Part 24 (2/2)

There was a sharp knock at the door and they instinctively pulled apart from their light embrace, looking anxiously across the room.

'Who is it?' Clytaemnestra asked.

'Polymele, my lady. I have your cloak, and they say the king is on his way up to the palace at this very moment. I was concerned . . .'

Clytaemnestra pulled the door open and allowed Polymele to fold the cloak about her shoulders. She instructed her to take Eperitus down to the gardens then, without regard to the girl's presence, put her hand to Eperitus's cheek and kissed him.

'Think about what I said,' she whispered, then turned and rushed down the corridor, her cloak billowing out behind her.

Polymele led Eperitus down a narrow staircase that opened onto the gardens below the palace. She left him there without a word and returned by the same route, though her parting expression was enough to tell him what she thought of his presence in the queen's quarters.

The gardens were bright and fresh in the morning light and the pungent aroma of the many flowers reminded Eperitus of Clytaemnestra's bedroom, but he had no time to enjoy their peaceful beauty. A sudden commotion on the terraces above filled him with a sense of urgency and he ran across the dew-wet lawns to the main staircase, leaping up them three at a time to emerge on the courtyard before the great hall. As he stepped out into the chaos of slaves and guards, all running in different directions to prepare for the arrival of their king, a voice called to him. He turned to see Odysseus waving from the doorway of the guest house. Talthybius was at his side.

'Where have you been?' Odysseus asked as Eperitus pushed his way through the crowds to join them. 'I've had men looking all over for you. Agamemnon's here, in person!'

'I've been in the gardens since before dawn. I couldn't sleep. But why's Agamemnon here?'

'We don't know, yet,' said Talthybius, looking worried, 'but for him to leave the army and come here himself, it must be a serious matter.'

As he spoke a group of slaves spilled out of the pa.s.sageway that led from the palace threshold, chased by a pair of soldiers with bronze body armour and plumed helmets members of Agamemnon's personal bodyguard. The king emerged in their wake, his armour dusty and his red cloak travel-stained. His beard had grown longer and more unkempt since they had last seen him, but the blood-drained face and sunken eyes were alert and filled with purpose. At his appearance, every slave and soldier bowed their heads before him. Talthybius followed suit, but Odysseus and Eperitus remained upright as the King of Men approached. The stooping form of Calchas was at his shoulder.

'Welcome home, my lord,' said Talthybius. 'We weren't expecting your arrival.'

'Of course you weren't,' Agamemnon snapped, the blood rising to his cheeks. 'You were too busy dithering about here, enjoying the comforts of palace life no doubt.'

Despite Agamemnon's accusation of idleness, Odysseus seemed unconcerned and responded with a broad smile and a hand on the Mycenaean king's shoulder.

'You've arrived just in time, Agamemnon,' he said. 'Your wife has been busy making preparations for Iphigenia's marriage to Achilles, and if everything goes to plan we'll be setting out within two or three days. But how are things with the fleet? Have you come to tell us the storm has lifted?'

Agamemnon's icy blue eyes met the warm green of Odysseus's, trying to penetrate the thoughts behind them. After a few moments his severe expression melted away and he returned Odysseus's smile.

'The storms are as strong as ever, my friend; the reason I've left the army is to make sure Iphigenia is taken to Aulis as soon as possible. For one thing, I didn't encourage the right sense of urgency when I sent you here. For another and more importantly you haven't had the benefit of Calchas's insight into Clytaemnestra's thoughts.' He turned to the priest. 'Why don't you explain what you know to Odysseus?'

Calchas pulled back the hood of his black travelling cloak to reveal his bald pate and pallid, skull-like face. His eyes maintained a constant twitching and his tongue flicked over his bottom lip and teeth as he looked about at the men, considering their faces closely as if scrutinizing their very thoughts. Clytaemnestra, he informed them, had no intention of going ahead with the wedding. Her agreement was a facade, covering her real intention to find a means of escape. The ancient G.o.ds she wors.h.i.+pped had suggested to her that Agamemnon had a different purpose in sending for their daughter a purpose that the queen had no intention of conceding to. Odysseus gave Agamemnon a questioning look at the mention of this, but the king ignored him and focused on the priest. Apollo, Calchas continued, had revealed the queen's intentions to him in a dream a few nights before, which he had shared at once with Agamemnon.

'Which is why I'm here now,' the King of Men added. 'It is imperative Iphigenia comes back to Aulis immediately everything depends on it. I've already ordered fresh horses and provisions for the return journey; we head back tomorrow morning.'

'But why the urgency?' Odysseus asked, his eyes narrowing inquisitively.

Agamemnon raised an eyebrow. 'You'll find out in time, my friend.'

At that moment, Clytaemnestra appeared and crossed the courtyard to join them. She stood between Odysseus and Eperitus giving the latter a strong sense of discomfort in front of Agamemnon and the knowing gaze of Calchas and placed her fists on her hips.

'Your arrival is unexpected, husband.'

