pegasus and bellerophon - a tale of two ships

8/7/2019 Pegasus and Bellerophon - A Tale of Two Ships

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Pegasus and Bellerophon

A Tale of Two Ships

Student Number: 19698416

Centre Number: 8409


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Pinpricks of daylight filtered through the gap underneath Kalindrts eyelids. It felt like a

million miniature miners, all armed with jackhammers, were working inside her skull. She

closed her eyes, willing her head to stop pounding. She was jerked to her feet and forced to

walk about fifty metres, before being thrown to the ground once again. A voice emerged

from the loudspeaker above her head.

Due to my wife, we are stuck on this planet. To ensure our survival we can only afford to

have one male procreate with any one female. It is necessary to create the largest possible

gene pool. As captain of the ship, I will take on the role of creating our own form of

government. So from this day forward, Dr Kalindrt Shithers will be my Queen, and be

known as Her Royal Majesty Queen Kalindrt Peterson, wife of King Adam of Whilstmere.

As the darkness claimed her once again, Kalindrt could hear the cheers of the people, as

centuries of feministic reform were destroyed.

*****

Two years later, Kalindrt was bathed in sweat as she struggled to bring her children into the

world. The second child was born, and Kalindrt could finally sleep. She had, at long last,

given in to the rule of her misogynistic husband, if only because she wanted to protect her

children. As she fell asleep, she heard her husband scathingly state that any girl born into the

family were to bear her name, that they would know their station in life. She prayed that no

girl would be born into the family unless she would be strong enough to overthrow her

misogynistic government.


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Chapter 1

Hanging from the end of a rope with about fifty metres beneath me if I slipped, is not quite

what I had been expecting when I had first decided to leave my home, my family, and to turn

my back upon the culture that I had grown up in. I am willing to admit that I am beginning to

start thinking about giving up, and just going home. Im sure that everyone will rejoice if I

return, like a shepherd rejoices at the return of a lost sheep, especially as I am the only female

child to ever be born into my family, the Royal family of Whilstmere. My resolve to

continue with my venture stiffened as I realised that. I refuse to give them that prize to hold

over my head and the head of every other enterprising young female, for the rest of eternity.

Not me. I have made up my mind. There is no way that I will ever return. The whole

purpose of my name being Kalindrt is to remind everyone of my namesakes refusal to

submit to the dictatorial lifestyle on this planet.

The problem is, the culture that Ive grown up in is rather static. Science isnt held in great

regard, and females, due to whatever my namesake apparently did, are held in much less

regard than any of the sciences ever did. As a result, if I had continued along the path that

had been chosen for me, within my home town, I would have been given in marriage within

two months. No one has ever heard of a marriage not going ahead on Whilstmere. This is

going to be the first time that it has ever happened. I refused to marry at 16 years of age.

However, it is the custom and I am expected to obey it. Most people had thought that I

would give up my curious mind, and take to the things that are supposed to interest the

female mind. I dont see why activities like embroidery, music, cooking and other such tasks

are regarded as female activities. Nor do I understand why exploring, politics, fighting and

other physical and mental activities are thought to belong to just the male population. We are

not weaker than they are. Both physically and mentally, I can compete with any male, even


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when they are considered to be in the prime of their life. Im not boasting, I have outrun and

outsmarted the very best that our planet has to offer.

Yet when, at the end of the Decathlon, they realised who I was, stripped me of my prize, and

gave it to the runner up. I, at least, had the pleasure of seeing the faces of all the men when I

had been publically disqualified. I had showed them, once and for all, that I, Kalindrt of

Whilstmere, a princess of all things, was able to beat any of them. As a result of that incident

I have been banished to my chamber for the next month. That happened a week ago. As you

can tell, I left soon after that.

I slipped out of the window of the bathroom in my chamber on Monday night. The moon

wasnt out, making it a perfect night to leave. I experienced some regret leaving behind my

brothers; Adinee, Corthor and Rickans. Despite my being female, they always accepted me

for who I am and who I want to be; a fighter, and a scientist. Adinee has left home. He is

one of the best officers on the planet. When he has leave, he returns home, and helps the rest

of us create marvellous machines. Generally, I write out the calculations that prove our

machines are viable creations, and Corthor designs them. Adinee works out what materials

are needed to make our machines, and buys them; using contacts he refuses to reveal, and

Rickans puts our machines together. We make a great team, and the processes that we go

through to create the contraband are well oiled. However, once I had decided upon my

course of action, I had to carry it out.

