Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The Underworld was much larger than one may believe at first. Elysium especially- when it seemed that one had seen all there is to see within the blessed fields, a new path would open up. And Elysium was truly not so different from the mortal realm. It was not stagnant or unchanging: it was filled with life, though not of the conventional sort. It was truly a world crafted by Gods, and not only those who dwell within the House of Hades. 

With the many paths and routes Elysium held, it was easy to get lost, or take a wrong turn into some mysterious new world. Perhaps the realm sensed when it's residents needed something new, and this was a method it meticulously crafted to ward off boredom- or maybe, just maybe, the shades dwelling here would be incapable of truly appreciating the paradise they'd been given, were they not faced with the occasional Inconvenience. 

(And, of course, it was inconvenient to be lost, most of the time. But the Gods were not so cruel as to force a shade to wander, lost and aimless, until the realm was reclaimed by whatever primordial originator from which Chaos sprang. Some locations, like a home, or a market, or the library, or somewhere else significant and important could easily be willed to appear beyond a gate for those who needed it. And it was not so hard to recall directions, for the most part, as Elysium stayed relatively consistent for those who lived within it. From the arena gates, going three doors south and then to the east would always lend to a smaller, less populated marketplace. From Patroclus' glade, going west once then continuing north would lead to Elysium's only library. If Theseus got lost on this route, well… it would be his own fault for forgetting.)

And (in Theseus' opinion), journeying around Elysium was one of the best ways to spend the infinite time they'd been allotted in the afterlife. He'd been on a great many adventures in life, so it only made sense for him to continue on them even in death, to make new discoveries. And now he could make those discoveries alongside Asterius as well!

(In the past, Theseus was content to travel by his lonesome; there were certainly heroes he knew in life and death who could tolerate him enough to accompany, but the king was far too stubborn to ask for the companionship of shades who wouldn't be able to truly enjoy the experience. Most shades had completely shed their mortal desires, and now only wished to lounge and recline, taking full advantage of the paradise they'd been given. But Theseus was restless , in life and death alike he was restless, and he simply couldn't be satisfied by spending the rest of his afterlife idling away. Asterius was much the same, though for different reasons. It was another small part of why they got along so well with one another. The bull equally enjoyed taking advantage of Elysium's scenery, of touching soft grass and picking strange flowers. He enjoyed the pleasures of a world that was never stagnant, and that here, he never had to worry about being too big, or too monstrous, to fit where he pleased.)

On their days away from the arena, Theseus often sees groups of nymphs rushing towards somewhere or the other, holding baskets of flowers, of potted plants, of seeds…

He's seen them bury small saplings into the earth, and dance to make them grow into something massive and glorious. Fruit trees, typically, as those were the most beneficial to those who were blessed with Elysium's splendors. But there were others, too: a species of tree that bees (or their ghostly equivalent) preferred, for those who cooked and created with honey, firs that secreted balsams to be used for medicine, others with bitter roots that could be boiled for tea…

There was a time where Asterius brought his king a leaf from a tree which, according to him, served exactly none of those purposes. The leaf was longer than it was broad, with small fronds that spread along it's center stalk.

It was the same blue-green as most other plants within Elysium (the Minotaur had pondered this: perhaps it was due to Ixion's flames being blue if the rumors were to be believed, or maybe the Lethe ran underneath the ground and all flora soaked up it's colour through their roots, or maybe teal was simply queen Persephone's favourite colour, and Lord Hades wanted to impress… ), and fell, Theseus learned, from an utterly massive tree.

While taking Theseus to see it for himself, Asterius recounted how he discovered it:

"I was headed towards the market. I wanted to buy snacks," he said.

(Unlike the king who would've easily forgotten his original task if he got distracted by something grander, the Minotaur did, indeed, purchase snacks for them both. As they walked together, they shared biscuits; some were topped with pressed dandelion blossoms, others were cooked with poppy seeds. Asterius loved to shop in the wee hours of Elysium's mornings, where most other shades were still asleep and he could purchase baked goods as fresh as possible)

"There was a gate. The door looked different from the others, and I became curious."

As they stood before it, Asterius reached out to press a hand against the glade's entrance. The gate, Theseus observed, was not gold, but bronze, with a simple design etched into it. It reminded him somewhat of the symbol of Artemis, which would always appear to him as he made offerings to her before a battle within the arena.

