BBC Atlantis fanfiction

3

   At sunrise they continued their journey. As if a whole life time has passed by the time they were overtaken by night – in the other cave’s mounth. Theano felt there was something wrong but when Jason put his worries into words, she had already been sure, the young man wasn’t paranoid. However their leading Nilas was still averting their every manifestation, that led to the conclusion there was something wrong. It was ironically that the strange high wind, out of the blue, snatch him up first and brought him literally nowhere. It happend the theoretically protected part of the cave, just after a new side of him became known by the others. Any of them saw him to worry. ’It’s just the wind, just dust, nothing more’ and ’the desert is the strange place.’ After these sentences the others were surprised by him.

’’With all my heart I hope that I am wrong.” but this time unfortunatelly he was right. ’’These are the Furies. But they do not strike without being summoned.” the fear almost was tangible in the cold air of the cave.

’’I called them.”

Theano felt she misheard something. But Arcas straighten up proudly. Proudly, arrogantly and thirsty for revenge. It was unquestionable that he said the truth. After this the youngest of the group accused Otus again:

’’And you are from Samos. That can mean only one thing. It was you. You murdered my father!”

Pythagoras sighed painfully. Arcas lied to him on the way when he said to that now he could leave the past behind him. How naive were you, Pythagoras! – scolder himself. However the place of the self-mortification was followed by an other feeling in a split second.

Everybody anxious to separate Arcas who was thirsty for revenge and Otus who wasn’t able to do anything. Finally the ’triangle guy’ got everybody to look at him. Either he couldn’t think that he could shout at his brother so powerfully.

’’Arcas, stop! It wasn't him.” he took a deep breath, and said that even Theano couldn’t know: ’’It was me.”

Horrifying silence settled down on the company. It couldn’t hear anything but Pythagoras more feeble voice which was trembling because of the crying. He tried to make himself clear, above all to Arcas, what exactly happened so many years ago:

’’Please. It was an accident. I didn't mean to kill him. I swear to you, it wasn't my fault.”

The Furies tore the leading of the little group away after these sentences, just like Arcas’ anger would have broken loose again to rush on the closest person as a magical hurricane.

’’Nilas!” shouted in chorus, but nobody could do anything.

They proceed to the entrenchment, some of them mumbling something softly. Baucis’ voice forced the way through them:

’’We must pray for sunrise. The daughters of the night will not attack in daylight.” it seemed sensible, compared to a clever thief anyway, who could mask her real nature from almost everybody.

Theano looked at Pythagoras and without words she could read his intentions. She took his hand and shook her head as if she would have said ’Do not think about such a thing, Flecky!’

The thoughts of the ’triangle guy’ entirely muddled his sober judgement up and he couldn’t see what happened in the background. He drew away from Theano.

’’Leave me!” he declared in a peremptory manner.

’’Why?” asked Jason. He had the bad feeling.

’’You will die.” he said with the same emphasis like Baucis not long ago.

Theano still shook her head, but her look reflected her feelings more clearly than any time. 

’’You said that the Furies could be called off.” she looked at, first the biggest and then, the youngest brother, and continued in an authoritative tone: ’’You can stop this!”

’’Never!” Arcas’ disappointment was perspicuous. Whereas Theano, Jason and Hercules felt at once flew at this stubborn boy and tore into shreds because he was totally was indifferent to his only brother. ’’He killed him.” as if he was an emperor who gave judgement on one of his silly-billy subjects.

’’I was defending our mother.” Pythagoras’ voice trembled anew. He would have elicited sympathy from everybody. Everybody, except Arcas. ’’He was drunk. I pleaded him, but he was hitting her. I pushed him away, but he came at me. He fell...” Theano overcame the feeling, which more and more strength with every minute, to embrace Flecky. She wished she had a power over the Furies.

’’You murdered him!” – Arcas still parroted it stubbornly off.

’’I tried to help him. But... ..his head. It was bleeding. It was too late.”

’’You lied to me for all this time.” Arcas’ disappointment turned off strong angry suddenly.

’’You were young. It was our mother's idea. She did not want you to know what he was like.”

’’ Now you're blaming her.”

’’When you were older I wanted to tell you, but I knew you would not believe me.”

’’You're lying now to save your skin.”

His brother’s words hit Pythagoras in his heart again and again. And this consciousness induced Theano to raise her voice more and more firmly against Arcas, than she would have ever thought. In any other case she felt, better to stay out, but she couldn’t bear to see idly Flecky’s suffering forth.

’’You know in your heart that he did not mean to kill your father. All you need to do is show your forgiveness and the Furies will relent.” it seemed a simple plan. Even she knew it was too simple.

The boy didn’t toe the line. He was angry and haughty so he left the little group alone. Jason heard yet how Pythagoras tried to be apologise his brother one, last time, but after he said his name, he didn't know how to continue the sentence. He has already told him everything...