I raided our workshop, took with me the inventions that I thought that was going to need, like

the rope throwers, water synthesisers, see-in-the-dark glasses, to name a few, and left a note

for my brothers, telling them why I was going. Adinee wasnt due for leave for another few

months, and Corthor and Rickans were still at officers training school, and might not be back

for six months or more. I was away free, as no one would dare interrupt the tight control


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structures that surrounded our military, and no one else would be able to begin to guess

where I had gone.

For the first few hours I ran as often as possible, and as fast as I possibly could. I wanted to

put as much distance between me and the area where I was known as quickly as I could. I

ran like this for almost two days before my legs collapsed from underneath me, the muscles

exhausted. I made my camp not far from there that morning. While waiting for sleep to

come, I decided that from then on I was only going to travel at night, as it would be far harder

for anyone to track me in the dark. I could fish and hunt (my brothers had made sure of that)

so I never went short of supplies, and it meant that any towns or villages that I came across, I

knew how to avoid.

Another three days passed in this fashion, before I came across a gigantic cliff that I was

going to have to conquer. One of the machines that I had with me was an automatic rope

thrower. It had about fifty metres of rope in it, and before long I was climbing up the first

part of the cliff. About half way up that cliff was a narrow ledge, to which I had originally

attached the rope; it was also from this ledge that I threw the rope again, this time succeeding

in attaching to the top of the cliff. Just as I jumped to get a grip higher up on the rope, the

ledge crumbled away. Which returns us to where I started, hanging off the end of rope with

about fifty metres. I dont know how much longer I can hold on, because I didnt get a

proper grip on the rope on my first jump.


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Chapter 2

I have been summoned. I am to gather a group of soldiers, gentry if possible and return to

Whilstmere Palace immediately. I have been informed that my brothers were more than

welcome to join me, as I am able to continue their training, having gone through it myself. I

have ordered my usual team to report to me at 0900 in my office, and I am currently going

across to the officers school to collect Corthor and Rickans. Corthor is in his last year of

training and Rickans is in his first, however I figure that they will be necessary to collect

information around the palace as they have their own sources of gossip and information. My

team doesnt have any contacts in the palace, which is why my brothers will be so important.

Kal should be able to help as well, if I can find a way into her room; shes still in a lot of

trouble after the Whilstmere Decathlon stunt.

As I enter the school, I begin to wonder why we are being recalled to the palace. I am

working, I am not on leave, so the fundamental organisation that is the basis of our military

isnt affected by my being at home, so long as we complete whatever task they have for us.

However, anything that happens at the palace is given to a more experienced officer. Corthor

meets me at the gates, to escort me to the Generals office. I had to explain to him why I am

here, and where we will be going.

Im not surprised that theyve sent us home. Things are really coming to a head with Kals

marriage, especially after her stunt at the decathlon. No one really knows whether or not the

wedding is actually going to go ahead. Last time I heard from Kal, she was promising swift

retribution if they made her go through with it and knowing Kal she will probably attempt

to set herself up as Queen, and overturn all of the laws that have restricted her life.

We begin to laugh. It sounds like something Kal would do; I hope she hasnt overturned

them, because I want to be there when she does. I really detest the system under which the


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women on this planet live. Knowing Kalindrt means that I have trouble believing what we

are taught about women, about how they are inferior to men. I particularly have trouble

believing the story that women arent born into the royal family, my family, because they are

even more trouble than normal women. Kal knows why that story is propagated, but she

refuses to explain why and says it doesnt matter as it wont apply for much longer.

The talk with the General commanding the officers school finished and Corthor and I walk

back to the barracks. On our arrival, he commands a junior trainee to go get Rickans, our

youngest brother. He begins to pack his kit, and is finished by the time that Rickans walks in

the door. I explain what our orders are, and tell them to meet me at the army coach station at

0930. I leave and return to my own barracks in time to inform my team of our orders. With

kit packed, and head to the coach station with Actur and Rictur, the identical twins, and

Seshan. The three best men this army has to offer have been personally handpicked for my

team.