"I went inside, obviously. I'm not sure if I was supposed to, but it doesn't really matter. Look- this is what I was referring to."

Theseus couldn't have looked anywhere except for what Asterius was referring to in that moment; in the middle of the glade stood the largest tree Theseus had ever seen, far larger than any he'd ever seen in life. It's many leaves completely blotted the artificial sky above their heads, except for a few small patches where light was able to filter through. Even the grass was lush, soft and thick enough for their feet to sink into.

The trunk of the tree was far too large for even Asterius to wrap his arms fully around, though that certainly doesn't mean he didn't try to. The king snorted out a laugh as his beloved partner promptly said "Watch this," and attempted to throw himself against hardy wood. The resulting impact caused several small pinecones to fall around their feet, with some managing to latch onto Asterius' horns.

"This tree is bigger than both our arm spans combined! Just what do you hope to achieve, my friend?", Theseus teased. 

"Hmm. Not sure." Asterius admitted, tossing his head back and forth to unlodge the comes from his head. "I wonder how high I could throw you into its branches…"

"What a marvelous idea, dear Asterius! Let us test it out right away!l"

But then, as the Minotaur clutched his king for their potentially poorly thought out plan, they gazed upwards, into the branches which seemed to reach endlessly upwards, then again at the trunk, which, while textured intricately, lacked the curves that made other trees good for climbing. Therefore…

"You wouldn't be able to get down… at least, not without hurting yourself," sighed Asterius in disappointment.

Theseus gasped, haunted by this revelation. "Perhaps I could drop down from its heights, and you could catch me in your welcoming arms," he suggested.

"We both know I'm better at throwing than catching, king."

Theseus conceded, recalling how poorly games of toss between them tend to go. One such occasion led to the poor bull getting tomato juice splattered across his chest, which, while admittedly hilarious (they shared a laugh about it while Asterius bathed, and Theseus washed out the stain in this chiton), did not have good implications in their present situation.

"We will simply have to appreciate this gorgeous flora another way," mused Theseus as Asterius set him back down, "We could picnic beneath it, or camp out here for a few days or nights, or take some of its leaves home and dry them- I wonder if we could make a dye from them? What a lovely shade of green they are! Don't you think so too, Asterius? Asterius?"

Asterius was not listening- he was occupied, staring out at something Theseus couldn't see on the other side of the large trunk. 

"Something's here," he whispered.

"Something is? Whatever could it be?"

The king clamored onto Asterius, hiking himself up until his chin settled onto a broad shoulder- it was much easier to see this way, and the Minotaur did not mind the extra weight. 

Indeed, there was something , causing the thick grass to rustle wherever it moved. What was it, off in the distance? Theseus squinted, but it was hard to make out the form of it (which, incidentally, had absolutely nothing to do with his vision being slightly blurry).

It seemed unlikely that any other shades would be here, in such an isolated glade… but then again, it was equally possible that this land had been claimed for the purpose of isolation, much like Patroclus and his empty glade. Or maybe- the champions weren't supposed to be here in any capacity, and Lord Hades, or Lady Night, or some other daemon had come to scold them both. They could only stand and watch as it emerged slowly from behind a moss covered stone...

To their surprise (and relief), the creature they gazed at was not another shade, nor an angry god come to punish them both for trespassing...but rather a deer. And, l ike the tree in the glade's center, the deer was far larger than any Theseus had witnessed in life, with fur the colour of fresh snow. It's most distinct feature, however, were it's horns; solid gold, glimmering where the light shone upon them.

Theseus bowed his head down against Asterius' ear, loudly murmuring: "A deer of Artemis…! We must keep our distance, my friend, for these creatures are incredibly timid!" 

"Deer of Artemis?"

"It is beautiful, is it not? Legends say that the goddess of the hunt travels by way of golden-horned deer. Some hot-blooded young hero must have shot this one down- I can only imagine the kind of horrific punishment he might've endured in retaliation! Have I told you the story of Actaeon, who- "

"Theseus!" Asterius exclaimed, interrupting the soliloquy his king was certainly about to go on in the process. " Look!"

Theseus promptly turned his head- the stag, with its horns of gold and glistening white fur, had noticed them (undoubtedly due to Theseus' inability to whisper), but it did not turn to run as the king had suspected it would. In fact, it did quite the opposite, it was coming towards them! They watched as it came near, and as it settled itself only a few inches away from them, bowing its head as if in greeting. 

