Son of Love and Fire

Chapter 14

"Callie has told me of your prowess in battle and I have seen as much in the Pankration. I will see you tomorrow it seems, good day Perseus." Ariadne responded with a kind tone before leaving through the other doorway behind the thrones to the one that her father had used.

After she left the queen, Anyte, similarly approached Perseus. "As my daughter said, we are extremely grateful for your assistance. Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you around the palace and you can ask me any questions you have." She spoke before walking around him and through the main entrance to the throne room, Perseus following in stride.

As they left the room the guards that had opened the door, resealed it and stood like statues in front once again. As they toured the grounds of the palace, Anyte showed Perseus all the intricacies and systems running throughout. Perseus was fascinated by the smooth flow of the palace with servants moving almost unnoticed, keeping fresh fruits from across the land in each of the important rooms, serving the whims of each of the guests and the family themselves and keeping everything clean and in check.

He also found the numerous scenes illustrated in sculptures, painting and mosaics around the palace intriguing as they spoke tales of gods and their children's heroic deeds as well as depicting the battles that have occurred across Greece. As they moved through the halls Perseus paid rapt attention to Anyte as she described the artwork as well as the different rooms and their functions.

Perseus also found it amazing how different gardens were included throughout the building, granting respite from the confinement of the palace itself and spreading nature and tranquillity through the building. The nature throughout the building made Perseus feel more at peace and allowed him to better connect with the flow of the wild, releasing his stress at the necessity for certain actions when in the presence of royalty as well as concealing his true nature.

As their tour came to an end they were in the middle of the largest and most elaborate garden within the centre of the palace grounds. Facing the queen Perseus spoke for the first time since they left the throne room, other than his affirmation of different things Anyte had told him about.

"Thank you for showing me all this, I must say, you have a wonderful home your highness. I apologise if I have kept you from more important things." Perseus bowed his head as he spoke, feeling somewhat awkward with how he practically towered over the queens 5'10" frame.

"There is nothing more important than the safety of my family, especially my beloved daughter, so you have nothing to apologise for Perseus. And please, you are doing my daughter a great duty, you may call me Anyte, at least when we aren't in public." Perseus smiled at the revealing of the queens kindness as he had previously observed. "If you have any questions, feel free to seek me out, I am most often found somewhere within this maze of a home" She said with a smile, "And just so you know, I have heard about you from what my daughter told me, Callie told her. She is a sweet girl and I'm glad she has a brother like you."

Perseus nodded, smiling at the praise with a slight blush on his cheeks, "I will see you later Mila-, sorry, Anyte, time seems to have flown by and I must return to my home for dinner, lest Cynthia scold me for my tardiness." Anyte giggled slightly, out of her refined character as the queen, obviously having heard of Cynthia from Ariadne and knowing how she reacted if her daughter was to turn up late to dinner.

"Good night young Perseus, until next time." Anyte said with a smile, and the two parted ways, Perseus being able to find his way out of the maze of a palace surprisingly fast for his first trip within its depth. After leaving he hung around for a while near the servants exit and was soon greeted by a smiling Callie with whom he shared the news of his new role, much to her joy, as they made their way home.