Corthor and Rickans are waiting for us when we arrive at the coach station, and Corthor has

already arranged for a coach, big enough for all six of us. I swing up next to the driver, and

the others climb into the carriage itself. Our trip lasts for a day and a half. We arrive at the

castle with none of the usual pomp and splendour usually attached to our return. We enter

the throne room, in formation. Seshan and I beside each other, the twins behind us, but with

space enough to fit a body in between them, and Corthor and Rickans behind them, but with

space for two people to walk between them, so we effectively create a V.

Our father and mother greet us, and apologise for taking us away from our studies. I am now

concerned, even when confined Kal can usually find a way down here to greet us. It clicks.

Shes gone.

Our father answers, Yes.


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Kals gone? Rickans asks, amazed.

My team look shocked. This is not what we expected to find.

A flurry of footsteps rouses us all as Corthor rushes from the room toward Kals chambers.

He is extremely worried; those two are more or less inseparable when Corthor is at home.

My team, Rickans and I follow him. We find him in a pile on the floor of her bedroom,

holding one of the tiny transmitter stones we created. I realised why Corthor has been on

edge since we learned of our orders. He could no longer sense Kal.

We spend the day asking people around the palace if they have heard anything, if they know

anything about where she could have gone.C

orthor has locked himself in our lab; I assume

he is taking an inventory of what is left in there.

Night falls, and my team congregates in my room. Corthor even comes out; his pack looks

bulkier than normal. Actur explains the reasons why women were originally thought to be

inferior to men. It didnt start out that way, but once men got a taste of power over the

women, they refused to give it up. This happened in the first group of people to end up here -

all due to the treatment of my ultimate Grandmother, by my ultimate grandfather.


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Chapter 3

Every time I try to get a better grip on this rope, my body bangs against the cliff. The rope

keeps swinging. I can see a notch in the cliff; if I can grab it with one hand I might be able to

pull myself higher.

I use my weight to swing towards it. I grab it and immediately let go again. It had moved!

A huge opening appeared in the side of the cliff. I dont have a choice, I have to swing into

that opening, as if I dont, I am going to fall.

I swing inside and immediately begin sliding. The floor and walls are made of a very slick

metal, which looks like it had once been polished until it shone; now the only shiny bits are

what Ive inadvertently dusted as Ive slid down the tunnel.

Next thing I know, Im flying through the air and I land on a hard cold floor. The lights

suddenly turn on, probably due to some form of motion sensors. I pick myself up and look

around. There, underneath about a metre thick of dust, is the most advanced laboratory I had

ever seen. At least I think its a lab; the equipment is far more advanced than anything that I

have ever seen. I run my hands over the surface of the bench, wiping away eons of dust to

reveal the ebony black rock that is the top of the bench. I turn in a slow circle, surveying the

room. On the far wall is a door and racks of science equipment on either side of it. The wall

to the right is covered in metal charts, blank, ready to have equations written on them. The

wall behind me holds chemicals, most of which will no longer be any good.

The final wall, the one to the left of the door, is covered in bookcases, every one of them

filled completely. I pull one off the shelf and blow the dust off it. I open it, carefully and

slowly. The dates are in a different system to the one that has been used here on Whilstmere

for the past five hundred years. Theyre probably illegal. I carefully turn another stiff page.


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The language is difficult to decipher, but some of the words are the same, so I assume that it

is a very old version of the language that is used here. I replace the book, and turn back to

the lab benches. Something glittering catches my eye. It is a particularly thick book from the

top shelf, with bright gilt lettering down the spine. I dont understand the title, but the name

is one I see almost every day. Kalindrt. There are words around the name, but they dont

mean anything to me. I skim quickly through the book. Toward the end, the typed writing

stops, and handwriting begins. This I can more or less understand. It describes the

development of this lab.

The lab was apparently built from materials scavenged from the space ship, the Bellerophon.

