Was this the Face that launched a thousand ships? or was it the other woman?

"one - two - three, move your feet!" yelled my teacher, as his wooden sword came crashing down on my shield close to my arm. I scowled at him but set my position again and growled;

"that was a one off mistake"

"show me that is true then"

I set my stance fully and took three swiped at him, before having my sword at his throat by a clever means of a parry and a dodge.

"okay point taken" he said smiling.

"you are a good student Aphrodite, I would go so far as to name you the best soldier in all a Sparta"

"My Uncle wouldn't agree" I said, scowling at the thought of Menelaus.

"you know, if you smiled occasionally instead of scowling continually, you could live up to your name"

I smiled a little, but it quickly returned to a slight scowl as I set my stance again.

"can we just do this once more, before we call it a day?" I asked

"or a night" he said.

We had to practise at night because if my uncle knew Helius had been teaching me to fight, he would be punished most severely.

We went through it once more and then we finished, I took off my armour and threw my sword to Helius. I attempted another smile as I exited the room.

I sighed as I walked the hallways, the sounds of merrymaking were coming up from the great hall still, this was the last night for the princes of Troy in our city, I hadn't really mixed with the Trojans while they had been here, I was present at the state banquets of course, in all my finery, but as I was only nineteen I was considered to young to go to the dances, even though Paris the younger of the two princes was only twenty-two. I heard someone coming so I hid in the shadows behind a column. It was Aunt, Helen of Sparta, she quickly went into her room, but I didn't hear the bolt slide behind her. Before I could ponder what this meant another set of footsteps came along the corridor. It was Paris. Maybe he was lost? He looked around furtively before going into Queen Helen's room. Evidently not lost.

There would be fireworks when that was discovered. They were meant to be here to confirm peace, not attempt to make war, My uncle would kill them both. Walking quickly along the corridor I slipped into my room. My Handmaiden Rhea was sat at my dressing table, waiting for my return. Rhea may be my servant but she was also my friend. As she helped me undress and put water in a bath to warm aching muscles, I thought.

I hated being in Sparta, it was so suffocating. I wasn't allowed to do the thing I was best at: fight. Then I thought, the Trojans were leaving tomorrow, what if I left with them? I could stow away on their ship. My uncle wouldn't know until it was too late. I would have to run it past Rhea and then be down at their ship before they got there.

I told Rhea of my plan after she had finished brushing my hair. She thought it was utter madness, but over the elapsing half an hour, the plan had formulated in my mind. And once I had an idea, nobody would put me off it.

I rose when the first light of dawn was peeking through the curtains, judging by the sun it was about four o clock in the morning. The Trojans were leaving in two hours. I got dressed in my armour and slung my sword about my waist. Rhea looked at me with sadness. I put my hair up and pulled my helmet on. I could pass as a boy in my armour because I had such a willowy figure.

As I was about to leave I turned and hugged Rhea.

"I have to go now, you know why, this is might be the only chance I have to spread my wings, if I stay here I will probably married off to some borish prince or lord. Goodbye my friend. We will meet again sometime, I know"

I turned to the heavy door, opened the bolt and slipped out into the dawn.

Hurrying down to the harbour was not hard, there were not many people around at this time in the morning. The Trojans ship was unguarded, and I slipped on board, quickly making my way below deck, it was quite roomy and there was an area in the corner behind some crates, I would hide there.

Crouching down in the corner with my back to the hull, I settled down to wait. My eyes feel shut. I was awoken to the sound of the trapdoor, down to below deck being opened. I gasped, it was Paris, and with him was Helen. He hid her in the other corner away from the prying eyes of the sailors.

After the voyage had begun, a two sailors came down into the hull and started moving crates, I prayed to Athena that they would not move the ones hiding me. Then suddenly the scraping stopped and I heard lowered voices, before the crate directly in front moved aside.

"I knew it Cronus, I know the hull of this ship better than any, I could hear funny noises from over here, sounded very much like breathing."

