"It seems I was right" Kleon said as Deimos walked in to the room, the Demi-God raised a brow as he leaned on the wall. "It seems Eos has come to Athens in search of her lost teddy bear", Kleon glanced up at him, at the stone-cold look he seemed to wear most days.
Kleon had already decided that it was just an act to hide his true feelings, to hide his wants. Akin had been like a brother to Deimos but, Eos, Eos had been so much more and, Kleon would not give-up such an 'opportunity' if it was to arise.
"And what will you do about it" Deimos asked.
"I know you'd most likely want to do many things to her" Kleon shrugged, "now that girl" he stroked the jaw of the girl who was lay near him, "was the only one who could tame a boy like Deimos". Deimos' jaw clenched.
"I bet I could try" the girl suggested. She'd glanced over at Deimos, fluttering her eye lids but, the glare he gave her turned her stomach and made her go cold. She looked back to Kleon, her eyes also avoiding his as she got back to work on the button she'd been teasing open for him.
He sighed and gestured for her to go.
The Demi-God had such an essence about him, the girls either ran from him or fell at his feet. None of which Deimos was interested in and, Kleon did not like the thought of having any of those he rejected. Which was likely all of them but still.
"When she starts to cause us trouble" Kleon said, "I expect you to leave her be" he said,
"What" Deimos said as he pushed from the wall,
"The girl has a bounty on her head - just like the lycaon did" Kleon told him, "and it will not be long until they come to collect it themselves" Kleon looked over at him after having watched the girl leave, such a loss. "She is not our problem anymore", he tilted his head from side to side, "that is unless she causes too much trouble - then, I'll deal with her myself" Kleon suggested, "no need for you to get involved, do not worry",
"A bounty" Deimos asked, "who would want her other than us",
"People we owe" Kleon told him, "now-",
"But she-" Deimos hesitated, Kleon noticed, "she betrayed us. The cult. Our cause",
"I seem to remember that you benefitted majorly from that" Kleon said, "no one to take your crown".
Deimos went pale, he felt sick to his stomach but still, Kleon went on, not taking any notice, still looking after the girl he'd had to dismiss.
"Such a timely departure you had" Kleon smiled.
A rage had started to build inside of Deimos, a rage he did not think he could quell. Not now. But, for that moment, the words that left his mouth were so calm, it made Kleons insides twist. "And how was I supposed to know you'd rip it out of her early".
For a moment Deimos thought he saw a flash of regret on Kleons face. The Athenian leader had not been in Phokis that night but, he had heard what had happened. The Master and Chrysis, they'd grown impatient, too wanting... It had been too early. He had heard the baby had been terribly weak, perhaps too weak even but, Chrysis had said that she could bring it back, just as she'd done Deimos.
However, a part of Kleon had wondered whether Eos had done it a favour.
Kleon would never admit it though. Not out loud. By then, he had already decided what he wanted and frankly, it was not another self-professed Demi-God that would turn in to the likes of its father - the cult had proven time and time again that they could not raise competant children - no matter the blood which ran inside of them.
"I'm not saying you did boy, I'm only suggesting that perhaps we're both after the same thing" Kleon said, "as we've always been. Now go" Kleon gestured him away as if he was one of his dogs, "take a girl and try not to kill anyone".
Deimos had considered taking Kleon up on his offer. Deimos had stopped by the whores Kleon would surely bed that night, thinking that if he could get threw a night with one of them, it'd made the want he had for something more chaotic go away but... Kleon had also told him to not kill anyone...
And, women like that, they wouldn't understand his want, would not fathom what he needed from them. He couldn't let them have that sort of control over him.
So instead, he found himself in the one place he knew Eos would go to.
Which was also the place he might be able to get answers for something else that had been bothering him.
Passing by the Athenian prisons guards as they sat idly, Deimos walked up to the cell he knew Kassandra was contained in. From what he'd heard, his sister hadn't been all that cooperative.
Kleon had mentioned something about the first civilisation. That Kassandra may have found something more about it than they had but, it seems that no amount of beatings or taunts could get her to talk. And right now, Deimos could care less about the cults little side-quest.
Except today, Deimos hoped her silence would end.
Kassandra had spent a lot of her time there sleeping, trying to keep her strength up but, today, it was almost as if she felt his presence. She opened her eyes, put her hand on her head and then looked over at him. It took her a moment to realise who it was before she stood up and walked over, stretching out her back as she did.
"You are pathetic" Deimos told her.
If something like this could hold her down so easily, what was it Kleon was so worried about.
"If I'm so pathetic, why am I behind these bars" Kassandra asked, wondering if her brother had only came here to insult her.
'Quick' Deimos had thought, he snorted,
"I do not think you'd want to be on this side", he smiled and folded his arms.
