"A wasting sickness," Briseis said with concern. "And the physicians weren't able to help you, at all?"

"No," Lord Gregor chuckled sadly. "I know not how I so offended the great Apollo that he saw fit to take both my sons and wife while I've lived so many long years."

"I can't imagine your sorrow. As I will never have children, the joys and grief of child rearing I have only seen at distance."

The old man took the hand of the princess. "Perhaps it's better that way. If I had known then what I do now, I would never have married and my sons would have been spared their final months of suffering. Of course even if I hadn't I'd still be here to consult the priests. My estate must be passed to someone and with my nephews and great–nephews and so many cousins beyond count, I hardly know what to do. I've outlived so many clear heirs to my estate which makes fighting inevitable once I leave the world."

She didn't envy his position. Having family fight over what you leave behind upon your departing of the world was a bleak thing to consider. "The priests will give you an answer, my lord."

"Are you here for the same reason, Princess? Your troubles must be many without a marriage arranged and your barrenness only makes the situation more complex."

"Indeed," she agreed immediately. "When the Prince of Troy broke our engagement the fate of the kingdom was in doubt. I have come here to seek an answer about whom I should marry. It must be a man with heirs who are fit to rule Pedasus once I pass."

The lord nodded and a flash of ambition colored his eyes. "I pray that will not be for some time and you shall know many decades of happiness. Please don't think me too forward, my Princess. My house is full of men, even some your own age, which have been widowed and left with young ones. Many worthy cousins and nephews removed by so many degrees I have lost count. If you can find no prince to take you, perhaps one of noble blood would suffice?"

"I will bring your offer to my father. The king and queen will have to be consulted before anything can be official. I am honored that you would want to mingle your house with mine."

Her answer seemed to satisfy him. "Of course. Shall we promenade?"

Briseis took the arm of the old man and pondered. He was the fifth to tell her a similar story. Even Lady Celine admitted before Briseis' offer of buying the vineyard, she'd been coming here to look for an heir to the estate. With so many telling the same tale she decided not to speak with the remaining nobles on the topic. Though to spare any hurt feelings a dinner was being arranged and all would be invited. Tonight if the writer of the message was true to their word she would get answers.

🦉

The torchlight played upon the walls, casting shadow and light over the vestiges of Apollo and his great deeds. The walls told the tale of his birth, then went on to tell how he defeated a great serpent and healed the sick. Briseis brought the torch closer to the wall and peered intently. She was in the very bowels of the temple, searching for a clue as to who had held the temple before it was refitted for Apollo.

Her search of the front frescoes revealed nothing. The former facades where worshippers would spend most of their time had been totally destroyed and replaced with the new. Even for a temple that was well off, the changing of one god to another was not an inexpensive thing and never done lightly. While she could have asked one of the older nobles here, she knew that was likely to be considered cheating by whomever sent the note.

Seeing nothing to help her get answers, Briseis walked even deeper into the cold halls of the temple. Spiders scurried from her light as she ventured forth. No fires were lit along the walls and the crash of thunder overheard echoed in the empty halls. Briseis walked so quietly not even her footsteps could be heard. With midnight fast approaching she walked faster, making note of every turn and hallway she passed so she would be sure to find her way back.

Shivering, she stopped and sighed hoping this wall would tell her more. She examined the area for the rest of the hour, but here too, all the former frescos were gone entirely. As the writer of the message had predicted, the high priest of the temple had met with her and given no answers, just the same excuses that had met her ears in Pedasus. If her dream was ever to be deciphered this could be her only chance.

Feeling defeated she wound her way out of the depths of the temple. As she came to her room her footsteps slowed. There was a trim figure cloaked in a robe outside her door. By their stature alone it was plain the stranger was not one of her guards. When she left on her search one of them was waiting in that spot for her to return. Too late to turn back as the light of her torch was a herald of her coming, her hand went to the dagger on her waist as she stopped opposite him on the other side of the hall.

"Who are you and where have you placed my guard?"

"Princess of the Black Sun, I mean you no harm. My master sent me to bring you to the grove. Your guards have been given a sleeping potion with their evening wine. They won't wake before morning." The man uncovered his head to reveal the aide that had been at Lagus side almost every time she'd seen the man. "Lady Celine is waiting for us at the stables. You must leave the torch behind. The high priest will send send spies to report back if he see us leave, and that will cost my master his life."

"The head priest would kill Lagus for speaking with me?" She doused the light using the basin of water under the brazier and replaced the torch by touch. The lack of light rendered the night so black until her eyes adjusted she wouldn't see anything.

"For revealing information after being sworn to silence by none other than your father." He pulled a strip of cloth from his pocket. "I must blindfold you. Please forgive me, but the mark of heaven is too easily seen in your eyes."

"You may." She closed her eyes and felt the cloth go over them.

"The faster course will be for me to carry you."

"Very well." She felt her feet leave the floor as he gathered her in his arms. Though Briseis detected no falsehood in the man, she kept her hand on her dagger and summoned her owls who had taken rest in the tree outside her room. She watched from their eyes as the man spirited her to the stables. The cold rain soaked them before they reached the stalls. Lady Celine was indeed waiting for them and she helped Briseis onto her horse.

"Are you coming with us?" Briseis asked her.

"No. Lagus asked me to see you off so your mind would be at ease. I'll be waiting here for your return and then see you to your room."

