Daedalus

At one and forty twelvemonths, Daedalus already had greying hair. His black beard and mustache were both filled with the occasional bit of grey. He was a lean man standing five inches taller than Art. Clad in a purplish-grey, the Inventor sat in his workshop and stared at Art, his eyes seeming to bore into the soul of the Young Gael.

Eventually, Minos inquired: "How goes construction of the Labyrinth, Daedalus?"

Not turning his gaze from Art, Daedalus answered: "It is nearly completed. The Minotaur can be placed within it in a week's time."

"Marvellous!" Minos exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Where be your scion Icarus?"

"Pursuing some damsel." Replied Daedalus, looking away from Art for a while. "I just pray it isn't one who is recently wed."

Laughing, Minos uttered: "Oh, to be young like that again! So full of vigour and not caring what trouble you got into!" Gesturing to Art, the Cretan Monarch said: "This is Art, the Gael I've told you about."

"The one with the young lady from Tiryns that you are granting protection." Stated Daedalus. "I have never seen a Gael before."

"Well, I have never met one such as you before, Daedalus." Art commented. "I have heard it said by my wife Thebe that you were banished from Athens for killing your nephew and that you have been called a grandson of Erechtheus, despite it being said that Metion had no son by the appellation of Daedalus."

Stroking his beard, Daedalus stared long and hard at Art. The Young Gael was audacious to speak to him in such a manner, in the presence of Minos. Looking to Mins, the Inventor saw a reasonable look upon the countenance of the Cretan Monarch.

"As long as the Labyrinth serves its purpose, I am willing to look the other way." Stated Minos.

"He killed a child!" Art exclaimed in alarm. "How could you possibly keep a child-killer here?"

"We have all done things we regret, Art." Replied Minos, stroking his beard. "Would you have me turn away everyone for one little sin?"

"Killing a child is not a little sin, sir." Stated Art. "You believe the Athenians killed your son and so marched on Athens to avenge his death. I thought a man who had lost one of his own children would have standards when it came to something such as this!"

"How many sons do you think I killed when I marched on Athens, Art?" inquired Minos. "I am no more innocent than Daedalus is."

"Were any of those sons of Athens kin to you?" asked Art in turn. When Minos slumped in defeat, the Young Gael then said: "Amongst my people, child-killers and killers of their own kin are not permitted a place. If you were half as good a monarch as you tried to be you wouldn't have a man who slew his own nephew in your employ."

"Alas, Art, I am not half as good a monarch as I try to be." Replied Minos, placing a hand upon Art's shoulder. "We all have a part to play in this story that we call life and if I must harbour a child-killer, a kin-killer, then so be it. If I must be a blackguard, then so be it. No doubt history will remember me as one."

Would it? Art had a feeling that history would be confused as to how to evaluate such a man.