Okay I couldn't get this story out of my head, and then with the Helen of Troy being mentioned in scandal, I really couldn't get this story out of my mine. Crazy for taking on another story with the ones I have and school.

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They say he is the greatest warrior that ever lived. Stories have been told about the ruthless warrior who shields his face and body with armor. No one ever saw his face, but legend has been said that he is deformed; that his mother placed him in a fire when she saw how hideous her son was. Somehow he survived the fire. They say that the god of war Ares took a special interest in the child and allowed the child to survive the fire, surely the child must be powerful or has some worth in order to survive the burning flames. Legend has it the child actually became immortal once placed in the fire, when the flames died people from the village went to look at the child corpse and saw him lying in ashes with what was left of the fire surrounding him- protecting him.

She heard of the greatest warrior that ever lived, they call him grey horse or man of fire. Nobody knows who he is, where he came from, they say he was trained by Ares by the time he could walk and that it was Ares himself who raised the child in an image of himself. As a young girl she often envisioned grey horse, while many children ran away screaming in fear when they were told stories about the man born in fire, she was one of few who stayed and listened until the story ended, and often asked more questions about the elusive man of fire.

She has heard many tales about grey horse, how he ransacked a village and burned it down even when he got what he wanted, or when he killed over 30 soldiers by himself when they tried to capture him. The bounty for his head was worth over ten pounds of silver, many men traveled the great sea to destroy the monster but he each one failed. To those who died by Grey Horse they were carved with a symbol that represented him coming and going like the mist in the night; able to see but never touch. Those who have witnesses Grey Horse's tirade know he has one rule- which is that he allows one man to survive that way he can go to other villages and tell the story of Grey Horse, who destroys anyone who comes across his path boy or girl, child or adult.

She runs with purpose, she hears her footsteps slapping the ground, she feels her body giving out as she heaves for oxygen. At fifteen years old; she has run away from home, running as fast as her legs can take her, never once looking back. She packed what few clothes she could carry and as much food as she could hold in her satchel. She wasn't sure where she was going; she just wanted to be far away from her father, far away from the hell that she call's home.

Realizing she has put good enough distance between herself and her village, she found a place to lay her head for the night. She wasn't scared as she ran through the wildness, actually for the first time in a long time she felt free. She made camp and started a fire; she watched the fire as it crackled putting her into a soft sleep. She never feared the forest or men attacking her, it was far too cold of a night and her father has trained her to look like a lady but to fight like a man.

She hears whispers, rumblings, noises from someone who wasn't trying to be quiet. They were trying to get her attention. Grabbing her sword she stood up and looked around her surroundings, her fire that was once keeping her warm was gone. Scared and frightened she tightened the grip she had on her sword.

"Who's out there?"

Nothing was said, but the rustling of the trees

"Come out, I'm not scared." she said with as much strength as she can muster

"I'm glad you're not scared" Said a deep voice coming from the bushes in front of me.

Turning her head swiftly she sees a man staring at her, clothed in dragon scale armor, his spikes protruded to the point that if he turned his head he would cut her or worse.

His face was hidden by his helmet that resembled his armor, at first she thought it was a monster but the only thing that told her he was a man and not a monster were his grey eyes that pierced her, and his mouth that remained still.

His eyes moved down her body looking at her slowly and methodically. She should have felt scared, frightened being in his presence but there was something about him that made her feel oddly placate.

"Are you going to kill me?" she whispered

He remained motionless as he studied her features.

"What are you doing out here by yourself little fox?" His voice is deep, but there is a faint softness too it almost like he was about to tell her a story. Yes, a story that could softly sway her to sleep with the richness of his voice.

"Are you going to kill me?" She was scared but she knew if showed weakness he would sense it, the same way predators feed on their prey. He would demolish her.

Moving closer to her to the point that she can smell his woody masculine scent, he looks down to her.

A smirk comes across his face "No, little fox I will not kill you."

"My name is not little fox, my name is Olivia."

He laughs, he actually laughs, and it's not a maniacal laugh but a deep chuckle that takes root in the bottom of his gut. "You are feisty little fox; I like that" he says softly, becoming alarmed she takes a step back.

"Are you afraid little fox?"

Lifting her head up she look at him "Should I be?"

His attitude changes subtlety softens rather. "You don't need to fear me… I am the only person who can say that." He says softly

"What's your name?"

He looks down to her "I have no name." He says coldly as his face harness with her intrusiveness.