The king, in his complete and total disbelief, forgot to cling to Asterius, and promptly slid off his back and onto soft grass. 

"Oh, Asterius!”, gasped Theseus, now an awed puddle on the ground, “It's so gorgeous , it's majestic , it's- oh, Gods!! Do you think it would let me touch it?! Gods, I want to touch it. Asterius my friend, would you think ill of me if I tried to touch it??" 

Asterius, meanwhile, was silent. He seemed frozen in place- at least, Theseus thought he was, until he noticed him rustling around in their little sachet of biscuits. 

"Golden deer of Artemis…", said Asterius, "please snack with us."

He breached the distance between the deer and himself with a stretch of his arm, holding a dandelion biscuit for it to sniff.

Theseus quickly stood, brushing dust and leaves off his chiton as he did so. Dear, dear Asterius was always so thoughtful!
"Asterius, how incredibly generous you are! Very well, then- I too will implore you to snack with us!"

"It would be our honour."

"It would give us no greater joy!!"

The deer pressed its nose against the biscuit, investigating it curiously. Then… it timidly took a bite, eating right out of the bull's hand. 

The champions both fell silent for some time, watching the deer as it ate…and once it finished, it pressed itself against the Minotaur's hand, as if to thank him. And to…

"Is it...giving us permission? To touch?"  Theseus gawked.

Asterius hummed thoughtfully. He gently touched the deer's face, thumb brushing over soft fur. When the deer did not move away, Asterius began petting its nose in long strokes. Theseus, seeing this, eagerly rushed forward to touch its hide. 

"Such luxurious fur! I wish I had brought a brush with me!", sighed Theseus, excitedly petting the deer’s flank.

"You can head to our chambers and grab one. I can go with you, since I know how you are with directions." hummed Asterius, despite being very much preoccupied.

"And lose precious petting time?! To that, I say nay!"

The Minotaur laughed, but didn't press the issue any further. And besides, the experience was enjoyable enough as is. This continued on- the compliments, the excited cooing from the champions- until the stag received its fill and shook them both away. It gave another bow of its head, then turned back, clearly eager to resume it's grazing. As it walked, the king and bull both waved a goodbye.

"Asterius!" the king looked at his companion with sparkling eyes, overjoyed by this unexpected event. He could barely stay still,  and was bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

"Theseus… !" Asterius gasped in response. He was much the same, excitedly shaking his head back and forth as he clenched and unclenched his fists. 

"What other magical things may be here in this realm?"

"I'm not sure…," the Minotaur blushed, "when I saw the tree, I ran back to tell you about it right away."

"Haha! There is no need to look ashamed, my friend! For I would have done the exact same thing!"

Theseus reached to grab the bull’s hand, and gently urged him to the other side of the tree. They would simply look for more magic together!

They soon discovered more animals; rabbits with fur the colour of the Earth, birds with ruby coloured breasts, small and skittish animals that were orange-red and black, and reminded the Minotaur of Cerberus, and his many heads…

They found bushes of ripe red berries, acorns that crushed underfoot, a smaller tree with more pinecones fallen around its roots… 

Asterius gathered the dried pinecones for incense, and Theseus gathered the berries to create a dye.

(He was unsurprised to find that his beloved bull looked just as good in cherry red as he does in blue.)

And a few weeks later, the king did the exact same thing, just as he said he would:

Taking a wrong turn towards one of Elysium's markets caused Theseus to stumble upon a glade with ceaseless rain. The Lethe had flooded over, causing grasses to be sunk underneath clear waters. The Underworld seemed to have aptly adjusted to this predicament; despite it's flooded flooring, the glade already had an array of flora which thrived upon lake water, and strange fish that swam between the reeds. Beneath the water, there was the shadow of something massive. A fish, Theseus was certain, but not any he could immediately recognize. He was reminded of a legend he once heard, of a fish large enough to have swallowed the moon.
 

And it was not the only unique creature Theseus found: sitting upon lilies and trellises were small animals, undeniably frog-like in shape and sound but with bodies translucent, skeletal system visible within it's small frame. When he looked deeper into the waters, he found tadpoles that looked like white ghosts, and alongside them swam small fish, creatures that hid under leaf and lily pad to avoid the light of Ixion.

