"I suppose we could provide aid in this case." Typhonos replies with what could be considered a smirk.
"I'm certain we can provide a suitable introduction for Amphitryon. Perhaps we also spread songs and tales of the famed cowardice of this warlord, to help stoke his pride?"
"Well I suppose the best way is to go back to my father then so he can contact him. I can tell you where our home is."
The group follows the directions given by Lysithea to her father's farm. An older man runs out of his home filled with hope. "Are you the adventurers who answered my notice? Have you rescued my daughter?"
"We're investigating. What is the name of the man she was betrothed to?"
Polyoinos bow his garlanded head in greeting to the old man;
"Indeed we bring news of your daughter... Perhaps we should sit and discuss the matter for clarity? Old one, do you have wine, bread and cheese for we weary travellers could partake of? We have walked far and the roads, and our throats are dry..."
"There is no reason to let him know we're not working in his interests!" Kyronai grouses out of earshot of Lysithea's father.
"It was the great Euromenes of course. He is a man of wealth and power you know."
”And a man of apparent cruelty. Enough that she so fears for her life that she has fled from home, and has begged us to protect her from him. Us, complete strangers. She has made it clear that she will never return should she be promised to him. And to take her back would mean war against a tribe of centaurs, whom I hasten to add are famous for both their archery and mobility. Meaning taking her back will be costly in terms of life and gold. How is it, that she has become to scared that it has come to this?”
"Bah, cruel to who? His enemies? The people he defeats? She is just scared to leave home. As my daughter it is her obligation to marry who I tell her to marry. Just as your obligation is to do the job. Or you can explain it to her suitor when he arrives tomorrow night."
”And why is it our duty? We responded to a message saying she was a prisoner. We learned that it was quite the opposite, and out of morality informed you. We have been paid nothing as of yet, and I for one will not murder centaurs for merely taking in a scared and hungry girl. So explain to me how any of this is *our* obligation?”
"You could convince her it is in her best interest to come back home. If you do not want to, then walk away. I apologize for taking up your valuable time. I will find someone else to do the job for me."
Varocles cannot help but nod approvingly as the father explains his daughter's obligation to marry with whom he has chosen. Yet he says nothing and awaits further rejoinder by his traveling companions.
Polyoinos looks downcast as talk turns to the status of the old man's daughter without a bread being broken, or wine quaffed...
Sweet mother of Titans! Wine first then talk! Our Champion needs to know the etiquette of such delicate meetings...
The skald coughs dryly. then interjects with a broad smile;
"Less haste my friends... Let us sit and talk, and perhaps imbibe. We hall collectively take stock of the situation and learn more of all parties."
He chuckles, leaning his heavy frame against the vine covered spear he bore;
"I think it was the historian Plutarch who cannily said: Know how to listen and you will profit even from those who talk badly.. Sage words I think eh..?"
:
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Amphitryon crossed his arms, looking ready to argue. His pride was a terrible thing, but he knew reason when he heard it. ”Your tongue is shaper than my spear. Wield it well, friend. This is a duel I am ill equipped for.”
Teledoros starts to play a tune in an attempt to calm the situation down a bit more. "Sir, as a father I am certain that you merely want what is best for fair Lysithea. You say Euromenes wields wealth and power. How did he come by these, and do you expect he will share them with your daughter?"
Having heard the question asked by Teledoros, Varocles raises a finger as he goes to give an opinion, but he thinks better of it, drops his hand, and turns to the girl's father and waits expectantly for his response.
"I suppose you are right. I suppose some drink will settle my nerves." He nods to Polyoinos before responding to Teledoros.
"He took them by force of course. Pure strength of will and force of personality. I wish more young folk were like him. Why wouldn't he share his wealth with his bride?" He moves back into his home as he searches for a wine jug.
"It's not sharing if she doesn't want his wealth and what comes with it."
Kyronai speaks hesitantly, his initial tactic abandoned because he failed to coordinate with his companions before approaching Lysithea's father. He'll have to try and subtly guide the conversation, now, rather than taking charge of it.
”And if he takes by force, what will he do when his wife is not what he wanted? A woman who runs away to centaurs will certainly try to do so again, or will spurn him. Meaning such a man will take from her what he wants...or if he is publicly embarrassed, might take recompense from whence she came. I know that if I were dealing with a man of such reputation, I would not risk his ire.” Amphitryon added.
"Indeed, a man prone to conquering is more likely to see his wife as another conquest, not a partner to share wealth and good times with."
Polyoinos purses his lips in anticipation of the wine to come, and fills the time waiting by talking about the matter at hand;
"Indeed... Many considerations to mull... To whose will does she bend? Her own? Her generous fathers? Her prospective husbands? Much to consider... let us drink a little, talk a little and drink some more eh? Everything is clearer with wine."
He beams, as he produces his own drinking cup from his pack in readiness;
"For am I not Polyoinos... Blessed of Bacchus himself? Scion of a Satyr and woo'er of Amazons? Perhaps my god will allow the wisdom of the grape to guide our actions as he does mine..."
"I am sure he will treat her right. The dowry he will provide means he has to. I'm sure my daughter will see the light, someone just needs to show her." The man replies as he finds a jug of wine. "Woo'er of Amazons you say? And you still have your twig and berries afterwards? Or are you a spawn of the great Hercules? I have heard he is the only man to bed an Amazon and live." He asks while pouring cups.
Polyoinos chuckles bawdily as he eagerly holds his cup forth for filling;
"Alas the buxom amazon in question did not appreciate my talents... As for being a scion of Hercules... I am not. Tho' it is claimed my father was a Satyr of Bacchus himself!"
