The spear points draw blood, Jason forced to turn and flee. More guards coming from the walls, penning him in, and these two spears advancing from behind. He can do nothing but run in a circle around the great hearth, young fabled king in the days before he is king, mantle flying out behind him, driven on by a wicked uncle. A story that won’t be told, the humiliation. The soldiers behind are clever, their spear points coming in under the mantle and making small cuts on his back until Jason is in full flight.

Leap, Pelias yells. Jason does seem to leap whenever a spear cuts. Pelias laughing. Use your hooves, Jason. Your mother is getting away. There’s still time. You could still have her, just like everyone else, every man and beast.

Jason no different from an animal, eyes wild, trapped, lungs and legs failing.

Stop, Medea shouts.

A great howl of laughter from Pelias. Stop she says. Okay. We’ll stop for Medea. Because she has commanded.

His men return to their places, and Jason collapses to the floor panting.

Medea raises her arms, rolls her eyes back, chants to Hekate.

Ah, Hekate. You think I’m worried about Hekate? I’m the son of Poseidon.

She hears him walk closer and feels the slap, hard, that knocks her to the side.

I am the daughter of Aeetes, she says. Granddaughter of Helios and priestess of Hekate.

You are a whore and a slave. He gestures for his men. They come take her by the arms, pick her up kicking and twisting. Another man then at each leg and she’s held aloft, limbs spread, helpless.

Hekate will rot you from the inside. Your guts will boil and come out your mouth in your own blood.

Vicious, Pelias says. But look at you now. I can do anything I like. Because I am king. You don’t seem to understand the power of a king. I can rape you and make my men stand in exactly that position all night, still holding you there, and come rape you again in the morning. I can do this until you die. You can scream, and everyone in Iolcus can hear, and still I can do whatever I want. I can cut small pieces away from you and feed them to my soldiers and people while you watch. I can make them eat, and I can make you watch. I can say Poseidon demands it. I am his son, son of the sea god.