Hers

Arxiphos arrived breathless and saw Anax yelling at the other guards. He pressed his finger into the man's chest and pushed him back. "You let him go?"

"He said he would be... Look! There he is." The guard pointed at Arxiphos. Anax spun around. Then his shoulders relaxed. "Oh what a relief," he mumbled. "I though you ran off."

"A promise is a promise," Arxiphos said, strolling toward him. "I told her I would be hers. Didn't I?"

Anax nodded. "You did."

"I intend to keep that promise," Arxiphos said.

"Alright then. Come inside before the others start to worry," Anax said, the irritated, nervous expression beginning to return.

"I'm enjoying the fresh air."

"It's raining, fool! Come inside. If the Hegemon doesn't find you—"

The doors slammed open.

"Where is Arxiphos?" the Hegemon thundered. His eyes fell on the newly appointed priest. "Oh, thank the gods!" he breathed.

"A promise is a promise," Apxiphos replied. Anax rolled his eyes. "I told her I would be hers. Didn't I?"

"Yes, my son. I shouldn't have doubted you. Forgive me." The Hegemon folded his hands together.

"I am the Archiereios. It would be a shame to forget the morning rituals on my first day."

"Yes. You take your role seriously. Well done. Now come inside."

"I will be faithful to her."

"I understand. I'm not upset. I was worried. Now come inside, Arxiphos."

"I will be faithful."

The Hegemon read the meaning in Arxiphos's face. "Faithful to whom?" he said slowly.

"Faithful to fate itself. Faithful to my destiny. Faithful to my wife." Arxiphos smiled.

"Your wife is waiting for you inside," the Hegemon said, returning the smile nervously.

"My wife is already here."

"Don't do this..." The Hegemon looked concerned. "Don't do it, boy."

Alazoneia skipped out from behind her father. "Where is he?" She saw him. A guttural groan of relief and joy rumbled its way out as she ran to him and hung on his arm. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, laughing into the rain.

"I am a married man, sir," Arxiphos said, ignoring her. "The gods recognize it. The gods."

Alazoneia laughed. "It's so good to hear him say that, Father."

"I married the daughter of someone very powerful," Arxiphos said.

"You did," the Hegemon said. "Come inside, Arxiphos. For the sake of Enypnia, come inside!"

"For the sake of Enypnia I will stay put." He was firm, holding himself straight under Alazoneia's weight.

"He's right, Father. We'll enjoy the rain a while," she giggled.

"Granddaughter of Oceanus himself."

"Oh, that's sweet," she said. She wrapped her arms around Arxiphos neck and clasped them behind it. She looked into his eyes. His eyes were on the Hegemon. Without looking at her, he reached back and removed her hands. He pushed her away lightly. Her mouth hung open slightly, shocked at being placed aside. He looked at her for a moment, then turned to her father. She frowned, finally realizing that something was amiss.

The Hegemon spoke, "Stop this, Arxiphos. For your own sake, stop and come inside."

"For my own sake I will stay put."

"What is he saying, Father?" she asked, trying to smile. She tried to convince herself it was nothing important.

"I can't allow you to disobey. By my role as Hegemon, I must hold firm. Otherwise, my command means nothing."

"If it was my will against yours, I would obey, but right now it's you against the gods. My fidelity lies with Olympus. My duty lies with someone greater than you. Enypnia herself, goddess of the village, your goddess, will not allow it."

"Enypnia is the one who put these traditions in place. When you consented to marry Alazoneia, you obeyed her command. This is—"

"I did not," he interrupted. "If she established the tradition, then she has the authority to rescind it. I didn't hold on long enough. I should never have—"

"Arxiphos! Are going back on your promise?" Alazoneia gaped at him, shuffling toward him slowly.

He motioned for her to stay back. "I'm going back to my promise. A promise to a goddess."

"Regardless," the Hegemon said, "no one knows whether you have really seen her or not." Arxiphos looked down. The bloodstains from the ritual and the torture the night before were beginning to wash away with the sprinkling of rain.

"I don't believe that you saw her," the Hegemon stated.

"It's convenient."

"You call me a liar?" the Hegemon asked. Anax hissed through his teeth.

"I just said that it's convenient for you not to believe. It allows you to rest the entire weight of the problem on my shoulders."

"I say that you are either insane," the Hegemon spoke calmly, "or that you are lying your way out of obedience to the Hegemon, obedience to the village. You are either a lunatic or a liar and a traitor. Give up this nonsense or I will be forced to punish you accordingly."

"Please, Arxiphos!" Alazoneia cried. "He'll kill you. You know that now."

"I understand," Arxiphos said. He leaned toward her and whispered into her ear, "You could have saved me a long time ago. You could have called off the marriage before I lost my fingers, before your father threatened the fire keeper. You wanted to win me by your persistence." He paused, pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "But I despise you for your greed."

She slapped him. She slapped him twice.

He watched her back away slowly. He noticed how much she resembled her father, her face white with indignation. Her eyes began to burn.

"Will you come inside, Arxiphos?" the Hegemon asked.

"I will not."

"This is your final chance. Will you come inside?"

"I won't. I know what I'm saying."

The Hegemon shook his head. "Anax, sieze him. Bring the block."