GOLDEN FLEECE QUEST:RETURN to THESSALY

The following day, Jason and the Argonauts returned to the Argo, accompanied by Cyzicus, Megara and Iona.

Jason was given a shield by the king to replace the one he had used to tie the Fleece to. Helios was given a sword, a shield and a coat of armour.

Jason and the Argonauts felt sad about parting with the royal family, most of all Heracles and Atalanta.

“Well, this is it,” Jason sighed.

“Yes, this is it,” Atalanta sighed too.

“Time to head back to Thessaly,” said Heracles.

“I wonder how long we’ve been away,” Jason said.

“Several months I imagine,” said Heracles.

The three of them turned to face the royal family.

“So this is goodbye?” the king asked.

“It is, your lordship,” replied Jason.

“It’s been a great honour to know you, Jason,” Megara said.

“It’s been an honour for me too,” said Cyzicus.

“And for me,” Iona said.

“I thank your lord and ladyship and you, princess.”

The royal family turned to Heracles and Atalanta.

“This is goodbye to you two as well,” said Cyzicus.

“It is indeed, your lordship,” Heracles replied.

“I hope that you’ll both come again,” said Megara.

“We will, your ladyship,” Atalanta said.

“We’ll be waiting,” said Iona.

That sounded perfect to Jason, for he too wanted to see Cyzicus, Megara and Iona again. But he didn’t let on.

So the sailors got back onboard the Argo and left the island. No more stops were there now before Thessaly.

“Another ten to twelve days and it will all be over,” Heracles said.

“Yes,” said Castor. “We’ll be back on the shores of Thessaly.”

“If the weather holds good,” Atalanta said.

The last thing, the sailors wanted, was for the weather to take a bad turn against their favour. Not on the final stretch of open sea.

For the first four days and nights, things went calmly, but after that, it all changed again.

“The wind’s starting to pick up,” said Atalanta.

“The sea’s getting rougher too,” Heracles said.

“I hope we’re not in for another storm,” said Jason.

All of the sailors were concerned and they had need to be.

The sea became wilder and the wind stronger. The Argo started rocking from side to side.

Helios, who was afraid of being thrown into the sea, tried to cling to the mast.

“I think it’s best if Helios comes down,” Atalanta said.

“I think so too,” said Heracles.

“We certainly don’t want him ending up in the sea,” Jason said.

“YOU’D BETTER COME DOWN FROM THERE, HELIOS,” said Heracles.

“ON MY WAY.”

Helios fearfully descended from the crow’s nest.

“Hold on to the mast again,” Heracles said to him.

“This could get worse,” said Atalanta.

The moment she said that, a huge mass of grey clouds came over the horizon. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed.

“Look at that storm coming,” Idas said.

“That’s all we need,” said Phalerus.

“Too bad,” Orpheus said.

“Too bad indeed,” said Admetus.

“Especially at a time like this,” Pollux said.

“And we’re just days from home,” said Butes.

Heracles didn’t get annoyed this time and neither did Jason and Atalanta. They too were just as disturbed as the other sailors.

Helios, who had never faced a storm at sea, was most fearful.

Closer and closer the storm came, until finally, it engulfed the Argo.

Torrential rain cascaded, thunder clapped, lightning struck the water and the wind picked up.

The sea grew wilder too. Large waves crashed onto the deck – sending spray everywhere.

It was too bad for the oarsmen. They fell off the benches and were being tossed about this way and that.

Heracles lost control of the steering and almost ended up in the sea. Helios lost his grip on the mast and nearly ended up overboard.

Twenty-two oars were lost and the sail was struck by lightning.

For four long restless days and nights the mayhem lasted, before subsiding. None of the sailors had been severely wounded.

“That, was the worst storm so far,” said Heracles.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Atalanta said.

“Too bad about the sail,” said Jason.

“Too bad indeed,” Heracles said. “Still, it won’t stop us.”

“The oarsmen will have to row harder,” said Atalanta.

“With the oars we have left,” Jason said.

“The oarsmen will have to take turns again to row,” said Castor.

“They must rest first, Heracles said.

“See if we’ve been driven off course,” said Atalanta.

Heracles checked the compass. He didn’t like what it read.

“We’ve been driven off course, by forty miles.”

“That is too bad,” Castor said.

Losing twenty-two oars and being steered off course by forty miles was bad enough, but there were far worse problems. The ruined sail was the biggest one.

“It will take longer to get back to Thessaly,” said Heracles.

“Why?” Jason asked.

“Because the wind won’t be able to blow the Argo, not now that the sail is ruined.”

“How much longer will it take?” asked Castor.

“Right now, I have no idea,” Heracles replied.

There was another problem, which the sailors had to face and that was how much food and water to have on a daily basis.

“We’ll have to cut down on the food and water we have each day,” said Atalanta. “We certainly don’t want to run out before we reach Thessaly.”

“I agree,” Jason said.

“I bet the rest of the crew will be relieved when this is all over,” said Heracles.

After a few hours of rest, the sailors got ready to continue.

“We’ve stayed here long enough,” Atalanta said.

“Let’s get back to it,” said Heracles.

“Right,” Jason said.

The captain turned to the oarsmen.

“Now listen up. We’ve lost many oars, so you’ll have to take it in turns again to row. It will take longer to reach Thessaly, now that the sail is ruined. The wind is no longer on our side. We’ll have to cut down on our daily amount of food and water too. We don’t want to run

out before we reach Thessaly, whenever that will be.”

The oarsmen were far from pleased, but they knew better than to start complaining.

“Now let’s get moving,” Jason said. “Back into the crow’s nest, Helios.”

Helios did as he was ordered.

“Helios must be really shaken up,” said Atalanta.

“I bet he’ll be glad when it’s all over,” said Heracles, who prepared to steer.

“I will too,” Castor said.

“Now row away,” Jason said to the first group of oarsmen.

“And no complaining,” Heracles said firmly.

He turned the Argo and the oarsmen pulled away.

The rowers started slowly, to get back into the rhythm, before picking up the pace. Soon they were rowing, faster than ever before.

Later on, the other group took over.

So that’s how things continued from then onwards.

Rowing faster was the only option and having less food and water on a daily basis didn’t make things easier.

Conditions weren’t always perfect either. There were showers, strong winds, rough waters, but no more

storms.

Heracles managed to keep the Argo on course, though not without difficulty.

Then after thirteen long days and nights, the shores of Thessaly finally came into view.

The city of Iolcos was directly ahead.

“We’ve made it,” Jason said.

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