Hey hey! Don't really know where this story is going at all! Any ideas, please let me know! I haven't read the Iliad yet….I know - bad! I'm going to read it soon. So, basically this fanfic is based on the movie. Sorry, if that annoys anyone. I hope you like the first chapter. Hate it or love it? Please tell me what you think, cause all comments will improve my writing! Cheers big-ears!

Chapter One – Achilles

"Come, little one." A slave woman guided the sobbing fifteen year old up from the corner he had deposited himself in, into a chariot pulled by two sturdy copper brown horses. Steering them was an old neighbour of the recently deceased couple. She ran a hand down his dirty blonde hair making soothing, nonsense noises as he sat down on the hard wood of the chariot. He crumbled in on himself with grief, wrapping his skinny arms round his slender body, dropping his head to his knees. With a call and whip from the reins, the horses began an erythematic trot down the dry, dusty road.

'Why?' The boy thumped his legs and screamed over and over in his head. Why had his parents been chosen to visit the Underworld? Why had the Gods allowed it? Why had they left him? Left him alone. Both his parents had been brutally murdered not eight hours ago and here he was their only son being swept away to be placed under the protection of his never-before-seen cousin Achilles and his wise goddess mother, Thetis.

All he wanted was revenge. He wanted to avenge his well-respected, honest father and beautiful mother. Instead, he had fought the family friends who had restrained his struggles for more death and finally fainted into a slave's arms. Pathetic. He had been violently sick twice after watching the bodies of his parents being burned on the funeral pyres.

For most of his life he had prayed to the Gods to bless him with the opportunity to meet his hero, Achilles, and now they had granted his wish at the expense of his parents. He was to be placed in the care of the only family he knew. He had never met them in the flesh, but knew only of them from stories from his father.

Fresh tears coated his green eyes. How he would miss his mother's soft kisses at night and his father's wise words. The drops of moisture slide down his soft pale cheeks. He felt a hand being placed between his shoulder blades and he shrugged it off angrily with a low growl escaping his throat. He wiped his face furiously with his palms. Couldn't they see he just wanted to be left alone? He didn't want comfort; he wanted the man who had killed his mother and father to be screaming in pain by his hands.

"Patroclus, your cousin approaches."

The horses towing the chariot were slowed to a halt and immediately began chewing at the bit placed in their mouths.

Patroclus raised his head quickly and stared, mesmerised as Achilles rode towards him. He was donned in grey robes and sat upon a deep, midnight black stallion with wild red eyes. The breath left his body at the sight of this.

"So, this is my cousin Patroclus." Achilles acknowledged with a smile that warmed his eyes. His mother had explained of the boy's parents' murder and how she had decided to raise the boy with the help from her son. Achilles' eyes were filled with compassion as he noticed the glistening tear tracks on his cousin's face.

"Achilles. The Greatest Warrior. My Lord." Patroclus whispered, blinking rapidly. He leaped from the chariot and fell to one knee. The man watched in amusement and slid gracefully from his horse, landing in front of his young cousin.

The fifteen year old stared at the sandy ground and swallowed hard aware of being under Achilles' scrutiny. He was in the presence of this Great Warrior. Oh Gods, help me!

Suddenly, a pair of hands were around his waist and he was lifted off the ground and swung up onto the saddle of Achilles' own horse. Achilles bid a farewell to the slave woman and pulled himself onto the saddle behind Patroclus. He embraced an arm round his cousin's chest and pressed him back to lean on his own strong solid torso. He bent to whisper into the boy's ear.

"Rest, child. It's a long way home."

"Home?" Patroclus questioned, lifting away from the body.

"Home." Achilles reinforced hugging him close again. "Now rest or I'll make you walk."

Patroclus looked up startled, but saw the faint flicker of a smile on his cousin's lips and for a brief moment allowed himself his very own small smile. He collapsed against the supporting chest and let out a sigh. His head fell to the side, snuggled into Achilles' shoulder and he watched exhausted as they galloped out of the city.

Before his eyes shut he allowed himself one last long look at his cousin, his hero and his closest family member. He had never met the man in person before, but an instant bond had been built between them just from their first contact. They were family after all and to Greeks, family was everything. Achilles was feared and respected for his ability to slay and slaughter, but deep inside Patroclus he knew Achilles would be his saviour from the despair which had engraved itself into his heart.