”That explains the hairy legs!”
”But he did manage to keep his grapes after failing to woo an Amazonian warrior. I, for one, consider that a feat of martial prowess worthy of boast.”
"Impressive indeed. But back to the subject at hand. What would all of you do in my situation?" The man says while taking another sip of wine.
”As a mercenary, here is how I see it. Let us say that this warlord is hiring a mercenary company to defend his home, and he pays well. So it is natural for a paymaster to jump at the opportunity to take the commission. But by sending mercenaries not up for the job, what happens? The warlord will turn to the paymaster in anger. For the warlord will feel embarrassed in the eyes of the public and will feel wronged. The paymaster may wish he had never accepted the commission. Your situation is much the same. He wants a wife and you see the glory, prestige, and wealth of providing one. But your daughter? She flees! She has shown that she will not, as of now, be the wife he expects. Imagine his public shame should she flee again? Imagine his anger when his marital home becomes more stressful than it was when empty. How will a man such as he respond? You, the paymaster, will be his natural target. That is less than ideal.”
”I see two options. The first is to convince your daughter to be the wife you have promised. That means listening to her, and understanding her fears enough to assuage them. The second, is to avoid retribution by calling off the marriage. But both, in essence, are for you to be a wise and forward thinking paymaster. But then again, I am but a simple mercenary. So take my opinion for what it is. An opinion, offered fairly and without expectation, in the hope of doing what is right.”
Turning to the others, he said ”And that is just mine. Anyone else have anything?”
"You make some good points. Perhaps I have been rash. Go and tell my daughter that I will call it off. Euromenes will be here on the morrow. You all should return and be here when I do."
Varocles smiles, "wonderful, far better that we all get along than that there be ire between us. Now that we have settled that, what sort of work are you into?"
Polyoinos downs some wine with a nod;
"See my friends. The bless'ed grape cures all ills and soothes the soul..."
He focusses with a grin;
"Rashness is a mortal flaw, and clemency is a strength. You have expressed both old man, and made your daughter proud. Let us drink a little more to all our qualities - good and bad!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”But is it not the curse of man that he will always make mistakes, and once learned will make more? By your rules, we will never stop drinking.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"And all is right with the world! Reason and empathy shine through, and we all drink."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"I believe that is part of Bacchus' creed? Never stop drinking?" The man laughs. "To answer your question, I am a merchant banker. I mostly deal in loans and such."
Varocles looks around at the house and furnishings, ”good work that. Pays the bills it seems. Me, I’m just a seadog.”
"The accumulation of wealth is beneficial for the way our society works," Kyronai says neutrally.
"That it does. I assume being a sailor brings in decent denar."
Varocles chuckles, ”It’s not bad, but I spend it as it comes.”
"Isn't that always the case?" He laughs. And so you spend the rest of the day conversing before heading back to the centaur tribe to deliver the news. You are greeted by the scouts and taken back to Typhonos and Lysithea who await the news.
Polyoinos chuckles heartily at the table banter as they drink and sway Lysithea's father to a wiser path;
"Indeed it is! Never-ever stop drinking!"
At the father's admission of profession, the Bacchanal raises a bushy brow;
"And it would be too perfect a fate for you to trade in the bless'ed grape I trust?"
The well-built skald bows dramatically to Typhonos;
"Well met Son of Chiron, we bring good tidings from Fair Lysithea's father..."
He smiles broadly, eyes crinkled in joy as they fall upon the maid;
"We met with your father... We talked and drank, then drank a little more. He conceded that perhaps the match with Euromenes had been hasty and ill-made... and you are to be wed no more!"
Polyoinos chuckles, fishing into his pack for his worn wine-skin;
"Ho-ho! Is this not news worthy of a celebration?! We should drink! Toast your good fortune and ready for the journey back so you can stand with your father when he meets the dread Euromenes to tell him of your emancipation!"
Lysithea's eyes perk up as you bring the good news. "So I can go home and I don't have to be married to that awful man? That sounds wonderous. I'm free." Typhonos keeps a stoic look on his face. "I doubt Euromenes will take this lightly. You should be on your guard and ready should he be opposed to this news."
Before we get to the Centaurs, Varocles says to the group, "May I say that I felt the father too quickly agreed to abrogate his gods-given right to wed his daughter to the spouse of his choosing. I fear that he may be attempting to trick us into returning his daughter. How do we know that he, and the prospective husband will not be prepared with an ambush, to take us out, capture the girl, and have her married off as he originally planned?"
”We don’t. But if they do, we will kill them in self defense and earn a measure of wealth from their still-warm corpses. And then we will drink to the laughter of Lord Ares.” Amphitryon replied, with confidence.
Polyoinos nods his garlanded head in agreement at the words exchanged;
"Indeed treachery may await us. Likewise we may have to defend Fair Lysithea and her generous father from the ire of a spurned Euromenes."
He claps the shoulders of those companions standing nearby;
"Regardless of what the Fate's have in store... this tale is already worthy of the muses! Ho-ho! What a song it shall make!"
"But which muse? Let us hope our efforts become more worthy of Calliope than of either Melpone or Thalia!"
Kyronai has nothing further to add, but he nods in appreciation that Varocles is thinking ahead and not taking accepting Lysithea's father's motivations at face value.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Lysithea, what is your father's name? We failed to ask him."
"He has asked both that we bring you back to him, and that we confront your would-be suitor with the news. But fear not, for we are as silver-tongued as they come, and ready to fight if the need arises."