"Then what do you want" Kassandra asked. Her voice was not as cold or as judgemental as he thought it would be, it was soft, understanding almost.
He needed to know something. Something Eos could not give him...
Deimos opened his mouth to say it but, he stopped and instead, he decided that taunting her a little more would make him feel better.
"I just wanted to see if they had killed you yet" Deimos said,
"Obviously not" Kassandra said, gesturing to herself as she took a step away,
"Obviously" Deimos repeated, he glanced over to where the guards were, around the corner, and then back to Kassandra.
She sighed, "Deimos, please. Me and Eo-",
"No" Deimos took a step back and shook his head, he couldn't do that today,
"Please" Kassandra begged, "I know you both-",
Deimos shook his head again and then pulled something from his robes.
"This is what I think of her" he tossed the tooth at Kassandra. She caught it, confused at first, but it didn't take her long to click. "I told her to stay out of my way".
"What... no" she looked at Deimos, at how his jaw clenched as he tried to keep eye contact with her, tried not to look away, "not Laelaps",
"Gets inside your head, doesn't he" Deimos said, the words forced. He had to get a hold of himself.
"You didn't..." Kassandra looked back at the tooth. How. Why. He wouldn't do that - not if everything Eos said about him was true.
Deimos had gone silent, he had to go, he couldn't stay here - he never should have come. He turned away, leaving Kassandra to stare at the yellowed canine that had sunk in to the throats of so many, she was sure she would have felt something more.
"Deimos" he almost didn't stop. "Please. Tell me what it is you want".
Eos had told Kassandra something once before.
She had told her that their past, the mountain - Eos couldn't help with that - only Kassandra could fill in those blanks - only Kassandra could convince him that his family did not abandon him to the cult. But... if he had killed Laelaps... for the cult... for that control Eos had told her he was losing every waking moment... Kass wondered if Eos would have said the same thing.
Except, she would. She would because... Eos knew what he was... Eos had killed enough people - people she loved - to know that sometimes it was the only way.
Except, Eos would never forgive him for this.
And, Kassandra was not sure that the world without her would be a world Deimos would want to be in.
Still. Kassandra had promised her mater she would try.
Deimos turned back, glanced again from side to side and then came back to Kassandra's cell,
"I want to know what you were thinking back there" he said quietly,
"What. Trying to save you" Kassandra said - if that wasn't already obvious. Deimos snorted and shook his head,
"That's not what that was. I told you stay out of my way. Yet, here you are" Deimos said - it wasn't as if he'd not warned them. Both of them.
"What, a prisoner until I'm killed" Kassandra asked,
"That's the plan" Deimos folded his arms and tilted his head from side to side, a smirk on his face, "Or, I could come in there and end you anytime I please". It was a lie but, it would sound convincing enough if anyone was to walk around said corner - which he glanced towards quickly before looking back. Kassandra had raised her brow at the hesitation but, she let it go. "But before that, tell me what you know" he said.
"I thought your cultists told you everything. Sounds like you're on their side but, their not on yours" Kassandra told him. Deimos stood up straight,
"You think I'm just a puppet" he nodded at her, "Then prove it to me. Tell me why I'm on the wrong side. Convince me. I dare you" He needed to know - he needed to know the truth, the real truth... The truth Eos was trying to show him.
"What do you want to know" Kassandra asked,
"Everything you claim to be true" Deimos waved at the air, "But after this, I kill you" he added for good measure - he would not give her the thought that she could sway him from his cause with such words, from the destiny he was professed to live. This would not change that. "Why was I abandoned that night on the mountain" he asked.
"It was the Pithia's propechy, the Spartan Ephors said there was no other choice" Kassandra was so quick with her words, Deimos almost wondered if - instead of the truth - they were just some lies she'd formulated before, readied and waiting for a moment like this one,
"A prophecy" he asked anyway,his curiosity getting the better of him
"You and I both know who feed the Pithia her words" Kassandra said. Deimos glanced down,
"I do" - the cult. The fucking cult. Perhaps. No
Deimos looked back at up her, smirking, "A baby with a fait so terrible, it was thrown of a cliff" it sounded absurd and Kassandra may have slapped him across the face if she'd been able to, just for how obnoxious he sounded, Eos must of had the patience of a saint to spend time with this man. "What kind of prophecy would lead to that",
"The Pithia said that you were going to bring Sparta to greatness or to it's downfall, waiting for the outcome was too big a risk". Kassandra heard something drop behind her, heard the sound of claws scrape against metal, she ignored it - she didn't need rescuing right this moment, she needed to speak with her brother,
"A risk" Deimos asked.
