Well anyway, enjoy
Chapter 1
Troy is a city which existed over 4000 years and known as the center of ancient civilizations. Many years, people believed that it was the city in tales and never existed until it was first found. The most famous story was the story of Helen of Troy but no one knew that their was another story to it. One which wasn't written in books or scrolls, it was mostly known as a myth or just some old folks tale. When in truth this was a story which had been hidden for thousands of years until this day. If those over the centuries knew of this story it would have been remembered for all time. The forbidden tale was about Troy's hero, Prince Hector and Callidora. The youngest daughter of King Eetion, ruler of the Cilician city of Thebes and younger sister of Andromache.
The meaning of Callidora was 'gift of beauty', for she was a very beautiful young girl and Eetion and his wife knew it was a perfect name for her. Though she was only at the age of sixteen, many men have asked her father for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately King Eetion had not decided for her to wed yet for she was still to young. His older daughter Andromache had married when she was nineteen. King Priam and himself had both betrothed Eetion's eldest daughter to Priam's eldest son.
When Callidora found out that her sister was getting married and was going to live in Troy she was very upset. Both sisters were very close and Callidora knew she would feel very lonely without her big sister. Callidora was only 11 when Andromache had gotten married. She couldn't really remember what it was like in Troy or when she had met the royal family including her sisters future husband. Callidora knew that Andromache had married the crowned prince, Prince Hector. It had been 5 years since the wedding and when she had come back to her home land Thebes. Though Andromache wasn't living in the same castle anymore Callidora had gotten use to it over the years. It took a bit of time adjusting living with out her sister. They had done so much together why growing up and she had missed the stories her older sister would tell her. Some stories about the gods and others about famous heroes that lived before their time.
It was a lovely sunny day and Callidora was wearing a transparent loose robe of beautiful blue and white linen that reached down to her ankles and folds of the dress were draped over the right shoulder and folded down the back. She wore one like it each day but in different colors. Callidora didn't wear much jewelry since she was only a princess and not a queen. In tradition in her homeland queens wear more jewelry than their daughters. It makes the status between queens and princess most obvious to those around them.
Her lovely long brown curly hair, hanged down behind her back but on her head was a small gold hope as her crown. It was passed down to her from Andromache when she turned 13 and Andromache was living in Troy. It was also tradition that the youngest sister or sisters didn't wear a crown only the eldest daughter did. When the eldest daughter would get married they would pass that crown down to the next sister. Their were many traditions in her family and those she had to follow. Callidora knew that when she turns 19 was the day when she would get married.
Eetion still hadn't found a man to have his youngest daughter betrothed to and it wasn't going to be long until she was 19. He had betrothed Andromache to Hector when she was only 6 years old. However it was quite hard to find a suitor for his second daughter, his wife would just say that he doesn't want his little girl to get married. The truth was that Eetion didn't want to marry his daughter of to some man who will only marry her because of her beauty. He had been told by many men how they would love to make Callidora their wife because of her looks. Men such as kings, nobles, soldiers, generals even servants. It seemed that even the lowest of men wanted to marry her, he had even been asked by King Agamemnon if he could marry Callidora to take as his second wife.
Callidora on that hand was rather thankful that she wasn't betrothed to anyone, well not yet of course. Callidora had told herself many times that she wants to marry the man she falls in love with. She knew that her parents were betrothed to one another but over time they grew to love each other. Callidora sometimes wondered if that was the same with Andromache. Did she feel rather anxious marrying someone who she doesn't know but will soon learn to love him. Thinking about love was something that Callidora always thought about. She wanted to know what love feels like and what to be loved is like as well. Callidora loves her parents and Andromache but it wasn't the sort of love that she was thinking of.
Down in the shore Callidora was walking along the white sandy beach, picking up pretty seashells along the way. She was trying to find shells with little holes in them so she could make a necklace. Her mother had made her a shell necklace before and so she thought that she might make one as well. The water was washing up onto shore and over her feet. It felt nice a cool on her skin and the breeze was just perfect, Callidora looked out to the open sea. "I wonder if the gods will make everyday just as nice as this one" she said to herself.
Callidora worshipped the gods, but the one god she truly worshipped was Aphrodite. She was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility (I looked it up and its true). Callidora was brought back from her thoughts when she saw a boat heading to the far docks. The boats flags seemed very familiar to her but she wasn't sure where she had seen them before.
The boat arrived at the docks and a wooden rail was placed from the boat to the dock. A man wearing a blue attire with black curly hair and a black mustache and beard stepped onto the dock. Behind him was a younger man wearing the same thing and had the same black curly hair stepped onto the dock afterwards. "Your majesties, king Eetion has been expecting you please follow me" said the general. The two men followed the general up to the castle.
Meanwhile Callidora had just come back to the palace from the beach and was in the throne room with her mother and father. She had been told that they were expecting some very important guests. Callidora had not heard of these guests which had arrived until right now. The two big doors opened, Callidora stood by her fathers left side why her mother was sitting on her fathers right side. Andromache use to stand next to their father and she would stand next to their mother. Now it was different, her father had made her stand next to him.
Callidora saw two men walking behind the general of her fathers army and who was one of the men who had proposed to her. "My king may I present you prince Hector and prince Paris of troy" the general said bowing. "Thank you Marcos, that will be all" Eetion replied. He walked of leaving Hector and Paris standing before the royal family of Thebes. Eetion stood up "welcome to my home prince Hector and prince Paris" he said walking up to them and hugged them both. "You welcome us with opened arms king Eetion and yet we have no gift for you" Hector said bowing as did Paris. "Nonsense, we are family there is no need for gifts, just seeing you both here gives me great joy" Eetion told them.