She stare at him, looks at his beautiful stormy eyes, then softly her eyes go lower; noticing the deep black scales he uses for his armor, how it is like nothing she has ever seen before. The texture both smooth and rough to touch, and then it registers to her "Your grey horse" she says softly more to herself than to him.

"That's what they call me…yes"

"Do you have a real name?"

"Grey horse is my name now"

Sensing that he was backing away from her, she moves closer to him, she looks up at his grey eyes "Everybody has a name." she says softly, not once realizing the effect her words have him. How something so simple could shake him to his core. But just as quick his heart softened it grew hard as well.

The soft grey eyes that were once kind soon hardened as he narrowed his gaze at her. "Why are you out here by yourself, where is your mother?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the trees watching as they sway from side to side, anything to keep me from crying especially in front him. He asked such a simple question she should be used to it by now but every time someone brings up her mother, her heart breaks that much more.

"She died…my mother is dead."

His gaze shifts until she sees him looking at her directly at her, greys eyes meeting brown eyes. He is no longer frightening instead he seems understanding. "I am sorry to hear that…do you have a father."

Her nose crinkles in disgust 'do I have a father; I have a monster as a father'. "My father is not much of a dad, he doesn't care about me, and he doesn't even know I ran away" she said softly looking down at her feet.

She feels cold rough armor touch her chin forcing her to look up at him. "I'm sure he cares about you" He says softly his voice caresses her putting her into a soft trance. She watches hoping just somehow she can get a glimpse of him, to see a trace of the man behind the mask.

"I will take you home, where is your village?" he asked

Olivia says nothing, refusing to answer his question-dreading the idea of going back home.

Sensing her uncooperation he moves to her again until she awakens from her reverie "Little fox do or don't tell me it won't make a difference; you are still going home." He said authoritatively

Her heart flutters as she looks for an escape, she runs away but before she could actually run he grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "You cannot escape little fox"

"I could stay with you…I won't bother you." she whispers

"You will go home, the wilderness is no place for a girl" He says softly

"I am sick and tired of people trying to run my life; you, my father, I can live my life the way I see fit…if I want to be a wife then I will get married, if I want to be a mother than I will have kids, if I want to be a warrior I can be it, just because I am girl does not mean I am less than!" She takes a deep breath as she tries to control herself, she was tired of people running her life and for second she thought he understood her, but clearly she was wrong about him.

"You are not prepared to see just how cruel the world is…it is ugly, dark, and scary."

"You don't scare me" she hissed at him and pushed him as she walked away from him, though he never budged

His eyes darkened moving before she could blink he had her trapped against a tree "Don't misplace my bite as a bark, I have killed many girls and children, you would be no different." He hissed at her with as much venom as he could muster. His breaths were deep as he tries to control himself.

"Then why don't you kill me…I want to be like you…I want to be fre…" He cuts her off

"You want to be like me?" He says with disdain, the disgusted look on his face makes her question herself for saying such things out loud.

"Child, I am not a hero, I am a monster who preys on the weak and helpless."

"I am not a child, I am a woman." She says with as much conviction as she could muster

"How old are you?" he asked

"I'm fifteen, but I'm going to be sixteen next month."

"I am going to let you in on a secret, only sleep with a man that loves you and you him. Your innocence is refreshing little fox; never let anyone steal your light"

"Why because I'm naive."

"No, because you don't see the world as it is, you see the world for what it could be; that is what separates you from the rest."

He edged towards her and every time he moved forward she scooted back until her back touched a tree, realizing she could move back no more she lifted up her head and looked at him. He said nothing as his eyes roamed her body, she should have felt uncomfortable under his gaze but she wasn't, her breathing hitched as she watched him lick his lips. She felt an immense wetness coming from her center, a feeling she never felt before. Slowly he scoots back from her, but still remains in her space, invading her thoughts.

"What is this freedom that you speak of?" He asked breaking the moment the two just shared

Embarrassed she looks down at her feet and plays with the dirt, he made her feel like a child, an innocent, naive child. "Your free…you get to do whatever you want and never have to worry about anybody, you can come and go as you please…I want to be free."

Looking at her, he says softly "There is no freedom little fox, every night I sleep with one eye open because that could be the night that I join hades in the underworld…there is a price to being free…there is always a price…" She watches as his voice grows softer as if he was recalling a moment in his life, which she so desperately wants to know.

"What is the price of being free?" Olivia ask

"You're never actually free… I go wherever I am paid to go, I fight wars, I win battles, and I kill soldiers', men who have families, who die with honor fighting for their country, their king."

"If you don't like killing then why do you do it?"

