MEDEA

07

07| traitors

I did not rush to meet Jason immediately. It would be an unwise move, when my father was furiously plotting an ambush and needed me at his side. While I played along with his vicious fantasies, I did patronize him either.

Abysirtus' watchful eyes stayed on me the whole day.

At twilight, after most of the palace including my father and brother had retired to bed, I snuck to my room. Quickly, I filled a cloth with a few necessities: my potions and books, a few pieces of clothing and a mirror.

I glanced at my table and hesitated. A knife gleamed on my bedside table, its blade glowing in the dim light. Runes ran down the length of the handle, written in a language I did not know.

It had a been a parting gift from Circe. Aimodotis, she had named it. Blood-taker.

With a grim sigh, I threw it in my pouch and tied it shut.

Silently, I slipped threw the hallways and out into the streets.

The Greek camps could be heard even from the town center; boisterous shouting and laughing along with the roar of camp fires. I worried that Jason had not heeded to my advice.

But when I arrived at the beach, I saw it all was a ruse. The ship was ready to sail and everyone was on alert. The noises were a trick to fool the Colchian guard.

Jason ran up to me and threw his arms around me. I flushed and returned his embrace. "You did well today, I am proud."

Jason drew back. "Only because you helped. Why did you ask us to prepare the ship?"

"Because Aeetus will never let you have that fleece. Tomorrow, he will name you as enemies and have you killed. Perhaps he might attack any moment, expecting everyone to unprepared. You need to leave before that," I explained.

The crew glanced at each other anxiously. It was not every day that princesses delivered such dire messages.

"But- but the fleece? I won it fairly, I can't leave without it."

"I know. That is why I have another idea. Come with me." I turned to the argonauts. "Man the ship, your commander and I will be back soon."

"Wait," said a voice. Euphemus stepped forward. "How do we know that this is not a ploy to capture us? You betrayed your own father. You could imprison Jason and return with the Colchian soldiers."

Everyone nodded in agreement. I made an angry noise in my throat. I had given up everything for them. Did they still not trust me? "I have no-"

Atalanta cut through. I had not seen her watching us through lidded eyes. "I really don't think she'll turn on us. If she does, she has nowhere to run. We are her last bet."

She was wrong but I was not about to correct her. Nobody else disagreed either. I wished it was Jason who had defended me, not her.

Jason slipped his hand into mine. "Lets go, Medea, the moon is already half way on its journey. My men, free the sails and station yourselves at the oars."

We turned and hurried towards the city grounds.

■ ■ ■

"This is a grove?" asked Jason. We stood at the edge of the field. The fleece hung on the lowest branch of the oak, which was still higher up than the tallest man, beckoning us with a secret twinkle. "But it has only one tree."

"That is the least of our concerns right now." I pointed to the base of the tree. "Look carefully."

Jason stared at the tree and caught sight of the giant serpent. He sucked in his breath.  "What are we going to do?"

"I have a plan. As usual." I tried to sound sarcastic but it came out wobbly.

Jason tittered. "I knew you would say that. That is what I love about you." His hot breath tickled the back of my neck. Had he grown to love me so quick?

I swallowed, trying not to get distracted. "When I give you a signal, just go down there and take the fleece." I gave him two strips of cloth. "Put these in your ears."

The dragon stirred and its slitted eyes pinned on us.

"That's it?" he asked quizzically. But he had learned to trust me, even if I had told him to charge at a full grown dragon, and stuffed the cloth into his ears.

I nodded. "Go," I mouthed.

The dragon snaked up, its neck twisting as Jason walked up to it in firm strides. It let out a hissed warning. Jason probably thought I was sending him on a suicide quest.

I took a deep breath and sang. The lullaby danced in the air and I curled my fists in concentration. Despite singing it so often, my nerves made it more difficult. I begged Hecate to add more charm then usual.

The dragon's eyes shut slowly, almost unwillingly. It rested its head on the ground and began to sleep, sinking in my soothing voice.

Jason climbed up its body and up the trunk, his hands slipping on the wet surface. He stood on the tip of his toes and stretched out his arm. His fingertips brushed the fraying strands of the shimmering fabric. Still, the fleece remained out of reach. I willed him to try harder.

Jason lunged, in a desperate move, and grabbed the fleece. He toppled onto the ground with a dull thud.

My voice caught and my singing faltered, stirring the dragon. Jason scrambled up, muscles tightening at each step; his graceful movements had me under a hypnosis myself. He stopped and stared at me, telling me with his gaze to keep singing. He must have realized what I was doing. Jason clutched the fleece in his hand and waved it at me. I continued singing while he approached me, a tilted smile spreading over his face. He reached forward and grabbed my hand, our fingers entwining. We walked to the edge of the grove, a safe distance from the the dragon. 

The moment I stopped singing, I collapsed. Jason grabbed my arm and steadied my fall. Drawing more power from Hecate had diminished my energy and my throat burned as if on fire.

He yanked the cloth out of his ears. "We did it," Jason said, his eyes shining. "You did it, Medea."

I smiled weakly. "I always do my tasks well but today I had your help." My voice was hoarse. Jason suddenly froze and peering into the trees. "Someone's watching us," he let out a soft hiss. 

He pulled me up and my head spun so wildly I felt as if I would throw up. I grabbed aimodotis, said a prayer and together we faced the forest.