'Neath an Argive Sky

The day was pleasant, the Argive sky as vivid a blue as skies were elsewhere with a few alabaster clouds above. As the Young Gael and the Athenian Girl strolled through nature's glory, they heard the most beautiful of music: the birds and the wind through the trees.

Stopping by a river, the two redheads laid down upon a nearby hill while their lynx companion Niall stopped to drink from the river before laying down behind them. Looking up at his feline friend, Art extended a hand and gently stroked the lynx's neck, something that Niall appreciated. He then looked at Thebe, her hair like a red flame in the sunlight, and inquired: "Is there any rumour of Eurystheus being the one truly responsible for the deaths of Heracles' sons and nephews?"

Rolling onto her side and propping up her head with her hand, Thebe answered: "Not that I've heard and besides, that was not at Tiryns, but at Thebes."

There was that Achaean city again. What had a city that was not of Argolis to do with the House of Perseus?

"What happened?" asked Art, wishing to know more.

"It is said that Heracles had been sitting on a hillside watching his sons and nephews engage in martial exercises with other Theban boys and young men. He had his bow and quiver of arrows with him and when a dark shadow crossed the sun and a low, evil moaning drew near, which caused Heracles to stagger to his feet, eyes wildly rolling and foam coming from his mouth. According to one who was there, he cried: 'Enemies are upon us! Eurystheus of Argolis comes to take us prisoners and make us his slaves! I will not suffer it! Alone I will save Thebes and protect my beloved children from servitude!"

Art had received his answer, but still he wondered. Was it a simple madness? In Kemet, which the Achaeans called "Egypt", the priests were great magicians. Could it have been possible that there was such an individual in Eurystheus' service?

"Had Heracles and Eurystheus ever been rivals or enemies in the past?" Art asked, wishing to understand this more.

"I heard it said…" began Thebe. "From those who have lived in Tiryns longer than I, that the two competed for the hand of Megara, Daughter of Creon of Thebes, though I have also heard from Thebans who had been present that Creon had simply given Megara to Heracles in marriage as reward for Heracles saving Thebes from Eriginus of… Oh, somewhere or other."

Well, that was two answers, but which was true? Had Heracles and Eurystheus competed for the hand of this Megara of Thebes? Or had Megara simply been given to Heracles as a reward?

"What happened to Megara?" asked Art.

"She died of a broken heart following the deaths of her and Heracles' sons." Thebe answered.

Sighing, Art rested his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. "This all seems so strange. What does this city outside of Argolis have to do with anything? I thought Heracles was a member of the House of Perseus. Does the House of Perseus rule there too? Is or was this Creon related to Heracles?"

Smiling at him, Thebe said: "I'll explain another time." Taking a moment to pet Niall, the Athenian Girl then asked: "Where were you born, Art?"

"I do not know." Replied Art, closing his mismatched eyes. "I never thought of asking my parents. With my people's three centuries of wandering, we have never stayed in one place long enough. The druid Caicher prophesized that our descendants would reach our destined home, but not us. We shouldn't have to wander we should just go straight for this destined home of ours. I want to know a permanent home and I want my children to know a permanent home, not the life of a wanderer."

"How many lands have you known?"

"Too many." Opening his eyes, Art stared up at a cloud, looking a little bit like a camel… or a weasel… or a whale. "To my thinking it is better to know one land rather than too many and yet here I am in a place with many lands. Argolis, Thebes, Athens, Crete and doubtless more… It is ironic."

"But Achaea is not the world, Art, and you have doubtless seen more of it than I have." Uttered Thebe.

"Do you wish to see the world, Thebe?"

"I wish to know more of it than just Athens and Argolis and yet… The world beyond Achaea seems frightening."

"As does the concept of this destined homeland for my people." Commented Art. "Wherefore could we not go there immediately? Wherefore have we had to wander these three centuries? What monstrosities await there not yet slain?"

"What monstrosities exist outside of Achaea?" asked Thebe.

"I know there are giants out there in the wide world." Art replied. "I met one in Libya, Antaeus who I have mentioned."

"Did he look as horrible as a gorgon?"

"No, he looked no different from any other man and so I wonder, how does one know if they truly speak to someone human? I have no doubt that you or anyone else here is human, but out in the wide world how can we be sure that anyone we meet truly is? I met Antaeus in the wilderness, just as I did my rescuer… Was he human as well?"

"What did he look like?" asked Thebe, curious to know more.

"As human as you and I." Art replied. "He was lean, tall, hairy, bearded… Nothing unusual." Feeling Niall proceed to lick his hair, the Young Gael sat up and looked at the lynx with raised brow. "Here now, what is this you do? Does my hair look like that much of a mess that you feel the need to lick it as you do your own fur, Niall?" While Niall meowed in response and Thebe covered her mouth with her right hand and laughed, the Young Gael petted the head of his cat companion. "I suppose with it being curly, it might look messy to you."

"I like your curly hair, Art." Thebe commented, extending a hand and running it through the Young Gael's hair. "It is quite different from that of others I have seen."

"Thanks. I like yours as well." Said Art, looking into Thebe's large reddish-brown eyes. She too looked into his and for a moment, the Young Gael felt ashamed and looked away.

Feeling Thebe's hand upon his shoulder, he heard the Athenian Girl inquire: "What is wrong?"

"My eyes…" Art replied. "They do not match as yours do."

"It makes you unique, Art." Thebe assured him. "And I find you with a sapphire and an emerald in your front to be quite pleasing to look at."

A sapphire and an emerald? It sounded like an attempt at poetics, but Art had little knowledge of such things, thus he could not judge it if was a good case of poetry or not. Regardless how poets would judge what Thebe had said, Art could not help but smile.

Taking a moment to stand up, the Young Gael looked about, wondering if the lion he had faced was about… Or someone else. Looking to Niall, he saw the lynx relaxing contently in the sun 'neath the Argive sky, thus did he too return to contentment upon the hill.