Thread: Certain Doom, Interrupted (Methos and Autumn)

Androkles stood upon the bow of his ship, dark eyes gazing off across the blue green expanse of the sea as his ship broke through its gently rolling waves. His hand rested against the bowsprit, and he felt the wind blowing through locks of dark hair while the oceans spray dampened his visage. Androkles turned his head and spied the twenty sails that were in close proximity to him. His hand rose as he ran his fingers idly through locks of hair and upon the horizon the isle of Ceos could be seen. Hed ordered the ships to rendezvous there, and take on provisions and fresh water. They had been at sea for days already, as the journey from distant Thessaly to the more southerly portions of Greece. The news that had been received was quite alarming. The Ionian islands had been occupied, and now these foreign barbarians had swept across the sea and into the Saronic Gulf, knocking upon the door of Megara and Athens itself! Ships from Athens had made there way even to Thessalys distant shores, as the Athenian called upon their allies and pleaded for aid as swiftly as it could be rendered. Phillippos, the Thessalian king had ordered two thousand men to put to sea to relieve the southern Greek kingdoms. Thus many of the finest warriors that the kingdom could field and its famous horses were aboard ships headed south. Androkles being his son had been given command of this relief force. South they sailed with all the speed a score of ships loaded down with armed human and equine passengers could manage. The weather was fair and did little to delay them, although a wary eye was always kept on the horizon for who knew from where or when these mysterious invaders would appear? The shores of Ceos were soon reached and his ship was the first to disembark although the others followed shortly thereafter. The island was not heavily populated thus it was with some surprise that a number of ships were ringing the island. Androkles soon discovered than many had fled from Salamis and Aegina to Ceos, and representatives from the many Greek kingdoms had made their way here to seek to co-ordinate some sort of response to the menace that plagued Greece. The swift arrival of his ships was hailed with warm welcomes, and praise for his noble father. Soon Androkles found he was being apprised of the circumstances of the recent fall of Salmis and Aegina. The grief of King Kleitos at having to leave his rather beautiful sister behind in the flight from the island was relayed. Those whom had slipped away a matter of days later had heard the most disturbing rumors that the princess, Ambrosia, was intended as some sort of grisly sacrifice to dark, foreign gods. Outrage had flashed across the tanned features of the Thessilian prince. His fist had clenched as he contemplated Greek royalty being defiled and the princess whom was spoken of in such glowing tones murdered by these marauders. As an Aegian soldier finished relating the tale to him, Androkles had already turned and began to stalk back towards his ship. The Aegian called out Where are you going? The prince answered rather laconically To rescue your princess. The soldier sprinted after him. Wait! Im going with you.. The soldier was rather youthful himself, and light brown hair and eyes were accompanied by boyish features. He wore light armor and his sword was strapped to his waist and his shield was carried upon his arm. You need someone who knows the island and the city. Androkles bit his tongue as he considered offering his opinion that the Aegians were cowards to a man for having deserted their island and their women. But he couldnt deny the reasoning of this particular soldier. He nodded to him as he remarked Then hurry up, I mean to set to sea immediately. Who are you? Pindar your highness. The soldier replied as he hurried to be fast upon the taller mans heels. For Androkles struck a rather imposing sight, he was tall for a Greek standing about six feet in height. Broad shoulders and a body well muscled for constantly pursuit of the warlike arts, had left the dark haired prince an image imitating Ares himself. Well if Ares wore the rust coloured cloak of a Thessilian cavalryman. A bronze breastplate, shield and sword added to the warlike image. The beach where the Thessilian ships had landed was reached. Androkles stopped briefly as he informed his younger brother Seleukos that he intended to raid Aegina and rescue its captured princess. Seleukos lofted a brow and offered an amused smile as he noted And how pray tell brother do you intend to do that? We have two thousand men, we know not how numerous our enemies are and we certainly dont know Aegina well. Undeterred Androkles remarked I shall not retake the city by force, I shall slip in by the dark of night, and liberate the princess from her prison and like a shade from Hades pass through their walls and return to the sea with her. He rather airly stated I shall see you in a weeks time at most. Command the rest of the men until I return. With that Androkles began to chivvy his men back onto the ship and yelled for it to be made ready to sail immediately. Seleukos idly remarked Yes, what could possibly go wrong with a plan like that brother? Try not to get yourself killed in this fools errand youve adopted, father with be most upset with me if he finds out I let you sail off on a suicide mission.