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Earth and Water Chapter Four Demaratus3 |
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Demaratus
As I watched Lysis go, I thought
how sad it was that the truth so often took second place to expediency. I wondered what he would think of his father
if my suspicions concerning his father's fate were confirmed. What worries me more than anything right now,
however, is Phraortes' proximity.
Only a few moments, it seemed,
after I dismissed Phraortes' guards, Phraortes himself appeared in the
entryway. Eerie, the reputation and the
reality of this man. I have seen many
ugly things and been a party to many others, but no one sends a chill up my
spine like Phraortes. He is not, of
course, everywhere; he just seems to be.
"Demaratus," he pronounced in a
voice dripping with an ill-disguised hostility that belied his words. "It is always my pleasure. I see you have been entertaining our Athenian
prisoner." He strode insolently around
the tent, pausing to inspect my hoplite armor, the weaponry I take with me
always on campaign. I may be dressed as
a Persian, but should the time come, I'll fight as a Greek.
"What did he tell you?" he
inquired, slipping my heavy stabbing sword from its scabbard and swinging it
back and forth like a veteran.
"Phraortes," I said quietly, "you
would be wise to leave that sword to abler hands than yours."
He smiled and replaced the weapon,
turning to me with a sardonic grin on that scar-ravaged face.
"What did he tell you?" he asked
again.
I did not like his attitude. But he holds the ear of the king, more than
any of us, more, perhaps, even than Mardonious, the king's cousin. I had to be careful.
"The boy is young and naïve," I
said. "He told me all that happened
between you and him today. Is that a
problem?"
Phraortes smile faded. "That depends."
"On what I told him," I said.
His silence was instructive.
"Fear not, Phraortes, the young
Athenian has no need to know affairs of state.
Whatever his suspicions may be, I did nothing to reinforce them."
The dreaded head of secret police
seemed to relax a little then.
"As for me, I neither know nor care
of your interest in this boy. It is
enough that you
see fit to protect him for the
moment."
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