"The dikastai have decided. Selene, daughter of Eustachys of Minoa…"

One of the men boomed out, stepping forward. The concrete under his feet grinded and wailed in the quiet room.

Many eyes were on him, but the woman he called for stood in the center, a layered tunic adorning her strong posture and relaxed fists grasping onto the earth toned seams. As her gaze raised up at the voice, the mane of dark curls that framed her defiant and yet timid face moved with it, earrings jingling quietly.

"...you are, with immediate legitimacy, banished from this city graced by the gods…and sent to the island of Knossos."

The few voices in the sea that dared to speak up erupted into chatter.

…why would they send a woman so blessed…

…well given the severity of the crime…

…the evidence was irrefutable…the priestess simply died…

…witchcraft…

…and what of the old Eustachys?...

…the only choice is banishment…she's lucky it's not the tolls of death coming for her…

…well…knowing where she's going it may have been better if they were…

Selene kept her eyes on the man who delivered her judgment, then turned to the countless others in the room with the same stone cold stare.

"Which of you will take care of him?"

A few more eyes turned to face her. A few more grimaces appeared.

Her knuckles turned white, vitriol bubbling underneath the surface. "...You don't care, do you? You just want someone to blame."

The chatter died down, before picking back up. The grimaces more twisted, insults more colorful pouring down from the tribunal. The man that read her sentence had long disappeared into the crowd.

She didn't bother finding him and walked out. Her scowl appeared even more visible in the scorching sun. Once relaxed fists trembling as two men rushed her out, firmly holding onto her before any more fighting words could be uttered.

⁓Ψ⁓

Selene couldn't do much except pack the few things they had allowed her to take. Two days worth of rations and a bottle of olive oil. A rather heavy cooking pot. Papyrus bound into a thick notebook. Some spare cloth. A leather canister full of oh-so-precious water.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

She only had a bit of time to say goodbye to her father.

“I wish it could have been me, my child.” Eustachys said. There were glints of tears in his eyes - something Selene only saw when she was still small.

She hugged him, as tight as his fragile bones allowed her to. “Don’t say that…I’m sure they’ll let me visit at some point.”

Another sob echoed through his form.

“Dad…it’s okay. I will…I’ll figure something out…I promise I’ll-”

“No, no - please…” he said, holding her face like it was made of fragile gold. “Promise me one thing, Selene:

Promise me, you’ll be careful and that you’ll be alright. Do not worry about me.”

She smiled a little. “I will try.”

He smiled back, his lip trembling. His hand lingered on her cheek for a bit longer. Then he sighed. “Alright now go on - I don’t wish for you to see me in such a state.”

Her two escorts had started grumbling about goodbyes, so she reluctantly did so, turning to face the house she grew up in for the last time as she swiftly jumped onto the carriage that'd take her to the sea. Closer to the home of her ancestors.

"Light packing for a long trip." The taller man said, looking over Selene.

"I don't wish to burden the horse - The sheen of its coat tells me it's treated well… Must have cost a fortune."

He grumbled in agreement, admiring the view the Peloponnese land offered. And a view it was. Much too familiar and yet foreign for the young woman - rocky hills filled with shrubbery and olive trees, in some places tucked into neat lines for the farmers, in others wild and random like pieces of a newly broken vase.

"Aye. We had to sell half our stock to buy her." He practically growled, keeping his gaze on the land.

The other man, who was left with the duty of guiding the horse, shuddered: "Nikias- don't even start with that."

"I'm done, I'm done." He dismissively waved his hand at the other man, who Selene nicknamed simply as 'carter' in her mind. As if he had just remembered something, his face lit up, turning back towards Selene. "You’re from Minoa, right?’’

"One of the ports, yes. My ancestors came from Knossos after the last battle."

The carter scoffed: "Refugees."

Selene ignored the remark. It wasn't inaccurate. "There weren't many that escaped the island."

Nikias spoke up again: "Aye - your king died as well. Hopefully at the hands of that bloody spawn of a son."

"The minotaur? My parents said the rumor was exaggerated- clever propaganda of the mainland to make the citizens dislike us…"

"Rumor has it he's still on the island."

Selene rolled her eyes: "And a rumor is just a legend that didn't have enough time to be written down. Besides, I'll have other things to worry about."

A hearty laugh escaped both of the men as they exchanged all-knowing looks.

"Your funeral lady." Nikias finally forced out after he enjoyed the laugh to its fullest and got comfortable for a nap.

The rest of the trip was surprisingly quiet, lest Nikias's snoring could be counted out. As evening came, so too did the port they'll be sailing from come into view. Many fires and lamps were already illuminating the air in the valley, as Helios's carriage disappeared behind the horizon.

Before they came into the city, Carter and Nikias tied her arms.

"Just protocol." They said to her then.

Selene didn't bother to resist - she had nothing to lose anymore and as long as she was out of the picture, her family would be safe.

The two men settled in for the night at the port, talking among themselves in a language Selene couldn't understand. But she thought they wouldn't be leaving tonight. Though the trip to Knossos was short, the seas were nothing short of difficult to navigate through at night…at least that is what she thought before the men hurried her into the port, setting her belongings into a small sailboat. It was already occupied by a sailor unfolding the sail. He looked as if the sea winds blew away most of his body mass, leaving behind an eroded stone-hard frame - tall, sturdy and yet frail, graying hair falling out of the hood over his face. The two men nervously looked between each other when the sailor helped Selene onto the boat.

Nikias was the one to end up speaking: "Goodbye Minoan. May your journey end before you set foot through the sill."

She simply nodded. There was no need for big words. Besides, she was growing tired by the second, not even attempting an escape as the sailor pushed the boat away from shore. Selene didn't weep. But inside, she felt a million needles pinch her soul as she watched the shore and its light disappear. The only light that kept her company was a single lantern, gently swaying in the darkness thanks to the murky black waves of the sea. That night, no stars illuminated the darkness.