Night in Paradise

Croesus chooses Delarai over the sorceress Attossa, incurring her anger as she mocks him from the palace in a disembodied form. He seeks a solution to appease or outwit the goddess and turns to Aesop, a fortune-teller who has just arrived from Samos. The royal court buzzes with the precarious balance between love and power.

Aesop arrives at the palace dressed as an old man with a hunch, a limp, and a cane. He presents himself as a seeker of wisdom, though he is young and handsome beneath the disguise. His presence unsettles the court and hints at a dangerous bargain to come.

Delarai invites Aesop to interpret a charm, and he performs in his younger form under the name Jason. At first Delarai is unaware of the deception, drawn to Jason's charm and wit. The encounter marks the beginning of a perilous attraction.

Delarai notices the scar on Jason's hand, which confirms Aesop's true identity, and they confess their love. Their bond grows despite the palace whispers and growing danger. Attossa and the courtiers begin to fear the consequences of their affair.

Attossa and the nobles grow wary of Aesop and Delarai, suspecting a conspiracy of hearts and loyalties. Rumors spread through the halls as guards tighten surveillance. The lovers must navigate a web of betrayal and risk.

Croesus demands that the Oracle reveal the truth and orders Aesop to fetch it. Delarai pleads with him not to go, but his resolve does not waver. Delarai sinks into tears as Aesop prepares for the perilous mission.

Aesop reaches the temple where the priest guards the Oracle, but the priest refuses to relinquish it. In a ruthless act, Aesop strangles the priest, steals his clothes, and hides his face beneath a hood. He presses on toward the truth under a new disguise.

Delarai goes to the temple seeking Aesop, and he reveals his youthful face just enough to spark a smile. Guards notice the smile and unmask him, triggering a frantic escape hand in hand. The lovers flee, pursued by those who would separate them.

Aesop and Delarai run toward freedom and are forced to leap off a cliff into the unknown. They cling to each other as Attossa reveals her image at sea, declaring that their faith, love, and a little help from her kept them alive. The peril of pursuit becomes a testament to their bond.

The couple finds sanctuary in a small cottage by a lake and garden, where Delarai tends Aesop's healing hand and they begin a quiet, ordinary life. The romance matures into lasting companionship as they adjust to their circumstances. The landscape mirrors a hopeful new chapter.

Twelve boys emerge from the cottage, shouting 'daddy!' establishing that Aesop and Delarai have married and built a large family. The eldest teases about bedtime, hinting at the warmth and humor of their home. The family hug seals a peaceful, sunlit ending to their journey.

As the father and mother share a moment of affection, the film closes on the unspoken legacy of their adventures: love enduring beyond disguise and danger. The house fills with the laughter of children, binding myth to memory. A final family hug echoes a fable told and rewritten by fate.