the otherness came (and I knew its name)

PART 2: THE DRUG, THE DARK, THE LIGHT, THE FLAME

PART 2: THE DRUG, THE DARK, THE LIGHT, THE FLAME

Anger-- sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus, that accursed anger, which brought the Greeks endless sufferings and sent the mighty souls of many warriors to Hades, leaving their bodies as carrion for the dogs and a feast for the birds

--

Opening Invocation of Homer's Iliad, translated by E.V Rieu

AGATHA KNEW TEDROS WAS THERE BEFORE HE SPOKE.

"Not like you to skip dinner."

"I'm not hungry." said Agatha, unconvincingly. She was hungry. But the idea of going to a dinner with all those nobles...

"I brought dessert."

Agatha looked down at Tedros from the rock she was sitting on. Tedros peered up at her, buffeted by the coastal wind, clutching something wrapped in a napkin.

"What kind of dessert is it?" she said.

"Ginger cake."

"You don't like ginger cake."

"But you do."

A pause.

"Can I come up?"

"I'll allow it."

Tedros smiled, scrabbling up to sit beside her.

"Is the Savage Sea really worth missing dinner for?" he asked, handing her the napkin.

They both knew full well that wasn't why she'd skipped it, but Agatha decided to play along.

"No beaches in Gavaldon." she said, through a mouthful of cake. "No coastline."

"Oh. Didn't think of that." Tedros paused. "How come you can swim, then?"

"I told you."

"You told me in first year that you went through so many witch trials by water that you could hold your breath for thirty minutes."

"You believed it, didn't you?"

"No." grumbled Tedros.

Agatha, who knew full well he had done, crammed another piece of cake into her mouth and waited him out.

"...Yes." said Tedros. "But I'm going to assume there was a lake."

"My mother threw me in and told me to swim back. Nearly drowned the first time."

Tedros took a breath--

"You are far too easy to trick." sighed Agatha, brushing her hands off and crumpling the napkin. "Yes, I learned in the lake. Most kids did. Sophie didn't, because she thought it was cold and unpleasant and because I threatened to push her in."

"Naturally."

"I would have done it, as well."

"Me too."

"I'm sure she'd say the same about you."

"Probably." Tedros swung his legs, frowning. "Listen--"

"If you're about to try and apologise for the nobles, don't bother. You're not King yet. They're getting their shots in before you're crowned tomorrow."

"But--"

"They kind of have a point." yawned Agatha, eyeing the sun sinking below the waterline. "Not gonna look great next to all the other Queen's portraits, am I?"