Chapter 2

But yet he saw her clearly in his dreams, her shape, her form, her touch, her feel, and her love.

Endymion's chase ended at the river banks to the north. There he saw that man who had been held by a goddess. He snuck closer to hear the conversation.

"She'd been gorgeous yes, but she was a goddess. There is no room for us in the goddess's life. Her brother will surely strike me in my sleep once dawn breaks."

"Aye, but what if he doesn't?"

They were heading back to their village, through the Trojan gates that separated the Athenian colony with that of the city of Troy.

Endymion didn't dare sneak in to the city, he'd have no way out again, and while in it, he'd be spotted for what he was, a child of Athens.

"She'll never set foot here again; I don't know what yer going on about. She only stopped the other gods from killing us for sport once we killed one of theirs."

Endymion didn't learn anything from that conversation and he walked away. Athena was their patron goddess, and he'd pray to her tonight.

Athena watched young Endymion walk away from the Trojan wall, glad he decided to use his head and his instincts instead of curiosity. But she had to go speak with Odysseus. She spoke to Odysseus on the south shore's rocky region away from his men.

She spotted Endymion sneaking into their camp to snitch some food for the evening. She returned to her conversation with Odysseus. "You may have a little passenger some day boarding your ship, you shall do nothing to him, you shall not even know he's there, for he has his own fate in line for him and he's only using your ship as a vessel to get there."

"A boy?" Odysseus looked around, but could not see Endymion. "What is a boy doing here? It is not very safe for him here."

"He shall be all right, I shall protect him, at least until you get back to Athens. He's here because the Trojans just killed his father and his mother and sisters will be fine without him, for he is the youngest."

"Achille's had a son?"

"Yes."

"Shall I get a chance to meet him?"

"Yes. However it is not his doing for fate, fate cannot control any actions or destiny, for you make up your own life. His life however will be taken out of his hands. What will you do about Troy?"

"Destroy it."

"How?" Athena questioned the brave man.

"We do not have support of the gods?"

"Nobody has complete support of any god, we do what we feel like when we feel like it." Athena rested her hand on Odysseus' shoulder. "We get bored easily, and so it is up to whomever to finish it. But I, Odysseus, I do not bore so quickly."

"Goddess of war, it has been several years we have fought, I would not think you do."

"It is my brother, Ares, who started it with throwing the apple into our room and it was Aphrodite who whispered into Helena's ear, you do not love him, you love Paris."

"Ares was bored?"

"Ares was, and so I must finish what he started." Athena perked up her darkened head and smiled. "And I must also go now, but you shall not win if you try to fight your way in."

"Why must you go?"

"There is a voice who wishes to speak to me."

"Take care, great goddess."

Her violet eyes slithered to him and she smiled. "Oh do not fret, for goddesses cannot die."

Athena appeared in front of him in a flash. He jerked from startle, for he had never before called upon a goddess to appear in front of him, he was not worthy.

"Goddess Athena."

"Why now, do you call upon me and tear me from my meeting with a new hero in your midst?"

"I have beseeched your help."

"How may I help you child?"

"I wish I knew what to do, for I shall not go back to my home, I had tired of that place and yet am too young to work else where."

"You shall follow your heart, what does it tell you?"

"To follow the great Odysseus in my father's place."

"Perhaps not in his place, do you not agree?"

"To join the ranks and then disband my commission after we return to the shores of a homeland I have never before seen?"

"Precisely." Athena clasped Endymion's shoulder. "You would do well to follow your heart young man."

"Thank you goddess, I had not meant to tear you away from greatness."

"I only come to greatness, for greatness follows greatness." Athena did not allow him to bow. "You shall retain your humble spirit but learn how to lead armies, young sir. For you are destined to be great."

"I shall for the goddesses' in my life." He pledged.

"And you shall no longer nick food from plates but have your own."

"May you go in strength, dear goddess."

"And may you never loose your charm." She patted his head and disappeared just as suddenly.

Endymion watched her go, and sighed, goddesses were really quite gorgeous. It took his young breath away. It wouldn't be the last time he conversed with a goddess.

Endymion snuck back down to the shore where he overheard the plans for the rest of the night. All but two ships would be destroyed, one was to take men away, back to the homeland. Endymion was tempted to join that ship, but he didn't. Another was to take a small fleet of men and hide out in the cove on the other side of the island. While the rest of the men would build the giant horse used for a peace offering and hide in it until the men of Troy went to sleep.

The one hiding would be there until dawn then come back around to pick up the wining soldiers, those who had not died. Endymion did not see how this would be unnoticed by the gods, but he accepted the fact that he wouldn't be in the fighting fleet. He'd join those hiding out, and become but a shadow to those of Odysseus' men.

He snuck down to the wares and boarded a plank into the ship's lower region while the captain was arguing with Odysseus about leaving.

Eventually the captain agreed and boarded the one that would not require any longer length of stay here. But both the ships waited as the others were demolished and taken apart to be rebuilt into a giant horse with wheels. Many men climbed in and didn't come out again, one of which was Odysseus. The remaining men boarded the remaining two ships. They took sail, each in the same direction until the island was out of sight, then Endymion's ship careened away and made a back pass to the other side of the island.

He wasn't able to watch as the Trojan men came to check out their victory gift, or watch the seer get eaten by the monster in the water, or watch as they brought the gift horse into their troughs'. Or even to see the men slide out of the horse and slaughter every member of opposition as they lay sleeping.

All he remembered from the time he fell asleep to waking, was the trip to the other side, and then men cheering as they walked on board, blood and sweat dripping from every pore. He was fascinated at the sight of victory from his people against those who oppressed him earlier.

He got first glimpse of Odysseus in that light, as he relished his victory for his country and comrades. The man looked strong and powerful, and young. Endymion wished with every fiber of his being to be like him some day, a wish that wouldn't be missed by too many watchful gods and goddesses ears.