Quoted By:
Awakening very early the next morning, you find that the screaming pain of your shoulder has muffled to merely very loud shouting – inspecting yourself, you find that the extensive purple bruising of your shoulder and right arm has dulled, and at the fringes, beginning to go yellow. You risk unbandaging your head to wash and oil your hair properly, wincing as you do so – clumps of hair and clotted blood are in the washbasin, but your ink-dark curls are so voluminous as to hide the nasty gash on your scalp.
>Hippomedon has 3/13 wounds!
You arrange your robes so that the majority of your bruising is hidden, and eat breakfast in the feast hall of Eurykratides.
This early, only a scattered few nobility are present (guests of Eurykratides all), and none dare interrupt your morning meal, although you’re certain that you're surreptitiously observed – they are all desperate to know the full extent of your injuries. Of course, you pretend that nothing ails you, and go so far as to wave to the servants with your right arm, hiding your pain with brazen will, while curious eyes watch. Let Hyperbius hear that you are without distress, and perhaps shade his too-confident expectations…
Your mind is clearer today, and as you consume huge quantities of grain, meat, eggs, and further Trachian substance, you apply your general’s logic to the upcoming event. Hyperbius is clearly more dangerous than you had given him credit for – if anything, the man is a younger, less seasoned version of yourself. How would you go about capturing yourself? Given your wounded state, you need allies. Fortunate that Hyperbius has been so eager to make them for you - the twins would leap at the chance for revenge, you expect. The Aegyptian, while personable, has no vendetta against the Theban… but may be swayed by the opportunity to knock out a competitor. In fact, from the Aegyptian’s perspective, nothing would be to his benefit more than if yourself, the twins and Hyperbius clash ineffectively and remove yourselves from the competition in the process. Hmm. You’d have to convince him to settle for cooperation and reasonable certainty in a second place finish, over a gamble for first place. And there is the greater issue – Faibokranef ambushed the twins outside the arena in support of Dadaces - the Sardinians are likely to mistrust the man. It may be difficult to convince them to work together, but you should make the attempt, as a fourth man would guarantee success!
Locating the twins is trivial – the pair of golden giants are jovial guests, greeting everyone they meet. A few questions of Eurykratides’ domestic staff places them on the northern trail to the beaches of the Malian Gulf – they had asked the Trachian King to loan them back their old competition boat yesterday. Given the very early hour (rosy-fingered Dawn is only just beginning to make herself seen), fishing in the sea must be their goal.
>cont
