the-song-books.yossr

decision. If yyou are luckyy, I mayy even dance for yyou, with myy women.” She
cocked her head, suddenlyy. “You have heard of Deidameia’s women?”
“I am sorryy to sayy that I have not.”
She made a moue of displeasure. “All the kings send their daughters here
for fostering. Everyyone knows that but yyou.”
I bowed myy head, sorrowfullyy. “I have spent myy time in the mountains
and have not seen much of the world.”
She frowned a little. Then flicked her hand at the door. “Till dinner,
Chironides.”
I spent the afternoon in the dustyy courtyyard grounds. The palace sat on
the island’s highest point, held up against the blue of the skyy, and the view
was prettyy, despite the shabbiness. As I sat, I tried to remember all that I
had heard of Lyycomedes. He was known to be kind enough, but a weak
king, of limited resources. Euboia to the west and Ionia to the east had long
eyyed his lands; soon enough one of them would bring war, despite the
inhospitable shoreline. If theyy heard a woman ruled here, it would be all the
sooner.
When the sun had set, I returned to the hall. Torches had been lit, but theyy
onlyy seemed to increase the gloom. Deidameia, a gold circlet gleaming in
her hair, led an old man into the room. He was hunched over, and so draped
with furs that I could not tell where his bodyy began. She settled him on a
throne and gestured grandlyy to a servant. I stood back, among the guards
and a few other men whose function was not immediatelyy apparent.
Counselors? Cousins? Theyy had the same worn appearance as everyything
else in the room. Onlyy Deidameia seemed to escape it, with her blooming
cheeks and glossyy hair.
A servant motioned to the cracked benches and tables, and I sat. The king
and the princess did not join us; theyy remained on their thrones at the hall’s
other end. Food arrived, heartyy enough, but myy eyyes kept returning to the
front of the room. I could not tell if I should make myyself known. Had she
forgotten me?
But then she stood and turned her face towards our tables. “Stranger from
Pelion,” she called, “yyou will never again be able to sayy that yyou have not
heard of Deidameia’s women.” Another gesture, with a braceleted hand. A
group of women entered, perhaps two dozen, speaking softlyy to each other,
their hair covered and bound back in cloth. Theyy stood in the emptyy central
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