'I thought it might provide you with a pleasant surprise,' he responded, stepping towards her and placing his hand on her waist. He pulled her towards him and kissed her hard on the lips.

Clytaemnestra turned her face away and her husband released his grip on her.

'Didn't trust me to release Iphigenia into your clutches is more like it,' she hissed, not trying to hide her contempt.

'Calchas here had an inkling of your reluctance, so I thought my presence might encourage you,' Agamemnon answered.

Clytaemnestra looked at the priest, who threw his cloak back across his shoulders to reveal the white robes beneath. 'An Apollonian?' she sneered. 'I should have known one of your kind was at the heart of this.'

Calchas's eyes narrowed and his twitching stopped as he focused his disdain on the tall woman in black. 'Apollo lays bare many things. It is more profitable to follow an Olympian than one of the fallen G.o.ds you wors.h.i.+p. The rule of Gaea and Hecate is fading from the world; you should recognize that and leave your witchcraft behind.'

'You dare to call me a witch in front of my husband?'

'It's true, isn't it?' Agamemnon said, and Calchas grinned victoriously. 'Now, I'm going to the great hall. Have food prepared for me and my men, and send Orestes to me. Odysseus, join me when you're ready. I want to talk with you.'

'And Iphigenia?' Clytaemnestra asked as her husband brushed past her, followed by Calchas and Talthybius.

'The girl can do as she pleases,' he said, turning on the steps to the great hall. 'Just make sure she is prepared to leave first thing tomorrow.'

Clytaemnestra watched him disappear through the high doors before turning to Eperitus. She looked at him with sombre, pleading eyes, then marched off into the palace to carry out her husband's orders.

'It can never come to anything, you know,' Odysseus commented as the courtyard rapidly emptied, leaving him and Eperitus alone except for a pair of guards by the great hall.

'What can't?'

'You and Clytaemnestra. No, don't act surprised. Your bed wasn't slept in last night and I'd already sent Eurylochus to look for you in the gardens before you appeared. I know there's a concealed entrance from the royal quarters, so it isn't difficult to deduce where you slept last night.'

Eperitus turned away and looked at the plain below the city, which was a lush green after the rains. He was surprised at the speed with which his friend had found him out, and did not know how to reply. Then Odysseus seized him by the shoulders and turned him around, staring fiercely into his eyes.

'You're a d.a.m.ned fool, Eperitus! Zeus's beard, don't you realize Agamemnon will have both of you killed if he finds out about this? Next time you want a woman for the night, find yourself a slave not a b.l.o.o.d.y queen!'

Eperitus knocked Odysseus's hands from his shoulders and glared back at him. 'Don't forget I nearly died at Sparta because of your pa.s.sion for a princess!'

Odysseus's eyes darkened for a moment and his giant fists were clenched tightly as he stared at the captain of his guard. Then the anger drained away as quickly as it had risen and he shook his head, breaking eye contact.

'I'm sorry,' he said, and with a sudden laugh slapped Eperitus on the arm. 'How could I forget? But I married that princess: I hope you're not intending to do the same with Clytaemnestra?'

'Clytaemnestra's already married, unless you hadn't noticed,' Eperitus replied lightly. 'Though she did ask me to help her escape from Mycenae. She said Iphigenia is in danger.'

'I believe she is,' Odysseus sighed. 'You and I both know Agamemnon's losing his sanity over this war, and with Calchas muttering visions and prophecies in his ear who knows what he might be persuaded to do? But Clytaemnestra has her own insight into things, too, and if she doesn't want her husband to take Iphigenia then she must have good reason. Are you going to help her, Eperitus?'

'No. My place is with you.'

'I'm glad to hear it, for both our sakes. But you must remain wary. She's a desperate woman and she'll try to persuade you to help her, especially if she thinks she has an emotional hold over you. Don't let her, though it can never work, and she might just pull you down with her.'

Eperitus lay on the straw mattress looking at the c.h.i.n.k of silver moonlight beneath the door. The snores of the other Ithacan soldiers told him that they, unlike he, had not had difficulty sleeping. It had been a busy day after the arrival of Agamemnon, with the palace a hive of activity hurriedly finis.h.i.+ng the wedding preparations in time for the departure early the next morning. To escape the commotion, Odysseus and Eperitus had spent the day outside the city walls, drilling the men and honing their weapons skills. But, although he felt physically tired, Eperitus's mind would not allow him the boon of sleep.

Since the evening meal he had been turning over in his mind the reasons for Agamemnon's untimely arrival. All day he had been expecting the Lion Gate to burst open and an armed guard to come out and arrest him. But none came, and he a.s.sumed Agamemnon had not guessed at his wife's infidelity. His thoughts were more concerned, though, with the fate of Iphigenia. Despite his general disregard for children, Eperitus had come to like Clytaemnestra's daughter in their few days together and he found himself pitying her. He had not seen the child or her mother all day, but from Agamemnon's talk at the evening feast it seemed she had still not been informed of the marriage to Achilles, or even that she was to leave for Aulis in the morning with her father, while Clytaemnestra remained at Mycenae.

<script>