My namesake single handedly dug out this great hole in the cliff and built the lab into it.

Actually its not just a lab, its a whole facility. Kalindrt built this place to escape from her

abusive husband, the first King of Whilstmere. She details the first couple of years in the

new settlement. The hand written pages finish with her commenting that she is pregnant, and

will not be coming here anymore - she wants to protect her child and her husband abuses her

whenever she returns to the main city of Whilstmere.

I close the book and return it to its shelf. I grab my bedding out of my pack. Ill explore the

rest of the facility tomorrow.


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Chapter 4

Kalindrt is still missing. Its been seven days since anyone saw her, five since they realised

that she was gone. The gentle fizz that I can normally feel in the back of my head, due to our

mood transmitters, has disappeared. Not surprising really, considering I have Kals

transmitter unit in my pocket.

Actur explained to us last night about the origins of Kals name. He had also explained that

many people believed that our current government would be overthrown. The first Kalindrt

had apparently cursed our family, or blessed it, depending on your point of view. No

female child would be born in our family until she would be strong enough to overthrow the

government. Many people have adhered to that idea, especially recently, hence the reason

why so many women rejoiced when Kal, and I, were born. Interestingly, the only time when

women pay any attention to me is when my sister does something. Severely reduces my

enthusiasm for finding a wife. I mean, could you imagine a conversation between us, it

would all be about my sisters exploits! Hopefully, between the four of us, we will be able

to change the way government is run.

Adz has split the team into two groups of three: Actur, Rictur, and Seshan have been sent to

explore the major cities, as our father felt Kal would brave the great unknown, and head into

the great wilderness, the home of the great unwashed sheep herders. That is where Adz, Rics

and I are marching.

Weve been walking for four days now, sleeping only as much as is absolutely necessary,

trying to make up the distance that Kal will have on us. Game is plentiful out here; the great

unwashed masses have their own sources of food, namely their sheep. Weve lived on this

planet five hundred years; we introduced all of the wild life. There are no predatory animals


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out here. Kal will be fine for food. There has been no sign of her yet, so I guess that she

really did pay attention to those survival classes that Adinee taught.

On the far horizon appears to be a great cliff, stretching as far as the eye can see. It is

completely flat, no trees can be seen, nor does anything else spoil the vista. At a guess, I

would say that it would be about seventy five to one hundred and fifty metres in height. Ill

be able to tell with more certainty this evening, as we are due to arrive at the base of it around

then. Another night sleeping out under the uncharted heavens, listening to Adz steam train

snoring, and Rics softer whistling. I wonder what types of noises I make when I sleep. My

build is similar to that of Kal, so maybe I sound like her when she sleeps. It is quite

disturbing to think that men, some quite old, have come from all over the planet to try and

gain our fathers approval to marry Kal. Yet I have trouble finding even one girl who takes

any interest in me. They all assume that because I am male, I treat Kal like a second class

citizen, stepping all over her, and making Kal do as I tell her to. I laugh at that thought; Kal

would probably try to boil me in oil if I tried.

The sun is setting, showing brilliant hues of purples, reds, and pinks; a promise of good

weather. We make camp, and then I turned my amateur eye upon the cliff. This area was

never settled due to the great northern lights. Great flashes of light that fill the night sky

around here. No one really knows what causes them although there have been some, rather

humorous, attempts to explain them. (My favourite is the one where the great beast that lives

in the sky causes the lights by expelling vast amounts of gases out of his um, behind.) No

one can ever tell me that the people of this planet dont know how to be creative, although I

was disturbed by the fact that the guy who came up with the theory was completely serious.

I look up at the sky, just as one the gas explosions appears above me, enveloping my brothers

and me.


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Chapter 5

The lights come on automatically, waking me up. I pack up my bed roll and pull my boots

on. Today I am going to explore the rest of the facility that I am in. I swing my pack onto

my shoulders, and fasten its straps across my chest, before crossing the room. The door

opens with a creak as I turn the handle. As I step into the darkness, the lights turn on.

