Zili, 350 AD

[mycursedface]

Mauretania Tingitana was what the province was called. Is called. Definitions are hard when the legions are left, and people still live under Roman names. And Phoenician, and, yes, still Amazigh names, and, really, Zili is just another trading town on the outskirts of an empire that mostly forgets about it.

It's a quiet town, a little run down, maybe, but the farms sprawling out over the countryside are still prosperous. It is also a town that remains mostly unaware of Hera's Garden to the north, and the Gorgons' cave in the south.

All six sisters have worked hard at that, magic and protection and twisting of reality until unless someone knows exactly how to get there, finding either sets of triplets is pretty much impossible.

Especially when the sun will set soon.

(Luckily for Epimetheus, the Gorgon girls are out and flying)

Comments

[2020sight]

"Clearly," he replies slowly. "Well, as long as stories are all right . . ."

The following story is long, complicated, involves several yards of rope, identical tents, a mirror, a burqa, and a goat.

[mycursedface]

And all three of the sisters?

Are bright, bright red.

"You're a wicked man," Medusa informs him.

[2020sight]

"Aw, he had it coming."

[far-roaming.livejournal.com]

"He did!" Euryale says through her giggles.

[2020sight]

Epimetheus winks at her and Medusa.

"Let that be a warning to you all."

[themiddlegorgon.livejournal.com]

"Ye-es," Stheno says drily. "Let that be a lesson to us all; do not mess in the affairs of Epimetheus, for he is creative and does interesting things with rope."

[2020sight]

Aw, a wink for Stheno, too.

"Only if I have to."

[themiddlegorgon.livejournal.com]

"So, not of your own inclination?" She asks, proping her chin up with her hand.

[mycursedface]

Stheno?

Is kicked under the table.

[2020sight]

Epimetheus grins -- almost the first time since arriving here -- and says nothing.

[far-roaming.livejournal.com]

Silence falls at that, but it's a comfortable silence. The kind of silence you have where the room is warm, the food is good, and there is no pressure to make conversation. The girls are good at those kinds of silences, and it lasts until Euryale gets up to start clearing things.

"So, uh."

She tilts her head, the movement sharp and pure raptor.

"Where have you been? I mean, really?"

[2020sight]

He starts to get up to help clear the table, and pauses at the question.

"Around," he says, finally. "Well -- not around here. North, and East, mainly. I wanted to be scarce."

[far-roaming.livejournal.com]

"Should we ask?"

[mycursedface]

Softly, warningly,

"Euryale."

[themiddlegorgon.livejournal.com]

"You had a-"

[mycursedface]

"And I'm sure so does he."

[2020sight]

He glances at Medusa, a little sharply.

"I take it I missed something."

[far-roaming.livejournal.com]

"Meda get Nemesised."

[mycursedface]

Medusa glances down, hand skating up to brush her snakes.

"You...heard, I presume, of my...well. Curse and murder and all of that?"

[2020sight]

"Yes."

A beat; he doesn't look away.

Quietly: "Know that you don't have to explain if you don't want to."

[mycursedface]

"No, I do. I mean, not that, but, after I came back and everything...well, I couldn't...I ran off to Mama's for a bit, and then we went to Egypt. I couldn't stay..." She gestures.

"But, of course, we do have our duty to do and my various things aside, guards can't very well leave, so...Nemesis sent me crazy."

A wry, bitter smile.

"Half surprised I didn't bump into you, actually. Unless I did, and I just don't remember, but then you would be confused, so. Um. You aren't the only one who....vanished."

[2020sight]

"I see."

His voice is tight.

"You're better now, though. You're back."

[mycursedface]

"I'm back. Perfectly...well, as sane as I was." Her smile vanishes, and then flickers back. "Thank Artemis."

[2020sight]

"I will."

He presses his lips together, and takes a moment to clear a few dishes off the table.

As he returns to his stool, he says quietly, "You heard Prometheus was freed?"

[themiddlegorgon.livejournal.com]

"We did," Stheno says, for once without the acid in her voice.