Danae who was breastfeeding was forcibly pulled away the guards sent by Acrisius. Her baby cried deafeningly loud. Danae handed her baby over to Aganippe who was as helpless as Danae. Danae did not fight back, she knew her father would not execute her and her baby. Her father was afraid of the watchful gods and also afraid of the exile sentence a murderer would receive. In fact, Danae had expected her father to drag her out and she had expected this a little. She wanted to see what her father's face would look like when he saw her baby. "Wait a minute," Danae said squinting by the door. "I'm not used to the light yet."
"Move!" the guard said as he pulled Danae along. Danae's request was ignored. The guards kept dragging her out, not caring if she was ready or not.
Danae winced as she passed through the stone door. Her eyes were firmly closed, unable to take in the abundant sunlight. Still with her eyes closed, Danae struggled backward. "My baby! What about my baby?"
"He's ... okay?" Aganippe said in surprise. "In fact, he is enjoying the light. He's smiling and his hands are reaching out toward the sun."
Danae smiled as well. "Even Asvollios is smiling at you, my dear."
The guards dragged Danae again. Aganippe, holding Danae's baby, walked behind them. After a while, Danae was able to open her eyes a little. She looked around the palace grounds, which had not changed much. There was a new temple built next to the temple of Erenoe. Danae wasn't sure which god or goddess the new temple was for. Danae passed through the craft room, pottery room, archive room, armory, and storage room to the great hall, Megaron.
Acrisius sat firmly on the throne. Confined to the circular hearth with her father, Danae knelt and looked down, but her eyes were fixed on Acrisius. Danae's baby cried incessantly despite Aganippe's efforts to soothe it.
"Take the baby to the antechamber," Acrisius ordered loudly.
Aganippe complied and exited the throne room, leaving Danae, Acrisius, and four guards, two next to Acrisius and two guarding the door.
"Whose son is that?" asked Acrisius.
"My son," said Danae.
"Who's the father?"
Danae grinned then without hesitation she said, "Zepter."
Acrisius recoiled slightly when he heard that. The guards could not maintain their upright position and all glanced at Danae. Acrisius smacked the handle of his throne. "How dare you admit that your son is the son of a god."
Danae smiled at Acrisius' sweaty face.
"You threatened me? You threatened your own father?"
"I'm only smiling because I miss you so much, Father," Danae said sarcastically.
Acrisius gritted his teeth. "You're such an ungrateful child!"
"Thankful for being locked up underground?"
Acrisius stood up and pointed at Danae. "I've raised you to be like this and this is your reward? Even though you knew the prophecy from your mother you still gave birth to a child that will be a disaster for me?"
Danae continued to smile calmly at Acrisius.
"You really forced me to do this!" Acrisius turned to his guards. "You guys, go get the crates in the warehouse! Then you two, take this despicable child out! Take the baby with you too!"
"What are you going to do?" screeched Danae.
It was Acrisius' turn to smile horribly as he passed Danae. Acrisius walked ahead, followed by the guards who dragged Danae. The little baby Danae cried as she was separated from her grandmother. She smacked the guard's face with her tiny hands. They all walked toward the rocky beach near the palace.
"Acrisius, what are you thinking?" said Aganippe. "The gods are always watching!"
"I know that. I will not kill them," Acrisius said calmly. "I'm just giving them the punishment they deserve. Even if he is indeed Zepter's son. The baby is an insult to the Goddess Erenoe who is the patroness of Argos. Danae has tarnished Argos."
"If you really wants to pass judgment, just punish me! Let go of my baby!"
"Releasing the baby that is going to kill me?" Acrisius laughed.
The guards came carrying a rather large wine chest as instructed by Acrisius.
"Open it," Acrisius ordered. "Put them in."
The guards were confused. They weren't sure what the king meant.
"I said put them in!"
"Acrisius!" Aganippe grabbed her husband's hand.
"Get away from me!" Acrisius knocked Aganippe to the ground. "Hold this woman!" Acrisius told the other guards. He then returned to his main business. "Why are you standing still? Put Danae and the baby in the chest!"
The guards were forced to put the struggling Danae in.
"Please father! Forgive my baby!"
The guards holding Danae's baby were still stunned. Acrisius, who was fed up, finally intervened himself. He snatched Danae's baby from the guard and placed it on top of Danae who had been bound and gagged in the chest. Danae's baby stopped crying as he was reunited with his mother, while Danae glared, cursing Acrisius with her gaze.
Aganippe who was still being held back by the guards screamed, "Acrisius! What are you doing? They're going to die! You said you wouldn't kill them!"
Acrisius calmly said, "I didn't. I just locked them up in this chest. Let the sea swallow them up. Don't worry Aganippe, Nepton accepts everything." Acrisius laughed.
The chest was closed and tied. The guards pushed the chest out to sea. Aganippe's screams and cries were silenced by the crashing waves. Acrisius smiled with satisfaction that he had gotten rid of his problem.