Laughter comes easily as I realise that Kalindrt went to the bother of installing motion

sensors when she was the only one coming here. Then again, at least she didnt have to

worry about leaving the lights on when she returned to the city. Walking down the corridor,

dust flies up with every footstep. I come to an intersection; there are three different paths

that I can choose to take. Turning to the right, I follow the corridor as far as it goes. There is

a door on my right and I open it, walking into a bedroom. There are more doors on the far

side of the room. I cross over to them, and pull them open. Clothes fill the shelves. Some

are skirts and dresses, although most are pants and shirts. They are in remarkably good

condition for articles so old. I walk out of the room and shut the door behind me.

I return to the intersection, this time taking the path directly across from me. This corridor is

different to the others that I have seen so far. Pictures of things that mean nothing to me

adorn the walls. At the end of the hall there is a door off to my left however, immediately in

front of me is a picture. At first I dont realise what it is, but as I scan my eyes over it I

recognise two names - Bellerophon and Pegasus. I realise what I am looking at. The walls

are covered in the schematic diagrams of the spaceships that brought our ancestors to this

planet.

I turn and open the door on my left. My attention is immediately drawn to the vast array of

books. I carefully walk past the many shelves, stopping to examine one particular book that

catches my eye. It is lying on a stand in the middle of the room, open. The pages are filled


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with the same handwriting as the one in the lab, so it must have been written by my

namesake. I carefully pick up the book, and sit in one of the chairs.

While the book in the lab was a diary of sorts, this was more a narrative. It began by

detailing the story of Bellerophon and Pegasus. The action in the story starts when Athena

gives Bellerophon a golden bridle with which to catch Pegasus, a flying horse. He does this,

and the two go on many adventures together. However, the success from these adventures

incites excessive confidence in Bellerophon and he tries to fly Pegasus to the top of Mount

Olympus, as he believes that he is a god. Zeus is annoyed when he sees this and sends a fly

to sting Pegasus, who, in turn, throws Bellerophon from his back. Zeus calls Pegasus onto

Mount Olympus, where he becomes Zeus favourite steed, and the bearer of his thunderbolts.

Bellerophon fell back to Earth, where he lived out the rest of his days blind and crippled.

Kalindrt then goes on to speak of the parallels between that story, and the story of her

Bellerophon and Pegasus. Bellerophon and Pegasus began to traverse the heavens, but

eventually Bellerophon was cast back down to the ground. Due to the use of the materials

from the Bellerophon in the construction of this complex, the Bellerophon is now blind and

crippled. Also Pegasus is a launch ship, meaning that it forces other, lighter ships into space,

i.e., Pegasus carried Bellerophon for part of the trip. The Pegasus is still in orbit around the

planet, or was at that time. It was damaged when the ships entered the atmosphere, but

didnt crash. Its captain managed to pull it back into the safety of the upper reaches of the

atmosphere. From there its crew transported down to the planet. The transporters appear

to those watching them as bright flashes of light, a little like lightning, hence, Zeus

thunderbolts.

It takes several hours to finish the book. When I do, I close it and put it back on its stand. I

walk down the passageway and, as I come to the intersection again, I take the path to my left.


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The passage opens into a large space with a circle painted in the middle. I walk into the

middle of the circle and turn around.

A great flash of light envelopes me.


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Chapter 6

As the light fades away, I can see that we are no longer on Whilstmere. Our surrounds are

made of metal, and consoles are all around us, lighting up whenever we go near them. There

are four doors out of this room, all closed. The room is about fifty by fifty metres in size and

the ceiling is about three metres high. The consoles are a little about the waist height of an

average person when sitting. One wall of the room is made of a glass like substance, and

from there I can see one full hemisphere of a planet. My brothers are standing in the room

with me. Adinee is checking the room for hostiles, and planning an escape. Corthor has

appraised the surrounds and is now sitting at one of the consoles, hopefully to find out where

we are, how we got here, and how we are going to escape. He has a smirk on his face,

presumably the sensible part of his mind has vanished from lack of sleep, and his mind has

started recounting, and creating, various theories on life, the universe and everything. Rather

odd theories, probably, but theories none-the-less.

I slip into the seat next to Corthor.

Do you know what is going on yet? I ask him.