"I heard you're unpredictable" Kassandra said, gesturing to him all,
"I call it being decisive" he said it smiling but then he huffed and his face hardened again. He held his head high, "You weren't decisive that night. You. My family. Let me go". Deimos couldn't disguise the hurt in his voice. Kassandra was already shaking her head,
"Let you go. You have no idea what happened on that mountain" she told him,
"Then tell me" Deimos said, he took a step closer to the bars,
"Mater went after you" Kassandra told him, his eyes softened, she saw him hesitate, she saw that longing - for home, for love - in his eyes. It was still there. Eos had been right.
"What do you mean after me" he asked - His family, they'd abandoned him, they'd thrown him from a cliff - he'd been disgraced by Sparta. No one had gone after him.
"She went down the mountain to find you - she had to find you",
"And what did she find there" Deimos asked, his voice softer now,
"She brought you to a preist to be healed but, he told her you died" Kassandra told her.
Deimos swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head,
"I wasn't her only child" he faltered for a moment before he said, "Not everything was lost" he'd started to shout but, he stopped himself,
"No. All was lost. Everything we ever knew" Kassandra almost matched his,
No. She didn't understand. She couldn't.
"What do you know. You know nothing of what I had to do" Deimos said - nothing of what he'd been through.
"Listen" Kassandra said it softly this time - attracting any attention would only make him put that barrier back up and Deimos hated it that she knew that - "After you and the elder fell, they threw me of Mount Taygetos too. Father let me go. It was his duty",
"You were abandoned too" Deimos said quietly,
"Yes",
"But we both survived. Against their wishes" Deimos said, Kassandra thought she almost saw the fire light inside of his head,
"We did. We're alive", he smiled,
"Maybe it serves them right". Deimos was about to say something more when he heard his name.
"Deimos".
Kleon.
Deimos turned away from him, trying to compose himself, "We have been searching for you and you are here - in the gutter" he glanced over at Kassandra. "I heard shouting" Deimos turned around.
"It's nothing" he said,
"Leave" Kleon told him, "Now" Deimos didn't. "This was not you're action to take boy". Kleon felt ever so mighty when he had his men around him but, this time, Kleon regretted the words almost as soon as he'd said them. He saw the Demi-Gods jaw clench as he turned to him, pointing,
"I am not your puppet. And you, are not my master" Deimos told him. He was no ones puppet. He did all this for himself. For what he would achieve. Kleon and him did want the same thing but, they could not both have it.
Kleon held his hands up,
"Of course Champion. Any digression, I won't repeat" Kleon told him.
Deimos huffed at him and walked away from them both.
He had also seen that of which had fell in to the cell behind Kassandra. Some sort of small stone tablet he was sure could only be a message from her people - from Eos. Perhaps she'd heard the whole thing and he hadn't even known.
Would she ever be able to understand... Would she ever give him the chance to explain... Did he even want her to?
He listened to some of what Kleon had to say to Kassandra before he left - she said nothing of their conversation, nothing of how he'd faltered, of his hesitation.
She'd not betrayed him.
***
Eos watched as Barnabas and Sokrates readied themselves to burst through the doors of the jail. She'd heard Kleon arrive and knew it was time for them to act.
The Politician also knew they were on to him, knew he had to act quickly - except, Kleon had this will to belittle those he was about to order the killing of.
Before having gone to gather up the old sea Captain and Philosopher who hid in the home near the prison. Eos had seen Kassandra and Deimos talking - about the past, about what had happened on the mountain. She'd listened as his voice had gone soft, contemplative - as if he'd truly stopped to think about it but then, she had also listened as he'd got defensive, as if the truth was too much.
Eos could only hope that it had been enough for him to see.
"Chaaaarrrgge" Barnabas had shouted,
"Yeaaaaaah" Sokrates had added as they ran at the gated door,
"By the power of the Gods - Halt" the cell door flew open as Barnabas barged in to it, spade in hand.
Eos had to stop herself from laughing when the small, almost inaudible "Aw" came from Barnabas as he realised they were too late.
"Good timing" Kassandra said, a bit out of breath but with a smile on her face, two guards moaning and groaning on the floor around her.
Sokrates had knelt down and was rubbing some blood between his fingers,
"Interesting. Death may be the greatest of human blessings after all".
Eos had already learned that to either question or agree with this man was a bad move. He spoke far too much and only succeeded in giving her headaches.
"At least you tried" Kassandra said,
"Surely it's the thought that counts. Thank the Gods you're alive Kassandra" Barnabas said,
"If those guards are not the last, I say we leave and do it quickly" Sokrates said,
"Wait - we need to talk about Kleon" Kassaandra said,
"Sokrates and Eos are on to that Malaka. We know what he's doing" Barnabas punched the air,
"Eos" Kassandra asked. Eos appeared near the door,
"I told them you'd be fine" Eos said, "but they insisted that stone tablet would reassure you of their allegiance" she nodded to the small stone tablet Kassandra held, the words 'Hold on, we're coming' etched in to it.
