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Misstep
- Xanthos
The room of the Sargonian ambassador... this is the relic that was stolen a century ago?
The tall Minoan peers at the massive wooden box as he starts the motor on his serrated oar, repurposing the tool that he uses to cross the river to pick the lock open.
He carefully lifts the cover of the box. The instrument of Kereseira, which should have come home long ago, is safely packaged in a dust cover.
- Xanthos
Kereseira's harp must not be used as a bargaining chip by the Sargonian hypocrites, to be shut away in this pretentious, suffocating box...
- Pallas
Put the harp down, Xanthos.
- Xanthos
The people praise you for proposing the rebuilding of the First Temple as soon as you returned to Athenius, Pallas. I voted in favor myself.
- Pallas
Thank you.
- Xanthos
But you should not have cozied up to the Sargonians.
- Titi
......
- Titi
You instructed your apprentice to ram the hotel kitchen and cause a fire, letting you sneak in to steal an artifact of great diplomatic significance to our two countries... it's an ill-advised act.
- Titi
The streets outside the hotel are packed with people. You can't possibly escape with the harp.
- Xanthos
......
- Titi
You're jumping out the window? This is the fourth floor!
- Pallas
We're directly above the kitchen. The boat that rammed the kitchen wasn't just a distraction, it's his escape... he had this planned.
- Pallas
The door will take too much time. How about—
- Titi
You give me a ride?
- Pallas
Wisdom.
- Peace Officer
The fire is under control, Grammateús. As for the hotel's losses...
- Hekádemos
I'll report the incident to the Astynomos' Office per official procedures. As for the damage to the kitchen, I've already settled up with the innkeeper.
- Peace Officer
I see. We'll station someone here to make sure no one's trying to take advantage of the chaos, for instance...
- Hekádemos
What is it?
- Peace Officer
L-Look up!
Hekádemos looks up.
A pair of Forte horns, pitch-black under the sunlight like the twin moons, flies over the head of the crowd, their owner landing upon a haystack on the accident boat, before leaping off the boat and fleeing along the river.
A few seconds later, a white figure leaps from the window off the end of a silver chain. The black Feline's landing is softened by several cloth ribbons surrounding her.
- Peace Officer
Xanthos the ferryman? And the Sargonian ambassador?
- Peace Officer
What's that huge thing Xanthos is carrying on his back...? Don't tell me...
- Hekádemos
......
- Hekádemos
You were right, officer. Someone IS trying to take advantage of the chaos.
- Peace Officer
Understood. Cordon the scene and impound that boat! Send someone to follow Kyría Mashayer and bring Xanthos into custody!
- Fruit Farmer Rep
The harvest is done. We'll need your help again packing the apples in crates.
- Craftsmen Rep
No problem. You guys helped a lot with the stone for the temple, after all.
- Xanthos
Excuse me.
- Craftsmen Rep
Whoa, whoa—
- Craftsmen Rep
Xanthos? What's the hurry?
- Craftsmen Rep
Is that Titi chasing after him?
- Titi
Hey, Thanos! M-Make way!
- Craftsmen Rep
Is this a race? Where's the finish line?
- Craftsmen Rep
Go, Titi, go! You can't lose to Xanthos when he has so much stuff on his back, right?
- Titi
No I can't!
- Fruit Farmer Rep
Careful with the apples!
- Xanthos
The Sargonian is persistent...
- Xanthos
But this is as far as you go.
- Titi
Xanthos! The river is just ahead!
- Titi
The harp is out of its waterproof packaging! The water will ruin it!
- Xanthos
I don't need a Sargonian to remind me, not when your people have ruined countless Minoan treasures.
- Titi
Xanthos!
- Titi
Wait, what's that sound... there's a boat under the pier? He had this carefully planned. It wasn't an impulsive act.
- Titi
No, don't go—
Arts-controlled ribbons fly toward the package on Xanthos's shoulder.
The Forte instinctively jumps back, placing the harp at the stern of the ship. The ribbons wind themselves around his arm, helping Titi jump onto the boat.
- Titi
Xanthos! Ugh... it's swaying beneath my feet...
- Titi
We need to clear the air between us. Let's talk about this on dry land, shall we?
- Xanthos
I have nothing to say to a Sargonian.
- Titi
Let me apologize, then...
The two keep their eyes fixed on each other, one at the bow, the other at the stern. Xanthos clutches his oar and starts its motor, while Titi begins to glow with the light of her Originium Arts.
Ribbons fly from her clothes, grabbing the harp and pulling it towards the bow.
Xanthos cuts the ribbons, only to find that Titi has closed the distance with the harp. He runs to the bow, causing the boat to tip violently, throwing Titi off-balance and interrupting her Arts.
Both of them reach out desperately—
The dust cover on the relic is removed, revealing the legendary lost harp, in all its glory.
