"
"She didn't make it." I said bluntly, though I felt guilty.

He eyed me. "No- please misthias! Where is my wife?!"

I shook my head, eyeing down at his newborn son. "They killed her." I looked back at the heartbroken man. "You didn't tell me they had him.." I repeated, sighing. Thinking maybe if I knew I could've saved them both.

"I didn't think it mattered..she wasn't due for another two months.." He took his son from my arms, his expression twisted with sadness and anger.  "You should've saved her.." his eyes couldn't meet mine.

I stared holes into him, angry that he would choose to let a child die in favor of his wife. "Your child lives. You would rather he be dead?"

He shook his head. "Don't judge me misthias, you have decided who lives and who dies many times over!" he spat.  "Curses to the gods.."

I crossed my arms, tired of listening to the coward. "Speak with care." I warned, "You should be thanking the Gods! They are the only reason you remain standing."

He eyed me fearfully and handed me a small bag of drachmae before hurrying back inside.

I left with a huff, exhaustion hitting me quickly.