Naturally, Theseus dragged Asterius to see the glade for himself. There was nothing he loved more than hearing the way Asterius' breath hitched, or the soft "Oh…" he would make at being shown something he'd never experienced before: he stared openly at the way the lake would react to each drop of rain that fell upon it, at his own reflection in the ripples. They both walked amongst shallow river banks, ever mindful of their steps, with umbrellas strewn from palm leaves held high over their heads.

Though, they both ended up soaked to the bone regardless- Asterius could not contain his excitement for long, and quite impulsively jumped into a puddle that had pooled within the blue-green grass. His size caused the water to splash up high, drenching both himself and the king. Theseus, in retaliation, dropped his own umbrella and tackled Asterius onto the wet ground. The Minotaur only laughed at this, though his curly hair now covered his eyes with how heavy it'd become from the rainwater.

Before they left (as they both badly needed to dry themselves off at that point), Asterius held a shallow basin within the river, allowing it to fill with tadpoles which they then carried home- the tadpoles had become frogs by now, and their home aquarium became quite the lively place.

Another time, the two champions found a quiet glade where it seemed mortal shades had not touched for quite some time. There was evidence of (after)life certainly, abandoned shop booths and towering statues of old legends: a figure of Cadmus with a serpent coiled over his shoulders, Perseus with the winged boots of Hermes, Heracles wearing his lion shawl…

(Theseus once explained to Asterius that his cousin wore the Nemean lion's skin not to be fearsome or intimidating as others may think, but because it brought him great comfort; it became a security blanket of sorts for the famous Heracles.)

The flora within it had overgrown, covering near everything with a thick layer of moss. The scent of greenery was almost overwhelming- and how strange it was, to witness how lichen and roots climbed over statue and stone, as if the world itself was being slowly swallowed up by nature.

Strange flowers even Theseus had never seen before grew within this realm, vines that scaled the walls covered in small white blooms, strange tendrils that would curl and withdraw if touched… 

and even stranger animals- a bird with a tall throat that warbled alongside its voice, a scaleless dragon that dwelled within the waters. 

("Perhaps these strange creatures once aided heroes such as we!", Theseus exclaimed to Asterius.

"Hmm… I'm not so sure," the Minotaur replied, "I think all animals deserve heaven, though." 

"You are so right, my friend!")

And now there was another glade, one Asterius discovered upon finding a gate with a heavily damaged door covered in a fine layer of rust. It could no longer move the way other gates did; grass had begun to trail over it's base. 

"There is a gap between the door and the frame, big enough for you to squeeze through, but not for me," the bull snorted, "but I have an idea. Observe."

At this, the Minotaur summoned his axe to his side, at first holding it close to the gap. Did he, perhaps, plan to drag his blade along it's frame, opening it much like a knife to a can? Theseus couldn't wait to see this display of-- ah, wait, he doesn't intend to do that at all, does he?

For Asterius withdrew the axe… then whacked the gate with it. And the door, already badly damaged enough as it were, was quick to lodge itself from its golden frame and topple backwards onto the ground. 

"Asterius, my friend…," Theseus gasped, "that was genius!! You are a remarkable problem solver!! Come then, let us see what this glade has to offer!!!"

They entered the now doorless gate.

At first, the glade wasn't that different from others they had visited. It was pleasant enough, hilly and forested, with the babbling of the Lethe in the far distance. However, as they walked… the grass grew taller and taller, and the colours became richer as well. Between deep hues of lush green, barley grains grew tall, and (Theseus gasped at the sight of them), sunflowers on tall stalks, facing towards Ixion. Between the grass, and the grains, and the sunflowers, an array of wildflowers sprouted vividly.

And there were insects; Theseus was never a fan of such disturbing , vile creatures, but he didn't want to deprive Asterius of experiencing them. He was enamoured with how fascinated Asterius was by even the smallest things, and there were still gorgeous stories attributed to even the nuisances of the animal kingdom. It would be cruel, then, to withhold these stories from the Minotaur, considering he never had the chance to hear them in life.
And even the king could admit that the sounds of cicadas and crickets were comforting- how many times had their music lulled him to sleep in life?

They also realized just how large this glade was; the gate they left behind appeared to be it's only entrance and exit, and they'd wandered quite a distance from it now. Theseus was grateful that they were already quite dead, and there would be no real consequences were they to become lost. 