’’You're the only one that can save him!” Jason ran after Arcas to hold him back from making a mistake. He cought his clothes.

Jason grew up as an only child in a family, but he felt if he wished a brother, he would have wanted the ’triangle guy’. But before he has put his thoughts into words, he felt a swipe on his face. Theano and Hercules also felt as if they had got slap in their face.

’’I believe you.” Hercules summarized the opinion of those present. At the same time all of them knew it was precious little what they believed. Arcas was the only one who could help and they could see as he hadn’t got the slightest intention to do it.

’’Go!” it seemed Pythagoras has already resigned himself to his fate. ’’It's me they want.”

However he was not the only one who became obstinate.

’’No.” Theano’s declaration echod firmly in his ears.                                                                                                           

’’If you don't go now, you won't get the chance.” Flecky handled her hand. He looked at her green eyes as deeply as if he had wanted to suggest.

’’I don’t let you down. Ever. Do you remember?” a faint smile flickered across Pythagoras’ face because of the reviving of the recently maden vow. It held just for a heart-beat, Theano nevertheless considered, she could see through her friend’s every hidden agenda. Or did she just project her own desires?

Of course she did not want Flecky to sacrifice his life, and as she also said to the Oracle in the departure morning, she will do everything she can not to leave each other. At first, she has already known, she was the too obedient daughter of her father, she was scared of her disobedience’s consequences. But this time she has already been fully aware her position. Every single day of her life she is going to regret that weak moment, when she didn’t fight longer for what made her really happy: Pythagoras’ company. This boy was too important to her and she won’t let any longer that her father or anyone else to dash the root of all her happiness.

Jason put himself at the head of the group. He stayed at the cave with the company of Theano, Pythagoras and Hercules, while the others went after Arcas to attempt the impossible.

’’This is my fate, not yours.” they heard Pythagoras’ voice again. As if he wanted to gain over himself more than his friends. ’’I won't think any less of you.” his glance slided from Jason to Hercules and then it stopped at Theano who stood the closest to him.

’’We're staying.” declared Jason this time as firmly as Theano a short while ago.

It was true that he didn’t know the ’triangle guy’ such a long time ago, his friendship however was so clear as that desert oasis, where they took some rest on the way here. In Hercules’ head much more destitute thoughts circled. He picked an apple up hastily from one of the satchels left behind. He carefully wiped it in his shabby waistcoat, althought the apple itself was much cleaner than his waistcoat has ever been; and he raised it to his lips when Jason began to speak again. This time he addressed his words to Hercules:  ’’That food's got to last!”

’’How long do you think we're going to live?!” it was a valid question.

An other slip-stream rised, as close to Hercules as if he could have comprehended it so quickly, maybe he even couldn’t walk round it. He felt strong rumble in his ears. As if he had drunken too much wine, the thought put a suspicion in his mind. He heard from the distance Pythagoras’ voice as he desperately shouted his name. Every noise seemed small beside buzzing in the ears.

When the slip-stream has throwed him from itself out, Jason was suddenly there next to him, to strive to secure a refuge for all of them quickly. Amongs the few rocks there was a place where all four of them could hold.

Hercules, as the others counted on it, overacted his wound. He indicted Jason for the breaking of his back, of course, when his friend called his attention that he had just saved his life. Again. And because it was the umpteenth occasion, Jason wasn’t a lost boy, either.

’’You'll be fine. Just think of all the pies you're going to eat in Helios.” of course a smile also appeared upon his face. ’’Isn't that right, Pythagoras?”

When the ’triangle guy’ didn’t answer immediately, also Theano turned back to look at him.

’’This is my fault.” he mumbled in front of himself anew.

’’Help me tie this!”

Theano didn’t know exactly Jason really didn’t hear Flecky’s words or just he continued his own subject to try to pull Pythagoras out the mortification.

’’It's me they want.” it seemed any of them didn’t want to let their own world of thought. They couldn't come to an understeending. ’’Go! Leave me here.”

’’This is what friends are for.” abreacted Jason. His tonic informed everybody of he won’t yield to temptation.

’’Not to die for me.” Pythagoras snapped indifferently.

’’No. To save you.” and Jason reckoned the debate to be closed. ’’Right, give me your hand!”

It was foolishness to hope Flecky left it at that, but even Thano believed for a short moment, she wanted to believe it was the truth. Finally Pythagoras moved from his fear which paralysed him as a statue, however he didn’t move towards the others. Rather away from them. And Theano.

’’Pythagoras!” Jason shouted after him but Hercules held his arm so strongly like a desperate child who didn’t want his parents to let him alone.

’’Stay here!” Theano said back to them, then she pursued him.

end of the part three... 

Chapter 4. http://sunny-donnelly.blog.hu/2015/09/29/bbc-atlantis-theangerofthefuries4