CASE 2, ACT 1: BRONZE
The sun rose above the hills of Athens, coating the North Field Market in a morning glow. Merchants from all over Athens, including some from beyond the borders, began making their way toward the towering structure.
The market looked like a grand temple. It had a ramp which led up the stone crepidoma steps for the merchants with many goods to cart into the court. It boasted huge columns that gave any visitor a sense of grandeur as they entered. The pediment carving above the columns displayed merchants selling goods to their customers. The colonnade's pillars were well spaced out, and there was no roof, allowing for plenty of sunlight to illuminate the goods to be sold.
In the court, the merchants set up their stalls and displays on the stone pavement. After an hour had passed, the three guards allowed the customers in, and the market was soon bustling with energy and activity.
The owner of the North Field Market was Acacius, a wise-looking man in his mid-fifties who wore a white himation cloak which matched his white beard. He performed his usual walk alongside with his wife, Sophia, a tall woman in her early forties with long brunette hair and a calm, well-meaning look. They spoke with some of the merchants to see how their day was going, before heading back to their quarters at the rear.
On their way, they came across the stall of Georgia, an overweight woman who wore a bright blue himation, ear rings, two necklaces and multiple bangles on her wrists. The various arms at Georgia's feet caught Sophia's attention, and she gazed upon the swords, spears, axes, helmets, and shields on display.
"Worry not, my lady!" exclaimed Georgia. "All the sharp ones have been blunted, as usual!"
"I hope so, Georgia," responded Sophia, exchanging a friendly smile. "Forgive my sentimentality, but these items do remind me of the previous war..."
"Yes, the war we won, my lady!" rebutted Georgia ecstatically. "Forget about all the bloodshed from the past! These items are a symbol of our victory!"
"I see," said Sophia with a hint of unease.
"I've never seen arms like those before, Georgia," observed Acacius.
"Oh, these?" Georgia knelt down, and picked up one of her arms.
"Is this not the most beautiful bronze spear you have ever seen?" announced Georgia as she ogled the one in her hands. "These will look grand displayed upright on a tall wall. Naturally, their prices will be higher than the usual spears I sell. However, I am willing to give a discount to our esteemed entrepreneur, though!"
"Ah. No, thank you, Georgia," Acacius responded, politely putting up his hands.
"I have them, my lady!"
The three looked to the side. Cora, a young woman with short brunette hair and a cream colored himatia, walked over to them carrying upright two more bronze spears.
"Ah, good work, Cora! I cannot believe I forgot to bring them! Do place them here."
Georgia's assistant carefully placed the spears onto the display cloth, and Georgia placed her spear next to them.
"Ah, a wonderful set of three. They should sell for a great price by the end of today!" remarked Georgia victoriously.
"May the Gods grant you success," said Acacius. "Well, we will take our leave now. Good day, Georgia."
"Good day, my lord and lady!"
Acacius and Sophia walked over to the rear wall of the market, where there were three doors. Acacius opened the central one, and the two entered their quarters.
As the couple walked in, they noticed a short woman in her forties, wearing a blue himation cloak, seated at Acacius' table looking through a papyrus scroll. Standing next to her was Elena, a young woman with an average build and medium length blonde curls, wearing a gray himatia cloak.
"Ah, are our lenders getting impatient already, Lyra?" asked Acacius.
The woman looked at Acacius with her eyebrow raised. "They are threatening to raise their interest rates this year, Acacius!" she declared.
"Naturally," said Acacius, as he seated himself on the other side of his table. "Worry not. The time has now come for us to repay our debts to them. Now that this market is established, our loans will be repaid in heavy amounts starting from this month. That debt will become a thing of the past. It is not ideal to have any rope around my neck!"
"Very well," said Lyra as she fidgeted nervously. "Please sign here to acknowledge their warning."
Acacius took a reed pen from a wooden case on his table, dipped it in the ink section of the case, then signed the bottom of the scroll.
"Thank you, Acacius. Let us hope we do not run into any financial difficulties over the next few years!"
"We will not," reassured Acacius, confidently raising his eyebrows.
"Very well. Come, Elena. Good day."
Lyra picked up the papyrus, and she and Elena left the quarters.
Sophia paused for thought. "She always seems so cautious."
"That is why she is the market's manager," reflected Acacius. "She ensures that no terrible mistakes get made."
Lyra and Elena retreated to their own quarters, located behind the door to the left of Acacius'.