Every Minoan has heard the story of Kereseira and her harp, but precious few have seen it with their own eyes.
It remains proud and glorious, despite the passage of a thousand years. Sunlight falls on the metallic leaves decorating its pedestal, surrounding it with a gentle glow.
The pair fighting over the harp has no time to admire, as they watch the harp's trajectory change, less than a second before it hits the ground.
Medjehtiqedti has never thought of herself as lucky.
The glory of her noble house had long faded away by her father's generation. Her father was obsessed with literature, while her mother, still clinging to old aristocratic habits, showed little interest in spending time with her daughter.
Titi spent most of her free time in her father's library, alone.
The knowledge she learned there was basic, shallow, but it nevertheless expanded her horizons, and instilled in her a strong sense of curiosity for everything. That was why she saved money to pay for her own studies in museology in Columbia.
She was excited, but nervous, when Padishah Khery appointed her to be the ambassador to Sargon.
On one hand, she was drawn to the wonders of Minoan culture and the stories of heroes; on the other hand, she was acutely aware of the challenges that the burden of history presented.
The joy that she gained from working with the temple craftsmen, the last visage of fantasy and daydream in her mind, would be shattered with the falling harp in less than a second.
Xanthos was not so arrogant as to think that his plan to take the harp back from the Sargonians was flawless.
He might go to jail, or have an Oripathy attack while carrying out the plan. He did not care that he was risking his life on something that would seem ridiculous to most.
To him, the only place where he would find peace was the battle on the border where Ithakos went, five years ago. There was no point in asking the meaning of anything that has happened since.
But the trickery of fate is even more cruel than in the heroic legends. Xanthos thought of many ends for himself, but never this one.
The precious harp is about to hit the ground, and there is nothing Xanthos can do about it. Should he be angry? Sad? Fearful? Or simply laugh at his own helplessness?
The emotions that fate has impounded have returned to his empty chest. The tall Minoan warrior sees everything flash before his eyes.
The breeze of the Delphi Canal brushes against Xanthos's back. It has never felt so cold. He cannot help but tremble.
He can see the Sargonian woman's face. It is deathly pale. He knows that his own face is the same.
- Peace Officer
We've arrested Xanthos the ferryman and his apprentice Lykeion on charges of robbery, Your Excellency.
- Peace Officer
I sincerely apologize for the damages you've suffered... I know it's not my place to ask, but can the damaged item be—
- Titi
Thank you for your concern, officer. The item that was damaged was a personal effect, and not particularly valuable.
- Titi
It was Xanthos the ferryman who ferried me across the river when I first came to Athenius. This was simply a minor misunderstanding. You can send the onlookers on their way.
- Peace Officer
Yes, Your Excellency.
- Peace Officer
If you do not intend to pursue this matter any further, then we will take the two suspects and proceed in accordance with the law.
- Peace Officer
You two! Thank Kyría Mashayer for her magnanimity.
- Xanthos
......
- Xanthos
You don't know how to steer a boat. Grammateús Hekádemos can testify to that. You could have gotten off easily. Why put yourself in this situation with me, Lykeion?
- Lykeion
You instructed me to provide a distraction on the boat because you know I'm a poor liar, Master Xanthos.
- Lykeion
I knew about your plan and took action to help you. I must accept responsibility with you.
- Lykeion
Besides, I do not think that what you did was unreasonable.
- Xanthos
......
- Behnui
'A personal effect'? As if the officer believed that! She saw your courtesy as a way out, so she wouldn't have to prosecute her own people!
- Behnui
The relic that is at the center of the first cultural exchange between Sargon and Minos since the establishment of diplomatic relations was stolen, and damaged during its retrieval. This would be more than enough to start a war if we were in Leithanien or Siracusa!
- Titi
I checked the harp. The damage was minor, only a crack on the pedestal. It can be easily repaired by filling and painting over the crack.
- Titi
Under normal circumstances, I would have kept it untouched. But these are what we call extenuating. I can fix it so nothing looks out of place for the exchange ceremony in a few days.
- Behnui
Hah. You may be descended from Sargonian nobility, but you've inherited none of your ancestors' political acumen.
- Behnui
The Minoans are entirely at fault here. This is a perfect chance to punish the offenders severely, establish Sargon's authority and prestige, and—
- Titi
I know you're proud of your family's 'military exploits' in Minos, Behnui Effendi, and to you this is like revisiting old stomping grounds, in a sense.
- Titi
But times have changed. Padishah Khery appointed us to visit Minos with Kereseira 's harp, not to show off Sargonian glory, but to repair the relationship between our two nations.
- Titi
As emissaries of Sargon, our priority is to carry out the exchange ceremony successfully, not our own obsessions and interests. Am I wrong?
- Behnui
......
