Battle Against the King's Son

Art was not one common to combat. True he had done his fair share of fighting, but the fact was such things were not common to him and that may have been because in his sixteen twelvemonths of life, there had not been any major cases that would have required the entirety of the Gaels to fight.

Staring at the armed Argus, Art said: "Among my people, women marry who they wish. If Thebe does not wish to marry you, then she shall not. What your paterfamilias orders is meaningless. Let her consort of whatever man she wishes. If she does not wish to be in your company, Argus, then she does not wish to." In a flash, Argus lunged forward, thrusting his blade towards the Young Gael. Moving out of the way, Art then said to his attacker: "You wield a weapon against an unarmed opponent? You are coward, Argus, with no sense of fairness! If you would slay me, then either give me a blade or cast yours aside!"

The eyes of all present stared at the Son of Eurystheus, not a single pair sympathetic to him. They glared at the King's scion, daggers in their eyes. Argus abominated all the world, with the only thing that he loved being his paterfamilias, who had every intention that his son by a slave be his heir. Wherefore then did Argus abominate all the world? Perhaps he knew that his father's successor would not be him, nor any of his half-brothers, but rather his father's kinsman Atreus, father of Agamemnon and Menelaus who would become great heroes in the twelvemonths to come. Was that a just reason to abominate all the world? Perhaps not, but for Argus it was enough and it was for that reason that he had become hated by all the world, with his presence only tolerated in Argolis simply because his father was Eurystheus.

Not being cowed by the glares of the crowd, Argus charged forward. Swinging his blade, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his right leg. Turning he looked down upon Niall. The claw marks of the lynx in his flesh, the Son of Eurystheus raised his sword, only to find Art's first come into contact with the side of his face.

His blade knocked from his grip Argus ran for his weapon only to find a man put his foot upon it. "Coward fathered by a coward, do battle against the foreigner without a weapon!"

For a moment, Art did not think that the Son of Eurystheus would face him unarmed. Alas, Argus had more courage than expected. Swinging his fists like a trained boxer, Argus struck the Young Gael three times. When he attempted to strike a forth, Art grabbed his opponent by the wrist and hurled him aside. He may have been lean and hungry in appearance, but Art was strong in his own way.

"I have no quarrel with you, Argus." Uttered Art. "Leave me be and find yourself a woman who will have you for her husband for Thebe will not."

"You are not Achaean!" roared Argus. "Therefore, I do have a quarrel with you!"

Calmly, Art responded: "Your paternal great-grandmother was not Achaean. Do you have a quarrel with her as well?"

Overcome with rage, Argus charged forward and all it took was a single punch from Art to end the fight. Slamming into the jaw of the Son of Eurystheus, the Young Gael sent his opponent to the ground, devoid of consciousness.

From behind him, Art heard Timaeus: "You rendered the King's son unconscious… That might not turn out well for you, lad."

Not even looking at the Corinthian, Art replied: "We shall see." Then to Thebe he did say: "You were going to show me around Tiryns, Thebe? Well, with that little interruption dealt with, let us resume what we were doing."