***
As the sun set over the hills, the merchants began to pack away their goods and leave the court.
The three young armored guards, Theo, Alexander, and Lucas, held their individual torches and politely ushered the merchants out.
The blonde Alexander was the tallest of the three - He brooded confidence as he walked around with his chest puffed out and his chin raised. Theo regularly played and combed his black locks with his hands, and smiled whenever he could. Finally, Lucas was heavier and had a thick black beard, giving him a burly look.
Alexander looked to the center of the court, and saw Georgia and Cora packing away their arms onto a cart.
"They are always the last to go," muttered Alexander to himself. "I suppose they must handle their stock with the greatest of care…"
He then walked off.
Cora took some silver coins from Georgia's coin bag.
"I will pay Lyra her fee for today, my lady."
"Yes, good thinking!" said Georgia emphatically. "Go on ahead!"
Cora ran over to Lyra's door, and knocked on it.
Georgia looked down to her display cloth to see what else required packing away, and saw that the three bronze spears had gone. "By the gods, they sold so quickly!"
Smiling away, she knelt down, carefully folded up the mat to wrap the remaining arms on it, then stood up.
Shunk!
Suddenly, the cloth fell to the floor with a clang, and the arms it once held scattered across the ground.
Georgia, with her joy stolen and her eyes opened wide, looked down to her torso to see a bronze spear stuck inside her. She then fell to her knees.
Cora heard the commotion, then faced the center of the court. She saw the bronze spear resting horizontally in Georgia's body. Cora screamed, alerting the three guards.
Theo, Alexander, and Lucas, all in separate parts of the court, turned and saw the scene. They all rushed over to Georgia, just as she collapsed to the ground.
Alexander, covered in a cold sweat, knelt beside Georgia's bleeding body. He hastily felt for a pulse on the merchant's neck.
His breathing quickened as he looked upon Georgia's lifeless face. "She… is dead!" he announced despairingly.
"The bronze spear… How could it have killed her?" questioned a shaking Theo. "Her arms are always blunt!"
Lyra and Elena appeared at their door, and Acacius and Sophia appeared at theirs.
Lyra fearfully covered her mouth with her hand. "What terror is this?" exclaimed Lyra. "Are we being punished by the gods?"
She closed her eyes and looked away. Elena, though tense and speechless from what she was witnessing, placed her hand on Lyra's shoulder to soothe her.
Acacius and Sophia paid no attention to Lyra's words, and they rushed toward Georgia's body and the three guards.
"Georgia?" called Acacius.
"It is no use, my lord," said Theo as he solemnly shook his head.
Acacius and Sophia, with their mouths wide open in disbelief, looked from Theo to Georgia. The couple could not help but stare at Georgia's lifeless body. Her usual loud demeanor had now been reduced to an eerie silence.
Acacius took a deep breath to regain his composure.
"No one is to leave here!" he growled, looking around at the others. "All the merchants have gone, and this was not a suicide! One of us has killed Georgia, and that person must be identified with haste!"
"My husband is right!" added an exasperated Sophia. "Well? Who did this? Did anyone see who killed her?!"
The others remained silent and uneasy. They dared not even look at each other.
"I see," said Acacius, reading the situation. "So, will we all stay silent, and let our fellow merchant die without justice? I do not think so! Elena!"
Elena straightened her back upon hearing the owner's thunderous voice. "Yes, my lord?"
"Please fetch me a papyrus and pen!"
Elena nodded, and retrieved the items from Lyra's quarters. She then ran back to Acacius, and he used the tools to begin writing.
Cora built up her courage and approached the crime scene. "What are you doing, my lord?"
"Cora, I believe in justice, and we cannot let this horror devastate our enterprise!"
Acacius finished writing the name "Renka". He moved the papyrus over to Lucas' torch, then threw the fiery scroll onto the ground.
The papyrus burned away. Acacius watched it with determination, the others with confusion.
After a few moments, a bright sphere of light appeared. The staff shielded their eyes from its blinding luster.
From the bright light entered a blonde woman wearing a purple himation cloak with a golden rope as a belt. The light slowly faded away, revealing her full form.
The staff unshielded their eyes, and tried to make sense of who their new visitor was.
The woman walked over to Georgia's bleeding body, and observed the bronze spear that had pierced her.
"A Persian spear," observed Renka, Descendant of Cronos. She looked up at the staff members. "They are extremely difficult to obtain."
