The Fated Marriage #3

Book 1: Episode 3 – Glory and Fame

    Kal, standing at a grave for his father with Dionysos later in the day, is in total shock from hearing about his father’s demise. 
Dionysos lays a hand on his shoulder.  
“I found him, bloody and dying, and that was less than four months ago.” 
Kal doesn’t seem to react, only taking the sword that was stuck in the ground in front of his grave. Kal doesn't speak, silently weeping and mourning the loss of his father. Going back in his memories, remembering all his father had done for him.  How could this happen? Why would some King from a city he has no blood in. All the years aboard the Argo, and none of those tales of heroism and bravery had prepared Kal for this: coming home to no home.  A terrifying question crossed Kal's mind: 'Have I wrought this fate upon him?'  Kal drops to his knees.
“By the Gods, how could I have let this happen?” Kal in total disbelief. 
Dionysos replies “You were off on the Argo right? And how can we be sure that this murderer king is your father?” A long pause as Kal thought of his next moves, among the feelings of revenge and hate boiling within him.
“We ask the Gods themselves, care to help me with that?” The pair look at each other, Dionysos taps him on the head, and reveals the sight of the Gods to him. 

 A festival is held in Dionysos’ honor later that evening, Kal drinks his sorrows away there, and in a drunken rant, asks for godlike powers. 
“Come on God of Wine, if you are a God, give me power! A mighty weapon! A drink that lets me see what I want!”  
Kal continues on, with various requests like a spear that he can ride vast distances, or a poisoned hydra blood arrow.   Dionysos grants him a couple of gifts, for getting the festival going in the first place and because Dionysos thought it funny.  The first is a purple and white cape, which connected over his right shoulder and bore the symbol of a grapevine.  He also made a barrel of a drink that will give him strength for a day.  Kal's drunken state worsens, and eventually falls around the bonfire. The gathering of people, no bigger than thirty, begins to dissipate. Dionysos sits with the drunken Kal, who sways as he tries to sit up.  The pair watch the fire go out.
"Do the Gods regret their past?" Kal slurs.  Dionysos has no trouble understanding any language no matter how poorly it was spoken. 
"Perhaps some do.  The Gods do as they please, why regret? We don't suffer mortality."
Kal sits a moment, looking into the fire. "I regret leaving Lemnos, Wine God."
"Why?"
"Because I ran to Lemnos, with some woman, hoping I could do something on my own."  Kal's words are increasingly better articulated.
"After we got the Fleece, I looked back and realized I didn't have tales of my own outside of one or two moments.  Jason would rule a kingdom, Herakles would go on to be tested by the Gods and be forever enshrined as the best Greek to ever live.  What of me? My achievements are left behind.  I want to be greater than the rest, I am not simply one of Jason's crew. I am destined to be a big part in the history of the world."  
Dionysos struggled to relate to such a mortal struggle. Yet he can understand Kal's position.  The God of Wine was booted from Olympos, and his worship limited.  He wishes to have the many cults that his relatives enjoy.  No one pours libations for him, no one offers a lamb.  On Olympos he is disliked, even by the likes of his own father, Zeus.  It makes him wonder why Zeus bothered to spare him by putting him in his leg. 
"Would my Este even want to see me? A woman destined for me, and I for her. If I were not aboard the Argo, would she even believe I am the man the Fates made for her?"  


In the dead of night, the moon shone over-head; Dionysos made his way to speak with the Titan of the Sun in the Sky.  Currently resting from the day's work of moving the sun across the sky. 
“Wise Helios, Titan of the Sun in the sky, I come to ask you about the travels of a king.” Dionysos asked.
Helios was not too pleased to see Dionysos. 
“Why do I help you, of all the gods under Zeus, why you?” 
“I only ask on behalf of a friend, Kal son of Marcus.”
Helios changed from annoyed, and instantly went to intrigued. “What is it that he desires?”
“The whereabouts of his father’s murderer, the former king of Argos.  He set sail west from Naxos about four months ago.”  Helios pondered for a moment, searching his memory. 
“I have seen him sailing for the city of Syracuse.  He has been there for a while now, He had help from the sea.”
Dionysos was satisfied with the answer, but Helios had more.
“Hold fast, Wine God!  He has taken up the kingship of the city, for this I have no answer as to how.” 
Dionysos thanked the Titan, and ventured with Helios on his chariot back to Naxos.  
	Poseidon at that time, grew more irritated at the continued survival of Kal, a thorn in the Sea God’s side.  Hermes was sat in the domain of Poseidon, taking down a message for Zeus from the frustrated God. 
“Zeus shouldn’t mess with my affairs! He may be king, but this is my domain of power! This Kal business is becoming more of a problem by the day.  Hermes, tell Zeus, King of the Cosmos, that Kal’s fate better be that he dies, or the Sons of Zeus will find themselves at the bottom of the sea!”  Poseidon angrily shouted to Hermes.
“I mean no offense my lord, but what has this Kal done to cross you?” Hermes asked. 
“It is not what he has done, but what he represents dear Hermes.  Kal was supposed to die at the hands of his father, or so I was told.  Instead, Athena, petty as she is, spared him and now solidified the coming conflict.  The former King of Argos, now King of Syracuse, cannot keep his domain without war.”  Poseidon details the consequences of Kal’s quest, telling of the coming war that will be led by Kal. 
Poseidon continued, “Zeus made a deal with me, and turned a blind eye to this debacle in exchange for helping Perseus.  My sons have never been immortalized nor given the respect and worship like us Gods. They are forgotten and bicker as petty kings  and heroic acts left to local legends.  Why do my sons not get the love of mortals?  No more, Kal only serves to continue the cycle of Zeus’ and his wretched sons gaining all the glory, and mine falling by the wayside and ruling distant colonies.  Why not have the story of my sons painted in the night sky?  Zeus may be my brother, but he has no care for my offspring or domain.”  
Hermes was satisfied, but then had a thought, “Athena had spared this man at a young age, abandoned by his parents, and your son is the King of Syracuse, who had tried to rid himself of his son?  Are those two tales one in the same?” 
Poseidon had faced away from Hermes, looking out into his domain. His chest huffed out. 
“I think I’m satisfied with my message for the ever ignorant Zeus, be gone.” Poseidon had no words, simply signaled Hermes away.
 
	Kal had gathered a small crew from the festival for Dionysos and made his way for Argos.  Having determined where the murderer of his father is, but still needing to get back on the trail that leads to Argos.  Dionysos climbs aboard, hesitant to get involved in a grander plot that he can sense.  Kal, hopeful and headstrong, packs the ship and awaits returning to Argos. 
“We should visit the Oracle, after we speak with the new king, which I hope isn’t any worse than the last one.”  Dionysos and Kal pause. 
“Murdering my father undoubtedly makes one less inclined to befriend them, at least from my perspective.” Kal states, oddly calm. 
“You’d be surprised how one can adjust to living or being related to petty, jealous and vain company.” Dionysos feels the collective disapproval of many on Olympos as he says this. 
 “Of course, what are mortal affairs to those of the Gods?  Zeus has more reason to lay waste to men than another man would upon the weak.” 
The crew had the full wind in their sails, propelling them forwards on the sea, the spray of water and the scent of the sea fills the crew with a lust for adventure.

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