Chapter Nine

When Gann and Miletus entered the throne room, Minos looked surprised. He gazed at the two with eyes that were in disbelief. Deucalion, his hands upon Europa, released her the moment they walked in.

"It isn't even midday, Deucalion." Commented Miletus with a snarky tone. "Can't you keep your hands off your bride before then?"

Gann glared at Deucalion as Europa ran over to the former. Deucalion immediately turned to his father and said: "Father, get the guards to kill them!"

Minos' response was to turn to his son and shout: "SHUT UP, YOU WHELP!" He then turned to look at Miletus, completely ignoring Gann and Europa. "What is going on here?"

"The Minotaur is dead, Minos." Said Miletus, his voice cold and harsh. Minos gasped while his queen Pasiphae remained stone faced. "The Bull of Minos is no more." Minos immediately broke down sobbing but still Pasiphae remained stone faced. Deucalion was as stone faced as his mother. "No tears, my queen? That animal that been born here on Crete was the babe of a grievous ardor. Boy of a monarch, boy of a bull. An animal so disgusting your husband here had the Labyrinth built to hide him. Look at him here, your husband: Lord of Crete, Emperor of Crete and Ruler of all the seas between Greece and Egypt doing what you cannot for your son."

"The Minotaur is dead?" asked Pasiphae.

"It was Theseus who did the deed." Replied Miletus.

"Then I am free of my embarrassment." Stated Pasiphae. "Asterion is dead." She then looked to her husband. "Why do you weep such tears, Minos? Asterion was my son, not yours."

"But he was my stepson, my Bull." Said Minos. "If you will not weep for him, if my son his half-brother Deucalion, if none of his family will weep for him then I shall! Where is Ariadne, where is Asterion's half-sister?"

"Gone with Theseus, Mighty Minos." Said Gann, his voice warm and dulcet in comparison to Miletus'. He saw a man who was mourning at the death of a member of his family but there was one thing he did not understand. "You had him hidden in the Labyrinth... Why do you weep for him?"

"Despite the circumstances of his birth, young Gael, I loved Asterion." Stated Minos. "I wished he could have been my son, I saw in him much of myself until he grew and became ferocious and fed upon the flesh of my people."

"He was the unnatural offspring of woman and beast, husband." Said Pasiphae. "Your tears are pointless."

"Who made the Labyrinth?" asked Gann.

"Daedalus." Replied Minos. "He made the Labyrinth and swore that... Daedalus!" The tears ceased. Minos stood up, his voice full of rage. "He swore no man could ever find his way out! I will punish him for his lie!" Thus exited Minos from the story.

Minos was a figure of two stories. He was a figure of the story of Theseus and a figure of the story of Daedalus. His role in the story of Theseus was over. His role in the story of Daedalus was still continuing.

Pasiphae stared at Miletus. She stared at him with uncaring eyes. Ultimately, she just said: "Miletus, you are dismissed! Go your way and you may yet return should you still be alive after Deucalion's reign."

"You do not think Minos will return when he finds Daedalus?" asked Miletus.

"I believe my husband will follow that Athenian craftsman to his death." Replied Pasiphae. "Now, on your way." Miletus bowed and left. Pasiphae then turned her attention to Gann and Europa. "As for the two of you, the killer of the Egyptian bull and the scullion girl."

"Mother, I want Europa for my wife!" exclaimed Deucalion.

"Be silent, dastardly babe!" Pasiphae didn't even turn to look at her son. She just slapped Deucalion across the face and then hit him across the face with the back of the same hand. "You can't marry this girl. You killed her father and her bridegroom but to become her father and her bridegroom you must be old enough to be the former."

"But I just want to be her bridegroom." Said Deucalion.

"For what reason?"

"She is the only one I've seen as comely as me." Pasiphae just once more slapped Deucalion across the face and hit him across the face with the back of her hand. Deucalion's response was a deadpan: "Thank you, mother."

"Has anyone ever told you that you are a fool?" asked Pasiphae addressing her son.

"Oh, aye." Answered Deucalion.

"Good." Said his mother. "Now shut up and let me speak." She once more had her attention on Gann and Europa. "Young man, bulls are sacred here in Crete. Did you know that?"

"I did but I killed the bull in self-defense." Stated Gann.

"And that bull was a gift from Ramses the Great. Did you know that as well?"

"Not at the time, Minos told me soon after but still I only killed it in self-defense."

"How cam you to be in the arena?" asked Pasiphae.

"Deucalion pushed me in!" replied Gann.

"Can you confirm this?"

"I can, your Majesty." Said Europa.

"In your time, dear." commented Pasiphae. "Young man, can you confirm this?"

"I heard him say 'and so it ends' and then I was pushed into the arena." Stated Gann.

"He lies, mother!" protested Deucalion.

"What did you see, Europa?" asked Pasiphae.

"I heard Deucalion say what Gann said he heard him say." Began Europa. "I turned my head and I saw Deucalion push Gann into the arena."

"Dastardly babe!" Again, Pasiphae did her routine.

Again, Deucalion said with a deadpan expression: "Thank you, mother."

"You are to be banished from Crete for a whole year!" exclaimed Pasiphae. "Banished to Memphis for being the cause of the death of the bull!"

Deucalion sighed and exited the throne room. Banished to Memphis... The place where the bull originated... He'd be seeing that sacred cattle herd very often it seemed.