His body never wavers; he remains still like a statue. "It's what I'm good at it." He says simply

The wind hits her, making her shiver from the cold air. Watching her closely he signals for his horse to come out of the woods, as well as a wolf. She looked at the beautiful black wolf that stood beside him quietly. Olivia knew at that moment that Grey Horse was a god, he was able to tame a wild animal, her grandmother told her that those who can control a wild animal can control the world because people were wild animals and if you can command an animal than clearly you can command a human.

"What's his name?" She asked softly never taking her eyes off the beautiful wolf. He doesn't answer her question "He likes you." He says softly. Her eyes drift to Grey Horse excitedly "really" He nods his head slowly as he pat's his trusty companion.

"How can you tell?"

"Normally, He barks and bites at those who are untrustworthy."

A chill ran down her spine, thinking just for a second she could be wolf food and he wouldn't stop the wolf from attacking her.

"You would have let him bite me and virtually kill me?"

He started laughing as he looked at her "You will never find out, now would you." Quickly he got on his horse and looked down at her.

"Get on" He says sternly. He sits behind her quietly as they rode in silence, she felt his cold breathe on her neck moving her head slightly she allows him to mark her. She wanted him to claim her; she doesn't squirm at the fact that beneath his armor lays burns and scars, or that he was a killer because he understood her in a way no one else has since her mother died. The wolf walked in front of them leading the way.

For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. Though she did question her own sanity for liking someone who killed for a living, however when she looked at Grey Horse she saw that he was more than just a ruthless killer, that he actually had a heart. He has had the chance to kill her but instead he is taking her home, saving her from a short life she was destined to have had he not found her.

"Grey horse, why haven't you killed me?" She ask softly

His baritone voice is rich and strong "You are special little fox, but you are from money, when I bring you home I will exchange token with your father for bringing you back home safely."

"How can you tell I am royalty?"

Reaching for her sword, he touches it softly. "I can tell by your sword but most obviously your scent."

"My scent?" Her nose scrunches as she tries to comprehend

"You smell different than the others…"

"Do I smell bad?" Her cheeks turn crimson after the insult; she scoots up towards the horse trying to separate herself from him. "No, the opposite, you smell sweet, like lavender." Very softly he moves his arms around her waist gripping her a little tighter; subconsciously she scoots back towards him. She feels him pressed against her back, she feels him beneath the layers, she should feel alarmed, frightened but she trust Grey Horse, she turns her head and looks into his eyes and she doesn't believe that he would harm her, but if he were to take her she would not fight, instead she would remove cloths and spread her legs for him, inviting him to become one with her.

She is young and though she is a virgin she would gladly give herself to him, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, she would be his if he would claim her. However, she quickly chastise herself because someone like Grey Horse couldn't possibly want a little girl considering the dozens of beautiful women he has met traveling.

"Have you ever been with a girl?" She asks shyly even though she felt him twitch at hearing her speak those words.

He refused to answer; all that could be heard was the horse walking and the wind howling.

Growing cold, he notices her shiver as the wind hit her, he throws his wool on her. Grabbing the fur she inhales deeply as it smells of him, her eyes start to flutter as she struggles with staying awake.

"Go to sleep" He murmurs softly

"No" she says stubbornly forcing her eyes to remain open.

His face next to her ear, she smells his cold breath on her skin "Go to sleep little fox, you are tired, you need rest." He says softly.

"I'm not tired" She says softly as she fights a yawn, leaning further into his hard armor, she closes her eyes; and drifts to sleep, never seeing the soft innocent smile of Grey Horse as he watched her fall asleep in his arms.

Feeling a jolt she jumps, her eyes spring into action as she looks around her environment, it is still dark out, she rubs her eyes, forcing herself to wake up, however her eyes focus on an object that is similar to the one she has in her room; It is only then that she sees that she is not traveling with Grey Horse, but in the comfort of her bed.

Confused she looks around her bed for any trace of Grey Horse but he is long gone. Sitting quietly in her bed she wonders if she did actually escape and encounter Grey Horse, or if it was only in her dreams that he came to her.

She thought about the troubled man, and regret soon spread over her, as she thought about how she couldn't even thank him for saving her. She looked around her room, she was thankful that he saved her, but a part of her longed to be outside in the real world…with him. Laying down she looked at her window and watched as the trees swayed; an overwhelming sadness came over her as she thought about the beautiful creature they call Grey Horse. Praying to the gods she asked if she could see him again and that they will protect him from all those who wish to harm him.

She never saw the grey eyes that watched her from distance; it was only when he saw her sleep that he disappeared into the wilderness, leaving without trace.

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Should I continue ?

Until next time