"Your horse is leashed to mine," she heard the man say. "They are well trained, he will not go astray. There is no reason to fear," the man said as he mounted his steed.

"I know." Through the eyes of her owls she saw the man give her a strange look. With a click of his tongue they set off at a quick pace. Briseis had never ridden a horse without her sight and even though with the aid of the owls she wasn't totally blind, it was a humbling feeling to be lead while just managing to hang on. The rain and wind made her shiver and soon enough Briseis couldn't feel her hands or face. Her teeth chattered so hard she struggled to hold her tongue at the roof of her mouth to avoid biting it. Small amounts of blood she spat into wind and the slight sting told her she was failing every so often.

They rode down the slope of the hill and across a plain. The moonlight lit the world in stunning detail when seen through the eyes of her owls. A mouse scurried into a hole many feet to their left, yellowed leaves fell to the ground and were trod on by ants. Briseis wished she could see like this always, but it did make the occasions more special when seldom done. They began to slow as they neared a large grove of fig trees.

"You may take the blindfold off, Princess."

Briseis did. Further down into the grove the light from a small fire lit a man bending over the flames to retrieve something.

"Go ahead. My master awaits you," the aide said while he held the reins of the animals. Her owls flew ahead of her and roosted in the trees above the fire. Small chairs sat under a canopy and Briseis was grateful she'd soon be out of the rain and in front of the fire. Lagus turned as she approached and offered her a goblet.

"Warm wine? I apologize for the conditions of the night and poor setting. If I had taken any of the more elegant dishes the theft would have been noticed."

"Thank you." She took the stone goblet and breathed in the sweet scent as its warmth transferred to her hands.

"Please sit and have some figs and bread." Lagus waited as she ate and drank her fill. He stared out into the night as if looking back at some pleasant memories this place held. While pleasant his look held a twinge of sorrow.

"You posed me two strange questions in your letter," Briseis opened the discussion.

"I did. I have watched you carefully. Though I watched, I must admit I failed to read the conclusions on your face. Do you have the answers I requested?"

The challenge in his eyes was one she was ready to met. "Your temple was originally dedicated to a goddess but I failed to find out which or why the changes occurred. All the nobles here have suffered the deaths of their direct heirs. They've come to seek guidance on how they should leave their estates."

Lagus poured himself another cup of wine and swirled it. "You are correct. I didn't expect you to be able to figure out the goddess. The change was to be thoroughly done and never spoken of after. Your father swore the priesthood to silence on penalty of death, and as for the citizens. Well they didn't see the problem as they felt Aphrodite had abandoned them many years ago."

"The temple was dedicated to the goddess of love? Why would my father care what god you chose as your patron?"

"Aphrodite was the patron goddess of all Pedasus for hundreds of years, not just this temple."

Briseis wasn't stunned but she found the statement ludicrous. "That's impossible. Apollo has been our protector since our kingdom was founded."

Lagus shook his head. "No. Apollo has been the god of the kingdom for thirty years. Three decades before your birth your grandfather commanded the kingdom switch to Apollo. Pedasus had been in decline for many years, and your father was only just starting to repair the damage his sires had done. Aphrodite was greatly displeased losing one of her sacred cities, though she hadn't taken much interest in it since our prestige began to decline. The story is Apollo promised your grandfather aid in repairing our troubled financial state in exchange for being god of the kingdom, though Zeus knows Apollo could have done a better job," Lagus said darkly.

    He plucked a leaf from a bush and threw it into the fire. "Aphrodite appeared to us shortly after the announcement. She swore revenge. Aphrodite placed an infertility curse on your house and all its closest supporters. We kept the visitation of the goddess secret so the kingdom would be at peace. The old king and your father scoffed when we told them what their actions caused, but then the children of the royal supporters began to die off in accidents or of diseases no doctor could cure. Years passed, the old king died, and your father tried and failed to produce an heir, not just with the queen but any servant girl willing to take the risk."

Briseis froze. "Thirty years before my birth?"

"Yes."

"What you're claiming is treason! Are you aware you're implying I'm not my father's daughter?"

"You're not, Princess."

"You lie," she said vehemently.

"I was there when he brought you into the kingdom on the day of black sun. I was in the council session where Aphrodite appeared and swore her revenge. I bore witness through the years as no heir was produced and watched as heirs of the nobles began to die. It was my punishment to be sent here because I gave your father an unfavorable prophecy. I told him the truth, you have dual fates and are unlikely to bring good to the kingdom. I don't know where he found you or who he stole you from but you are not his blood!"

Briseis stood up and made to leave with an angry glare at the man. "Many royals would have your tongue for such lies priest, but you're fortunate that you have insulted me and in private."

"I speak the truth. Ask your father when you return. Don't you want to hear what I promised you?"

Briseis stopped and turned. "More lies from your treacherous mouth? I wouldn't suffer to hear them."

"I thought you were wise but I see youth makes a fool of even you." Lagus stood and drained his goblet of wine.

Briseis walked up to Lagus, about to slap him, when he grabbed her hand and roughly put a scroll in it instead. "You may not believe my words but when your temper cools, read them! Your future is about to change, Briseis and you won't like it. Ask you father." With that Lagus walked into the grove and disappeared after three steps. The fire went with him, as did the canopy and all else that had been here. Briseis was left in the cold rain, shivering from fear.