GOLDEN FLEECE QUEST:THE REUNION

“It’s all over and done with,” Castor said.

“We released all the prisoners and locked up Acastus,” said Pollux.

“And the jailor too,” Orpheus said.

Pelias was far from happy about that, but he didn’t dare protest.

“That, is what your parents wanted, Jason,” said Castor.

“And here are your parents,” Orpheus said.

The former king and queen, were in very bad shape. Like all the other one-time prisoners, they were pale skin and bone. Their hair was all long and tangled and their eyes stared lifelessly out of their sockets. Medea’s hair was turning grey, now that she was older and Aeson’s was fully grey.

No longer were they wearing fine royal garments. Instead, they were dressed in no more than worn out rags and footwear.

“It – it really is you, Heracles,” Aeson said faintly.

“That’s right, Aeson, my old friend.”

“I’m here too,” said Atalanta.

“And here is Jason,” Heracles said.

A deep silence fell, as Aeson and Medea looked at Jason. Neither of them totally recognized him, now that he was older.

“Is it really you, Jason?” Aeson asked.

“Yes, father, it is me.”

“Oh, Jason, our dear son,” Medea sighed faintly.

“Come here, son,” Aeson said faintly too.

Jason approached his parents and hugged them gently – first his mother, then his father.

“Oh, how we’ve suffered,” said Medea.

“We thought we’d never see you again.”

“It’s all over now,” Jason said.

The Argonauts looked on with mixed feelings of sadness, relief and happiness in their hearts. They were happy because Jason was reunited at last with his parents.

Pelias, on the other hand, was not pleased with how things had turned out, but there was nothing he could do about it. He just stood there speechless, awaiting his fate.

“Now then, what shall we do with Pelias?” Jason asked his parents.

“We shall have him imprisoned, for life,” replied Aeson.

Medea nodded in agreement.

“Then it is settled,” Jason said.

He faced the Argonauts.

“Castor, Pollux, Phalerus, have Pelias imprisoned in a separate cell,” he said. “And dressed as he is.”

“With pleasure,” Castor said.

The three Argonauts seized Pelias, who didn’t move and dragged him cursing out of the throne room.

“Tell us what has been happening over the years,” said Aeson.

“Well, after I was taken from the palace, Heracles and Atalanta raised me to manhood, far away in mountains. They taught me how to wield the sword, fire the arrow, throw the spear and to hunt. It was truly wonderful living out in nature.

“Then one day, I returned to Iolcos with Heracles and Atalanta, to confront Pelias. He refused to hand the kingdom back, unless I brought him the Golden Fleece.”

Aeson and Medea were taken aback with shock, though they were too weak to express it in their voices, or show it on their faces.

“The Golden Fleece?” Medea asked.

“I didn’t believe a word of it and neither did Heracles and Atalanta. All Pelias wanted was the Fleece.

“But I sailed to Colchis with all but one of these sailors, to get the Golden Fleece, just to fool Pelias into believing that I had fallen for his trickery.

“Heracles built a magnificent ship, called the Argo and found a crew, now known as the Argonauts. He joined the crew as well, along with Atalanta, Castor, Pollux and Phalerus. I myself, was the captain.

“One of the Colchians, whose name is Helios, joined the crew on the return journey.”

“Tell us about the voyage, Jason,” Medea said.

“As you wish.”

Jason was just about to begin, when Castor, Pollux and Phalerus came back into the throne room.

“It’s all over and done with,” Castor said.

“Pelias is locked up for life,” said Pollux.

“He won’t be causing any more trouble,” Phalerus said.

“Well done,” said Jason, who like everyone else, was most pleased.

“Jason will now tell Aeson and myself all about the voyage,” Medea said.

So Jason finally began.

“Well, it all began several months ago, I don’t know how many to be exact. The Argonauts and I left the shores of Thessaly and sailed far out to sea.

“Heracles steered the ship, Castor beat the drums, forty men pulled the oars and one sat on watch in the crow’s nest. I stood at the stern with Atalanta and Heracles.

“Our first stop, was the island of King Cyzicus. Conditions were rough along the way and we got blown off course by five miles.

“When we reached the island, we received very warm welcomes from King Cyzicus, Queen Megara and Princess Iona. We all had a fine feast and stayed overnight in the palace.

“The following day, we departed and sailed towards the island of King Amycus. Along the way, a ferocious storm sprung upon us. Heracles lost control of the steering, twenty oars were lost and the Argo was blown

off course by twenty miles.

“But we reached the island, although we weren’t given a warm welcome by King Amycus. The king came to the shore with dozens of soldiers, to prevent us from landing. Fortunately, Heracles took control of things. He saw to it that we landed and had Amycus tied to the mast.”

