Colosseum
648 Words
The same night the brothers were captured, Duke Theseus had a dream. He dreamed that he was in a forest of red trees. There were wolves all around him. He walked about them to see a green lake. He watched as a beautiful, long-haired woman came out of the water, turning it red. Falling backwards in shock he cried “Who are you?”
“Do not worry my child,” she said, “I am Diana, guardian of the forest. Your daughter has prayed to me daily for a long time. She has my sympathy and my blessing. You, Duke Theseus, will serve me as does your daughter. Your precious capital has become dull and I have become bored with it once again. Next year you will hold a grand tournament, for mine entertainment, offering up your daughter as the prize for the winner.”
“My merciful goddess, has my daughter not pledged her maidenhood to you? Would you so easily rip that away from her?” asked Theseus, noticing a fracture on her thigh, like that of shattered glass.
“You will do as I say and I will make your dull city prosperous again. Nobles as far as Thrace will come to see it and you will be renowned a hero of the people.”
“Yes, my lady. Blessed are you my goddess, for mine and my daughter’s life have been blessed by you.”
When he woke up, he came up with a way to hold the tournament and to kill off the brothers. He would have the brothers participate to draw attention and place a bounty on their head that no man could resist.
As Mavros was scouting the prison, he saw his brother being led out in chains. He followed them to the Duke’s office. He ran around the building looking for a way in when he noticed the duke through the window. He waited patiently as his brothers were dragged in before Theseus. He watched Theseus order their release so he crept closer to hear what was being said.
“Ptolemies, your release is a gift from the gods, so do not thank me. Diana has spoken to me and ordered that I release you. She has ordered me to hold a tournament here in the capital and the winner shall have my daughter as his wife.” The brothers grinned from ear to ear upon hearing the news. “The tournament will happen in one year’s time. Until then you will be set free. You are welcome to bring as many allies as you wish. Now go, I do not wish to see your pitiful faces.”
“Fortune has looked upon us brother,” said Kryzos as they left the duke’s office.
“She has looked upon me brother; I will defeat you and win Bianca’s hand,” replied Kokkino.
Just then Mavros approached them saying “Brothers, do you really wish to participate in this ridiculous invention? If you will, I will not stop you but I remind you that we are bound by oath to serve each other. Please do not kill one another.”
“We won’t, dear brother. Theseus has explained the tournament to us. We do not have to kill each other as long as we can push the other out of the ring.”
“We will depart soon, dear Mavros, for I wish to rally men to fight for me. I will see you in a year’s time. Farewell brother, may the gods keep you safe until my wedding,” said Kryzos. Mavros looked around to see Kokkino already walking away with his arm up in the air. He was never one for farewells.
“Farewell brothers!” yelled Mavros as he crouched down and wept.
- Writer
