The Trials of the Minotaur

Part Three: The Wondrous Beast (Chapter Eleven)

At first it seemed the Minotaur would not leave his prison, though the Doctor had clearly seen him cock his head at the sound of the door swinging wide. He had spent the entirety of the Doctor's talk sprawled upon the floor of the cage, not bothering to raise his head even at their entrance, which had been accompanied by a fanfare of trumpets. A hush settled over everyone gathered – the guards, the courtiers and servants and assembled dignitaries and nobles, all seemed to be holding their breath collectively as they awaited the beast's first movement. Only the Empress seemed imperturbable, her face betraying no emotion as she awaited the creature.

Like an actor who could sense the emotions of his audience, the Minotaur waited until the tension was almost unbearable before rising to his feet in a languorous motion, taking a step toward the door of the cage and then pausing as though tasting the air. As he watched this calculated display, the Doctor felt his stomach fall away and blood rush from his face. The beast was plotting something, he could tell. But without him to translate his barbarian utterings, the Doctor tried to reassure himself, what voice could the Minotaur give to his plight? The Guard would stop him from doing anything foolish as well, he told himself, though none of his reasoning seemed to do anything to ease his worry.

The Minotaur stepped out and away from the cage, approaching the men arrayed against him, all of whom cringed and grasped the hilts of their swords. His size, the odor that clung to him, even the sound of his breathing – all of it overwhelmed those near him, except the Empress, who pushed her way through her Guard so that she stood near enough the beast to touch him. The Minotaur stood as she inspected him, going around him twice, the fascination and excitement she felt written plain on her face.

“I had not thought such a wonder could exist,” she said to herself, the commanding tone she habitually used absent.

“Nor I, most exalted,” the Minotaur said to her in her own tongue. “It is an honor to meet one of whom I have heard such extraordinary things.”

The room became, if such a thing were possible, even more silent and still following the beast's words. The Empress took a step back from the Minotaur, the better to look into his dead eyes. “It speaks. Truly a wonder. Why did you not speak before? Why did you say nothing?”

The last remark she directed at the Doctor, who found himself unable to respond, so flabbergasted was he by the Minotaur's apparent ability to speak in a civilized tongue.

“I swore a vow, most exalted, that I would not speak until I was released from my prison,” the Minotaur said. “That man calls me a beast, but I am no such thing. I am a man of reason and learning. I was taught by the greatest philosophers of Rheadd and was a contestant in their greatest tournaments. I was forced into this cage against my will, after having saved this man's life from bandits who had captured us.”

“Is what he says true?” The Empress turned to the Doctor, her eyes cold.

“Absolutely not, most exalted – these are the most exorbitant lies I have ever heard. This beast is violent and unpredictable, as I said. He is not to be trusted.”

“He does not appear violent to me, good Doctor.”

The Doctor, flustered by the Empress' questioning, stepped toward her, his hands out, pleading, and was seized by two of the Guards nearest him, their grips tight on his arms.

“Not only does he not appear violent, good Doctor,” the Empress continued, “he speaks. A fact you neglected to mention. To anyone, in any of your talks at our fine Academies. And he is learned, clearly, experienced in the ways of court. Hardly a barbarian, I would say.”

“Oh, but he is,” the Doctor said. “He is, most exalted. You must not trust him.”

“I am beginning to wonder if I should trust you, good Doctor. You have withheld so much that would have been fruitful for discussion.”

“He has withheld more than that, most exalted,” the Minotaur said. “He was no explorer and adventurer, leading a life of knowledge and exploration, when I met him. He was a scoundrel and rogue, telling tales and stealing the coins of honest people, preying on their ignorance of the ways of the world. He saw fit to take advantage of me, and though I did much to help him and even considered him a friend, at the first moment opportunity offered it, he betrayed me.”

“Lies, most exalted, fiendish lies,” the Doctor said. “He would say anything to set himself free.”

“I have no doubt of that,” the Empress said. “It does not alter the fact that you have most certainly uttered falsehoods in my presence.”

The Doctor's entire frame slumped in defeat at the Empress' words, the force of being that had driven him evaporating. All that he had fought for was slipping from his grasp. The blood left his face and he feared he would go faint. He looked, wild-eyed, about the room, feeling as though he could not breathe, ending up staring into the Minotaur's dead eyes, for the beast had glanced unerringly in his direction. The Doctor was certain, though he knew it was impossible, that the beast was staring at him. A small grin seemed to touch the Minotaur's lips and disappear as quickly as it came into existence. The Doctor clenched his fists in rage.

“Tell me,” the Empress said to the Minotaur, paying no mind to the Doctor, “why I should trust you. Now that you are free, can you be expected to live a gainful life in our fine Empire? Or will you act as the Doctor expects?”

The Minotaur kneeled before the Empress, lowering his head so that his horns were extended near her hands. “I ask nothing of you, most exalted, or this great Empire, expect to be granted the honor to serve you in whatever way you require. I humbly submit myself to your judgment.”

“I am glad to hear you say it,” the Empress said with a grave smile. “I shall consider your request.”

She was about to say something further but was interrupted by a cry from the Doctor. His fury at the beast, especially after he had supplicated himself before the Empress, offering service that the Doctor had, only moments before, been certain was his to claim, had unhinged him. He was blind to all in the room but the Minotaur – it was as though the Empress, her Guard and all the courtiers had vanished and only he and his nemesis remained in the great hall. He shouted a challenge to the beast, his rage transforming it into an incoherent scream as he charged.

Though there were at least a dozen men near the Doctor who might have been able to intercept him, none of them moved as he started towards the Minotaur. It was as though they could not believe what they were witnessing. No man would attempt such a thing surrounded by the Imperial Guard, not when it assuredly meant his death. The rest of those gathered were unable to react as well, but for a few gasps that seemed to echo across the silent hall. The Empress stepped back, throwing her hands up before her, as though she expected the Doctor to attack her, for what else could the man be about?

Because of the silence and the stillness of everyone else in the room, the Minotaur had no difficulty hearing the Doctor's cry or his sudden approach, and he had no doubt what the man was about. He did not rise to his feet, nor did he make any movement to betray his awareness until the Doctor was upon him. At the last moment he turned his lowered head, so suddenly that the Doctor had no time to alter his course, leveling his horns directly in the man's path. The Doctor impaled himself on them, letting out a mournful cry. This, at last, stirred the Guard to action, and two of the men approached the pair, joined together in their bloody clasp, and executed the Doctor.

There was a long silence as the two guards dragged the Doctor's body free from the Minotaur's horns until the Empress regained her composure and spoke.

“You have proven your worth already,” she said, with a significant glance at the assembled Guard. “Do you have a name that I might call you?”

“Among my people I was called Minotaur,” he said.

The Empress nodded. “So it shall be, Minotaur. Rise and join the Eternal Court.”

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This is the thirty second chapter of the Trials of the Minotaur. I will post a chapter a week (there are over 30), but if you enjoy what you're reading and don't want to wait, you can buy this book at Amazon, Kobo, and Smashwords. Thanks for reading.