Chapter 4: Preparations

Paul closed the door silently and turned to look at his wife. Leda sat motionless in the chair, her eyes slightly unfocused. Concerned, he crossed the room and took her hand.

“I’m okay, Paul,” she whispered. “I’m just a little shaken, that’s all.”

“That makes two of us,” he said, rubbing her cold, slender hand between both of his.

“It’s just so much,” she continued. “To go to Cignus? I have never thought of going there, Paul. Now that we know what Ilene is battling, we can help her. It’s just the idea of going to Cignus, seeing the ruins, scares me.”

“You don’t have to go, Leda,” he said gently. “No one said that. If you want, the Guardians can go.”

Leda shook her head. “I have to go, Paul. I can’t explain it, but I feel I have to go.” She looked up at him. “Do I sound crazy?”

“No, love,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “But if you go, I am going, too.”

“Paul,” she protested, but he placed a finger against her lips, effectively silencing her.

“You can’t fight me on that point, Leda. If you are going on this mission, I will accompany you.”

She nodded. “Okay, no argument. We need to start making plans then for this mission.”

She rose to her feet and headed to a nearby desk, pulling some paper and a pen from a drawer. She quickly began to write down the decisions that had to be made before their departure. Reading over her shoulder, Paul sounded his agreement.

As she paused for a moment, Paul cleared his throat. “Leda, there is a very important decision we have to make before we go.”

“What’s that, Paul?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him.

“Succession.”

* * * * *

“I’m sorry,” Scylla said as they walked down the hall to the Guardians’ chambers. “I had to offer them some hope.”

“I understand,” Cassandra replied.

“Do you think that they will go?”

Cassandra nodded. “Yes, Princess Leda will definitely go, and Prince Paul will accompany her. We, for our part, must decide who is going and who is staying. We cannot leave the palace unprotected.”

“The palace has sufficient guards,” Scylla stated.

Cassandra stopped and grabbed her arm. “We don’t know who used the curse or why they chose Lady Ilene. Until we know exactly who and what we are up against, we can’t let our guard down,” the Guardian said quietly.

She release Scylla’s arm and resumed a normal walking pace. “I need you to find Iphigenia and Dido. We will met in my room as soon as possible.”

“Of course,” Scylla replied obediently.

She paused as she turned down a different hallway from Cassandra. “Did I do the right thing, Cassandra?”

The Guardian of Hope closed her eyes for a moment before she answered. “Only time will tell, Scylla. But, yes, I think you did the right thing.”

* * * * *

Dido paused mid-sentence and turned her attention to the door. Iphigenia gave her friend a curious glance, wondering about the sudden silence. She leaned forward, touching the other’s arm.

“Dido? Everything okay?” the Guardian of History asked.

The Guardian of Compassion nodded absently, still focusing on the door. She rose from her chair and was halfway across the room when there was a knock on the door. Dido opened the door and ushered Scylla into the room. The expressions on the faces of the twins worried Iphigenia.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, glancing from Dido to Scylla.

“You both better come with me,” Scylla replied. “Cassandra and I will tell you what we know.”

“It’s about Lady Ilene, isn’t it?” Dido said.

Scylla studied for her sister for a brief moment before gesturing to the door. “Cassandra is waiting for us.”

Dido glanced over her shoulder at Iphigenia, noting the concerned look on the other woman’s face. Dido shrugged her shoulders and headed to the door. Iphigenia took a steadying breath and followed.

It didn’t take the trio long to walked to the other end of the hall to Cassandra’s room. As they enter, the Guardian of Hope gestured for them to take the other chairs, which formed a circle with hers. Shutting the door behind her, Iphigenia sat down beside Dido.

Cassandra looked at Scylla. “Okay, now you can tell them.”

Dido leaned back into the chair, crossing her arms and her legs. She hated waiting games and secrecy. She was more than ready to hear what Scylla and Cassandra had to tell her and Iphigenia. The feelings she got from Scylla was more than enough to tell her that the situation, whatever it was, was not good.

Scylla recounted the episode in Lady Ilene’s room. She felt Dido’s concern and also her sister’s disappointed that the other two Guardians were not informed sooner. She sighed as she ended her account, waiting for a response from the others.

“By the throne of Cignus,” Iphigenia whispered, her eyes wide in amazement.

Dido simply quirked an eyebrow as her response. “So, Cassandra, what is the plan?”

“Princess Leda and Prince Paul will go to Cignus in hopes of finding the manual and the necessary herbs for the treatment Lady Ilene needs. Some of us will have to accompany them.”

“Some of us?” Iphigenia interjected.

“Lady Ilene’s condition is worsening,” Scylla said. “I have to stay and help if I can.”

Dido sat up straight, drawing the other’s attention. “I’m going back to Cignus.” Her tone ordered no argument.

“I will go, as well,” Cassandra added. “Therefore, Iphigenia, I must ask you to stay here on Jupiter. You and Scylla must find out as much as possible about how Lady Ilene became ill.”

“But, Cassandra, I don’t think . . .”

“There’s no telling what we will find on Cignus,” Dido said. “It would be better if as few people as possible could go.”

“Please, Iphigenia,” Cassandra stated softly, “no more arguments. Princess Leda will have to make some arrangements, but we will probably leave tomorrow. With Dido’s help, of course.”

“Of course,” she replied dryly. “If you don’t need me, I will leave now.”

They watched her leave the room. With an expectant expression, Cassandra turned to Scylla. The Guardian of Mercy sighed before she turned to face their leader.

“You couldn’t expect this to be easy for her, Cassandra. She has tried to forget what happened that last night on Cignus.”

“I need to know if she can handle this mission, Scylla.”

“Yes,” Scylla said, looking Cassandra directly in the eye. “You know Dido. She will follow her duty to its end.”