"Prince Hector!" the other called and I heard feet tramping on the deck overhead. Now I was for it.

I heard the feet and then saw them appear down the steps,

"what?" asked Prince Hector looking bemused

Then he spotted me and immediately his hand went to his small dagger hanging at his hip. I agree I must have looked relatively threatening with my full armour on and I large sword hanging on my hip.

"who are you?" he asked

I didn't answer, I couldn't think of anything to say.

"speak!" he commanded. I still didn't say anything. I saw the miniscule nod that was given to the sailors and the second they started to move my sword was drawn. One of them dared to move some more and in a second I had moved towards him, but then it all happened so quickly Prince Hector's dagger was at my throat and I was on my knees. He pulled of my helmet, and with it all the pins were dragged out so my long brown hair fell down about my back.

"Princess Aphrodite?" Prince Hector said incredulously while snatching the knife back from my throat.

Then there was a bang behind me as a cupboard was thrown open by the sailor called Cronus.

"PRINCE HECTOR! THERE'S ANOTHER ONE!!" the sailor yelled

Hector turned around and gaped in disbelief between Helen and Me. Then he frowned.

"Q-Queen Helen?" he stuttered, his face set in anger.

"PARIS!!" he yelled, another set of footsteps were heard approaching overhead and coming down the steps.

"yes brother?" Paris said as he descended the steps.

Hector approached him and I could tell by the way his shoulders were hunched, it was taking all of his self restraint not to throttle him where he stood. Paris looked up at his brother and spotted Helen and I stood behind the two sailors.

"what is the meaning of this?!" Hector hissed.

"I know the tale of how Helen came to be here, but not of Aphrodite" he said.

"you smuggled Helen aboard the vessel?" Hector said in barely more than a whisper.

"I love her brother" Paris said, with a glance at Helen who was staring at the floorboards.

"and of Aphrodite?" Hector asked

"I know not"

"do you have any idea what you have done? Bringing Helen here?" Hector spat, "do you know how long our father worked for peace?"

"I will not ask you to fight my war" Paris mumbled

"you already did" Hector said.

Then he turned to me and his steely glance made even I, feel dreadful, I looked at the crates I had just been hiding behind, anywhere rather than look at his face.

"and you?" he said, "how came you to be here, I want the truth princess, nothing but"

I gulped. Feeling his eyes boring into the top of my head I started to speak.

" I was a Princess of Sparta and Ithica this morning, a thing that most people could only dream off, I am heir to both those kingdom's because I am father's only child and as of yet and forever now by circumstance, Menelaus and Helen are childless. And I hated it. I felt suffocated and trapped, I snuck aboard the ship because I thought it would be a chance for freedom, a chance to breathe. I wasn't going to trouble you, I intended to start life afresh in Troy"

There was a stony silence for a moment. I heard the sailors, Paris and Helen go away, obviously Hector had told them to leave us, even though he can't officially order Helen around, it think she was to frightened to do anything else.

"have you any idea what this will look to your Uncle and Father?" he said at long last.

I shook my head.

"It will look like we only went to Sparta to steal the Queen and the Heir to the Throne, even though we didn't know you were here it will look as if we have taken you"

I bit my lip, still not looking at his face.

"You, Helen and Paris have brought the armies of Greece to our door." he said.

"I am sorry"

"it is a little late for that, don't you think? However as you still are a Princess, I will honour you with the chance to redeem yourself, I notice you have a sword and evidently know how to use it?"

"yes"

"You will fight by my side, when the Greeks arrive on our shores"

"really? Oh thank-you!" I cried as I looked up for the first time during this conversation, I could tell by the look on his face that it wasn't quite the reaction he was expecting.

Menelaus POV

Helen was gone. My whole body bristled with anger, I had already punched three soldiers in the face for them being unable to tell me where Helen was. I would go ask Aphrodite where Helen was.

"Aphrodite!" I called striding down her corridor of the palace.

There was no answer, strange it was during the hottest part of the day, she is usually in her room. I opened her door and I saw her servant Rhea, sat at her dressing table.

