Castor frowned. “What’s biting you? Of course it exists! We told you what Jason said. It belonged to a marvelous ram sent by the gods to rescue two royal children, Phrixus and Helle, from their murderous stepmother. A pity it wasn’t a perfect rescue. Phrixus reached Colchis safely, but his sister, Helle, fell off in mid-flight and drowned. Jason says that’s why the place where she plunged into the sea’s called the Hellespont. If that doesn’t prove the story’s true, what will satisfy you?”
“Anyone can give a place a name,” I said, rolling my eyes. “When I get home, I’ll name that olive grove near our training ground Wolf Forest and see what happens. A ram with a fleece of real gold, a flying ram that could carry the children through the skies to Colchis, where there are dragons, oh yes, that’s believable! That’s worth risking your lives for on a voyage across the world! I’ll bet you don’t care if that story’s true or not. You just want an excuse to go off chasing fame!”
Polydeuces set a honey cake on my already brimming plate. “There must be something waiting for us in Colchis, little sister,” he said gently. “Maybe not the gold fleece of a flying ram, but something. Why would Jason go to the trouble and expense of outfitting a ship for such a long, dangerous voyage otherwise?” He smiled wistfully and added, “You mustn’t worry about us. We’ll come back; we’ll be fine.”
He was right: I was worried about what would become of my brothers on that great adventure. But more than that, I envied them with all my heart. So what if the goal of their expedition was the phantom fleece of a ram that never existed? The fascinating lands my brothers would see and the exploits they’d share would be real enough. And I’d be left behind.
They’ll see marvels I can’t begin to imagine, I thought. Maybe they’ll even see that old sailor’s five-legged monster! Meanwhile, I’m going to be trundled home in an oxcart so thickly hedged around by Spartan soldiers that all I’ll see during my journey will be spears. It’s not fair! I can handle a sword almost as well as either of them, and I know I’m better with a bow and arrow!
My brothers left Delphi early the next morning. They left their traveling chests behind, to be carted back to Sparta along with me. Each carried only his weapons, a waterskin, a cloak, and a small leather sack of personal possessions. We said farewell at the temple gateway, with just one of our soldiers there to witness it and attend me. Prince Jason and the other heroes he’d already recruited weren’t there; Castor told me that they were waiting for my brothers to join them on the road that led north out of the city.
“This trip would be a lot easier if we had weapons bearers coming with us,” he grumbled, toeing his waiting pile of belongings. He looked rumpled, red-eyed, and hurting, not much of a surprise after all he’d had to drink the previous night. “You’d think every lad in Delphi would jump at the chance to join us on a fabulous quest like this.”
“We’ll have weapons bearers when we reach our quest’s start at Iolkos,” Polydeuces told him. “Maybe before. We’ll pass through many cities before we reach Iolkos. Jason hasn’t completed his crew yet.”
“I still don’t see why we can’t find any now,” Castor persisted. “It’s a fine opportunity for any boy who hopes to be a warrior someday. They can’t all have kinsmen to teach them about the warrior’s life and how to fight. We’d see to it that they learn how to use the sword and spear and shield they carry for us.”
“You don’t have shields,” I pointed out.
“We’ll get them in Iolkos!” Castor snapped, then winced and cradled his head tenderly in one hand. “Just as well I don’t have a shield yet: If that scrawny boy’d had the sense to become my weapons bearer, the weight of it would’ve crushed him.”
“What scrawny boy?” I asked.
“Someone with no stomach for adventure, that’s all,” Polydeuces said, resting one hand on my shoulder. “Not like us, eh, Helen?”
I’d meant to be cool and dignified about our leave-taking, wanting my brothers to remember me as a young woman, not a silly little girl. My intentions shattered the instant Polydeuces touched me and I realized that this might be the last time I’d ever see him or Castor alive. I burst into tears and held on to him fiercely.
“Don’t go,” I whispered.
“Shhh, Helen, shhh.” He stroked my back. “We’ll be fine, you’ll see. When we come home, I’ll bring back a tuft of gold from the fleece, just for you.”
“Tell the truth, little sister,” Castor said, tugging a lock of my hair lightly. “You’re upset not because we’re going but because you’re returning home.” He laughed as he swept me away from Polydeuces into his own strong embrace.
I gave him a hug and a kiss before pushing him away and declaring, “If I did want to go running off after an imaginary dead sheep, do you think you could stop me? You remember how well that worked when you didn’t want Glaucus to teach me how to use weapons.”
“Oh, I learned my lesson there,” Castor replied, feigning humility. “I know better now. If you wanted to win the Golden Fleece, I’m sure you’d find a way to reach Colchis long before we do. No one can stand in your way; no one would dare. Now that that’s settled, how about one last hug to see us off? Come on, let’s see if you can crack a rib or two for me, Frog-face!”
I thought I’d smother when both my brothers threw their arms around me. When they let me go and started down the street, I stood stone-faced until they were out of sight. Then, without bothering to see if my guard followed, I raced back to my room on the temple grounds and crumpled to the floor at the foot of my bed, sobbing.
I was still crying when a shadow fell across my bed. I looked up to see the Pythia, her moon-white face serene and comforting. She sat down beside me on the tiles and took my hand. “They’ll be fine.”
“That’s what they said,” I responded, trying to smile as I wiped away tears with my free hand. “When you say it, is it a prophecy or are you just trying to make me feel better?”