Haedaules burst into the large marble hall, under the frowning look of the tall, white robed man.

‘The Romans are near the Big South Forest and I spend my days listening to poetry and playing with clay!’ almost yelled Haedaules.

Two monks rushed to apprehend him when the white robed man motioned them to wait. He headed towards the sand tray sitting in a corner of the hall and traced a shape with a long, thin stick he found near it.

‘What do you think this is?’ the tall man asked.

‘Two people looking at each other.’ answered Haedaules

‘Think again’, the priest said, looking away, towards the white pillar near the sand box. Haedaules involuntarily followed his look, admiring the fresh, white daisies, when he noticed the shape of the marble bowl they were in. It was a strange flower bowl, svelte and thin, sculpted of one piece or marble, very different from the round cauldrons adorned with spirals he was accustomed with.

‘Things are not always what they appear to be and we often think and judge in terms of what we know. Draw now the flower bowl near the one I did’ asked the tall man. Haedaules took the stick and drew a bowl which loosely looked like the tall man’s drawing.

‘You thought of a bowl, isn’t it?’ asked the priest.

Haedaules nodded.

The tall man leveled the sand and traced the shape again.

‘Draw it again. This time don’t think of it as 2 people or a flower bowl. Break it down in the smallest pieces and look at them as shapes, with no other meaning for you’

Haedaules followed carefully the curves and lines in the sandbox. Small sweat drops appeared on his forehead when he forced himself to forget what he was drawing. He was surprised to see a much closer copy of the tall man’s drawing.

‘One day the lives of our people will depend on you.’ the tall man said, looking straight into his eyes. ‘You cannot let your own biases, ideas and thoughts risk their lives. The poetry and playing with clay will help you see the world. While Menous taught you to build forms and frames in your mind, we will teach you to forget what you know, break down what you see and remember them again to build a closer frame, as you did today with the flower bowl. It will teach you to find other meanings for the same thing and may be some day this will help you see something your enemies don’t…’ The tall man went silent for a moment and said: ‘You are right; we don’t have much time, you should hurry… Extraordinary times change all the rules. Come back in one week with your gift to honor Goddess Anaitis. Think of what I told you and remember: this is no child’s play. You must please her with your gift.’

Haedaules nodded and headed to the exit. ‘Thank you…’ and stopped for a second.

‘I don’t even know your name, how should I address you?’

The tall man smiled and dismissed him with a gesture: “Call me Seras for now”