Not yet. I think this was caused by the great Northern lights, but how, Im not sure. All I

know for sure is that were not in the wilderness anymore, and the old guy who Kal told us

theorised that the lights were caused by the great beast in the sky is most likely wrong.

I grinned at that. Corthor when on for weeks about that piece of abject stupidity, after he

heard about it. Considering it was in the middle of a state dinner, and it was Kalindrt who

brought it up, I have to wonder if someone did actually write an article about it, or Kalindrt

made it up in order to get Corthor to embarrass him. With Kalindrts sense of humour, I

would say it was probably the latter. She probably wrote the article, that proved that she

was not making it up, herself. Im sure Corthor probably knows that, but it entertains him, so

who am I to dismiss his illusions.


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Adinee walks up behind us, and puts a hand on the back of each of our seats.

Isnt that our main city? he asks pointing to a tiny, yet incredibly complex diagram that was

showing on the consoles.

Yes, it is, comes Corthors reply, but all that tells us is that we are in orbit around

Whilstmere.

I groan and tilt my head back, meeting Adinees glance. Hes grinning. Corthor isnt known

for his patience. He is known for his use of sarcasm when someone asks what he perceives to

be a stupid question.

The pictures on the screen move, Corthors fingers adeptly begin to manipulate the controls.

He zooms in on a single, extremely isolated, dot on the screen. It appears to be just passed

the cliff that we were camped at the base of. Corthor zoomed in further. The schematics of

some type of complex within the cliff appear on the screen. The dot was still.

It's a person. Corthor says, surprising me.

How do you know? comes Adinees reply.

Because thats what the screen says,Corthor replies sarcastically. See, in the tiny writing

up the top. Human life sign detector - the dots represent humans, thats why it just looked

like one big blob when we were looking at the city.

I had to laugh at that. Corthor is an excellent data analyst and, as a result, doesnt like it

when people second guess what he says. Both brothers look at me. Corthor glares at me, and

Adinee smirks. I just shrug and smile sweetly. Corthor turns and punches me in the

shoulder, accidently hitting the screen with his elbow at the same time. He freezes. The dot

has moved within the complex and is immediately beneath his elbow. He removes his elbow

slowly. Suddenly a flash of light shows on the screen, and the dot disappears.

Within seconds a burst of light appears in the room, leaving our sister behind when it

dissipates.


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Chapter 7

When the lights disappear, I turn in a circle and quickly get my bearings and assess the

danger I am in. To my surprise my brothers are watching me. Corthor and Rickans are

sitting at a console, Adinee standing slightly in front of them. Corthor recovers quickest,

standing up as he pulls something from his pocket. He strides over to me, and gently affixes

it behind my ear. My mood transmitter. I smile almost involuntarily. I must have been

missed by my twin more than I originally assumed. He takes a step back, and just looks at

me.

We need to talk, he says. We all do, we have to work out what were going to do about

getting you out of your wedding.

Thats easy, I reply. Just leave me out here; theres plenty of wild sheep around here for

me to hunt, as well as some wild fruits and vegetables.

Adinee interrupts. Its not going to work very well. While it will get you out of your

wedding, it will make things worse for all other females on the planet.

Good point, I sigh in frustration. This was not going to be an easy decision to come to.

Any way that I can get out of my wedding will result in that happening.

Not necessarily. Rickans spoke for the first time, We can make it seem that you left due

to a mental problem.

Most people already assume I have some sort of mental issue.

Yes, but if we play it carefully, we can pretend that you have gone completely insane,

instead of just slightly loony like most people currently believe.

That could work, Corthor interjects. But we need to find a way that will allow for equality

between the genders, so any ideas how to do that?

The silence lengthens as we think about the issue at hand. How can we stop my wedding,

without me seeming completely insane, and still achieve a measure of equality between males


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and females. I have no idea. This isnt an area that I enjoy trying to work in, Im much

happier working with numbers than I am trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the

population of Whilstmere. An entire planet worth of people have to be tricked into letting me

avoid marriage. And then to find a way to achieve equality for females, well, Im beginning

to think that it will take the rest of our lives to fulfil that dream.