"Asterius..." Theseus was tightly holding his companion's hand, because he enjoyed holding it, yes, but also because the grass had grown so tall that it became near impossible for the king to see above it. "I must admit that I am growing quite annoyed with all these plants! It was pleasant at first, but now I keep getting barley in my mouth!"

"Do you?", replied Asterius, "I quite like the taste of it myself." As if to prove a point, he pulled a stalk from the ground and took a bite from it.

The king pouted, despite finding it quite cute when Asterius crunched on plants.

"Well, I don't! In fact I find it very unplea-- pfft! Ugh! Disgusting! I think I just swallowed a bug- why are there so many bugs?! If I see even just one more of them, I am going to-"

Theseus' sentence was cut short by a scream; an insect leaped at him, adequately sending him tumbling backwards in shock and appall. 

"Asterius, my dear friend... I think if I take much more of this I am literally going to die."

"It was only a cricket, king." The Minotaur kneeled down, holding out a hand for Theseus to grab onto.

" Only a cricket?! That vile insect must  be possessed by some kind of daemonic force! Why else would it go out of its way to torment me , specifically?!" Despite his fuss, the king eagerly reached out to Asterius, who pulled him back onto his feet with his strength alone. 

"Are you alright? Do you want to turn back?"

"No, no! Let us keep going! I’m complaining too much, am I not? I apologize! I only want this to be fun for you."

Asterius snorted, pulling his king into a tight embrace. “I am having fun. I always do when I’m with you.”

He combed his fingers through Theseus' hair, riding his blonde locs of any grasses or burrs that'd latched onto him. Theseus sighed, leaning into his beloved Minotaur's chest… such a tender lover he was! Asterius was so sweet, so gentle, so kind, and most of all… so strong…?

Theseus was so lost in the pleasure of having Asterius' fur against his cheek that he had neglected to realize that his dear friend had lifted him into his muscular arms. 

(Of course, being settled against his bicep was equally pleasurable as his chest, if not more.)

"Friend Asterius! Do you intend to carry me until we are out of this grass?"

"Yes," he snorted, "exactly that. This tall grass… the cicadas singing… it makes me want to run."

"Hypothetically, my friend?"

"No, literally. Hold on tight."

The second he finished talking, Asterius was off. The king pressed himself against the bull's chest, keeping himself firmly fixed against him despite how much he bounced with each powerful stride of his legs.  He gazed upwards; Elysium was consistent to an extent, but there was something so different about the air here. It reminded him of being on the open seas, watching the sunset from the helm of his ship.

Here, the grassy hills rolled with the breeze; a gift from the Anemoi. The illusion of a cloudless sky above them, the sounds of vibrant (after)life; cicadas, or their ghostly equivalent, birds chirping, cooing… small animals that scattered away, making the grass rustle. And dear Asterius… Theseus couldn't help but to smile. Asterius' favourite thing about Elysium, the king had learned, was not the battles (though they were a close second), or the rich delicacies, or even the expensive fabrics that they donned upon their bodies… no, his favourite thing about Elysium was how open it was. Once upon a time he'd found comfort within confined spaces for they were all he knew, but now he had all the space he could imagine. To venture, to stretch, to run.

When the grass began to thin out again, the Minotaur slowed down. Theseus was certain that they were both quite a distance from the exit, but that wasn't an issue. Afterall, they had all the time in the world! And besides that, Asterius was now quite focused on something.

The grassy hill revealed a shallow brook. A small bridge of stone and granite connected it to the other side of the river bank, though walking through the water itself would not be any issue; it was slow and lazy, with small turtles and smaller minnows swimming throughout. Though it wasn't the gently running water that had caught the bull's attention...

Across the babbling brook was a field of flowers unlike any other. Blooms of aster, gentle lavender, baby's breath nestled between the rows. Blossoms of begonias,  snapdragons, delphinium, bushes of rockrose… petals spread and opened as if it were the height of summer, as if it were not the Underworld, but Gaia beckoning to them both. 

A pond with clear water, reflecting the world around it. Within it, a family of ducks, swimming peacefully. Standing tall above was a weeping willow, bent heavily so it was touching the water with leaves the colour of sweet pea hanging low.