"Thank you my lord you are most humble" Hector said with a genuine smile on his face. "You do remember my wife, queen Anasandra" he pointed to his wife as she came towards them. "Yes of course" and Hector kissed her hand, "you are looking very lovely my lady" Paris said before kissing her hand as well. "My, prince Paris you haven't changed a bit" the queen said. "I don't know if you remember my youngest daughter princess Callidora" Eetion asked them. She walked over to them and bowed "it is an honor to meet you again prince Hector and prince Paris" she said in a soft voice. "The honor is ours princess, for it has been to long since our last meeting" Hector told her. Callidora looked up at him and smiled "yes it has and I am very happy that you have come to these shores" she replied.
"Please lets us feast to welcome you to Thebes" Eetion said and they all headed to the great dining room. Food and wine was brought to the two princes and the kings advisors also sat at the table. They all ate and drank and were entertained during their feast, Eetion sat at the very end. His wife on one side and his daughter on the other, Callidora had finished her meal and asked to be excused from the table. She walked out onto the patio to watch the moon shine over the sea. "It's beautiful isn't it" she heard a clam voice from behind her. Callidora turned around and saw Hector standing their wearing a blue robe which the royal family of Troy wore.
She turned back around to look at the view before her "yes it is, the gods must be celebrating to give us such a lovely night" Callidora said. Hector walked up beside her and looked at the open view. "Do you speak highly of the gods, princess" Hector asked her. "Yes I do, for I believe in them with great respect" she told him "may I ask why" he then asked her. "Each god has their own meaning and creation, like Poseidon is the god of sea and Ares the god of war" Callidora replied. "Which one do you worship the most princess Callidora" Hector was fascinated on her beliefs. "I mostly worship Aphrodite the god of love" Callidora replied. "I see, but she is not just the god of love she is also the god of beauty" Hector told her which she already knew.
"Yes but I do not praise her just because she is the god of beauty or love I praise her because it was she who gave my family happiness" Callidora told him. "Tell me how is Andromache doing" she asked Hector. "She is doing very well" he replied, Hector remembered the look on the young girls face when he had married her older sister. He had only met Callidora once and could only remember her as a little child. Though looking at her now, Hector could see that she was a young lady. He then remembered something that Andromache wanted him to give to Callidora.
"Before I forget Andromache wanted me to give you this" he pulled out a tiny silk bag and gave it to her. Callidora opened the little bag and pulled out a beautiful shell necklace which belonged to Andromache. It didn't just have shells on it but also some small pearls as well. "I cant believe she wants me to have this" Callidora said looking at it, she remembered how Andromache always use to wear it. "Prince Hector could you please put this on for me" she asked him. Hector took the necklace and put the necklace around Callidora's neck. He had to move her hair out of the way so he could tie it up, her hair felt like silk when he touched it and it smelt like flowers. Hector finished tying it and let Callidora's hair fall back down.
She touched the necklace "please tell Andromache that I said thank you" she asked Hector and he replied with a nod. They soon both walked back inside and Eetion walked over to them "Callidora isn't that your sisters necklace" he asked her "yes it is, I have asked prince Hector to tell her that I said thank you" she replied. "Well there is no need for that because you can tell her yourself" Eetion said, Callidora was a little confused. "What do you mean father" she asked "I mean that when you see her you can say thank you" he said. "Father she is all the way over in Troy" Callidora was now even more confused. "Yes but my dear you will be going over their as well" Eetion told her.
"I am but why" she was shocked but she did not act like it "your mother and I thought that you should go and stay in Troy for a while since we know how much you miss Andromache, I had sent Priam a letter about three months ago to see if that was alright, that is why Hector and Paris are here to take you back to Troy with them" he told her. Callidora wasn't sure what to think, she was going to Troy. She was very happy that she would be able to see her sister but it had been so long since she had last been to Troy. "I hope you will take good care of her Hector" Eetion told him. "Of course lord Eetion" Hector replied and watched the old king sit back down next to his wife.
The next morning some of Callidora's clothes had been packed and was now been brought on board the boat. She was now wearing a white and gold robe which is the same style as the blue and white one she was wearing the other day. The boat was about to ship sale, so Callidora said her goodbyes to her mother and father. She wasn't sure how long she would be staying in Troy since her father hadn't told her. The trip to Troy would take at least two or three days so it was a long journey ahead. She watched the land of Thebes grow smaller the further the boat was out to sea. Callidora was glad that she never got sea sick but Andromache always did, Callidora remembered the day when they were leaving for Troy how Andromache was always throwing up.
Callidora rather enjoyed coming out to sea it made her mind feel at ease and wash all her problems away. She thanked Poseidon for giving them a safe sail back to Troy and not a rough one. Callidora knew of stories that Poseidon was the rather bad tempered god but she believed that if you travel on safe waters then you have been blessed with tranquility. Her mother had told her once that each god has chosen a human being as their child. That is why people say she is a child of Aphrodite. Callidora had asked her mother which god has chosen her as her or his child. Queen Alasandra told her youngest daughter that she was a child of Hera, the god of marriage.
A few days went by and they had finally arrived back at Troy, Callidora saw the huge walls and forgot how tall they really were. Their was a horse cart with gold patterns all over it and two white horses were connected to it. Hector stepped up onto the cart and offered his hand to Callidora to help her get on. Once they were on the horses started moving and they headed to the large front gates. The two gates slowly opened and their were people everywhere, their was some throwing confetti from high above. There were people along the street yelling and screaming welcoming the princes back. Callidora looked at her surroundings and couldn't believe how beautiful the city was. This was the beginning of her new life which she would now spend in Troy. It was also the beginning of the time when she would soon know what love really feels like.
Well that's my first chapter so I hope you liked it, another one will be coming up shortly.