It had been useful in beating the two guards arounds the head if anything.
"Come. We must go" Sokrates said once more, "Eos, I assume the coast is clear",
"Their not dead but, they're... sleeping" Eos told him,
"Good, shall we" Sokrates looked to Barnabas and Kassandra.
Outside the prison, Kassandra again reunited with her faithful spear, Kassandra had pulled Eos over to her once they'd got far enough away from the pison. Sokrates had noticed. There was something on Kassandras mind. Something they were not needed for.
"Come Barnabas" Sokrates said, "Kassandra, Eos, meet us back at Perikles' residence. There, we shall discuss all we know", Kassandra nodded and the two of them watched them leave, heading in to the city. Eos turned to her, smiling,
"Did-",
"Eos. I saw my brother" Kassandra said,
"I know" Eos said, "I heard you talking to him",
"You heard us" Kassandra took a step back,
"Yes" Eos raised her brow, she shrugged, "It's not much but, it's something. It's a step forward".
Had Eos not heard what he'd said... Or what he'd not said...
"Eos..." Kassandra trailed off. She couldn't have heard it. Perhaps she'd only heard the words after the stone tablet had dropped.
"Whats wrong Kassandra" Eos asked, she'd heard what he said, the way he was, the battle he seemed to be having inside of him, it was natural, this was what they needed.
Kassandra looked down at her hand, at the stone tablet, Eos looked down with her, saw the streak of red,
"Kass, your" Kass opened her hand, the tablet dropped but, there was something else, something she'd been squeezing at.
The tooth.
"Eos, I'm..." Kass sighed and shook her head, she wiped at her eyes, a wetness coming away with it,
"What" Eos asked again, looking from the tooth to Kassandra. Kassandra hoped she would have knew what it meant,
"Eos, it's Laelaps" she said quietly. Eos raised her brow and then looked back to the tooth, she shook her head,
"Kassandra, that's",
"Deimos gave it to me" she took Eos' hand and pushed it in to it. It was only then Kassandra realised the lack of fingers she could push to wrap around it... Eos pulled away, taking a closer look at it. "He..." Kassandra trailed off...
Laelaps.
Her fingers.
What had happened to her fingers.
"Kassandra, he wouldn't" Eos looked back to her, "Its",
"Eos, I'm so sorry",
"Is that what he said" Eos took another step back from her, "Did he say he killed him". Kassandra shook her head and Eos went to argue more but,
"He didn't need to" Kassandra told her - even if a part of her didn't want her to believe it.
Kleon had told her the truth, as he'd left, he'd said that Laelaps was dead. That Eos would join them both soon enough. "Kleon..." Kassandra trailed off, "I'm so sorry"
Eos shook her head again,
"No" she told her, "No. He wouldn't do that" Eos took another step away from her and put the tooth in her pocket,
"Eos",
"I'll meet you back at Perikles'" Eos said, she turned away from her,
"Eos wait" but she didn't and, even when Kassandra tried to follow her, Eos dissapeared in to a crowd of people and she lost her.
She had to find Deimos. She had to know the truth.
This wasn't Laelaps tooth... She'd seen those teeth more than enough times for that...
Which meant he had to be alive...
And meant something worse must have happened to him.
Laelaps wouldn't just abandon her - not like this.
Perhaps he was dead...
But. If she was sure of anything, it was Deimos hadn't done it.
He couldn't have.
***
It didn't take long for them to hear that Kassandra had escaped. But, it had come at no surprise to Deimos when Kleon had left only impotent guards to safeguard her demise. She'd proven herself a seasoned warrior and Kleon had underestimated her - as he had her friends. Eos...
But, Kleon had to be careful now. He had the love of Athens people and, he had to hold on to that. He could not aid in a massacre of the group of rebels in Perikles' home. It was untasteful, which also meant that neither could Deimos. Although, it didn't mean that the Demi-God couldn't have any fun. There were many leaders and masters in Athens that did not want for Kleon, or him, to succeed in their course for power and, he'd made it known what would happen to them if they were to rebel. Or open their mouths.
Deimos stopped and turned his head as he came to the edge of the balcony of Solons House.
He knew Eos was there.
He'd known for a while.
She had listened in on his conversation with the guard, how Deimos was here to pay Solon a visit. Then, she'd been just feet away from him when Deimos had threatened the poet, telling him that the words he wrote and professed should only imitate the glory they could bring to Athens if they worked together.
Deimos had considered leaving after that, to lead her back in to the city but, the balcony was quiet, the poet too scared to move, the night dark and the men below them far too unlikely to look up.
"I told you to stay out of my way",
"When have I ever listened to you",
"You should".