Aeson and Medea found that amusing, but they were too weak to laugh.

“After that, we defeated the soldiers, took on food and water and made new oars. Then we sailed on.”

“What became of King Amycus?” Medea asked.

Jason decided not to reveal the truth of the matter concerning the fate of Amycus. The last thing he wanted, was for his parents to look upon him and the Argonauts in shame and in the royal house of Thessaly.

The Argonauts hoped that Jason wouldn’t reveal the truth, for they were all in the same frame of mind.

“We released him,” Jason lied, to the relief of the Argonauts.

“That’s good to know,” Aeson said. “Now continue.”

“After leaving the island of King Amycus, we sailed on to the island of Phineus. Conditions were a little rough, but we reached the island without being blown off course.

“Phineus told me all about the devastating decline of his kingdom and how he ended up in exile. A very sad story it was. Heracles and Atalanta told me of it years ago, but to hear it from Phineus himself, that was something.

“However, Phineus doesn’t miss being king. He’s just happy with what he has now.”

Jason paused for a moment.

“After visiting Phineus, the Argonauts and I sailed the final leg of the journey to Colchis. Along the way, we got caught in another storm and were blown off course, by fifteen miles. Eighteen oars were lost too. However, we reached Colchis in the end.

“First of all, we stopped to make some oars and to rest, before heading for the city of Aea.”

Jason decided not to tell his parents about Heracles casting Mopsus overboard. The last thing he wanted, was to put Heracles in a bad light in their eyes.

“When we reached the city, we went straight to the palace of King Aeetes, which is where the Golden Fleece happened to be.

“Fortunately, we were allowed in by Aeetes, who treated us with kindness. We feasted with the king and stayed overnight in the palace.

“During the night, Heracles seized the Fleece with a little inside help from Helios and one of the servants.

“When Aeetes discovered that the treasure was missing, he questioned us, but we managed to convince him that we had nothing to do with it.

“After that, we set out on the return voyage, taking Helios with us. Though things didn’t go as planned at first.”

“What went wrong?” Medea asked.

“Aeetes found us out and came after us with a fleet of twelve war galleys. He threatened to sink us to the bottom of the sea if I didn’t hand the Fleece back.”

“Did you give it back?” asked Medea, who didn’t like the way the story was going.

“No.”

“What did you do with it?” asked Aeson, who was a little on edge.

Jason had been waiting for that moment. Managed he had to avoid telling his parents about Mopsus, but he had to tell them about what he did with the Fleece. There was no way out of it.

“I cast it into the sea.”

Aeson and Medea were taken shocked.

“You never?” Medea asked.

“I did.”

“Why, Jason?” asked Aeson.

“Because it’s what King Cyzicus would have done. Cyzicus said that no living mortal has the right to own the Fleece, that it never should have been stolen from the last of the golden sheep of Colchis. Now no one can lay their hands on the Fleece.”

“What did Aeetes do?” Medea asked.

“He turned his fleet round and headed back to Colchis. With the Fleece gone, he would have had no reason to attack. That is what I believe.”

Aeson and Medea were relieved to hear that.

“Jason saved us all,” said Atalanta.

“It pleases me to hear that,” said Aeson, who like Medea, was most proud of Jason.

“What happened next, Jason?” Medea asked.

“For eight days and nights, we sailed in perfect conditions, until we reached the island of Phineus again.

“After spending a little time with Phineus, we sailed on to the island of King Amycus. Conditions were rough at times, but we reached the island without being blown off course. We landed on the other side of the island, to avoid the king.

“Then we sailed onto the island of King Cyzicus. Conditions were rough from time to time along the way. For two days and nights we were engulfed in thick fog and had to stop. Still, we reached the island without being driven off course.

“Again we feasted with Cyzicus, Megara and Iona and stayed in the palace overnight.

“After that, we sailed back here to Thessaly. Unfortunately, a very bad storm came upon us. Twenty- two oars were lost, the sail was struck by lightning and we were driven off course by forty miles. Yet we made it, in spite of everything.

“And so, the adventure of Jason and the Argonauts ends,” said Atalanta.

For a moment, there was silence. It was a lot for Aeson and Medea to take in.

“That, is the most fascinating story, I have ever heard,” Aeson said.

“It shall be handed down, from generation to generation in Thessaly,” said Medea.

“Thank you,” Jason said.

He and the Argonauts, were very pleased to hear what Aeson and Medea had just said.

“As soon as we arrived here, we defeated Pelias’ men,”

Jason said. “Heracles forced Pelias to hand back the kingdom and throne and saw to it that the pair of you were released.”

“Well done, all of you,” said Aeson.

“Yes, well done,” Medea said.

At last, it was all over.

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