Preparations Paul closed the door silently and turned to look at his wife. Leda sat motionless in the chair, her eyes slightly unfocused. Concerned, he crossed the room and took her hand. “I’m okay, Paul,” she whispered. “I’m just a little shaken, that’s all.” “That makes two of us,” he said, rubbing her cold, slender hand between both of his. “It’s just so much,” she continued. “To go to Cignus? I have never thought of going there, Paul. Now that we know what Ilene is battling, we can help her. It’s just the idea of going to Cignus, seeing the ruins, scares me.” “You don’t have to go, Leda,” he said gently. “No one said that. If you want, the Guardians can go.” Leda shook her head. “I have to go, Paul. I can’t explain it, but I feel I have to go.” She looked up at him. “Do I sound crazy?” “No, love,” he replied, kissing her forehead. “But if you go, I am going, too.” “Paul,” she protested, but he placed a finger against her lips, effectively silencing her. “You can’t fight me on that point, Leda. If you are going on this mission, I will accompany you.” She nodded. “Okay, no argument. We need to start making plans then for this mission.” She rose to her feet and headed to a nearby desk, pulling some paper and a pen from a drawer. She quickly began to write down the decisions that had to be made before their departure. Reading over her shoulder, Paul sounded his agreement. As she paused for a moment, Paul cleared his throat. “Leda, there is a very important decision we have to make before we go.” “What’s that, Paul?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Succession.” * * * * * “I’m sorry,” Scylla said as they walked down the hall to the Guardians’ chambers. “I had to offer them some hope.” “I understand,” Cassandra replied. “Do you think that they will go?” Cassandra nodded. “Yes, Princess Leda will definitely go, and Prince Paul will accompany her. We, for our part, must decide who is going and who is staying. We cannot leave the palace unprotected.” “The palace has sufficient guards,” Scylla stated. Cassandra stopped and grabbed her arm. “We don’t know who used the curse or why they chose Lady Ilene. Until we know exactly who and what we are up against, we can’t let our guard down,” the Guardian said quietly. She release Scylla’s arm and resumed a normal walking pace. “I need you to find Iphigenia and Dido. We will met in my room as soon as possible.” “Of course,” Scylla replied obediently. She paused as she turned down a different hallway from Cassandra. “Did I do the right thing, Cassandra?” The Guardian of Hope closed her eyes for a moment before she answered. “Only time will tell, Scylla. But, yes, I think you did the right thing.” * * * * * Dido paused mid-sentence and turned her attention to the door. Iphigenia gave her friend a curious glance, wondering about the sudden silence. She leaned forward, touching the other’s arm. “Dido? Everything okay?” the Guardian of History asked. The Guardian of Compassion nodded absently, still focusing on the door. She rose from her chair and was halfway across the room when there was a knock on the door. Dido opened the door and ushered Scylla into the room. The expressions on the faces of the twins worried Iphigenia. “What’s wrong?” she asked, glancing from Dido to Scylla. “You both better come with me,” Scylla replied. “Cassandra and I will tell you what we know.” “It’s about Lady Ilene, isn’t it?” Dido said. Scylla studied for her sister for a brief moment before gesturing to the door. “Cassandra is waiting for us.” Dido glanced over her shoulder at Iphigenia, noting the concerned look on the other woman’s face. Dido shrugged her shoulders and headed to the door. Iphigenia took a steadying breath and followed. It didn’t take the trio long to walked to the other end of the hall to Cassandra’s room. As they enter, the Guardian of Hope gestured for them to take the other chairs, which formed a circle with hers. Shutting the door behind her, Iphigenia sat down beside Dido. Cassandra looked at Scylla. “Okay, now you can tell them.” Dido leaned back into the chair, crossing her arms and her legs. She hated waiting games and secrecy. She was more than ready to hear what Scylla and Cassandra had to tell her and Iphigenia. The feelings she got from Scylla was more than enough to tell her that the situation, whatever it was, was not good. Scylla recounted the episode in Lady Ilene’s room. She felt Dido’s concern and also her sister’s disappointed that the other two Guardians were not informed sooner. She sighed as she ended her account, waiting for a response from the others. “By the throne of Cignus,” Iphigenia whispered, her eyes wide in amazement. Dido simply quirked an eyebrow as her response. “So, Cassandra, what is the plan?” “Princess Leda and Prince Paul will go to Cignus in hopes of finding the manual and the necessary herbs for the treatment Lady Ilene needs. Some of us will have to accompany them.” “Some of us?” Iphigenia interjected. “Lady Ilene’s condition is worsening,” Scylla said. “I have to stay and help if I can.” Dido sat up straight, drawing the other’s attention. “I’m going back to Cignus.” Her tone ordered no argument. “I will go, as well,” Cassandra added. “Therefore, Iphigenia, I must ask you to stay here on Jupiter. You and Scylla must find out as much as possible about how Lady Ilene became ill.” “But, Cassandra, I don’t think . . .” “There’s no telling what we will find on Cignus,” Dido said. “It would be better if as few people as possible could go.” “Please, Iphigenia,” Cassandra stated softly, “no more arguments. Princess Leda will have to make some arrangements, but we will probably leave tomorrow. With Dido’s help, of course.” “Of course,” she replied dryly. “If you don’t need me, I will leave now.” They watched her leave the room. With an expectant expression, Cassandra turned to Scylla. The Guardian of Mercy sighed before she turned to face their leader. “You couldn’t expect this to be easy for her, Cassandra. She has tried to forget what happened that last night on Cignus.” “I need to know if she can handle this mission, Scylla.” “Yes,” Scylla said, looking Cassandra directly in the eye. “You know Dido. She will follow her duty to its end.”


Chapter 5: Depature Jupiter's Gone