King Minos was waist deep inside the waters of the Keiftu side of Knossos Harbor. The pink dolphins were giving him news from Egypt. He passed his hands on their pink skin, feeling scars and new wounds. "The sea is perilous," he told them. "Go rest and feed. You've earned it." He patted the dolphins who were quick to swim away. Minos smiled and walked out of the water towards Yidini and Siram who waited for him. "Let's go to the dry docks."
"Don't you want to get dry and change clothes?" Yidini asked.
"Not now. Siram," he called. "How many ships have we built since we started this campaign?"
"Eleven, my King."
"That's too few."
"We are going as fast as we can," Siram complained. "We are also running into some new problems."
"What is it?" King Minos asked dejected.
"Wood. We are using wood faster than it can be cut. You see, we are competing with the rebuilding of Knossos. Thus, the supply of wood is now a problem."
"Egypt is at war. They need more grain, salt and oil. Most of their crops were wasted in fires. We must set more ships to sail."
"We don't have more ships to sail. They go out as soon as we build them. Almost half our fleet is anchored at Knossos Harbor, serving as houses to the laborers."
The King sighed, irritated. "If we want Egypt's wealth to keep coming, we must fill their needs. If our shipyards can't keep up with the demand for ships, then we will have to buy them. If we need men, we will buy the crews also." Minos walked up to Siram and looked at him straight in the eye. "It is Egypt who is paying for the reconstruction of Knossos. We must expand our fleet or else, we'll go back to living underground."
"Yes, my King," Siram bowed.
They resumed their walk which followed the shore of the harbor to the western side of Knossos where the City yielded to the dry docks. The sounds of hammering and sawing, the stench of boiling tar and the organized ruckus of the boat builders flooded the senses. They entered a large single room building, where men and women were sewing sails.
"Kna!" King Minos called on a woman who turned around and walked up to him.
"My King."
"You both wait for me here," he instructed Yidini and Siram. "Show me a completed sail," he asked Kna.
King Minos and Kna talked for a while as they inspected a sail. The King moved his finger around, making figures in the air. He saw Kna kneel and do a couple of sketches on the dirt floor. He nodded and helped Kna stand up. They returned to Yidini and Siram. "Three," he reminded Kna. "Only three. The rest like we agreed."
"Yes, My King." Kna acknowledged and walked away.
"What was that all about?" Yidini asked.
"The dolphins told me of some instructions Aeëtes listed for a new way to mark a ship's port of origin. We must make such modifications to his three ships here at Knossos. I am implementing these modifications to our fleet as well." He turned to Siram. "We need to adjust our production strategy. Start making smaller vessels. Don't worry about cargo space. These ships will be used to travel to other shipyards and buy vessels and crew to the service of Khaptirus."
"What about the ships that are halfway built?"
"You said you were short on wood. Repurpose them. I've got to go see Daedalus. Aeëtes is getting restless and wants to know when will the wedding take place." The King frowned at Yidini. "What are you doing here anyways? Don't you have to take care of the laborers?"
Yidini raised his eyebrows. "Y- Yes my King." He hesitantly bowed. "You are absolutely right."
#
Chalya and Pasiphae walked the main Palace plaza. It was busy with laborers bringing sharply cut stones, while others finished them and placed them at the base of new construction. The hammering of metal tools on stone was omnipresent. They entered the south corridor on their way out of the Palace. Keiftu craftsmen were painting frescos on the walls on both sides of the Colchians. They stopped to appreciate the art.
"What is it?" Chalya asked.
"Looks like a procession or cerebration of some kind," Pasiphae answered.
"It was the day of the contest," one of the Keiftu painters said.
"Ah! The day Minos was crowned," the Amah said.
"A day of great surprise," the painter concluded.
They continued their walk, yet the indistinctive chatter of people working diligently in the rebuilding of Knossos would not leave them behind.
"How was your day at Lampa?"
"Mostly uneventful."
Arija raised the corner of her mouth. "It's me you are talking to. How were the leapers?"
"Nothing to see there. They are full of themselves, only preoccupied with their own affairs."
"They seem to be very popular."
"Athletic, they are," Pasiphae acknowledged. "They are fast and agile, jumping and twirling in the air like monkeys on trees."
"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you are insulting them."
"There is one of them, Cukra. He has charisma, a spark in his eye."
"Hmm. Just charismatic?" Arija smirked.
Pasiphae scoffed. "Please, you know me better than that. It takes more than a fit body with a loose tongue to spark my interest. Besides, even if I was curious, I will not betray Minos."
"So loyal, so fast."
"It's my duty Amah."
They both stopped when they saw King Minos approach them on horseback.
"He out and about early," Chalya said.
"He is an early riser," Pasiphae replied with a smirk.
"Pasiphae," the King acknowledged as he stopped his horse and dismounted. "Am I glad to see you."
"What may this be about?" Chalya asked.
"Well," he handed the reigns of his horse to the Amah while ignoring her presence. He went to Pasiphae and gently grabbed her hand, kissed it and turn her around back towards the Palace. "I received word from your brother."
"King Aeëtes!" Pasiphae voice tittered with anticipation.
"He goes now just by his name, Aeëtes. All future Colchian Kings shall bear his name as ruling title."
"Hmm. Very well. I can go along with that. What else did he tell you?"
"He wants to know when will our wedding take place. He seems a bit impatient."
"That is not surprising. My brother is not much for waiting."
"I would have preferred we'd finished the Palace and have our wedding as the first official act on our main plaza. Instead we might have to do it during our upcoming festival. Preparations are already under way so might as well take advantage of it. What do you think?"
"You know your people. I have no opinion or preference."
"There is one more thing your brother asked."
"Yes?" Pasiphae wrinkled her forehead.
"Your guard. He wants all three ships and the guards to return as soon as the wedding is consummated. He needs them back."
Pasiphae stopped and looked back at her Amah.
"I am sure we can keep one or two soldiers my Princess. A couple will not make a difference in your brother's affairs."
"That is your business, I am just relaying the message," the King said.
"When will this festival take place?" Pasiphae asked.
"In a cycle and a half."
They were back inside the south entryway and Minos paid attention to the painters. "Remember what I told you. No depictions of my father, my brothers, the turtle or I. Only our people." He acknowledged the painters nod. He turned towards Pasiphae and held her hand. "I must leave you now. As you can imagine I have a lot of things to do." He kissed her hand. "You can take my horse back to the stables," he told Arija.
Pasiphae raised an eyebrow while staring back at her Amah, who in turn drop the reigns to the floor.
Chalya grabbed a small linen bag that hung loosely from her waist and took a pinch of dried herbs from it. After rubbing the herbs on the palm of her hands, she petted the horse and whispered, "Go back to wherever your stable is." She heard the horse sigh and walk away. She then turned to Pasiphae and said, "You and I have preparations to make."