Attending to His Wounds

[Matthias]

Matthias sat at table in the winery, a bottle of alcohol on hand as he tended to a few minor wounds. He had seemed to have gotten lucky with that creature he had fought prior. He was sure the thing would have dissolved in the water and when it didn't, he thought for sure he would be joining his wife. When it lumbered away, he was left soaked and smelling of sea salt and almost ready to thank some random god for the luck, but never got so far.

His anger with the gods still remained very much intact. What a conquest he probably was in their eyes, but Matthias was determined to make it a futile one. He stripped the armor off of his chest and examined the wounds the hydra have given him in the forest. The sea water made each slash sting horribly. Taking a generous drink of wine, he then dunked a rag in a cup of water he had and began to clean out his wounds. He winced a little at the stinging but could feel some relief as he cleaned them out. He looked up to see a few people about, enjoying a glass or two of the wine before looking out a window, wondering what this place held next for him.

[Eris]

Eris sat in the plaza happily, she took in all the destruction and chaos created, the blood stained streets and the bodies, how she loved it all. She watched as the village men that survived the attack limp back to their stalls and homes, she smirked then canted her head as she watched Matthias walk to the winery and sit, a cold grin crossed her lips as her eyes darkened to a deep blue, her height lessened and she took on the more youthful appearance of Melody. Her silky sheer dress lightened to a pink hue, the slit on the side disappeared and all the gold vanished to a darker pink color to match her dress

Eris stood and sauntered into the winery, as she stood in the door she eyed Matthias "oooh your back" she said with a cheerful smile and she wandered closer to him, but as she got closer her fake smile faded "oh my what happened to you?"

[Matthias]

Matthias looked up and saw the strange girl from the forest. He then kept on cleaning out his wounds, takimg a drink of wine every so often before trying to dandage them. He still was not sure what to make of the girl, but said or thought nothing more of it for now.

"A hydra in the forest clawed me open," he replied. "And trying to lead a beast into drowning itself caused salt to get in the wounds."

[Eris]

Eris sat down next to him and watched him clean his wounds "you meet with a hydra?? and lived? you must be strong, did you find what you were looking for?" her deep blue eyes shimmering with excitement and curiosity not fear or concern

then she glanced out the door "i noticed something happened out there, a beast attacked again hmm? such is the life in Crete" she turned her gaze back to him

[Matthias]

Matthias shrugged a little. While most other guys might use that to their advantange and to inflate their egos, he was apathetic. He had lived, yes. Somehow. Perhaps luck favored him. Hell if he knew. He only knew that when it came down to it, fight or flight instincts kicked in, and he was a fighter, straight to the bone.

"Yes, I guess I am," he agreed, but not in an ego-tripping or even a sarcastic way. More in a humble sort of way. "Wasn't sure I was going to though, but seems the fates deemed it so. As for what I was looking for, I found a temple... One I am not foolish enough to enter or seek the aid of its inhabitant. Besides... what's done is done." His voice grew quiet as he thought of the life that was now over.

[Eris]

The disguised goddess perked a brow as she listened, she leaned in closer nodding here and there "i see well you must be brave indeed to face two monsters and men in one day" she smiled "oh so you found the temple" she paused a moment "not all who enter it are foolish some are desperate or brave, i think you are brave " she leaned back in her chair twirling her finger around a strand of her dark hair "besides one never know what is held within"

she then called for a glass of wine, the best they have

[Matthias]

Matthias sat back in his chair and folded his arms. The subject of the temple seemed to loom around this girl and he wondered why that was exactly. It was probably worth figuring out at some point.

