(no subject)

[perfect_enigma]

Hera was right when she said they would know lots of people there. Persephone and her king, Calliope and Kleio with her husband and a few other women who could only be their other sisters, Prometheus and Pandora, kings and queens from throughout the continent and isles. They all slowly drifted apart once they were inside, moving towards or away people they knew.

“The grand captain thief.”

“And his loyal crew.”

They all turned to see the two. A man and woman dressed in the elegant styles and colors of Troy. He had his arm over her shoulder and they had almost identical grins. He had sharp blue eyes but her own were obscured behind tinted lenses in a wire frame. There were too many children of Troy for Zephyrus to feel comfortable making any kind of guess as to who they were.

Jason took their random greeting easily and with a slight bow at the young man and a kiss to the woman’s knuckles. “It’s good to see you both again. Looking very well I might add.”

“You can’t flirt with a priestess.” She admonished but made no effort to withdraw her hand.

“I can, I just can’t do anything else.” Jason pointed out.

“You’ve picked up a few more strays?” The man asked asked, not seeming to mind the flirting. He was focused on Zephyrus who bristled at being called a stray.

“Zephyrus. Of the Boreadnai.” He introduced sharply.

“No wonder you look familiar princeling.” She glided away from Jason and her companion to look closer at Zephyrus. Up close, he could see past the glasses and saw their eyes were as identical as their smiles.

“We’ve met before?”

“Only briefly,”

“With our brother and father.” The young man finished for her just like he had before. “Helenus, that is Cassandra.” She curtseyed.

“Oh, I’m sorry I don’t remember you.”

“That’s ok, there are a lot of faces to be lost in at home.” And she was moving on, over to Orpheus. “And you’ve met my brother the last time you all came through Ilium but not me.” She pouted as if that was a huge insult.

“Isn’t meeting one the same as meeting the other?” Pollux chimed in.

Helenus rolled his eyes. “We can’t read each other’s minds.”

“Just each other’s faces.” She added with a laugh. “I’m Cassandra.” She held her hand out to Orpheus who mimicked Jason and kissed the back of it.

“I’m Orpheus, pleased to meet you.”

“I hope you don’t change your mind.” She smiled and drifted on to Atalanta, throwing her arms around her in a tight hug. The engineer could easily lift her a few inches off the ground. “Your joints are holding up.”

“They are, princess. Thank you. How are you and Helenus?”

“The city has gotten more restrictive without a familiar woman sailing in.” Cass shrugged. “But her business was much more important then saying hello.”

“I hope you’re talking about the ship and not my engineer.”

Cass smirked and shrugged magnanimously. “A ship is its engineer. And your engineer is part ship.”

“You better run wind prince.” Helenus suddenly spoke up. He caught Zephryus’ eyes and nodded towards one of the doors into the hall. An older blond woman, still beautiful and elegant, had just walked in on the arm of a man who held himself like a king.

Zephyrus looked at him suspiciously. Cass went back to her brother’s side, looking ready to defend him. “How do you…”

“They know everything.” Meleager explained. “Don’t question how.”

Zephyrus didn’t see the point in arguing and shifted so he could keep an eye on the newcomers while remaining as hidden as possible. Cass went back to her rounds of greetings, Meleager first and finally Hercules. ‘Erc didn’t seem to know what to do with her and the knowing way she looked at him.

“There’s a reason Jason prefers the twins as friends.” Pollux said quietly to Orpheus and Zephyrus while Cassandra was distracted with Jason’s attempts to lure a dance from her. “They know enough to be dangerous enemies.”

“It’s unnerving.” Zephyrus mumbled, embarrassed at being so bothered when no one else seemed to be.

“They do that on purpose.”

“It’s supposed to keep people away.” Helenus said absently, purposefully looking straight ahead, but there was an amused quirk to his lips. He glanced at them and smiled apologetically. “We are used to Jason’s crew, it’s not often he brings in new people.” Zephyrus recognized it as being the closest thing they might get as an apology for freaking them out.

“What are you doing to my medic?”

“Why is everyone yours?” Meleager sighed.

“My ship. My crew.” Jason shrugged.

Helenus quirked an eyebrow and looked back at Zephyrus. “You’re a medic?”

“I was studying medicine in Pelia before I joined the Argonau.” Zephyrus said proudly, for all his vaunted knowledge, it seems there were things the twins didn’t know.

“You’ve ended up on a good ship.” Cassandra spoke up.

“They’re getting closer Zephyrus.” Helenus was looking again at the two people who had come in earlier.

Zephyrus followed his gaze and grimaced. “If you’ll excuse me then.”

Orpheus caught his hand as he started to walk away. “I’ll join you.” The two disappeared into the crowd in the opposite direction of the two Zephyrus was avoiding.

“If everyone’s splitting up then,” Meleager held out his arm to Atalanta. “Shall we? Maybe see who our dear medic is avoiding.”

“I’d be delighted.” She snagged a drink off the tray of a passing waiter and let herself be guided off.

With the group lessened, Helenus focused on Pollux. “We have information for you.”