The grass here was a pale green, melting against the flowers; Theseus felt as if he were staring at a painting, or perhaps having a lovely dream.

Without a word, the king reached for his cherished partner's hand, and urged him over the bridge.

*

The garden here was certainly enchanted. They'd already assumed that, with the fact that such a place existed in the Underworld to begin with. But now they knew it as an undeniable truth.

("I cannot believe such a gorgeous glen was closed off to us!!" Theseus had gasped.

"I am quite certain we're trespassing." The land here was meticulously cultivated. It has to belong to someone- but who was there with the ability to craft such a garden within Elysium? 

"Not to worry, my friend! We will simply leave before the owner of this garden returns!!"

Asterius nodded in reluctant understanding. He didn't want to leave, not truly. He thinks he would be perfectly happy spending the rest of his afterlife laying upon these flowers, with Theseus lounging beside him.)

Despite Asterius' weight, and Theseus' clumsy steps, the flowers here were not crushed underfoot. And, Theseus found, if he plucked any of the blossoms, another would grow to take its place within seconds. Could he be blamed, then, when he gathered as many as he could to place within the Minotaur's lovely mane of hair? They were camellias mostly- white in colour and gorgeously layered. The paleness of the blossoms reminded Theseus of the face of the moon, and the face of the moon reminded him so much of Asterius. 

("It is a solitary thing, but it brings light to even the darkest of nights," he once told Asterius. "Though there are times it hides away entirely, and the sky is blanketed in nothing but stars. The same stars you are named for, my friend!"

He remembered the emotion of staring out at the moon, of watching as it dipped down to plant a kiss against the ocean of Poseidon. He remembered being a child and sneaking out late late at night just to watch it's reflection ripple in the waters.

How would this garden appear, with Selene and the ever-starry pleiades shining over it? He imagined Asterius' fur carrying the reflections of constellations, shimmering as if he, too, were made of stardust.)

Asterius, in turn, tied a nosegay of yellow flowers- daffodils, marigolds, yarrow-  around his king's wrist. He always forgot how small his king was- even smaller than most other mortals within Elysium- until they were standing together like this, with the bull's hands against his godly figure. Theseus had to crane his head all the way back to gaze upwards at Asterius, and Asterius had to tuck his head inwards to gaze down at Theseus. 

("I saw the real sun only once," he'd once told Theseus, "When I was being led to the Labyrinth, it was early morning. I caught a glimpse of it rising."

It was overwhelmingly bright, painting the sky, pink, then lavender, then blue. He was only able to witness it for a moment, but he'd never seen anything more beautiful. At least, not until he met his king.

How would this garden appear, with beautiful Hemera gently pulling away the long cloak of night? He imagined Theseus' golden hair catching the reflection of the sun, of light shining underneath his skin. There were some days or nights where Asterius became convinced that his king was light incarnate. How could he not, when he smiled at him so brightly, with such love?)

They stared at one another in silence for some time- the king's wrist still in Asterius' hand, the bull mindlessly tracing a finger over the lines and creases of his palm; dark peach against golden bronze. His face had turned dark with blush- Asterius was quite certain that underneath his fur, he was much the same. 

The Minotaur was not typically one to initiate with his king- not that he never wanted to. The simple fact of the matter was that Theseus had a tendency to be quicker than himself when it came to these things. Now, however, he had an opportunity; he knelt into the soft bed of flowers- he pressed his snout against his king's lips. And Theseus, who was never secretive about his own desires, returned the kiss as lovingly as ever.

"We shall have to return here sometimes! That is, if you are willing!" Theseus squeezed his beloved bull's hand as tightly as he could stand to. The king often forgot his strength when he was excited like this, but the sensation of their hands tightly wound only made the Minotaur smile.

"I agree," hummed Asterius. He wanted to explore more of it alongside Theseus, even if he was quite certain that they technically weren't supposed to be there to begin with. The idea of it was simply too alluring. "I never could have imagined that such a place existed within Elysium."

"There is much we have not yet seen, my friend! Plenty more discoveries to be made!"

The Minotaur snorted, pulling his king close against his side. He smelled of flowers, or maybe of the sun- he couldn't imagine an (after)life without Theseus by his side.

"We shall make those discoveries together, then."

And Theseus, his cherished king, smiled his usual bright smile. Brighter than the sun, Asterius decided, and twice as warm.