"Hmmm, but brave or not, what is so great that I should go back on my own convictions and seek anything within those walls?" he posed the question. "You seem wise on the subject, what do others see?" He was trying to see what he could get out of her now. He had already made up his mind she was not normal. Just how abnormal was the question

[Eris]

Eris sat there canting her head as he asked his questions, she perked a slight brow but not enough to really be noticed. a man brought her the wine she asked for and she slid her slender hand around it to take a sip then she set the glass down

She shrugged "all i know is the goddess will do favors to those willing to do them for her, no one knows what goes on in her temples not even Zeus knows or so they say." she ran a finger along the rim of the glass making it sing as she does

[Matthias]

He considered her words for a long time. A favor for a favor. That could be useful one day. Maybe. He was not about to jump up just yet and run back. However, in a place like this, an ace up the sleeve could be helpful. He stored the information in the back of his mind for the time being. For now, life was simple and he hoped to keep it that way, as long as no more monsters reared their ugly heads.

"Hmmm, interesting," was all he offered in reply before drinking another moutful of wine from the bottle. "Though I suppose many of the gods and goddesses here vie for affection from us mere mortals." He seemed to add it as an after thought, his eyes on her, watching her.

[Eris]

Eris shrugged, of course the gods wanted the mortals worship, though affection wasn't the word she would have used "i suppose, but it is our duty as mortals to Revere and worship their greatness, what are we here for it not to serve them?" she canted her head some, were they the words of youth or perhaps something else.

She smiled and place a hand on his if he allowed her to "i know how to dress wounds such as those" she wanted to draw his questions away from the temple and she was somewhat glad he didn't ask about the goddess or the men in the forest.

[Matthias]

Matthias could only grunt a little in reply. Grunt and half chuckle. He shook his head, an amused smile on his face as he did. Perhaps life had hardened him too much and whether or not it was a pity at his age or not, he was not sure he knew or cared.

"I worshipped once," he stated. "I was rewarded with loss. Complete loss. My cries were not heard and my prayers were not answered. The only thing I trust now is the Fates; Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos."

He watched her put his hand on his, took another drink and nodded in reply. He was not adverse to help in being bandaged up. It made things easier. Looking back her, he gave his verbal consent "Go ahead."

[Eris]

She stood and moved to his side, she reached into a pocket and pulled out a red glass jar decorated in gold designs, she opened the gold lid and the smell of herbs filled the air around them, she dabbed a finger into the salve and went to place it over his wounds if he allowed "why trust the fates? aren't they the ones that decided to cut the strings of your families life?" a small smile crossed her lips "if you must put faith in someone why not someone who will aid you when you need it"

her words may seem more then just a suggestion, more like she knew something she wasn't saying...then again it could be her youth talking who knows

[Matthias]

He lingered on her words for a few moments, not even sure why he put as much though into it as he had. After a bit, he felt like he snapped out of it, whatever "it" was exactly. He then turned and looked at her while she helped to repair his body, the smell of the herbs almost making his sense of smell sharper.

"The Fates are not gods seeking worship" he said. They just 'are'. They cannot be swayed and do as they must." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "As much as I wish I could see my wife again, I know it is not to be." He opened his eyes "But they were not the ones who neglected to aid me and my men. I had asked the gods to protect my home and aid us to victory..." He then gave a look indicating resentment at a prayer unanswered.

[Eris]

Eris continued to place her special salve on his wounds, the creation would promote healing and even give a sense of ease, she often used it to heal her favorite soldiers, it also helped in making ones mind more open to suggestion. She finished up then started to bandage up the cuts "you don't know the fates that well then, any being that can think can be swayed....besides not every god can answer every ones prayers all the time, some don't hear it in time....and some can help when we fell most hopeless" she smiled some as she tried to push the idea into his mind again that there is much to be had at the forest temple

"if you truly wish to find answers i have heard a rumor, i hear from others that the great god of the underworld Hades is allowing mortals to ask him anything for only a few days"

[Matthias]

Matthias still was not going along with the idea of paying any sort of tribute to any gods. "As I hear it, only Zeus can control the fates," he stated with a sense of finality. His thoughts kept lingering some on the whole matter but his willpower regarding the issue was pretty firm. He didn't know many mortals that suddenly adored the gods when they felt ignored, especially after a major loss.

He turned his gaze back to her when she mentioned Hades was answering questions and raised a brow. "Is that so?" He thought about it for a moment or so. Even if he went, what would he want to know? Maybe to know that Linnea was in peace. Who better to ask, he supposed.