Corthors sigh breaks the silence. I turn my head to face him. He seems as frustrated as I

am. I suddenly laugh as I realise what is going on. Im transmitting my foul, sullen mood to

him! My brothers all turn to face me, wondering what is going on. Corthor grins, and then

starts laughing. After being apart for so long, the connection is interfering with our natural

emotions and emphasising the more dominant ones, leavingCorthor and I laughing

hysterically. Adinee looks at us in shock; hes been away for so long that he has forgotten

what Corthor and I are like when we are together. Rickans just shakes his head. He hasnt

been gone a year yet, so he clearly remembers the antics that we twins used to enjoy.

Corthor and I calm down eventually, not explaining what just happened to Adinee. If he

really wants to know what happened, hell ask Rickans later. I experience an odd sensation

in the back of my head. I turn to watch Corthor. A small, slightly smug grin is showing, his

eyes are looking upward and he is tapping his fingers against the console. His normal

appearance when he thinks he has an idea. Adinee realises it as well.

What have you come up with? he asks.

Just give me a moment, I think it could work, but itll need a lot of careful planning.

Planning we can do, I tell him, what have you got in mind?

The most ingenious plan in Whilstmerian history.

Come on, explain.

Alright, now gather round.


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Epilogue

The day dawned bright and clear; not a single cloud to be seen. The people of Whilstmere

were excited, King Arus had finally handed over the kingdom to his eldest son, Crown Prince

Adinee. Today was the day of his coronation. The prince was leaning on the top of the

battlements at the top of the castle. A figure walked up beside him. Prince Corthor. Today

was his and his absent, presumed insane, twins twenty first birthday. The two figures stood

together for a while before being joined by the youngest prince, Rickans. The three created

an impressive silhouette against the azure sky. They stood silently, for about an hour. Then,

as a group, they turned and walked down into the castle, in order to prepare for the days

ceremonies.

*****

Finally the crown was placed upon Adinees head. The traditional cheers rang out from the

crowd. Adinee walked back to where the throne sat, but instead of sitting down, he stood

before it.

Over the years, as I have been preparing for this position, I have realised that power is rarely

ever put into one persons hands. If they have the power to affect a great number of people.

A prime example of this is the military high council, consisting of six members; two from

each branch of our military, the Navy, the infantry, and the mounted brigade. So, as my first

decree as King, I announce that no longer will Whilstmere be ruled by one fallible man, but

by four people. While alone these people can make grave mistakes, it is our hope that

together we will be able to overcome our individual failings by working together.


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Adinee stood there, silent while he waited for the people to absorb the information. As the

crowd began to quieten, he stepped forward in order to start addressing the people again.

I assume that you are beginning to wonder who I have chosen to rule with me. I have not

chosen people who will agree with me for the sake of any benefits it may bring them. In

actual fact, these three people have been known to disagree with me merely to reduce the size

of my ego. So, without further ado, I announce the rest of the new rulers of Whilstmere.

King Corthor, King Rickans, and Queen Kalindrt.

Adinee had paused slightly before announcing Kalindrts name. Corthor and Rickans were

standing on either side of him as Kalindrt walked up onto the dais to receive her crown.

Kalindrt took her place, standing beside Corthor. In unison, the four recited.

We, the rulers of Whilstmere, hereby do promise to rule fairly. To do to others as we would

have ourselves be treated. To protect our people from danger. We understand that to rule

properly, we must be the first to advance when battle is declared upon us, and the last to

retreat. That in times when food is short, all people eat before we do, yet we should not

complain. For the rulers of Whilstmere are the servants of the people, all people, no matter

what the colour of their skin, or their gender.

The people suddenly went silent. The traditional vows that a ruler must take before assuming

the throne had been said. But they had been added to. For the first time in generations hope

was felt in the hearts of the people. No longer would they be ruled over by an arrogant and

condescending upper class, but a close knit group of people who had shown their love for

each other, and, as it now appeared, the people of Whilstmere, when they had hidden their

sister away. They had claimed that she had gone mad, but the tall creature standing easily

beside her brothers was obviously not insane. The love that those four children had for each

other had made it possible for the misogynistic, dictatorial government to be destroyed from

within.

pegasus and bellerophon - a tale of two ships

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