"where is Aphrodite?" I asked her, not angrily more like slightly suspiciously

Rhea just shook her head. I drew the knife I held in my belt casually and approached her.

"I swear I will gut you here if you don't tell me!" I said

"my lord!" there was a call from behind me.

"they left, with the Trojans, this fisherman saw them leave" said a guard.

"the Trojans?" I questioned deathly quiet.

"Aphrodite stole aboard in the early hours of this morning, Paris took Queen Helen aboard a few hours later, then the ship left" the fisherman said.

I struck Rhea across the face so she feel to the ground in anger.

Aphrodite's POV

All of Troy had turn out to greet the princes return from Sparta. They did not expect the two new arrivals. Hector had made me put on a gown and the head-dress of a princess so I had silver leaves intertwined in my brown hair. I was riding pillion behind Hector, side-saddle, the only ladylike way when one is wearing a dress. I still felt awful for what I had done, I wish I had thought about the implications for Troy when I stowed away. By now Menelaus will have told his half-brother (my father) Odysseus of my betrayal, which I find a shame because Menelaus will have twisted it beyond belief, and I always did get on with my father. The only reason I was at Menelaus' court was because my father had been away on campaign for two years.

I was brought out of my dream world by a hand taking mine as Hector slid off the horse and helped me off, Hector climbed the steps first, then went Paris and Helen and then Me.

Priam greeted Helen and his sons courteously, then he saw me on the steps.

"Princess Aphrodite?"

I bowed my head.

"last time I saw you, you were no more than a baby, your mother was still alive and peace existed between Troy and Greece."

"my lord" I agreed

"I must say, your namesake must envy you, for you beauty far outstrips her own"

I smiled and lowered my gaze.

We went up the stairs into the palace hall, here I had a chance to breathe, out of the public eye. The way I liked it. Hector came over after he had greeted Andromache with a long kiss.

"Aphrodite, if you are to be a Princess of Troy, which you have no choice to do," he said looking warningly at me as I opened my mouth to protest, "I will have to introduce you to my wife, Andromache" she stepped forward and we exchanged greeting, I would have a chance to get to know her later.

Later that night, Hector's POV

I walked out into the garden to meet my father.

"Hector, here" I heard him say. I turned and approached him.

"so what do you have to say?" he asked

"as of Helen, my advice would be, put her on a ship and send her home"

"but I know Paris, I saw that look in his eyes today, you put her on a ship and he will follow" Priam said sadly.

"she will bring the armies of Greece to our shores"

"so will Aphrodite, you do not seem so keen to send her home"

"I cannot tell you why, but I am drawn to the girl, not as love, I don't think anyway because I love Andromache, but the way she spoke to me on the ship yesterday, the way her eyes begged me not to send her home, the fact that she knows how to wield a sword, it all draws me to her, she seems a very individual woman"

"I know what you mean, I almost felt it radiating off her today, she has views, hopes and dreams out of this time"

"so they both stay?" I asked

"they both stay, as Princesses of Troy"

"you have to remember that while Helen is no longer Queen of Sparta because Menelaus will not allow it, however no law can change a bloodline and Aphrodite, no matter what happens, is still heir to the thrones of Ithica and Sparta."

"are you suggesting we use her as a hostage?"

"no! I couldn't see that happen to Aphrodite, I am just saying that no matter where she runs, her blood will haunt her"

"see, you are drawn to her" Priam said

I sighed and put my head in my hands.

Menelaus POV

I strode into the hall, people parted as I went through their heads bowing, I strode up to my brother who was sat in the seat at the top of the hall.

"I want them back" I said the minute I was in front of him.

"well of course you do, Helen is a beautiful woman and Aphrodite is your heir."

"I want them back so I can kill them with my own two hands" I growled, "brother" I continued, " have I ever asked you for anything? I have followed you into battle, that is the nature of the world, you are the older son, I come to ask something now, will you go to war with me brother?"

Agamemnon held out his hand, which I took.