Greece

"I know, you rejected me because I said you were." Orion said still relaxing.

"I rejected you because we were not compatible at that instance. I just wanted impulse, power, madness." she said. "I guess I got it."

Orion sighed. "Then what was I?"

"Stable, dependable." Aurora said. "Not dysfunctional enough."

"Too much like Athena then, not enough Ares." Orion said.

"Except for your anger, which is his worst quality to have inherited." Aurora said.

"Anger can be useful." Orion said. "When aimed properly."

"But never in teems of love." she noted.

"Ever heard of the saying 'it's a thin line between love and hate.' " Orion joked.

Aurora quietly submerged in the hot spring, coming back up in a few seconds. "I don't really want to talk about this anymore."

"Fine, you brought it up." Orion smiled.

Aurora blocked everything out and floated on her back.

Orion looked her curved, feminine form over as she floated before leaning back himself.

"Hey, I've heard you lot claim to be the fastest riders from Laconia/Arcadia," a soldier asked to one of the brothers. They looked at one another and nodded, "Not the fastest riders, but I'm certain we would be the fastest riding family around."
"How many of you are there?"
"In order of age, I am Adeipho, Cohn, our only sister Cyniska, Dorian and then little young one here is named Rasmos."
"Four riders... alright then..."
"No, the sister rides as well. She is as worthy as a man, and can out-ride myself and my brothers any day. Allow us to prove our statement."
"Why don't you meet me outside the city by the ruins, let's say noon? We will, test your theory of five."

As the soldier walked away, Cyniska grabbed the arm of Adeipho.
"What are you doing? He'll spread the word and probably even get that god involved."
"Then you better get yourself prepared to go up against a god."
"You know what happens if the gods are upset."
"That seer sent you a message to prove yourself worthy... this is your chance. And if the gods want to turn you into a toad, I'm sure one of us boys won't mind faring you a kiss to change you back."
"It's too late any way, we cannot be seen as quitting from the deal now."


~~~~~~

The soldier told an advisor who went to Orion. He stood at the doorway not proceeding any closer.

"My lord?"

Orion looked over as he was putting his armor on, he was going to spar with some soldiers for a bit. Aurora laid relaxing on his bed in his tent at the camp. Orion looked to the advisor. "Yes?" He asked.

"There is talk amongst the soldiers of a challenge cross country ride, to determine who is the best rider that fares from the lands of Laconia and Arcadia. I believe, your Lordship, will settle that debate easily..." the advisor began, "If you claim the title, the merchants are willing to give you a horse for free with the second one discounted to a third the cost. If one of theirs wins, you will endorse them and fund their passage to Athens on-board the morning ship.

Think it over sir, the humiliation is something the men haven't seen for quite some time and the comedy is well needed."

Orion sighed and sat back. "A bit unfair...pitting a God against a mortal, and a god with the immortal horse Arion which is faster than even Hermes."

"Ah, this is where you be amazed, my lord... they are claiming to be able to out run even a god," the advisor said sniggering.

Orion got up. "Fine, then let's get this over with."

"Cyniska! Orion of Sparta is competing against us with his men!" Ramos cried out hurrying to her. She drew a breath and paled, and the brothers brought her horse over to her, "You still have the gift of the seer?"

Cyniska went to her sack and withdrew a brooch that she pinned underneath her cloak, then joined her brothers watching as in the distance she saw her opponents coming to meet their challenge.

Orion rode up with his best Spartan riders. "So, I hear we have ourselves a little race coming up?"

"You have heard correctly," the brothers said rallying up the watchful crowd, "This will be the moment when the little unknowns bring down the mighty, to claim the title of the best from the lands of Laconia and Arcadia."

Cyniska wanted to hide her head, her brothers were really building themselves up for a worse punishment if they failed in the race.

Orion smirked and chuckled. "Confident...that's good, now if only you had been born Spartan men." He said. "So how shall we do this race?"

"But we..." Ramos almost begun until his brothers quickly gave him a shove, to disclose of their royalty, "If it pleases, may our sister decide?"

Cyniska swallowed a gulp having the eyes upon her, "I would propose the mountain of the God Hermes- Mount Kyllini... for its barren, rocky and forested landscape. Only the best can ride through the woods of the mountain."

Orion narrowed his eyes at the brothers before looking to Cyniska. "That is fine by me." He agreed.